I OWN NOTHING

I still have a hard time thinking about whether or not I've made the relationship between Glimmer and Naruto natural or not. Well, let's see how it develops.

-0-

Glimmer sighed as she entered one of the hot springs of Mystacor. After a long day of training in controlling her magic and perfecting her aim, she needed the warm water washing off the exhaustion. Dipping her toe first with a grin, she couldn't wait. With no one else around, she threw off the towel around her naked body and leapt in. Curling her body into a ball, she made a huge splash. Her giggling was inevitable.

"Ah, I really needed that," she moaned in the richly magical waters replenishing her energies.

"Indeed," her aunt told her with a giggle of her own.

"Aunty!" she shrieked in shock, then looked down and blushed. "Why are you here?"

"These may be private hot springs for princesses, but I'm still the high sorceress and acting leader of Mystacor," the woman said with her bountiful mature breasts buoying in the water. She then gave her niece a look of concern, "I'm also... Well, I wanted to know how you're doing with your magic reserves?"

"I haven't been using it much to train with you," Glimmer answered her with a small smile, trying hard not to envy her aunt's more curvaceous and alluring form. Looking away, she continued, "It's a good thing Naruto and I stopped at Bright Moon before coming here. Although he had to keep Entrapta busy by training outside so she wouldn't try to analyze the Runestone."

"My, it sounds like it was an ordeal in itself," the woman said, crossing a long, juicy thigh over the other.

"She's a handful, but she's not bad," Glimmer commented, then giggled awkwardly. "Although, how she tries to hook me up with Naruto is a tad...unnerving."

"Dear, he's quite a catch," Castaspella told her nonchalantly. "If you're to wed someone, he's already made quite the impression on people. They'd accept him as a king easily."

"I'm not marrying him just like that!" Glimmer snapped with a heavy blush.

"Glimmer, I saw how well you worked together firsthand," the sorceress told the princess and winked. "You've barely begun training along him, and you timed your shots perfectly with his moves. You developed your own biological clock to such a degree even my own Bright Sword style couldn't react accordingly."

"It was mostly him, though," the pink girl said.

"And that's why you trained harder today, isn't it?" Castaspella giggled some more. "I saw you while I was training with him. That look on your face as you tried to harness your own magic..."

"Because I don't want him to fight alone," Glimmer blurted out, then clasped her hands on her face. "No, wait, I mean... Ugh..."

"My dear," Castaspella sighed and sat next to her. "I spent so much of my time training here to be as good a leader as your father was. I lead Mystacor, but I have no one to spend life with. That young man has done a lot in such simple actions to help you improve... Glimmer, you've grown so much since I saw you, and I know it's because of him. And... I'd say he's gotten a bit more mature thanks to you."

"Y-Yeah, right, he's still driven by his ego," she shot back with a pout.

"Baby steps, but still good steps," Castaspella replied with a warm smile. "Listen, I'm not saying you should just date him on the spot or try anything too advanced. Try to get to know him and let him know you."

The blushing girl sighed to herself as she thought, "He's changing so much. It's strange, watching him grow on his own terms. He's keeping his own goals and never changing them. It's like-"

Castaspella gently interrupted her, smiling with a wistful look, "He's evolving yet remains the same. Micah was the same when he first met your mother. For me, it was as if I was watching a young boy become a man all at once. He changed when he met her. I believe she made him think of a future he hadn't yet been capable of reaching." She sucked in a deep breath, her voice hitching at the weight of her memories and the mixed feelings they brought out, "When you were born. He was the happiest man in all of Etheria. You could tell him a thousand horrible things in a single minute, and you couldn't take away the joy he had."

Glimmer was silent, her eyes squeezed shut as she tried to resist crying. Everything was coming so fast for her, from her own blossoming feelings for the Forest Gale, to her own maturity. Castaspella gestured with one hand, a blue circle expanding from it and vaguely the form of Micah as she remembered him. A fresh-faced young man beginning to grow his first beard. He of course had a sword at his side, one Glimmer had seen him depicted with for many decades as she grew up. Hope's Peak.

She whispered softly, unsure if it was to herself, Naruto, Castaspella, or her father, "All I want is to become someone who can win this war… Can I truly do that even with everyone helping me?" The waters lapping at the bodies of her aunt and herself gave her no wisdom. Only a warm sense of serenity. She clung to that feeling and longed for it with all of her strength.

Humming softly, her aunt approached her, "It's not an answer anyone but yourself can find."

"I know, but..."

"Glimmer, if you want to achieve such a goal, your first step is not to look for fate to land on your lap and do the job for you," Castaspella smiled kindly and held her hands. "It's you who has to start the quest. And I'll let you know one thing: you are becoming that person."

"What?" Glimmer asked in breathless shock.

"Micah couldn't win a war alone, dear," the sorceress started. "Why do you think he had help from King Neptune, Spinnerella and Netossa in uniting the other kingdoms?"

"I...haven't been acting like a proper leader, though," she admitted. "Usually, it's whatever Naruto and I feel like doing."

"However, you two balance each other out," her aunt retorted. "Because of you, he's found a purpose, and because of him you found your drive. Thanks to that, you've gotten Perfuma and Mermista on your side. Not to mention... me."

"Auntie..." Glimmer gasped in shock.

Giggling, her aunt beamed and elaborated, "I was thinking about making it more official, but if it helps you know what greatness you two are achieving, I'll tell you now. I'm fighting at your side."

-0-

In another hot spring, clear across the far end of Mystacor, Naruto sat cross legged. His sword was on his towel-covered lap while he meditated atop the water. Ripples extended from the points where his legs met the pool. With his eyes squeezed shut, he was left in a world of darkness. In his tranquil and silent realm, all he could sense was the warmth around him.

"Whatcha doing?" A voice asked him, a splash disturbing his focus. He tried to ignore the voice until they said, "Tenth log today, subject classified as Forest Gale is displaying intimate control over his natural energy. Projecting the ability to levitate on water, could prove useful for research. Note to self, try to see if it extends to every part of his body."

Unconsciously he responded with a snappish tone when the voice kept going, "Can you shut- GAH!" His focus was broken in the best possible way when his eyes opened and saw a massive grin and gleeful, shining red eyes hovering in his field of vision. The realization he was half-naked with the towel acting as a loincloth, and in a hot spring with a woman obliterated the remaining half of his tranquil calm.

Entrapta had entered the hot spring with him, "Hi!"

Naturally, he fell into the water and sent up a splash before he scrambled back as quickly as he could. Practically leaping to the far corner of the spring to get away from her. She didn't bother with a towel, content to let her ballooning breasts out in the open without a functional covering. His eyeballs dipped down, but due to her height everything below the shoulders was a murky haze in the spring water. The steam didn't help figuring things out either. He wasn't sure if he was disappointed or relieved, but mentally noted she had the fourth biggest breasts he had seen with Scorpia at the top, Spinnerella close behind, and Queen Angella in third place.

"Don't tell me, this is a mixed hot spring," he groaned when realization hit him. "That explains why I was given the towel..."

"It is and it does," she replied regardless. Without missing a beat, Entrapta continued speaking with her customary mix of high energy joy and lack of awareness, "You know, I could teach you a little bit more about the Cast-Iron Sword if you asked. Those scrolls are a bit old and were written by my ancestors, who I must admit were brilliant but incapable of harnessing science like I do."

Looking at her – and trying not to stare too much at the cleavage floating on the water –, he said, "I'd like that, yes. However, how do I know you won't use it for any of your experiments or studies?"

"You don't," she replied jovially and matter-of-factly. "And I possess no way of convincing you otherwise, so you are free to join me or say no."

Staring at her in embarrassment, he asked, "Do you know how to lie?"

"Nope," was her fast answer. She followed up faster than he could respond, "Lying is illogical. Why bother hiding the truth or keeping information away from people? Both are meant to be shared! After all, science is meant to be the purest of truths, the ultimate and irrefutable answer! It's fake science from people denying facts with their lies for their own gain which must be renounced! Renounced, you hear me!?"

He couldn't find a single flaw in her logic, she was far too unique in that front, and he know privately she was smarter than him so he didn't bother trying to punch holes through it, "Okay. But how do you use the Cast Iron Sword? You don't seem to use your hair for swordplay."

The way Entrapta's head slowly tilted to the side, eyes widening and glowing with unabashed glee, terrified him more than anything in his entire existence. He knew he had unleashed an avalanche upon himself and in short order, he regretted asking. She was firing off data-streams and information at such a rapid pace he barely could register anything. Everything was to highly technical and complex he felt his mind turn to mush.

"Sorry! Sorry! Please, repeat all of that, but slower so I can understand it," she used so many big words he only caught a few that made sense to him.

Entrapta's mouth opened as she took a deep breath as if she was going to continue. He winced and prepared himself for more talking, until she calmed down.

Nodding several times, she continued speaking, but at a much calmer pace, "I was trying to explain that how I use the Cast Iron Sword. It is with my hair like you just mentioned! I found that the old sword techniques didn't really make sense to me, waving around a metal blade, it's inefficient! So, I used my strongest appendages and adapted my Kingdom's style. It's the Cast Iron Whip. Want to see it?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow at her query; considering she was vibrating up and down, it was apparent she really wanted to show him how she fought, "Maybe not in the hot spring. I don't want to get Glimmer or her aunt angry at us for wrecking some 'priceless' rocks. Let's get out and try for a spar."

"Alright!" She got up without hesitation, lifting herself skywards and out of the hot springs to reveal she wrapped her hair around her melons and lower portion in an imitation of a two-piece bikini, "I can barely wait! My body's tingling with excitement! But first, let us get ready with food, mental preparations and... Oh, yeah, a reward. Naruto, if you win, I shall give you some of my favorite cookies."

Once she was gone, Naruto whispered to himself, more amused than frustrated, "I am actually starting to like her enthusiasm..."

-0-

The spar was scheduled for an hour after Naruto talked with Entrapta in the hot springs. Eager to test his mettle and fight a princess for the first time in his life, he left the place in a warm set of clothes. However, the young swordsman wasn't paying attention to where he was going. Which was why his senses blared at him the moment he would've walked into a towering figure. Side-stepping quickly, his eyes blinked when he saw the trio of individuals who just now noticed him as well. A girl, some lizard man, and a wimp. His mind mentally filed off, but for the life of him he couldn't figure out how or where he knew them personally.

It was the girl who talked first, her voice having a slight edge to it, "Watch where you're going next time if you'd be so nice."

"I'm not that nice," he jabbed at her in response, "I don't apologize easily. It's my policy to live life without regretting things."

"Bet you meet a lot of friends like that," she muttered under her breath until she realized he was looking to the side instead of at her.

He exhaled, and then spoke after a few tense seconds, "If you're looking for somewhere to get food, the kitchens are that way. The hot springs are the way you're going."

The girl widened her eyes, asking with complete surprise, "How did you know Rog… my friend here was hungry?"

"I heard his gut rumbling," he told them while turning a corner.

Rogelio was the first to follow him, prompting a look of betrayal from Lonnie. He turned his head back to her, and flicked his tongue at the female soldier, suggesting a teasing expression. Kyle followed next until he caught sight of Lonnie glaring at him. Swallowing, he mumbled to her while she went on ahead of him.

"S-sorry…I'm hungry too…"

"…Just... shut it, okay?" she left her hand drift behind her back despite her harsh words. He grabbed it obediently, giving her his silent support. Not that he thought it counted for much, but Lonnie seemed to take a lot of confidence when he did it.

"So, what are your names?" Naruto asked them. "Rog... And you two..."

"Ky... just Ky," Lonnie lied, almost introducing Kyle by mistake.

"I'm, um... Lon," the disguised blond said with a weak grin.

"Name's Naruto Uzumaki," the whiskered swordsman said, grinning widely. "Future greatest swordsman to ever live!"

"Modest, too," Lonnie remarked dryly.

"Eh, give it time," Glimmer's bodyguard started. "I'm just getting started. I'll crave my way to the top without fancy predestined encounters or magical swords."

"Wait, you mean your sword's just a regular one?" Kyle asked in surprise.

"Actually, it's made of wood," the blond chortled and swiped the air with a lightning fast quickdraw.

All three Horde soldiers stood back, watching as a leaf floated down half a second before it was split in two, "Grr?"

Rogelio's question had Naruto snicker, sheathing his sword smoothly with a wooden clunk, "I prefer to fight with my own strength. The power I was born with? I've had to hone it through my whole life. If I just grabbed any magical sword which could do the job for me... Should there be a weapon which does all the hard work for me... I'd feel robbed, you know? Like, do I really deserve the title if I needed the extra help?"

"Hassaaarrrrr..." Rogelio replied thoughtfully with a nod.

"Thanks," Naruto beamed good-naturedly and crossed his arms. "Although, I don't think I was given any magical destiny. I was born like everyone else where I was born."

"Rrrrruuuh?" the lizard man interrogated him.

"Far, far away, it's the best I can say," the boy answered with a sigh.

"Wow, your understanding of his language is quite good," Kyle told his fellow blond.

Groaning, the swordsman looked to the side, "I've been insulted by so many people using that tongue that I just had to learn it to come up with a proper response... It's a pain to speak it, though."

"Grr..." the reptilian solder growled plainly.

"He's right, sadly," Lonnie commented, whispering the last part to herself.

"So, uh...grub?" Kyle asked, hoping to avoid any hostility.

"Sounds good," Naruto cheered up, getting hungry as well.

He was starving again. And more importantly, needed food to regain energy with. Fighting Entrapta would require every last bit of his focus. Despite her eccentric appearance, he knew it'd require him throwing everything at her and the kitchen sink.

"Hmhmhmm…hmhmhm…" Unbeknownst to him, or the trio following him, a shadow was watching them go.

The living shadow elemental reflected its mistress' mood. And her mood was one of pleasure. Her humming continued as she watched Naruto walk towards the kitchen with those three. Another shadow spied upon Adora and Catra who were already in the kitchen to begin with. Everything was going perfectly. And none were the wiser that she was closer to obtaining pure magic from Mystacor. The shadows gathered around her playfully and obediently, dancing in rhythm to her humming.

Someone was cranky, though, "Where is the meat? I need to eat something already; I've been working for hours!"

Adora shushed Catra with a slight stare. They turned around when the doors swung open. Catra stiffened up as did Adora when they saw Naruto walk in, but he focused himself on a bowl of Edgeless Stew and started eating without further word. Behind him, the Munchkin trio followed. None of them looked at the two girls, Adora having separated herself to pretend as if she was helping to clean.

When Naruto was hungry, he didn't bother thinking beyond the small stuff. He just sat down and started satisfying the craving he had for meals. Catra, wary of him, ate with a steady gaze locked on him as he satisfied his hunger. Her ear flicked, and she spun her head around, catching sight of a shadow that snuck out of the corner of her vision. Tail frazzling up, she paused in her devouring of a freshly cooked meal.

Shadow Weaver was already watching, wasn't she?

Naruto finished his meal in record time and was already getting up before she had time to adjust, "Whew, I needed that!"

"This guy is a monster..." Kyle whispered when seeing the bowls cleaned by a ravenous appetite which the boy left next to him without gaining any fat.

As he readied himself, the swordsman turned around to look at the five people watching him, "Later."

He was already gone. Adora held out her hand to stop them from doing anything more, as air had gotten cold. The Shadow elemental appeared in front of them, waving about in an eerie fashion. Kyle got closer to Lonnie, shivering when the thing 'spoke.' An echo of Naruto and Entrapta's voice emerged from its innards.

"Fight… spar… let's… fight..." their voices came out.

Adora saw stars briefly. Her eyes lighting up in excitement as she realized that she had the perfect opportunity to study how Naruto's swordplay was improving and see how a princess fought to boot. Catra's ears went flat, and her expression became sullen. She didn't want to watch him fight any more than she wanted to stop eating. But Adora was looking at her like a sad puppy. She was silent for several moments, refusing to look at Adora until at last she relented. She couldn't say no to Adora when she was giving her a look like that.

"Fine…Let's go watch this stupid fight…" She tore a fresh strip of meat with her teeth and crunched the bones when she was done.

-0-

Standing opposite to each other in a wide-open training field, Naruto felt the thrum of excitement fill him to his core. Entrapta was checking over her logs, making certain she had a fresh one ready for recording.

"Ezreal, Lux, get the video recording, alright? We'll review it with Naruto later!" She announced when she finished.

Two gold drones soared up in the air and focused their cameras on the two opponents. Rotating around the field, they took in everyone without fail. Glimmer and Castaspella watched with different emotions on their faces, Glimmer contained concern while Castaspella's had interest. Naruto held out his sword, putting his hand over the hilt, and concentrated. Slowing the breathing as the world slowed to a crawl.

Castaspella spoke, thinking to herself, "Four moves…no, six?" Rubbing her chin, she sighed to herself, "Prediction isn't enough with him. It wasn't enough with Micah, was it? He always found ways to surpass what I thought he'd do. Either by surpassing what he did before, or improvising." She smiled to herself, nodding with a wistful look, "Let's see then, shall we?"

"And who decided that?" It was Glimmer that surprised her, her words came with so much faith in the young man that Castaspella had to hide a smile behind her sleeve, "The only one who decides who win or loses, is him. Right?"

Entrapta took note of his quiet preparation, and put her recorder away, "Oh! We're ready, then? Then without further delay, let's begin!"

In the time it took for her to speak, he had already moved! "Howling Sword: Ceaseless Torrential Discharge!" He opened with the first move, holding his sword with both hands and using all of his hip strength to jut it forward! Much as the current would endlessly wash away those who would fight against, his thrust contained all the power of the ocean itself.

Entrapta's response, to him, seemed utterly unorthodox. She wasn't getting out of the way. And he was fully committed to his attack. Unused to the idea of an opponent who wouldn't dodge, counter, or attack him back, Naruto realized his mistake all too late. Entrapta's hair pushed down, launching her upwards at the very last second, his eyes widening as she waved at him mid flip.

"Cast Iron Whip: Digital Filament!" His thrust, meant to hit first and deal the most damage, was instantly adjusted. Entrapta's attack that was meant to entangle and lock him down, was instantly countered. His sword simply weaved around the tangling threads, surprising her immensely before he had them neatly wrapped his sword like a spool of thread. He had foreseen and anticipated that she'd try this.

"Cast Iron Sword: Entangled Entrapment." He announced, Entrapta rubbing her chin as he announced the technique and cut her threads apart, "C'mon, I'm not that easy."

She smiled, nodding at him eagerly, "I'll admit, I didn't really come up with this style… Until yesterday. Through analyzing your techniques, and those of the other princesses. It's still a work in progress. Would you mind helping me refine it?"

Naruto looked at her blankly, "…You have the worst method of asking for help I've ever seen. You just… came up with it, yesterday?"

Entrapta's hair turned into a pair of overlarge fingers, poking together bashfully. Her unconscious emotions were represented by the part of her body she controlled the most actively.

She smiled more, and nodded with even more energy, "Yep, I really did! I always did want to try fighting, but I'm no good at it. As the incident where you had to save Glimmer and I in the mines showed. And I'm worse with words. Sorry, I really wanted to ask you for help, but I'm a novice at fighting."

"I can't really say no to you, you know," he grumbled.

At least she was honest, he thought begrudgingly while she fidgeted, "I just forgot to ask for help. The spar was meant to iron out my techniques and help me learn how to adapt my kingdom's style accordingly."

"Fine, let's start with the most basic lesson. When fighting, don't hold back! Cast Iron Sword: Oscillating Chime!"

Running forward, his sword swiped from side to side, picking up speed until he was batting away her hair strands! Entrapta, forced to use her body for the first time, found herself out of breath, and yet she had never felt more alive. Dodging each attack, being cornered, seeing her hair get batted away or sliced apart, she felt energy coursing through her veins! The pulse of battle had finally filled her heart, and she didn't dare let go of her focus for even a second.

"Whispering Sword: Wind Whistling Willows!"

Employing a slight of hand, Naruto switched his scabbard with his actual sword, using the former to distract Entrapta as it soared through the air! Kicking off of the ground, his body launched itself in a cyclone spin, the tip of his sword aiming its way to her stomach! At long last she was responding to his movements, picking up the basics as they fought. Her hair swung itself to the side, pulling her body along with it, and in that same motion, lashed out similar to a whip! Entrapta's eyes unconsciously glowed pure red, her body moving unconsciously as she started to burn off energy and fat faster than she ever had before.

"Cast Iron Whip: Snap Crack!"

The whiplash knocked Naruto away, his sword in place to divert the worst of the blow before it flew off his hand!

But he was far from done, "Howling Sword..."

"Uh-oh!" Entrapta realized too late he had his sheath in his other hand for a stab.

Using her hair, she attempted to block the strike as it dug into a wall of purple tresses, "Dual Wave Crash!"

And then, using his other hand's palm, Naruto smacked the sheath like a hammer hitting a nail. The princess had no chance to react when the scabbard passed right through her defense and pushed her. It didn't cut or harm her seriously, Naruto wouldn't forgive himself if that happened, but the attack sent her flying back. Castaspella and Glimmer watched the shortstack engineer roll to a stop with her hair acting like a shell.

Glimmer felt like she had been hit by lightning when realizing what happened, "Right, it doesn't matter if he has a real sword or a random stick, he's still ridiculously strong."

Castaspella nodded in agreement, "He could even make a piece of cloth a dangerous weapon... Truly an outstanding warrior."

Entrapta got up, her limbs hanging loose as her hair lifted her up almost like a puppet. Then her head swung up, facing his with a truly gigantic smile. Naruto felt nervous at the sight of such unbridled, uncontainable joy. For a moment, he worried that he had caused some serious brain damage. However, Entrapta soon gushed like a juicy grape being squeezed, letting out pure noise filled with utmost bliss.

"This is so much fun!" she started. "Well, fun is a weird word, but it's true! I'm enjoying this! We should try to fight more! I'm getting so much data it's unbelievable!"

"You're unbelievable," Naruto told her, getting the inventor to smile wider.

And getting Glimmer to fume a bit, "I'm joining you next time!"

"Huh?" the two fighters turned to the pink princess, who blushed at the realization of her jealous outburst. However, Naruto couldn't help but grin, "Sure, it sounds fun!"

"Y-Yes!" she exclaimed both relieved and more than a little happy despite the embarrassment.

-0-

"Hmhmhm~!" Shadow Weaver was humming louder, both hands extending out and glowing with dark energy as she controlled her shadow puppets. The more her humming increased in volume and fever pitch, the stronger and quicker they became, "So close, yet so far. It's about time I do this ritual properly. First, though..."

Waving her hand, she found Adora at her new class, learning basic runes in a balcony with a view of the clouds below with an elderly deer woman in a white robe teaching, "Alright, class, let's start from the beginning. To properly create a rune, you not only need magic but focus on what you want to create, the shape itself and your own mind. Now, grab the dust you are given and try again."

Shutting her eyes, the disguised Adora and other children gathered the sparkly blue dust and tried to form with it a simple circle, "Okay, I got it, I got it... I..."

Much to her horror, the dust became a cloud of smoke which blew in her face, angering Shadow Weaver, "Insolent fools... You can't see potential."

The teacher smiled at the blonde soldier, "Do not worry, this takes many years of practice, so instead of being down by any failures you can learn from them."

"Thank you but trying to focus on so much at once is..." she started.

"Perhaps you're overthinking it," none other than Glimmer said.

"Ah!" Adora yelped, almost reaching for a weapon when seeing who it was.

"Jumpy, aren't you?" the princess giggled.

"Your Highness," the teacher bowed, and Adora did after the rest of the class followed the teacher's example.

"Please, no need, I was just passing by," the girl told them with a smile. Walking next to Adora, who hesitantly stood straight up, she held the dust in her hands, "My aunt taught me a few tricks with this when I was younger. If you have trouble, you can do this..."

"Huh," Adora felt oddly comfortable as the princess held her hand in hers, helping her pour some of the glowing particles in a circle. "Just...close your eyes and feel this motion."

"Feel it, got it," the soldier said.

"You don't have to be so formal or stiff," Glimmer informed her with a warm grin. "Just, loosen up a bit and... don't even think. Feel the sand around you and the motion itself. Focus on that..."

Literally being held by the hand, Adora did as told. Glimmer's surprisingly comforting touch helped her to move her hand in a circle as she let the sand fall down piece by piece. Concentrating solely on that and with a never felt before sense of calm, she let the princess guide her. No one had ever done such a thing for her. Even Shadow Weaver made sure she trained to earn her strength, but being helped by someone for a change was rather... nice. Enemies or not, she could get used to it.

"And..." Adora started once she felt her hand stop. "Done."

From the circle came a small ball of light, getting claps from her fellow rookies and teacher, "Well done, Amara. Thank you, princess."

"No problem, I just like to help where I can," Glimmer stated, then chortled as she turned to Adora. "Amara, right? Are you new? If so, don't be afraid to ask your teachers for help."

"Y-Yes..." the disguised Adora said shyly, looking down.

Tilting her head to the side, the princess put on a gentle smile, "You're not used to ask for help, are you?"

"I'm used to getting things done by myself," the blonde replied in shame. "I'm better than this. I-"

"Listen, it's okay to try by yourself, but..." Glimmer sighed and recalled how she met the boy who really helped her change the tides, "...it is not shameful to rely on someone who proves they have your back."

Rubbing her own hands, Adora nodded, "I guess. Thank you, Your Highness."

"You're welcome!" the girl cheered, glad to have helped someone. "Anyway, um, have you perhaps seen my bodyguard? I want to try an idea for training with him."

Blushing as she felt sweat build up, the disguised Adora adverted her gaze again, "Uh, well... I may have caught sight of him going to the kitchens in intervals of four hours unless it's the early morning when he trains. I might have seen then that he gets a light breakfast before training for six hours straight before a large brunch. Followed by running laps around Mystacor."

"Oh, that explains why the cooks have worked extra shifts," Glimmer muttered to herself. "High metabolism indeed. Now I'm even more envious."

"Indeed..." Adora chortled awkwardly, thankful that the pink girl didn't question her knowledge about Naruto's schedule.

Unaware to them, Shadow Weaver mused to herself, tapping her fingers rhythmically, "Interesting. Princess or not, this girl... Micah's daughter... Hmhm~"

-0-

Catra did what she did best. Despite her new job, she was silent and sneaky like any good feline. Following the moving shadows with her sharp eyes helped her to see how the witch's minion moved. All in all, it was a good way to get information on her other two targets. However, it brought a question to her mind. Observing the Shadow Minion, she could see it briefly pass by a specific area, but then it'd focus on her targets.

She growled from her perch on a tree on a farming field to watch Naruto, Entrapta and Glimmer train, "Why is she so interested in them all of a sudden?"

"Any news?" Kyle asked behind her with an empty basket on his hands.

"Not really," the cat girl grunted. Looking down, she saw the boy place a ladder against the trunk to climb up, "Stay there."

"But I need the fruit for-" he started but was cut off when Catra picked one and threw it at the basket.

Hissing, she spoke sternly yet softer than her usually irritated self, "Don't blow my cover too much, pretend to hit the tree."

"Oh, sure!" he exclaimed and kicked the trunk. "So, uh, what has he been doing so far?"

"Same as usual," Catra said as she threw a couple fruits at him. Narrowing her eyes, she looked at his sparring partner, "That pink princess is getting really good at reading his rhythm and adjusting to it. Now they've got the crazy one with them. If anything, Shadow Weaver's got an actually good reason to spy them."

"She is?" Kyle asked as he walked around with the basket on his hands to catch the falling fruits.

"It's what annoys me," the cat girl growled. "She said there's more to this than meets the eye, but her focus is also on them. Almost like an afterthought."

Kyle shrugged, "Maybe she's waiting for something."

Suddenly, realization hit Catra and she looked at the boy, "That's it!"

"Wha...?" he gaped, baffled when she hopped off and landed next to him with a furious snarl.

"Ugh, I'm such an idiot for not thinking about this!" the feline warrior snapped, then kicked the trunk with all her might. Dozens of fruits fell into the basket, nearly toppling Kyle, "Grr, I should've done this right from the start... So that's why Lonnie's always keeping you close to her."

"Please explain what you're saying," Kyle pleaded. "You're really losing me here."

"Shadow Weaver must be waiting for a special event to attack," she told the boy. "Judging by how her minion is around the Forest Gale, she must not want him close. Either that or she wants to get the sword he took from Adora back, but she still wouldn't let her return after the mine fiasco without proper compensation. I just have to sneak up on her and see what she wants, then take it and-"

Right then, the swordsman she was watching shouted out, "Get down!"

Turning her head, Catra gaped as a large purple fruit flew at her, "What the-"

Hearing the splat, it was the plump princess running to her who spoke up first, "Oh my goodness! I'm so, so, so sorry!"

Looking at Glimmer, Entrapta and Naruto rush to check on her, Catra snarked while wiping off the juice and fruit pieces off her face, "Yeah, you should be! What was that about?!"

"It was an improved technique by Glimmer and Naruto," Entrapta explained matter-of-factly. "Finding ways to shift weight and speed to send aside a strike and-"

"We got into it, sorry!" Glimmer squeaked ashamed of her actions while Catra snarled. "Let me apologize with anything you'd like, please."

"Anything...?" Catra's eyes glinted with malice.

"Yeah... Glimmer pelted you good, after all," Naruto stated.

"Don't make me feel guiltier, please," his employer mumbled with a cute pout.

"Actually," Catra started to get them focused. "I've heard you got a nifty sword from a Horde Captain not too long ago. Rumors spread about your victories quite fast. You wouldn't happen to let me see it...?"

"Um, I want to, but..." Naruto looked at Glimmer, then at the incognito Catra and grinned, "...only if Glimmer's fine with it."

"Huh?" the cat girl was baffled, as was Kyle.

"I messed up big time in our last adventure," Naruto admitted and crossed his arms. "I keep that sword to not forget that, but the one who has it is her, not me."

"What?" Kyle asked more surprised than shocked. "Why...? She doesn't even... I mean, she uses magic."

"Naruto gave it to me," Glimmer replied. "As an apology for a time I was in danger and he couldn't do anything."

She recalled the event, blushing as he bowed and handed her the sword with a sincere smile and an oath, "I promised to be the best swordsman, and I will. Keep this sword with you until I am worthy of it. Once I truly become worthy of the title of the world's greatest, you can return it to me."

Part of her felt the seed of love plant its roots in her heart, but she smiled nonetheless, "I've kept it with me and even have it here, though. That sword has a history here."

"Really?" Catra was more than intrigued.

"Yes, you'll be able to see it soon," Glimmer beamed, then winked. "Do keep it secret. I want to surprise my aunt when we reveal it to her. Please try to not let her hear any rumors."

Forming a mirthful dark smile, Catra couldn't help but wonder how that would affect Shadow Weaver's plans and turn the tides in her favor, "Don't worry... She won't see it coming."

Luck seemed to be shining down on her, and she liked it.

-0-

And that's my rap!

Sorry if it feels like filler, but I wanted to have Naruto and Glimmer interact with the Horde soldiers even if unknowingly, define Entrapta's fighting style, and prepare things for the big confrontation. Next chapter will have all that and I hope you enjoyed this one regardless.

Swordslinger out!