Disclaimer: One time I did own Naruto and World of Warcraft…those were good times…but now…they own them…they are always watching me…they want to hurt me…they are everywhere…they are…(clichéd gurgling sound then abrupt silence)
Here's the next installment of The Legend of Uzumaki Naruto!
"It is beautiful today, isn't it my lady?" Kylia declared, staring up at the gorgeous blue sky, the sun reflecting off her shiny black hair. She reveled in the warm feeling the sun brought on her skin.
Beside her, Kira smiled at her best friend and hand-maiden, nodding yes to the question, and following Kylia's gaze up into the endless sky above. The two girls were sitting in the castle gardens, blowing off Kira's first free time in almost a week. It had been almost two since her father had declared the alliance with the Scarlet Crusade, and since Benedictus had begun pushing extra hard during their sessions. Simply put, she was worried and weary, and was very glad to have some time off.
It wasn't much off, though. She'd return to training that evening, after Benedictus got back from sorting out a few matters that had come up in the Cathedral. The old man hadn't told her what, but she had a feeling he would soon.
She continued to gaze up at the sky, almost losing herself in its vast blueness. It took most of her willpower not to consider just staying in that state forever, abandoning all worry and pain and any burden that she held. It was so tempting, she decided, to just not care. But she didn't even want to think about such a thing. It was a saying that Benedictus had said to her once.
"Once you partake of forbidden fruit…it will be impossible to resist it again."
Apathy was a forbidden fruit for her, it seemed.
Sighing a little, she slumped to the ground, ignoring Kylia's squawk of disapproval. She was wearing a white dress, made of silk, as her father didn't believe it was proper for a princess to wear anything less than the finest. She wore it to please him, mostly, as it was difficult to put on and got dirty easily. During training, she always wore the robes that novice's wore, wool dyed brown with a hood sewn on.
"I'm hungry." She exclaimed suddenly, startling the other girl as she did. Kylia got up, blushing a little, then asked,
"What can I get you, my lady?" Kira sighed again, wondering when her friend would drop the "my lady" and start calling her by her proper name. She shook her head, before standing up.
"Nothing in the castle, let's go get something in the town, I haven't eaten there for ages!" Kylia looked a bit frightened, and hastened to suggest an alternative,
" My lady…it could be dangerous for you…surely we can't just…sneak into the kitchens as we normally do?" Kira shook her head, smiling cheerfully.
"I never thought I'd hear you say that, Ky'. But no, as much as I like Master Chef Fredrick's food, I'm in need of something more…I don't know, common. I'm sure we could find something we'd both like, and I'm not defenseless, so we don't have to worry."
Kylia looked undecided a moment longer, trying to find a way to convince the other girl to just stay in the castle. Kylia knew what it was like outside the walls, whereas Kira had only experienced what little of the city that she'd been escorted through during her youth. Before becoming Kira's handmaiden, she had lived with her father and mother, in a small, dingy house in the slums near the Dwarven sector. Her father had been and abusive drunk, and her mother a neglectful witch. When she was five, she and her mother had returned home to find her father dead on the ground, in a pool of his own vomit, indicating that he'd most likely died of alcohol poisoning. Horrified by the sight of her dead husband, Kylia's mother had slit her own wrists, crying over the dead man, while Kylia watched in shock. The entire time, she hadn't even looked at the poor girl, ignoring her until the very end.
Afterwards, Kylia had wandered a little through the streets, hungry and vulnerable, until she'd ended up near the castle walls. She'd been found there by Kira's mother, who'd been searching the ground near the walls for different types of natural herbs and plants that grew there. The woman brought her in, healed her and fed her, then made her a servant, providing her with a home and the knowledge that at least someone in the world cared about her. She met Kira there, who was almost four at the time, and they'd become fast friends, and so Kira's mother had made her Kira's personal handmaiden.
She died not three days later on her way to the north, ambushed by Scourge on the road that led to a small town that needed her assistance.
From that day on, Kylia had not only become Kira's friend, but her sister, almost. Kira's mother had entrusted her with Kira's safety and needs, and she'd honor that to her dying day.
And Kira loved her for it.
Finally deciding that she would never be able to convince Kira otherwise, she said,
"I suppose we could…if we hurry back, you wouldn't want to be late to your lesson, would you?" Kira grinned at the other girl, hugging her lightly. She then turned and hurried through the gardens towards the entrance into the castle atrium.
"It's been so long since I've been out like this! It's great, isn't it?" gushed Kira as the two girls weaved their way through the thicket of people that crowded the streets of Stormwind. Kylia nodded slightly, keeping most of her attention on her surroundings. Being as clumsy as she was, she didn't want to risk tripping and falling into someone who wouldn't be as forgiving as the people who frequented the castle.
They walked across the bridge that had been constructed over the river that ran through town, pausing once so Kira could get a good look at the water. She grinned at her reflection, distorted by the constantly moving water, and said calmly,
"I haven't been out here for ages! I can't believe how much I've missed it!" Kylia smiled a little at her friend's enthusiasm, standing patiently by her side as she watched the water rush by. Kira then turned and they hurried across the remainder of the bridge into the main square.
Kira didn't know why she hadn't done this before. While her father hadn't exactly forbidden her from going into the town, he had taught her enough about it to make sure that she wouldn't want to. But in the years that she had begun training with Benedictus, her confidence had grown, and with it her desire to see the rest of the city. Up until now, she hadn't had much time, or will, in order to venture out. Between her lessons with Benedictus, and the lack of energy she had after those lessons, as well as the knowledge of her father's obvious disapproval, she had never been really willing. She new the castle grounds by heart, and had poured over maps of the city, but had very little experience in actually seeing the city.
The Main Square of Stormwind city was amazing in almost every way. The same white stone that made up most of the castle made up the cobbled street, though it was dirtied by the constant coming and going of travelers. It was circular, and surrounding the circle were dozens of shops and restaurants, the owners of which stood outside, calling to people and showing them what they sold or what the day's specials were. In the center, a massive, also circular, fountain existed; a large statue of the former King of Stormwind, sword raised, had been placed on a square pedestal in the middle of the fountain, water shooting out from all sides.
They wandered the beautiful square for a while, with Kira peering in shop windows, talking to vendors about their various products, and simply enjoying the day. Kylia was happy as well, because to her, Kira looked happier than she had in a long while. With the knowledge of the war that plagued the people outside the walls of the city, and the rifts that were ever growing between the races of the world; more recently the knowledge that her father may have fallen prey to a wicked woman, and entered an alliance that was sure to bring disaster, it was amazing that Kira remembered how to have fun, and simply enjoy herself.
After peering around a bit, they left the square, in search of a tasty, cheap meal for them both to enjoy.
They walked around the outer section, peering at menus and speaking with waiters on what they recommended. Or rather, Kira did that, while Kylia stood in the back, hoping that no one would be offended by her mistress's forwardness.
Kira wasn't impressed by most of the restaurants, having tried most of the dishes they offered back in the castle; she wanted to try something new.
They finally found a good place offering something that Kira had not tried, "Stormwind Noodles".
"But my lady…haven't you had these at the castle as well?" Kylia asked quietly, looking nervously at the faded sign and worn appearance of the entire building.
"Yes, but they are always with something else, never just by themselves, so this might be kind of nice!" She walked in, and almost as soon as she did, was greeted cheerfully by a pretty brown-haired girl, who seemed to appear from nowhere.
"Hello! Welcome to our shop! Can I get you anything to drink? Eat?" Kira was a bit startled by the girl's over-enthusiastic greeting, but smiled slightly and nodded.
"Umm…yes, we are here to try some of your noodles! Could we see a menu?" The girl smiled brightly and nodded.
"Of course! Take any seat you like!" They did so, and Kira browsed the menu, before nodding and deciding what she wanted. Kylia took a bit longer, trying to decide if she should get the fish or the chicken. She finally settled on fish, and placed her order along with Kira. The girl disappeared through a door behind where they were sitting, then returned, carrying two glasses of milk, and set them down before the girls.
"It should be ready in a minute!" Kira smiled at the girl.
"Thanks! My name's Kir-…um Kitara! This is Kylia, my best friend. It's nice to meet you." The girl returned the smile, holding her tray against her chest as she did.
"It's nice to meet you both as well! My name is Eliza, and I can't tell you how grateful that you decided to come." Kira blinked.
"Why's that?" Eliza looked down at this, sighing as she did.
"We haven't had much business lately. A side from a few regulars, we haven't gotten the service we used to, and we may not have enough money to pay the bills." Kira looked sympathetic, asking,
"Is there any reason for that? I mean, did you get lots of business before?" Eliza nodded enthusiastically.
"Oh yes! According to my father, when he just started, people flocked here! He said that lately, people haven't come because they are too focused on their own affairs. I think that other restaurants have experienced this as well, most likely due to the constantly decreasing number of travelers. That was our main source of income, you see. If you live in Stormwind, noodles are very common in the dishes that are served here, so why come to a small shop like this if they can get better noodles somewhere else? Our target customers were the travelers that came to the city, wishing to eat something simple and cheap. Since it is very dangerous for travelers to be out nowadays, we have gotten less and less customers. The last out of town person that came was several weeks ago. He was a nice blonde boy who came from some place called Konoha…but it seems that he has left the city, because he hasn't returned."
Kira blinked at the description, a little shocked that Naruto himself had eaten here of all places.
Small world…"That's terrible. Are you in danger of going out of business?" Eliza thought a moment, and then shook her head.
"I don't believe so. My father says things will pick up soon, and since I find it easier to look on the brighter side of things, I tend to agree." They shared another smile, before a booming voice came from the door that Eliza had gone through earlier.
"Order up! One Prawn and One Fish! On the house!" Kira spluttered at the announcement as Eliza entered the kitchen, returning seconds later with two steaming bowls of noodles.
"We can't take this for free! It wouldn't be right!" The other girl laughed a little.
"It would be improper not to give our Princess a free meal, to insure that she returns." Kira gaped again, and even Kylia looked at the girl in surprise.
"How did you…?" Eliza giggled.
"You carry yourself much differently than most I have seen, your highness. And that dress and pendant are very expensive looking, far more so than any that usually comes in. On top of that, it is known that the princess has golden hair and violet eyes. Since such traits are very rare, I simply guessed." Kira spluttered more, causing Eliza to laugh a little.
"Do not worry, I won't tell!" Kira could not help but giggle at Eliza's cheerful demeanor, and began to eat her noodles in earnest.
She had made another friend.
They returned to the castle later, both having downed three bowls of noodles, and grinning broadly at the pleasant conversation that they had had with the young waitress. After finishing their meal, they had walked back through the Main Square, and snuck past the guards again, as they had on their way out. It took but a simple illusion for them to not pay them any mind, and Kira was glad for the help her abilities provided her.
She went quickly up to her room and changed into her robes, before parting with Kylia and hurrying down to the chapel.
When she entered, she wasn't greeted by Benedictus' usual snoring. Sensing that he was in the room, though, she walked towards the altar to find the old man pleasantly waiting for her, his sharp golden eyes not leaving her form as she stopped in front of the altar, bowing as she did.
He quirked his lips into a smile, amused at the fact that a princess was bowing to him, instead of the other way around.
"We have much to discuss, Kira." Kira looked up in surprise, as they usually jumped right into the lesson, not wasting time for idle chatter.
"What is wrong, master?" She asked quietly, taking a seat on one of the wooden chairs behind the altar; Benedictus sat down next to her.
"Many things are wrong, as you no doubt know, girl." He said calmly, arching an eyebrow at his apprentice. She flushed.
"You know what I meant." He nodded.
"Perhaps. Regardless, I have been thinking these past few days, and I have reached a decision that will benefit both of us, I think." She looked at him puzzled, so he continued.
"You have no doubt heard that the Council of Stormwind is convening in a day's time, to no doubt discuss your father's somewhat foolish proposition, correct?" Kira nodded.
"Yes…"
"I want you to attend."
Kira wasn't fazed by her master's bluntness, having gotten used to it over the years. She asked,
"Why? My father would probably let me, but I don't think I could do much else, other than watch…"
"Which is exactly what you will be doing." Benedictus said calmly. "You will be watching the proceedings, both because I believe it will be a good experience for you to see politics in action, and because I want you to be more aware of what is going on in our world. I want you to see what others have to say about these troubled times, and this is the perfect way for you do hear the opinions of others. It would also allow you to see both myself and your father deal with the inquiries of others. You will need to deal with them as well, once you become queen."
Kira nodded a little uncertainly. It seemed incredibly rude to ask her father if she could just watch, and no doubt he would immediately suspect Benedictus of doing something. Nevertheless, she did want to hear what was going on in other parts of the country and world. Benedictus hadn't said much in the way of if Naruto had succeeded in getting the Gnomes and the Dwarves, so she wondered if there might be any information on that.
"Okay master, I will do it." He nodded, smiling a bit.
"Good. Now, the next thing I want to talk to you about is why you felt the need to leave the safety of the castle today." She blushed a little, embarrassed that she had been discovered, and knowing that he wouldn't tell her how he knew, she simply said,
"I had some time off. Is it really that bad that I decided to leave? I came back fine, so why should it matter?" He rolled his eyes, snorting.
"Because the longer you spend out there the more likely you will be exposed to the wile's and tricks of the women on the streets. I don't train scarlet women!" She blushed horribly, fighting down her ire at the old man.
"I didn't do anything! Leave me alone you old bat!" He laughed, his eyes twinkling, as he stood up.
"Perhaps, perhaps. But nonetheless, it is best that you rest. After you convince your father to let you sit in, go to bed, for I need your mind sharp and alert tomorrow."
She nodded, and stomped away, muttering as the old man shooed her off.
The next day Kira rose early in preparation for the task she had been assigned. After she had left the chapel the previous night, she had gone to her father, who at the time was still at dinner. After quickly eating herself, she had asked quietly if there was any chance for her to sit in on the meeting.
"Please father, if I am to be a princess, shouldn't I have experience in this sort of thing?" Her father didn't answer at first, taking another bite from his steak, and apparently thinking.
Finally he said,
"I will allow you to, Kira. It would be a
good lesson for you, but you must promise not to say anything. It
would be improper for you to suggest anything, seeing as how you are
not on the council, so I am asking you to simply watch. Is that
alright?" Kira grinned broadly, got up and ran around the table,
embracing her father enthusiastically.
"Thank you so much father!" she said, meaning every word. He smiled a little at her, returning the hug, and she held on so long that she missed the slight gleam of suspicion in the man's eyes, which had passed by the time she had pulled away.
"The meeting begins just after breakfast, so do not be late."
After that, she had retired to her room for some much-needed rest.
When she had finished dressing, several soft knocks on the door alerted her to Kylia's presence. She quickly opened the door, letting the older girl in.
"Are you ready, my lady?" Kylia asked smiling as she did. Kira nodded, checking over her outfit as she did. She had to look proper, like a king's daughter, which entailed for her to wear her finest dress, a red silk one with flowery patterns adorning the edges of the sleeves and hem. She had tied her hair back into a tail, and hid her mother's necklace beneath it. It wouldn't do for her father to see it, as she would have no idea how to explain how she got it.
When she had finished primping herself, she walked out into the hallway, Kylia right behind her, and towards the stairs that led to the ground floor, and consequently the dining room.
They passed numerous servants on the way, all busily hurrying to complete their assigned chores, such as setting up the guest rooms, delivering ingredients to the chefs or simply cleaning whatever they thought was dirty. All of them acknowledged her presence on the way, with either a bow of the head, a slight smile, or a friendly "hello lady princess".
They reached the dining room, and saw that it was almost completely full already. The members had likely come early to partake of the King's food.
The Council of Stormwind was a rather new system that Kira's grandfather, Varian Wrynn, had developed during his reign. Because several of the previous Kings had abused their power, leading either thousands to die in wars or simply taxing the citizens to poverty, he organized the Council, made up of 12 of Stormwind's most prominent and influential nobles, to keep the power of the king in check. Whenever the King made a huge decision that would affect all of Stormwind, the Council convened in order to debate it. They had met on many occasions in the last few years, starting with the dissolution of the Alliance, and then Stormwind's shutting off of the tram that led to Ironforge and then the law that banned dwarves from living in the city. On each occasion, they had let the decision rest, because the majority of the nobles favored the king and most of his decisions. Several were downright racist, which had helped in banning dwarves from living in the city.
The Council had lost some power after Varian's mysterious disappearance on his way to Theramore Island, of the coast of Kalimdor. After his disappearance, Kira's father had been made king, only ten years old at the time. While Anduin was still young, High Lord Bolvar Fordragon held the actual authority of the king, and was charged as Anduin's protector as well as the regent of Stormwind. Bolvar had been a fierce leader, and hadn't taken much advice from the Council, using his own ideas and power to do what he thought was best. This had led to the Council's advice being shunted aside, and for the years up until her father's true crowning, had been ignored almost completely, despite the frequent meetings it had.
When Anduin had taken the thrown, and Bolvar had been demoted to protecting Anduin's betrothed, and Kira's mother, he had begun to call on the Council's advice once more, thinking it best if the most influential minds of Stormwind continued to play a role in the political affairs of the city.
After dismissing Kylia, Kira quickly took a seat near the door, not wanting to be in the way. She helped herself to some food, then sat back and waited for the meeting to start.
As she waited she let her eyes drift over the twelve members, six on each side of the long, rectangular table, her father at the head. She knew all of them, having met them at one point or another during her lifetime.
To her father's immediate right, Lady Prestor sat, her beautiful black hair gleaming in the morning sunshine, her face graced with a pleasant, kind smile that made Kira's mood brighten. Lady Prestor had been one of the first to be admitted onto the Council, and thusly held a lot more influence than most of the other members.
To his left sat the Captain of the Stormwind City Guards, Captain Reinhardt Schaun. He was easily recognizable with his large build and bushy brown beard, which covered the majority of his face. Aside from being much taller, he was built rather like a dwarf, sturdy looking and strong. He too held much power in the council.
She scanned the rest with less interest and focus, only vaguely remembering their names and titles, until she reached the other end of the table, where her master, Archbishop Benedictus, sat. Dressed in his familiar golden robes, the ancient man seemed to radiate power, and Kira could almost tell he was as eager to begin as she was. He was the moderator of the council, since the entire system was designed to keep the king in check, therefore a third party had to be moderator, so that the Council could convene even if the king didn't order it to.
Finally, when the last of the food had been consumed, Benedictus stood, his shrewd eyes surveying the table.
"This Council has convened today to discuss the current state of affairs in our city, though most notably the decision His Grace has made in allying with the Scarlet Crusade. I am opening the room to discussion now." He sat down, and at once the nobles began to speak at once, until Benedictus held up a hand for silence. He looked to a man to his right, a noble named Marcus Trenillias, whose family had lived in Stormwind since it had been built.
He stood, and spoke confidently.
"I have always supported the king's ideals and decisions, as I believe that he has had nothing but the best interests in mind when he made them." He paused slightly, and Kira could see her father's face lighten up a little, pleased by the statement. It disappeared, however, when Marcus spoke again.
"But in this case, I do not believe it is proper. The Scarlet Crusade, though human, is an extremist faction that does not have the best interests in our country at heart. Alliance with them may lead to the destruction of the Undead Scourge, but it has an equal chance of the destruction of our own city and country." He sat down, and the room was uneasily silent. Another man stood, this time in the middle on Benedictus' left. The man, possessing oily hair and a face that resembled a scavenging rodent, whom she identified as Bartholomew Shrund, a wealthy merchant, stood.
" I disagree with Lord Trenillias' decision. The Scarlet Crusade has always considered us friends, so what right do we have in refusing their help? We need it, so what is the point?"
Anduin smiled triumphantly as Shrund sat back down, but once again the smile vanished as the man directly next to Benedictus on his left spoke,
"The holes in your logic are so large that a kodo could walk through it. The Crusaders have killed as many undead as they have normal humans. They do not differentiate between a ghoul and a human with a cold. Allying with them would not help us in the slightest." Lord Sevenius Coutrend, a powerful mage and philosopher that controlled much of the city's history and ancient texts, had spoken this. Kira didn't particularly like the man, whose acidic wit and generally unfriendly demeanor caused her to bristle with anger whenever he spoke, as he was almost always in direct opposition to her father.
Of course, even when she agreed with him, she still bristled.
Anduin stood up, and was about to speak when a soft, yet commanding voice cut him off.
"Lord Coutrend, it is true that the Crusaders have harmed many in the past, but one cannot say that what they have done was simply out of fanaticism. They have held back the hordes of Scourge in Stratholme, and have a keen eye over the Banshee Queen's kingdom to the north. They have fought with the interests in preserving our race, and if we were to ally with them, we would certainly have an advantage that we did not possess in the days of the former Alliance." Lady Prestor spoke with such fluidity and power that she hadn't needed to raise her voice. She never did, and that was yet another testament to her influences and power.
Kira felt a little shocked. She had believed that Lady Prestor, who was as smart as she was pretty, would see that it allying with the Crusade was an incredibly bad choice. It hurt that her heroine had taken the side that Kira herself believed was wrong.
When Anduin sat back down, Lady Prestor continued.
"It is quite advantageous in our position. We have no allies, and if we were to be without allies in the future, then there is no telling what harm could come to our city. Is it not true that the Dwarves and Gnomes have once again allied themselves?"
The room exploded with shouts of denial, astonishment, and outright anger. Benedictus silenced the room once again with a hand, and then looked at Lady Prestor, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.
"How do you know this?" he spoke softly, but like Prestor, it carried a wave of power and influence in it. She smiled pleasantly.
"I have heard the merchants and traders speaking of it. It is amazing what the people have to say, no?"
Benedictus' eyes did not leave the women for a few seconds, and then he swept them across the table to Captain Reinhardt, who had held his hand up.
The bearded captain cleared his throat, and then spoke loudly.
"I too have heard of this. I think that it is in our best interests to extend a helping hand to them. My reports state that the gnomes have reacquired their capital city, Gnomeregan, and are in the process of rebuilding, with the dwarves by their side. If we were to extend a hand to them, perhaps we could re-forge the majority of the alliance. Then, we would not have any need to ally with the Crusade."
Benedictus nodded slightly, and Kira felt her heart nearly burst with joy.
He did it! He did it! I knew he could. Well…I hoped he could…Lady Prestor suddenly spoke.
"My belief is that someone, or perhaps something, is re-creating the Alliance by themselves. The gnomes were previously unable to retake their city, and after years of failed attempts, would it not be logical to say that they had even less of a chance of retaking it now than then? They refused both King Magni's help, and ours so it is obvious that someone has been helping them, and if this someone were a threat to our forces, then wouldn't it be prudent to have alliances ourselves?
"Would it not be more beneficial to keep the Crusade in the Alliance? And who is to say that the dwarves will even accept our hand? Was it not we who scorned them? I believe that there isn't any reason to not accept the hand of the Crusaders. What danger is there? If we allied with them, wouldn't they simply see us as friends, and thus not attack us like they have in the past? The entire reason they have attacked us in the past was due to the foolishness of travelers passing to close to the Plaguelands, and the lack of any identification. If we allied with them, they would have no reason to betray or harm us, because they see us as a means to rid the world of the Scourge." She smiled again, and let her purple eyes drift across the room, which was silent once more.
It was Benedictus who spoke next, his eyes once again boring into Lady Prestor's.
"One could easily argue, Lady Prestor, that they are in the perfect position to betray us. If they used the alliance as a means of getting close to our leaders, and eventually did betray us, they would be in a fantastic position. The confusion that would follow would likely cause their ranks to swell, as people, fearing that Stormwind would not be able to last without its leader, or leaders, would join to protect themselves, if anything. Fear can make those of weaker wills to do anything, and for those who are ignorant of the Crusade's ways, joining it would seem like the best option. The years after Varian's disappearance and before His Grace took the throne are in everyone's mind, when the factions of our kingdom were incredible divided, and people were not as safe as they are now. If you recall, those were the years that the Crusade grew even more rapidly, and it is logical to say that the same would happen if the Crusade betrayed us.
"Furthermore, they are in a geographical location that leaves them completely invulnerable to our attacks. Their stronghold lies either on the outskirts of Stratholme, in the Plaguelands, or in the mountains of Lordaeron, where the Undercity and the Banshee Queen rules. If we were to retaliate, we would have to wade through veritable thickets of Scourge and Forsaken in order to get to them. If we even did, they would easily destroy us with their superior numbers. So, in essence, they have the perfect incentive to betray us.
"As to your claim of another organizing this, it isn't likely that Magni or Mekkatorque would yield to another, as that is what caused this mess in the first place. My opinion is that we extend a hand to our former allies. They have years of trust built up between them, as well as us. I believe that we can regain their trust if we simply-"
"NO!"
Benedictus was effectively silenced by Anduin's shout, who was standing once again, his face twisted into a frightening mask of rage. He spoke through clenched teeth,
"You don't seem to realize that our alliance with them is over, and will remain so. They are not trustworthy, and it is obvious that they have kept secrets from me. Magni dishonored me by not submitting to my request of unification. Mekkatorque dishonored us by simply leaving in the middle of the war, and Malfurion and his bitch did so in the same way. I have worked for years to unify our country, and because of me, Stormwind is not only a city, but a country as well. I asked Magni to submit, and under my leadership we would be able to defeat the Horde, and the Scourge. He refused and so I will not call on him again.
"I am ordering you now, to cease all talk of alliance with the dwarves and gnomes. My word is final: we are allying with the Scarlet Crusade, and I will not stand for a disagreement. Furthermore, I want travelers into this city, especially dwarves, to be questioned thoroughly of any information involving this new alliance. Any reports of who this new leader is to be delivered directly to me. I will not tolerate anything otherwise."
Lord Coutrend snorted in disgust.
"Your Grace…you do know that we have the power to veto any order that we believe is unjust, and perhaps…tyrannical? Perhaps voting would see if the others agree with me on this?"
Anduin's eyes blazed, and he roared,
"DO…NOT…QUESTION…ME! I AM THE KING, SO IT IS I WHO WILL DECIDE WHAT IS TYRANNICAL OR NOT!"
His blazing eyes flashed across the room, his face red, and perhaps would have continued shouting had he not spotted Kira's face.
The girl was shaking madly, her eyes wide. Tears had pooled in the corners of her eyes, and she looked more frightened than he had ever seen her.
She had never seen her father like this.
It was terrifying.
At once, the anger and hate drained from his expression, and he strode across the room, walking up to Kira, and hugging her tightly. The girl flinched at first, then returned her father's embrace. They remained there for a time, simply hugging each other. Eventually, Anduin released her and stood up, turning to face the council, shame displayed as prominently as the symbol on his chest.
"Forgive me…I do not know what seized me in that moment. I retract those orders, and we will hold another meeting soon, to continue this discussion. Right now I must rest…I am…so very tired…"
He hung his head slightly; a rare gesture for a king, and slowly the Council members stood, and began filing from the room, casting several worried or suspicious glances at the King.
Benedictus sighed.
What is happening to you, Anduin?
Kira sat by her father's bedside later that night, and watched the king sleep. It was a restless one, with him tossing and turning, obviously troubled. She longed to reach out and wake him, to save him from the nightmares that plagued him, but couldn't bring herself to. She was still shocked by her father's outburst that morning, and was wondering if the man that lay in front of her was truly her father.
She jumped when a hand fell on her shoulder. She looked up into the wizened face of Benedictus.
"Are you alright, child?" She nodded a little feebly, further enhancing the fact that she was not, in fact, alright.
"What is happening to him? Why did he say those things? He's always been friends with Magni and the High Tinker…and he's never been that cruel sounding. What is making him do this?" She looked at her master for a response, her eyes pleading. He sighed, and spoke softly, watching the King toss and turn in his bed.
"I have several theories, little one, but none of which have any substance to them at this time. I will not tell them to you, for fear of worrying you more. I may tell you in time, but for now, you must simply focus on your training. I have received a missive from Magni, earlier today, which has brought me up to date on what their situation is." At her inquiring look, he explained.
"Magni easily agreed to joining the new Alliance, but he was skeptical about how one would approach the other races. He says that that boy stayed with him for a week, training, before departing to find the gnomes. He then says that the boy was able to help the gnomes retake their city, rather surprisingly, and is currently on his way to Kalimdor…where he hopes to enlist the help of Thrall and the Orcs."
Kira was surprised, but felt her spirits lift a bit, knowing that she had chosen correctly. She let her eyes drift back to her father, but steeled herself.
Her father was strong, and she knew that whatever was afflicting him; he would fight to the very last. She wanted desperately to help, but she somehow knew she wasn't experienced enough to break whatever curse had been placed on him. So she looked up at Benedictus, determined.
"Then we'd better start training, right? I'm going to need to be strong, so that I can help that pervert when the time comes." Benedictus smiled and the girl's courage.
You are so much like your mother, little one. Your fire, even in the most trying of times, does not so much as flicker. You chose right in entrusting that boy as well, for I believe that he is of the same mould.
"My lady, have they accepted the alliance yet?"
"No…but they shall soon, I imagine. The King is strangely receptive to my advances, so it shall only be a matter of time before I have him under my control."
"Shall we alert His Mightiness, and Her Greatness that we are succeeding?"
"Not yet. This is my plan, I don't want that hag interfering, and taking the credit. We shall simply wait and see what happens."
"Of course, my lady."
"Alright, you remember everything?"
"Yeah, yeah, keep yer pants on, baka. My brain may be small, but I ain't stupid. I'll tell the chick with the big bazooms everything you told me."
Naruto stared in annoyance at the orange toad that sat on the wooden deck in front of him. Though it had been awhile since he had seen the foul-mouthed little toad, Gamakichi hadn't changed at all. He was the same size, wore the same little blue vest, and still had a mouth like a sailor's. Naruto didn't know why he even bothered in summoning the toad. He almost wished he'd summoned Gamatatsu instead.
But then he realized that Gamatatsu would probably forget everything he said after "hello".
"Well, if that's everthin' than I gotta split! Oh and by the way, if you summon Pops again, then try ta' do it somewhere else, k? He's pretty pissed at ya' for giving him weird sores all over his ass!"
And with that, the little frog disappeared with a "pop".
Across the deck, Naruto's thoughts were interrupted by an incoherent shout from one of the small, green-skinned creatures that were constantly scurrying about the zeppelin deck. The creatures, known as goblins, were about the size of gnomes, had pointy ears, noses and shrewd, greedy little eyes, with sleazy grins plastered on their angular faces. They were in charge of running the zeppelin, and Naruto had taken an instant dislike to all of them, as they'd cheated him out of half the gold he'd one from the gnomes in order to take him to Orgrimmar.
Orgrimmar…I wonder what it's like…After the death of Thermaplugg, the remaining gnomes and Naruto had entered the control room, and Mekkatorque had deactivated the security system, effectively neutralizing the remaining Mechanized Sentries.
After that, he had activated the security cameras in the area that the tunnel Thermaplugg's machines had created, which was clearly labeled on one of the many maps that littered the room. They were in hopes of finding out if Quidneer had been successful. In the screen, which showed the first basement level, they could see mounds of dead or dying troggs.
Flashback:
Naruto gaped at the screen, not quite believing what he was seeing. Rather than hordes of troggs preparing to flee into the world, there was nothing but death.
Lots of death.
Mounds of troggs were scattered throughout the area, some twitching sporadically, while most simply remained still. The greenish smoke had mostly disappeared, replaced by a more purplish colored one. The TrogAway.
Linkizzle and Rurizzle hugged each other, laughing and cheering. Naruto broke out into a huge smile, and quickly joined them in the celebrations. Mekkatorque smiled.
No, that would be inaccurate.
He grinned.
So widely that it seemed his head would split in half.
They had done it! The troggs were no more, Thermaplugg was finished, and his people's lives were saved.
They had a home once more.
End Flashback
Afterwards, they had left the Tinker's Court, and headed to the Main Entrance. One the way, however, they encountered an obstacle.
The leprous gnomes.
Flashback:
As soon as Mekkatorque stepped off the elevator that led into the Launch Bay, he was surrounded. A sea of greenish, scaly faces, and milky eyes stared back at him, and he recoiled, his had gripping his sword. He expected them to attack in a heartbeat. He expected them to attempt to bludgeon him and his friends to death without remorse.
What he did not expect, however, was for them to bow.
Staring in confusion at the bowing gnomes, he suddenly remembered what Terko had said back when he had first arrived in the Launch Bay.
They were being controlled.
He relaxed, but continued to gaze, sadly at the gnomes. He spoke quietly,
"I am sorry…I have failed you, leaving you to become slaves to Sicco…Forgive me." One of the gnomes looked up, and Mekkatorque could see the first expression he had seen in a long time on him.
"It is…us that must sorry…we fail king…not strong to resist…forgive us?" Mekkatorque gaped in shock at the group.
"Forgive you…?" he whispered, eyes wide. He looked at all of them, and he saw the remorse on their faces. He saw the shame that they had, in submitting to Thermaplugg, even if it was because of some device. He smiled.
"Of course…you are forgiven…my people." The leprous gnome's face lit up in a bright smile, which was slightly creepy, but as the others began to smile as well, the tension dissipated. They were no longer enemies. They were once again his people.
End Flashback
After taking the elevator down to the first floor, the leprous gnomes in tow, they suddenly met up with Quidneer, who was sitting near the massive doors of the main entrance. When they approached, he got up to meet them, wincing as he did, and had embraced Mekkatorque, smiling as he did. He greeted the other two gnomish warriors as he did, but when he met Naruto's eyes he flinched and looked away, frightened.
Naruto flinched a little as well, knowing exactly why Quidneer had reacted like that. On the way down, the Kyuubi had explained his little misadventure. Frightened that he had unwittingly created a form for the demon fox, he silently vowed not to use the Link clone again, not wanting to give the fox a chance at escaping.
When they had opened the doors, the leprous gnomes were assaulted with the first daylight they had seen in years. Some recoiled, covering their faces with their hands in an attempt to ward off the light. Others stood still, reveling in the light that they had dreamed about.
They had crossed the snow fields in front of the great city entrance, and upon sighting the camp, broke into a dead run. Linkizzle and Rurizzle had skipped across, cheering happily, Naruto at their side. The leprous ones hung back, still getting used to the light, while Mekkatorque stood in between them, Quidneer at his side.
When they had reached the camp, Naruto swore he had never seen a better sight. Dozens upon dozens of gnomes had crept from the encampment, and were standing in front, in a single line, and single, uniform expression of disbelief written on their faces. When they had sighted Mekkatorque, however, and his entourage, the lines broke.
The gnomes, both leprous and healthy, charged together, embracing each other, laughing, crying, cheering, and simply reveling in the presence on one another. Friends met each other, brothers and sisters were reunited, even parents and children met once more. Naruto was beaming, never having seen a greater sight in his life. The ones that had been changed by the radiation were recognized instantly, despite their almost identical looks. There was no sign of disgust, horror, or anything of that sort.
The Gnomeregan Exiles and the Gnomeregan Betrayers were no more.
Now, only the gnomes stood.
Then, they had celebrated.
The mountains had echoed with cries and whoops of cheer, or with songs and sounds of merriment. The camp was alive with activity, as gnomes danced, joked, sang, ate, or in some cases, healed. Not a single gnome was left out of the party, and for once, Naruto was the center of it all.
He drank strange drinks, some sweet and cool, others spicy and warm, while still others were bitter and hot. On several occasions Linkizzle forced alcoholic beverages down his throat, but as soon as he felt tipsy, the feeling disappeared.
Stupid Kyuubi.
He ate strange foods, most of which was freeze dried, but found a particular liking in a soup called Gnome Hair Surprise. It wasn't really gnome hair, but looked a lot like it. It was full of spices and was a lot like ramen, in Naruto's opinion.
He danced, laughing as he switched partners mid-way through a song, and always having to bend down in order for him to be on their level.
It made him feel tall.
He met Linkizzle, Rurizzle, Quidneer, and Mekkatorque on many occasions, and Naruto suddenly realized how much that he and Mekkatorque were alike. The Gnome King partied like no other, laughing, his high-pitched voice occasionally ringing through the encampment as he tried, and failed horrible, to sing several popular gnomish songs.
Naruto had to clobber him so that his ears would stop bleeding.
The old gnome got so drunk that by the time the festivities had died down, and people were beginning to fall asleep, he had passed out on the roof of the War Room, giggling insanely before he passed out.
Suffice to say, he had a great time, and simply enjoyed the fact that he had helped created this.
Naruto spent four more days at the camp, mostly helping the gnomes get back on their feet as they tried both to recover from the massive hangovers that had afflicted them the night of the party. At one point he had needed to drag Mekkatorque off the roof and drench him in cold water to check if he was still alive.
After that, the gnomes had begun to work on plans both to rebuild and clean up Gnomeregan, and begin to develop a cure for their mutated brethren.
But not Naruto.
Two days after the party, Mekkatorque had met with the blonde in his lab. Naruto almost didn't recognize the little gnome, as he was smiling now, and the aura of gloom that had once surrounded him was gone.
Flashback
Naruto sat down in front of the Gnome king, his blue eyes curious. He was dressed in different clothes now, consisting of a black and orange, zipped up jacket and black pants (both radiation proof, incidentally) and black leather boots. He wore nothing underneath the jacket, as it provided him with enough protection and warmth. Mekkatorque's goggles were strapped across his forehead, while his forehead protector remained tied around his right arm. Magni's Pride had been strapped to his back as well.
Mekkatorque, adorned in his usual garments, though without the goggles, sat on a stool, smiling down at the blonde.
"I suppose you are wondering why I've called you here? Hmm?" At Naruto's nod, he smiled even wider,
"Well, it's not to apologize or anything, since I don't think I could apologize to a brat like you, even if he deserved it." Naruto glared at him, a vein throbbing in his forehead. Mekkatorque laughed.
"Settle down, brat, settle down. I've called you here for a number of reasons. First, I will retract my earlier statements of the plan that you and the Princess have concocted. I will support this new Alliance easily, as it is not only in my best interests, but the world's. Second, I have already sent a missive to Magni, saying that I wish to re-ally with him, and that I might need some help in repairing the city. He is a decent fellow, so I believe he will help.
"Finally, I wish to advise you on where you should go next. Perhaps at one point, I would have suggested you to go directly to Teldrassil, the land of the Night Elves, in order to get Tyrande Whisperwind and Malfurion Stormrage to help. But I don't believe that that is a good idea, not yet. It is far away, and you would have no means of getting there. If I could, I would allow you to use the plans in the launch bay, but they are only built for gnomes, no matter how small you are." Naruto glared again, but this time only with half the power, as he was too focused on what the gnome was going to say.
"Therefore, I am advising you to head west, to the continent of Kalimdor. On the shores in the north, you will find the legendary city of orcs, Orgrimmar, where the former Warchief of the Horde, Thrall, lives. You may think me crazy, but I believe that Thrall will listen to you, if you give him both the chance, and you don't do anything stupid. Humans raised Thrall, you see, so he has a much better disposition towards them. If you can get an audience with him, it is likely that he may listen to what you have to say.
"In the worst case scenario, he would kill you, but the best, he would agree. From there you may be able to extend hands to the other former races of the Horde, the Tauren, and the Trolls, before taking on the Forsaken to the north of here, and the Night Elves off the coast of Kalimdor. You will no doubt travel much, but if you are going to make this work, then it is necessary."
Mekkatorque looked at the boy hard, and Naruto nodded.
"Right, I got it. Orgrimmar, then. But there's a problem, old man, I don't have any way of going across an ocean!" The gnome smirked.
"Easily remedied, brat. Not too far from here is a zeppelin tower, where a group of goblins, the Organization of Gobbish Zeppelineers, runs a ferry service for people. If you don't know what a zeppelin is, then simply think of it as a large balloon with propellers. It is the quickest way for you to get across, even if it isn't the most inexpensive. Goblins are greedy little beasts, and won't hesitate to wring, if possible, every coin that you have from you. I'll give you some extra, so don't worry. I believe the zeppelins leave in two-day periods, so the next one won't leave for another two days. That gives you time to rest and plan out what you are going to do once you get to Kalimdor."
Naruto sat back, nodding slightly. The prospect of flying was exciting, and if it was anything like flying on a gryphon, than he knew he would love it. However, the prospect of going into what was likely the lion's den was not so appealing to him. Kira had told him that the Orcs were once a fierce tribe of creatures that had come from another world, much like himself. They had been manipulated by demons, which caused them to attack anything that wasn't like them. Eventually, they had broken free of the enchantment, and had become, as they were now, a ferocious group of shamanistic, tribal people who bore a lingering resentment towards humans. That hadn't stopped them from allying with each other at several points, as Thrall was a much more open-minded leader. Unfortunately, it appeared that it would be much harder for him to get them to agree than either the dwarves or the gnomes.
Nothing was ever easy.
Mekkatorque spoke once again.
"The last thing I called you here for is a little bit less dire. I see you are still wearing my goggles, eh?" Naruto blinked, touching the goggles that rested on his forehead, and nodded.
"Yeah, why?"
"Well, they are quite unique, so I wanted to give you a bit of an explanation in how to use them effectively. They have several different vision modes, which allow you to see things in a much different way. I don't use them quite often, as it is somewhat draining, due to the fact that they use magic rather than battery power. The first mode is night-vision, which is exactly as it sounds. The second is heat vision, which allows you to see the concentrations of body heat, allowing you to spy life forms with ease. The third vision mode is magic vision, which allows you to see high concentrations of magic in objects, and even detect what spell is going to be used. Very nifty, had I known that Sicco could use magic in his mech, I would have used this against him. The final vision mode is…X-ray vision!" To Naruto's immense surprise (or horror) the little gnome blushed perversely at this.
"Do you need an explanation on that one? I don't usually tell people about it…use it well!" Naruto looked up at the goggles, feeling the heat rise in his face.
"Dammit…I'm surrounded by perverts…"
End Flashback
During the two days that he had remained, he had spent a lot of time with Linkizzle and Rurizzle. The two brothers had already sent a letter to Furnizzle back in Ironforge, telling him that they were alright.
Finally, on the last day, Naruto had stood in front of the horde of gnomes, his backpack freshly packed with food, water, and various gifts that he had received from the thankful gnomes. Mekkatorque had stood in front of him, smirking.
"You will always have a place here, brat. Don't forget that." Naruto nodded and grinned. Linkizzle and Rurizzle were crying theatrically, hugging the boy's legs in an attempt to stop him from going.
It was a nice feeling, he decided, to be wanted.
"Seeya shorties! Hope I see you again!" He pulled away from the Rizzle brothers' grip, and amidst the squawks of anger and disapproval, he ran off into the trees, not looking back, so that they couldn't see the tears that were streaming down his face.
And so he was here, having followed Mekkatorque's directions to the zeppelin house, he had had a long argument with the little creature that sold tickets, (after recovering from his shock of seeing the little thing) he had boarded the huge zeppelin, which was a dull brown color. Above a ship-like deck, a huge, oval-shaped balloon had been strapped on. It held the deck from falling, and on either side of the deck were large propellers that would propel it forwards through the air.
He made due on his promise to Gamabunta as well, summoning Gamakichi as soon as they had taken off, and delivered to the little toad exactly what he had been doing in the past few weeks. He also gave the miniature toad a message for Tsunade and Jiraiya, Kakashi, and finally Sakura.
He sat back, finally, and closed his eyes.
It would be a long time before he arrived at Kalimdor, so he decided to make the best by sleeping.
As he drifted off, he hoped that Sakura got his message.
"Alright, spit it out, Jiraiya! What's this important news you've got? The one you said was about Naruto?"
"Don't get your panties in a twist, woman! I'll tell you now that everyone is here."
The Godaime Hokage of the Hidden Village of the Leaf sat at her desk, glaring at the tall, white-haired man that had entered several hours earlier, claiming he knew where Naruto was. Rather than just tell her, he had demanded that she get Sakura, who was at home on a day off, and Kakashi, who was most likely standing at the memorial once more. Kakashi had just walked in, late as usual; seemingly nonchalant that one of his missing students had been located.
Jiraiya smirked at the woman's anger, but seeing as how the girl, Sakura, was now glaring at him as well, and knowing that she had inherited at least some of her master's strength in the time she had trained, spoke.
"Okay, okay. I'll tell you. You know how I've been summoning a toad everyday, to see if they had been summoned, well, when I summoned one a few days ago, Gamakichi had a rather outlandish tale of Naruto summoning Gamabunta on top of a bunch of weird monsters in an even weirder place. He said that he didn't know anything else, but that Naruto had promised to explain more. Today, when I summoned them again, Gamakichi here had a couple of messages to give." At this point, a small, orange frog left from the bowels of Jiraiya's hair, almost completely concealed, and landed on the desk in front of Tsunade.
"Yo!" The little creature chirped, grinning at everyone present. Tsunade's forehead throbbed.
"Get on with it!" She snapped, angered that she had to wait so long to hear news of one of the most important people in her life. Sakura was looking similarly angered, but a great deal of concern had appeared, and she prayed that Naruto was okay. The little toad was unfazed by the anger, and said,
"Right. Now Naruto summoned me just a couple of hours ago, just before Jiraiya summoned me. He gave me a bunch a messages to say, so I hope I can remember them."
Tsunade was at her wits end.
"Where is he? Is he alright? Why hasn't he come back? Wha-"
"Hold on, lady! I'm gonna tell you, just keep those big melons in your shirt, okay?" She glared fiercely at him, so he continued.
"Alright! When he summoned me, He was on a big ship of some sort, 'cept it as flying, and had a big balloon attached to the top. He was fine, looked never better, and all that. So here's the message he wanted me to give the chick with the big knockers." He cleared his throat.
"Hey oba-chan! Sorry I haven't contacted you before, but I was kinda busy. Anyways, I am fine, and as for where I am, that's kinda hard to explain. When I was getting firewood for Ero-sennin, I found this weird little pendant, which transported me to another world! Sounds kinda like the plot of a lame fan fiction, huh? So don't make me missing Nin or anything, okay? I'm gonna come back, but I gotta keep another promise I made. Just wait, okay? I promise to keep you informed, so have Ero-Sennin keep summoning those frogs just to see if I have anything new, okay? That's it, thanks oba-chan!"
Tsunade looked bewildered at the little toad. Her mind was trying its best to comprehend his words, but already the toad had moved on.
"To Jiraiya he says, 'Don't get all mad that you can't train me anymore, Ero-sennin, I'm learnin' a lot of new stuff, and when I get back, you're not gonna be able to even touch me!"
Jiraiya snorted, but smirked nonetheless.
"To the perverted guy with the weird eye" Kakashi sweat dropped, "he says this, 'Kakashi-sensei, don't get even more lazy and perverted now that I'm gone, cause when I get back, you're gonna help me and Sakura-chan get Sasuke-teme back.'"
Kakashi smiled a little, and nodded.
Hmmm…well, I suppose I will have to start training more. I can't let my students get an edge on me.
Gamakichi turned finally to Sakura, and said, "To his," he held up his pinky, smirking as he did, "he says this: 'Sakura-chan, work hard, and be strong. I'm gonna come back, and if you aren't stronger, I'm not taking you to get Sasuke back with me! I won't break my promise to you, okay? That's not how I work! So just get stronger, and then when I return, we're gonna get Sasuke back!'"
Sakura smiled, blushing a bit as she did (for what reason, she had no idea).
I won't be left behind, Naruto. Get back quick, and you get strong too, okay? We'll get Sasuke back together.
Gamakichi then continued,
"He didn't really say this, but I read between the lines, so here goes, 'I love you Sakura-chan, I want you to bear my children.'" With that, the little toad disappeared, while Sakura stared at the puff of smoke in shock, her face reddening with embarrassment, which quickly blossomed into anger.
"NAAAAARRRRRRUUUUUUUUTTTTTTOOOOO!"
Naruto sneezed. He grinned.
"She must've got my message!"
Whew, done again! Sorry for the lack of action in this chapter, but it was necessary. I needed the plot to be furthered along, and we now have a bit of a clue on what is happening to Kira's father, and the kingdom itself.
Reviewer answers:
PersonaJXT- You are correct, there are doubtless former Horde races somewhere in the Alliance area, but they aren't the focus of the story, and Naruto hasn't met them. Thank you for the praise, and yes, the enemies are all from the game, as will most of the up coming ones.
Slimeman- I like writing the fight as well, so thanks for the compliments. Naruto developed the Forest of Blades on his few days of training before he fought. He's good at that sort of thing. Naruto doesn't have the necessary control to draw water molecules from the air, but he may get them later.
Tokyo no Ecchi- I'm not really going to answer that. Naruto, or rather most of the characters, can't really be classified by "levels" as this isn't a game, so levels are a lot harder to define. By game strength, Mekkatorque should've whipped Thermaplugg's ass, as he is a level Skull (500 I think) boss while Thermaplugg is only a 30-something elite. Naruto is strong. In terms of raw strength, he is stronger than Mekkatorque, but Mekkatorque has more control and experience. Naruto isn't invincible, and if he fought against Mekkatorque is likely he would lose, because Mekkatorque isn't insane or as easy to hit as Thermaplugg. So, in conclusion, Naruto is strong, but I can't really classify him as any sort of level right now. In terms of Naruto strength, he is likely low-jounin level. He isn't as strong as Kakashi, but will probably be so (even stronger in fact) when he gets back.
DrgnDrake- Yes…Alliance makes me ill as well, but it was necessary. Horde is next!
Well, that's all, hope you enjoyed it!
General Grievous
Next, Naruto arrives at Orgrimmar!
Armory:
High Tinker's Goggles: Has four vision modes, including night, heat, magic and x-ray visions. Very useful for the closet pervert!