A/N: Weeeeeekly updates are a go~! A day early or so, but still!
Amazing what a good bit of feedback can do for motivation? Downright miraculous.
Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this story, and others. If folks don't like this, it won't be continued. Meaning that if the story itself ain't popular? POOF! Gone. Completely. I'm working two jobs -might need a third soon!- 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.
Working nearly all hours of the day keep me absurdly busy, and I can't bring myself to write something folks don't like.
Now for your questions, comments, and concerns.
Q: Oh, dear. If Naruto's reminding Rennala of Radagon whom she loves/hates...
A: There are comparisons, yes. Unfortunately not good ones.
Q: How do you stop Renala without killing her?! Do not be doing it!
A: ...Have you played the game, mate?
Q: Romance! Romance! ROMANCE!
A: OI! Hold your horses. As stated, this story is a single pairing, and I'm quite firm on that. Its also headed in a wildly different direction than Shed No Grace on Me. Won't say where or when or why, thar be spoilers, but suffice to say things are hurtling toward a cliff here.
Q: You gonna go what I think you're gonna do? I mean, Rebirth and all, I'm sure if Naruto's clever enough, he could SPOILER and SPOILER not to mention SPOILER. Just by mentioning that word you've given me a host of wild ideas, but does SPOILER really deserve to be SPOILER? Its a matter of SPOILER after all, innit?
A: Ah, ah! You'll have to wait for the chapter.
Alright then, this old man has kept you long enough! I'll let you enjoy the story.
As ever, I own no quotes references, themes or memes. Not a wit or a one!
Now then, I'll not keep you waiting any longer. The brawl begins~!
"NO MORE! No more mad mothers! No more broken brothers! No more forsaken fathers!
I won't have it! Do you hear me?! Not! One! More!
If this world's broken? I'll help her fix it!"
~?
Thy Stubborn Will
"Radagon! You wretched man!"
"What in the blue hell is a Radaaaaack?!"
Even in madness, Rennala's spells hit hard. Terribly hard.
Naruto cursed himself for the slip even as he hurtled backwards, armor smoldering, face twisted in pain. His struck the water's surface like an arrow loosed from a bow. Solidly. Unlike normal water it held-this time!-and he slammed into it as one would a bright wall. He'd let himself get hit again. Sloppy. Kakashi would have facepalmed. Very sloppy in. Jiraiya would've torn strips out of his hide for making a rookie mistake like this. He should have dodged that; he knew he could have dodged it.
And yet, he just couldn't help this.
He knew he shouldn't restrain himself; knew not to hold back; not against someone like this. Rennala wanted him dead. Probably planned to take his head and mount it on her wall after this fiasco. Holding himself in check only promised to make things infinitely more difficult in the long run. Ranni's mother certainly wasn't about to show him the same courtesy.
One good punch. That would be all it took to lay her low...in theory.
But this was Ranni's mama...what if he hurt her even more than he already had? What if he killed her? Hesitation stilled his hand thus far; keeping him from finishing the fight or breaking out his more esoteric techniques. She wasn't a demigod. She wasn't sturdy. A raw rasengan would tear right through her, to say nothing of-
"Above you."
Blue eyes drifted open.
"Yeah, yeah, I see her comin'...
He was still pondering that thought when the Queen of the Full Moon swept her staff forth and howled out another sorcery. With a put upon sigh, Naruto crossed both arms over his face and inhaled deeply, filling his lungs with air and chakra alike. Not a moment too soon at that. A pillar of purest light smote him from on high. This time, the water offered no resistance, sending him crashing down into the dark depths below.
Water bubbled up around him as he spun, then righted himself.
'She trying to drown me or something? This is the third time she's sent me down here...
In his heart he knew could have thrashed his way to the surface with ease; raced back up to rejoin the fight with Blaidd. Instead he hung there, weightless, suspended in the water. Bleary blue eyes squinted up from the darkness, brow furrowing as he thumbed his chin and glared-yes, glared!- at the conflict above. He hadn't gone too deep. He could still see for the most part. Hear, too.
From the depths he heard Blaidd bark a challenge and go on the offensive. "Your fight is with me, witch! Not him!"
Ranni's shadow indistinct loosed a mighty roar and struck Rennala's ribs with the flat of his sword, sending her stumbling away with a cry of his own. She tried to raise her staff. Failed as he swatted it down. Back, back, back he drove her, never once giving her a moment to breathe; no chance to use her greater intelligence and cast another devastating spell.
Ha! A rueful smile tugged at the blond's mouth. Good boy. Blaidd was best doggo.
By that reckoning, a bit of blood and a little pain were worth the price it if meant he could knock the Carian queen back to her senses. The aggression behind this assault was another matter. Rennala had been raging for the better part ten minutes now, and she still didn't show any signs of slowing down...which meant they'd had to keep her down.
Closing his eyes he pressed his palms together and mustered his chakra.
And for a moment. Just a moment. He felt a hand on his shoulder.
"Please." a man's voice seemed to whisper in his ear. "Help her."
Warm light suffused his skin, bubbled up from the water, lit everything a gentle shade of gold. Muffled ears heard Rennala shout something. A warning or imprecation, it didn't matter. She'd seen him. Of course she had. It was impossible to hide something like this. had no doubt this would be visible. Didn't matter. Ranni's mother hit hard. Yes, there could be no doubt about that. But not hard enough. Pain meant little to him; he'd felt far worse, and against stronger foes. What were a few spells compared to that?
Kurama realized what he was about to attempt a moment before he did. "Well, its your funeral...
A single kick sent Naruto rocketing to the surface. Booted feet alighted soundlessly upon the water, rendered solid once more. A quick tug at his pouch pulled Ranni's doll forth once more. The waterproof leather had held despite all. Good. She wouldn't be much pleased if he lost this.
"Last chance to speak, Ranni." he glared at the tiny doppelganger. "We're about to knock your mom into next week."
"Mine mother?!" The doll sprang to life in his grasp, tiny face writ with cold anger. "What art thou doing?!"
Aha! She speaks! "Me?!" he glared at her. "Where were you?! I could've used your help earlier!"
"I was sleeping!" her good eye glowered right back. "Explain thyself at once!"
Naruto did in no short terms, pausing long enough to steal a glance at Blaidd just to make certain he hadn't gone down in the interim. Did...did Rennala just throw a full moon on him?! No wait, he was up again somehow, pausing just long enough to knock back a drink from the flask at his side. Huh. Seemed the flask of Crimson Tears was a pretty powerful thing...
How was I to know you
...and that's the long and short of it." he finished. "You know this would've been easier if you just helped the first time."
"Oh?" Ranni's doll planted all four hands on her little hips. "And didst thou think to tell me thine destination?"
Naruto tried not to scoff as Blaidd hurtled by. He really did. It emerged as a wince instead. "No?"
She hissed. "Then do not be angry with me for sleeping!"
His right eye twitched. "Help! Now! Please!"
"A dogged fellow aren't we? Fine...fine." she clicked her tongue and cast a glance back to the battle, grimacing when Blaidd vaulted forward and knocked Rennala sprawling. The Carian Queen lost her crown in the scuffle that followed, sending those long dark tresses spinning free as her daughter looked on. "But now the cat is out the bag, I cannot allow thee thy freedoms. Perform for me a service as recompense."
Really. Bargaining? Now?! "Yeah, sure, I'll do whatever you want, just calm your Mom down!"
Her open eye narrowed. "I will have thee keep thine word when the time comes."
"Ranni! Tell her you're alive already!"
She actually fidgeted in his palm, acting every bit a naughty child. "...give me a moment to comport myself. I must prepare. 'Tis my mother, after all...
Silence reigned supreme. Rani's "doll" raised her head. Gathered herself. Inhaled. And then:
"Cease at once, Mother! I live!"
Rennala's whipped around at the projected voice, hair in disarray. "Who dares?!"
Ranni made a noise rather akin to a whimper. "Why did I agree to this...?"
Naruto nudged her with a finger. "Go on. I have faith in you...
Was that a whine just now? Sounded like it. "Some faith!"
Rennala still hadn't moved. She was looking at them now, glaring bloody red daggers at the two of them as though they were naught but scum of the earth. But she made no move to attack. Just as well; her reluctance gave Blaidd a chance to climb to his feet behind her. His head cocked in a silent query. Naruto shook his own and frantically waved him down, unwilling to shatter the tentative peace. The half-wolf rolled his eyes, made a noise of discontent, but sheathed his blade nonetheless.
"I dare," Ranni spoke warily into silence, "Know you not my voice?"
Rennala crept closer. Trembling fingers reached out for the doll. "Oh, little Ranni. My dear daughter...is that truly you?"
Yes! A little thrill passed through him. All's well that ends well!"
Ranni pressed her advantage.
"Forgive me mine deception. It...hurting you t'was not something I desired." her miniature stumbled over her words and he soon knew why. "Mama...I have much to say and not much time with which to say it, but I would ask that you spare these two; they are very dear to me."
Rennala's face softened...then turned stern as stone.
"No. This is a trick!" she recoiled, warding her hands before her as though to stave off a spell. "You dare use mine daughter's voice, impostor?! Wretched fiend! I will have thy head!"
Ranni squeaked through her miniature. Actually squeaked as she'd never done before. Naruto's sixth sense snared a new emotion. Fear. Dread rose from her in a dark cloud and he felt her resolve, cold and stern as the moon itself, falter in the face of such spite. It wasn't every day one had to stare down a maddened mother. He couldn't blame her. How would he feel if he stared down Kushina and heard such words? Even he would've flinched.
"Mother, please-
A spellbolt sparked her way Naruto slapped it aside.
"I will not bandy words with a witless witch pretending to be mine kin!" Rennala leered at them, face twisted with hideous anger, mired in madness once more. "For thy insolence, I will hunt thee down and flay the flesh from thy bones! You and your consort both!"
Naruto blinked.
"Consort-say-what-now?"
Blaidd swore softly. "Bugger."
...I see." This time the wince wasn't just Naruto's own. "'Tis a pity." Unlike him, Ranni had never been the sort to take insults kindly; much less threats to her and hers. "How your mind has diminished in mine absence. To be so filled with fear, unable to see, unable to hope," She exhaled in a slow, shuddering sigh. ""Truly, I pity thee." Her doll-like face flashed with hurt...and then. "So be it." when next she spoke her voice was colder than the void itself. "If you t'will not see reason, then you shall be made to see."
Somehow managing to look regal despite her size, the miniature looked to him anew.
...I will reach the Academy soon. Distract mine mother until then. Wear her down. Exhaust her, and ye shall have thy victory. You have my leave to harm her if need be."
The doll went deathly silent in his hand once more. He had no doubt as to how to how she felt in this moment.
Naruto exhaled in a long suffering sigh and stowed the puppet away. "You cheeky little...
Once more he felt his blood begin to boil, and not because of Ranni. Rage festered and frothed in him like a frenzied flame, seeking escape. Maybe...maybe he understood now. He could see why Ranni worked to hard to avoid her family. She didn't want to see them; what they had fallen to. To have your own mother threaten you with something worse than death...
Rennala shivered as his gaze found hers. "Do not look upon me, knave. You have no right!"
And this woman had no right to be a mother. Not as she was now.
Clenched knuckles barreled upright and caught her chin.
"What kind of parent are you!?"
"Do not speak to me such!"
Rennala scrambled upright on him, eyes wild. Gotcha. Ignoring Blaidd entirely, she raised her staff once more and in short order he found himself facing another stream of stars. This time he didn't hesitate. Warding one arm before his face, he waded in. Some were deflected but not all; he didn't care for those that did. His armor smoldered and spat sparks but Ranni's design held, as did Iiji's metalwork. Those spells left his chest nice and warm, little more.
Storming through her spell, he reached up, grabbed a handful of her robes, and hauled her down.
"NO MORE!" his forehead smashed against hers, teeth bared. "No more mad mothers! No more broken brothers! No more forsaken fathers! I won't have it! Do you hear me?! Not! One! More! If this world's broken? I'll help her fix it! Starting now! I'll knock some sense into you!"
His fist kissed her face once. Twice. Thrice now. On fourth blow her robes tore, ripping her from her grasp to send her sprawling. A wise woman would have crawled away. Rennala didn't. Not a jot. She snatched up her staff and flung herself at him like some mad beast. Another roundhouse was her reward.
Even then she didn't hesitate.
"Kill you...I'll kill you...
"What's wrong, with you?!" His voice rose, hoarse with rage as he thrust her away. "She's your daughter! How can you treat her like that?!"
"Lies!"
Some might say it wasn't her fault. Rennala was mad. Retreated so far inside herself that she'd lost all semblance of sanity. She'd simply stopped caring about the outside world. Until he made her care. Now she threw her all at him. Torrents of light she conjured, gleaming stars all. Time and again her staff cut a circle before her and gave him a faceful of magic, magic he ignored, burns and all. Summons swarmed forth, knights, wolves and even a giant. It didn't save her.
He went left. Blaidd went right.
Rennala tried to counter their flanking maneuver. Truly, she did. She just wasn't quick enough. Even as she raised her scepter high, Naruto caught her wrist to yank it back down. Blaidd got ahold of her left arm and that was that. Together they wrestled both limbs behind her back and bound them. She fought them like a hellcat, spitting curses and impreciations all the while. Without her magic she was no true threat. It didn't make her vitriol any less potent.
He felt the moment heart cracked.
"I...this...'tis not fair...
She wept.
(.0.0.0.)
Ranni reached at the Academy not an hour later.
Naruto knew it by the harsh crackle of ice in the distance; the sudden chill in the air, cries of combat echoing along the sullen snarl of sorceries as a certain sorceress mowed down all in her path. He winced despite himself and said a silent prayer for her once in his life, he didn't have the heart to go out there and prevent the slaughter. Not after the hell he'd just gone through. He'd already fought one Carian Queen today; he'd no desire to fight another.
At the end of the day, Ranni had her mother's temper. Colder to rouse perhaps, but no less dangerous.
Ranni would explode into a sputtering denial if you pushed her hard enough sure, but she was more likely to sulk and scheme; to nurse a grudge against those she felt had wronged. That she wasn't doing so now and had chosen to actively involve herself in combat. Death would be a mercy compared to the sounds he was hearing out there. One did not mess with an angry demigod, weakened or otherwise.
"At least Blaidd's got that crazy woman under lock and key."
"That "crazy woman" is Ranni's mother." he chided Kurama for the slip. "And she's not happy with her. Be nice."
The doors had been left well open before they'd raged with Rennala; as such Naruto heard Ranni long before he saw her. He didn't raise his head. Didn't look at her. Even when her petite shadow fell over him he continued to fiddle with his armor. It had held well, but there was a dent in it he wanted to buff out...and something he wanted to hide.
Kurama's laughter didn't much help in the matter.
There was something in her tone that set alarms wailing in his head. Was she already calling in that favor? How unlike her. A faint scent filled his nose, faint reminding him of flowers and moonlight. He could feel her open eye gazing upon him, half-lidded, and for a fleeting moment he thought he felt heat creep up his back.
He should've know better.
"Are you well?"
(.0.0.0.)
"Are you well?"
Naruto most assuredly was not.
Ranni knew it at a glance; saw it by the way his back stiffened, beheld the slight twitch that shot through his shoulders. Something was bothering him. Perhaps it was his thoughts. Perhaps it was pain. Perhaps it was the melancholy of what he'd been forced to do. Who could say? Regardless, she liked i tnot.
"Yup." sure enough, he tried to yank his gambeson back on a bit too fast. She saw his fingers spasm, noticed that he consciously kept his back to her as he sought to don his armor. "Just cleaning up, ya know? Nothing to see here...
Ranni's brow furrowed, good eye narrowing. "Turn around, if you would."
Her dear friend went still, but her gaze gave him not the chance to escape. Not this time.
"Ranni, I'm fine...
She began to tap her foot.
With a put upon sigh Naruto turned in his seat and stood to face her in his entirety. Ranni immediately wished she hadn't. For in turning to present himself, he revealed his injuries. Her brow shot up into her hair and her hands moved to cover her mouth as she glimpsed the state of his chest.
"Really," he actually had the gall to grin at her, "It looks worse than it is."
Most of his upper torso was an angry red, smarting and stinging, as though he'd sat too long in the sun.
She knew the source, of course. Rennala had done this to him. No one else could hope to mark him such. Her own mother, driven to madness and lunacy...she'd marked him. Whatever his words, those wounds would surely leave scars in their wake. She knew the like. A host of complicated emotions danced in her heart-stomping out rational thought. He would eventually recover, of course he would, yet magic had left its mark on him all the same.
Her own mother, whom she would have to meet-no, no! Not important right now!
"Those wounds!" her hands pushed against his chest, trying to force him down. "Sit at once!"
"I'm fine," he tried to laugh it off to no avail. "You should see the other guy." he realized what he'd said, then. "Erk. I mean-
Her eye was cold at ice. "Sit. Down."
Naruto sat.
"Good. Now be still."
Ranni then sat herself in his lap.
Her guard went still as stone, arms hanging just above her waist, as though uncertain where to put them. Ranni preened a little at that. Was he uncomfortable? Tough. Did he have any idea how he'd worried her? Unlikely. It didn't change anything. She'd rushed over here at not great cost to herself; this doll's body was not meant for combat, and yet she'd pushed it through such rigors in her race to reach him. Expending such energy would forced her take a long nap soon thereafter. A necessary sacrifice to make certain he remained safe. Doubtless, Iiji and Blaidd would chide her for it later.
But did Naruto notice? No. Did he care? Nay! Did he he consider her feelings in the matter? Never.
She'd had just about enough of him setting the pace; of haring off without considering the feelings of those around him.
There had been a moment as she rushed here, an awful moment in which she feared he might fall. Naruto was no slouch in combat, but Mother was so very powerful and she knew -she just knew!- he'd restrain himself for her sake. And he had. That he'd been wounded at all said as much. If he'd exerted himself fully from the beginning, surely he wouldn't be wounded.
"Ranni? Why are you looking at me like that...?"
She ignored his words. What would she have done, had he fallen?
The thought chilled her. She would...she would miss him, the silly affable boy. No, perhaps that wasn't right. She would mourn his passing. His loss would hurt her. To watch him go into that good night with nary a word or even a goodbye...no. She never wanted to experience that feeling again. That awful feeling of dread stealing up on her. Come what may she would avoid that at all costs.
Upon looking into the matter it became clear what she must do. What she should have done, ages past.
It terrified her; if only because there was a small -increasingly larger!- part of herself that wanted to do this; that sought such for some time. She'd begun to crave it, and that worried her all the more. Never had she been one to feel such things in the past, let alone ponder such petty pleasures of the flesh. He'd ruined her, she realized. Sentiment had slipped back into her heart when she wasn't looking, and try though she might, she could not divest herself of it as she once had her flesh.
As she was now, she couldn't even feel the warmth of his body against hers. How sad.
'Fool.' she chided herself. 'Stop stalling. Thou art a demigod in soul, if no longer in flesh? Cast off thy hesitation and act!'
A little voice whined in her heart. T'was not her fault! She had next to experience in such! Nay! None at all! Not a jot! Really! This was all his fault!
Folding all four hands in her lap, Ranni looked up at Naruto beneath the brim of her hat. She absolutely glared.
"Thou truly art a dogged sort." the words escaped her anew. "Whatever will I do with thee?"
"...well, I'd appreciate if you didn't sling spells at me...?"
The ghost of a smile touched her pale face.
"Not another word." She leaned forward before her heart could fail her and took his face between two of her hands. Her forehead kissed his. "Be still...
"Sure," he laughed, "but why are ya-
He was going to make this difficult, blast him.
"Enough!' She growled, but it lacked the bite of her previous remarks. "The name of Ranni the Witch is already sullied by thee." she tried to tweak his nose with one of her hands, but exhausted as she was, she lacked the physical strength to do anything more than pinch him. "So you will be still. I will brook no disobedience in this matter."
"Alright, alright." there it was again, that silly sunny smile that made her heart flutter. "I won't move for now. Promise."
"Good." she huffed but a little, scooting herself closer. "Now then, dear warrior...
Two arms wove round his shoulders, holding him fast. Clinging, really.
"I shall have thee take responsibility for thine actions."
She ducked her head and pressed her lips to his.
A/N: Ranni makes the first move~!
Ah, but there's still Rennala to deal with, and the others...
Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this story.
If folks don't like this, it won't be continued. Meaning that if the story itself ain't popular? POOF! Gone. Completely. 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.
So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...
...Review, Would You Kindly?
And have some previews.
Granted, some are far off, but still...
(Previews)
"Do you know what she truly is? She started all this. Were it not for her, the Shattering never would've happened."
...and?"
Why was her heart beating so fast?"
"Hello, mother...
"You don't have to do this, you know. This is my fight."
Blaidd tossed his head from side to side. "I'd never betray lady Ranni."
"I know you won't, big guy." Steeling himself, he flared his cloak and stalked forward. "C'mon. Lets finish it."
"Hello~! Its so very nice to finally meet you!"
Naruto blinked, taken aback for the first time since he found himself in the Lands Between. Less so at his arm, currently being vigorously shaken by this newcomer.
"And you are...?"
"He seems nice, that one. Have you given thought to children with him?"
Ranni covered her face with all four hands. "Mama!"
R&R~!