I OWN NOTHING
Alright, I watched season 5, saw the retconning they did and thus adjusted a few things I had planned which are salvageable.
-0-
"Comfy as I am, can I get some water to make this trip more pleasant?"
Captured in the middle of the Whispering Woods, Naruto was still inside a magical energy net and suspended inside a purple ball of wind. Impressive as it was, he tried to do what he did best, to annoy someone to the breaking point. Sure, it didn't work on the likes of Adora or Shadow Weaver, but it was fun. Also, Netossa was a fun target, although not as much as Glimmer. Spinnerella would be a challenge for later, but the blue princess was twitching every time the blond spoke. Her right eyelid trembled and each nerve in her body was buzzing in desire to crush him. Fortunately for him, her companion was there.
"Deep breaths, darling," Spinnerella told her fellow princess.
"So, you two are together, huh?" Naruto asked with a sickeningly sweet smile and tone. "Both of you are quite the adorable pair, really."
"Why thank you!" the plump woman beamed with the warmest of smile. A wave of her hand levitated him to put his face inches from hers, "Keep honestly, sincerely and wholeheartedly sweet-talking us and I will make this trip a little more bearable for you." The way she said it so nicely and full of love for life and the close-eyed motherly smile promising fully guaranteed suffering told him who was in charge, "Can you wait a little more until we get you some water?"
"Okay, wow..." he said nervously. Then, he turned to Netossa, "I don't know whether to admire you or pity you. For a moment I got scared."
"Just for a moment?" the blue princess asked with a satisfied expression.
Inwardly grunting at being found, the sorcerer tried to save face, "Yes, I think you two are stealing my heart easier this way. Spinny here is winning that competition, though."
Results went as expected, "That's it!" Netossa roared and clenched a fist. "Nobody calls her Spinny but me, you spiky-haired pain in the-"
"Darling, you're giving him what he wants," Spinnerella soothed her spouse, rubbing her back softly while holding her close.
"Let me relish in it a bit more," he said playfully, shutting his eyes in bliss. "Ah, okay, yeah, I'm good now."
Turning to the chunkiest of the princesses, Netossa looked at her with barely restrained fury, "Spinnerella, baby, let me hit him once and make it hurt."
"No need, we're nearing the castle," the purple woman said softly, patting the other's head. "Angella will make him regret everything."
"Oh, I know she wishes the worst for me and am prepared for it," the whiskered boy replied with a slightly nervous chuckle. Then, he mumbled to himself, "Girls, please tell me you didn't piss her off too much. I'm good, but not good enough for this lady..." he had to speak to get rid of his nerves, knowing that he had to put on the best act of his life.
"Princess Netossa and Princess Spinnerella, it's an honor!" a guard exclaimed as she ran to them, holding her spear tighter when seeing the prisoner. "Please, be careful! This boy... No, this man is responsible for all our troubles from last night! You can't take your eye off him or he-" she cut herself off when a shadow loomed over her, followed by the footsteps of many other soldiers, "M-My queen!"
"Calm down," Angella narrowed her eyes at Naruto, who could only smile back. She clasped her hands, intertwining her hardly clenched fingers, "You have a lot of nerve being here..."
"I-" Naruto was slapped quite hard, leaving a red mark on his face. Once he stopped being stunned, he shook his head and spoke up, "I... deserved that." And he was promptly slapped again, "Ow... Okay, maybe the first one wasn't enough, I get it..." and then, he was backhanded, exasperating him, "Oh come on, at least talk!"
Angella blew her lid, "The first one was for tricking us for a selfish experiment of yours, the second one for endangering everyone here and the third one for showing up after your friends kidnapped my only child!" she glared at the boy trapped in the wind bubble and reached her breaking point and fighting back the tears in her eyes, "Give her back, you degenerate son of a-"
"Whoa, simmer down, Angie!" Netossa told the queen, standing between her and the blond. "Believe me, I want to smack him as hard as you, but he can get us to Glimmy!"
"It's another dirty trick of his!" the queen roared.
"Angella, please," Spinnerella spoke soothingly. "Despite his attitude, I do believe there is some good in him. This bizarre sorcerer cared enough for his allies to send them safely away from a ship he crashed just to stop us from capturing them. And even then, he protected us from harm. Sure, I can tell he is plotting something nefarious, but he wasn't lying when saying he wants his friend back."
"I...I see..." the queen finally relented, albeit reluctantly. "If you say so, Spinnerella, I shall trust you."
"Wait, really?" the blond broke the tension.
"Using the wind to feel vibrations I can tell when someone's lying," Spinnerella said with a sweet, innocent smile. "It makes playing cards easy when you can call someone's bluff."
Blinking first, the blond decided to be blunt, "...is it wrong to say I'm both terrified and oddly attracted to- oof!"
Netossa put a halt to his words by elbowing his gut, "Focus on finding Glimmer before we make you regret having that mouth more than I will now!"
"...why do you make it so easy...?" he wheezed under his breath, then smirked weakly – Netossa had quite an arm – and said, "Will a kiss make it better?"
"Dear sorcerer..." Spinnerella started with the ultimate of all motherly smiles promising doom upon grabbing him by the lapels of his jacket. She pulled him close with their faces inches from each other's without a sign of her putting effort into her grin, "Let us get to the point. Please. Before we lose our patience."
Deciding it was best not to get hit again, Naruto chortled, "Alright, I can track your princess!" he exclaimed cheekily, "Simple spell, really, but I can get to them easier than any search party." The spell caster turned to the queen and decided to rile her up a bit, "Once we find them, we can continue our previous conversation, Your Highness."
"You are deserving of my scorn and hatred, Naruto of the Horde..." the woman snarled, clenching a fist. "However, do know that if anything happens to my daughter, you will never rest. And let me repeat that in a manner you can understand..." her voice chilled the air around them. "No night shall allow you pleasant dreams to escape what I shall do to you should my child be harmed. If any hair of hers is out of place, none of the pain and suffering from existence shall compare to what you will go through. You have my word that I will find a way to make your punishment truly everlasting."
In response to that, Naruto blinked owlishly, which had the already predictable effect of irritating Netossa, "Hey, what's with the silence now!?"
After her outburst, he shook his head and decided to be honest, cheeks flushed, "Uh, wow... I can now see how you got your husband. Why do the intimidating ones get to me? Is it like a kink or fetish of mine? Was the mistress responsible for it?" when he fell victim to Catra's heat, he was both terrified and aroused, and when Adora got into it things were even better, also Shadow Weaver still had it going...
All three females stood back, "I shall gather troops." Spinnerella said, not daring look at anyone and reveal an uncomfortable blush.
-0-
Far off, the munchkin trio had been given orders.
"That insufferable whiskered pain in the cooch!" Lonnie yelled and kicked a small rock into the nearest tree, following behind Kyle and Rogelio. "Oh no, he had to let us go ahead and into a dangerous place filled to the brim with these bugs the same size as us! And thanks to him we're lost, have to find Catra of all people, and have no way back home because that cloud of smoke is definitely coming from our ship!"
"Hiss?" Rogelio asked, pulling his extendable staff out of the remains of a giant beetle's head.
"Yeah, I think I got it out of my system..." Lonnie answered, panting a bit. Then, she looked at one of the bugs twitching and snapped, "No, wait, let me kill this!"
While she roared out profanities and stomped the bug to death, Kyle holstered a small handgun and then inspected the pad, dusting green guts from his shoulder, "I'm going to need a bath..." he groaned, shuddering as the guts twitched. "Ugh, make that three, but this device still works. Seems Naruto threw us in the right direction at least."
"...and shove all of it right up your ass until you puke!" Lonnie finished stomping the head of the human-sized bug into a green puddle before sighing in relief. "Okay, I'm calm now. Where to?"
"Seems there are two readings, one is moving and seems a bit small but there's a stationary one which seems to be, um, beating?" the blond explained, gaining confused looks. He fretted and tried to explain, "I'm serious! It does beat, like a heart. I, uh, don't have another way to explain it. Other than it seems to attract the small signal."
"Meaning Adora is on the move, as we are right now," Lonnie told him, taking charge by leading the other two senior cadets.
"Or...the sword Naruto talked about is guiding her," Kyle suggested. "Naruto did say-"
"Kyle, listen, he is keeping something to himself and you know it," Lonnie snarled. Crossing her arms, she kept walking without waiting for the other two to follow her, "He's always had that fake smile which only comes off when he's with Catra and Adora, and even then, he still uses it with them when he wants something. Every damn time, he plays the cheerful, nonchalant guy act to hide something."
Rogelio gave a soft, questioning hiss.
"Of course, I want to find them, or at the very least Adora and captain Scorpia," Lonnie told him. "I'm not okay with taking part in that blabbermouth's games, but orders are orders and Lord Hordak gave him all the authority he needs to be an even bigger punt to my c-"
"Please, let's focus on our mission and then we can forget this," Kyle pleaded, to which the braided girl huffed but agreed reluctantly and silently.
"Grraaaahhhh..." Rogelio told her, making her turn to see him pointing somewhere.
"Yeah, that's a good idea..." Kyle replied.
Not too far off, someone had a different opinion, "Yeah, this is a bad idea..." Adora groaned in the middle of a clearing.
"Do you say that because we're at a dead end?" Glimmer smugly quipped still in Scorpia's arms. "Or because we had to swim all the way carrying poor me only to find a dead end? Or is it the chase we endured in my castle that guided us to a dead-"
"Keep talking and the only dead thing will be your tongue," Catra snarled.
Looking at what they had in front of them, Scorpia asked, "These ruins seem like, um, what was the name? First Ones? Yeah, they're from the First Ones?"
"Really?" Catra arched an eyebrow. "Couldn't they come up with a more pretentious name?"
"I was told about them by my grandpa," Scorpia beamed. "He talked about them in a very negative light, though. Said they were, and to quote him, using smiles as the masks of cunning pests. Um, pardon my use of language there, please."
"Sounds like someone our Whiskers would butt heads with," Catra chortled, then sighed. "Anyway, we need a plan. He's possibly improvising his way to us, the queen is definitely plotting her way to get our heads, a hunch tells me Shadow Weaver will cut off mine, and there's this big stupid crystal triangle."
Exactly as she said, there was a large, sparkling white structure reminiscent of a crystal. It had intricate runes resembling constellations and pictures which were hard to make out with the vegetation covering it. At least either thousands or hundreds of years had to have passed for it to be so abandoned. Despite everything, Adora had been guided to it and she was trying to make heads or tails of the thing. While her friend, a certain hostage and the friendliest soldier ever talked, she examined it. Passing a hand over some moss, she made out more runes, which started to seem like words.
"E... Ter... Ni...A..." she whispered.
"What?" Glimmer asked in shock. "How do you know that name?"
"It says here, Eternia," Adora repeated a little louder.
Without any warning, the runes and symbols on the door began to glow, coming to life as if on command by the mysterious password. The four watched in amazement as the door split apart from all sides rather than one way or the other, providing the sanctuary the three Horde Soldiers finally needed.
"It's...like they're inviting us in?" Scorpia said in awe.
"Us or Adora?" Catra asked cautiously.
"It's our best spot to hide should anyone come," Adora told them.
After a brief pause to gather their bearings and catch their breath, Catra pulled out a simple glowstick from her pouch. She illuminated a small space of the pitch-black ruin, letting them in a room with crystals strewn across here and there. There were more mysterious writings along the wall and floors, though they paid it no mind. Glimmer felt tempted to ask what was going on, but couldn't. What could she even ask.
"So, what exactly are these ruins to you?" Catra asked, breaking the silence.
"I would love to know," Adora replied. "I just looked at the writing on the door and the word just came to me."
Glimmer finally got to practice sarcasm, "Then you Horde soldiers have a class for a language no one's spoken in a thousand years to open an ancient ruin many of our best scholars are still studying."
"Listen, you saw what just happened, so zip it," Catra snarled. "Scorpia, can't you sting her mouth? It may have a more permanent way of shutting her up."
"No, I don't want to sting such cute cheeks," Scorpia cooed, holding the princess close. "I think I've grown fond of her. Don't you?"
"You're kidnapping me!" Glimmer snapped.
"Let's think on a bigger picture," Adora told her friend. "If these First Ones left technology like this, there is no telling what other sort of powerful objects is hidden across Etheria. It's more than likely they are behind this sword. Now, the question is, what happened to them?"
"No one knows," Glimmer answered. "They just disappeared, and I'm glad they did so they didn't have to see you."
"Can you seriously not shut her up?" Catra asked the buff Force Captain.
"It'll take forever and a day to find a way out if you all keep arguing, so don't let her get to you," Adora told her.
"Hey, I think I see an exit," Scorpia said, trying to be helpful and defuse the incoming argument.
Before them was the end of the hall they went in. After entering the darkness of the unknown, they found a large glass picture stretching across the wall to nearly the ceiling itself embedded in a large sturdy stand. It depicted a young female warrior, a princess perhaps. However, what she had in her hands shocked the girls. Adora's sword, and if it wasn't then it was too similar to not be a coincidence!
"Hey, that's your new sword!" Catra exclaimed as she stepped forward. She then turned to Adora, "Do you know what the inscriptions say?"
Looking intensely at it, the girl tilted her head in the end, "It says... She-Ra."
All at once, light stretched across all the inscriptions. Just like with the door, the phrase appeared to bring the room to life as light danced across the long hallways and the mural. Everyone watched as the ruins of the First Ones sprang to life, tranced as they watched with amazement at the wondrous light show displaying before them. Glimmer stared in awe at Adora, unable to believe what she saw.
"No way..." the princess whispered.
Suddenly, a full-sized image of a person popped up from the ground, causing the group to jump with fright along with Catra's tail. It was humanoid with blue skin, dead eyes and chiseled features. Female by design and yet lifeless. Everyone took a stance, Scorpia protecting Glimmer with her body, as the figure turned to them. It seemed to pause for a moment, analyzing the intruders. Before long, its eyes fell on the sword.
"Greetings, new She-Ra," it said. "It appears the previous She-Ra has been unable to fulfill her duties. I shall now instruct you on-"
"Hold it!" Catra snarled, her claws ready for battle. "Who are you giving us orders?! And who's this She-Ra?!"
"The classified being who has been chosen as She-Ra is the individual currently holding her blade, becoming the Princess of Power."
Catra's ears went flat against her skull, feeling if the world had shifted out from underneath her. Everything in her life had been stable. Certain until that moment. She walked forward, her claws out and glittering as she threatened the strange entity in front of them. Given who she was, Adora wasn't surprised that the feline warrior was the one to deny it first.
"That's impossible. Adora isn't- No! She's not a princess, you're lying, or making something up to trick us! Tell me you're lying or I'll-"
However, the entity didn't work on emotions, "This outburst is highly illogical. I am speaking only the truth."
Catra took a step back, her pupils widened before she shook her head, "No. That's not true. I've known Adora all my life and she's never been a chosen one! Just my friend and Naruto's to-"
The entity interrupted her mid-outburst by forcefully speaking over the cat-girl who simply clenched one fist so tight it threatened to bleed her, "That is irrelevant. She is She-Ra now."
Adora spoke up, looking anxious as she held the sword in her hands, "Wait, wait, wait. This is some huge epic destiny thing, right? N-no way I could be the one chosen for it!"
Shaking her head slowly, the entity said forcefully, "That is incorrect. You are She-Ra. You have been chosen."
Catra scratched at her head, refusing to believe a word of this babble. Finally, after having and hearing enough, she shouted, her tone deeply confrontational and suspicious.
"SHUT UP! Just shut up! This is just insane. Adora, we need to take that sword and bury it!" Catra was close to losing it, but she had an angle to work despite her emotional outburst, "Look. I know I'm acting crazy right now. But I've got a good reason to be suspicious of that thing, talking magic swords are suspect as hell! What if it's a Princess weapon? Trust me Adora."
The entity didn't respond for a second or two, until it said at last after contemplating what was just said, "This is highly illogical. Do not listen to her emotional appeal. She is simply using her past history with you to influence your opinion."
Adora narrowed her eyes, whispering to herself, "Okay, fair point on both sides. Compromise time." She took the sword in one hand, and with the other took off her Horde Jacket. Wrapping the sword up, the entity tried to speak but was promptly ignored by Adora who spoke over it, "This isn't up for debate, I don't trust you. Until I understand what's going on, I'm going with the person who I can trust for certain. Catra, let's go. Scorpia, can you keep a claw on the Princess?"
The Entity didn't seem to speak after that, "This is not logical. Adora, you will assuredly have need of my information about the Sword of She-Ra."
Adora spun the wrapped sword and pointed its covered tip at the figure, "I'm sorry, but even if it seems illogical, I would never listen to someone I just met over Catra or my friends." She tossed the sword in the air, catching it with her fist and letting it slide into place at her side, "You could show me the 'truth' about what I'm fighting against, and I'd still pick those who loved me first They believe in me first, but if I really am… She-Ra. I will be her in my own way."
Catra's eyes glinted, glowing in interest as the entity seemed to distort from some sort of computing problem, "Error. Error. Error. This is unaccept-"
The holographic projection disappeared before she could complete her sentence. Perhaps that was because Scorpia had stomped on the ground by accident and caused it to rumble ominously. The sounds of strange beasts around them served as grim reminders that they were not safe.
"Umm… Right! Let's go." Scorpia suggested, trying to act cheerful and not just nervous.
"No, we can't just go!" Glimmer finally spoke, her mind finally rebooting after processing all that happened. The shock was enough to allow her to lift an arm and point with it, "You're She-Ra! Defender of this planet and its people! And you're with Hordak?! Did he brainwash you, kidnap you since birth knowing all this to make sure you'd be his most loyal and useful weapon as well as ensure you'd never be a threat to him?!"
"Um, no, he barely acknowledges I exist other than when Shadow Weaver's praises me," the girl said before slapping her forehead. "What are we doing wasting time?!"
Catra felt her neck fur stand up, "Oh, it wouldn't have mattered if we ran. We were surrounded from the start."
Looking from side to side, the girls found themselves circled by gigantic mechanical spiders. Jaws of glistening steel gnashed while crimson eyes looked into their souls. Catra got on all fours and bared her teeth, an act a lioness would find intimidating. Scorpia kindly placed Glimmer behind all of them and readied her pincers in a boxing stance. Adora, with no other choice after declaring her distrust of the strange prophecy, reached into a back pouch and pulled out a collapsible staff. Despite her paralysis, the princess brought up an arm to ready a magical bolt.
"Ready?" the blonde asked her friends.
"Do we have a choice?" Glimmer asked dryly.
-0-
During his trip with the queen's guards and trusted allies, Naruto recalled a memory he didn't think on too much. In it, a twelve-year-old him whose cheeks Adora and Catra loved pinching stared at a text long and hard with a furrowed brow before turning to who most kids at the Fright Zone considered a nightmare. Shadow Weaver was in her private chambers, seated on her bed and waited for him to finish reading. Gulping, the nervous pupil of the witch approached her. The air felt tense as he readied a magical circle in his left palm, creating runes he added to it.
"Don't worry, dear child," she said, caressing his cheek with a soft coo. "I know you can heal these scars of mine."
Swallowing a lump in his throat, he looked at his palm and the healing scribbles on it, "It may not be permanent with your condition, mistress..."
Leaning down, she held his chin in her middle and index finger and took off her mask, showing her heavily scarred face and a kind, motherly smile, "It'll be good enough. Remember, Naruto, you are here because you and Adora shall do great things. Everything here can be yours. In due time, I shall be at your side to guide you as ruler. For now, please, aid me with this pain."
Kissing his forehead tenderly, the witch ruffled his hair and sat up, "Okay, but you promised you won't bully Catra."
Anger flashed in her eyes, but after clenching her teeth and closing them, Shadow Weaver sighed, "I shall keep it down. As long as that wretched feline doesn't misbehave."
Nodding as he had yet to learn what some of those words meant due to his age, Naruto placed his palm on the woman's cheek. Suddenly gray skin began to merge together, reforming scar tissue into clean, healthy flesh. Gone were the marks of her mistakes, showing a mature face which possessed a mature yet sly appeal. For that moment, the boy thought she was a new person. Once it was all done, Shadow Weaver turned to a mirror and smiled at her reflection, caressing flawless skin. Then, to her apprentice's shock, she stood up and her robes fell off.
"M-Mistress...?" he squeaked nervously, never before seeing a nude woman.
Smiling at her reflection, the witch cupper her firm breasts and slid her hands down, "Great job, my child. Truly, you are as resourceful as Adora shall be great. Together you two shall bring many wonders for me."
Blushing, the boy felt his mouth dry up, "I... I know. Um, you..."
"Don't worry about it, boy," she cooed and with a flick of her wrist her clothes were back on. Holding his face, she rubbed his cheeks, "Once you've matured some more, you will be an ideal partner for many girls and women. Any child you sire shall be a true apex of magic and prowess."
"Thanks... I guess..." he muttered embarrassedly.
"Just know one thing, Naruto," she cooed and held his shoulders, bringing him into an embrace. "You and Adora are perfection incarnate. My body is ageless thanks to the power I obtained through a ritual which left me these scars. I cannot die old and senile, but you... You could have that and more. I'll make sure you're the one to rule all with Adora at your side..."
Back in reality, a voice in his head groaned, "You're not thinking about that crazy witch, are you?"
Blinking, Naruto finally returned to reality, carried by four guards with his hands and feet tied up by Netossa's magic, Spinnerella close to him to prevent escape, and Angella nowhere in sight. Part of him was worried it was due to his blunt statement of preferences. Briefly chastising Shadow Weaver for messing him up and ingraining a rather worrying attachment to mature women, he tried to think. His fox friend was talking and he had to keep appearances. None could hear the nine-tailed beast but himself, but he needed to reply.
"Are we there yet?" he asked to break the silence. "I was having a dream, I think. Like this walk is so boring I actually took a nap without knowing. It involved this crazy but sexy bit-"
"Can you not keep your mouth shut for a single second?!" Netossa snapped, grabbing her partly shaven head.
"Sorry, I needed to get that out," he quipped with a relaxed grin. "No need to tear your head out more."
"Okay, that's it!" the blue princess turned. "We can find Glimmer on our own! I'm killing this-"
"Dear, you're letting him get to you easier," Spinnerella told her beloved.
"Hey, give me credit," Naruto boasted. "I had to keep myself from using that hair-tearing joke from coming out of my mouth sooner. It was so easy to use and so hard to not abuse."
"You're in no position to try anything," Spinnerella warned him.
"Right you are," Naruto smirked, then shifted his shoulders. "I think I'll get comfier."
Loud, sickening cracks were heard as the boy winced. His eyes teared up as he did something only an idiot would dare to. Yanking his own arm from his shoulder socket, he dislocated his limb to slid under the tight cocoon of magical wires. Falling on the floor, he noticed that the guards as well as the two princesses were ready to apprehend him. Quickly, he placed his still good arm on the floor, just as a spear was jabbed into his good shoulder, forcing him to cry out in pain. Nets flew and nailed his arm to the floor, even the wrist, but he didn't stop. Blood sipped from his wound, but he still moved his free hand's fingers in a circle.
"Oh no..." Netossa cried as she managed to lock his hand in time.
"Oh yes!" Naruto exclaimed as the ground opened, forming a pit where he and the Bright Moon soldiers fell.
"I hate his rotten guts!" Netossa yelled as she started to sink, but her beloved caught her wrist with both hands, using her wind powers to stay afloat with a miniature tornado under her feet.
Using his good arm, a leg and whatever poor strength he had in his many years of reading books and little to no combat or training, Naruto pulled himself up and faced the sky face up. Grinning and panting due to his little victory, he grimaced yet again once his dislocated limb throbbed in agonizing pain. Gritting his teeth, he quickly made a healing circle around his shoulder. Warmth and a sense of ease overcame him with a delighted sigh escaping his lips. He momentarily thanked Shadow Weaver teaching him to use such a spell singlehanded, even if it was to regain her beauty.
"I...I... wish I had a good line for that, but I feel that you'd kill me twice as hard," he said upon getting up to his feet.
"Like you have no idea," Netossa roared.
"You've gone too far," Spinnerella said in a calm tone akin to the eye of a hurricane, promising pain and destruction should he poke the edge. "Why trick us like that now of all times?"
"Because you have a friend to save, same as me," Naruto retorted and extended his arms to his sides. "However, we're enemies. Would you really give up the chance to take us as prisoners? This is war, ladies. I'm just trying to stay one step ahead. Isn't that right?"
"Freeze, d-don't move!" Netossa froze when the unfamiliar voice shouted and a gun was pressed at the back of her head.
Spinnerella gasped when a painful discharge of electricity coursed through her body, rendering her numb and limp on the floor. Naruto couldn't help but smile as despite Netossa's attempt to get to her love none other than Rogelio appeared and held her in place. Kyle, sighing in relief, holstered his pistol once his burly friend held the blue princess in place. Lonnie, on the other hand, walked to the sorcerer with that baton of hers ready to fry him. Obviously, Naruto knew not to push his luck with her in close quarters.
"Hi, glad to see you guys," he smiled cheerily, sweating as Lonnie kept approaching him until his back was against a tree and her baton an inch from his face. "No hard feelings, right?"
"Oh, you got a lot of nerve," Lonnie growled. "I should kill you, find a way to bring you back to life, and then kill you again for tossing us like some cannonball."
Faster than lightning, he tried to brighten the mood with his hands up, "You're safe, we rejoined right where I knew a path from Bright Moon would connect with yours to Adora's location, and we can rejoice! We also got two princesses for the price of one! All in a need-to-know basis, too! I mean, that's what a captain is like... Isn't it?"
"Hiss..." Rogelio said. "Grrraaaahhh..."
"He has a point," Kyle said. "You left us to our luck and we had to kill a lot of giant bugs to get here."
"Look on the bright side, we're all together and accomplishing the mission!" the sorcerer beamed with a squinty-eyed smile, looking more like a nervous fox than anything.
"Fine..." Lonnie said, turned... and immediately elbowed him in the gut, hard. She didn't look at him as he dropped on the floor, "Pull another stunt like that, and I get to pull another like this."
"Fair e-enough..." he wheezed as he lied on the grass. Her muscles weren't for show, "Oof... Kyle... I am starting to envy you now- Ah!"
Furiously blushing, Lonnie snapped, "What's that supposed to mean?!"
Rogelio sighed as his skinny friend sported a blush that matched the dusky-skinned girl's, "Can we, uh, focus on finding out friends?"
-0-
"This way!" Catra snarled as she ran on all fours down a hall, took a right on a corner and immediately rant to the other side, "Nope, this one!"
Her cry was followed by more of the mechanical spiders as Adora, Scorpia and the still wobbly Glimmer on the scorpion woman's arm followed her closely. Being in a situation with no sides and the main goal of all the girls present being survival, the princess took her slow recovery to shoot at the robots behind the ground. All the while, the feline girl bounced from wall to wall, running down corridors to find the exit and also avoid all the machines trying to kill them. Scorpia and Adora would stand their ground against any that blocked their path and pushed through along Catra.
"You know," Scorpia said mid-ducking under a swipe from a metallic arachnid's leg to deliver an uppercut which crushed its head. "We do make a good team despite being enemies."
Glimmer, currently under her other arm, grunted as she fired another bolt, "You're lucky I'm too weak to teleport back home or you'd be lost here."
"Enough!" Adora snapped, impaling one of the eight-legged automatons right in the center of its multiple eyes. "We can curse each other later, we have to find a way out!"
"Easier said than done!" Catra roared after jumping off a wall to snap the legs of another artificial enemy in two like twigs. "It's obvious that glowing lady is not running out of these creeps!"
"We have to keep moving!" Adora yelled, not ready to throw the towel in... just as the sword started to glow on her back.
Catra grew alarmed, "What now?!"
"I-I don't-" Adora's attempt at an answer was interrupted by Light Hope's voice blaring through the structure.
"Anomaly detected..." she said. "Calculating... Corrupted vessel nearby... Engaging defensive mechanisms. All systems, focus on stopping the approaching virus."
"What are you talking about?" Adora demanded. "What's this corrupted vessel? What virus are you referring to?"
"It's the one entity which shall never touch the Sword of Protection," Light Hope answered monotonously.
All three Horde girls felt chills as they realized who she meant, worry clear on their faces for him, "Naruto!"
"Do not worry, this entity you call Naruto shall not taint the Sword of Protection or the Runestones," added Light Hope. "Otherwise, it would spell doom for all and betrayal to the First Ones."
"Start making sense!" Adora yelled, fed up beyond reason. "He's my friend! He may be sketchy and all, but he's not someone who'd bring doom!"
"Error in logic," Light Hope told him. "Virus Naruto is an unstable life-form from a failed world... Remains of it and the works of the corrupted fake goddess must be purged."
"Oh no you don't!" Catra roared and ran after the robots with the others close behind.
During their escape and the revelation, Naruto approached the ruins, observing the place with an inquisitive stare. Behind him was Rogelio pulling the tied-up princesses behind himself with Kyle and Lonnie at the duo's sides. The captives could only glare weakly at the sorcerer who observed the ancient archeological marvel with curiosity. Given everything that happened, he couldn't help but whistle and walk to it, but with a cautious step. Everything involving the ancient magic of the planet and that sword of Adora's seemed to hate his existence.
"So, First Ones ruins, huh?" he asked to his captives, moving his left foot in a circle to conjure a seat for everyone out of the dirt. Motioning to his fellow soldiers to let the princesses sit down, he started, "So... Can either of you tell me how to enter this place? Or do I have to tickle you?"
Surprisingly, Spinnerella glared at him accusingly, "You wouldn't..."
"Oh, my dear princess, I've done worse," he replied before placing a hand on his head. "Ancient ruins, magical swords which gives my friend visions, the queen's Runestone which gave me visions... It all cannot be a huge coincidence. I want honest answers because somehow I'm supposed to aid a goddess from what I saw."
"Right, like I'd believe that from Horde scum," Netossa spat back. "You want to take over this world. Why should we believe you're not in it for yourself?"
Rubbing his temple with his hand's index and middle finger, the sorcerer smiled and shrugged, "Because I am in it for the world and myself?"
"Listen, Naruto," Spinnerella said at long last. "We know less than you about this place or the First Ones, let alone why they were here long before Hordak. Even if we wanted to save ourselves, we couldn't tell you anything. So, feel free to do your worst, because you just wasted your time capturing us for answers."
"Wrong, I still have great hostages to demoralize the Resistance, as you call yourselves," he retorted and sighed. "And... hey, am I the only one hearing that noise?"
"Beg pardon?" Spinnerella asked in confusion.
"Like..." Naruto held his head. "A cry from an animal or something... It's... Grr..."
Falling to his knees, he held his head with gritted teeth when a sharp jolt of pain shot through his brain. He refused to cry out and endured it as best he could... Until he passed out cold.
"What did you do to him?!" Kyle asked in horror.
"I only wished he shut up," Netossa answered. "If I knew I had the power, I'd have wished for Hordak to croak eons ago."
"Let's grab him and..." Lonnie started, but the ground shook. Readying her baton, she looked at the ground which split up to reveal a tunnel, "Now what?!"
Red eyes glared at them, especially at the unconscious sorcerer.
While everyone in the real world got ready for a fight, the whiskered boy could only try to comprehend the situation
"Dream place again..." Naruto said back in the village where he saw the red-haired woman and his blond lookalike. "Okay, no time to panic. Um... Hey, lady! You and your friend there?! Hello?! Could I actually get a warning before being summoned to this place?! If you can call me here, please do so at a reasonable time!"
"Danger..." said a new voice, forcing him to turn around and see Light Hope. "Virus detected... Purge starts now."
"Purge me?" he asked in shock, pointing at his face while the figure grew in size.
Enlarging herself to a gargantuan size, Light Hope became an enormous giant whose hand slipped into the dirt below Naruto's feet, pulling him up to look at him in the palm of her hand. He was like a doll ready to have its head plucked by her if she so wished. Gulping at the obvious disadvantage, the boy tried to think of anything that could help him. When in doubt and in danger, talking and stalling could help. However, he had a feeling the giant woman wouldn't listen... Still, better than getting squashed.
"Threat detected, preparing purge," she said coolly and moved her other hand to him.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa, wait!" he cried holding his hands up. "What do you mean threat or virus?!"
It didn't stop her, Light Hope easily held him in her hands as if she would squeeze him like a toothpaste tube, "Subject is of a lower quality... Blood of the First Ones detected... Virus shares genetic material with the corrupted vessel. Must be p-p-p-p..."
"Purged?" he asked, then squirmed. "Protected, maybe? Please tell me it's protected, lady!"
Suddenly, Light Hope's eyes glowed a deep blue with several symbols he thought he could recognize appeared. Images flashed in her empty eyes while her body twitched. Sparks of electricity flew around, creating a glitch in the woman's figure. Holding Naruto tightly, the giantess dropped to her knees while he squirmed in her palms. Looking at him directly, she started to stutter and what came from her mouth only made a confused sorcerer feel far more lost than ever before.
"Threat de-de-detected," she said, still holding him. "Subject is-is-is-is... Directive indicates First Ones must never be harmed! Virus is First One! V-V-V-Virus must be-be-be-be..."
Outside the realm of sleep, Naruto's body was limp on the floor as countless spider droids stopped their charge and froze in place.
It was that sight which Adora arrived to, and she had to ask in the most eloquent and reasonable of ways...
"What did we miss?"
-0-
And that's my rap!
Yes... the princesses are captured and the rescue mission was sort of a success. Everyone has questions that while you – the reader – and I may know the answers of, I want to build it up instead of pulling a rug under your feet and mocking you for not guessing my ideas. Again, I'm doing what you may as well have already guessed if you read books or watch movies like this.
I can only try to make it fun since I am not one of those pretentious Hollywood directors claiming to subvert expectations. That being said, I hope I managed to surprise you and that you're looking forward to quite a change since I may use canon as a guide but the story won't follow them to the letter.
Swordslinger out!