A/N: Please read this note, would you kindly? It has some important information.
First, this chapter covers a lot of ground. Timeksips ahoy!
Second, I've been updating DAILY for while now, and its starting to wear on me. Your words keep my spirits strong. Every bit of feedback helps, large or small!
So speak up! Your words matter!
As ever, reviews are fuel for this weary old man. Every bit of feedback, large or small, helps me immensely. Speak up! Your voice matters!
Now then, its time for the usual questions!
Q: Do Naruto and Salem train regularly?
A: Yes, they do. This chapter highlights that aspect.
If you thought Salem was scary in canon, imagine her with a partner, someone who pushes her past her limits and fights with her. An immortal being who simply wades into a fight and destroys all who dare stand against her.
YIKES.
Q: More cameos with the kids, please?
A: Sure. Hope you like Castlevania. Its funny, because Naruto and Salem have sired monsters thanks to their corrupted DNA. They could literally wipe out humanity if they wanted to at this point and supplant them with the Faunus. But they have no reason to. Naruto is the voice of reason to Salem's iron fist. They complete each other.
Good luck hurting their descendants, Ozma...
Q: How goes the plot?
A: The plot IS progressing, make no mistake. Each chapter is a timeskip of sorts. Naruto and Salem are still trying to figure out the Lamp. Should be easy, really, but they're making it harder than it needs to be. What lives in a lamp? A genie. Djinn, is another word for genie. Shorten that to Jinn and BAM! There you go!
Lets see if the Family can figure it out.
And make no mistake, we WILL see the RWBY cast we all know and love.
Sooner than you might think!
Q: More romance! We NEEEEEDS it.
A: As you wish. Give me a moment...there.
Allllllrighty, then! I've kept you long enough.
As ever I own no references, quotes, themes or memes!
Buckle up, because this chapter...well...I'll let it speak for itself.
Once again, Castlevania references ahoy! Get ready to see some familiar faces...
"Is it that time again? Already?
"It would seem so. Lets put on a show for the little rascals."
"Ha! You read my mind. I don't mind adding another victory to my tally."
"We shall see, husband of mine. There are more ways to win a duel than brute strength."
~The Future.
Kiss of Ambition
"Fight, fight, fight!"
Mother and Father were fighting again!
Little feet scampered down stone steps, darted across the grass and out into the clearing.
She made it just in time to watch a wall of golden light swallow up a sphere of shadow. Redirected by the sudden blockade, Mother's blast rocked into the moonlit sky; it detonated there before the broken moon, spraying the world a thousand different shades of fire. Not a heartbeat later an awful keening sound split the air.
Cries of delight filled the night.
A young Carmilla found her footing at last and reached the others just as all hello broke loose. A fresh gale kicked up, scattering fallen knives like so much midmorning new. Wide blue eyes regarded the spectacle, fangs flashing in thinly veiled delight. Another explosion rattle the night, sender her pale hair flying before her face like some mad halo. Some of her brothers and sisters might well be horrified by such a sight, but for her, this was old hat by now...and still glorious to watch.
Naruto planted his foot and let another Rasenshuriken fly, only to find it swallowed up by darkness in turn.
The blond hissed. "Alright, that's bullshit. Since when can you do that?!"
Coy red eyes blinked back at him with devious intent. "Whatever to you mean, dear husband?"
Quick as a flash the surge of shadow lanced up his arm, trying to take him with it. Rather than retreat he bulled forward and slammed Salem to the ground. Breath burst from her lungs, and a good bit of ground with it. A kick launched him into -then through!- a tree, one he was quick to snatch up and bring crashing down on her head.
Carmilla watched the chaos with a smile that bordered on maniacal.
Once every nine years, Mother and Father put on a "show" of sorts for their followers and family alike. This year was no different.
They were a hurricane of motion; limbs lashing and striking, spells and chakra flashing like dazzling fire in the moonlight. They ripped and tore like nothing else. This way those who...did not favor the light of day could be here, the better to witness the skills of the Lord and Lady they served. It fulfilled another purpose as well. To any ordinary observer, it looked as though they were genuinely trying to kill one another. Not so. Carmilla saw the smiles on their faces; her enhanced senses caught the swell of laughter over the explosions of dark an' light as they raged back and forth. They were playing with one another.
Even then this little game of theirs served as a lesson to their descendants.
There was always someone stronger.
Carmilla swore she would learn this lesson well. This was power. This was her birthright. The day would come soon when she began her studies at their feed; learned what it was to be a Daughter of Salem and all the glory that it entailed. Ambition was good. Ambition kept you focused. For now? She was just a child. But she wouldn't always be. The world would know it one day. Another explosion rattled the night, and high above, the moon itself began to bleed red.
Glorious.
Carmilla grinned.
This world would be theirs.
(.0.0.0.)
"He's mine!"
"But I caught him!"
Alcina preened but a little.
"Now, now, sisters there will be enough for everyone. We'll start with his legs.
Poor mercenary. He didn't stand a chance.
(...Three Years Later...)
There was power in diplomacy.
Little Lenore believed in the concept more than most.
At the end of the day, Diplomacy was compromise. Be it between sovereigns, nations, or even people, it was the very act of two parties coming to terms for the sake of the greater good. When one negotiates from a position of strength, that undoubtedly weighs diplomacy in their favor. What had Father said about that again? "I get something, you get something. Neither of us get everything we want but we both leave happy." I think that's so much better than killing each other, wouldn't you agree?
It was simply matter of finding what the other side wanted.
Father always seemed to know.
He was always going on about how important it was to stop and talk with people; to engage in dialogue, not just take what they wanted and burn the rest. He said they needed to be a part of the wider world, to live in it, work with it, even thrive in it. To know this world as the mortals did, and in doing so, better understand them. Lenore, little though she as, could respect that.
Unfortunately, not all of their family -more a coven by now than anything else- agreed with his methods.
Some said he was too kind. Others claimed he was too soft.
Lenore knew better; if only because she'd seen just how deadly her sire could be when it came to combat.
What was the old human proverb Mother had grown fond of, again?
Talk softly and carry a big stick?
Yes, that was the one.
For if Father was the Diplomat, then Mother was most assuredly the Conqueror. Her ambition knew no bounds. It was she who constantly pushed to expand their territory, she who wished to make those of the Faunus and and their Family the dominant species on Remnant, she who would rather see the Humans as livestock in cages. If she had her way the world would be a very different place indeed. Humans would be pets at best, and an odd source of entertainment at the worst.
Small wonder Carmilla got on so well with her. They were two peas in a pod.
Lenore disagreed with such methods, if only because she was selfish. In the end, it all came down to numbers. If one tried to conquer the world, the world would rise against them. Should the entire human population of Remnant ever do such...well, it would be quite the bother. Humans were entertaining. If you killed them all you killed humanity cruelty to be sure, but you killed human kindness too.
One might think it strange for a girl not even into her eleventh year to harbor such maudlin thoughts. She didn't. She was the product of her upbringing, a child of the two greatest beings ever to walk the face of Remnant in this age. And how had that come about?
Diplomacy.
Say what you would above love and fate and destiny, but that the end of the day, Lenore knew she had come to be through diplomacy. After all, were it not be Diplomacy, a chance meeting between to strangers in the night, none of this would have come to be. She never would have been born. She wouldn't have this gloriously large family or-
"Lenore!" Father's voice called to her from across the yard. "Where are you? Its nearly time! Hurry up! You know Salem doesn't like to wait!"
She put away her book, huffed a little and lifted her skirts to hurry in the direction of the voice.
Honestly! If she left those two alone, they were going to go at tit like rabbits again. Really! They had absolutely no shame. These days Mother and Father seemed determined to repopulate Remnant. They were doing a fair job of it too; she had a new sibling nearly every other year now.
She hoped she could find a mate like that someday. Not someone to simply lay with and throw away as Morrigan did, but a proper partner. Wienne had been the only one to triumph on that front. As the Firstborn that was undoubtedly her right, yet still it rankled all the same. She guarded her husband with all the ferocity of a dragon. It only made sense. She was one, after all. Rumor had it they were expecting their first child later this year, but for now it was just that. A rumor.
Some, like Striga and Morana, had no such interest in things.
To each their own she supposed.
But you see, Lenore wanted a mate. Not now, of course. She still had much to learn. See. Study. That sort of thing. But later. When she was older.
And come hell or high water she would have one.
So when the time came for the war council, she was delighted to be a part of it.
As ever she saw a great many of her brothers and sisters there, alongside a number of generals and aides with other hangers on that she couldn't be bothered to remember.
Naruto stood before a great round table hewn of fine oak, atop which he'd sprawled a mighty map. Her curiosity stirred at the sight of it. They had some of the finest cartographers this side of the world; and the world was changing, make no mistake.
He looked up at her approach and smiled.
"There you are." A rough hand descended on her head, mussing her auburn hair. "You're just in time. Go on, take a seat. We're still waiting for a few more."
As the youngest, Lenore took her seat beside them both. At least, she tried. Mother was having none of it. Quick as a flash Salem plucked her from that padded chair and plonked Lenore down in her lamp. The girl flashed her fangs in mild displeasure, but she knew there could be no escape, galling as it seemed.
Instead she took advantage of her new, well...vantage, to gaze upon the plans sprawled across the table.
Some centuries ago ago humanity had discovered a rather fascinating substance called dust.
It held fascinating properties to be sure, but for all its might it still had hard limits. Why use it, when they had a source of energy all their own. Not merely magic and chakra, but something altogether more arcane. Father called it electricity. He claimed it came from his world, wherever that was. The greatest minds of the kingdom were working on it round the cloak. And from that stemmed other discoveries. Solar power. Wind. Water. Even using explosions to propel things upward.
Why, a particularly inspired scion of House Watts suggested it might be possible to propel vessels into the stars themselves.
It all sounded so fantastical; truly the applications were endless. This knowledge would capapult the world into the future.
Father would have given such knowledge freely. Mother was more pragmatic. The Land of Shadows was not so powerful that they could simply give away their secrets.
Any who came and swore their loyalty were granted such knowledge and power in three years time...if they proved loyal. And if they didn't? Well. Those who tried to deceive them -and there were many!- never last long enough to do any damage. Not when Father could sense their intent at a glance. Sometimes she wondered if it was possible to learn such a power
"Ahem!" Naruto coughed suddenly, claiming her attention once more. "Thank you all for coming on such short notice." he sank into his throne and rested his chin upon one hand. "I see some familiar faces among you today." the smallest grin touched those whiskered cheeks. "A few even look sober...though you might want a drink after this."
His words earned a mixed reception from the council; some laughed. Others bowed. Still more merely smiled.
"To work, then." Salem touched a hand to his. "Hector, if you would be so kind?"
As they looked on a chair scraped back. A young man clad in dark blue and black rose from it. Lenore's gaze fixed firmly upon him. The tan pallor of his skin was immediately pleasing to the eye, as was his gaze and the striking ashen-grey hair that framed it. His blue eyes were asmolder with heat, twin coals in a pitted forge. Lenore found her gaze drawn to him.
A new boy? Father must've picked up a stray when she wasn't looking.
She sniffed once. This one smelled human. Poor thing. Had he been picked up from one of the outlying settlements? Father was known for that. Mother, admittedly less so, but she had been known to take in strays from time to time. This one might be from the desert continent. He had that look about him. Maybe he might be a little less stern.
Time would tell.
Hector swept a hand across the map and the spell within came alive at his touch. Revealed was a glowing blue sphere, the very encapsulation of Remnant itself.
"As you can see here," he touched a dark finger to the easternmost continent, "Our forces already have a strong hold in Mistral," he swallowed once, voice breaking a little beneath so many stares. "We've already brought peace and order to much of the east, and now Lady Alcina has turned her attention to the adjoining islands below-
"Do speak up, dear boy." Carmilla crooned from her seat. "I promise we won't bite.
Lenore purred. "Much."
Naruto waved a hand. "Continue, Hector."
Salem raised a hand before he could. "If I may?"
"Sure, sure," he barely even batted an eye. "What are you thinking?"
Salem smiled. "Four families. Four lords. One to rule each continent."
The war council went still.
Lenore let herself be shuffled into Father's lap as she tried to make sense of it all. That was a grand undertaking. A dangerous one. Many would gladly kill for such power."
"Seems a bit cliche, don't you think?" Naruto tilted his head. "The people don't need kings and queens. They need democracy."
"And they shall never know the difference. We already have the Schnee family. Soon enough, they'll have a stranglehold on dust as we know it." Salem swept a hand over the map. "As dear Hector says, our darling Alcina's already set up a kingdom for us in Mistral. She's since taken the name Dimitrescu for herself. Now, those of the Belladona clan have proven themselves able spies and assassins, to say nothing of their tracking skills.
Blue eyes rolled. "Yeah, and they're right paranoid, too...
"Don't give me that look." Salem swatted his arm with a smile. "You recruited their matriarch!
"By accident." Naruto grumbled. "She can moon over me all she wants. I'm a one woman man, thank-you-very much."
"Now that you mention it," Salem cocked her head, looking every bit the monarch she was at heart. "I WOULD be curious see what a child with whiskers and cat ears looks like.
"Salem." Now it was his turn to swat at her wrist. "No. Bad Salem. Behave!"
She muffled his words with a kiss. Then her lips trailed lower.
Naruto stiffened. "Oh, that is not fair."
Salem ignored him wholeheartedly.
"Ahem...my lord? One of their advisors coughed. "The meeting?"
"Oh, very well." Salem reclined with a sigh. "Putting the matte of the Lamp aside-
Esdeath scoffed and glowered at the thing where it hung on the wall, "Which still haven't unlocked."
...we have those of the Silver Eyes." their queen finished. "I move that we deal with them now, while we still can."
A collective growl arose from the war table, and despite her best efforts, Lenore found herself mirroring the council's displeasure. That...was a more recent discovery, and not at all a pleasant one. Eri had suffered a nasty scare when she encountered one of those hunters. She'd survived the experience with her life, but lost two loyal retainers in the process. Her guards had fought hard to ensure she returned safely. It seemed the God of Light was spiteful after all. That lot needed to be dealt with before they grew too powerful...
...fair." Naruto relented with a sigh. "Those we need to deal with. But no killing! I won't hear of any culling."
"Then what would you have us do?" Carmilla chimed in with a scowl. "Corral them into pens?"
"No," their monarch interjected, "I was thinking more along the lines of diplomacy...
"That tripe again?" Her elder sister scoffed. "Diplomacy is the for the weak."
In the silence that followed, one could've heard a pin drop.
All eyes turned to Naruto and Salem.
The former sat straighter in his throne, towering over them all. His dark orange-black robes seemed to billow in an unseen wind, and for a moment -just a moment- the mask slipped as his body burned gold. By contrast, Salem looked fit to rip Carmilla's head clear off her shoulder's for such an insult. Lenore was right next to her and still she felt she might faint at any moment. It was only Naruto's hand on her arm that prevented her from flying off the handle entirely.
"Dear girl," Salem spoke each words with deliberate care, her voice gone a low contralto. "My ears must have deceived me. I could've sworn you just called us weak."
Carmilla's pale visage grew paler still with fear.
"I...no. Of course not, Mother" she subsided with a gulp. "I meant no disrespect."
"Of course you didn't, sweetheart." Naruto's smile cut through the tension like a knife. "Lets table the matter for now, then." just like that, his grin gained an edge. "A little bird told me you've taken an interest in the Schnee girl...
Carmilla sputtered. "Rumors and hearsay!"
Lenore settled in to listen as their squabble dissolved into laughter. What an odd family she had. A strange life this might be, but it was her life. Diplomacy at one end, ambition at the other. Under any other circumstance they could never coexist. Yet they made it work somehow. Perhaps someday she would too. Someday soon. With a mate of her own. Bright eyes strayed back to Hector. The boy met her gaze and flushed. But he did not look away. Another point in his favor.
Yes, she rather liked the sound of that.
Alone, they were weak, but together? They were strong.
Diplomacy and Ambition were only at their best when they were paired together, after all...
A/N: Oh lord, we got Castlevania characters running around now!
The gears are turning, and though this was more an interlude than most, we'll bet into some juicy plot details next chapter.
Right then, as ever, Reviews are love, Reviews are Life. Reviews keep me Writing.
Without them, I just can't seem to write these days.
So in the immortal words of Atlas...
...review, Would You Kindly?
Every bit helps out!
As ever:
SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!
PLOT DETAILS AHOY!
YE BE WARNED!
(Previews)
"What do you call yourself, son?"
The viking grinned. It was oddly endearing from such as scruffy individual.
"M'name isn't important." the man declared. "Call me Godbrand. Finest warrior this side of Menagerie." he bowed low and deep at the waist. "I've come to offer my services for your glorious army in the war to come."
Naruto sniffed. "You're mortal."
"Aye," the surly redhead grunted, "But I hear tell your daughters can change that...
"My, my. Ethan Winters! You are a persistent little man-thing...
Naruto slapped his forehead. "Nope. He walked into this. Not saving him. If he dies by snu-snu that ain't my fault...
Salem shrugged. "If its gets us grandchildren, more power to him...
A shadow moved.
"Assassin!"
"You're behind schedule." Naruto mused. "Ozma usually sends three a year."
The man -was it a man?- batted his hand aside and vanished in a swirl of light.
"You can't touch me! I was handcrafted by the Relic to kill you! My speed! My stamina! My weapon! They dwarf yours! In comparison to you, I am a demigod!
"Really? You're quoting that? Really? Really? Really!
"Yes, really! Now die for the good of the world, monster!
Blue eyes narrowed to irritated slits. "First gate. Open."
His would be killer balked. "First wha-
And there was pain.
"You don't seem to understand." he kicked the assassin through the wall. "This world?" he reached down, grabbed him by the face and slammed him through a tree in the yard. "It isn't yours to conquer." His would be killer stumbled up just in time to catch a spinning backhand to the face. "Its mine."
"You'll never win!"
A fist slammed into his chest.
"Silly Relic. I already have. Now fight like your life's on the line...because it is!"
"AHA! I figured out how to use the lamp!"
"Well, don't keep us waiting now, dear! How did you?"
"Well, it started with a name, what lives in a lamp but a genie? And what's another word for genie?"
Striga perked up. "Djin?"
And the lamp stirred.
They were worshiped as gods.
"Welcome to the academy!" Naruto beamed. "Better than being a huntsman, wouldn't you say?"
"What did you call it earlier?"
"Bit of witchcraft and wizardry, why?"
Ozma grit his teeth. "If its come to this, then...!
"Carmilla. No. Bad girl."
"But father! They're livestock! We deserve to rule over them! We're gods! Our ambition should be all that matters! This world belongs to us! because the likes of them never knew what to do with it!"
~Nz.