A/N: I'm baaaack~!
Now then, we're still following the Ember's Rule here. Sadly, that's no joke.
Really, it isn't. If folks don't like this, it'll be deleted. Poof! Gone! Every bit of feedback helps. YOU determine what stays and goes. Reviews are the fuel which keeps me writing in these crazy times. With my tight schedule, two jobs, and a load of paperwork. I simply don't have time to write a story folks don't like. Without them, my inspiration cannot take wing and I can't write a word. So by all means, speak up!
Now for your questions:
Q: Timeskip? Lets get to the juicy bits!
A: Ask and you shall receive~! This chapter is almost directly before the first scene of Act II.
Q: Naruto P.O.V.! Now! Give! Please!
A: Um...?
Q: Oh, f**k you're going to bring in that THING aren't you? Well, I'm not sleeping tonight.
A: *zips lips*
Q: Are Naruto and Jinx intimate yet?
A: Well, I was drinking when I read that question. Nearly choked in surprise. Blunt, aren't ya?
Two broken souls find solace in one another; make no mistake Powder/Jinx is volatile enough, but with Naruto about she has the potential to improve...or become worse. One would thing giving her more lifelines would help, but it also means she has that much more to lose.
In her eyes? Naruto. Is. Hers.
You hit him? The hand comes off.
You shoot him? You get lead for breakfast.
You do ANYTHING to upset him? Hello underworld!
In any case, read and see. Sorry for the long answer.
Q: Is Silco using Naruto?
A: Nope. isn't playing Naruto. He took him in just as he did Jinx; the only difference being Naruto brings a lot more to the table; chakra's a dangerous thing, almost magical given proper applications. Just think on it. Naruto can change his appearance at will. Move with vicious speed. Heal from almost any wound.
And that's before you get into his clones!
Silco's going to use every bit of that.
Q: So Naruto and Jinx are definitely getting together. Also! Explosions?
A: More of a bang-bang-bang have a nice day, and a POW-POW you're dead sort of thing.
That's Jinx-speak FYI.
Alright, I've kept you long enough.
As ever, I own no references quotes, themes or memes.
So in lieu of a long authors note...here...we...go!
"Jinx is perfect."
~?
What Will Be (Interlude)
"FIRE IN THE HOLE~!"
Merry laughter swelled through the workshop.
Naruto knew that tone far too well by now to ignore it; much less what came after. A rueful smile tugged at his lips as he whirled away from his workbench. A swift kick knocked it down, scattering its contents to form a crude barricade of sorts between him and impending doom. From there he slapped both hands over his ears, then ducked for cover behind it. On a whim he squeezed his eyes shut for good measure. Wouldn't do to go blind for a half a day again. Even with both hands clamped down, he heard a harsh flick. He had time enough to suck in a quick breath.
Then all hell broke loose.
Scarlet and pink fire in the chasm like some fell flower, as two elements became one. He could see it in his mind's eye; it surged upward in a pillar of light to pierce the very heavens themselves, burning bright white in the night to sear even against his closed retina. A moment passed. Then another. Another, now.
At the count of nine opened his eyes, coughed a little, and leaned out over the workshop to witness the aftermath.
A low whistle pierced the chasm.
"Damn. Definitely the right mixture this time.
He could see the fires from here. Seemed mixing chakra with bombs worked a little too well. Silco would be pleased, at least. Speaking of pleased, where was...?
"Did you see that, whiskers?!"
Right on schedule!
Jinx crashed into Naruto's chest like a rowdy rocket, physically driving him back half a pace from the sheer force of her collision. Rather than retreat like any sane individual, her arms linked around the back of his neck and held on for dear life, legs curling as she all but dangled off him. His arms drifted to her waist to anchor her before she could drag him down into the abyss. Not that he'd ever let her.
"It worked!" she chirruped happily, cuddling close. "My new bomb finally worked!"
Naruto found himself wheezing out a breath. "Pretty sure half the underground saw that light-show...
"Exactly!" Mad, merry laughter swelled in his still ringing ears. "Best bomb ever!"
Her forehead kissed his, bringing with it the faint scene of smoke and shimmer mixed with napalm-filled chakra. She made a happy noise and cuddled closer still, all but pressing him into a wall to get at him. In an instant Naruto became aware of just how closely her body pressed against his. The way her curves melded with him. A beat of hot heat hit his cheeks. They weren't kids anymore and say what you would about Jinx, but she was a cuddler. She liked being touched.
"Hmm." at a loss for words, he settled for a grunt instead and patted her back.
"We'll show those Piltover punks," she rasped, burying her head in his chest. He felt her smile against the fabric of his shirt. It was all teeth. "Every last one. We'll show 'em all!"
Naruto hummed a little and patted her back.
If she wanted to blow up a few enforcers, then who was he to stop her? No skin off his back, that. Still there was a part of him that confessed some confusion. Why bring him down here at the crack of dawn? It didn' make a like of sense, even for her. What was she up to?
"Oh!" her head snapped up suddenly, blue eyes blazing bright in the low light. "Almost forgot!"
Quick as a flash Jinx slipped out of his grasp and danced toward a nearby curtain. Naruto right his own ruined table and squinted after her, trying to discern what lay behind the pale red fabric. He failed. Whatever it was, she'd hidden it well; which really meant something considering how abysmal she was when it came to hide and seek.
"Here goes!" Pale hands closed around the worn fabric, her lips curling in a grin of pure joy. "Happy seventeenth birthday, big guy!"
Confusion morphed into understand, leaving him, somewhat taken aback. "Wait, is that today-
Jinx tore the cloth back with a flourish, sending it fluttering down into the chasm as she laughed. Naruto flung up an arm, half-expecting another blast, or worse, a cream pie to the face. One could never be sure where his partner was concerned. When no such thing came he dared to creak an eye open. Slowly, gradually, he lowered his arm. He heard a soft click as she fiddled with the lights.
A spotlight snapped on, illuminating her gift in all its glory.
Naruto's His jaw parted with an audible click. "Is that what I think it is?"
"Ayup~!" Jinx crossed both arms behind her back and stepped aside, allowing him to view her gift in all its glory. "So? Whatcha think?"
Jinx was known for three things. Bombs, mischief, and mad inventions. This was clearly the latter.
Was it any wonder then, that she'd make something like this for him?
It wasn't terribly large; if anything it was rather compact, if forged from dark blue-on-red scrap metal. He could see where she'd scrawled graffiti onto it, and a big pink heart carved near the knuckles etched overt he likeness of a fox bearing its teeth in a snarl. Typical jinx. She really did love her motifs. There was something worked into the knuckles, likely meant to channel force forward, but for what purpose he knew not. Naruto stepped forward to admire it, then lifted the strange hand from its pedestal.
Words failed him.
"Its an explosion gauntlet, silly!" Jinx popped her head over his shoulder as though this answer were the most obvious thing in the world. "You like to punch things, and I like bombs. Soooo...here ya go!" When he didn't immediately respond, she barreled on. "You're always making that sphere thingy in your right hand, so I didn't wanna mess with that, but I can make you another one if you...want...
Her words trailed off as he held his tongue.
"..."
Jinx dithered.
"You don't like it, do you?" he felt her pull away, then heard her kick at something in the background. "I'm sorry." her voice faltered, sounding very much like a little girl. "I'm only good at makin' stuff that blows up and-and I thought you'd like it." she hiccuped. "I'll do better next time, I promise-
Panic bleated in Naruto's heart. No, no, no! None of that!
"Coward."
He ignored the voice, whirled and caught her by the wrist before she could bolt, but only just. A quick tug reeled her into his arms. The gauntlet struck the floor at his feet with a harsh thunk but still he held tight, unflinching, even when she began to squirm. Jinx put up a token resistance at best. He'd found that she enjoyed hugs, no matter the occasion.
"Whiskers...?" her voice rose in a threadbare whispers. "Hey, ow!" she grimaced a little when he squeezed her. "Not so tight!"
"I'm not mad." he pulled back, took her by the chin when she tried to look away, and thumbed her face up to his. "I just didn't know what to say. And this?" A quick kick launched the gauntlet into the air, allowing it to smack down into an open palm. "I love it! No one's ever given me a gift like this!"
"You...you love me too, right?" Jinx stammered up at him. "You won't leave me, right? You made a pinky promise."
Times like these reminded him just how fragile she was. In many ways Jinx was a stronger person than she'd been before...but in others she was so much weaker. She relied on him, depended on him, just as he did her. Naruto didn't mind. Nothing wrong with a little weakness. They could be weak together.
He sat down with a sigh. Jinx plonked down in his lap.
Her forehead touched his. "So...you're really not mad?"
A blond brow quirked. "Do I look angry to you?"
"R-Right. You do love me." she kissed his forehead, babbling the words. "I know you do. Even though I'm different. Don't change. Please. Promise me you'll never change...
He wiggled his little finger at her. "Already promised, remember."
She laughed and hugged him tight.
"Help me put this thing on."
Her eyes lit up and the fear evaporated.
In no time at all she helped him slide the gauntlet on and secure the straps. It was the work of mere moments. From there, Jinx helped him to his feet, steadied him, then gave him a slap on the back.
"Give 'er a whirl!"
Naruto hefted his new gauntlet.
Blue eyes flicked to the nearest solid surface.
With a roar, he drove his fist deep into the cavern wall.
He felt something click in his gauntlet. And there was fire.
(.0.0.0.)
Silco did not fear monsters.
He acknowledged their existence of course; only a fool would willingly deny the danger before them, but he still didn't fear them. After all, there was a monster inside of everyone. He knew this truth better than most. He was raising two little monsters after all. He'd taken in two broken children and taught them to accept who they were, jagged edges and all. They were what the under city made them.
Together they would show Piltover what real monsters were. They would show them all.
A lone finger drummed restlessly against the desk as he considered Singed's latest report. Neither good nor bad, that. Jinx was...not stable per se -she could never truly be after her sister's horrid betrayal- but there could be no denying that she'd made great strides. She was better now, still mad as a hatter, but less erratic. She hadn't suffered a hallucination in months. A marked improvement. Naruto was good for her in that regard, just as she was good for him.
And then there was the matter of this "chakra" substance...
Someone knocked on his door, cutting that thought short. He looked up from his papers. "Enter."
Naruto poked his head in, covered in soot, grinning from ear to ear, as he always did. "Hey, pops. You got a sec?"
Not really, but the boy had no way of knowing that. "...I have a little time."
Silco favored him with a small smile in return as the boy eased the door shut behind him. He was strong now, carrying himself with confidence in place of all the sadness and sorrow he'd shown all those years ago. Was this what pride felt like? Not for himself or his plans, but pride in someone else. He rather liked it. Idly he noticed the gauntlet the boy now wore. He quirked a brow at it, recognizing his daughter's handiwork. Jinx had been busy for his birthday, it seemed.
"I take it she gave you your gift."
Naruto's smile faltered. "Yeah. Mighta blown up a few things.
"And the bomb?"
The boy told him his news.
"Excellent. Now then," he dipped a hand into one drawer, "I have something for you as well. You'll receive it later tonight."
His wayward warrior blinked. "What is it?"
A faint smile. Ever curious, this one. "Come now, that would ruin the surprise. In any case, the rest of the day is yours," he allowed, "But remember...
...there's work to be done tomorrow." Naruto sighed. "Don't worry about the shipment. Jinx and I won't let anyone touch it.
His left eye fixed on him, waiting for his response. "And if the Firelights interfere?"
Naruto tilted his head an inch to the right. "What about them?"
So damn proud.
A/N: Bit of a happy interlude, but we all know what's coming...or do we?
As ever, we're following the Ember's Rule here. That's no joke. Really, it isn't.
If folks don't like this, it'll be deleted. Poof! Gone! Every bit of feedback helps. Reviews are the fuel which keeps me writing in these crazy times. With my tight schedule, I simply don't have time to write a story folks don't like. Without them, my inspiration cannot take wing and I can't write a word. So by all means, speak up!
As ever, reviews are my lifeblood. Without them, I cannot write.
So In the Immortal Words of Atlas...
...Revieeeeew, Would You Kindly?
They keeps an old man alive.
And enjoy the previews.
As ever:
SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!
PLOT DETAILS AHOY!
YE BE WARNED!
Get ready to smile~!
Obvious references are obvious~!
(POTENTIAL!) Previews! What can I say? I've been busy.
An idea struck Silco, then.
"These...clones of yours. How many can you create?"
Naruto's smile was positively contagious. "As many as you need."
"Look at me. There you go. That's it. You don't need to change. You get me? You're fine just the way you are. Jinx is perfect. Ain't nothin' gonna change that."
"You don't fight with honor!"
"Of course I don't." He swayed out of the way, smashed a rasengan into the enforcer's chest, vaulted another, and tore him apart. "I'm a ninja." He was a red dervish of death; writhing and twisting, whirrling and whirring without a care in the world. "How did you think this would end?!"
"Never shoulda come here!"
"I saw her face again...
"JINX! ALL YOUR FAULT! ALL YOUR FAULT!"
Blue eyes snapped open in the dark.
"Just a dream...
"Jiiiiinxxxxx...
"What the fuck is that?!"
Hell if I know! Kill it! KILL IT WITH FIRE!"
He's just a boy."
"Hmm. That "boy" has more potential in his little finger than you could ever have.
"Now get out."
R&R~!
