A/N: Apologies if this seems short. Working all damn day today.
Be sure to read this note, please. Big changes are coming to this site.
I'll say it plain, if this email opt-in business with the site doesn't get resolved soon, I'm probably going to retire.
It HURTS to say that, but with this new system, reviews and readers have dropped to an all time low, many authors are leaving the site in droves.
If you're not already aware, ever since the 16th of November, you now have to turn ON your email alerts in account settings-MAKE SURE YOU CLICK SAVE SETTINGS!-else you won't be notified when anyone updates. No alerts, no email, no nothing. Apparently that's a thing we all have to do every ninety days or so, now. Alas, not many are aware of it...which is a problem. As things stand this new "fix" as it were, has cut everyone's viewership/reviewers in half because most folks don't know about it. Authors are leaving/quitting because of this.
Sometimes opting in works. Sometimes it doesn't. Really depends. Hopefully the devs can fix tweak/update this system.
This sudden change is driving authors away in droves; because no one knows, since not all of us have Twitter, which means most aren't even aware; as a result, they think we're not updating, and they don't read or review...which makes us write even less...
As ever the Embers rule persists, reviews are my fuel, my fire, my life. Without them, I lose all inspiration, all hope, all ability to write. That's no joke. I have so little time to write these days with two jobs, and silence hurts. So by all means, speak up! Make yourselves heard! Every bit of feedback, no matter how small or large, matters! Really, it helps a lot. Its a joy to talk with you all and bandy ideas back and forth; it really is. Sorry if this seems shorter than usual, working on a tight schedule here.
No questions once more! Only story! And I think I've kept you waiting long enough.
As ever, I own noooo references, quotes, memes or themes.
Not a wit or a one. Ought to be reeeaaally bloody obvious by now.
And yes, I went there with that title, its a big honking references, though I'll not say to who!
"Yes, a dragon, Neo. A honest to goodness dragon! Damn thing was sleeping in a volcano!
"Eh? What's that? What did we do? I didn't do shit! I wasn't fighting a dragon!"
The Boss...well. You won't believe what happened next...
~Torcwhick (Future).
Wake the Dragon
Everyone scattered.
What else could they do?
Wasn't everyday a dragon popped out a mountain, ya know!
Nor was said dragon the only thing they had to concern themselves with; molten rock rained down from the still-erupting volcano, creating an entirely different sort of hazed, crushing cultists, pelting buildings, even spraying into the sea. Thankfully it was the stadium directly below the mountain that took the brunt of the disaster. Kolgrim's insanity saved them on that front; in emptying the arena of all but those who were loyal to him, and driving away those who weren't, he had unwittingly spared most of the island from danger.
Most, not all.
Shadow clones truly proved something of a blessing in that regard; he disliked the idea of revealing his gifts to the public, but with hellfire literally raining down on their heads, he didn't have much choice. Kolgrim's bombs were effectively neutered now, with no reason to hold himself back it was a small matter to swarm the streets of Menagerie and evacuate any remaining civilians to a safe distance.
Kurama rumbled a laugh as he swept a daughter into her mother's arms. "Someone's going to be popular once this over...
He wasn't looking forward to that. Everyone had only just got over his stunt in Atlas. For better or worse, the eyes of the world would be on him again after this.
"As if they weren't already. Everyone started watching you the moment you met Willow.
...fair."
It was too much to hope they wouldn't see the spectacle that followed. As much as he might dislike it, Kolgrim had forced his hand in that regard. No point in crying over spilled milk now.
"That's no ordinary dragon. We sure that thing's not a Grimm?"
He came back to himself just in time to hear Summer's question. He wasn't sure where the rest of Team STRQ had gone. Probably wrapped up in the mad melee back in the arena with Tyrian and the Belladonas. He was sure the former would keep the kids safe, at least.
A glacier absolutely burst behind him, raining down bloody ice. Yeah not going near that. Willow was taking her anger out on the cultists. Rightfully so!
"Ain't black and white, ain't a Grimm." Raven touched a hand to Omen's hilt. He didn't much like the glint in her eyes...or the fact she'd let this happen. "We gonna kill it anyways? Might make a good trophy."
Naruto wasn't sure they should. It sounded angry -and it was!- but the emotions he felt from it weren't those of some malevolent beast but a startled animal lashing out. Poor thing hadn't been doing anything until someone shot it. They had no idea how long the poor beast had even been sealed in there. Decades? Centuries? Longer still? To just kill it simply because it was in the way, because it was the easier thing to do...
'I'd be grumpy too if someone woke me up after a long nap like that...
...no."
Summer balked. "Eh?"
Raven rolled her eyes. "Oh, boy. Here he goes."
"I dunno, it seems kinda sentient." he smacked a fist into his palm. "Hmm! That settles things. I'm gonna talk to it!"
She must've seen the look in his eye; because she tipped back Qrow's hip flask -when had she gotten if off him?!- and took a long drink to fortify herself. "You're gonna do something stupid, aren't you."
He beamed. "Remarkably. Willow!"
Another tower of ice bloomed back in the arena. "What?!"
"Gonna need you in five minutes!" He didn't wait to hear her response before pivioting. "And one last thing. Raven."
"Hmm?" she turned a red eye on him. "What?"
THUNK.
Her head snapped to the side, bearing a throbbing red handprint on her cheek.
"Never," he hissed, lowering his metal hand. "Endanger civilians like that again. I don't care how bloodlusted you are, or how badly you want a good fight. You wanna brawl? You fight me. You don't let some psycho blow a magical horn for shits and giggles. If I see you pull a stunt like that again, I'll tear strips out your hide."
She turned away from him with a huff. "Fine, sure. I get it. You're pissed. Sorry."
No, she wasn't. Naruto's temper sparked and he stepped to her with a scowl.
"Can't hear you." He pinched her still-stinging cheek. "Louder."
"Owwww! Alright, alright! I'm sorry! It won't happen again!"
He grabbed her other cheek and yanked. "LOUDER!"
"I'm sowwwwy!" she slurred.
"See that you are." he let her go and turned to face the dragon even now extricating itself from the mountain. "...this conversation is far from over."
"Wait, wait, wait!" Summer sputtered, thrusting herself between them. "You are not taming a dragon. No, no, no. Absolutely not! Even you can't...are you even listening?! Come back here!"
No dice. He was already walking. "Look after the kids!
"Oi! I ain't a babysitter!
Naruto waved over ihs shoulder. "I'll pay you in cookies!
"Why you-
He didn't pause to listen to her, not with his objective in sight.
He hurtled headlong at the beast.
What kind of weaknesses did a dragon have, anyway? He'd never fought a real one before, and this was clearly a beast apart from a normal wyrm. Blasted thing was glowing now! One could argue that its wings were the greatest threat; if it got free of the mountain it might well fly off the terrorize Mistral's mainland. He'd have to ground it here. But how?
"Well, guess its trial and error, then."
He skirted a stray blast of flame and caught a stray bit of broken building as he blitzed upward. His fingers bit down into the stone, dragging it after him.
Stolid and heavy enough for his purpose. It would serve.
The dragon didn't see him coming. How could it? Damn thing was too big for its own good. A gleaming golden dot meant no more to it than any any would a human. No, it definitely didn't see him coming; but it certainly felt the boulder smash against its snout. It rounded on him with an outraged shriek, aware of his presence at last.
"That's right." his grin turned feral. "Eyes on me."
A shout echoed behind him. Almost sounded like Summer. "Are you insane?!"
Probably.
"May I?"
"Happily." He clapped his hands together as he ran, palm to palm, finger to finger. "You hold back the dragon."
"What're you gonna do?"
Naruto hummed a little to himself. "What I do best. Improvise~!"
He hadn't let Kurama out since that disaster at the Glass Unicorn back in Altas, using him for a brief instant to hold up a crumbling building. Folks had seen him to be sure, but not many. Now there was no building to hide him, no distractions to draw the eye, no fire to see. His old friend roared into existence around him, looming large in an all his golden glory.
"Oi!" Ghira yelped somewhere below him.
Kali proved far more vocal. "What in oblivion is that?!
"Validation!" Tyrian's howl answered her and had him cringing in equal measure. "My lord reveals himself at last!"
Right, right, the Belladonas had never seen this before, had they?
Raven flung up her arms. That's cheating!
"Shinobi! Don't care!"
The dragon certainly didn't. It opened its maw and screamed.
"Guess I'm tanking this...
Naruto shielded his face with an arm. Kurama mimicked the motion. The flames were certainly...bright. Powerful to be sure. but at the end of the day, it was only that. Power. Raw. Unfocused. It didn't have the wherewithal to focus on him fully, nor did it think to focus its heat into a tight cone of flame to scorch him. And he had been burned by far worse than this.
He barreled through.
Was it his imagination, or did the dragon look surprised just now?
Kurama hit a moment later, slamming into the dragon with such force that he accidentally ripped the beast from Menagerie's mountain. Down they went, tumbling across the beach and into the ocean. For two titans such as these the waters near the isle may well have been a shallow pool.
Calling it a contest would've been an insult. There was never any doubt as to the outcome. There never had been.
However large and powerful it might be, the dragon had only just awoken from a long slumber. Or hatching. He wasn't sure. Had the mountain been its egg? If so, it might even be a newborn. It was certainly acting like one; no strategy, no tactics, only mindless, feral rage. Weren't dragons supposed to be smart? This one certainly wasn't.
"You gonna stop?!" He snarled at it. "Or do I gotta calm you down the hard way?"
The wyrm screamed fire in his face again.
"I know it hurts." Naruto smiled, uncaring as the heart singed his whiskered visage. "Scream all you like. I'll take all that anger and blow it away."
His wrist flicked out. A funnel opened in his wrist. The fire sizzled out, drawn inward, leaving his false limb glowing a bright, cherry red. He thrust his arm forward and quite suddenly the dragon found itself face to face with its own flames. They didn't so much singe as they did startle the beast; its long neck reared back in anger.
His earpiece squawked with Arthur's outraged voice a heartbeat later. "I didn't think you'd use that to absorb dragonfire! Are you trying to melt your arm?!"
A blond rose."It worked, didn't it?
"Yes, well...
His wrist clicked again and a web of heavy metal wire burst forth to ensnare snaring the beast's maw. Direct hit! It made an outraged noise and clawed it away an instant later; but he had expected as much. It had bought him a moment of time. Better yet it was wary of him and distracted by its grapple with Kurama. That was all he needed.
Willow whistled below the beast's bulk. Right on time. "Over here!"
With a shuddering hiss, the Dragon glared down at her. Its jaws parted, ready to unleash hell.
The Winter Maiden tutted back and snapped her fingers. "Bad dragon."
A geyser of blue ice burst forth to entrap the dragon's front feet. It didn't stop there and shot up its limbs, rooting it where it stood. The beast squealed its displeasure and lashed out like an angry child, beating its great wings for all it was worth. Wind kicked up, and storm swept forth...
.
..
...or rather, it tried.
A massive golden fist slammed down on the back of the beast's head, grabbed its long neck and forced the wyrm down. Another squawk of outrage filled the air, but this time, it wasn't given the chance to rally. Firm tails of light wrapped around it's great bulk and wrestled it into stillness, forcing its hindlegs to buckle. Soon enough, the rest followed.
The instant it sought to rise, Kurama snarled at it. "SIT."
Remarkably, the dragon sat.
"Good girl."
A/N: Ah, but what IS the dragon? Next chapter reveals all.
We'll be wrapping up this arc next chapter, and finally see Winter's birth. My work schedule is killing meeee...
As ever the Embers rule persists, reviews are my fuel, my fire, my life. Without them, I lose all inspiration, all hope, all ability to write. That's no joke. I have so little time to write these days with two jobs, and silence hurts. So by all means, speak up! Make yourselves heard! Every bit of feedback, no matter how small or large, matters! Really, it helps a lot. Its a joy to talk with you all and bandy ideas back and forth; it really is. Sorry if this seems shorter than usual, working on a tight schedule here.
Reviews are the fuel that keeps me writing. That's no joke. I really am sorry that the chapters are shorter these days, and the updates slower, but I'm trying my best. Silence hurts more than any flame...without feedback, I can't write a single world. Seriously! So speak up! Every word -and every review!- really does matter!
So in the Immortal Words of Atlas... ...Review, Would You Kindly?
Here, have some previews. Lemme know what you think!
Madness and Mayhem await!
And as ever: SPOILERS!
(Previews)
"All of you! CEASE!"
The surviving cultists did just that. A few of them even knelt and screamed his praises.
...please tell me I didn't just start my own cult."
"Salutations! It is so sensational to finally meet you all!"
"Aww, Qrow's got himself a girlfriend!"
"I do not!"
"Tell it to the bunny, bird boy...
"Naruto, stop! This isn't you! This isn't who you want to be! They need to face justice!
Rationally, yes. But he wasn't feeling very rational right now.
"They came for my family. This is justice."
He squeezed their neck.
CRACK.
The door creaked open. Summer poked her head through. "Can we talk?"
"I do not take sass from insects.
Insect?! I'm the strongest hunter in a generation!
A beetle is still an insect, no matter how loud it might scream.
"Ruby Rose! Put the cookie down!"
"NEVAH!"
"What's gotten into you, Winter?
She wouldn't look at him. She mustn't. She refused.
"I heard what you said to mother." Father arched an eyebrow at her, and in the absence of his words, child though she was, she found the strength to continue. "You think I'm weak because I'm not like you and mother, like Cinder and Sienna, or even Roman." she stomped a foot and looked down, unwilling to meet his eyes. "I know I was never what you wanted, but I thought after all this time, maybe things were different.
His stoic gaze drilled into her. "When did you get the impression I didn't want you? You don't know everything kiddo...
"No, she sniffled, "but at least now I know the truth.
"The truth, eh?" he thumbed his chin. "Alright." a quick shove pushed his chair out from behind his desk. "You want the truth? C'mere." A metal hand patted his knee. "I'd wanted to wait another three years, but I suppose now's as good a time as any."
Her legs betrayed her and she found herself climbing into his lap. At the end of the day he was still her father and she was only five.
She tilted her head up to get a better look at him. As such she saw the moment his sapphire eyes snapped into scarlet.
Winter gasped despite her best efforts. "What did you do?! Is that a semblance or...?
"Nope. I'm a jinchuuriki, girl." she watched golden light dance across his face as he spoke, burning bright. "From another world, far from here. When I first met your mother I chose to be who I am now. To be more than a fight, but a leader as well. But the truth is, I'm far from perfect." he held up his false arm from her to see. "I killed my best friend. It wasn't something I wanted to do-that's how I got this arm. Even after that, I destroyed many who were deserving...and many who were not."
"That still doesn't explain why you think I'm weak-
"You think you're weak, Winter? No, no, no." he shook his head, setting his pale hair swaying. "You're strong; the only other person on this planet with chakra besides me. Hell, you're probably going to be even stronger than me, once you grow up. Which is why you must be BETTER. I didn't want to tell you any of this until you were ready."
"Why not tell me all this before?"
"Because it could go to your head. Because strength without experience can create a lifetime of tragedy if you're not careful. I also wanted you to have a normal childhood."
She scowled at him. "How is anything about my life even remotely normal?"
He granted her a small smile.
"Fair enough...
R&R~!