Elvish Speak is basically Tolkein speak with emphasis on Scots Gaelic, just so you know.
~NRK~
Naruto saw Thyme's mom and tilted his head at the powerful resemblance.
Flora was her name, a tall elf woman like Aloe but that's where the similarities between them stopped.
She had slightly long dark red hair, her hair's darker shade being very noticeable compared to Thyme's, that flared back a bit and gave her a small widow's peak. Having similar skin to his elf friend but also a darker shade, her eyes were the same forest-green while she sported a more narrow face.
Wearing a pair of black boots that had her brown pants tucked into them, Flora also had on a brown tunic that was covered by a green collar-closed coat with knee-length coattails, yellow trim, darker green for her cuffs, and a dark green cowl that was currently down.
"So, you all are Thyme's friends, are you?" Flora asked as she was served some of the still-warm food, a small goblet of berry juice in her hands as the group sat at the dinner table, Naruto, Rosemary, Thyme, Nettle, and Curly eating with her as the only ones who hadn't eaten. "Hmm, that's curious. Were all of you here for an occasion?" She asked curiously.
Thyme's ear twitched as Naruto swallowed while the others blinked save for Parsley's family.
"Oh, there's been some news you hadn't heard," Angelica said with a smile as the teens flinched.
"M-Mom-" Parsley tried too late.
"A trabber infestation hit High Guardian Academy," the dwarf woman said as she tilted her head at Flora's ticking brow. "Hmm? I thought you knew."
"... I didn't," Flora said simply as she drank some more juice. "Hmm, tell me, Angie, how did you make this juice? I'm curious," she smiled simply, the heat behind the gesture not felt by the dwarf woman and her husband.
But the others looked away nervously.
"I-I'll go and practice some ax swings," Snapdragon said quickly as Hakone grinned, getting up and ushering him away.
"Y-Yes, let's leave," he said quickly as Amaryllis, Sage, the dwarf brothers, Anise, and aloe followed suit. "?"
"I'll be here," Naruto said as Rosemary nodded. "Uh, so, Ms. Flora," he grinned nervously as he leaned on the table that held an eyebrow-raised elf woman at it.
"Yes?"
"... how's your day been?" He grinned more nervously as Parsley shot him a look. 'Dammit, woman, I'm trying!' Naruto complained in his head.
"Hm, hmm, it had been going rather well until I found out about a hideaway daughter of mine," Flora said simply with a neutral expression he froze at. "But, please, young man, how are you?"
"Thyme's been helping me out with healing, please don't be mad!" Naruto spoke the first excuse he could come up with and seeing how Flora's eyebrow rose once more, he was on borrowed time. "S-See?" He undid the top five buttons of his top and dragged it to the side to show his bandages, surprising the mother of one. "H-Hehehe, so, um, it's on-"
"It's not," Thyme interrupted the flinching blonde with a glare. "... I knew you'd be busy, there'd be no point in staying in an empty house," she said to Flora who flinched before looking away. "I wouldn't bother you."
"Thyme… you wouldn't I-"
"You've got a busy week, don't you? You told me yourself, you had an important royal meeting, you can't spend time trying to look after me in lieu of that."
"Yes, while that engagement is true, that doesn't mean I would have preferred finding out your school was closed due to an infestation second-hand."
The air grew tense as Parsley winced. "Look, despite what Thyme says, I know she would have been going that direction," she said vaguely as Thyme huffed. "I offered for her and Naru to stay at my family's place pretty directly and came on strong, there's a bit of me in play here."
"Then it's the same for me," Naruto said seriously. "I won't lie to you and say I'm the reason she came here, definitely not, but Thyme's been helping me out, truthfully."
Angelica and Sorel looked at one another before looking at the sighing Flora.
"Why didn't you at least send a letter, Thyme? I'm always swamped with them, I'd have found that at least," Flora frowned as Thyme sat down.
"It… being completely honest, I forgot," her mother's eyebrow twitched. "We were dealing with the whole situation with Naruto, which, yes, he did have a bit of a bigger part to play here, and just training."
"Haa… Angie, you don't mind if I'd get some more juice, do you?"
"No, please, it's better to talk with full stomachs than empty ones," Angelica said as Sorel got up and hurried for the juice jug. "And, we'll have you know, Thyme's been nothing but a joy to be around. She helps out a lot, recently she used her Guardian powers to help us stock up on herbs and plants," the woman chuckled a bit as the students snorted.
"G-Guardian Powers?" Rosemary grinned. "Pars's mom, they're called-"
"Vows," Flora finished with a raised brow as Thyme hid her head from her. "Vows, they're the special powers only really gained by Guardians, Angie."
"R-Really? I didn't know. I always thought it was some sort of magic."
"It can seem so but, make no mistake, it's only magic in the ceremony to gain it. Following that, it's outright worldly energy at that point."
"Worldly energy?" Rosemary asked as the elf woman nodded, Parsley perking up at that.
"Elves are rather in tune with the energies of the lands and the world itself, we're essentially conductors in some fashion and it's easy with experience to know what is and isn't certain types of energy," she explained as Naruto perked up.
"Hold up… if that's true, what is 'worldly energy'?" He asked curiously and the woman shot him a look. "?" Naruto's head tilted, fox ears flopping in appropriate directions.
"I'm surprised you'd ask, you're covered by a small amount of it though you may not know it," she said as Naruto cupped his chin.
"... Natural Energy, you mean?"
"So, you do know of this energy around you?"
"Maybe," Naruto focused and Flora nodded. "That's what I'd call Natural Energy, you call it Worldly Energy?"
"Yes. It's the energy of the planet and the 'world', itself… curious," she said as Naruto rubbed the back of his head. "I didn't think races outside of elves, merpeople, shapeshifters, and fairies could use it. Naruto, was it? Have you trained to use this power of yours?"
"... yeah," Naruto admitted. "Though, I learned it from frogs."
"That's not surprising, there are numerous magical animals and/or spirits who can teach you to feel the flow and acclimate to it… but you seem to 'own' that little bit of the 'World' around you. It's odd, you're doing something I'd assume no other race can," Flora said as he shrugged.
"I've used it for over two years is all I can say."
"Hmph."
"I'm learning a lot today," Angelica chuckled as Thyme, Parsley, and Rosemary looked between Naruto and Flora. "Still, Par-Par, she is making an order, after all."
"Oh! Right!" Parsley got up and hurried out. "I'll handle your scissors lickity-split!"
Rosemary tilted her head. "Ms. Flora? You know all about different energies, right?"
"Well, mostly so. The Fairy Woods were… an interesting place in the world," Flora said as she looked at the curious Thyme whose gaze went away. "The fairies there are like little pockets of different areas of the world. It's why, in many other elven caravans, it's also called the 'Everworld Woods'," the girl perked up.
"W-Wait, I thought it was called that because of it being atop a leyline," Thyme said but Flora shook her head.
"The leyline is just that, a line of power of the world. Elves usually settle by these locations but they're not all called what our home is. Our home is where different energies of the world can congregate."
As she spoke, the three teens realized something.
The Rot… placed where all energies met?
'Oh no,' they realized in unison, Flora not aware of their looks of panic. 'THAT'S WHY?!' If that was true, the Rot was more dangerous there than anywhere else!
Actually, wait, they didn't know why the Rot was around, though… Now that they thought about it a bit more, why was the Rot even a thing?
"I-I guess," Thyme considered her mother's words. "Thanks… m-mom," she admitted as Flora blinked.
"Hmph, it's a parent's job to teach their children… the ones around, anyway," Flora said as Sorel refilled her goblet. "But I am famished, we can talk after dinner."
They looked at their food before eating, Naruto calling Parsley back into the room to eat before she began to work.
As they ate, though, Flora's eyes flickered between the four HGA students only to notice a curious occurrence.
"Stop babying him, he's got to eat them," Thyme said as Naruto took Curly's broccoli and peas. "You're stunting his growth."
"I am?" Naruto asked as Parsley laughed and Thyme smirked. "I'm joking, I'm joking, besides, I bet he usually does eat his greens. He did at lunch," he countered effortlessly as Curly nodded rapidly.
"Y-Yu-huh! Peas are just yuck," the boy groaned as Rosemary agreed but ate her own anyway.
"Yeah, they're not great, no offense Pars's mom! Greens are just so… ugh," the rosette said as Angelica chuckled, bottle-feeding Dandelion.
"No, I understand it, honestly, outside of Parsley, none of the kids liked greens when they grew up," she said as her eldest chuckled.
"I knew it'd make me stronger than before, it was just common sense," Parsley said.
"Exactly," Thyme said to the grinning Naruto. "Fine but not again."
"Gotcha," both blonde males said with a fistpump. "Hoosha!"
"They've infected him," Sorel chuckled as he opened the trapdoor to his forge. "Parsnips, you can work down here when you're ready," he said as he walked in.
"Sure! Just a bit after I'm done!"
"Take your time."
Flora raised a brow at the five kids before Nettle pulled on Thyme's sleeve.
"C-Can you eat mine, too?" The youngest brother asked with wobbling eyes that the elf girl's eyes twitched at.
"Y-You have to…" His lip wobbled as Naruto snorted off to the side. "... Just once," Thyme caved as Nettle smiled brightly.
'Well, isn't this new?' Usually, Thyme was so… reserved since their departure from their home. 'And I wonder which of them had the biggest change on her,' Flora wondered as she ate.
Finishing ten minutes later, the group took their things to the stone sink before Parsley took up the position of dishwasher.
As she began, she blinked as Flora crouched by her before helping out, her sleeves rolled up and allowing Parsley to see a series of burns along both limbs.
"Shh," she hushed quietly as Parsley nodded. "Hmm, tell me, Parsley, when was Thyme so… sociable?" Flora asked as the dwarf teen chuckled. "It's a bit sad to say, I don't see her often, not when I have work, but I know she's not the sort to really interact well with others on first-go."
"Hmm, well, I guess it's just because our group is full of people with some issues she can relate to or talk with them about. Then there's Naruto and Rosemary who bring out her sense of humor," Parsley chuckled as Flora raised a brow. "Outside of that, we've fought together, well, in groups, and she's worked with Naruto and me a lot on things we study. That or it's when we're all hanging out, she's a real night owl with a love for books."
Flora looked more surprised by that but also hummed in acknowledgment. "I see," she mumbled as she handed Parsley dish after dish to dry as she cleaned them with an amazing dexterity.
"I guess working through paperwork all the time has its perks?"
"Hm-hmm, it helps my hands remain limber and easily swift," she said as she cleaned a plate in two revolutions of a cloth, hands a blur before she handed it to the surprised Parsley who checked it with even more awe.
"That's amazing. Though, this might be rude, but do you also practice archery?" She asked and Flora's eyes glazed over a bit.
"Not in a long time, I used to do it with Thyme a lot before work in Lyngarth picked up a year or so back. I haven't… we haven't spent much time together since then."
"... maybe you should? N-Not saying anything, I'm well aware of how parent life can be a case of not really seeing your kids all that often but I think that's more reason that you should try to make moments where you can spend time together happen," Parsley said. "My dad had me for, at most, four years before my oldest brother, Curly, was born. He's going to be thirteen soon and I know dad's trying to find the time to really talk to him about growing up. He did it for me when I was fourteen because he couldn't find the time due to all my brothers."
"Hmm, I-I suppose," Flora looked nervous. "It's just… well, I'm sure Thyme was already rather… crossed with the whole reason we're in Lyngarth," she explained as Parsley nodded, getting a wince out of the elf. "She told you?"
"Well, me, Naru, and Snapdragon, the orange-haired guy, we all met during the week before school started and just hit it off. Thyme's issues aren't… well, I think Snapdragon understands them on some level but I don't know, whatever they discuss, it's not my business."
"Hmm."
They finished up before heading towards the sounds of noise, Parsley going down and Flora into the 'yard' of the home.
Reaching it, she blinked as she found Naruto beating away on a large slab of metal with a very raised eyebrow, the boy's activity muted by a golden cylinder around him with a 'door' on the side.
Over in a corner, Hakone was currently taking Snapdragon, Rosemary, and a few of the dwarf boys through some exercises, another had Thyme just sitting down with the youngest boy, Nettle, and practicing with Aloe the other elf Flora had noticed.
Anise was off in another corner, handling Sage, the mage girl currently trying out different levels of a Protection spell on the older blueberry's dolls.
She considered her next course of action before heading towards the blonde at the literal, and metaphorical, center of it all.
Naruto saw her approach and let the metal slab drop to the ground, the slight rumble beneath her feet telling Flora just how strong the boy actually was.
'Curious,' she said as she waited for him to leave the cylinder with a towel in hand.
"Hey, Mrs. Flora, how can I help?" Naruto asked her as he wiped behind his ears and the woman tilted her head at him.
"I'd like to talk if that's not too much trouble."
"It's not, where do you want to talk?"
She gestured to the wall by the door and they went over to it before sitting down, Thyme's eyes locking onto them out of the corner of her eye.
"Hmph," she sat down as he nodded before doing the same, sitting cross-legged next to the mother of his friend. "Tell me about yourself, Young Naruto, what drives you? And what's your relationship with my daughter?" Flora asked straightforwardly without hesitation, leaving the boy on the back foot.
He blinked before blushing a bit. "H-Hold on, I think you might be misunderstanding something, I-I'm not dating anyone, not even close," Naruto admitted immediately as Flora looked surprised.
"You both seem so at ease with one another, not to insinuate but it's hard to believe Thyme became so open after three weeks of knowing you all, she's usually… w-well, she hasn't been like that in a long time, at least," Flora hesitated before admitting it.
"Well, she did once tell me she used to run in her forest and play all the time," Naruto chuckled. "So, Thyme changed a lot before you guys came here?"
"Yes."
"... I get it. So, on your first question, I'm not sure what you want to know. Right now, I guess my only real goal is to make an Evil-Destroying magic sword with Pars and Thyme, now, apparently."
"Apparently? I wasn't aware Thyme was fickle on promises, she's very strict with them."
Naruto blinked before his eyes widened as he nodded.
"I didn't realize it but… yeah, she's pretty cool when it comes to promises," he chuckled with a grin that Flora raised a brow at. "Outside of that? I'm helping train my friends and learning defensive spells and stuff."
Flora's eyebrow stayed raised for a few seconds before she hummed. "I was of the opinion you were a warrior."
"I am but I'm more than comfortable with that side of combat, I need more enhancement magic, I'm… I can't use all the magic power in my body," Flora shot him a confused look as he grinned sadly. "It's a condition so if I use too many powerful moves, I lose control."
The elf mother observed him before Observing him, eyes glowing a soft red as he blinked in surprise.
His form became nothing but a gold outline with a powerful red core within his chest though she noted that it was currently covered by white chain-like impressions that made her wonder if this was his issue.
"Did you get it looked at recently?" She asked him and Naruto nodded before making an understanding sound. "I have to assume you just forgot but that 'issue' is currently sealed away."
"Y-Yeah, I'd forgotten! It's, well… I don't want to push in case something happens," he frowned. "My magic isn't normal, for your information, I need to regain my control of it."
"Hmm," a child's life was truly odder than she remembered it being. "Hmph, enhancement magic, you say?"
"Do you know any?"
"No… but I do know Elvish Hymns and one Elf Battle Hymn," she said as he perked up.
"What are those? I know Thyme knows Elvish Speak but she's never said anything about 'Hymns'," Naruto said with excitement as Flora chuckled a bit.
"They're mostly songs from our language, I doubt she knows how to activate them."
"S-So, uh, can you teach me the 'Battle' one?"
"... I don't believe so," Flora said as the boy rubbed the back of his head. "The reason we're capable of using them is because we're connected with the World on a conceptual level and can wield magic without mediums."
"W-Well, I can do both of those things," she blinked at him.
Naruto held out his hand and Flora's eyes widened as pure magic formed within his palm before forming a sphere of some sort?
"You can… I'm confused, Naruto, how?"
"My body's not normal, remember?" She nodded before humming.
"I see…" Flora considered him as he put the Rasengan away. "Well… I don't mind giving you some tips but the issue is that Elvish Speak relies on the elf language. You can activate the Hymns at less than half-effectiveness without knowing it but most wouldn't put in that much effort for less than half a result."
"I don't mind, I'll learn it in time, please, help me get stronger," he bowed his head to the surprised woman.
"You're rather polite."
"I respect everyone but teachers get a bigger amount from me, h-hehe," Naruto admitted as she smiled a bit.
"Very well. Let me explain to you the very basics of Hymns."
"Awesome!"
From afar, Thyme's eyebrows rose in surprise as the blonde listened to her mom with a grin and eyes that shined with a lot of interest.
"Hmm… come on, Nettle," she said as she got up, the second-youngest dwarf sibling nodding as he got up on shaky legs before holding onto her thigh for stability. "Be careful. We'll be right back, Aloe," Thyme said as the woman nodded, the two of them walking over to Naruto and Flora before blinking as her mother Spoke.
The woman's form glowed with a soft green glow as Naruto perked up.
"So, that's when your Hymn is activated, right?" He asked her as she nodded.
"You know the basics, it's about using the words of old Elvish which is the more potent version of that which we speak today. Many were even silent due to how much power could just spill from their lips," Flora explained as Thyme blinked.
'Wait, really?' But she'd never known that. 'Why's she teaching him? Or, really, I guess Naruto took Aloe's idea to heart,' the boy wanted to learn as much enhancement magic as possible so why not learn Battle Hymns? "I didn't know you taught those," she said as she and Nettle came over.
Flora looked surprised as Thyme rubbed the back of her head, Nettle rushing over to Naruto before jumping into his lap, the older blonde chuckling as he did.
"Your mom's been giving me the basics of the Battle Hymn: Meudaich," he said with a grin as Thyme looked at him in surprise.
"I didn't think you'd get that on the first go."
"It's not as hard as you think, for me, at least," Naruto said. 'My old language was also different compared to the one in Lyngarth,' so he used his 'experience' to his advantage! "You want to learn 'em, too?" He smiled openly as his friend crossed her arms but sat down on her knees.
She and Flora locked eyes before they looked away. "I… I don't know, I don't really get it."
"That's more reason, isn't it?" She shot him a look but the boy kept grinning encouragingly. "Besides, it'll help with the future, I feel," Naruto glowed a soft gold and she scoffed but relented, hands on her knees and her eyes meeting her mother's.
Flora raised a brow at her and Thyme huffed, blushed, and looked down with a grumble, surprising her.
'... I-I have to assume it's nothing, for now,' but she had a feeling that things weren't as platonic as she'd thought. "Hmph, Naruto's got the same grasp of the basics of the activation of a Hymn that you do," Thyme peeked up. "It's just about lining your words with magic to Speak the Hymns."
"You always said that but it makes no sense, I can enhance my voice but that doesn't do… anything," Thyme said as Flora smiled softly, getting a flinch out of her before she looked away, Naruto's chuckling getting a huff out of her. "Hush, you, I'd like to see if you could do it."
"Well, how do I do it, Mrs. Flora?" Naruto asked in challenge as the woman chuckled.
"It's simple and not, you need good control over the energy in your body… so you might be able to do it," Flora explained. "Think of it like filling your mouth with energy and speaking the words through the 'filter' you've created, alright?" Thyme groaned before addressing Naruto.
"The thing is, I've tried," she said to the blonde. "If you enhance your throat, it's not enough, I don't know air magic and I know my mom doesn't either… maybe," Flora shook her head. "See? I don't get it."
Naruto considered her words and then Flora's before closing his eyes and breathing in slowly. 'A filter…' He kinda got it but more than Thyme did. 'You're speaking magic, essentially,' it was weird to think but if he had a way of looking at it.
If you considered 'speaking' as using plain old chakra then you could consider 'magic speaking' as Nature Transformation… maybe? He hoped so.
But that's where it got weird. Flora had said it, hadn't she? Just fill your mouth with magic and speak through it essentially, like enhancing your words.
"..." His eyebrows furrowed before he got an idea.
He didn't get it like that, it was too hard to tack down… but if he did it with something that made him think he was talking through a 'filter', he'd be good, right?
Mother and daughter blinked as the boy assumed his meditation stance around Nettle, the young elf boy yawning tiredly as he leaned back in Naruto's hold.
Then he glowed gold, Vow active… before they blinked as the gold formed around his mouth.
It contorted and molded before looking like a golden muzzle that moved as he did.
"Like this, right?" He asked Flora whose eyes widened as red eyes locked onto her, an ephemeral glow coming away from them as he moved his hand. "I don't really get it, I can't really think of it the way you know how to but I can fake it to a point."
"... I-I see," Flora blinked at the boy's power and ingenuity. "I suppose… I suppose this would be one way of looking at it but do you truly get it?" She asked him as Thyme reached out.
She touched the 'Vow' and balked at the solid feeling she got from the realistic-looking golden snout.
"I-It's… is this a transformation?" She asked him as Flora blinked in confusion while Naruto nodded.
"I'm focusing my Vow all around my mouth, I was trying to make it like a small mask to make it easier to speak properly. Like getting my mind into the right mindset."
"..." Thyme considered his words. "Like an actual filter?"
He nodded with a close-eyed grin. "Yep."
"..." She held her hands over her mouth as Flora grew amused. "Hmmm."
A red glow formed over the younger elf before she tried to contain it.
"Just take it slow, Thyme, think of it like a cup around your mouth, smooth energy, and coil the Vow around your throat."
Thyme followed his words as best she could, red leaking out from the space between her fingers before she removed her hands to show her 'work'.
Unlike the blonde's 'gold muzzle', Thyme had made a red face mask, the lower half of her face covered down to her neck.
"I-I think this works?" She tried and breathed out in surprise as Flora smiled.
"It's a decent stop-gap," she said as Thyme rubbed the back of her head. "For now, repeat after me," Flora said simply before closing her eyes and holding up her arms. "Ardaich mo neart spioradail, Meudaich," her form glowed that soft hum that let them know her Hymn activated.
The two's eyebrows furrowed before their eyes closed.
"Ladies first," Naruto said with a smirk as Thyme snorted.
"Hmph… Ardaich mo neart spioradail, Meudaich," she uttered softly.
The effect had the two's eyes opening as Thyme's eyes widened at the feeling of a powerful flow forming within her body. She looked down at her glowing hands before following the shine down to her thighs and knees.
"W-Whoa…"
"Meudaich is one that increases the flow of energy within one's body. Like blood, it increases the speed and allows more magical power to be ready at your command," Flora said with a smile as Thyme let out a shuddering breath. "This is new to you, it's different for most elves but you'll acclimate to Speaking power."
"... it's your turn, now," Thyme said to Naruto who nodded. "For you, it's going to be different… but if it just increases the flow of magical energy, Naruto, I doubt even half-effectiveness won't be helpful for your reserves."
"Most likely," the blonde said as he re-assumed his meditative stance. "Ardaich mo neart spioradail, Meudaich," he whispered.
And the change was immediate, his body's form burning with a golden coating that left the elves confused.
"Oh?" Aloe spoke as she came over with a curious look as she saw the flow of Naruto's energy. "That's curious."
The golden 'tint' shifted as Naruto did, the beastkin's fox ears and tail waving about with a similar extra gold color to them.
"Whoa…" Aloe tilted her head at his new muzzle.
"Um, is that a part of the Hymn you taught him?" She asked Flora who chuckled before shaking her head.
"It's his ingenuity to learn our arts," the older woman said as Aloe squealed a bit.
"So, I was right! I knew you could learn!"
"Hehe, yep," Naruto said as his muzzle fell away, leaving him grinning as he felt the overall flow of his magical energy. "It's really cool, I didn't think my energy flow could be so fast," it was almost up to chakra flow, half as good, at least.
"Hmm, you're learning enhancement magic, right?" Aloe asked him with a smile as he nodded. "Then you'll know that Hymns could help you become more versatile with them."
"There are Hymns that can expand your magic flow over an area, ones that can allow nearby objects to be filled with your energy, and more abstract things," Flora picked up. "Elvish Speak isn't about power so much as the direction of it."
Thyme's 'Vow Mask' went away as she looked at her glowing body, the flow of magic within her body causing her cheeks to flush while her hands tingled.
This was a Hymn in its full effect, it felt… amazing.
"... did dad know these?" She asked Flora who nodded.
"Though, he was one more for Battle Hymns, of course," she said as Naruto hummed.
"So, wait, you're saying there are categories?" He asked and Aloe nodded while Nettle slept against the young man's stomach.
"Elf Battle Hymns and Elvish Hymns differ. A Battle Hymn embraces the power within and wasn't originally a part of our language. It was added at a time when war was rampant and elves took sides. Elvish Hymns, on the other hand, are what our language is in its entirety. The flow of the world around you can be altered, the power of animals embraced, soil revitalized, and more. Though don't be too strung-up on those distinctions, Elvish Hymns can be used for combat if you're creative enough," she chuckled while Naruto grinned. "Still, we may need to have you… h-hehe, meet the Elves so they can memorize your energy."
The two teens blinked while Flora nodded.
"She has a point. Thyme, Naruto, the elves aren't exactly a social race, we've receded from the world at large for the most part, wouldn't we want to keep track of those who know our strengths?"
"Well… I guess that makes sense," Naruto said as Thyme frowned before she blinked at his grin. "So, what, do I need to go to meet a High Elf or something?"
"Yes," the two choked as Flora chuckled. "High Elves are the ones who handle the memorizing and pass it along the flow of the world. They'll know where you are at a moment's notice."
Thyme blinked at what had been said. 'Magic to know where anything recognized is at a moment's… notice?' That seemed… unwise. "Wait, hold on, who can know that?"
"It's set inside a special magical library only those of High Elf blood will know of and only when they're of age. We take many precautions with our language as we know how dangerous it is."
"So, where?" Naruto asked.
"Accola," Aloe grinned as he blinked while tilting his head. "Think of it as an elf hub, there's a High Elf always situated there. There are ones situated in most elf settlements."
The two hummed before the boy nodded. "Alright, when?"
The two elf women looked at one another in thought. "He's a point, it's not like we can just take off, they still have school after this week," Flora said.
"Then why not during the break for the festival in October?" Aloe offered as Flora nodded while the two grinned nervously. "If we go then we can be back by the time the festival takes place!"
"R-Right," Thyme didn't like this one bit. "S-Still, won't you both be busy by then? Maybe you'll just want to unwind?"
"I've already planned ahead to be off for the Fall Festival," Flora admitted as Thyme shot her a look before looking away, her mother sighing. "It's only a month away, Thyme."
"I know…" Dammit, now she wants to spend time together?!
Of course, a small smidge of guilt snagged her heart, reminding her that she was the one hiding, not her mother.
She shook it away, the growing shame ignored as best she could.
"Hmm," Naruto tilted his head, noting Thyme's turmoil. 'We might just need to put it off,' there was no point in going to the Fairy Woods if they'd be busy in a far away… wait. "Yo, Mrs. Flora? How far is this place from the Fairy Woods?" He asked with a grin as Thyme perked up.
"Why? No offense but our home isn't… I'm sure Thyme's likely brought it up to you before but it's not inhabitable," Flora said sadly as Naruto grinned a bit while Thyme looked confused.
'What's he thinking about?'
"Well, she did, something about odd roots that destroyed the land, right?"
"Correct."
"Hmm?" Aloe blinked, looking confused before Naruto turned to her with a bow. "H-Huh? I'm assuming you want to know something?"
"I do. Do you know any purification magic?"
Thyme and Flora's eyes widened as Aloe blinked, tilting her head at him in confusion before she smiled a bit.
"You're a kinder boy than I expected, you want to help them?" She asked him and he nodded.
"I've seen those roots before," he explained as Thyme flinched while Flora's eyes narrowed. "They were on a tree somewhere on the road, I don't remember the actual specifics of where but I've felt the energy in that stuff and it's basically a bunch of malicious energy."
"What?" All three females said in confusion as Naruto nodded.
"I never told Thyme this but I was thinking it over for a while until now. I've felt that kinda energy before and if I can purify it, it might solve the problem."
"N-Naruto? I-I don't understand, we've tried," Flora frowned, head down as Thyme looked at her in shock. "Did you not find it weird when I left Lyngarth so often? I was going to our home to study the Rot and its odd make-up," she reached into her sleeve before pulling out a scroll.
Laying it down between them, the other three blinked as she unfurled it to reveal vivid descriptions and odd details about the Rot which was represented by a black tree with ominous paint.
"We've tried, numerous times," Flora frowned. "The fairies from lands who could try can't approach due to the effect on the environment, any scholars we know are still looking it over even now and that's not a lot when their upcoming convention is on the horizon. We've asked for help from the High Elves recently and they're currently delegating on the matter," she grimaced with a sneer. "The pompous fools that they are, they're trying to 'claim credit' over the lands they heal in exchange for their services."
"That's disgusting," Thyme snarled while Aloe frowned.
"That's… haa, no, I could see them being so," she sighed as Naruto blinked.
"... are they all bastards?" He asked, minding Nettle. "Like, some real jerkwads with a stick up where the sun don't shine?"
"Yes," Flora and Aloe admitted in unison. "It's so much more irritating than that."
"High Elves are ones who are the pinnacle of what it means to be an elf," Aloe explained with a frown. "It's not wrong to say, they're stuck-up, rude, and very self-righteous."
"If they could heal the forest, they'd have a formal agreement with the Elf King to own that portion of it… it'd be a conflict we'd like to avoid," Flora explained as Naruto frowned while Thyme flinched.
"W-Wait, why? I don't… why would they want to? What do they gain?"
"I don't know, Thyme," Flora said sadly as her child flinched before looking away. "It's been an irritating couple of months interacting with them, your father, and the citizens around our forest. Right now, the centaurs have left the lands and are spread out in Lyngarth, somewhere," Thyme perked up. "The fairies are… they're asleep, like before. The animals have left as well and the Satyrs are currently working with us as we speak. It's an entire mess," the woman looked stressed and Thyme felt her guilt rise in a horrible fashion.
She wasn't helping, was she? Not seeing her much in the past three months, she wasn't sure if her mother thought she was alive or not.
"... I'm sorry."
"Don't be, it's not your fault, it never was," Thyme couldn't believe that but kept her peace. "For now, the only clue we have on this subject is that it's a self-sustaining growth of some sort," Flora said before looking at the contemplating Naruto. "Well, that was all until you told us what you know."
"I know there has to be a way, I'm sure there is," Naruto said as Flora hummed. "... have you tried Runes?" He asked her and the elf mother blinked at him before tilting her head.
"Runes?" She tilted her head at him with a soft frown. "I'm not sure, I have no knowledge of them and I know those who can and have mastered them aren't exactly common or even uncommon at that."
"But that's another avenue," Aloe smiled as her fellow womanly elf raised a brow.
"You believe it could help?"
"Runes have the ability to rewrite the rules of the World around something that can be conceptually understood. If they could find a Rune Word or Spell, a series of Rune Words strung together," Aloe explained to Naruto and Thyme, the former nodding vigorously. "Then they might simply be able to rewrite the rules of this so-called Rot."
"I-Is that so?" Flora looked hopeful but also nervous. "I wouldn't know where to start with that, though, Aloe. You know as well as I do that no one's going to be allowed near our forests, not anyone who isn't an elf."
"Hehe~ Well, you have your daughter, and since Naruto knows Runes."
Flora blinked before looking at the determined duo of teens who nodded.
"We'll do it," they said. "We want to help."
"... I-I know, I…" Flora looked rather uncomfortable with the notion and Thyme messed with her fingers.
"We're not kids," she said as the woman flinched. "... I'm sorry, again, I didn't mean to… I couldn't…" Thyme grimaced before Naruto patted her back.
"She's not always great at speaking about her emotions," he said as his friend's eyebrow twitched while Aloe giggled behind her hand. "Thyme's just not sure how to express herself 's all," Naruto gave Flora a thumbs-up. "We're working on it."
"Excuse me?"
"See?"
The older elf of the Woods huffed in amusement before looking pensive. "... then, you both will need to intensify your studies if this is true…" She pulled something else out of her other sleeve before putting it down in front of them. "Since you don't remember where the other one you saw is, here's a jar of samples of the Rot."
The teens' eyes widened as they saw the familiar purple sludge-like roots with that lightning-like energy about it.
"..." Naruto picked it up before closing his eyes.
The world fell away as he focused all his senses on the small jar before he hummed, Thyme tilting her head at him.
"You should feel it a bit now," Flora said and she blinked at her.
"Feel what?"
"Feel Naruto's Worldly energy."
Aloe nodded encouragingly and Thyme looked from them to her friend with scrutinizing eyes before something 'hit' her.
Something that flowed oddly and tickled a 'sense' that she didn't get… something like a new sensation.
'What?' The world fell away and Thyme's eyes widened as darkness covered her surroundings, leaving only her friend and his glowing golden flow in her vision. '... This is Worldly Energy?' Or Natural Energy as Naruto called it?
She observed him before looking at the jar in his hands and her eyes narrowed at the festering darkness that seemed to reach out towards his energy?!
"N-Naruto, it's…" She was immediately concerned, trying to gain his attention.
"I know," he said softly as his golden flow increased, fending off the dark influences with ease. "There," Naruto chuckled as she stared at him.
'How?' How had he fended it off so easily? "... Naruto," she held his shoulder and the darkness fell away, leaving Thyme blinking. "T-That's how you turn it off?" She gaped as Aloe and Flora chuckled.
"You'll get used to it in time," Aloe said with a grin as Flora raised an amused brow at how her daughter touched a boy's shoulder.
"I-I see… Naruto, can you teach me how to use Worldly Energy?" Thyme asked the boy as her mother's amusement lowered and her curiosity overtook it.
'What's all this?' Had Thyme been that close to him to initiate physical touch on her own?
"Huh?" Naruto tilted his head. "I mean, I won't say 'NO' but the thing is, learning it isn't easy, Thyme. This could take a couple years," she winced but still nodded. "Alright, who knows? Maybe your background will make it easier?" He chuckled before grinning as Thyme smiled.
Aloe's grin grew two sizes that second.
Flora was quite sure that Naruto likely had been speaking the truth earlier but Thyme she'd likely have to ask about relationships.
~NRK~
The morning after, with all guests being offered space for the night, the males, from Curly and up, went out to hunt.
"Hmm, so you're gonna head back today, right, ossan?" Naruto asked as they all walked in their tunics, shorts, and shoes/sandals. "When?"
"Likely only for a bit more, our meeting is tomorrow, right?" Hakone said to his adopted son who nodded while Snapdragon hummed.
"A meeting with royalty," he said, mind thoughtful. "I hope things go well for you, Naruto, this is a bit bigger… on-par with your last Exploration Hours situation, h-honestly."
"Yeah, I get that, I just don't want to deal with brats who are adults," he said as Sorel nodded.
"Still, their reputation is good. Chances are high, you'll meet with refined individuals," he chuckled as they went to that forest on the edge of Lyngarth again but on the farther left side near the ramor farm. "Now, where is this so-called hunting spot, Hakone? This is near the farm."
"Yes, don't worry, that's actually what'll be helping us," he said as they reached a random board on the fence? "Hmm… ah, there you go," Hakone smiled as they all looked at the board.
The Request Board.
"W-Wait, there are these here? Randomly on a fence?" Snapdragon asked as Naruto hummed. "Usually, aren't these in the town square or upper layers?"
"You can pitch in for these and assert the rewards through your own funds. The farmer here actually supports these quests by putting up some of his cattle."
Sorel looked surprised. "Is that so?"
"I-I could get super strong and do it!" Curly gasped in awe before turning to the chuckling Naruto. "C-Can you make me strong, bro?!"
The males blinked in surprise before Naruto chuckled.
"Sure, I don't mind, you, Pars, and your family have advantages that most others don't, I doubt you couldn't be strong, Curls," he said as the oldest son of Sorel cheered. "Though, your parents will have to 'ok' it."
"D-Dad?"
"..." Sorel looked amused. "Well, if it'd not take him away too often…"
"It wouldn't, I could just come on over and teach 'im."
Snapdragon and Hakone shared an amused look.
He really was clueless, wasn't he?
"How about we take this one?" Hakone offered, pulling a request off the board. "A bunch of wolflin are causing trouble for him," he noted with a hum, the group looking at the picture of a wolf-like gremlin with large hands and clubs. "They're rather low-class monsters with a bit of intelligence," he explained.
"We fought a few when I first got adopted, giving me experience with monsters like these," Naruto said. "They're not as dangerous as that club looks but they're small, shorter than even Pars, Mr. Sorel," the dwarf man looked surprised. "They're pests and I know that sometimes, they go around stealing things."
"Exactly, they need to be culled and we'll see if we can't regain the ramor they stole," Hakone nodded as he folded the quest and tucked it into his pocket.
He breathed in deeply and Naruto saw the silvery energy filling his adoptive father's nose and eyes.
"Whoa…" Curly said. "H-He's got silvery stuff," the boy said to his father who blinked while Naruto and Snapdragon balked.
"H-He's got Spirit Vision," they said in unison, confusing the two while Hakone hummed with interest.
"I see, so him and Rosemary?" He asked.
"Yeah, Rosie's been getting a bit of a hang of it, pops," Naruto said as Snapdragon nodded while Sorel blinked.
"I'm confused, is this rare?" He asked.
"Yes, for now, let's just say he's got quite the advantage in him," Hakone chuckled as Curly grinned.
They walked off, Naruto and Hakone at the front, enhanced ears, eyes, and noses working to lead them over a large pair of hills a mile away from the ramor farm where they found a small colony of those wolflin with a terrified ramor tied to a large stick.
"I-I see," Snapdragon looked nervous as he hefted the stone handaxe that Aloe had made for him.
Hakone hefted a shortsword of stone while Naruto adjusted the bulky stone forearm protectors that Thyme had amateurishly made.
"Sorel, Curly, you might not want to watch this," Hakone said kindly as the two dwarves nodded, hurrying back a bit. "Come on, boys, remember, don't lose sight of your surroundings."
"Hmm…" Naruto spread out his senses. "... 15. They're all down there, guys. I'll circle around to make sure none of them get out," he said before shooting off to the side, form speeding away.
"Alright, Snapdragon," Hakone said as they circled the other way. "... are you alright with this?" He asked him.
"Y-Yes… I…" Snapdragon looked at the Wolflin. "I've gotten a bit used to vanquishing monsters due to our Exploration Hours."
Hakone simply nodded as they reached the head of the valley.
They stood there as one of the Wolflin came strutting past before freezing-
A quick flick of his blade had Hakone sliding past it, the creature's fall muffled by the grass.
Snapdragon stared in awe before hurrying over as Hakone beckoned him forward.
Then the creatures roared in horror as the sounds of grunts, cracks, and shouts reached the two humans.
"Come and get some!" Naruto shouted as he slammed his leg into another before ending its life with a swift chop to the head.
He literally turned a pair of heads with a swing of his covered forearms before jumping over a pair of downward swinging clubs.
"Come!" Hakone commanded as he and Snapdragon ran into the fray, slaying the next two Wolflin who ended up in their way.
The ginger blocked a club that held some surprising strength before stepping back and allowing the attack to slide down to the side.
He stepped back in and decapitated the creature in one swing, shock on his face.
'I-I just did that?' He balked in awe at himself before yelping and rolling out of the way of a pair of claws from another creature. "Yikes!"
The three decimated the creatures' numbers in maybe a minute, something that alarmed Snapdragon as he noted Naruto's sheer kill count and efficiency.
"Alright, that's all of 'em," the blonde said as he looked at the terrified ram-boar hybrid before crouching down and patting its head. "You're cool, dude," he said as the animal blinked before perking up. "Come on, let's get you back to the farmhand."
They walked out of the area but not before Hakone went around and collected heads, much to Snapdragon's queasy stomach.
"It's for the sake of making our claim," Naruto explained to his friend, rubbing his upper back. "For guys like the farmer, they don't have inspectors to go and make sure we told the truth."
They hurried back towards Sorel and Curly, the two perking up from the rocks they sat on.
"Everything finished?" The dwarf man asked and Hakone nodded, holding up his 'Nearly Limitless' sack.
"Come on."
Getting their reward had been simple once they showed the results of their work to the farmer.
An hour later, they were back at the dwarf home, eating waffles covered in colorful berry syrup and butter they'd gotten as their rewards.
"Thank you, boys," Angelica chuckled as Naruto, Hakone, and Snapdragon nodded. "Now, eat, Flora actually helped make these, I've never made waffles before."
"It's no problem," the elf mother said as Thyme hummed once the guys sat down. "Now, I'll likely take my leave in some time, I've to prepare for that royal meeting tomorrow," she added before blinking at the group's look of disbelief. "... Yes?"
"Um… just double-checking," Naruto grinned nervously as Amaryllis, Anise, Snapdragon, Hakone, and Parsley laughed. "It's not a meeting with the twins of the king, is it?"
"Hmm? I wasn't aware anyone else knew… unless you're related to the other party whose identity has been safely guarded."
"Um, that's likely because I'm the guy meeting them," he admitted as she leaned forward with raised eyebrows. "I got a summons for it Wednesday and I'm meeting 'em tomorrow so it's our meeting you'll be documenting."
What a small world, Flora realized. "Well, I hope you understand how big this is."
"No one's let me hear the end of it."
"It's royalty, Naru," Amaryllis tutted her finger. "How in the world can we not?"
"It is good to have more people you know there," Anise said. "So, any hints or tips you can give 'im?" She asked Flora who hummed.
"I've dealt with the royals here a few times but never the king's families. And this isn't his other wives' kids, this is his queen's, I've no frame of reference for that, what could I tell you besides 'be on your best behavior'?"
"Yikes."
"It's whatever, I was gonna do that regardless. I'm not an idiot who cares," Naruto said simply as Flora's eyebrow shot into her hairline which was pretty impressive, while Thyme covered her face as the others laughed. "I'm not trying to get anything out of these people. In and out-Shut, Rylls," he said without missing a beat as the short mage groaned.
"Dammit, they're catching on," she whined as Snapdragon chuckled.
"It's not hard once you realize you're there," he said as she pouted.
"Go there, tell 'em what they want to know, and leave, I don't need this to go much smoother than that… God, I hope it goes that smoothly. My luck's not exactly the greatest when it comes to dealing with something simple. Quick, someone tell me something that can go wrong!"
"Duh, what if the princess wants you as a beau?" Amaryllis smirked as the blonde paled while Thyme's eyebrow ticked something fierce.
"T-That wouldn't actually happen, right?!" Rosemary asked in disbelief.
"Um, yo? Like, two of the women the king has got in his 'private court' weren't exactly rich ones, duh," Amaryllis told her with a raised brow as many of their friends choked. "Besides, what if it's not just her? What if her bro's for some 'sharing is caring'?"
"P-Please don't joke about that," Snapdragon pleaded in horror as she shrugged.
"We're talking worst-case scenarios, I'm not gonna hold back."
"... s-she may have a point," Hakone said nervously. "S-Still, I… I don't…" He tried to say it wouldn't happen but then he remembered that his son could be both dumb and charming. "... please just tone it back," he said to Naruto whose eyebrow twitched.
"Tone what back?"
They were doomed!
"Easy there, it's not like this will happen, it's just possibilities," Anise said. "And for another worst-case scenario-"
"Not helping."
"-What if someone attacks you guys and tries to kidnap them?" She grinned slyly as Aloe tilted her head.
"That would be pretty bad."
"That'd be simple," Naruto said in relief before freezing at the shake of the head from Anise. "W-What?"
"D-Do you honestly think that can't go badly for you?" Sage offered with a blush. "W-What if that pushes them into… b-being interested?" The horror that dawned on the beastkin had her sympathy.
Sage didn't envy the boy in the least.
"Easy, easy, you're terrifying him," Sorel said with a raised brow. "And you're thinking far too much, simple is best. Just approach this as you would and deny what you don't favor, it's not like you don't have a choice."
"What about-" Amaryllis tried.
"No, young lady, simplicity will get you through most things."
"E-Even people I've met?!"
"You're not hard to figure out," Parsley said with a pout. 'I could easily see the royal twins liking him,' it'd be hard not to.
Naruto was just that sort of charming.
~NRK~
The day came and went and soon it was tomorrow morning with the boy given some dressing tips from Amaryllis, Aloe, Flora, and Snapdragon, apparently.
Who knew the taller boy was a snappy dresser?
So, that's why he was currently standing at the front of the blacksmith home in 'donated' clothes.
He'd have to pay them back for this as he picked at his loose-collared tight orange male blouse, the 'male' part was important. Following that, he had on some black pants that were a bit baggy around the shins but were rectified a bit by being tucked into a pair of black boots with some fur around the mouths.
He missed his sandals as he messed with a green pendant around his neck, one the group had never seen before.
"Huh?" Rosemary broke out of her embarrassed daze to look at it. "W-When was that a thing?" She asked, looking at the seeming broken crystal that had been glued together.
"Oh, this? I've had it for a while, long before meeting pops," Naruto said, his hair now slicked back a bit with a lone cowlick allowed to stand atop his noggin. "It's important to me," he told them as Thyme and Parsley raised a brow at him.
"From your, uhh… original parents?" Parsley asked after some thought.
"No, I'm my present from my original parents," he smirked as she laughed while Snapdragon nodded. "No, this helps me remember one time I really lost control and I can't let that happen again," they blinked, Aloe, Hakone, Anise, Thyme, and Parsley wincing but nodding all the same.
"Hmm," Flora nodded next to him, dressed in a long green skirt, brown shoes, a brown blouse, and a dark green vest as a powerful black cloak fell over her shoulders. "I've already sent a missive to the cart that will pick us up."
Hakone nodded, wearing his Guardian attire and thankful for not needing to change his clothing for the event. "We still need to go to the main street, though. Come, we should leave," he said as Naruto and Flora nodded.
"You all take care, I'm sure this has been an entire crazy experience," Anise chuckled as Naruto grinned nervously. "Please go and break someone's heart, I doubt you want to deal with it."
"I don't want that heart in the first place!"
"Yeah and trixies don't need shiny things, look what happens."
"You gotta be careful up there in those fancy places," Rosemary said as Sage hummed. "What if they try to con you into buying a castle?!"
"P-People don't do that," Sage said with a sweatdrop. "Though, she's right that you should be careful about what someone's saying, the fine print is never to be underestimated."
"I get that," Naruto said. "But it's not like we're going to some ball… right?" He asked Flora who nodded. "See? It's only the twins, I can focus solely on them."
"Just go in there and charm the pants off of 'em," Amaryllis smirked. "Seriously or, really, metaphorically," her grin got a roll of the eyes out of him.
"As always, you're a treat."
"I try."
Snapdragon chuckled at the look on Naruto's face, the other boy's brisk acceptance of all the emotion he needed to see.
"She's really her own kind of force," he said as they grasped hands. "But Sage's is right, don't let them try to take advantage of you."
"Never would."
"You've got quite the work ahead of you," Angelica said to Flora and Hakone who nodded.
"It's still only a meeting but chances are high it will escalate," the elf mother said as Aloe nodded.
"Usually, these kinds of things do," she said as Flora smiled in annoyance at that fact.
"Unfortunately."
"It's only gonna be, what? Two hours?" Parsley said as Naruto nodded,
"More like three, the ride there is still gonna take some time, we know what it's like to just walk to the First Layer."
"Right…" She said before they tapped knuckles. "Go in there and… well, try not to get involved in anything weird."
"... uh," Naruto's face wore a look of embarrassment while she laughed. "I'll do my best."
"That's all we ask of you," Thyme said with a raised brow and crossed arms. "You're really gonna be on the royal stage even if it's only the twin prince and princess. Then you've got the other kids who might want a piece of you… what I'm trying to say," she said moments after realizing Naruto's grin became more strained. "Is that you need to deny, deny, deny when it comes down to it."
They grasped hands.
"I'll keep that in mind. Alright," Naruto nodded to each of them before nearly being dogpiled by dwarf brothers. "W-Wait! Wait! I just got these pressed!"
Managing to give each brother of Parsley a goodbye had been only slightly difficult.
He and Sorel shook afterward, the dwarf man nodding to him.
"Be safe, I'm well aware this is a stage neither of us will know what'll happen on," he chuckled.
"At least I've got company in mystery," Naruto smirked.
They were going to meet royalty.
What a time to be alive, yeah?
~NRK~
And that's it for this chapter.
So, yes, basing the Elvish tongue on primordial language helps differentiate it from both Old Magic, New Magic, Innate Magic, and Sea Speak.
~NRK Out~