I OWN NOTHING
Every time I watch this show there's some ironic love toward it, to the point I think I wholeheartedly love it.
-0-
Shadow Weaver was holding onto Naruto, "Keep it up, boy." Due to her statuesque figure, the veiled woman made the lanky boy look much smaller than he was since she could rest her chin on his head. "Yes, just like that... Up, down, up, down. Now, go faster to my beat."
He let out a groan which excited her and made her hold him closer, "It's way too hot."
She pressed herself more against his body to hold him better, "Don't worry, my child. It is a learning experience to burst. I'm here to teach you as many times as needed." Her voice came out amused as her eyes took in the sight of his struggling face, noticing his brow got a thin layer of sweat, "Now, focus on that hardening sensation burning inside you. Let it flow out freely."
All at once he cried out, "Urgh... I'm at my limit!"
Feeling all of his body tremble, Shadow Weaver sighed in satisfaction, "Don't worry, child. You did better than last time. Release it." Enjoying the sensation of their bodies in perfect synch, Shadow Weaver wondered out loud, "You certainly improve despite how much time you try to spend with that cat... Tell me, do you use her for practice?"
"Can she do magic?" Naruto asked as he let go of a fireball, Shadow Weaver holding his wrists from behind to aid him. "Rhetorical question, by the way."
"Do not get sassy with me, young one," the witch narrowed her eyes after letting go of him.
After wiping his brow from the heat generated by his magical fire, Naruto took a seat and leaned back, balancing his chair on two legs, "Fine. If you're wondering, no, I am not using her for target practice or such a thing. Now, I know you'd love that, but I am too fond of her to put her in danger."
Clutching her hands tightly, the woman looked around his room, a circular chamber with shelves stacked to the brim with magical books to the ceiling, a bed and a large desk, "Then, I shall recommend you try this." With a wave of her hand, a tome flew into her free, opened palm for her to flip open thanks to the shadows she summoned, "Basics of fire and breathing, page 349."
"No quick-skimming for you, I see," Naruto replied as he looked at the runes and symbols displayed on the pages. "Frankly, it terrifies me that you know these by memory."
"Believe me, after my first attempt to gain greater power left me as you first saw me, I've taken time and effort to never be ignorant," she said in a manner which told him to follow her example.
"Got it, but then we wouldn't have so much bonding together because of that," he smiled as he leaned back further with his legs crossed, balancing his body on a single foot of the chair. Then, he faked looking hurt to the point hammy and cheesy actors would tell him to tone it down a notch, "Wait, don't tell me you regret meeting me? Did our time as teacher and student mean so little to y-"
Once he placed a hand on his chest and squeezed his eyes shut to overact sorrow, the witch placed the open book on his other hand, "Read before I actually start regretting taking you in." Sighing deeply, the witch pinched the bridge of her veil-covered nose and walked out, "I shall observe Adora in her Senior Cadet test. Make sure to follow her example and act professionally."
"Following you around and believing in you blindly?" he retorted while holding a corner of the page between his fingers.
"I prefer the term of unshaking trust," she replied with narrowed eyes.
"Come now, I am more than fond of you," he told her with a playful grin. "Even more, I think you were my first crush as a child even before I healed your scars."
"Enough of your tomfoolery," the witch replied heatedly, rubbing her right temple with her right middle and index fingers. "Why must you try my patience so much?"
"Honestly, I don't know," he admitted and started to trace symbols with a finger over the pager. "Perhaps I'm really fond of you or I'm trying to one-up Catra when it comes to irritate you."
"Repeating my previous advice, do not act like that cat," the woman growled. "I better go now, and it's in your best interest to show improvement by the time I return."
"Alright, so, why the sudden visit to Adora?" he asked genuinely curious.
"Put as much effort into your lessons as she does her training, and you'd know," she retorted second before the door to his room closed tightly.
Grinning, he shut the tome after leaving a bookmark, "Sorry, mistress, but the problem with that is you're making me very curious now." Pocketing the book, he made his way out of his room into one of the many halls at Shadow Weaver's main abode, much bigger than any other room, "Ow!"
Problems started as soon as he stepped out and was met with a large and tough yet also incredibly soft wall, "Hey there!" cheered up a very mirthful voice which embodied innocence and happiness, like every bit of joy was put in one person, "You're Naruto, right? Oh man, I can't believe I get to meet Shadow Weaver's pupil at last. You're way cuter than the other captains said you were!"
Looking up, Naruto realized he was face to breasts with a gigantic pair of melons, "Hm?" he tried to make a question, but each mammary gland was the right size to sink his fingers into and make them disappear, "Who are..." he started to ask, looking at a lean-faced but quite beautiful young woman, "...you and why do I feel much smaller than I am supposed to be?" His was a legitimate question given the fact that he was at least two heads shorter than the Amazonian lady in front of him.
Her angular features were quite alluring with her naturally pouty lips painted black, dark eyes, hair shaven at the sides of her hair and the top cut short and combed to the side. A couple steps back let him see more, though the black and red sleeveless outfit she had could barely hide anything. Buttocks firm and toned like marble with a plumpness of a mature woman, an eight-pack set of abs, arms to lift anchors without effort and thighs to crush watermelons with. He gulped at the odd femininity in her for she was quite packed with muscle yet kept a perfect hourglass figure.
"Oh, you should know..." she asked energetically waving a red pincer instead of a hand, her shoulders protected by the same exoskeleton with spikes as a scorpion tail swayed behind her, connected to her tailbone. "Come on, who's the best hugger in all the Horde? Did you ever hear about the friendliest gal in all the Fright Zone?"
"Um, sorry, the mistress does try to keep me focused on my studies, for better or worse," he replied awkwardly with a thumb hooked to his chamber door.
"Aw, you poor thing!" the white-haired monument of a woman did something he didn't expect, try to kill him!
At least, that's what it felt like when being hugged by such a woman, "Mm!" and yet, his screams muffled by her enormous sweater puppies would make him the target of many men's envy. For a brief moment, he asked himself if he'd meet his end like that, smothered to death by the world's biggest pair of flesh bags, "Ah!"
Luckily for him, she hoisted him up to keep him at face level, although his arms were pinned to his sides by her bearhug, "Don't worry, let Scorpia cheer you up! Um, I'm not sure why I talked in the third person, but I assure you we'll be smiling through the day as the best of pals!"
Dangling his feet uselessly at her knees, he had to ask something, "Listen, you seem like a genuinely nice girl! I'd love to get to know you, but I need to know... When will you drop me?!"
"Sorry, I got carried away!" the innocent, sheepish grin made it impossible to stay mad at her, "Knowing you stay caged like that made me want to give you some of my positive attitude! I do my optimism routine a lot to share such vigor and good energy with others! So, I thought I'd do so with the guy Shadow Weaver told me to watch over."
"Please, ask politely next time you want..." Naruto paused as he dusted himself, incredulous as he turned to the scorpion woman. "Wait, the mistress told you to keep guard over me?"
"Yup!" Scorpia nodded with a big smile. "She's said you tend to go out too often and that you should really study for a spell you're having trouble with." She leaned close to him, placing her pincers on his shoulders in an encouraging manner, "Let old Scorpia shower you with good vibes and this silly spell will be yours to master in seconds!"
Baffled didn't begin to describe the expression on Naruto's face, but he did regain his composure as he thought out loud, "Okay, I can definitely say now the mistress has either a sense of humor or listens to me." A pause later, he rubbed the back of his head and stared at Scorpia quizzically, "I guess it's better late than never to have someone actually joyful around."
Almost giving him whiplash, tears formed at the corners of Scorpia's eyes as she held his hands in her pincers, "Do you mean you actually wanted someone like me as a friend?!"
Chuckling awkwardly, he put on as good a smile as any in such a situation, "Sure... I mean, I've been stuck with plenty of arrogant jerks or dutiful soldiers all the time. It's...an admittedly nice change of pace to get to know someone who is so...oddly friendly like you."
Being nice proved difficult, but she seemed to have her heart on the right place, which made the beaming smile and tears worry him, "Oh... Uh, no, here come the waterworks. Come on, Scorpia, keep it together, girl. You're a Force Captain and finally met a guy who is nice to you, and he's adorable."
"Fine meeting you, but I'd like your help with something," Naruto said as he created a small magical circle with a finger behind himself. "Where are the Senior Cadet trials taking place?"
"Odd question, but alright, just give me a moment..." Scorpia took a moment to wipe a happy tear off her face. Beaming again, she placed her hands on her waist, puffing up and emphasizing her already unrivaled chest, "Ask anything and you'll get the answer right away. However, Shadow Weaver told me not to help you escape with information! Also, she told me to not let you do any portal spell behind your or my back!"
Before he could react, Scorpia quickly held him by his armpits, breaking his spell, "Ah, wait! I wasn't trying to... Uh, you're not going to buy me trying to get you a present?"
"Nope, sorry, Shadow Weaver made a list of what to expect from you and made me memorize it before coming here," Scorpia widened her already shining grin. "And she told me that I'm allowed to take good care of you! Oh, I always wanted a little brother! I did have siblings, my grandfather was a swell if strict guy going on about honor and stuff, but I never got to have a little brother to look after!"
Looking to the side, the blond sighed, "If you see it like me, you'd be anyone's big sister without trying."
He meant her size made anyone look small, but she took it the wrong – or best possible – way, "You mean it?!" Planting his face into her gigantic ballistics once more, Scorpia petted Naruto's head lovingly like one would a pet, "I knew I'd like you the moment we met, but to hear I'd make a great sibling figure... Ah, you really want me to tear up, don't you, you little rascal?! Well, let's get you back to studying, shall we?"
Pulling the boy into her arms in a bridal carry, Scorpia was ready to take the two back to his chambers, "Am I dead...?" Naruto for his part was too stunned by the lack of air.
-0-
Returning to her pupil's room, Shadow Weaver had a small skip on her step, "My child, I come to see your..." she slowed down when the sight of a sleeping Scorpia hugging a pillow registered in her mind as well as her student's disappearance, "...last time out of this room until I find a way to drill some obedience into you."
"Hey, did the spell work?" the scorpion woman asked curiously. Letting out a yawn, she sat up and stretched out her arms, "Huh? Naruto? Where are you, little buddy?"
Shadow Weaver gave the white-haired captain a deadpanned look, "Were you asked to help him test a spell?"
"Of course, he had the cutest smile when asking me, too!" Scorpia beamed.
Connecting the dots, Shadow Weaver could see how everything went, "Did he ask to try a healing spell on your shoulders?"
Enthusiastically nodding, Scorpia didn't see anything wrong, "Back, actually, and it really did wonders for my spine since my chest's so heavy and-"
"Did he ask you to get on the bed to be more comfortable?" the witch asked with a dull tone.
"Yup, and he was nice enough to tidy it up for me as well-"
"Clever boy," Shadow Weaver cut her off with a monotonous sigh. "Scorpia, find Naruto. Bring him to me by any and all means necessary."
"Sure thing, ma'am!" the scorpion woman saluted her eagerly as she jumped off the bed and ran off.
Eluding capture, Naruto walked through the halls of the Fright Zone, "Shame I must have missed the trial, but knowing Adora and Catra..." he happily bumped into Adora, happy to be her height as the two met eye to eye, "Did you miss me?"
Baffled by his appearance and extended arms signaling he was waiting for a hug, Adora frowned, "Shadow Weaver's going to get mad at you."
Waving a hand around as if he held a glass, Naruto spoke dramatically, "Ah, yes, but it is a worthy sacrifice to see one of my two favorite people, and in good time." Saluting Adora, he beamed, "Congratulations are in order, Captain Adora. May you inspire terror in the hearts of our enemies and fail like many others to keep me shackled to my books."
"Sheesh, have faith in me, you'd be locked up for good," she quipped back with her arms crossed and a smug smile. "Anyway, have you seen Catra?"
"Please, I can read you two like a book," he emphasized his point by conjuring a tome made of light, complete with popups of Catra, Adora and himself holding hands.
Dispelling the light construct with her hand, Adora sighed, "This is a tad more serious than usual, though. You can probably guess who gave me the badge."
Looking at the emblem, Naruto snapped his fingers, creating a magical spark which resonated against the tiny accessory, "Shadow Weaver, huh?" he asked unsurprised and unamused. Letting out a heavy breath, a sour thought crossed his head, which he rubbed with a hand, "Nepotism isn't going to make you popular, but you certainly prove yourself."
"Don't worry about me, I can take a punch and deliver three back if needed," she said with a confident grin, which fell upon a sad truth. "Do you think Catra will be mad?"
"Frankly, I'd bet my next three meals she'd be ecstatic at the idea of hogging a bit of your authority, but..." he held his chin, looking distraught. "I can't picture she'll be happy when learning we may have to be far away from each other. Wow, can't believe even when being nice the mistress can be so evil..." he then corrected himself with a finger up, "Scratch that, I totally believe it!"
"Same..." the two turned to see Catra, huffing as she glared at the badge.
"Catra..." Adora started.
"No, don't give me that look," the cat girl groaned. "I heard everything..." It pained Adora and Naruto to see her like that.
"Come on, this is what I've been working for my entire life," Adora commented as walked to the feline girl, Catra shifting her eyes back to her. "I was hoping you could, I don't know, be happy for me."
"Ugh, whatever." She grunted. "It's not like I even care. I just want to get out of this place before I die of boredom." She moaned lying back on the rails. "I wonder what's even outside of the Fright Zone anyway."
"Perhaps Adora could use her authority to get you to be part of her troops," Catra looked at the sorcerer surprised. Naruto then sighed, "Of course, the mistress may try to keep you apart."
Biting her bottom lip cutely, the cat girl had another reason to worry, "Of course, there is the question of how and when we could see you. It's not like you can easily sneak into enemy lines for a chat. At the moment, you're not qualified to be a captain in Shadow Weaver's eyes, and she's who Lord Hordak listens to for promotions."
Grinning mischievously, Naruto waved a hand, creating a miniature of his mistress, Hordak and himself, "Or I could sneak behind her back, prove myself to the big guy, and get to blasting the enemy in no time!" At least he thought the plan sounded foolproof as his light puppets mimicked his idea, but Adora's expression of disbelief told him to not dream too big, "What?"
"Your answer to everything is to do things your way," she chastised him.
Blowing his light puppets with his own breath, Naruto smiled, "Well, you certainly got your promotion your own way by following harsh training and being disciplined. Catra got to be a Senior Cadet using her claws. Me? I've got to use magic for fighting since I've never been allowed to train the same way you do, nor do more than reading and casting spells."
"I meant..." pinching the bridge of her nose, Adora gave out a sigh. "You know what I meant. Everyone's working hard, that's what Hordak's system is all about, but fooling around..."
"Alright, how about a little bet?" Naruto asked with a sly smile as he held her hands, earning a cute blush from Adora. "Show me you can have some fun and I'll get serious. How's that sound? If you join Catra and me in a little adventure, you'll see me hit those books and earn a captain rank in no time to be alongside you two."
A smirk crossed Catra's face, "Yeah, why not have some fun together while we still can? Can you even say-"
"Alright, I'll do it," Adora replied with a smirk of her own, stunning Catra. "Just to show you I could've done worse than you."
Backing away with a single step, Naruto raised a finger, "Wait, let me savor this moment..." he closed his eyes shut and clenched a fist in front of his face. "Alright, all good!" he beamed nonchalantly and placed his hands in his pockets, "So, Adora's first time to be the fun one... This should be mildly amusing."
Frowning, Adora turned, not wanting him to see her pout, "I hoped you'd be worried, but you'll be."
"Please, I'd be worried if you didn't take everything so seriously," he retorted. Moments later, he was surprised, "Okay, not what I expected!"
All three friends were flying over the Fright Zone, zipping past a desolate wastelands. Adora, Catra and Naruto were riding on a stolen ship. It looked like a small boat complete with a wind sail made entirely of steel. It had the added bonus of being able to fly. As Naruto held on to his seat with both hands, Catra was whooping and cheering as Adora steered the ship. Gray, dry soil blurred out beneath them. A joyous Catra leaned on his side, beaming as Adora kept flying on their supposedly borrowed ride.
"Having fun!?" his fellow blonde asked with a wide smile.
Grinning, he had to be a smartass, "Do tell me you're joking! I'm having the time of my life seeing the same old dirt as usual!"
"Yeah, can't we take this baby somewhere actually fun!?" Catra asked, her tail wagging. "Let me take her for a spin!"
Adora yelped when her friend tried to take control of the lever, "Catra, wait!" as she tried to wrestle control from her and bring the vehicle down to a halt before they crashed.
Naruto would have helped, but he was distracted by the sight of their lovely rears push against each other side to side. Stupid hormones, he thought as the ship sped up. All three held on as they flew beyond the horizon. They weren't aware they were nearing a strange forest as the girls had tackled each other to the ground of the ship. By the time either of them got back up, the scenery changed from its decrepit wasteland appearance to a more tranquil forestry, green grass highlighting the trees with numerous strange plants growing around.
"Wow, is this...?" Catra started in awe.
"The Whispering Woods," Naruto answered in glee. "Finally, it looks way better than any book!"
Without a word, he jumped off, "What are you-" Adora cried out fearful for his well-being, until she saw him create more magical circles.
Runes of golden light slowed down his fall, each ring he went through made the descent much softer until he was on the grass, "Ah, this has such a familiar feeling, like it's a part of where I belong." He told them, a large grin plastered across his face as he extended his arms to the sides, "Hey, any of you feel more alive in this place or is it just me!?"
"We'll be the opposite of lively if you mess around here too much!" Adora told him.
Cupping his hands around his mouth, he told her, "Come on, I thought you wanted to have fun for once!" he waved at her energetically, "Let's have ourselves a little adventure!"
"Before you're captain, too!" Catra said as she hopped off the ship after Naruto.
Lowering the ship, Adora gave a reluctant smile, "Fine, but if Shadow Weaver gets mad, I had all to do with this."
"Fair enough!" Naruto beamed.
"Thanks for taking the blame, though it's not like she'd believe it," Catra told her with a cynical but still sincere smile.
"Let's have ourselves a little fun before that, then," walking forward, Naruto picked up a branch which he brandished like one would a sword if they had no experience in swordplay.
"Please, without you poking your eyes out," Adora joked as she expertly caught the stick and took it out of his hand.
Grinning at her, he calmly followed the girl as the three ventured into the forest. Unknown to them, they were followed. Scorpia had noticed a ship leaving without permission during her search from atop the highest point she could find. After connecting the dots upon seeing two heads of yellow hair, she made her way to a ship for her to pilot. Despite the pincers, she was quite good at steering. Deep down she was a romantic easily sold on the idea of seafaring and sailing adventures, so trailing after the trio was easy.
"Better make sure he doesn't harm his cute little head," she said with a loving tone that would surprise anyone after considering the fact Naruto escaped her. The way she talked made it seem like he had made the world's smallest mistake, "I mean, I have to thank him for the back pain. My two girls are quite heavy. Although he did run away from me. Hmm... I should at the very least call him out on it."
-0-
"We're breaking quite a large number of rules, Adora," Catra was having the time of her life leaping from branch to branch, observing the two below her. "Are you sure you don't want to turn around? Or are you an impostor, a princess in disguise taking the place of my and Naruto's best friend to control the Horde?"
"If anything, they'd either take after me or you," Naruto replied with a smile, swinging the stick against some vines to get them out of his way. Then he held up the branch like it was a scepter, "Just imagining all of the Fright Zone bowing before me gets me giddy!" he slammed the piece of wood down, holding it like a cane. "Naruto, Sorcerer Supreme, King of Etheria, Master of the Horde!"
"Why are you so onto such a thing?" Adora asked curiously as she followed Naruto, picking some flowers along the way. "You do know Lord Hordak could put you in a cell for this. Also, we're trying to bring order to this world. Last I recall, you two aren't really patient enough to maintain or even follow rules."
"Believe me, I'd love a kingdom of my own, but mostly some respect for once," Catra huffed, lying on her back on a thick branch. "People will treat me like I'm worth something, not look down on me or even dare to think I'm a runt or a freak."
"Good reason, if a little shallow," Naruto chortled with a dismissive wave of his hand.
Catra smirked back at him, "Oh yeah, what about you? Do you plan to use a spell for mind-control?"
"You want people to worship you with no good reason other than just because you rule over them?" he asked with a carefree grin, twirling the stick in one hand. "Then make sure you're someone worth looking up to!" halting the spinning, he pointed the branch to her. "Wanna know how I'll rule all!? I'll break the mold!" he extended his arms to the sides as if every tree was his soldier, "I'll make everyone actually love me! I will be at the frontlines, a hero worth looking up to! Charisma and power in one handsome package!"
"One too full of himself," Adora shot back. "You still smell of your latest fire magic session, and that's my nose. Catra can confirm that."
"Yeah, and a bit too much of Shadow Weaver's skin oil," the cat girl shuddered. "Seriously, please tell me her smell is because you need better ventilation in your study room."
"And a window, but that's beside the point," Naruto twirled his stick and jabbed the ground with one end, leaning into it with one hand. Not once did he let his smile falter, "I'm actually a bit hurt you don't believe in yours truly. Here I thought we were trying to feel good before we have to part for whatever Shadow Weaver has planned for us. Perhaps make one of you my second-in-command."
Deciding it was best to debunk him, Adora smiled playfully, "Let's be honest, we'd be the ones in charge even below you in rank."
"How about you put your hands up where I can see them?" a female voice asked Naruto.
He saw a flash of light before the voice came out, and another which didn't disappear right behind his head, "Pink...?" he asked cautiously, both hands up after letting his stick fall to the floor.
"A princess!?" Adora asked, hating her lack of weaponry.
Catra sneered, "Get your sparkly hands off him!" she growled like a furious tigress.
"First get on your knees on the ground, slowly," a male voice told her as a couple steps approached whoever was holding Naruto hostage from behind the sorcerer.
Knowing he was at a slight disadvantage, Naruto brought up his hands, "Catra, Adora, be honest with me..." he gave them a lazy smile. "Is the princess behind me cute at the very least? She sure sounds adorable! I bet she's petite and-"
"Shush, y-you!" the girl blurted out and he could almost picture her blush, possibly as bright as the pink energy glowing behind his head.
"Dude, we're holding you hostage," said the other male in the forest, pointing an arrow beside Naruto's head, just barely letting him see the tip from the corner of his eyes. Then, the archer tried to put on his most authoritative voice, "So, uh, tell us where the energy signal came from! We detected your actions, Horde scum!"
"Please tell me he's at least intimidating," Naruto kept his laidback grin. "I mean, wow, the scum line was just a bit sad. You could have come up with-"
"Do you ever shut up!?" the princess snapped.
"No, he doesn't," Adora replied with a hand rubbing her face.
"Only in my sleep, though I never checked out how true that is," Naruto commented, then smirked.
"Before you ask, no, I don't care to find out," the princess told him with a dull tone and a blank face.
"Wow, I like you," Naruto chortled. "You got some spunk and sass!"
"And twice the ass," Catra said with a smirk.
"W-w-why you! How d-dare- Ugh!" Naruto really wanted to see how hard the princess behind him looked if she had such a hard time finding words while keeping her magic up.
"I can't believe you two..." Adora moaned into her palm.
Looking at the blond boy, the archer asked, "Are you sure you know how hostage situations work?"
"Yes, make sure someone's unarmed before using them as a shield or bargaining chip," Naruto said as he inched a foot to his branch. "Unfortunately for you, I don't need weapons." Kicking the stick, he made it spin on the floor, golden light from his foot merged with the tip and created a circle on the floor, "Unfortunately for me, I barely try this!" he said as he braced himself for impact as the floor sprung to life and shot itself upward along the blond and his two former captors!
Adora and Catra gaped when a round pillar launched all three into the air after emerging from the floor like a piston. Archer, princess and sorcerer soared through the air before two of them landed in unceremonious positions. The unidentified male fell onto a bush while the princess rolled to a stop in the middle of the clearing. Meanwhile, clasping his hands, Naruto summoned four ethereal arms of yellow magical energy which gripped branches and trunks like a monkey, letting him stand on a branch.
"Huh..." he said upon seeing the princess. Upon registering what she looked like, he had to be honest, "I'm trying to think of a good callback to my previous comment of you being cute, but nothing comes to mind." He then quietly muttered to himself, "Catra didn't lie about the caboose..."
"Good, because I was about to shut you up myself!" the girl said angrily as she got up.
The princess was a short, stocky girl with pink hair in a messy chopped bob, tanned skin, and dark pink eyes. A dark purple sleeveless leotard barely contained thick pumpkin-sized buttocks and emphasized perky breasts the size of half-apples each under a light purple tunic with a diamond clasp. She also had matching purple boots with white moons on the front, light blue fingerless gloves, and a long white glove on her left arm. To finish the regal look she carried a sparkling blue cape shaped like wings attached to a circular plate on her left shoulder.
Beside her was a broad-shouldered youth of average height and tanned complexion, dark brown hair in an afro buzz hairstyle, and dark eyes. He wore a sleeveless white midriff-revealing tank top under a small golden cuirass embellished with a red heart, blue pants with a brown belt, and matching golden buckle, and knee-high boots. On his left arm he wore a golden spaulder and a golden forearm guard. A quiver of arrows was attached to his back. He carried a bow which was loaded with a strange arrow.
"Did he use magic!? A Horde soldier used magic!?" asked the archer, steadying his aim. "Glimmer, did you-"
"I saw him, Bow, let's get ready for the worst!" she said upon summoning dual bolts of glittering pink energy to her hands.
"Wait," Naruto said with a hand up, dispelling his magic arms. "Glimmer? Princess of Bright Moon? Queen Angella's daughter?"
"Commander of the Resistance and the one who'll show you real magic," she replied while observing the forest for any chance Adora or Catra could show up. Then, she turned to her ally, "Bow, be sure those two girls don't come any closer. If we catch this guy and bring him to the castle, we can know a lot about the Horde."
"Question him about how he learned magic is a good start," he added while twirling his arrow and the string of his bow for a trick shot.
Grinning back, Naruto punched his palm, extended both hands to the sides as he formed magical circles, and readied himself, "I'm flattered you want to take the trouble of taking me home, Your Highness." Sparks erupted from his fingertips, creating small fireballs, "Allow me to invite you to the Horde as I'll make sure to entertain you!"
Suddenly, with a very loud "Boom!" Naruto was launched back by his own fire magic! Both Bright Moon warriors saw him plummet to the floor and land in a heap of smoky limbs.
Bow was beyond baffled, "Did he just...blow himself up?"
Glimmer beamed and raced forward to find him, "Anticlimactic, but I'll take it!"
Coughing weakly, Naruto got up on one knee, waving the smoke off his body, "Alright, almost got it..." he wheezed out, then winced when Glimmer appeared before him with a fist reared back, "Oh no, you don't!" he exclaimed and threw a palm forward, his finger already making a circle to blast the girl with wind!
Gales pushed her back, forcing Glimmer to put up her arms to guard herself, "W-whoa!" she yelped once she was flung back towards her friend.
"Got'cha!" Bow exclaimed as he extended an arm, using the other to grab onto a tree while Glimmer was swung up and down like a kite.
Once the wind stopped, Naruto got to work quickly as he formed a larger circle with both index fingers, "Elemental magic means you have to take from mature!" Glimmer stated, glad her feet were firmly on solid ground to aim her hands at the boy and fire a pink energy ball! "A princess doesn't need to do so as long as she's connected to her Runestone!"
"I know!" Naruto shouted back with a large smile, clearly having a blast. Pulling back both elbows with his wrists at his waist, he gathered magic to his hands, "It's why I'm enjoying this fight!" he slammed his palms on the magical circle, spinning the left clockwise and the right counterclockwise, "Element of Wind: Twin Dragons!"
Bursting from his fingers, two tornadoes clashed against each other as they flew at the duo before him! Wind tore through soil, trees and anything in between him and the Bright Moon soldiers. He was so happy a sliver of victory reached his lips... Until he saw a pink flash! Overcome with realization upon the disappearance of his two opponents, he turned and immediately cast yet another magical circle.
"Now!" Bow exclaimed upon firing an arrow, which upon hitting the circle popped a large net.
"Like that'd work!" Naruto shot back and made a chopping motion with his hand, slicing the net in two with a sharp wind blade!
However, he wasn't fast enough for the next surprise, "This will!" shouted Glimmer as she tackled him to the ground, pinning the boy to the ground after hugging his waist. Naruto and Glimmer blushed when she slipped her hands down to grab a hold of his thighs, then the knees and pull up to make him fall, "Don't you dare move a finger, literally!"
Straddling his waist, holding his wrists and pressing her small yet firm baps on his lean chest would've made him easily comply in any other situation, "How about I do something stupid again?" he asked with a grin and his right foot drawing a circle on the floor, "Hold on tight."
"What are y-" Glimmer's question was cut short when yet another pillar shot up from under her, sending both princess and sorcerer to the sky, "Oh come on, not again!" she exclaimed while trying to keep Naruto under control, which he was enjoying in more than one way.
"Better decide if you want to let me go or no soon, Your Highness!" he told her with a wide smirk. "We passed the trees a while ago, and we're still going up!"
True to his word, they were high above the tallest tree, "Like I'd let you go!"
Grinning nonchalantly, he had to make at least one quip, "Unluckily for you, I'd only let two girls say that and get away with it." Then, he boldly closed the gap, "Lucky for you, you're really cute."
With a daredevil's smile, he leaned up and kissed the princess fully on the lips! Glimmer's eyes nearly popped out of their sockets as her face became a brighter, darker shade of pink than her magical energy from the soft, warm and surprisingly tender feeling on her flesh. Once her grip loosened, Naruto used a hand to cast a circle under him and the princess, followed by another. As the two descended, he kept creating more and more circles, using wind magic to slow down their fall. Not once did he break lip-contact, though.
Paralyzed beyond words, truly stunned by her first kiss being so casually stolen, Glimmer didn't notice the soft landing until Naruto pulled back, "You..." she whispered meekly. Realizing what he had done, she glared at him with eyes which promised the worst torture beyond any death, "You. Will. PAY!"
Death was coming for him, "And here I thought only Adora could look cute when mad." Shadow Weaver felt the need to slap her forehead and question her abilities as a teacher all of a sudden.
His hand slipped out from her pin, silently tracing its fingers over the solid earth below him. It pulsed briefly, vibrations extending out, allowing for someone he had sensed earlier following them to locate them with ease. Bracing himself since he knew his own physical weakness better than anyone, he reached out with his spare hand.
And tickled Glimmer's side, "Ah!" Her face twitched, she tried to hold it together but she was extremely ticklish.
"Coochie coo, I've got you~!" he upped the ante, and she flashed back off of him, allowing for him to stand up. Her face was red and it was clear by her shaking shoulders that she was fighting off of a major case of the giggles.
Stuttering and trying her best to regain control over herself, her composure not helped by her beet red blush of exertion, "Snkrt, he-h…AHEM! Y-hehe-you jerk!"
He responded to her giggling by laughing, slapping his knee as hard as he could, which reminded him via a flinch was a very bad idea, "Hahahah! A ticklish princess, do you think I could beat you with little more than a feather and some rope?"
"That's it! I'll kill you so hard you'll wish I hadn't killed you so hard!" Glimmer said, sparking up with pink energy and a furious cast to her eyes. Naruto blinked lazily at her before he shook his head. She realized too late how weak her threat was and felt like the ground should swallow her up.
He accentuated her embarrassment at the poor threat by shrugging in addition to it, "Wow. Just…wow. Very well done, Blinky." He said with a slow clap, her face burning a deeper beet red.
"I-I'll make you pay for that kiss! That was my first kiss, you Horde jerk!" Glimmer told him, trying to regain control of the situation as best as she could.
She flashed towards him when she had enough of his mockery; twin bolts of light readied in her hands. They were sent forward in a stream of stinging blasts, all of which Naruto dodged by tracing a circle against a tree. Wood pillars burst out of the tree, fox heads on the end of them and blocking the worst of her attacks.
"Not bad, but not good enough, Blinky!" he mocked her, hovering back with his arms crossed tauntingly, "Now, let's see your moves!" His fingers traced more circles as Glimmer teleported after him, throwing bolt after bolt with all of her power.
Each time she threw one, wood pillars chased after her and blocked her attacks, "Stop running like a coward and fight!"
"There's only one woman whose wrath I'd fear, and you're too short and bright to compare," he twirled, his body going upside down with both legs crossed. Suddenly, an arrow shot past his head! "What?"
He traced the arrow's path in bemusement, moments before he noticed that there was a thin zipline attached to it. Eyes widening, he frantically righted himself with his wrist rotating as fast as it could. A cushion of air blanketed him but only slightly from what happened next. Bow flew towards him on a zipline, his bow held in both hands and slapping the Horde mage out of the air as casually as one might slap a fly.
Hitting the ground and skidding back on his feet, Naruto dug his fingers into the ground, cursing as they dug rivets up and got his nails dirty, "We can also play a little dirty." The archer told him.
When the young sorcerer had finally stopped skidding back, he whispered to himself dangerously, "Okay. Two can play at this, Blinky." Naruto clapped both hands together, pushing them forward as a much larger circle appeared in front of him. He used both of his index fingers to trace along its path, and the air grew heavy for a brief moment as the mage grinned cheekily.
"What's he doing!?" Bow asked in worry.
"I don't know, but-"
Glimmer's warning was cut short by Naruto, "Tada~!" he said, performing jazz hands, mocking them.
"You're dead!" Glimmer replied snappishly.
Shrugging at her anger, the mage scratched his cheek. Each of the them stepped forward, Naruto only grinning further. Nothing happened for a brief second, confusing Glimmer and her friend. All they had as a warning was a brief rumble under their feet, then the next thing they knew it collapsed! A sinkhole had emerged below them, trapping them several feet below him, Naruto laughing at their upset expressions.
"Not so high and mighty now, haha! Man, I've always wanted to use that pun!" he snickered, hands on his hips with prde on his face.
"Bow, I'm about to get dangerous." Glimmer let loose a sharp inhale from her nose, Bow wisely grabbing his weapon and notching an arrow with a grappling hook attached to it.
Out of instinct, upon seeing her disappear, Naruto shot his arm behind his back, tracing a circle as a barrier sprang out from. Glimmer bounced off of a hexagonal shaped shield that emerged, the foxy mage tilting his head back mockingly. Somehow folding his arms to further his looking down on her.
"Did you really think it'd be that easy to strike me from the back!?" Glimmer rubbed her face, which had turned a darker red from her full face-plant.
A tick mark popped over her head in frustration, "Who is paranoid enough to want to put a barrier on the back of their neck!?" she asked him
His dead-eyed stare froze her for a brief second as he told her after a brief sigh, "A soldier who knows what a dirty promotion looks like. Kill the guy above you and take his place. Depressingly common." He explained as he walked towards her, tracing the air with a finger and pulling forth a glowing ball of magic that he patted down until it was smaller and more compact. "And now, I'll show you what a dirty trick looks li-"
Before he could throw it forward, the ground erupted, rubble flying upwards as Scorpia catapulted herself out of the earth and landed onto the forest floor. She had a pair of goggles on, and a face mask she pulled down, whatever she was about to say was interrupted when she spat several chunks of rock out.
Coughing for a few seconds, she utterly defused the violent tension in the air as she continued hacking up dirt chunks until she was brushing her tongue off on her claws, "H-hold on just a s-secoaagk! Acgk! Okay, okay, digging through the earth isn't as easy when it's not naturally dry… Why couldn't I have been born a mole?" she asked herself.
Flexing a claw carefully, she pulled out a canteen and her tail shot up as if it was a third arm. The stinger pointed up, seeming to act like a finger so she could take a second. In response to this, Glimmer facepalmed and tapped her foot anxiously, Bow notching an arrow while waiting for Scorpia to finish what she was doing. She took a swig of water, swishing it in her mouth several times, then discreetly spat behind her body.
"I must give her points for effort," Naruto commented holding his chin, then grimaced. "The mistress is gonna be pissed..."
Scorpia waved happily at them, "Oh, hi guys! What's going on? I just followed you and I see you've been having a lot of fun! Two on one is a bit unfair, so I decided to try and get here faster after parking my skimmer. Turns out that digging in the forest isn't easy. Even with my goggles and mask, they did nothing to stop the dirt getting in! Crazy, right?" she asked with her usual level of disarming warmth.
"What the heck is going on!?" Glimmer couldn't believe this, Horde soldiers were popping up out of the woodwork, and she was starting to get progressively more nervous about being surrounded.
Scorpia pulled up her goggles, and flexing her arms slowly, muscle rippled and bulged enticingly, "I'm here to save Naruto! Or at least back him up, you ready to go?"
Swallowing, Bow looked at Glimmer who clenched her jaw tightly, "Glimmer, I don't want to say we should run but maybe we should call your mom…"
Her head jolted up, Glimmer flashing Bow an affronted expression, "And let them just get away!? No! We're taking them down, right here, right now! We have to arrest them! They might be valuable to the Horde!"
Naruto rolled his eyes at her stubbornness, muttering to himself with a groan, "I doubt that anyone except our friends and Shadow Weaver would care all that much."
"Get away from him!" A loud feminine shout broke the tense standoff.
Rushing through the forest on all fours, Catra leapt from tree to tree in a red and brown blur. When she had reached peak velocity, she propelled herself into a diving jump-kick straight into the archer! Her powerful kick sent Bow hurtling back when her clawed foot fully impacted his chest. Using the momentum and their fleeting connection to lift up into a flip-kick, the guillotine sharp motion of said kick split his armor down into pieces and cut his chest. Blood sprayed out in a jet, thankfully for him the scarring and cuts were only superficial.
Groaning, he got up with a painful gasp, Glimmer seeming to freeze up at the sight of blood. His blood, Catra noticing this hesitation and burst out a mocking laugh, "Seriously!? First time seeing blood? How are you princesses even stopping us?" She asked cruelly, flicking her leg out and getting the blood off her foot.
Naruto clenched his fist, his expression one of victory as Glimmer shook her head from side to side, trying to refocus herself, "It seems princesses don't train or learn how to properly be at war, or she's too pampered and this is her first..." The foxy mage was about to continue until he realized something important, "Wait. Where's Adora?"
He looked at Catra who held up her hand. Three fingers were out, one dropped, then the second, and finally the third. Metal scraping against the ground could be heard, forcing them to turn around. Adora was practically running as fast as she could holding a mighty sword in her hands!
Glimmer panicked, recognizing the blade, "Where did you get that!?" Adora ignored the question and with a lugged motion sent dirt flying up and scattering into all over their bodies.
"She found that sword and hasn't let it drop since." Catra told them. grinning nastily when she realized that Glimmer was afraid of Adora having the blade.
A few minutes had passed since they were separated.
During that time, Catra and Adora were in a different part of the forest.
Hissing to herself, Catra's hair was on edge along with her tail, "Adora! C'mon, we've got to get going! And…hey?" she looked at the sword that was embedded in front of them, something that Adora hadn't taken her eyes off ever since she had come across it. "Adora? Fright Zone to Adora?"
The feline fighter snapped her fingers in front of Adora who continued staring blankly at the sword. Waving a hand in front of the blonde, Catra twisted her head to the sword and affected the same stunned expression Adora had on her face. She continued holding this expression for at least five seconds before she got bored.
Holding her hand out, she turned it to the side and slapped Adora across the back of the head painfully, "OW! C-Catra!? What was that for!?" Adora was snapped back to reality as Catra shook her head out, "I-I was just looking at the sword, sorry."
"Pick it up and let's get back to Naruto, then, it's just sitting there for the taking, right?" Catra asked the blonde, rolling her eyes as Adora hesitantly looked around the forest before she pulled the sword up and out of the ground without much ceremony.
A brief golden blast of light flew into the air, startling Catra so badly she flew up into the branches of a tree, landing down when she realized what had happened.
Adora had collapsed...
-TBC-
And that's my rap!
Sorry for the cliffhanger. Hope you enjoyed this and what it entails for the next chapter, which I hope to have out in a shorter amount of time than this. Also, I hope I mentally scarred you with the idea of what Shadow Weaver had Naruto do at the start of this chapter.
Before you ask... Yes, the reason Naruto has zero physical abilities is so princesses easily pin him down. Joking, really, although that joke between me and The Lord Of Pages gave me the idea of him relying only on magic.
Swordslinger out!