I OWN NOTHING

As you may have noticed, yes, we are following some of the threads of the original show but adding our own spin to flesh things out.

-0-

Four princesses and a swordsman found little relief on the Horde's retreat when their enemies showed how petty they could be. All five could only stare at the state of their resident lovers' ship, The Crescent. It had been a tactic of precaution or perhaps pettiness, but the ship had been blasted and sunk. Naruto and Glimmer looked in shock at the shore of the Leviathan Libraries while Mermista was as indifferent as ever.

"Son of a..." Netossa groaned and threw her head back, her hands scratching her half-shaven head in exasperation.

Spinnerella tried to soothe her with gentle pats on the back, "Calm down, dear, better for it to be an object than someone dear to us."

Such words failed, "When I find the one who did this, I'm shoving one of my net swords down his throat, pull the tip from the other end and floss him to death!" Netossa snapped as her hands gripped the air in an increasingly bloodthirsty need for strangling. Her right eye twitched as her bared teeth were clenched, "I know it was one of those six, and when I get my mitts on them, I shall-"

"Hey, you done?" Mermista asked with a hand on her hip, which she cocked to the side, "I can give you a ride and a ship to get you back home. It's, like, the least I can do."

Netossa was a woman with a need for vengeance, though, "Hey, do you know how many good memories I had on that thing!? All the awesome sea shanties we shared and-"

Glimmer placed a finger to her lips as she turned to the sea princess, slightly embarrassed by her ally's reaction, "We'll take it."

"Good, I feel like I had one too many adventures with you all..." Mermista sighed tiredly, looking at her nails, "You're, like, bad luck magnets."

"You're welcome, by the way," Naruto said with a cheeky grin.

"Ugh, just..." the sea princess had to rub her temples with both hands' index and middle fingers again, "Let me get you out of here safely. I'm your ally since, like, you blew up that volcano."

"Speaking of which, the Sea Gate..." Glimmer started worriedly. "Is it going to be alright now? And what of the libraries?"

Mermista took a deep breath to calm herself, "Again, those books can resist the water, and without the pressure from the lava forcing the energy into one specific place, everything is back to normal." She looked a bit more relaxed than before despite the others' presence, "Listen, this will be the first time I say something like this... So... Thanks, I guess..."

"What was that?" Naruto replied with an aloof grin, a hand cupped to his ear, "Sorry, I didn't hear that right, can you repeat and explain it in detail?"

"Smartass..." Mermista groaned but looked at him dead in the eyes with her arms crossed under her breasts, "I said...I'm... like, thankful of all your hard work."

"And getting you to give a shit," Naruto boasted with a smirk and his hands on his hips, pushing up his chest.

"Aren't folk hero supposed to be, like, humble!?" the mermaid princess grunted with clenched, bared teeth.

"Hey, I'm doing this for two things..." Naruto started and hooked a thumb to his face, "One, to make my name known through history as the world's greatest swordsman. That means gaining as much fame and the most stories worth telling of any timeline. And two..." he smiled softly and looked at Glimmer, "I'm helping Glimmer finish King Micah's work. No better way to start my tale than saying I helped such a guy, right?"

Mermista blinked at him, slightly taken back, then looked away, "You're a pain, you know that? But..." she looked at the odd group and felt some hint of an emotion bubble inside her, "If you're actually going to do such a thing. I can't stay still. Fine, I'll join your alliance, resistance... whatever. So long as King Micah and my father get some peace."

Naruto happily put his hands behind his head and smiled widely and proudly, "Do you know who you're talking to? Damn right we will!"

"As he said, we're not backing down easily." Glimmer told her fellow princess and extended her hand.

Mermista shook it, "Alright, so, like, I'm your ally... Now, I need to get you out of here before you give me more migraines." She gave the blond some stink eye, "And try to keep his mouth shut, please. This will be the one and only thing I say please for, just make sure his lips are sealed."

Netossa snickered, "Well, she already did..."

"Hey, let's not talk about that!" Glimmer glowed pink, her whole face as bright as her hair in embarrassment.

"What a merry band of pains in the neck..." Mermista said dryly.

"Aw, love you too." Netossa replied.

"So, where to now?" Spinnerella asked with a patient smile, hoping there would be no more fighting.

"Good question, though now I'm wondering..." Naruto started and looked from side to side, "Where are those Horde guys who pestered us in the libraries?"

-0-

Aboard the Horde ship, forced to sail away from the volcanic eruption fast, Scorpia looked on in worry at the water, "Oh, man…I hope you don't die, Forest Gale!" she said with her pincers firmly clenched around the railing.

Everyone had made it after a mad dash, got on their ship and left on turbulent waters. She allowed herself a moment of relief. Her wording could've been better.

Lonnie shot her a look of frustration, "What the hell!? Why are you hoping our enemy lives?!"

"Because I don't like killing people, especially people who I know are good!" Scorpia replied, Kyle and Rogelio still riding her shoulders like sacks of potatoes.

The lizard man snarled to his best friend who was conscious enough to reply.

"W-well not everyone can get off to murder, buddy…I can't…"

Rogelio hissed in reply, looking concerned or as much as his reptilian features could convey the emotion of genuine empathy and care.

"Y-yeah, I know…I never was good at the whole suppress and destroy our enemies t-thing…I just can't see them as targets…lame soldier, right, Lonnie?"

She felt offended by his question, but for the right reasons, "Oh, for crying out loud... You're a perfectly good one. Besides, we must have at least one bleeding heart to make up a regiment. It's good for morale if we have someone who cares about others." Lonnie never accepted his self-deprecation and responded in the only way she knew how. By getting angry and using her own confidence to bolster his own.

Rogelio gave an amused trill, Kyle sighing as he was being carried on Scorpia's back. Which unfortunately meant he didn't have the best view from the front.

"Yeah, yeah…so is Kyle Jr. coming out well?" the blond asked.

Catra ignored the banter behind her, holding Adora in a bridal-carry now made her tail fluff out in the jagged style she liked when she was excited. Looking back, she gave a huff of frustration and yet mild admiration, "Not bad, eh Adora? He's pretty cool when he wants to be…heh…Forest Gale, huh? I can't wait to fight him again."

"I can stand now, you know that, Catra." Adora glared at her, blushing.

The cat-girl just adjusted her grip, snickering back, "You just keep quiet, 'honey'. I'm sweeping you off your feet, after all!"

"How romantic." Adora muttered.

"Ugh, those two need to get a room." Lonnie grumbled from a distance, then sighed, "They won't be as cheerful when we return."

Indeed, things were not nearly as pleasant as when Adora and Scorpia made their report. Hordak had his back turned to the two captains, the strange imp that served as his pet if not outright tool giggled at them before it scuttled from his shoulder into the ceiling cables. Hordak's hands were folded behind his back, the dead silence bringing only fear in its wake.

Scorpia stood forward, her mouth opening to speak until Adora stepped forward, "Lord Hordak, it was my mistake! We were not ready for the Forest-" His hands unfolded, and she shut her mouth as the man turned around to face them, his red eyes narrowed. The only sign of his immense rage. He walked past her, holding out one hand and placing it upon a sheathed blade on the wall.

"Force Captain Adora, Scorpia, I have not summoned you here to hear your apologies, explanations or reasoning." He pulled the sword out of the strange black and red scabbard it was contained in. The sword itself resembled a curved blade merged with a second sword, forming an intricate helix pattern with a heart shaped grip. Long black wires hung from the hilt, glowing purple when he touched said handle.

His red eyes stared at the blade, and the others like it that he had stored upon the wall, which the scorpion captain noticed, "Is that...your trophy collection?" Scorpia asked timidly but awed at the sight, "How'd you get them all so evened? I've tried to arrange pictures of my victories, but they never...get as..." she slowly shut up as Hordak approached her.

"Assume the matter at hand is about this entire collection of swords that I have taken in combat." Hordak told Scorpia in a serene manner, yet also conveying his desire for her to keep her mouth shut.

"Yessir..." she replied with a nod and a salute.

"So, all of these are your conquests from previous battles..." Adora summarized.

He sheathed the sword with a sharp rasp of the metal being contained in its sheath, "This particular blade is the one I used to remove their owners' possession of the ones you see here, The Mourning Dawn, the blade I wielded before I had the resources I gained now. This blade severed the strands of life that connected warriors far greater than any you have faced. Do not come to me with excuses, either of you. I have slain far stronger warriors and at far less capable states than either of you."

Adora stepped back, noticing glowing yellow lines indicating that it was charging once more, "Understood, sir. We shall not-" she was cut off by her master.

Hordak placed the black back upon the rack and turned to them with his eyes narrowed, "Don't apologize, correct the path you have walked as of this moment and make up for your actions. I am enraged. You lost the Horde a great deal of valuable machinery. And not only that, you also failed to properly kill the Forest Gale, didn't salvage the mission, and because of your incompetence the princess of the ocean has both confidence and her Runestone restored." He turned around again, staring at a specific blade, the sword that Adora had brought him, eyes narrowed upon its surface as he looked at another nearby.

"We shall do as you wish, milord!" both female captains said in stiff, straight-backed poses with their arms to their sides.

Hordak didn't give any hint of acknowledgement, so he continued, "Should you bring me the head of the Forest Gale or, at the very least, something of equal value, I will grant you this sword as a gift, Force Captain Adora." He pulled that second blade out of its sheath, for a brief moment, he admired it with a look of distant respect.

"But sir, I do not deserve it..." she muttered and looked at the weapon she was being handed. It was a beautiful blade with a polished surface which had glowing white runes dotted dotting it, each one blinking out and shimmering. The sword possessed a handle and guard that resembled a pair of wings enfolding upon a single crystal, with a pommel stone that was a brilliant diamond.

A proud, sinister grin spread on his face as he held the sword higher for her to see the names, "The meaning of this decoration is something I studied hard to understand. Ancient royal language carrying the names of the ones the former wielder used this sword in the name of: Angella. Glimmer. Bright Moon. Mystacor. Castaspella."

"Then...this sword was..." Scorpia gasped as she understood what he was saying as did Adora whose eyes bulged out of their sockets.

Hordak's smile turned into a dark smirk of pride, "This sword is called At Hope's Peak. It was the personal weapon of one of the most brilliant warriors I have ever personally slain, King Micah. Should you prove yourself, I will grant you the right to call this blade your own personal weapon, Force Captain Adora. This incentive should prove to be of use to you, should it not?"

"It is an excellent sword, I shall make myself worthy of it." Adora said and bowed her head as Hordak sheathed At Hope's Peak back into a brilliant gold and blue scabbard, then took out a humbler black sword with a strong finish. It was a simple blade with a double-edge made for the sole purpose of killing and maiming, nothing else and nothing more. It had no name or any glorious trait to it. It was simply a good sword.

"You are training in the Sword Arts, I have been informed." He started and twirled the sword in his hand, "In this world, I haven't had any need to use my own blade, but I will not deny a talented swordswoman the right to improve. So, to better kill the Forest Gale, whose skill I will admit is of…some minor impressiveness, no doubt the answer as to your constant failures, you have my permission to use this blade. A far superior one to your current weapon."

The imp scuttled up and took the sword along with its red scabbard, handing both to Adora who swallowed nervously, especially since it giggled at her darkly, "You have my oath that I will not fail you again, Lord Hordak." She said, nervous but also somewhat eager to get that reward. Killing the Forest Gale however… She put that out of mind and focus. She had a duty to the Horde to kill one of its most troublesome enemies. Her own personal misgivings upon the matter could not wait.

"Do not make me regret this reward, regardless of your mistakes, Force Captain Adora." He walked to his throne, looking at the blades, "Shadow Weaver has assured me you're worthy of it and At Hope's Peak. I have yet to see either, but I have a debt to her, for teaching me how to read these runes so as to honor King Micah's death better. Be gone. And the next time we meet, I wish to hear of successes. Not failure."

His narrowed eyes were her sign and that of her fellow captain to leave him be, and once out of the chamber Scorpia beamed, "Best boss ever!" she chirped to the mentally exhausted Adora, "I mean, he's been understanding of our situation and gives us a chance to prove ourselves! Better than what my family had to deal when we bumped shoulders with princesses for sure!"

Adora sighed deeply and leaned on Scorpia, "I think I lost part of my life there... This is too much pressure now, we can't ever return to this place unless we get the Forest Gale."

"Yeah, but killing him..." Scorpia felt true concern, looking at her claws, "I mean, it's what Lord Hordak wants now, but he did want him alive from the start. Maybe we can convince him to join us...? I mean, he does want to be a good swordsman, so a chance to train with you and Lord Hordak could be good. Or I could slowly get him to our side with my family's Lashing Sword technique-"

"Scorpia, we can talk about this once..." Adora blinked in rapid succession twice, "Wait, your family's the one who invented that sword style!?"

"Yup, all princesses got one." She told her with a soft, almost nostalgic smile, "I don't recall the details since I was very little when my parents gave the Black Garnet and the scroll to Lord Hordak. All I remember of those times was playing with my toy ship in the bathtub, mom's killer berry pie, and...some nasty words other princesses said about my tail."

Once again, Adora wanted to protect the scorpion woman from all bad things in the world.

-0-

"Here," Mermista said dully as she handed Naruto a scroll.

Both were at the docks of her kingdom on a brand-new ship similar in design to The Crescent, "Wait, is this...?" Naruto asked as he opened it.

"Everything about my kingdom's sword style is there," Mermista explained and pulled out her extendable trident, "Unlike my techniques with the trident, the Howling Sword is about flowing with the moves of any opponent you have. Similar to using a spear or a trident in my case, you keep your distance and find a way to strike in a decisive blow. The howling part of the name comes from the one who inherited this style, a man who stood among howling tidal waves using his blade to cut them through."

"And I could slice a tsunami in half!?" Naruto's eyes got a starry look to them that Mermista found childish and, to her dismay, oddly adorable.

"Yeah, like, if you can..." she groaned and turned, "So long. I'll hold down the fort here and call my troops and people back now that the place is safe. Once that is done, you'll have full marine support...and I'll also join in any battles you need me for."

"Thank you, Mermista," Glimmer said as she walked to her.

"Don't sweat it...Glimmer..." the dark-skinned mermaid blushed as she looked away from the two shortest fighters.

"Aw, she cares..." Netossa teased. A wave of Mermista's hand made a wave land on her, "Oh come on!"

"Sorry, dear, but you asked for it." Spinnerella replied while trying to stifle a giggle.

"Go already...this is getting too mushy," Mermista grunted. However, she turned to the boy who had made her change for the better and - through a lot of willpower - forced herself to be honest, "I... I think you're actually cool now, okay? Like, I do believe you can do what you said."

"Wow, what a total tsundere." Naruto commented as he got on the ship.

Mermista then turned to Glimmer, "What's that mean?" her question just got a shrug from the plump girl.

On their way back, Naruto made sure to read the scroll diligently, and it was perhaps the first time Glimmer saw how serious he could get. He kept his eyes glued to the paper with furrowed brows and an intensity which radiated around him in a cool aura. Spinnerella and Netossa were surprised at how quiet things got. During the entire trip, the blond kept analyzing moves, memorizing steps, and visualizing his strikes. Their journey to Bright Moon ended with him nodding to himself just as they neared the docks. A large smile was plastered on his face.

"Alright, I ought to practice these moves soon." He cheered before looking at his companions, "Yo, Netossa, wanna give that spar a chance now?"

"Hah! You know it, dude!" she cheered with a large smirk.

Spinnerella shot down the idea, "Now, now, it's been a long trip and sooner than later we must return to our posts. We cannot leave Perfuma all to herself at the frontlines."

Netossa grumbled as she rested her chin on the steering wheel, "Ugh, honey, why do you always make so much sense?" she groaned and gave in, "True, though, Fuma's not much of a fighter. Can't really leave her on her lonesome against the Horde."

"Wait, you're not going to join us for the rest of this alliance?" Naruto asked disappointed, even slightly sad.

Spinnerella giggled at how cute he was, "Worry not, Naruto, we shall meet again. For now, we can't rely only on Perfuma, and with Mermista managing her own defenses and her new role as part of the Resistance we have to aid both at the borders." Naruto wasn't happy, but she knew from his softening expression that he understood.

"Alright, then..." he put on a cheerful grin, which slightly worried the princesses, "Next time we meet, I'm getting your sword styles, and a fancy feast once I beat Netossa."

"Hah, in your dreams, dude!" the blue princess chortled out loud, "But, yeah, I wouldn't mind dinner with you."

"Hehehe, should I be jealous?" Spinnerella joked.

Something about that line made Glimmer tense up, "You shouldn't, I'll keep an eye on both for you if needed." The smaller pink princess said with a smile.

Spinnerella's eyes gained a sly glint while her smile remained as warm and motherly as usual, "Just so you know... He is trying to change for the better, and he'll keep improving."

"Wha..." Glimmer grew flustered as Spinnerella guided her away from their hotheaded companions.

"Believe me, when I first met Netossa, she was far fierier than this and I wasn't as good with diplomacy as I am now." She gained a nostalgic look on her face, "Just like Angella... It is when we find someone who is willing to be true to themselves and others that we can try to find inner betterment. Angella and Micah wanted a peaceful kingdom. Netossa and I desired to protect our land and people. You and him are different but those differences seem to have a more common goal than your parents shared."

"I think...I get it..." Glimmer nearly brightened the ship with her blush.

Spinnerella felt as if horns popped over her head, "Yeah, you'll be great friends before you know it."

"Oh, yes! Yeah, friends!" Glimmer blurted more hastily than she would've wanted.

The plumper ruler then hummed with a hand on her cheek, "Hmm, you know, if he does earn the title of greatest swordsman, he'll have quite a good number of followers." She giggled, trying not to be mischievous and failing, "He's rough around the ages, but no doubt will be quite handsome when he grows up. I wouldn't doubt some princess could give him a title to secure her lineage..."

"What're you talking about?" Glimmer demanded nervously.

"Isn't that how Micah met your mother?" Spinnerella retorted, then sighed, "My, was she lucky. Some princesses saw his prowess in magic and were willing to make deals with Angella just to sire his children. Poor Naruto may be the same..." then she perked up when the ship docked and walked forward, "Oh well, take care, Glimmer. Netossa, let's go."

As the group separated, the blue princess turned to her plump lover, "You totally tried to make Glimmer claim Naruto as her man, right?" Netossa asked as she waved at Naruto and a worrying Glimmer.

"Absolutely." Spinnerella smiled like a vixen once the other two were out of view.

"You're scary and evil, babe, and I love that about you." Netossa smirked as her lover hugged her toned arm.

"I know..." Spinnerella sighed with a satisfied, proud smile, "Still, I did lie to Glimmer about Micah having contenders. No way would anyone challenge Angella after she married him. But..." she looked at Naruto, an idea crossing her mind which she shared with her fellow princess through a simple look, "You know... I do want to have children."

"Heh, let's see if those two are up for it once they hook up...after the war's over, of course." Netossa smirked, "He does have a cute butt."

-0-

Queen Angella sat at the dining table, the mood was as hushed as the wood itself. Utterly dead silent. Nothing was being said, and even less was being done. Naturally, that made it awkward for everyone involved at the meal. Naruto couldn't even touch the Edgeless Stew, his hand propping up his chin as he waited for the conversation to go somewhere so they could finally eat.

The queen inhaled slowly, her hands raised to her temples to rub slowly, nodding until she saw Glimmer stared at her without fear, "…You've grown, Glimmer. I was told by Spinnerella you have begun to tap into the Brilliant Mystic Arts. Your aunt and father pushed the study of that branch further than it ever had before." She said, staring into a bowl of the stew with a pained expression, "He was so proud of you the day you learned your first spell. It was such a simple one. You could create a small orb, and you would bounce it from palm to palm. Was it truly only a century and a half ago?"

Naruto asked near-silently to himself, "...how...?" He stopped his question when the queen let out a soft sigh.

Angella steeled herself and looked at her daughter in the eye, "Glimmer…I'm sorry." That surprised the two of them, Glimmer especially.

Swallowing, the petite princess couldn't believe what she was hearing or who she was hearing it from, "Mom?"

"You are a young woman, Glimmer, and I have yet to truly acknowledge that you are an adult. That you are capable of making your own decisions. That you are becoming a Princess." Queen Angella got up from the table, walking past them, her wings folding when she took her daughter's head in her hands, "Your father would be so proud, Glimmer. Proud that you have inherited the spirit he left behind. That you did not give up, when everyone else did."

Queen Angella stared at the statue of King Micah, realizing at long last what she should've years ago, what she truly needed to understand.

Glimmer took her mother's wrist and asked a simple, if soft question, "Why...are you telling me this now?"

Her mother's wings spread wide, "I have tried so hard to protect you from the reality of the world outside. I have hidden from my responsibility as a Queen and became a mother. Glimmer, you are stronger than I truly gave you credit for. Ever since…Micah died. I have been awash in suffering. For over a century and a half, I gave up. I refused to see the truth, that we should've continued the work of the one we loved."

"Mom..." Glimmer felt tears of her own form on the corners of her eyes.

The monarch of Bright Moon turned around, giving Glimmer a teary-eyed smile, "I should've been the one to continue the fight. When I felt his life severed from my own, I couldn't bear to fight any longer without Micah at my side. I wallowed in that grief for too long."

"Ever since dad died…?" Glimmer understood how much pain her mother carried if she had grieved the king that long.

Naruto mumbled to himself, "So, more than a century and a half…and you changed from a baby, to a girl around my age?"

Realizing the timeframe and how it worked made his head spin. He didn't want to interrupt them, though. Even he understood that the matter at hand was something Glimmer and Queen Angella needed to work out themselves. The conversation had been a long time in coming.

Angella walked over to Glimmer, who swallowed as her mother placed both hands on her shoulders, gently smiling at her with tears beading at the corners of her eyes, "You have made me so proud, my child. I have been blessed to watch you grow, see you become a Princess. Your father would be beyond happy to see you like this. To watch you become the hero he wished would lead us one day."

She embraced her child, holding her tightly as her wings enveloped around their bodies. Naruto leaned back, smiling to himself. Looking up at her mother, Glimmer's own eyes leaked a steady stream of tears. At not only her mother's pride, but also her love. It did feel uncomfortable for the swordsman to be present at such a moment. And, admitting it only to himself, he envied their bond.

"Thank you, mom...but..." Glimmer gripped her shoulder, not wanting to let go but needing to do so. Her mother understood and both broke their embrace, "We can't rest for long." She turned to Naruto, the boy gave her a nod as she kept going, "Our advances haven't gotten us ahead of the Horde. They still have the advantage when it comes to weaponry."

"Right, those machines they got are a pain in the behind," Naruto added in his two cents. "Nothing like that where I came from. Guns, tanks, and those submarines could wipe out a village without defenses like Perfuma's walls, Mermista's magical barrier, or me. They can even poison an entire forest, for crying out loud."

"Considering that, there is an ally we must make immediately." Glimmer felt fire in her heart, "Princess Entrapta."

Naruto crossed his arms, intrigued, "Alright, what's she about?"

Angella answered, "She's an unusual princess, to put it simply. Most of the original ones possess a Runestone, but she does not. However, her abilities and intellect are second to none."

"For starters, she's the one most likely to know how the technology of the Horde works." Glimmer explained to both, "Should we get her on our side and convince her we are worthy of her time, she could be one if not the most valuable force to stand up to Hordak."

Naruto noticed the grim looks the two pink rulers shared, "But..."

"She...doesn't care for the war or anything outside her studies." Angella sighed, "Contacting her requires that she finds interest for her research."

"But we got you." Glimmer started, pointing to Naruto and confusing both him and her mother, so she explained, "Your chakra, more specifically. If we can say anything for certain is that your status as a being who came from another world and your inner energy could spark her curiosity to make her join us."

Naruto immediately disagreed as he got up, "Hey, don't talk like I'm going to be a frog for her to dissect!"

"Of course not!" Glimmer frowned, "I'm just saying, let her study your chakra so we can get her to help us with Horde technology."

"Ugh...I agreed to be your bodyguard, not a guinea pig..." he groaned.

"I won't force you, but do you have any other suggestions?" Glimmer retorted, "What if the Horde tried to recruit her? Or Hordak? It's only because she's too reclusive and far more interested in her research to care about the war that she hasn't made contact with the Horde." Then she sighed, "Once Spinnerella tried to have a diplomatic meeting with her, she warned us about that."

"So not only would she open me like a fish but she could join our enemy?" Naruto asked in disbelief.

"Well, we can try to reason with her..." Glimmer's uneasy expression said that the key word in her sentence was try.

"I..." Naruto clenched his jaw and shut his eyes, "I am so going to haunt you for all of eternity if I end up in a surgeon table. I mean it, I'll come out of the grave as a spirit to curse you."

Glimmer smiled apologetically and thankfully, "I am making it up to you, I swear."

Groaning, Naruto turned away from her cute smile, "You already kissed me, what else could I get?"

"WHAT!?" Queen Angella exclaimed, her face gaining a dark red shade.

"It's n-not what it sounds like!" Glimmer exclaimed while her mother clasped her hands over her mouth, "I-I had to, he had drowned and n-needed some CPR and... Mom...?" She went silent when noticing how an elusive pull on her mother's cheeks formed.

Queen Angella composed herself, coughing with an awkward, forced smile, "Oh, I-I see...I shouldn't have jumped to conclusions. It just seemed s-so sudden... Although, when I first met your father he and I hadn't, or rather couldn't really take things at a slow pace. We did-"

"MOM!" Glimmer exclaimed, pinker than her mother.

"My apologies, dear." Her mother smiled, "I think I was...overcome by the idea you had finally found-"

"Please don't finish that sentence!" Glimmer put her fists to her cheeks, looking mortified as her blush increased.

"Well, I am a mother, and I would like for you to-"

"I said don't!" Glimmer squeaked, then turned to Naruto and grabbed him by the collar, "We're g-going now!"

Her bodyguard had to complain, "Wait, I haven't eaten yet!"

"You d-dug this hole!" Glimmer snapped, far redder than before.

As they left, Queen Angella giggled as she placed a hand to her cheek, "Oh my... I-I can't believe I got so excited. But Glimmer has grown, and sooner or later..." she gained a soft smile watching the odd duo leave, feeling pride, joy and slight nervousness as they argued, "I hope they give me many grandchildren."

-0-

Walking a mountain trail towards a castle which could be confused for a fortress or an ancient prison wasn't how Naruto thought he'd do to see a princess. Everything about the place seemed as dead as the rocks, dirt and walls surrounding it. No people or nearby village, just steel and stone merged into imposing architecture. And, for some reason, he could smell pastries from a distance. For a moment he wondered if their trip took them to a baking factory rather than a castle, but Glimmer seemed to know where she was going.

"Are you sure this isn't a Horde fortress or..." he sniffed the air, "...their cake factory?"

"No, this is her place..." Glimmer answered as she put the map down, "It's...far more sinister than I imagined."

He had to be blunt, "She sounds more like a mad scientist than a princess by the second."

Glimmer folded the map with a sigh, "There's a saying that genius and sanity are separated by a thin line... Many say Entrapta embraced both."

"And you want her to study me?" he would keep complaining about that. Having mental pictures of his naked torso on a surgical table wasn't a good way to sleep.

"You nearly drowned thanks to those submarines." Glimmer retorted with concern in her eyes, "Any advantage against their machinery is better than nothing."

"Fine." Naruto walked forward and crossed his arms, "Just stay behind me, this place gives me the creeps."

"Oh please, like-"

"Stop!" a voice shouted to the two.

Both had a nanosecond to register the floor shifting under their feet. They had stepped on a tile, activating a mechanism. Creaking steel turned their attention to the side of the mountain they had been walking along. From it several robotic limbs popped out, mostly pipes with iron claws, shooting out to grab them.

"Back off!" Naruto exclaimed, pulling out his wooden sword to cut them as if they were overgrown grass.

However, like the hydra in Greek mythology, where he cut one more appeared to try to get him. A second swing of his dull blade split them to reveal wires. Sparks of electricity flew from the broken limbs while he kept Glimmer behind him and stood on his toes, keeping his stance up.

"Ah...I...I can't believe you're unharmed." Princess Entrapta's butler said.

It was easy to guess his profession. Although Naruto wondered why he was as colorful as a fancy pastry, everything about him was colored pastel, even his green hair and blue outfit. The young man seemed relieved but had an apologetic look which said that they were the lucky ones.

"Is this how your princess greets guests?" Naruto asked as he sheathed his blade but kept his hand on its handle, a clear indication that he was ready to fight.

The butler got the hint further when seeing the boy's knitted eyebrows, "My d-deepest apologies!" He bowed twice in quick succession, "Let me explain, please! Several landslides have been affecting the area! Our princess took it upon herself to device a method to clear the debris and boulders blocking the way to this castle, but...well, you can see some kinks have to be worked out."

His nervous chuckle was genuine, so Naruto calmed down and let Glimmer talk, "I see, then it's no problem." She walked forward to properly introduce herself, "We have come here to discuss a possible alliance to your princess. I am Princess Glimmer of Bright Moon, current representative of the new Princess Alliance."

"It's an honor, but, ah, I can't say she will listen or come at once..." the butler gulped as he bowed three times in record time, "Sorry! My deepest apologies again! She's...well, very absorbed in her research!"

Such occurrences must have been too normal if he had to excuse his princess like that before another ruler.

"Well, we can wait... we broke her stuff." Glimmer muttered the last bit to herself.

But Naruto heard her, "Hey, it was self-defense."

"I agree, but we need to make her join us, and destroying her property won't help us." Glimmer explained.

He scratched the back of his head, nodding along even though he didn't agree entirely, "Right..."

Several doors slid open automatically on their way in. Naruto looked around in wonder, amazed by the nature of the weaponry and gadgetry on display. Even Glimmer was impressed, she couldn't stop staring at the collection of impressive blasters kept on a rack. And then, things got weird when something popped out of a wall.

"Wow!" Glimmer exclaimed, stepping back from the surprise.

"Is that... a trash can on wheels?" Naruto asked.

The butler coughed into his hand, "This automaton – Alfred – will guide you to her."

He motioned to the machine, which looked exactly like what Naruto described it as, but it also came with a design similar to the stereotypical butler. It even had a tray which carried several pastries the size of a thumb each, perfect for single bites and decorated so cutely and childish he had to wonder if Entrapta had a cookie factory.

"Why not you?" the blond questioned the flesh and blood butler bluntly.

"Only her machines know how to find their way through her maze...a security protocol of the princess to ensure her studies are done without interruption." The man looked apologetic once more.

"For a princess, she's certainly...unique." Glimmer commented with a strained, awkward smile.

"Well, let's get this over with." Naruto said and his princess agreed with a nod as they followed Alfred through more mechanical doors and even spinning walls until they got to a massive workshop.

Entrapta was not like any other princess. For one, her colors were very drab. She wore a white top that could barely contain the bulging melons she had. Like Scorpia, she had breasts to spare. Each drooping breast pushed against the fabric. She also wore welding purple gloves, a welding mask with red glowing lenses, and overalls that didn't even attempt to hide she had a perfect hourglass figure with a meaty backside.

Like some princesses Naruto had met, Entrapta was plenty plump in all womanly areas. Being two inches shorter than Glimmer gave her the perfect short-stack body, which helped with the fact that her hair was exceedingly long. It was hers to control like extra limbs, quite nimble to the point it could lift her around, pick things up, and help her work. And as if to make her look younger, her hair was worn in a pair of massive pigtails.

She talked into a handheld recording device, "Personal log, uh, number ninety-nine. Of today. The anti-landslide devices are not working as programmed. Need more materials to ascertain whether they are simply flawed by nature or if progress will be halted by the natural world. Might be better to use stronger devices or would it be better to use a larger quantity of said devices? This requires insight. Precious insight, yes! Also! Pastries and muffins. Did they make a Red Singer or a Hunting Fox today?"

She finally paused when she heard the doors open, "Hello...?" Glimmer asked nervously.

Entrapta turned around, Naruto wincing when she popped up the visor and stared at him with unblinking red eyes, a tanned complexion, and an adorable expression of intense focus. Then, a bunch of scanners, weird eye-stalks attached to wires, and a bunch of other things popped out of the walls to examine the swordsman.

The tiny princess spoke in a flurry of movement and excitement, suddenly pulling up to him, "Oh! So, you're the new folk hero? I've heard, uh, reports about you for a while! Yes! You're a wielder of the Whispering Sword Style! Very impressive! The Cast-iron Sword is my personal specialty, but the Mystic Arts are...um... Well they're... you see… Oh drat! Lost my train of thought! Hungry! Sorry, we need to eat!"

Entrapta spoke energetically fast, leaving him or Glimmer no time to interject before her stomach growled. She lost what she was thinking about and shook her head. Her purple pigtails lifted hand-shaped wads of hair to her face as she slapped her cheeks several times. Everything happened so suddenly that the pink princess and her bodyguard felt whiplash. Entrapta embodied hyperactivity far more than Naruto, and that was saying something. Even the young swordsman felt like he couldn't keep up with the voluptuous short-stack.

Glimmer put on a nervous smile as she attempted to talk, "We'd be glad to join you and-"

But her efforts were in vain, "Ah! I also need caffeine! A cup or two of hot piping Night's Melody will do the trick! Shall we break for lunch? I haven't eaten since this morning and I barely slept at all last night!"

The small engineer finally stopped and looked eagerly at them for an answer.

Naruto finally managed to get a word in, he was hungry too and getting something to eat would no doubt benefit all of them, "Sounds about right. Entrapta, wasn't it?"

She turned, blinking at him, "Entrapta, yep! That's my name! Nice to meet you Mr. Forest Gale! My scouts and my spy-drones told me you were coming. I just forgot about you since I was busy all day...or was that night? Hm, but I barely slept last night, personal clock tells me I was out for only the bare minimum of four hours. Ah, sorry. That was rude, wasn't it? I'm not normally this frazzled, but I am starving! Less talky, more nommy? Okay! Good! TO LUNCH! Or breakfast. Dinner? Ah, well, it'll be all of them! Let's gooooo!"

She was hyperactive and seemed to need both sugar and coffee to function. Something told the young sword slinger that at least Glimmer might enjoy what Entrapta liked to eat.

"Entrapta, we are-" Glimmer tried to cut in herself, a smile on her face only to be ignored by a blissfully out of focus Entrapta.

The super-genius took them through her home, bringing them into a surprisingly small dining room. It was clear why the small size was focused that way, Entrapta curled up on a chair, her hair moving around and lifting plates, cups, pots, and other necessities for food into the room.

Her chefs walked in, well-used to their mistress' eccentric and excessively forgetful nature. Glimmer's eyes widened, and she couldn't help the moan of delight when she saw what was being placed in front of them. A massive red cake with strands of silver sugar wrapped around the upper layers, keeping every successively smaller piece intact. The cake was formed in a manner similar to an upright lyre or any particular instrument of note, in Entrapta's case, it resembled a drum that had several smaller drums stacked up above its surface, connected by a thin and very deliciously edible pole of hard sugar-cane.

"The Red Singer, a legendary pastry said to have originated in, of all places, the scorpion people's domain." Entrapta cheered, clapping her hands in delight, "It spread through the entire world as a fabled cake of extraordinary deliciousness and complexity to make. Enchantments were weaved into the layers so when eaten they would enhance and refresh the voice of anyone who eats a slice. From singers to storytellers, it is all but a necessity for their work to eat this cake, and thus it became common courtesy to pay them with slices of the cake on top of actual money."

By contrast, the other one was of a far humbler and even zesty form, which Glimmer identified, "And that's the Hunting Fox."

It was stack of blue colored muffins with faint glimmering fragments of glazed sugar and a pair of berries baked into the center to simulate glasses. The muffins themselves relied on sugar and flour to properly channel the berries taste into a perfect mixture of delicious focus.

Entrapta nodded, "Ah, another connoisseur of the fine delights of life. But yes, this particular meal was legendary among hunters and those who traveled the wilds. The reason being that the muffin is extremely filling and packed full to bursting with nutrients, a natural process from the use of the tasty if hard to cook Volpaberries. Found only in the forests of Bright Moon, these berries grow in clumps of nine atop deep red bushes, which foxes and other animals like to partake of due to their nature as very nutritious meals."

Entrapta held two in her hands and took bites out of both, her hair lifting a cup filled with a steaming and very rich looking coffee to her lips so she could wash her meal down.

"The Night's Melody." The butler from before told them, "A coffee of legendary delectableness and of an exceedingly harsh nature. It can only be brewed at night due to the fragile nature of the beans involved in its making, and thus is regulated to those who prefer only the most powerful of blends and work very late hours. Princess Entrapta is one such fan of the Night's Melody, and for her, it is all she needs to drink to function on a daily basis."

The shortest princess nodded enthusiastically, "I am in the process of studying if it can be fed to me via an IV drip, but I suppose it will have to wait now that I got the Forest Gale here." She giggled as she turned to the blond, fighting the urge to rub her gloved hands, "So, how do you function? That fabled energy of yours is all natural, right? Have you ever thought of what a child between you and a magic user be like?"

Her questions made both her guests uncomfortable, to which Glimmer hastily replied, "Please, we are here to discuss an alliance."

"Oh yeah, that..." Entrapta drawled out, staring into the distance before she shrugged, "Alright, I can...think on it. If you let me do something..."

"What?" her guests asked worriedly.

Giggling was heard as Naruto's heart was filled with dread.

-0-

And that's my rap!

Entrapta is either your favorite character of the show or is at the top of the list. She's made to be adorable, crazy, eccentric, nerdy, and curvy. Don't deny it, she's the one princess who has a distinct fit body despite not being very athletic. Although, yes, my friend and I are purposely redesigning the females to be sexier and we're unapologetic about it.

And he's also the one behind all the food descriptions and items, it just scratches an itch for him.

Naruto and Glimmer are still the official pairing, but someone suggested the idea which Spinnerella suggested to Netossa. For now, I will focus on Glimmer as Naruto's main love interest, if it isn't obvious yet.

Beta's Notes: Heyo everyone! As usual, I'm behind my big bro and looking forward to tomorrow! Me and him are going to watch all of She-Ra's third season on Friday, so be warned we'll probably take a little time after this chapter to process everything and figure out how to use the plot elements there if any are usable to his story. It won't be long, and arguably next chapter might come out even faster if we get motivated! So please, be patient and thank you for all the support! This note is getting a little long, so I'll cut it off here. Look forward to the next chapter please, this is The Lord Of Pages, so long, farewell, until we meet again!

Swordslinger out!