A/N: A/N: The people have spoken! We're getting a double updated for Easter; this, and A Dragon's Fox~!
...well, I need therapy after that RWBY episode. Pretty sure a lot of people will.
SPOILER is dead and SPOILER also died. Not to mention poor, poor SPOILER!
And then it turns out SPOILER was a bloody blasted SPOILER all along!
We even got to see SPOILER and SPOILER. Ouch.
Seriously! Darkest episode ever!
I had plans to update this -and other stories feature Neo- next month, but that just gave me a kick in the pants, righter and proper.
As my fifteen year anniversary on this site draws near, I find myself reflecting on the little things in life. What was once a lazy pastime meant for me and a few friends really grew and evolved over time. There are days when I look back on the last fifteen years here and I wonder if anyone will remember me; if I made an impact, despite never making a single cent on any of these stories. Some days were happier than others, and some stories I enjoyed writing WAY too much; to the point where I'd stay up all night working on them.
And of course, there are times when I look to the future and wonder what will become of things when I'm gone.
Of course, I try not to dwell on the latter overmuch; I'm still alive and still writing. In an ideal world, I'd like to keep doing so for as long as I can. But old age is catching up to me and these days, the world is filled with so much madness and death. The recent earthquake in Turkey/Syria serves as a terrible example. Even before that, so many friends and fellow writers I once knew are gone, now. Will I still be here in twenty years? Ten? Five? Its a chilling thought. But for now, I'm still here, still writing.
No questions this time. I think I've kept you waiting long enough.
Quick refresher since its been a bit:
Young!Neo = Fall Maiden.
Young!Blake = Spring Maiden.
Young!Arslan = Summer Maiden.
Young!Weiss and Young!Winter = Two halves of the Winter Maiden.
As ever, I own no references, quotes, themes or memes.
SPOILERS FOR THE LATEST EPISODE OF RWBY~!
Now...here we go.
"Curious...
~?
Hearts of Fear
"How sad."
Neo couldn't move.
"You've lost something most important, haven't you?"
She wanted to move. She knew she needed to.
"And now you have nothing left."
So why couldn't she move?
Why was she just sitting here in this chair as Death came for her? Her breath hitched in her chest, rising in terrified little gasps as a dark shadow fell over her. This was a dream. It had to be. Must be. She didn't recognize this place. She didn't want to be here! She wanted to go home! Back to her Papa! Mama! Back to her sisters!
But she couldn't.
Because you see, Neo was staring at a cat. Not just any cat but a terrible, awful white-and-black thing that laughed and talked down at her worse than her old parents ever had, like she was nothing. An awful kitty that grew and grew and grew until he was bigger than her; big enough to pry open her mouth with its paws and...then...he...!
"How delightful," it purred, teeth gone sharp, eyes blazing black. "You weren't the one I was looking for, but you'll suffice." a paw pressed against her lips, seeking purchase. "An empty host perfect for me to fill. And a Maiden at that! My, my! Don't mind if I do~!"
A crimson hand closed around the back of his head and yanked the foul feline into the air. It yowled furiously.
Just like that, the spell was broken. Neo lurched forward onto her hands and knees, gasping for air.
"You know," a familiar voice drawled, "I never liked dreams. They always give me a headache...
Neo felt a boot nudge her side, ever so gently.
"Up you go, Neo."
Her head snapped up. She knew that voice!
Sure enough it was both Naruto...and yet not Naruto. He looked younger. Less rugged, the shadows gone from his eyes, hair shorter, beard nowhere to be seen. His rugged huntsman attire and weapon were nowhere to be seen; in their place he wore some kind of ghastly orange-on-black jumspuit, the kind you'd find at some backwater bargain bin sale.
"Papa?!" she touched a hand to her throat, alarmed at the voice that came through. "How...?"
She had a voice here. She'd never had a voice, not once in her life...
What was this place...?
"This is a dream." her mentor smiled down at her. "You can do whatever you want here. Be whatever you want to be." he looked down at himself and grunted in mild annoyance. "Although it seems some things just don't change for me...
The Cat clawed at his hand.
"Right, almost forgot about you." his brow furrowed. "Scram!"
He threw the crazed creature away. It struck the floor with a sibilant snarl.
"You fool!" its back arched at him as it hissed. "Do you have any idea what you've done?! How long it took me to get here?! SHE WAS MINE!"
"And how she's not." Papa shimmered and for a moment he was the same rugged hunter that found her shivering in the cellar. "Leave now and I'll let you live."
"Hmm...I think not." In a blink, its fury was replaced by a decidedly catish expression, one of smug glee. "You're looking rather hollow yourself. I'll take your body instead!"
Naruto tilted his head. Only then did Neo truly see her foster father's eyes. They were red, here. Red as blood, his eyes bearing the black slits of some sort of monstrous beast. The cat seemed to shrink beneath his gaze. Papa only loomed larger. Was it just her imagination, or did his shadow look bigger, too? Almost like it had nine tails.
When he laughed, it was impossibly deep. And she heard the beast within.
"You can try."
The cat lunged at him with a yowl...on to bounce off his chest.
"What is your heart made of?!" it struck the floor and curled inward on itself with a pained cry. "Stone?!"
"Yes." He seized it by the scruff of its neck. "But stone can be many things. Cold yes, but also Strong. Unyielding. Stones crushes their enemies. Bury them. Smother them...just like...
A clawed hand closed around the cat's throat.
...I'm about...
It warbled out a gasp.
...to smother your very existence."
"No! Wait!" the beast thrashed in his grasp. "I don't want to die!"
"Then you should've left my daughter alone. Watch closely now, Neo." Papa turned a wan a smile on her. "This is what we do to our enemies."
Neo nodded once. After what that mean kitty nearly did to her she wouldn't look away for the world.
"Dreams are a funny thing aren't they?" he prattled as she looked on, enraptured. "Neo's real, here. As am I. And so are you." scarlet cracks crept up the cat's skin as he flooded it with red light from within. "So why don't you do me a favor," he raised his voice as the curious cat began to wail in utter agony, "keep your filthy curious paws off my daughter...and just...DIE."
The cat vanished in a blaze of scarlet flame, its screams echoing in the void.
"And that's that." Papa dusted his hands off and turned to face her. "You good, kiddo?"
If she could only speak in her dreams...well, that was sad, but she could speak here. Now. While she had a chance.
Papa saw the look in her eyes and scowled. "No. Don't you spider-monkey me, young lady!"
...!"
Too little, too late. Neo launched herself up off the floor at him with all her might. The moment she made contact she wrapped both arms round Naruto's neck. He went still as stone. Still she clung on for dear life, dangling from him. A full three seconds passed before he finally relented with a sigh and hugged her back. A tired sigh rose to greet her ears.
"Yeah, yeah, I'm not going anywhere...
Neo scowled and clung tighter.
He'd best not!
"Thank you." she babbled into his ear, nuzzling her cheek against his now when he tried to pull away. "For finding me that day. For letting me stay. For mama Summer. For my sisters. For Ruby, when she's born. For all of it. Thank you, thank you, thank you! Best papa ever! Love you!"
...you're welcome. He leaned back and pressed a finger against her forehead. "Alright, that's enough hugs for one night. Wake up, kiddo."
Neo bolted awake, heart hammering in her chest.
She couldn't scream.
Not by any choice of hers, mind you! She absolutely wanted to!
She simply lacked the voice for it, not the lung capacity. Right now she only wanted one thing.
Stubborn Papa...!
Little face writ in a thunderous scowl, she flung herself out of bed, snatched up her teddy and ran for her bedroom door. From there she wrenched it open, paused for a moment to orient herself in the dim hall, found her target, and booked it.
She would not be denied!
Shadows seemed to stretch in the gloom as she marched to her destination. They usually terrified her Now she ignored them. Being afraid of the dark seemed so...silly after what she'd just seen. What kind of dream was that? No, not a dream. Nightmare more like, at least it had been until the end. Until her Papa arrived. He was always there for her, and she knew he was headed to Menagerie tomorrow, to find and protect another young Maiden. Just like her. He was always giving, giving, GIVING without ever thinking of receibing.
Now she was going to be there for him when it mattered most.
And if that meant stealing a march on Arslan and the Schnee sisters while they were sleeping...well. Two birds with one stone. Her siblings could sulk come morning. He was her Papa first.
She found his bedroom and knocked twice. Twice again when no one replied. Five times, now.
A tired groan answered. Sounded like Mama. "Come in...
Neo needed no further prodding. She scurried inside.
Mama Summer was scrubbing at her eyes as she sat up, one hand over her stomach. Neo fought down a silent smile at the sight. A little sister. Just thinking of her made her giddy. She'd be the best big sister to her. The bestest ever. Even if Ruby wasn't related to her by blood, that didn't matter. No one would ever live the hellish childhood "Trivia" had suffered before running away. Before meeting her "real" Papa.
Papa looked awake right now. Further proof that her dream was real.
"Well?" He patted the space between him and Summer. "What're you waiting for? C'mon up."
Neo didn't need to be told twice.
She jumped on them.
Neo didn't care if he wasn't her real papa. He was real in all the ways that mattered.
Still him.
Still really...real.
Still her one and only...Dad.
A/N: Aaaand scene.
There we are, some sweet sappiness to soothe that awful episode away.
Little bit of therapy there for Neo, given what she suffered. She didn't deserve what she got...
Aaaand there we go. As ever, this story remains under the Embers rule. If folks don't like it? Well...I'll not continue it. I simply haven't the time to write something that people don't like these days -two jobs, no days off, that sort of thing!-which leads to me being very choosy with what I do write. So by all means, speak up!
Every bit of feedback, every review, no matter how large or small, means the world to this tired old man.
As ever, reviews keep me writing. They're the only form of payment I'll ever receive. Without them...I can't write.
So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...Review...Would You Kindly?
Previews are back by popular demand.
As ever, (Potential!) spoilers ahead.
YE BE WARNED!
(Preview)
"You once asked me what I would choose if my loved ones were threatened. The answer's simple."
He raised a hand. Crimson light scrawled down it. The building behind him evaporated.
"I CHOOSE VIOLENCE."
...that's enough."
Click.
Tyrian's gaze swiveled, regarding the gun pressed against the side of his forehead. "Well, that's not fair at all.
Qrow snarled. "Sorry, don't give a damn-
The madman ducked at the last instant, lost an ear as the bullet whistled past, and tackled Qrow.
They laid into one another, swinging and snarling like mad beasts. All the world dissolved into a mad blur of blood and blades...
Blake kicked out and screamed. "No! No! Let me go!"
"I won't go with you. I refuse to go with you!"
"A little fight in ya, hmm? I like that."
"...then you're gonna love me."
"He's behind me, isn't he?"
"Welcome to the world, Ruby...
"You go take his left, I've go right."
"Your bonds...this so-called "family" of yours...they will be the death of you. In the end, your family will crumble
"Oh, Salem." A bark of bitter laughter escaped him. "This from a Mother who couldn't even protect hers?"
Salem drew herself up, dark robes flapping in the mist. "YOU LITTLE RODENT!"
Watts threw his head back and laughed. "Ha! Do you see now?! Simple strength is no match for an intellect such as mine-
A familiar hand clamped down on his throat and squeezed, crushing his windpipe.
Blazing red eyes leered at him. "Don't get cocky...you inferior creature."
And then there was pain.
R&R~!