Author's Notes. This story was meant to go on with Naruto waking up from the sleep on Azuremyst Isle when Exodar crashed on it. Obviously it didn't get that far.
—oo000oo—
The blond nearly snarled as he swung his warglaives around, cutting his foes down effortlessly. Though he wore a bandage around his eyes, he struck them without error, as precise as possible. He wore no shirt, loose pants called hakama, and sandles. All along his upper body were tribal tattoos, and his eyes glowed orange even through the bandage. He was a Demon Hunter, the best aside from one man, his father, the only one he had ever known or cared to know, Illidan Stormrage. This Demon Hunter was at his peak of power, having the characteristics of the demon he sacrificed. His ears had grown fox like, long, pointed, and covered with red fur with white tips, whisker like scars decorate his cheeks, and nine fox tails trailed behind him. He was Stormrage Uzumaki Naruto, and as he climbed to the top of that mountain of bodies, he roared in challenge to the horde of demons still coming. He looked around a final time...and grinned.
—oo000oo—
"They are close brother, I can sense it," Illidan said to Malfurion. The year was the third century of magic and the reign of Queen Azshara. Illidan and his brother were sent as a dispatch to find the ones that were using such magic as it was felt in the Well of Eternity.
"Yes, I sense them too," Malfurion said. He glance at Illidan, his twin, and Illidan knew what he thought and felt. He wished that Illidan had gone the same path as him, but it wasn't for him. It didn't have the same calling. He respected his choice and Illidan his though. They may not see eye to eye, but they were brothers, and that broke barriers none other could. "Ready?"
"To outdo you, brother, always," he said with a self assured grin. A deep breath, and he felt the energy of the arcane flow though him, getting him ready. He knew that those that used it for too long grew addicted to it and he swore to himself he wouldn't be counted among those numbers. He was stronger than that. He was a Stormrage after all. "Now?"
"Now," Malfurion agreed. Illidan shattered the protective barrier that impeded their path, and the two went charging in. What they found was several of the Northlanders around a magic circle, used for summoning. "Illidan!"
"Summoning, brother, we must stop them, even I hesitate to guess the power if that circle is right!" He brought the end of his staff down on the head of one of the summoners.
"It is too late, elves," one of the trolls shouted. "We have completed the summoning! Soon, all your people will bow before the fox god!"
"Not if we can help it," Malfurion replied, his hands glowing as he cast his druidic magic. Roots tore the circle apart but the magic didn't stop. Whatever it was, it was coming regardless.
—oo000oo—
Naruto yawned and stretched. Sitting up, he looked around, he had fallen asleep atop the Hokage tower again. Seeing the sun still up, he thought about what he could do to pass the rest of the day. He grinned, Jiji was downstairs and probably dying for something to come along and change the pace instead of all that paperwork. Pulling out his slingshot, he snuck downstairs, loaded his weapon with a stink bomb, and waited outside his office for just the right moment when the door opened and revealed the Old Man. Door was opening now. He aimed, it opened wider still, pulled back, the man exiting said a final word and stepped through, and Naruto fired. It was perfect! The Old man was nodding one moment, his eyes as wide as they could go the next when he saw the attack, an ANBU dived in the way yelling the cliché 'NOOOO!', and Naruto started running. He maybe eight, but he could still put the chunin sent to catch him through their paces. And this time, it wouldn't be chunin, that's for sure.
"Naruto," shouted the ANBU as he saw it wasn't a weapon but the musk of a skunk. He ran out of there, bent for blood. "When I catch you, I'm going to hang you by your toes from the top of the tower!"
"Have to catch me first, ANBU-san!" Naruto threw open the door to the stair way he had trapped before beginning his assualt. Before the first step, he climbed the railing and jumped the next level down. He rolled back to his feet and looked up, seeing the ANBU taking the steps. SPLAT! A pie hit him in the face. A coconut and banana cream pie, of course. He was so stunned, he tripped and slid to the landing below him.
"I'll get you, brat!"
"Alright, I give up," Naruto said, holding up his arms. The ANBU jumped to his feet and started down the steps, only to pull another trip wire. Six eggs hit him in the face.
"...A half dozen," the ANBU asked, wiping his face clean.
Naruto looked confused, "There should've been more." He kicked the wall. Sling! Sling! Sling! Sling! Sling! Sling! "Oh, there they are." He wiped his face off again and glared at Naruto. "Hey, if it makes you feel better, this was supposed to happen to the Jiji, not you."
"RAGH!" Naruto wisely decided to run again. He went through the door and offices. He came to a window and looked out it. It was a long drop. "No where to go now."
Naruto looked at him, hopping on the windowsill. "Worry not, salvation is at hand!" He saluted him, pushing himself back and flipping. The ANBU rushed to the window, and looked down, afraid he was about to see the boy die. Naruto was smiling, as he held up an umbrella and opened it. It caught the air and he floated down. "A little trick I picked up from this cartoon character named Penguin, remind me to send him a fish!"
The ANBU gaped at him, not believing he actually saw him escape by umbrella. That was a new one for the Wall of Crazy Things done by Naruto. "This has gone on long enough." He blew a whistle and a team of ANBU descended on Naruto. Yet, as mad as he was with the boy, he couldn't help smiling.
—oo000oo—
The team could barely keep from fanning the smell away from their noses as they held Naruto in front of the Hokage. Naruto just stood there, wearing a home made, working gas mask, laughing the whole time. "Captain," the Hokage said, trying not to sound like he was rushing the man out, "please..." he turned green again, having taken a breath, "...go change."
"Yes sir," he said before walking out.
"OH GOD!"
"WHAT'S THAT GOD AWFUL SMELL!" Those cries and several more just made Naruto laugh hard enough to fall to the ground.
"Naruto, stop laughing!" He did when he saw Jiji was mad this time. "You know better than to do things like that. Why did you?"
"I thought you were bored," Naruto replied.
"So you tried to hit me with...that!"
"It would have been interesting," Naruto defended himself. "Besides, it didn't!" He looked around before taking his mask off. "Do you...feel something?"
"Don't change the subject," Sarutobi said. "Do you know the kind of trouble you caused?"
"Yes...Jiji, I really feel odd."
"Naruto, I said... Great Kami!" Naruto was turning transparent.
"Jiji, what's wrong with me!" He rubbed his hands, as if to wipe whatever it was off, and looked at the Hokage scared. "JIJI!"
"ANBU!" They went to activate the protective seals of the room even as Naruto tried to get to him. Sarutobi reached a hand out that passed through Naruto a moment before he completely vanished. The seals finished activating an instant later. "No... Find him! I want him found now!"
—oo000oo—
Naruto fell to the cold floor and looked around wildly. The first thing he saw was a dead...something. "AAGH! JIJI! DOKU NI IRU NO! JIJI!"
Illidan, Malfurion, the trolls, and even the treants summoned by Malfurion stopped in their fighting to look at the boy. "...This is the fox god," Illidan asked them.
"A bit smaller than I imagined," Malfurion said with a laugh.
"No! He...where...He's supposed to be huge!" He went over to the scared boy, grabbed him, and began to shake him. "Where is the fox god! Are you his emissary!"
"JIJI, TASUKETE!"
Illidan growled, "Put down the child." The boy looked at him and saw he was at least somewhat like him so he called for help again.
"Where is the fox god, boy!" That was the last thing the troll said before Illidan brought his staff down on his arms, breaking them, and catching the boy as he dropped. Holding him tight to his chest, he did a round house kick, snapping the summoner's neck.
"Brother, I'll get him out of here, finish them," Illidan called before running out. He ran for the door and stopped when one of their pet raptors got in the way. "FIREBOLT!" He held out a hand and it shot right into the side of the beast, blasting it apart. He slammed right through a door, more spells right on his tongue, ready for more to attack him. There were none. Moving away, he erected a barrier around them. "There there, its alright," Illidan told him. "Can you understand me, child?"
"Dochirasama," the boy asked. "Dochirasama? Izuko gozen ore? Izuko Jiji?" He was near hysterics and clearly panicked.
"Calm down, clam down." He was now breathing so hard, he was hardly getting air in his lungs. "If you don't stop, you'll choke yourself." Illidan tried to say it as soothingly as possible but the boy began crying next, and soon after came the chokes. "Damn it." He covered the boy's mouth and nose. His eyes went wide before he struggled to free himself and be allowed to breath. Just before he turned blue, Illidan let him take a breath and did it again. It went on for almost a minute as the boy slowly calmed and his breathing returned to normal. He even stopped fighting. At that point, Illidan kept his hand off. "That's it...stay calm."
The yellow haired boy continued to cry but kept himself together. "Dochirasama? Dochirasama?"
"You keep saying that. What do you mean?" The boy tilted his head. "...Dochi...ra...sama?"
"Na...Naruto. Uzumaki Naruto."
Illidan blinked, "Dochirasama?"
"Naruto," he said, touching his chest. "Dochirasama?"
Illidan nodded, finally getting it. "Illidan."
"Illidan," Naruto repeated, hugging him.
Not long later, Malfurion joined him. "...So, is he really the fox god or did they mess up?"
"I think they messed up but look at him. Have you ever seen clothes like this? Or heard of the language he speaks? I don't think he's exactly local. Naruto." The boy looked up again. "Malfurion,"he said, pointing to his brother.
"Mal...Malfer...eon? Malfurion." He looked to Illidan again. "Illidan, Malfurion."
"Yes," Illidan replied, nodding. "Illidan Stormrage, Malfurion Stormrage." When Naruto again looked confused, he knelt down and drew a woman in the dirt. "Mother." Beneath her, he drew two boy figures. "Illidan and Malfurion Stormrage."
Naruto looked from them to it. "Douhou?" He pointed first to Malfurion, "Onii-san?" Then to Illidan. "Otouto?"
Malfurion sighed, "This is going to take a while."
"It is," Illidan agreed. "We can't even begin to even think about sending him back without understanding him and him us." He sighed, "Off we go, Naruto." He picked him up and made a loud whistle. A low roar came from the trees followed by a tiger and a giant elk came running out.
Malfurion looked at the frostsaber with a frown. "I'll carry him, brother, your frostsaber will probably scare him."
Illidan set him on the ground and looked at his brother. "You're probably right..." They heard laughing and saw Naruto scratching the frostsaber's belly, quickly getting him to roll onto his side so he could get it better, and he even started purring. "...Overgrown kitten." The cat licked Naruto who cheered and jumped on him.
"Ah, the innocence of childhood," Malfurion said. "Naruto, don't you want to meet my elk?" The boy and frostsaber looked at him curiously before going back to playing. "Guess not."
—oo000oo—
Naruto had the time of his life riding on the giant tiger with Illidan. He didn't know why they were purple but Illidan was really nice and he did save him from that...thing with the tusk that was yelling and hurting him. "Jiji won't believe this when I tell him," Naruto yelled, still laughing.
He saw Illidan smile at him and said, "Inbalin l'draeval d'dosst dro?"
"What? Oh well. Why are you two blue? I was blue once, fell in a vat of blue food dye. That happen to you?" He rubbed Tora's ear, as he decided to call the white tiger. "Faster!" The cat growled and did go faster. "WHAO!"
"Illidan, inbau natha mir d'nindel murrpau," Malfurion called.
"F'sarn naut xundus ol, uk zhah!" Naruto didn't know what they said but he figured it had something to do with him getting Tora to run faster.
"YAHOO!" He groaned when Illidan pulled Tora's reigns to slow down. "Where are we going? Someplace with food I hope, I'm hungry, and jiji must be worried about me. Are we going to Konoha?" They didn't look like they recognized the name. He knew they didn't understand him but he was scared and worried. Talking made him feel better. "You two look really strong, I bet you work really hard to be and... Wow." They came through the trees and Naruto saw a city. Nothing like Konoha, though. It was built on the edge of a giant lake that shined even in the night like a mirror. He could best describe it as a perfect sapphire with silver gilding. The two slowed their mounts to a walk and entered the city. It was perfect, in his opinion. Though it was filled with Long Ears like Illidan and Malfurion, they were all very nice. The two said hello, he thought they did anyway, and even introduced him to others. One lady even smiled at him! She must have been a mother because she had two kids with her. She patted him on the head and gave him this sweet pastry. He almost cried as he thanked her and ate it.
"D'anthe wiu, dos talinth nau uss zhahus yugho ulu ukta p'los," she said to Illidan.
"...Usstan xuat talinth uk uriu," Malfurion stated.
Naruto looked between them then back to Illidan. "Xuil lu'oh uk mora, uk zhalus zhil'za jivviim desu," Illidan told them.
Naruto blinked, "What am I missing? Come on, tell me!" Illidan chuckled and ruffled his hair. Naruto gave him a mock glare but smiled after a moment. "Because I'm such a nice guy, I'll forgive you." Tora groaned and Naruto climbed up on her head, scratching her ears again. "Good kitty."
Illidan and Malfurion led him through the city, showing him wonder after wonder. He especially liked the green dragons with some of their riders from the Misty isles near the northwestern point of the continent. "Hello," he waved to one of the drakes.
"Hello child," it answered.
"You can talk," Naruto exclaimed.
"I can. You're a bit far from home," the drake said, walking up to them. "Ah, Malfurion, watching after this whelp?"
"I am, Smrgol. You know where he is from?"
"Yes. He is from another world." Naruto widened his eyes at that while Smrgol took a deep sniff from him. "Yes...Terra."
"You're know my home?"
"Not personally, never been there, can't go there either. The Bronzes might be more able to talk about it. I just know what is in the Emerald Dream." Smrgol saw he was getting sad quickly. "Worry not, child, though you may no longer be home, I assure you, you will find one here. And if not, there will be those that won't rest until you find it."
Naruto sniffed, "Thank you."
"Smrgol, would you or one of your kin be willing to come with us to translate," Illidan asked.
"I cannot but I'm sure there is a whelp here more than willing." He turned back and looked around. "Here we are." He caught one of the flitting wyrmlings by the tail in his mouth and took her back.
"Let me go, let me go, let me go!" The wyrmling looked at Naruto and stopped struggling. "Ooh! Looky, looky! Never seen a foxy human before!"
"Calm down, wyrmling," Smrgol told her, letting her go. "They need a translator."
"Hold on, I'll do it when I'm ready! Okay, I'm ready." She flew and landed on Naruto's head. "Hello, fox boy, I'm Jabba."
"Jabba?"
"Yeah, Jabba! As in her mouth just keeps jabbering." She stretched her neck down until she was looking him in the eye. "Who are you?"
"Uzumaki Naruto."
"Naruto? That's a silly name! You're now Fox!"
"Fox! Who are you to change my name!"
She looked confused, "Didn't you hear me? I'm Jabba!"
"I don't care if you're the Hokage, no one calls me Fox!"
"I just did, Fox!" She stuck her tongue out at him. Illidan started roaring with laughter, making them look at him with a huff.
"Alright children, Malfurion and I need to report in still," Illidan told them.
Naruto nodded but glared up at Jabba. "Fine. As long as you call me Fox, I'm calling you Wyrmling."
Jabba bristled. "Don't you dare, Fox!"
"Then don't call me Fox, Wyrmling!"
"Fox!"
"Wyrmling!"
"Children!" The two looked at Smrgol, who didn't look amused. "Enough, you will both call the other by their name."
"Yes sir,"they both replied though they did glare at each other.
"Kids," Illidan muttered, still chuckling. He started Tora walking again and was soon in the antechamber of Queen Azshara. "Now both of you be quiet until we talk to you," he ordered them.
"Alright."
"Hai." Naruto began to walk around the room, looking at things. He looked at this flameless candle a moment before reaching a finger out to touch it. The light jumped back then moved to a new location. "It's alive!"
"Dummy, he just said be quiet!"
"You're yelling too!"
"Both of you be quiet," Malfurion scolded them.
"Yes sir," they said again.
"Well now, this wasn't what I was expecting," a musical voice said, entering the room. Naruto looked to the owner of the voice and dropped his jaw. It must have reached the floor in his opinion. Because what he was looking at couldn't possibly exist. He was looking at the most perfect woman there could ever be. He barely even liked girls and his heart raced just seeing her. And to hear her speak and laugh...what more could a man ask for? She laughed at his reaction. "Illidan, Malfurion, I take it things went unexpectedly," Queen Azshara said to them.
"Yes my queen," Illidan said, smiling at her. "This boy is Naruto, the dragons believe he is from another world far different from our own. Trolls had been trying to summon one of their animal gods, this one a very large fox and somehow, they got him in its place."
She nodded and said, "He must be very scared."
"Took an hour to get him out of hysterics," Malfurion told her. "The trolls were defeated and all traces of them destroyed. All but Naruto. How did they get him confused with a fox," he muttered.
Azshara walked over to Naruto, more liked glided to him, smiling while first one hand then the other traced his whiskers, making him blush when it caused him to purr. "I don't know, seems a little fox like to me."
"That's what I keep saying," Jabba told her before patting him on the head a little hard with her tail. "Told ya!" She finished it poking her tongue out at him again.
Azshara blinked at Jabba before she laughed again. "Aren't you an interesting little dragon? And what are you doing here?"
"I'm telling Fox what you're saying and also translate what he says," she said, pridefully.
Azshara petted her a moment before turning back to Naruto. She said a few incantations and said, "There there, little one. No need to be sad anymore, I have you now, I'll take care of you." She knelt down by him and hugged him. Naruto, having understood her, tensed a moment when she held him but quickly eased and he began to tear up. He felt so warm and safe right then, he hugged her back and began to cry. He didn't know what made him cry but he did and he couldn't stop it until he was completely worn out. When finally he did though, he saw the sun was setting. "Feel better," Azshara asked, him still able to understand.
"Yes, ma'am. I'm sorry for crying on your dress."
"It's fine, Naruto, I could tell you needed a good cry. I know, I have a daughter around your age. Now, why did you need to cry?"
Naruto looked sad a moment. "I'm all alone and no one likes me."
"That's not true, I like you, Illidan and Malfurion likes you."
"No, not here, ma'am, at home."
"I see... No mother? No father?" Naruto shook his head no. "I'm sure someone likes you."
He nodded, "Jiji Hokage does but he has to watch the whole village, he can't be with me. And everyone else hates me."
"I'm sure that's not true." Naruto looked at her painfully before turning around. "Naruto?" He
lifted up his shirt, "Oh Elune,"she whispered. It was riddled with scars, some new, some old, all painful looking, and these could not be done by accident. This child has been just short of tortured.She looked up and said, "Get a priestess in here right now!"
"Right away, your majesty," Illidan said before running out. He knew just the one to do it, a close friend of his and his brother, Tyrande Whisperwind. Malfurion grew curious and walked over to look at what she saw.
The moment he did, he said, "We're not sending him back to that."
"No, we're not," Azshara agreed. "Naruto, we're going to keep you here."
"Huh? But what about Jiji?"
"If he truly cared for you," Azshara told him, "he would have prevented this from happening to you. No child, hated by others or not, should have anything even near this."
The door opened and Illidan walked back in, pulling along a woman that was protesting. "...Looking presentable to the queen, Illidan! Couldn't you let me get ready!"
"No," Azshara answered for him. "I wanted one now and for good reason."
She widened her eyes when she realized that she said that in front of Queen Azshara. "Good evening, your majesty," she said with a curtsy. "How can I be of assistance?"
"You're Tyrande, correct? Illidan has spoken of you," she said, smiling. "I believe he said, 'The most talented priestess he has ever seen'. I hope so, because this might be a challenge." She looked to Naruto and said, "Turn around."
He looked down, "I'd rather not show people them, ma'am."
"Please, Naruto?"
Naruto did and Tyrande gasped. "...I, I will begin right away." She knelt behind him and said, "This might feel..." she said as she put her hands on his back.
"Cold," Naruto finished, jumping a little.
"Right. Goddess Elune, shine your light on this child, heal his wounds and sooth his pain." That cold feeling turned warm and spread through Naruto's body, leaving him breathless, and his back tingling. "Cast away the scars of old and let him return to the childhood he should have had," Tyrande finished. It was the most indescribable feeling Naruto has ever had, having the scars healed. Somewhere between an itch and a tickle, it made him squirm real bad, sometimes letting out a giggle. "There, all gone."
Naruto snapped his head back to her, "Gone?" A hand felt his back while he craned his neck to see. "They're gone! How are they gone!"
Tyrande smiled at him, "I just asked Elune to take them away."
Naruto looked at her blankly. "Who? No one else was here."
"Elune, Naruto," Illidan said before motioning to the rising moon. "She is the goddess of the moon."
Naruto look from the moon to her. "So...you didn't use some jutsu to do that?"
"Jutsu?" Tyrande looked to the others and they all looked confused.
"Yeah, a jutsu. I can only do one right now, though Jiji said I do it the best he has ever seen. Henge no jutsu!" Naruto was covered in smoke and when it cleared, another Illidan was there.
"Your people are spell casters," Malfurion asked.
"Spell casters? What's that? We used chakra," Naruto said in Illidan's voice.
"More of your confusing words," Azshara asked.
"Chakra is the combination of body energy with spiritual energy," Jabba explained. "From a young age, as young or even younger than Naruto, the people of his village is trained to draw this out, using handsigns to shape it. Spell casters are close but they fit no certain group as we know them."
"Not gonna run your mouth this time," Naruto asked. Jabba whacked him on the head with her tail. "How did you know anyway?"
"I saw it in the Emerald Dream."
"What all can you do with chakra," Tyrande asked.
"Jiji said there isn't a single thing that can't be done. He said his apprentice Tsunade can even heal a person about to die. That something like what you did?"
"No, I channeled the powers of the Elune to do it."
"...Wait, how come I can understand you all?" He dropped the henge.
"I cast a magic spell," Azshara told him. "It makes it sound like we're speaking your language to you while you're speaking ours to us."
"Magic? As in real magic," Naruto asked in disbelief.
"Yes," she replied. She circled a hand in the air and fire appeared over it, taking the shape of a dancing woman. "Magic."
Naruto looked at the figure in wonder, entranced by it. "Beautiful." The figure did a bow before the fire went out. "Can you all do something like that?"
"Yes," Illidan told him.
"...Can you teach me?"
Malfurion scratched his beard. "Teach what? To be a druid? A Priest? Or a mage?"
"...Everything," he replied without hesitation. "All of them. I swear I'll do my best."
Azshara frowned a moment, "First, we have to figure out what to do with you, then we can get to that."
Illidan glanced between his queen and Naruto and cleared his throat. "Actually, milady, I would like to raise him."
"You," Azshara, Tyrande, and Malfurion asked.
"Yes. I...just feel that it would be good for the both of us."
Azshara nodded after a moment. "Alright, you may adopt him. Don't make me regret this, Illidan."
"You won't, milady, thank you." He picked Naruto up and placed him on his shoulders. "First, we need to get you speaking our language, then we can start teaching you."
"Okay." Naruto hesitated. "...May I call you dad?"
"You may."
"Dad!" Naruto wrapped his arms around his head and hugged him as hard as he could.
"Let's go now, good evening Tyrande, brother, your majesty."
When he left, Tyrande smiled at Malfurion. "Never would have though he would do that."
"I knew the boy was effecting him but nothing like that," Malfurion replied.
Azshara smiled after them before turning around. "Pardon me but my own child will be wanting a bed time story before going to sleep.
—oo000oo—
Naruto looked out across the water of the Well of Eternity as the sun set behind him once again. How long has he been here now? He lost track of the time days, weeks, months, and years long ago. "Beautiful," he simply said, as he had a thousand times now.
"It is. I have been alive for over a hundred years and the sight never ceases to steal my breath," his father said, sitting next to him. "Queen Azshara says hello."
The twelve years old smiled as he though about the woman. He swore he loved her at times, though it felt similar to what he felt for his father. A motherly love then. "How is she? I haven't seen her since I met her."
"She is fine, often wonders how you fare."
"I fare well, in the care of the best father a boy could ask for," Naruto told him before jumping to his feet, his eyes beginning to glow. He breathed into his cupped hands and opened them to reveal a pheonix. He threw it into the air to watch it fly up and explode in a shower of fire. It fell onto the ground, making flowers rise up.
"Learned new trick I see. What fields does this fall under?"
"A bit of elemental magic with druidic," Naruto said, smiling still. His father called him a sponge, not a person. He absorbed everything. Hand to hand combat from the sentinels, prayer and holy magic from Tyrande, arcane from Illidan himself, nature and druid magic from Malfurion, shamanism from a pandaren friend of theirs, Kesha Wildbarley, he even could ride drakes thanks to Jabba. He was still an apprentice in each field but to get as far as he has was nothing short of amazing and it made Illidan very proud. Azshara even knew of his skills and was very interested to see him again. Not just her either, he was being hailed as the link to all fields, the bridge that will reach all magic using prominent races. Hell, Kesha won't talk to anyone without an introduction from him, usually because it involves a cold pint or two. But what Naruto truly excelled in was the mixing of these aspects, something most had thought impossible.
"Amazing, my son, simply amazing. Now, I have some news for you."
"Really? What is it? A new teacher was found for me?" The prospect of learning something new made him shiver.
"No," Illidan said with a smile. "Azshara is throwing a ball soon. And she wants you there."
"ME," he shouted, slipping back into Japanese. "Why me! I, I mean we only met once and, and why me!"
Illidan chuckled at him. "I don't really know. Though, it might have something to do with you talking with elementals, able to manipulate magic to the point you impressed Malygos." Naruto widened his eyes in shock, "Oh yeah, you didn't know. He was watching you about a year ago, very surprised when I told him you had only been at it for two years. He was very impressed."
"Malygos, thee Malygos the Blue Aspect, saw me, watched me!"
"Oh, not only Malygos, son. Why, just last month, Alexstrasza the Life-binder herself came to see you. As has Neltharion the Earth Warder, and Ysera, the Mistress of Dreams."
"Four of the Dragon Aspects," Naruto said in shock.
"Should you be so surprised? You who have done what no one has ever done before? My son, you hold the magical energies of the Well itself it seems. Though still a student, everyone is expecting great things from you."
"Great...or terrible," Naruto said, sitting back down.
"The dreams again?"
"What's causing them, father? Why do I keep having them? I don't want that, I don't want to hurt anyone."
Illidan held him close, wondering if he should tell him or not. He knew what the dreams were, Neltharion told him. They were a magical attack to taint him but no one, not even the dragons knew from whom. That was the true reason they came and saw him. "Son, remember, they're just dreams, they don't control you. And though they maybe dark, in the morning, the light will always shine and drive them away. What did Tyrande teach you?"
"Take strength from Elune, she will aid you. Bath in her light, she will hold you. Look upon her in the night, she will guide you," Naruto recited, grasping the holy pendant around his neck.
"Amen," Illidan told him.
"Amen," Naruto said as well.
"Now, do you think Elune won't protect you if you ask her? That she won't give you the strength to fight back against these attacks?"
"I...I know she will father." Naruto took a deep breath, "Elune, goddess of the moon, give me the strength to fight back against these attacks, to remain myself at the end of each day." He felt a rush of energy course through him, a warmth that made him feel better. "Thank you."
"Now, the ball is in two weeks so we are slowing down your other lessons and starting on teaching you how to dance. After all, son, someone has to dance with Princess Ka'nes."
Naruto gaped at him, "The...the Princess?" He lost his balance and fainted.
"Yes, the princess," Illidan said with a laugh.
—oo000oo—
"Dad, I don't belong here," Naruto said, walking at his father's side as they entered.
"Nonsense," Illidan replied. "Queen Azshara wants you here, so you to belong. Relax, you'll be fine. They won't eat you." They walked forward to where Azshara sat with her eldest child. "Good evening, you majesty, your highness."
"Illidan," she replied, smiling. "Ah, little Naruto. The most promising spell caster in all of Kalimdor."
Naruto, his throat dry once again at the sight of her, gave her a flowing bow. "Your majesty, it is a pleasure to meet you once again." He swore she would hear his heart beating. She was still so perfectly beautiful. "Princess Ka'nes, it is a pleasure to meet you as well. Its obvious you are your mother's daughter, you have her beauty."
Ka'nes smiled and said, "Thank you, Naruto. I must say, I wasn't expecting you when mother told me you were to be my escort this evening. From what she told me of when you arrived, I was expecting a half wild fox boy obsessed with orange, unable to be understood."
"Ka'nes," Azshara scolded.
"It is quite alright, your majesty," Naruto said, "after all, I was all of those when you first met me." He tucked a lock of hair behind his right ear, revealing that his time near the Well of Eternity had began to make them pointed. "I am in no way offended by the truth and am pleased that she thinks well enough of me to tell me it. If I may, princess, may I have this dance?" He held out his hand to her.
Ka'nes kept smiling at him, "You may." She placed her hand in his and he walked her out into the dance floor.
Azshara smiled at Naruto then to Illidan, "You have done a far more amazing job raising him than I thought possible, Illidan. He is as charming and eloquent as I could ask."
"Thank you, your majesty. Though if you look, you can see how nervous he is. Plus, you still strike him into a stupor with your presence alone."
Azshara looked at Naruto and saw him hesitate, they were always for only an instant, were few and far between. "Then he impresses me more," she told Illidan. "Tell me, Illidan, what are his plans for the future? How does he want to contribute to his home and kingdom?"
Illidan smiled apologetically. "He is a child, milady, he doesn't know yet. Right now though, he wants to be the single most expert on all things there is. Just last month, saw him getting instructions from a blacksmith on the creation of items that are later enchanted. I have seen him do things with magic, I wish I could do, yet he ever more expands. And I don't even know how, he wasn't ready for this night just a few weeks ago. After a week, he was refining what I knew. And not just for Kaldorei but also etiquette for the pandarens and dragons. And again, I don't know how."
"Illidan, maybe he was just meant to know it all." She looked passed him and sighed, seeing that there were several dozen that all wanted her attention. "Ask me to dance," she whispered.
"What?"
"Ask me to dance," she hissed, "before they decide to steal me away from you."
"Uh...would you like to dance?"
"I would," she said, setting her hand in his. "...Lead me out onto the dance floor," she whispered again. "First thing I'm going to have Naruto do is finish teaching you etiquette."
Illidan walked out there with her and said, "I don't know how to dance."
Azshara sighed helplessly, "I'll lead." Picking up his hands, she started moving with the music.
—oo000oo—
Ka'nes looked at her mother and said, "Your father obviously didn't teach you to dance."
"No, he didn't. My teacher was primarily a highborne from the north, Ethenial Moonshadow of Moonrest Gardens in the dragon graveyard, Dragonblight."
"Master Moonshadow? I believe I read a thesis of his once. About extra dimensional beings that belong to both the light and the dark."
"I read that, he called them demons and angels. Said that they were made as a balance of all things at the beginning of time, at the creation of the universe."
