A/N: Read this note, would you kindly?
Took a step back to reassess things, but here I am!
Hope you enjoy this, while I get back into the swing of things. Sadly, I'm pretty sure this won't get many reviews. T_T
Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this little tale. Sad to say, but if folks don't like this, it won't be continued. Meaning that if the story itself ain't popular? Well, I'll love the drive to continue it! I'm working two jobs during the holidays so I barely have time to write; as such, I cannot afford to write something folks don't enjoy. So by all means, speak up! Your voice matters! Make yourself heard! As ever, reviews are the fuel that sustain me. Without them I cannot write a single word. Simple as that.
Won't be answering questions this time. I want to surprise you.
Although, I will say this: Endless Hunt and An Orange Blasphemy are next on the docket. Going with some of the spookier updates since we're in October.
Alright then, I've kept you long enough. As ever, I own no quotes, references, themes or memes.
They're merely tributes to legends far greater than I. Now...lets go.
"You'll learn. That man is no hero. Yet neither is he a villain...he simply...is."
~?
Hear No Evil (Interlude)
Fools!
The lot of them! FOOLS!
Fools, fools, and more fools!
Madara smashed his head into the wooden wall of the corner he'd claimed for himself and Maria. Once. Twice. Thrice, now. Unfortunately his skull held. So too did the inn. Maria's confidence in him certainly didn't; he could feel her staring holes into his shoulders. More than a few of the inn's patrons did the same. They probably thought him a madman. Perhaps he was.
Mad for ever thinking he could live in a place like this!
"There, there." Maria rubbed his shoulder and nudged her breakfast his way. "Are you still hungry? You can have some of my waffles."
Madara thumped his head against the table. "Don't like waffles."
"Pancakes, then?" the silver-eyed warrior clapped his back.
The wayward Uchiha considered it. Grunted. "Hrmph."
"That's the spirit!" she chirruped happily, and he looked up in time to see her wave toward someone. "Hey, boss! Another round of pancakes!"
Madara sank back down with a growl, nursing his coffee.
Was this what people called "suffering from success?" He hadn't thought it possible.
Kill some Grimm, make some money, put the fear of the Uchiha into these terrified townsfolk, then move on. It had all seemed so simple at first. That should've been his first warning. And really, it was simple for the most part. Thus far he hadn't met a single Grimm that could stand up to him, greater or otherwise. There was that once incident with the Goliath, but it died after a good hit, so it didn't count.
.
..
...therein lie the problem.
Madara was good at killing Grimm. Too good.
And he had absolutely no one but himself to blame.
In the three months since they'd found themselves here, Patch had begun to experience a rare renaissance of sorts. A boom, as it t'were. Some might even call it a resurgence.
You see, not a single Grimm remained on the isle. Only natural, really. He and Maria had exterminated the lot of them. In the skies, through the forest and mountains, even in the ocean surrounding Patch itself -he'd been curious to test Susanoo's efficacy down in the depths- none of the blighted creatures remained for miles.
The people here were already capitalizing on their absence.
Towns were being expanded, barrier walls built, families flown in from the mainland, escorted by huntsmen.
Apparently Patch was an island and the greater city was suffering from an overpopulation problem. So too was Patch. Even now they were quarreling with Vale over he'd unwittingly cleared. Pointless. Why fight over land? If you couldn't find a proper place to settle, just go somewhere else. Simple, no?
And yet they remained here, fighting over this Grimm-free island for reasons Madara couldn't be bothered to understand.
There was a part of him that just wanted to slaughter the idiots in charge and be done with it; but nooo, he couldn't do that; because then he'd be expected to run the damn place in their stead. Spoils of conquest and all that. If he stomped up to the Mayor's room and murked him, he'd be saddled with his responsibility in less than a day. Besides, he knew -he just knew!- Maria would make a fuss if he killed for no reason. Hypnotizing the odd thug and butchering bandits were one thing, but killing in cold blood? Apparently that was frowned upon here.
Even so! If he had to deal with one more idiot...!
"Excuse me...?"
Someone tugged at his sleeve. Madara looked down with the blackest of scowls.
Frowned now, as he beheld a familiar face.
It was the child he'd seen before when he'd first arrived; that little lass with the flaming hair, the one stomping about in puddles. What was her name again? He squinted at her as he continued to nurse his coffee. Emily? Emerald? No, that wasn't it. His brow furrowed. He'd taken a few knocks to the head but surely his memory wasn't that bad.
Ember. Now he remembered. "What to you want, child?"
She stared up at him with eyes full of hope. "Are you really a hunter?"
Maria snorted into her tea and made a point of not looking at him. Traitor. He'd find no help there.
...I am." Madara settled for a white lie, knowing a girl such as this couldn't even begin to understand what he truly was.
"Did you make all the bad monsters go away?"
Maria's snicker became a snort. Madara swore vengeance.
Ember's stomach made a pitiful noise. Something twisted in his cold heart.
...where is your mother?" he knew she had one. He'd seen a woman shoo the child inside before.
"Mama left."
Ah. Sore subject. "Your father, then."
"Daddy died." she kicked the floor, scuffing a ratty shoe against it. "Grimm killed him when I was little."
He flicked her forehead with a finger. "You're little now."
She squinted at the digit poking her forehead, nearly going cross-eyed. "Littler."
"That is not a word, child."
"M'sorry." Ember whined a little. "I don't know big words...
So pitiful. So pathetic. Madara couldn't stand the sight of her any longer. He reacted over, snatched Maria's breakfast from her-drawing a startled squawk from his fellow warrior!-and offered it to Ember.
...here."
Her eyes bulged. "I can have this?"
This time he couldn't quite hide his smile. "Do you not like waffles?"
"I do!" She skittered back and took a quite bite, fearing he would take it from her.
The ghost of a smile touched his face. "Don't speak with your mouth full. Its rude."
"M'kay." The girl clutched her prize close and made a happy little noise, a sound caught somewhere between a squeal and a sigh. "Thanks, mister!"
"Don't mention it." he glared daggers at her." Seriously. Not a word."
Couldn't have word getting out that he'd gone soft.
"You're good with kids."
Blast. He'd forgotten about Maria.
"I am not." His brow furrowed and he looked away; because most assuredly wasn't. He had next to no experience with children, having never deigned to sire an heir of his own. "Rowdy brats, the lot of them."
Maria smiled fondly as the urchin scarpered. She hid said smile behind her hand. "Whatever you say."
"These are no Uchiha. They're all little devils and that one," he flicked a finger to where Ember had plonked down at a nearby table, "Probably won't let me be now. This is all your fault."
"Maybe~!" Maria. cooed a little. "Still, you keep saying that. If there are no Uchiha...why not find more?"
"I cannot." that at least, was the truth. "I am the last."
Yes. In this world, he certainly was.
"Oh." her face fell. "I'm sorry.
"Don't be."
An idea dawned. He shook his head a moment later. No, no, no...that was folly...wasn't it?
"You could be a teacher, you know." Maira nudged him with an elbow.
"Teach others?" he blinked. "Me? Why?"
"You have such great gifts." those earnest silver eyes wouldn't leave his. "Why not use them for the sake of others? You could open a gym, a dojo, whatever you want to call it! Help so many people."
...I see no need to hold humanity's hand."
"Fine, be that way, grumpy." She scoffed an went back to nursing her drink. "Just tryin' to help."
Madara let her be. Still.
The notion tickled him once more. He couldn't "find" another Uchiha, but that was not to say his clan was beyond his reach. Why not revive his clan? He'd never taken an interest in such things before; but there was no doubt this world was in desperate need of repair. He'd often rejected such before. He was a fighter, not a lover. Besides, he dislike the idea of standing behind anyone.
But that very same logic had led to his defeat once before.
Tch. That fool Naruto might be an oaf, but he was undoubtedly strong. In the end, it had been his victory.
He had to reassess. He knew it, but knowing was easier than doing.
His gaze strayed to Maria. "I could always try reviving my clan...
She squeaked. "With me?! Whoa there, buster! Way too soon! At least take me to dinner first!"
Perhaps. It was worth considering at least-
Movement in his peripherals.
Someone approached.
"Sir Madara?" A woman with brown hair bowed, abasing herself before him. "The Mayor wishes to see you."
Madara fought down a twitch. Oh, did he?! Maria elbowed him. He forced a smile to his face. "I'm a bit busy at the moment. Have him come to me if he's that concerned."
A jovial laugh filled his ears. "We have, my boy!"
...of course he had.
Frederick Port -and with a name like that, he pitied the man's descendants!- was a great bear of a man with wits to match, his heavy beard and bushy brows concealing a jowled face about as well as that navy jacket did his bulging gut. How someone that big managed to waddle, let alone walk through the inn's door, was beyond him.
Wait. He'd said "we", just now.
"This is him, then?"
"Quite so!"
Ice settled in Madara's gut.
There's someone here who wishes to meet you, my boy. He's heard tale of your exploits and come all the way from Vale...
Another celebrity seeking training? He wasn't interested in such...
.
..
...?"
Madara took him at a glance, noting the loose burgundy tunic he wore, and the green scarf wrapped round his neck. Blue eyes. Black hair starting to go silver. He seemed young enough, yet he leaned upon a black cane for support. His eyes narrowed upon him instantly. No mere man was this. This was something more. Not a shinobi, but not a weakling, either.
The cane drew his attention, too. More than it appeared, that.
In a word, dangerous.
Suspicious.
"Its a pleasure to meet you. My name is Oswald. Headmaster of Beacon." The man offered him his hand. "I wished to extend an invitation to you-
Madara didn't bother to hear the rest. He looked down. Frowned.
Shoved his chair back and stood. "Not interested."
Silence reigned supreme. And then.
The headmaster finally blinked.
"I beg you pardon?"
A/N: Aaaaand scene. That's certainly something Madara would do! He's nobody's pawn.
To be perfectly clear, yes, that's Ozma who tried to scout him. He obviously isn't Ozpin yet -waaaay too early!-but the naming convention remains.
Hope you enjoyed the warm-up, as it were, while I get back into the swing of things. I'm pretty sure this won't get many reviews.
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. I don't have days off anymore -two jobs will do that to you- and I'm working myself to the bone.
Well, there we are. Hope you all have a lovely new year, and may it be better than the last.
As ever, reviews are a mighty wind beneath my wings.
Without them...well. I just can't seem to fly.
So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...
...Review, Would You Kindly?
And one last thing:
SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!
PLOT DETAILS AHOY!
YE BE WARNED!
Read if you dare!
Less previews this time; gotta keep it interesting...
Previews!)
"You a huntsman?"
Madara felt his temper rise. He stamped down on it. Must not kill. He'd get blood all over his new clothes.
...I am." the lie came easily to him, almost effortlessly.
"You don't LOOK like a hunter. I don't see no weapon."
"I am the weapon. Now what the hell do you want?"
"Don't need your kind around here. We've already got a hunter team.
Madara frowned. Was that a challenge? Interesting.
"I assure you, they haven't a thing on me...
"Papa!"
"I like this weapon." Madara hefted his prize, grinning as it caught the light. "Hmm...I've decided. I'll keep it."
Maria sputtered. "You can't just claim something for-
"Spoils of war. Its old owner won't mind."
Madara tilted his head to the side. Thumbed a thin line of blood from his chin.
"Huh. So this is pain. I'd nearly forgotten what it felt like."
An awful silence filled the afternoon. And then.
"Ha!" Madara threw his head back and cackled at the clouds, grinning from ear to ear. "You can fight! Good!" A crazed smile stretched across his face. "Good, good! Show me more!"
Maria slapped her forehead. "Look! Look what you did! You flipped his switch!"
EDIT: Hey, you made it!
Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this little tale. Sad to say, but if folks don't like this, it won't be continued. Meaning that if the story itself ain't popular? Well, I'll love the drive to continue it! I'm working two jobs during the holidays so I barely have time to write; as such, I cannot afford to write something folks don't enjoy. So by all means, speak up! Your voice matters! Make yourself heard! As ever, reviews are the fuel that sustain me. Without them I cannot write a single word. Simple as that.
Looking forward to chatting with you all later! Have a great day~!
R&R~!
