A/N: Still here, still going strong~!
As ever, the Embers rule persists. If folks don't like this? Poof! Gone! To the void it goes.
So by all means, speak up! Raise your voice! Make yourself heard!
Your reviews matter! Really, they do!
That's no joke.
In other news, I don't have days off anymore -two jobs will do that to you- and I'm working myself to the bone.
Now, lets have your questions!
Q: You've been hinting at something for Ren's mother. Reveal it!
A: Sadly, like so many background characters, she has next to no backstory to speak of. Thus! I had to cook something up for her.
Rest assured, you won't be dissapointed. Some of you might even recognize what I'm doing...and I hope you do~!
Q: Yes, yes, yes! Beat Jacques down!
A: I do tend to make a habit of that in some stories...then again, I suppose I'm a little can you blame me? Man's a walking sociopath, but the moment the odds turn against him he starts blaming others. Not his fault. Never his fault, no, no, no, he just used and abused his wife and children for years and gets off scott-free for it. I hate that kind of person. He reminds me of MY father at his worst. The fool of a fop who cheated on my mother not once, not twice, but THRICE before I stepped in...!
.
..
...
*ahem*
Sorry, got a little too heated there.
Suffice to say I'll never like Jacques. Nope. Can't be done.
Q: Wait, if he's associating with a Young!Miss Malachite, does that mean...?
A: Um...? I've already said Naruto will be fathering Melanie and Miltia in this story. What of it?
Q: Naruto better not be Malachite's whipping boy. Don't make him her bitch. You're better than that.
A: He isn't and I'm not. He's humoring her. The moment Raven is healed...well. You'll see. I could further elaborate their relationship, but I'll let this chapter do the talking for me.
Q: Misunderstandings galore! Have you read Roman Holiday? It gives a lot of info on the Spiders.
A: Blasted book came out late; a lot of my stuff was already written beforehand. Can't be helped, I suppose. Although it has given me a bit to work with.
Alright, I've kept you long enough.
Henceforth, the chapter titles will involve the words, "The Girl" in some form or another! Onward!
"You think I'm controlling him? No, no, no.
"Darling, a man like that simply cannot BE controlled.
Best you can do is steer him in a given direction...and let 'em rip."
~Malachite.
Spook the Girl
The Spiders ran a surprisingly tight ship for a criminal organization.
All in all their so-called-base wasn't much of one at all; more a multi-terraced club that had been hollowed out, fashioned into a gambling parlor, then fused with some sort of musical theater besides. Its architect certainly knew what they were doing. Everything was a bright myriad of pastel colors, lively luscious green mingled with deep azure and a rich golden saffron; it seemed custom built to draw the eye and patrons besides. Even now it lay packed with bustling people, from the bar itself down to the betting tables themselves.
Luck of the Mountains they called it. Not a bad name, really. There was certainly some irony to be had there...
...sounds like you're praising them."
'I'm not,' Naruto shot back. 'Its just a lot to take in.
It certainly didn't help that Miss Malachite all but had him by the hand - and she was not letting go.
"Excuse the mess." Miranda favored him with a wry look as she led them through a throng of bettors. "We're doing a bit of renovation."
"This is renovation?!"
"Quite." a bright eye flashed over her shoulder. "Just wait until we put in the sixth floor."
Kurama choked. "Ambitious little human...
What else could one possibly say to such an audacious statement?
With An and Yang safely squirreled away in one of Miranda's apartments -under the watchful eye of no less than three heavily armed shadow clones!- Naruto felt he could at least breathe, even if only a little. Nothing would get past those three. Likewise, he'd left a similar detachment with Raven, just in case Malachite went back on her word. If that made her so-called "doctor" nervous, then too bloody bad for them. They would treat her while his doppelgangers looked on or not at all. They didn't like it? Tough.
"Something to say?"
Naruto had many things to say.
Instead he sank his teeth into his tongue until it hurt and stalked after her. Two favors, she'd said. Two, and not one more. Raven would be tended to. Depending on the nature of said treatment, he might be paying this place another visit with Kurama.
Miss Malachite must've seen the anger in his eyes too; because she tittered softly.
"You really do wear your heart on your sleeve." she concealed a smile behind her fan. "It makes you so easy to read."
Easy, was he? In a fit of pique, he channeled chakra to his eyes and let them flash a vivid red. Won't be doing much reading if you're six feet under."
An empty threat. He wasn't about to kill anyone-even her!-without just cause; but she didn't know that. A bit of color drained from her face and he knew his words had hit home. To be fair, she recovered quickly, but he'd seen the slip. She wasn't as in control as she pretended to be. Good to know. He didn't much like the idea of intimidating someone, but if that was what it took...
His eye caught on a horned man near one of the tables and his frowned deepened.
That...was certainly an impressive club there on his back.
"Is that a huntsman?
"Of course it is." Miranda tugged him toward the staircase. "Huntsmen come here all the time. They're our best customers. Well," she flashed him a wink as they took the steps two at a time. "Itto over there certainly is. You'd like him, I think."
"Tempting, but I'll pass."
Her fingers tightened in his. "Have it your own way."
In short order Miss Malachite lead him to a balcony overlooking the third floor. Her lips pursed as she stopped just shy of the next railing, pressing her back against it instead. It did...interesting things to her chest. Naruto kept his eyes on her face, refusing to give her another weapon in her arsenal.
"Dear fox, whatever is the matter with you?" she crossed one arm beneath her bosom, accentuating the effect even further. "Have I done something to upset you?" her head tilted just so, golden ringlets concealing her right eye. "Do you think I'm trying to strongarm you?"
The silence proved telling.
"You do, don't you." Miranda sighed into it. "Fair enough. Tell me, have you ever heard of the Xiong clan?"
What was this, more bait? Was she trying to distract him? In the end, he shrugged. "No...? Doesn't ring a bell."
"Perhaps the Red Ax gang rings a bell? Nasty bunch, that lot." a rare frown dimpled her lovely face. "Little more than a band of thugs. So uncivilized."
"Is there a point to this?" Naruto quirked a brow even as he bit down on an ember of anger. "Are you trying to convince me, or yourself?"
"The point is this." Malachite leaned in and gave his cheek a light pat. "We aren't like them." her smile didn't fade, even when he shook her off. "There is an order to what me and my girls do. A system, if you will. Mistral needs us." she turned her back on him to face the balcony and the teeming masses below. "Why, I daresay she can't function without us." an arm swept toward the gathering, dangling over them all as a sly spider might her web. "We don't deal in drugs, we keep men like Tyrian Callows off the streets, and not a one of the girls under our protections goes hungry. And no, because I can feel that sulky look on your face, they don't sell themselves to make ends meet.
...I still don't understand what this has to do with me."
"Legitimacy!" Malachite whirled to face him, skirts swirling at her feet. "When I was a girl, I was terrified of spiders. Gave me the heebie-jeebies." she wriggled her fingers at him. "But as I grew older, I realized the world needs spiders. I just made the spiders work for me. Look around you," she nudged him forward. "This place was a whorehouse before I took over, Mistral a city filled with poverty and crime, a place where someone would sooner shank you as smile at you. I made order from this mess."
"Through disorder." he retorted.
"Precisely, darling." Her smile was nothing short of smug. "Remove me and you'd have worse than anarchy; you'd create a power vacuum. The next spider might not be so friendly to you. And unlike a certain cowardly lion you may meet, I will never, ever lie to you."
Kurama huffed. "Bold words. But she hasn't fibbed...yet."
"From the moment I met you, I knew you could every single one of us with both hands tied behind your back." When he didn't deny it, her cheeks dimpled again. "I meant what I said earlier. I want to be your friend. Not your boss, not your overlord, and certainly not your minder. I suspect you wouldn't listen to me in any case. Not without a little incentive at any rate."
His eyes widened. "Don't you dare-
"What, threaten those girls of yours?" She scoffed and waved a hand at him. "Perish the thought. You'd tear my head off before I finished giving the order."
Naruto winced a little at that. Did they really think he was a murderer?
"Besides," Miranda sashayed past, "That pretty little village girl of yours isn't exactly a bed of roses herself."
"Roses?" Something stilled in his soul. "What's that supposed to mean?"
A wicked look flashed over her shoulder. "Ask her sometime."
"..."
"Tell you what," Miss Malachite pivoted, her lean face alight with delight. "As a token of our friendship, I'll expend one of those favors right now. Did you hear? There's a bigshot visiting Haven."
Naruto blinked once. "And?"
"Its a Schnee.
.
..
...
"...right. You have no idea who that is, do you? Regardless, he's here with his family." He didn't challenge her, so she took that as an excuse to continue. "He owes us a debt. We helped him further SDC...interests here in Mistral in return for a cut of the profits. He never paid up."
"I already told you," His brow turned stormy. "I'm not a loan shark. I'm not about to beat up an innocent man."
"Innocent?" She ran a hand over his arm. "Trust me. When you see him, you'll understand."
Naruto batted it away, feeling filthy. "You say tat, but how do I now I can trust you?"
"Just tell him I'd like to invite him for a spot of tea. You'll see how he reacts...
In the end, she told him where to find Jacques Schnee.
It proved to be something of an...
...eye-opening experience.
(.0.0.0.)
Ann wondered if she was going mad.
Her life had been so simple once. If she disliked someone? She killed them. If she wanted something? She took it. Now here she was, pseudo hostage to one of the most menacing families in Mistral.
How the mighty had fallen.
In the past, she could've torn through this lot like so much wheat from chaff. With her Semblance, she could've ripped Malachite's head from her shoulders and mounted it on a spike for all to see. But that life was behind her. An had seen where that road led, and given it up. She wasn't that person anymore. She liked to believe she was a better person for it. She had to. Even if she wanted to be otherwise again, she hadn't fought for the last three years. Her skills, once so sharp and keen, had rusted away in Kuroyuri. She was powerless, shackled to fate.
...by the gods, she hated this feeling.
She leaned back and rocked Yang a little in her arms. "What do you think, dear? We'll get out of this, won't we?"
The babe furrowed her brow, looking at her. And then. "Ma."
Ann went terribly still. "Oh, dear..."
(.0.0.0.)
Willow loathed business trips.
But really, what choice did she have?
If it weren't one thing or another, it was these infernal things.
She'd made her bed, filthy sheets and all. Now she had to lie in it. Everything she'd done, she did for the Schnee family name. Jacques had taken her father's failing company and made it a juggernaut to be reckoned with, an unstoppable force nearly everyone bowed to. Bastard would drag her around when she was pregnant. These days he enjoyed parading her around like the trophy wife she'd become. A shadow of her former self, a true and constant reminder of the once-mighty woman she had been, a proverbial slap in the face. That he'd brought her all to some infamous restaurant in Mistral spoke much of the current tone of their marriage.
He seemed to grow colder with each passing month these days...
'I used to be someone. Yes, I was better than this.' the thought burned in her belly like the alcohol she hadn't had in months. 'Why? Why did I choose this?' she glared at her feet as she listened to him prattle on and on, making yet more of his false promises to another potential business partner. 'Why did I ever allow this?"
She wasn't quite broken. Not yet.
While she couldn't drink at the moment, she could take pleasure in other, happier aspects of her life.
"Mother?" A tiny hand tugged at her dress. "Why are you frowning?"
Willow turned weary eyes to the sole light in her life.
"Its nothing, dear. Mommy's just...tired."
Yes, tired. Of so many things.
Her little Winter hummed. "Is Weiss alright?"
A faint kick hit out at Willow's belly. "Yes, I believe she is...
Only five years old and already, her girl really was too clever by half. She'd make a fine big sister...and would be soon. Only one more month now. Willow gingerly touched a hand to the swell of her belly. Another kick was quick to follow the first; it drew a smile to her lips, tiny enough that Jacques couldn't see it.
'Weiss. I hope you're born into a peaceful world...
So she was quite surprised when someone rounded the corner.
She had time enough to take in bright blue eyes, whiskered cheeks, and striking blond hair, all wrapped up in a simple blue-on-white jacket with a matching pair of breeches. Then he was upon them; all but ignoring the clamor he'd made. He didn't so much walk as he did stalk. Everyone noticed. So did she.
"Jacques Schnee?"
Her husband bridled. "Who are...?!"
"Sorry about this," the stranger dimpled, "But you've been invited to tea...
"With whom?!"
"Miss Malachite." came the reply. "She says you know her. I'm just the messenger."
His eyes flitted to hers. Narrowed.
"Oh." he blinked, noticing the swell of her belly, seeing Winter huddle behind her back. "You're pregnant? Congratulations!" He sounded sincere about it, too! "I'm really sorry for bothering you. I'll be out of your hair in just a minute...
Jacques finally found his voice. "Did you say...Malachite?"
"Yup." the blond smacked his lips. "Really sorry to impose on ya, but if you could come with me...?"
Willow watched all the color drain from her husband's face; his already pale visage becoming positively pallid now. It was a curious thing indeed. His business partners made their excuses and departed all too hastily. She wondered why. Who was Miss Malachite? And why was poor Jacques sweating bullets? A frown married her face. Oh, dear. Whatever had he gotten mixed up in this time."
"Jacques," she began slowly, "Just give him whatever he wants and be done with it."
"Never!" he cried! "I will not be intimidated by some thug!"
Winter whimpered a little, a tiny, reedy sound.
"You're scaring our daughter!"
His hand cracked toward her face. "Silence, woman!"
It never landed.
Willow dared to creak an eye open. Much to her alarm, she stranger stood between them, gripping her husband's arm in hand.
"A husband shouldn't treat his wife like that." firm fingers tightened around his wrist. "Apologize."
Jacques bridled like a struck pig. "How dare you!? Do you...have any idea...who I am?!"
"Nope." the whiskered warrior smacked his lips. "Now apologize."
Jacques turned an ugly shade of puce. "And if I refuse?!"
"I'll rearrange your face."
And his fist blurred.
A/N: Oops. Jacques is in for it now...maybe he'll escape?
*cough*not a chance*cough.
Remember! Embers Rule! If folks don't like this, it'll be deleted and consigned to the plot bin.
So by all means, speak up! Raise your voice! Make yourself heard! Your reviews matter!
That's no joke! I can't write without feedback. Guess that makes me weak...T_T
So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...
...Review Would You Kindly?
And enjoy the previews!
Potential ones at that.
(Previews)
Wilow felt a faint discomfort. Her dress was damp. She looked down. Frowned. Oh. Oh no.
"Oh." she murmured softly. "I believe my water just broke."
Naruto slapped a palm to his face.
"I know a girl...
Miranda smiled. "A deal's a deal. You're free to go. Are you sure I can't convince you to stay...?"
Her hand trailed the length of his arm.
"You scratch my back, and I'll scratch yours."
The silence must've proved telling; because she dared to barrel on.
"You need lien. Resources. You have a baby girl to provide for. We could do that for you."
"At what cost?"
"No cost at all, darling. Though I wouldn't say no to a little affection. I've been so kind to you, and you've been so cold...
"Don't bother, kid." He swatted a hand away from his pocket. "No wallet to steal." Naruto tugged him upright, still gripping his wrist. "Now, what am I gonna do with you...?"
Roman gulped. "Ah, shit...
"Take the girl."
"No." An smiled. It was not a nice smile. "You won't be taking anyone."
...what can you possibly do? Are you going to attack me? With that kitchen knife? Ha!"
"I tried being nice. But if this is where it leads me...if you're going to come after that baby girl...
Her would-be attacker looked down, startled to find that simple knife" thrust through their chest. A black mark bloomed over the wound. It kept spreading. Creeping over them like a disease. Pain raced in hot on its heels, a thousand fire ants crawling beneath their flesh. All the while those shadow bands constricted, creeping up their throat, choking them.
"What have...you done?!'
"Oh, good." Ren's mother hummed softly. "Seems my semblance works just fine after all these years." She touched a hand to her cheek as they crumpled to her knees. "And here I was worried I'd lost my touch. Silly me, really." a hand dipped down, cupping their chin. "Now then, I believe you owe me something...
Her victim died screaming.
Be wary of she who holds her words, for they are biting as a blizzard.
Be wary when making deals with a sly spider. You're like to get tangled in their web.
Beware the raven, for she is a flighty and often craven creature, prone to fits of madness.
'Ware the woman who who once dipped her hands in blood, for they will never truly be clean again.
But fear the fox above all. He's likely to trick you without you even realizing it, to win you to his side before you realize what's happening.
Which is more dangerous, I wonder?
R&R~!