A/N: PLEASE READ THIS NOTE, WOULD YOU KINDLY?
As ever, trolls in the comments are to be ignored, or laughed at. Frankly, I prefer the latter these days.
This is a hobby after all. One I love dearly, but a hobby nevertheless. Still, I love making people happy, so on we go~!
Sorry if this seems short, I've got the pre-surgery jitters and they're messing with me focus pretty damn badly. Doesn't help that half of my editing team's out on vacation, and the rest are basically sick or in quarantine. Alright. Deep breaths, Neon. You can do it. Its just a little anesthesia and a bit of surgery. You've done this before. You'll be fine. Don't think about it the pain or the blood. Just relax. Happy thoughts. Happy thoughts!
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NOPENOPENOPE! Still stressed! This is driving me up a bloody wall!
For those that guessed it, yes, Salem actually feels some semblance of gratitude towards Naruto. He freed her, formed a pseudo-contract with her, and allowed her to experience the world again. Of course she still has all her might and magic. She never diminished herself, unlike Ozpin. And as we all know, magic is bullshit.
Speak of the crafty bastard, folks have been asking if we'll see him again now that Salem's been released. Or any of the cast from RWBY for that matter.
*zips lips* I've learned my lesson from Just A Bit of Bread. I'm not spoiling anything.
Title is yet another song quote. Hope it makes you chuckle.
"She took Naruto into the Forest of Death?!"
"Yeah, about that. I maaay have lost track of them a week ago.
Then find them, Jiraiya! Who knows what that stranger's done to the poor boy?!
That "stranger" summoned a dragon and sent me flying. If its all the same to you, I'd rather stay on her good side."
~A curious discussion.
Lets Get Down To Business
Salem wasn't a good person.
She knew this. Naruto knew this. Soon the world would know it.
At best the Queen of the Grimm could be called chaotic neutral. At worse? Downright evil.
It wasn't that she tried to be bad; rather she simply didn't care for the consequences of her actions. When you were an immortal, petty things like logic and reason held no place in your life. Salem did what she wanted, when she wanted, where she wanted, and with whom she wanted.
The boy before her was a prime example of this.
"Dodge."
Naruto was given no further warning, for a storm of dark creatures straight out of the blackest nightmare drove at him from the bleak forest canopy overhead. First came one. Followed by another. Another. Yet another still. An unholy rain of Nevermore fell like rain upon him beaks first, selflessly ramming themselves into the ground as they tried to skewer her charge where he stood. To his credit, the boy didn't try to stop them all. He knew better than that by now. You couldn't fight something like this. You could only run. Or in his case, evade.
"This again?!" the boy wailed.
"Yes, again." she admonished him as he fled. "If you have enough energy to complain, then you can still fight."
Naruto yanked a kunai from his pouch and whipped his body to the left as the storm of birds passed perilously close shredding through a tree. Blue eyes bulged as they fell upon him and then he had no choice but to move again, whirling and slashing, dodging and striking in equal measure as he weaved through the rain of deadly birds.
Salem watched him intently, reclined upon the languid form of prone Beowolf as an impromptu throne.
He was improving. Slowly but surely.
...until a summoned Ursa swept up and blindsided him with a mighty paw.
"Owwww!"
"Cease your complaining." she admonished his weakness. "You wanted this. You begged to be trained by me, and thus, you will be trained the only away I know how. With overwhelming force." her words cracked at him like a whip as he ducked under a claw. "If you want power, then claim it. If you want recognition, seek it. If you desire me, well." Her smile turned coy. "Then you must surpass me. Surely you can do so. You were the one to release me, after all. I expect you to excel in these so-called "Chunin Exams" of yours. I will accept nothing less than victory."
"S' not fair." her charge groaned as he toppled back into the dirt. "You're immortal. How do I beat that?!"
"My dear boy." a tendril of shadow plucked him upright and set him standing again just in time for another assault. "Immortality means nothing in the face of cunning. I have been beaten before." those blood red eyes took on a decidedly flinty expression." I can be trapped. I can be tricked, just as anyone else. I am not infallible. You will learn the same."
A lone finger rose in a salute. Salem deigned to smile. He had spunk. She liked that.
She'd chosen to train this one on a whim; not out of some misguided sense of pity, or any lingering sense of regret. No, she was simply curious, or so she told herself. Curious about a great many things. What was chakra, and how did it work? Was it related to Aura and Semblances? Something new, perhaps? She wanted to see how the world had changed in her absence, and change it had.
Nearly a week had now passed and she'd yet to face a reprisal, both from the Brother Gods nor those that lived in this village.
That miiiight have something to do with the Greater Grimm Dragon she'd summoned.
In the meantime, Naruto would learn to fight. Sink or swim.
Still, it begged the question:
Had the Brother Gods been slain in her absence? Did they still exist? If so, would they send another champion now that she'd return? The thought drew a grimace from her. She didn't relish the idea of facing someone like Ozpin again; that wretched parasite could land in virtually any body and instantly be a threat.
New gods had clearly come to this world while she slumbered, and in their wake, the last remnants of mankind had changed. Dust had fallen out of practice in favor of electricity, semblance and aura were all but forgotten by the masses. Salem was certain the Gods hadn't taken those away when they'd laid waste to the world a second time. There had been no need, and they weren't the sort to go out of their way in that regard. Likely the knowledge had simply been forgotten.
Perhaps that was for the best. Perhaps the world didn't need her. Or the Grimm.
Nah.
Now that she thought on it, she pondered unlocking the boy's aura with her magic. See if such a thing were still possible after all these years. It might be entertaining. He wasn't progressing fast enough for her liking. He'd need a push. A boost, if you will.
Besides, she'd grown bored of watching him suffer.
"Enough." she raised her voice and the swarm of Grimm ceased its assault on him. "Come here, Naruto."
He responded readily and limped her way; not out of fear or subservience as Cinder and the others used to, but because he was genuinely interested in what she had to say. There was no deference here. He treated her as an equal, in spite of the gap between them. Hmm. Now there was a thought. Perhaps she ought to see if it were possible to revive her minions. They'd all been connected to her in some way or another, be it through a parasite, or more...obvious means. Poor Cinder had been nearly lost herself to her Grimm arm by the the end. Could it be done? All who were Grimm served her...
Thoughts for later, she supposed. Her contractor was waiting on her reply. She supposed she owed him some form of praise.
"That was an adequate effort." she spoke the truth plainly and patted his head when he drew near. "Your reflexes have improved." And they had. Despite his beleaguered appearance he'd only been hit a handful of times. A far cry compared to his earlier, meager efforts. "Such improvement deserves a reward."
"Hmm!" Naruto preened. Adorable. She'd enjoy corrupting him.
"Tell me, what do you know of Aura?" she asked.
"Um, nothing?" he scratched his cheek.
"I suppose I should've expected as much." her contractor had told her much of this world, but she'd told him precious little of what came before. "Allow me to educate you, then." she raised a finger and adopted a lecturing tone. "Aura is a manifestation of the soul, a life force that runs through every living creature on this world. You may think of it as a shield. A barrier of sorts. In my time, nearly everyone had Aura."
"Do you have it?"
"No." she shot him down. "Whatever I once was before, I am Grimm now, child. I have no soul."
"Nah." Naruto tilted his head. "I don't believe that. You're a good person."
A faint tinge of pink flooded Salem's face. Well! Color her surprised. The boy could be a charmer when he tried. He likely didn't even realize the effect his words had on her. Those bright blue eyes were so sharp and sure and full of hope...it almost made her want to ruin it, ruin him. Thankfully, she managed to check that dark impulse before it could consume her. Another, darker one reared its head instead.
"Careful now," she crooned. "If you keep that up I might lose control and devour you."
"So, so?" he wriggled in place. "Are you going to unlock mine?"
...I am considering it." Salem favored him with a contemplative expression. "You've shone me your potential. I expect your reserves will be massive."
"How're you gonna do it, then?"
"Magic, my boy." her pale lips curled into a cruel smile. "And brute force."
Pale hands clamped down on his face and lifted it to meet hers, forcing those azure orbs to meet scarlet.
"For it is through defiance that we carve our legacy into the world," Salem spoke the word solemnly, willing the magic within her body to hearken to her call. "Through this, we surpass our limits and dominate all who would stand against us." pale blue light flickered from her fingers, threading from her palms into his body. "Eternal and unfettered by morality I release now your soul, and call thee to thy destiny. Awaken."
Naruto jerked back as if he'd been struck, body shimmering a faint cerulean blue as he gazed down at his fingers.
"Wow." he murmured softly, curling them into a fist. "I feel...good. Really good. Didn't know I had this much strength in me.
"Naturally. Aura existed long before chakra." Now it was the queen's turn to preen. "Although, now that you speak of it...hmm." she paused, touching a finger to her cheek. "I'm rather curious as to what your Semblance might be. You'll need to train to use it in conjunction with your chakra, of course.
Naruto perked up at that. "Could you do this to anyone?"
"I could." Salem admitted. "But I won't."
"Aww, why not?!"
"I see no need to do so." rather than give him the answer he sought she summoned another Beowolf to serve as a seat and reclined upon its broad back. "I unlocked your Aura because I wanted to see if it was possible. Now I have my answer. Why should go around empowering the people of this village? How would this benefit me? We are already bound together, you and I." pearly white teeth flashed at him in a grin. "Forever. My fate is your fate.
...really?!" he squawked.
"No." she smiled a h is crestfallen face and flicked a stray strand of pale hair over her shoulder. "I've simply made you difficult to kill. Aura doesn't make you anymore invincible than I am. Your body is still growing, but I suspect once you reach your prime, you'll be a damn sight harder to slay than most.
"Aw, and here I was hoping you made me invincible." he sulked, scuffing his boot against the ground. "Killjoy."
Salem hummed softly, bemused by his petulant pout. It was just too easy to tease him.
And speaking of teasing! Well. She just couldn't help herself.
"Perhaps you deserve another reward," she said.
Salem tilted her head and her body rippled anew as it had many a time before; in a flash, Naruto found himself not staring up at a regal goddess of death, but eye level with a sprightly young girl nearly his own age. She watched the surprise flit through his eyes and reveled in it, read his every thought in that moment. He was startled. Fascinated. And something else. It had her licking her lips.
"Bwuh?" Naruto sputtered less-than-eloquently. "I...you...what...?! How did you do that?!"
"Does this form not please you?" she smiled and performed a little twirl, reverting to her true shape as she did so. "I am immortal. Eternal." pale arms spread wide, as though to embrace the forest itself. "I've learned to change my form as I please. One has to find ways to entertain themselves over the millennia, after all."
"Stop changing back and forth like that!" her charge yelped. "Make up your mind!"
"Hmm." Salem pretended to consider his words for a moment. "Now whyever would I do that?" She grinned and shifted to her smaller form yet again. "Yes, I think I rather enjoy this shape. I'll keep it for the rest of the day. It feels freeing to view the world from a different perspective, no?"
Naruto slapped a palm against his forehead. "You're insane...
"And you sold your soul to me." she blinked up at him through dark lashes, silently reveling the way he sputtered and stammered. Such a boy. His purity amused her to no ends. "Now stand still." her words were suddenly a command, unyielding and stern, a sharp contrast to her earlier remarks; so much so that they had him stiffening. "I shall grant you a measure of my power. Use it well."
This time, her hands grasped both of his palms, fingers threading with her own. She ran her fingers over the callouses, humming softy
To his credit, Naruto tried to blink. Tried to speak. Tried to ask what she was up to.
"Um, what're you doing...?"
Salem never gave him the chance to do anything else. Why would she? Teasing aside, she found she rather liked being eye-level with him. It brought back bittersweet memories. Memories of a happier time, a time when she wasn't...this. It made her blackened heart twitch. Happier times indeed. Time with a husband, a family, a time when she was free...
On a whim, Salem decided to indulge herself.
"I believe I'm making my intentions clear." she informed him primly.
Then she yanked him forward and pressed her lips to his.
Naruto sucked in a sharp breath through his nose, but didn't pull away. She didn't allow it. Instead she drew him closer, mouth molding against his own, tongue licking across his lips. Something shifted deep inside of her; a portion of her power parting and bending to her will once more as it flowed forth from her and into him. She did not diminish herself as Ozpin once had in the past, but rather she chose to share what was already hers. A surge of dark light rippled from her body and into that of Naruto's.
He didn't cry out when she shared her power with him.
But he did gasp. Just a little. Just a bit.
And blue eyes burned red.
A/N: REFERENCES~!
Yes, that was a flicker of Kurama at the end there...and something else.
Naruto is a pure boy of course, he's not going to be corrupted so easily. Still, we had a right and proper blast writing this from Salem's perspective, that and we also see why Jiraiya hasn't swooped in to intervene in our boy's training. Of course things aren't going to stay quiet on that front for long; if you think Salem of all people's capable of keeping a low profile...well. People are going to take notice of her, naturally. Not entirely sure if that's a good thing, either.
Soooooooo In the Immortal Words of Atlas...
...Review, Would You Kindly? It Keeps A Man Alive...
And of course, here are some previews for your care and time~!
References are references as always and I own absolutely nothiiiiing!"
(Previews!)
"So." Salem hummed. "We meet at last. You can stop playing dead, now. Naruto is fast asleep."
"Don't think I haven't noticed what you meddling with my host, demon." Behind the bars of his cage, Kurama creaked a giant eye open. "Why have you come here? Surely not to fight me. Even you would not be that foolish."
"No, no, no. Perish the thought." The Goddess of Grim spread her arms and granted him a coy smile. "I've come to bargain. I think we can help each other."
"You have nothing I want."
"Don't I?" she tilted her head. "How does your freedom sound?"
"May you find peace in death."
"Peace, you say? Peace? Peace?!" Salem reared back with a hiss. "I am BANISHED from death!"
Her wounds closed in an instant and her hand lashed out, seizing the throat of her would-be assassin. The man gurgled, eyes bulging.
"You will learn to evade everything I throw at you, or you will learn to die."
"That...that doesn't make any sense."
"No? Too bad. DODGE!"
"If you are to succeed in combat against the best of the shinobi," Salem began slowly, "You must have fear, surprise, and intimidation on your side; for if any one element is lacking, your victory might be called into question. You must break your foe before you engage them. Only then will you ensure victory...
...I keep my promises, you know."
In that moment, Neji felt icy fingers brush across his spine. He wasn't sure why, but gazing upon his opponent, he couldn't quite dismiss a pang of dread. Gone was the loudmouthed boy who'd promised to "kick his ass" back in the preliminaries. In his place stood...well. He wasn't sure what to call this strange calm.
"Before we get started," Naruto began to role up his sleeves, exposing strange ink on his arms. "Do you want to forfeit?"
"What?!" Neji flung out his hand. "No! Never! As if I'd surrender to someone like you!"
"Great." his opponent grinned. "Mind if I call some reinforcements, then?
Naruto bit his thumb and the world burned black.
R&R~!