A/N: REVIEW FOR IT FEEDS THE ENGINE OF CREATION~!
Right then, I have read your reviews and read your private messages, and the general consensus was thus.
FUCK ICHIKA.
So in short, he's getting replaced with his sister-clone?-Madoka from Season Two. Why bother to replace him at all, you ask? Because that one ACTUALLY has a personality and she got dealt a right shit hand in life. Won't spoil anything, but holy shit that was dark. Ichika can go become a villain and be used by Phantom Task until he breaks for all I care. That's how little I regard him.
Further clarifying things, Naruto's interacting with ALL the main heroines.
To clarify, the pairing may include but is not limited to the following: Madoka Orimura, Houki Shinonono, Cecilia Alcott, Lingyin Huang, Charlotte Dunois, Laura Bodewig, Tatenashi Sarashiki, Kanzashi Sarashiki, Tabane Shinonono, and of course, Chifuyu Orimura herself...among others.
I OWN NOTHING!
Disclaimer aside, here we go~!
Sorry if its short, everyone!
Oh, and an addendum, the girls listed above and below are merely examples. So grab some popcorn and soda; because you're in for a rousing good time!
If Naruto reminds you of a certain protagonist, yeah, that be intentional!
After all, he WAS raised by a madwoman in this verse...
And a bit of verbatim for episode one.
Major shake-up ahoy!
...and you thought throwing him in with those girls was a good idea."
"Of course I did! Houki can only do so much, you know!"
"I almost pity that boy."
"What's to pity?"
~Tabane Shinonono and Chifuyu Orimura.
Taming the Beast
Warm.
My mother was warm.
Warm, and seven shades of crazy.
I can't think of a better way to describe her.
Like a gentle blanket draped over sunshine dappled with honey and a hint of madness. She was wild. Eccentric. Yet also kind. Thanks to that small kindness my once tiny world expanded; broadened to new horizons I'd never known before. Through her I learned more than mere words and technology, rather, what it meant to see the world from a different perspective. To know. To feel. Not only the art of understandings, but what it meant to empathize with them. New realms opened to me. Germany. England. Japan. China. So often my Mother laughed at reality, and eventually I learned to do the same.
Time flowed like wind.
Through her, I made new friends.
Thanks to her, I soon came to meet them:
A wild sister with startling eyes the color of blood.
A quiet girl whose sole joy came in the form of her cooking.
A childhood friend who seemed determined to cut me into pieces.
A lost lass that reveled in combat, yet concealed a startling frailness of self.
Through each of them, I slowly began understood what it meant to be human. In time, I understood that I was not of this world; that I hailed from another. Stolen from by hands unknown. Snatches of memory eventually returned during the time I spent in Germany and with them, my name.
Naruto.
Like Aunt Chifuyu, I found himself different, isolated from the world by the unique circumstances of his past. She always seemed sad somehow. As if she'd lost someone. Someone precious. There was a sorrow to those crimson eyes of hers. A pain that would never truly heal. Fade over time perhaps, but still, it would always be there. Like an old wound, she'd carry that silent scar for the rest of her life. Perhaps even to her grave. Her quiet sorrow only seemed to deepen over the years. That didn't sit right with me.
After all, I was broken, too.
Perhaps it was because I had been broken; maybe that's why I became so keen on helping others.
I didn't understand how special this unique ideal must've made me seem to them.
...until a most unusual destiny quite suddenly thrust itself upon me.
What was Mother thinking, sending me THERE of all places?
(...Scene Break...)
...wake up, brother."
"Mwah? Just...five more minutes...
"No." a soft voice chided him, lingering in his ears. "You said that five minutes ago. Get up. Now."
"But I don't wanna...
Poke.
Warped azure eyes creaked open with a ponderous groan, only to slam shut as the unwelcome light of day greeted them. Groaning, he swatted at the small hand poking his whiskered cheek, to no avail. His tormentor only perpetuated their efforts; relentlessly prodding at his face until they finally achieved a reaction. No matter how he tossed and turned the prodding continued with the single-minded determination that only a cherished sibling could possess, stubbornly denying him the sweet release of slumber he sought. If anything it only grew worse the more Until finally, he could take it no more.
'Ah. I see. So that's how it us, little sister? If you're going to interrupt my nap...
Startlingly sharp teeth flashed in the daylight, gleaming with menace.
...prepare yourself for the consequences!'
Grinning, he bit down.
CHOMP.
Hard.
"Ow!" an outraged yelp greeted him at once and the questing finger withdrew. "You bastard!"
Even half-asleep, Naruto still had the wherewithal to smile.
"'S what you get for waking me up, Madoka."
"So that's the thanks I get?!"
Teary red orbs regarded him, narrow and angry when he finally opened his eyes. Framed by a short crop of messy dark hair, her pale face rather resembled that of a younger Chifuyu; or it would've, if she weren't wearing such a murderous scowl. Hmm. Perhaps he shouldn't have bit her hand. As things stood, his foster sibling looked all of an instant from leaping across her desk to strangle him in his seat. She'd do it, too. He had no doubt about that. He might be many times stronger than her, but she'd proven herself to be devilishly fast in the past. Thankfully something seemed to be holding her back-
"Um...Uzumaki Naruto?"
Belatedly, he realized where they were.
The hard desk beneath his arms should've been enough, but the new voice served as a particularly poignant reminder. Ah, he realized belatedly as the veil of slumber finally fell away. So that was why Madoka had been trying to rouse him so insistendly. Seemed an apology was owed.
Maya Yamada's innocent visage regarded him when he turned his gaze.
Embarrassment colored his whiskered cheeks.
"Shit."
Faint laughter from the class greeted him.
"I'm sorry for being so loud earlier, but we started out with the A's and now we've gotten all the way up to the U's." she stammered out, clasping her hands together against her bosom. "Now that you're awake. Would you mind...introducing yourself? Pretty please?" It was like staring at a tiny quivering mouse.
He almost felt bad for her.
"Fine, fine, twist my arm why don'tcha ...
With a long-suffering sight, the blond hauled himself upright.
A jaw-popping yawn resonated through the classroom as he surveyed the room and his fellow students. Despite prior knowledge of what he would encounter here, he still found it hard to face-let alone believe-the sea of expectant female gazes staring back at him. Geez. He really was the only male here. Perhaps the only one on the island. Honestly, it exasperated him. Blasted I.S. and their rules. He'd taken that test on a lark to prove Tabane wrong; he hadn't expected he'd actually be able to more than one Infinite Stratos.
One didn't need keen hearing to catch the whispers.
"So that's him?"
"The boy who can pilot an I.S.?"
"He doesn't look like much, does he?"
"Isn't that supposed to be impossible? And why does he call it Infinite Tails?"
"Huh? No, that's not it. I could've sworn that it was Last Stardust-eek!"
Those voices dropped as a clenched fist slammed into his desk.
...oi."
A glowing red orb reappeared over his shoulder.
"By all means, keep talking. If you hold no value on your dignity, ya know." he hissed in a low voice that promised mayhem.
Silence fell like a pall, one he happily punched through.
"Well, alright, then." the whiskered youth began, stifling another yawn with the back of his hand. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto. What I like and dislike...well, some of you already know that." placid blue orbs swept across a few select individuals scattered across the room, alighting upon a girl with striking silver hair and another with dark hair bound back in a braid, "The rest...I don't particularly feel like telling you. My hobbies? Guess I've got a few. As to my dream," A devilish gleam shone in his eyes," I'll gladly tell you! You see, my dream...
Cackling he flung his arms back as if to embrace the world itself.
...IS TO BECOME THE HAREM KING!"
His bold statement-as if it were a fact!-echoed in on itself into the class, drawing wide-eyed looks and baffled glances from many present. Those words, they were uttered with the utmost sincerity. No, perhaps it was that very sincerity which caused the uproar that followed. In a world where women had long since usurped men in both power and position, the sheer audacity of such a statement was unheard of. Let alone from a man! Yet this stranger had made his intentions known to them all. He'd spoken without so much as a glimmer of hesitation, nay in challenge! It was akin to a declaration of war.
"EH?!"
Needless to say, absolute chaos ensued.
Madoka flushed and palmed her face.
"Idiot brother...
"What nonsense is this?!" an accented voice rang out.
Sure enough, his casual declaration drew criticism.
From one individual above all the rest.
"Just who do you think you are?!"
One could easily compare her beautiful face, long, slender limbs, well-proportioned figure, and ample breasts to those of a model; her light blond hair formed strange drill-like curls at the ends. Clad in a modified uniform she stood apart from the rest, the black frills of her skirt swaying as she bolted upright in her seat. Pale visage flushed, dark eyes wide with indignation, she thrust a finger at the blond. If he was at all offended by the breach of etiquette, the sleepy blond did little to show it.
"Hmm?" her fellow blond tilted his head, regarding the newcomer as one would a harmless kitten. "I'm Uzumaki Naruto. Thought I already said that. And you are...?"
Madoka knew that voice.
That voice meant nothing but trouble; most of all for those on the receiving end of it. Times like these, she almost forgot. Naruto was very much the son of Tabane Shinonono. Adopted or not, he'd embraced his mother's unique brand of madness in a unique and singular way. His "Harem King" ideal was merely the tip of the iceberg. He was, in a word, absolutely insane. When it came to people her "sibling" seemed delight in leading them around by the nose. It wasn't that he was cruel; far from it, he simply enjoyed conversing with others...
...even if it drove them stark raving mad.
Knowing what was to come, she settled in to wait.
Momentarily taken back, Cecilia blinked owlishly at her brother.
"My name is C-Cecilia Alcott!" she stammered out, "And I will not tolerate such crass-
"Cecilia? That's a nice name." he interjected, patting her head before the girl's rant could pick up steam. "Are you British? You are, aren't you? Do you have a problem with me? What problem might that be? Are you sure we can't discuss this in a civilized fashion?"
Too many questions!
"Stop!" she wailed!
"Stop what?"
"Stop patting my head this instant!"
"So you admit you don't take issue with me, then?"
It was like watching one of those great tragedies; for all her struggles, Cecilia simply couldn't gain ground. Naruto's rapid fire questions were like bullets, ruthlessly picked apart the wall of her resistance, dismantling her righteous tirade before it could truly gain traction. Even from this distance, Madoka could see the poor girl's head beginning to spin. Naruto had that affect on people. If you gave him a chance to talk, he'd have you chasing your own tail within a minute. That, or joining his side. Ah, but Cecillia had gone red in the face now, a sure sign that their argument was reaching its climax, and she wished to see what would happen next.
"OF COURSE I HAVE A PROBLEM WITH YOU, Y-Y-Y-YOU LOUT!"
Almost imperceptibly, Naruto's smile deepened.
"Oh? And what might that problem be?"
He was going to make her say it.
Cecillia flushed deeply.
"I...you...that's...
"Oh, that's a pity. And here I thought we could be friends."
Cecilia managed a coherent sputter.
Madoka smiled thinly.
Just like that, her brother swooped in for the kill. Rather than force her to speak and in doing so give the British girl a chance to turn the conversation in her favor, he took his hand from Cecilia's head and stepped past her without so much as a passing glance. In an instant she found herself dismissed, her arrogance dealt a fatal blow. An outraged squeak greeted this affront, and it took all Madoka had to contain her laughter. Already she could see the candidate's confidence crumbling, like rotten timber. Anger rushed in to take its place, those pale hands balling into fists at her sides. Any moment now, she'd explode at him for this slight.
All part of the plan.
"Wait!" she shouted. "Don't ignore me! Wait, I say!"
Naruto paid her no heed.
"Aha! There you are, Laura!"
"Y-Yes, senpai?!"
Quick as a flash, the silver-haired girl bolted upright out of her chair and nearly knocked down her desk in her haste to stand. She began to salute out of instinct, only narrowly remembering to catch herself in time before she made an utter fool of herself. That was the past. Her fingers bit down against her wrist. If the blond found any fault with her actions however, he did little to show it. Mismatching eyes of blue crimson gazed down into hers for a fraction of a second, reflecting no emotion. None whatsoever. She braced herself for a scolding, or, barring that, stoic silence.
She wasn't at all prepared for what followed.
"Hey, you don't think I'm a lout, do you?"
Certainly not when he took her hand!
"I...no, of course you aren't...
Laura's mind turned to jelly.
'Uwah?! What is he doing?! I'm not ready! My body isn't at all ready! Medic! MEDIC!'
In that moment, Cecilia's temper finally slipped its leash.
Perhaps it was pettiness on her part. Perhaps it was his words and the sting they'd carried. Perhaps it had simply been the abrupt nature of his dismissal; how quickly he'd verbally disarmed her and shut her down like a petulant child. Whatever the case, she found she couldn't stomach the sight of that smug smile any longer. No! Not for another instant. The very sight of this...this brute inflamed her temper to a fever pitch. Her very body burned, seething with rage. How dare he embarrass her in front of everyone! This could not, would not stand! She would have recompense! If he thought so highly of his skill...then she'd just have to shatter it and assuage her honor in the process!
Shrieking, she lashed out...
"You absolute beast!"
...rather, she attempted to.
Instead she found her wrist trapped firmly in his grasp.
"Unhand me you filthy animal! I demand a duel!"
She expected anger, concern at least.
His expression was neither.
Blue eyes blazed red.
"Why, I thought you'd never ask!"
A/N: Weren't expecting Madoka to show up, eh? She's just too adorable to leave out of this story. I decided she deserved a more prominent role, so she was given one as a sibling of sorts to Naruto, and WOW did that take off more than I expected it to.
In short, she got swapped with Ichika; because face it, most of us can't stand him. If he shows up-BIG SODDING IF-he'll be little more than a villain.
Gonna say it right now, Naruto likes to troll. What did you expect? He was raised by possibly THE craziest person in the Infinite Stratos universe. And of course he wants to be harem king. Hope that line and the chaos that followed made you smile!
Battles next chapter, of course!
And there we go.
VOTE FOR THE NAME OF NARUTO'S I.S. IN YOUR REVIEWS!
I've got ideas of my own, but I'm more than willing to hear you out!
Flamers and needlessly negative comments will be deleted. Constructive criticism is welcome!
As I said before, this story will be lighthearted for the most part, but it'll have serious moments as well.
So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...
...Review...Would You Kindly?
And enjoy the previews!
(Preview)
"Last chance to back out, blondie."
"As if I, Cecilia Alcott would-
CRUNCH.
"It'll take more than that to change my mind, senpai."
Laura glowered at him, refusing to be swayed.
She wasn't prepared for the sudden laugh.
"We could just stay in all day and...
His lips brushed her ear.
Whispering.
"Oh."
Tatenashi raised her hands.
"Um...mercy?"
"No."
"That's not fair! Why can HIS I.S. transform but mine can't?!"
The voice hissed at him.
"Destroy."
"Destroy them all."
"Destroy everything!"
R&R~!
