Recommended story: 'The Engagement' by Flower princess11
Chapter Thirty
In the world of Alfheim, Kushina was known as many things. She was the lost heiress to Ai no Kuni. She was the princess who went to war rather than commanded from the castle. She was a mother torn from her child. And, as Zara was well aware, one thing Kushina was not was a coward. So if the redhead kunoichi was determined to take her son out of the castle and back to Midgard, she was not going to hold anything back.
"You really think you can get away with betraying us like this Kushina?" Zara tested.
"My loyalty is and always has been to my son. As another mother, I would expect you to understand that."
Zara tried to walk around the redhead, who moved in front of her. "I do."
"Then what makes you think I'd choose your happiness over his?"
Zara frowned and briefly glanced over Kushina's shoulder. If she could just get to a hidden button by her throne, dozens of guards would show up and subdue the kunoichi. "You think the fact that the incubus is your son changes anything for him? We're looking for incubi because we need breeders Kushina. Did you honestly believe for even a second that such a thing wouldn't apply to your son? That we'd let him ignore our needs?"
"Did you honestly believe for even a second that I'd let you get away with reducing my son to a mere sperm donor? That I brought him here to give him to you?" Kushina replied back, making sure to stay in the succubus queen's way.
"You'll be dooming our race to extinction!"
Kushina did not look concerned. "Another incubus will eventually be born!"
"I don't want to wait that long!"
"The whole point of Grudges is to use patience as a weapon! Don't act like you can't be patient!"
"I said I don't want to be patient! There's a difference!" Zara insisted. "Kushina as your queen and sister I am ordering you to surrender your son!"
Kushina actually laughed. "You were never my queen, and my sister is Tayuya Uzumaki."
This struck a personal and sensitive nerve for Zara. Never before had Kushina been so blunt about her opinion of her biological family. Sure the redhead had made it clear there was no real love or bonds between them, but she never flatout said they weren't family in her eyes. Zara had hoped that eventually this stubborn streak would wear thin, and Kushina had in fact been concerned about her family by bringing them the incubus.
But no, as far as Kushina was concerned, these people were not family. They were just people to put up with. Her family was the Uzumaki, with only two living members, and she'd choose Naruto and Tayuya every single time. Whether Zara liked it or not.
This pissed off the succubus queen royally, pun intended. "Well is that a fact? Fine, if we're not family to you then you're not family to me! Vedysu yteq Kushina!"
She expected to see the room lightly glow. She expected to see iron bars burst out of the ground and imprison Kushina. She expected to see chains spring force from the walls rather than Kushina's body and ensnare and subdue the defiant kunoichi.
What she actually saw was none of that while Kushina merely looked amused.
"Vedysu yteq Kushina!" Zara repeated, but got the same results.
"You may not see me as family, but the castle does. It won't attack me anymore than it will attack you." Kushina claimed.
Zara fumed, but internally she was panicking. The castle's magical defenses would not work against someone connected to the family via blood, thus there was no way for someone to impersonate royalty or assassinate their own. If the castle was going to remain inert then Zara would have to resort to direct methods of restraining Kushina, but with no guards around and Kushina's battle skills legendary, the odds were not in the queen's favor.
"Then I'll get to your son before you!" Zara threatened, and it was only because Kushina was not expecting the queen to stoop that low that Zara even managed to get a head start in the first place.
"Would you mind if I test something out?" Iyoi asked Sakura.
"Test what out? Why are you asking me?" The pinkette asked.
"Succubi figure out their Gifts via trial and error, trying what they can and can't do until they find it, though we do have that test to help narrow it down. I just want to see if my... idea of what yours is, is onto something."
Sakura looked to the others as if asking what should she do. None of them looked discouraging, so she looked back to the nurse. "What would I have to do?"
Iyoi put down a clipboard on Ino's bed. "Repeat after me while pointing to this object. Zogy."
"Okay, zogy." Sakura did as told, and the clipboard rocked a little bit on its own then hovered by about two centimeters before dropping. "What does that prove?"
"Nothing, but it will help this part. Try it again, but say it with whatever word you want to use that means 'lift'."
Still looking confused, Sakura pointed back at the clipboard. "Okay... lift."
The clipboard went up again, this time a good ten centimeters and remained hovering.
Iyoi didn't know whether she wanted to smile or gasp. "I don't believe it. I was honestly expecting this to not work. Do you have any idea what this means?"
"No I do not. What's the big deal?" Sakura asked, letting the clipboard drop again.
"Magic here can only work via certain words. Words from a language that is mostly forgotten. In fact, collectively there are supposedly only 108 known words remaining, so magic here is very limited and forces us to be creative with how we use it. But you..." Iyoi explained, pausing to clear her throat and adjust her glasses. "You just did magic without using one of those words."
"So what? Has that really never happened before?" Isaribi asked.
Sakura looked like the nurse's message was starting to dawn on her. "Wait, are you saying what I think you're saying?"
Iyoi nodded. "Yes, I think your Gift is the ability to use magic with your own words, not the old language. In theory, you are the single most limitless magic user in all of Alfheim."
"Holy cow!" Naruto exclaimed. "This is like using jutsu with no hand signs."
Hinata snapped her fingers. "That's why the queen couldn't talk to you before. Sakura told her to shut up, and it became literal for her."
"Does this mean I have to be careful every time I say anything now?" Sakura asked.
"Yes, you should." Iyoi warned. "We still don't know the full capabilities of this Gift so there might be limits. Limits beyond your mana quantities, so don't think this means you can use magic infinitely. Also keep in mind there's a difference between variety and strength, just because you can potentially do a thousand spells doesn't mean they're going to be the strongest. And please remember that magic has a tendency to take things literally, so whatever you do, don't use metaphors when casting. You won't like the results."
Sakura nodded.
"Wait, what does this mean for me?" Ino asked. "I'm cured, but is that it?"
"My scans showed you are, with no other problems. Your friend just said..." Iyoi trailed off, then looked to the pinkette. "Think, what were your exact words when you wanted your friend healed?"
"Uhh... something about being what she wanted to be since she didn't want to be a vampire."
"Being what she wanted to be? Not cured? Not normal? But what she wanted to be?" Iyoi insisted.
"Please tell me I'm still human." Ino pleaded, looking at her arms then feeling her face and hair before looking for a mirror.
"Hey, you guys hear that?" Moegi asked, leaning towards the door.
Everyone went silent, and sure enough the sound of approaching footsteps were heard. Footsteps that seemed frantically in a hurry. Naruto poked his head out the open door.
"THERE YOU ARE!" Zara shouted, seeing the whiskered blonde.
"Whoa, what's got her worked up?" Naruto asked himself.
The succubus queen seemed to pick up speed now that her target was in place and reached out her hand to grab him. Only for her to all of a sudden stop with a resulting jerk from forward momentum and get pulled back. Behind her Naruto could see his mother ensnaring the queen with her chains.
"You didn't really think you could outrun a kunoichi did you?"
"RELEASE ME KUSHINA!"
"And let you kidnap my son? Do you really believe I'm going to do that?"
"Mom what's going on?" Naruto asked, getting closer but wisely keeping his distance from the bound and kicking Zara.
"I WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO TAKE HIM AWAY!" Zara screeched.
"Son, get your friends and get everything packed. It's time we went home." Kushina told Naruto.
Naruto smiled. "Alright." He then ran back into the room. "Everyone pack up, we're going home."
"What's going on?" Ino asked, suddenly motivated to get out of the bed.
"Dunno, but Mom's got the queen mad at her and she said we're outta here. We can find out more later."
"GUARDS!" Zara could be heard screaming.
"Sounds like we better act fast." Naruto added.
The others nodded and vacated the room, heading to gather any belongings they didn't have on their person.
Zara saw Naruto and his group flee, and she couldn't think of a spell to prevent them from doing so. Enraged, she looked to Kushina. "You can't keep me here. Sooner or later you're going to have to let me go to catch up with them, then I'll make my move."
Kushina merely smiled as if amused. "Oh really? Tell me, what are you going to do that a bunch of vampires couldn't succeed in doing?"
"What are you doing?!" Someone could be heard asking loudly, making both women look down the hall in the direction they had come from. It was Zara's daughter Ursha, watching her mother be wrapped up by her long lost aunt's chains.
"Ursha, stop Kushina!" Zara demanded.
Not knowing what was going on, Ursha saw no reason to refuse this request. The problem was the princess was no fighter, just like her mother. Even her Gift wouldn't be of much help, since Kushina knew exactly how to use her own for combat.
"How Mom? How could I possibly stop her?"
"Get the guards!"
"Or you could just let me and my son go, then I'll free your mother without a scratch." Kushina added.
"What?" Ursha asked, confused.
"Get the guards now Ursha!" Zara repeated.
Still confused, the princess simply ran off to get said guards.
"You can't get away now Kushina." Zara warned.
Kushina chuckled. "Let's agree to disagree."
Before Zara could get another remark in, Kushina manipulated the chains to throw her back down the hallways towards where Ursha had previously been, releasing her and sending her flying. Despite being a succubus, Zara was currently inside a confined space, so it was impossible for her to avoid a crash. Watching her crash made Kushina smile in a satisfied way, then she rushed down the hall to find Tayuya then reunite with her son.
Since the ninja kept most of their stuff in storage scrolls it didn't take long for the kids to gather up everything they had.
"Halt!" They heard when they were ready to get out of the castle. Standing before them was Anton, armed with a lance. "You're not taking the incubus away from here!"
"I have a name you know." Naruto commented.
"No one here cares about your name boy. We just care about your ability to reproduce. You and the succubus you got pregnant are going to remain here whether you like it or-" He continued, only to get silenced by Ayame rushing forward and elbowing him in the throat, making him drop his lance.
"Ugh, why is it the bad guys are always so chatty?" She grimaced, then looked at the kids. "Get a move on. I'll keep him from following."
"But-" Naruto started.
"Naruto, get everyone to safety. I'll be behind you. Trust me." Ayame interjected.
Not liking this, the whiskered blonde nodded and led the others away, hoping to find an exit before another obstacle.
Anton pulled a dagger out of his pocket and stabbed Ayame in the arm with it. "You're not getting away."
Ayame pulled back and took out a short sword of her own, trying to ignore the pain. "I may be out of practice, but I'm not going to lose to a butler." With her good arm she attacked Anton, who backed away and ducked to regain his lance. She attacked again before he could get up, but he blocked with his lance above his body. Unfortunately, this meant he was in the perfect place for Ayame to kick him right where the neck connected to the collarbone. He gasped, coughed, and choked all at the same time while dropping his lance again.
"And this my friend is why you don't send a bodyguard to fight a kunoichi." Ayame taunted before literally stepping over him and heading away, pulling out the knife in her arm along the way and bandaging the wound.
"Time to go Tayuya."
"About damn time." The flutist grumbled, stretching her legs. Ever since the spell to eradicate her curse mark had... unexpected results, Tayuya had mostly been hiding from the others. Not out of fear or vanity, she didn't care what others thought about her appearance. No it was mostly to make sure her behavior wasn't being changed too. The last thing she wanted was to go on a rampage and force Kushina to have to choose between saving her and saving Naruto. Not that there really would have been much of a choice of course.
At the moment Tayuya looked like she was trapped in her stage two form yet kept the red hair. So far that along with her legs and left arm were still human, but the change was still incomplete. Kushina had tried to comfort her foster sister during the process, but so far Tayuya acted as if being stuck as an oni was something she could live with.
"If anyone wants to fight, give them hell." Kushina advised.
Tayuya grinned, revealing fangs. "Just like Dad used to say."
They left and made it towards the nearest door out, but waiting for them was Ursha and four guards.
"Aunt Kushina why are you doing this?" Ursha asked.
"Would your mother do anything to save people who don't care about you?" Kushina asked back.
"Of course she would."
"That's what I'm doing here. Saving my son."
Ursha still looked perplexed. "Who here doesn't care about your son?"
"Why don't you ask your mother why she wants him here in the first place?" Kushina replied.
"Kushina, don't play along with the stalling tactic" Tayuya cut in. Normally she'd summon her nightmare ogres to handle this threat, but she wasn't sure she'd have time to nor if her new form would affect this. So instead she chose to simply charge at the guards and attack them directly.
The guards were a bit surprised to see this but they were trained for it and aimed all four lances at her, intending to skewer her. She swiped at them with her right arm, and it was like she had extended claws that shreaded the spearheads off the polearms. They pulled back the lances to see the damage and even Tayuya glanced at her own hand.
"Damn, better than I thought." She grinned wickedly at the guards. "Now who wants to step aside and who wants to get the last handjob of their lives?"
Every guard immediately stepped out of the way in a hurry.
Ursha watched this then looked back to Kushina. "Aunt Kushina please, there must be some misunderstanding here."
The kunoichi gently placed a hand on the younger girl's shoulder. "As long as your mother plans to treat my son as a breeding bull to sell to the highest bidder, he and I are not staying here any longer. Maybe someday we'll see each other again Ursha, but not until Zara stops this."
Ursha didn't know what to say, and before she could even try both Uzumaki women were out the door.
Since they had been on the second floor of the castle, Naruto chose to have everyone simply jump out a window rather than find another way out. Since they were ninja they could handle it, though Naruto and Sakura had the better landing due to having wings. Isaribi and Moegi were the least trained for this, but Naruto used two clones to make it easier for them.
"Okay, now that we're out, how are we getting to the big tree in a hurry? We can't all fly there." Isaribi asked.
Kushina and Tayuya saw them and headed their way. "Alright kids, let's get outta here."
"How? Can we really outrun them? I'm sure this place has horses or something faster." Isaribi asked again.
Naruto looked to his pink-haired teammate. "Sakura-chan, can you just teleport us there or something?"
"It's worth a try. Okay, I want all us to be at... at... damn, what's the tree's name again? I don't want to take the chance at us appearing somewhere wrong."
Kushina thought for a second then put her hand on her forehead. "I don't remember what it's called here, just the one that exists back home. Alright, let's just get there the hard way then."
"THEY ESCAPED?! WHAT DO YOU MEAN THEY ESCAPED?!"
"I mean exactly that Your Highness, they have escaped."
Zara fumed and paced back and forth in the throne room. Before her were everyone she had called on for help, arrived too little too late, and just returning from a quick survey of the castle. Ursha and now Sasa who had been informed of what little Ursha knew, which wasn't much.
Zara tried to take a deep breath. "Okay, they couldn't have gone far, and they're going to be heading to Yggdrassil's Root. Take the mounts and go after them. Bring the incubus and Kushina back to me alive. Now!"
"What of the others?" One of the guards asked.
"Unimportant, but I suppose the pregnant girl could be of good leverage. Now hurry up!"
Everyone left, leaving just the three royals in the room.
"Now could you please tell me why Kushina has felt the need to leave?" Sasa asked.
"Not now Mom, right now I need to make sure the vampire ambassadors don't declare a Grudge over this." Zara remarked before leaving the throne room.
"Grandma..." Ursha started. "I understand that Naruto is a big deal here, but does Mom really not care about Aunt Kushina's feelings on the matter?"
"Your aunt's feelings are not more important than the welfare of our country Ursha." Sasa claimed. "Your mother has to think about what's best for everyone, not just us."
"But Aunt Kushina is Naruto's mother. Why do her opinions not matter here?"
"Aunt Kushina doesn't understand how our world works. She's still stuck in the ways of Midgard."
Ursha frowned and clenched a fist. "How does that answer my question Grandma? Her being raised in Midgard doesn't change the fact that she is Naruto's mother. Mom may be the queen but she doesn't have the right to ignore that."
Sasa looked sympathetic. "I understand Ursha. And yes, your mother should be more respectful towards her sister. However, the boy has a duty to this country, one that it sounds like Kushina is trying to undermine."
"She's just protecting her son!" Ursha insisted.
"From her own family?" Sasa asked.
"Mom and Aunt Kushina clearly don't agree on something regarding Naruto. What exactly does Mom want?"
"You already know. For him to help us repopulate."
"So if it was as harmless as you make it sound, why would Aunt Kushina be against it?" Ursha asked.
Sasa had to pause and think about that for a moment. "Hmm... perhaps there is something your mother isn't telling us."