Paralogue 2
Part 3
Awkward.
That would be an apt description of how the room felt.
Not an hour ago, they were being pursued mercilessly through halls, nearly killed, and, for two of them, locked in a supply closet with only Gods knew what was to become of them. Now, sitting at a round table with the rest of their party (plus two) in a rather spacious dining room in the mansion, they eagerly awaited as the very one who'd put them through all this trauma disappeared into the kitchen. Minutes ago, they were about to be killed by the 'Witch', and now they were about to dine with her as if the last 2 hours hadn't happened? Safe to say, none of them were buying it.
Conversations were started, but the uneasiness still lingered. Not even the ever-so-bubbly Morgan had the power to break through the pervasive tension.
Moments before they thought insanity would claim them, the 'Witch' walked in. Holding a tray filled with steaming tea cups, the one who'd nearly killed them looked vastly different from when they'd first laid eyes on her. The dark robes and hat of her namesake were nowhere to be seen. What replaced them was the polar opposite in both tone and esthetics. Where her previous garb was dark and dreary, her current attire was bright and noticeable. Where the robes hid her figure, her current clothes did not.
And what a figure it was.
But let's not get distracted just yet.
She wore a red, sleeveless bodycon dress that went down to her mid thigh with a window on her chest wide enough to leave very little to their imagination. Enhancing the look were thigh-high stockings combined with heels that made her taller than she already was. On top of the clothes, now that they were not impeded by low lighting, they could see her in all her beauty.
And she. Was. Foooooooine.
Her hair was up in a ponytail, and the once shattered spectacles had been replaced with new ones. Like before, her features were sharp. Her eyes were a piercing crimson hue, almost as if they could look right through someone until they were completely exposed. Her nose was straight, and her chin was very angular. Her gentle, symmetrical face was framed by a stunning set of arched eyebrows, high cheek bones, and a concise set of rosy lips adorned with red lipstick. Gods, even her ears were dainty! It was as if she had been carefully crafted by an artist as a masterpiece to be presented to the Gods!
It was all just, unfair.
If things couldn't get any worse, the woman was clearly doing nothing to make the girls in the room feel less adequate in comparison. With every step, the mountains that were her breast bounced, captivating three of the six occupants. One by one, cups were placed in front of an occupant, giving each and every one of them a clear peek at the revealing cleavage. Even when the way she took her seat was sight-worthy.
She was perfect.
Too perfect.
How was any woman meant to compete with this?
And Naruto? He made no attempt to hide where his eyes were currently glued to. Next to him, Morgan leaned over as she watched the Witch take a sip from the tea she'd provided. "Hey, Dad?" She whispered, Naruto leaning in just as close.
"Yeah, brat?"
"Do you think she's my Mom?"
Naruto stared at the woman sitting at the end of the long table—specifically, at the window displaying the double G's for all to see.
He leaned in closer. "I sure hope so, kiddo."
There was no conversation to be had after the short whisper from the two blondes. For that matter, no one had touched their cup of tea either. The only one who hadn't even made so much as a flinch was Yarne, but instantly changed upon seeing the Witch move to take another dainty sip from her tea. Eyes closed, she sat the tea back down, the group anticipating words to follow after.
It was about a minute later before the Witch moved once again. That is, to take another sip before returning to the awkward lull. The pattern renewed nearly five times, and likely would have been more, before Lucina decided it could carry on no longer.
"Ehem... If I may," she spoke, garnering the attention of the redhead whose eyes finally opened to stare at the bluenette. After going moments without getting confirmation to speak, Lucina decided to do so anyway, "Why have you brought us here?"
"...I don't believe I had any hand in you coming to my home, madam." Was the woman's reply, the slight tilt of her head hinting of confusion that was shared along with the bluenette.
"I, did not mean our coming to the island. I was referring to the here and now."
"Ah," the woman's eyes lit with understanding. "I brought you here to have tea." Naruto was sure Lucina would have face-planted if she could. "I've read that it is considered polite to offer tea when having guests over."
"That was... That, cannot be the reason." Lucina said, clear unease in her voice.
"I'm sorry?" The woman sounded equally confused as the princess, even if her features hadn't changed much.
"Did you not bring us here to discuss the matters of what has transpired? Your name? This mansion? Why you nearly killed us all?"
"Ah," that look of realization returned. "Right. It is only natural that you would want answers for what you've seen. Forgive me. It has been quite some time since I've last had guests over that I was at a loss for words. I shall rectify this by answering your questions."
Ah, there it was. That one thing in everyone that stopped humans from being perfect beings. That one quirk everyone had that completely defined them, yet often leveled them with other humans—and with everything going for her on the outside, it made a lot of sense that something on the inside wasn't so perfect.
"Well, as I've revealed before, my name is Annabelle Martell. The first Anna."
"And what exactly is the 'first' supposed to symbolize?" Robin spoke next.
"It is as I said. I am the first 'Anna' amongst the many you may know—their mother, if you will. I am the one who created the first Anna, and the one to deliver every single one after."
It took some time for the depth of that revelation to sink in. Once it did, it would have been an understatement to say they were just 'shocked'. Robin, Inigo and Lucina looked shell-shocked, Morgan looked curious, but otherwise unphased, and Yarne looked even more terrified of the witch.
And Naruto... had not moved his eyes from their previous source of interest.
"B-but that's impossible!" Lucina's shout was followed by the clattering of her chair from her sudden jump to her feet. "The Anna's have been a part of history dating all the way back to the Mad King's War! If you are truly who you say, then wouldn't that mean you've lived for multiple millennia?!"
"That is correct." The straightforward, uncaring way the woman replied nearly had Lucina choke. "Four millennia, to be exact. I've witnessed civilizations fall and rise, as well as the moment Archanea rose from the sea. I was there when dragons dominated the world, as well as when all ancient species departed from the Realms. There are very few historical events that I did not live through or had a hand in shaping."
"I, I don't even... I don't understand how that's even possible." Lucina breathed out, back in her seat once more and looking upon the walking Legend with a newfound amazement.
"But you're human, are you not? How have you lived this long?" Robin asked, her attention now completely wrapped on her every word.
"That I am. However, how I came to live beyond my lifespan is no simple explanation."
"We have time." Lucina immediately answered for them, wincing slightly upon realizing her jump in decision. "Within reason."
"...Very well. Then I shall do my best to summarize events." Taking another sip from her tea, the woman's eyes closed once more and held her hands out in front of her. The mana in the air shifted at her actions. Before them, mana began taking form until blue, bead-like swarms began dancing in place. Gasps of awe surrounded the table, getting even the shinobi to look away from his point of interest to stare at the magic being performed before him.
The bead-like substance came to a stop in the form of a female figure sitting at a table, prompting the Witch to speak, "I was the daughter of a successful alchemist Lord in the Kingdom of Goldoa. My father, Lord Lorez Martell," beads shifted once more into the form of a man standing next to the sitting figure, "raised me to be his successor. I took to the practice well enough, even more so than what my Father expected. By the time I was 8 name days, I had surpassed my Father in alchemy proficiency, and by the time I was 10 name days, my house was renown throughout the nearby villages."
"However," the scene changed once more to show a group of men in robes before the male from before. "My deeds would eventually reach the ears of the church of Goldoa. They asked my father to induct me into their order, saying my gifts were bestowed upon me by the Gods, and I should use those gifts to aid where and whoever they deemed fit. My Father denied, naturally. He was not a major Lord, but a Lord nonetheless, and though the church held power, they did not hold the power to force my Father's hand. They left shortly after, but," the scene changed once more, but to something not so fascinating to see. Multiple bodies were depicted in the scene before them, laying unmoving both in beds and on the ground. "Two moon turns later, a plague swept through the town. I was able to mix up a cure, but by the time I had, a third of our population, along with Father, were claimed by the disease."
The awed faces immediately turned to horror. The scene changed again to the robed men, but this time standing before a child.
"Not a moon's turn later, the church returned. They offered their condolences for my loss behind fake smiles while once again asking me to join the church." Wide smiles appeared on the faces of the robbed men, telling a story that they all now realized.
"Th-they brought a plague to your people?" Lucina asked, not needing to be blind to see how such a thing could occur at such a convenient time.
"The churches you know now we're not as zealous as they were back in my age. Refusing to pay homage to the Gods of Old was seen as sacrilege. Entire villages had been burned for even housing one not of the faith. Me denying to use my alchemy for them seemed to be equally sacrilegious in their eyes... Ah, but let's not get off topic. The church asked for my aid once more, but unlike before, my Lord Father was gone, and with him went any protection from the church. He and I were the last of our house, and a woman could not inherit a Lordship. I had no choice but to accept."
The scene changed again, the beads simply showing a crying girl as she packed a bag bigger than herself. "I packed my belongings and traveled to the church in the capital city of Goldoa. The villagers saw me off, but none lifted a finger to stop them. As a little girl, I was upset, but understood. It was their lives or mine, and the church was not a threat anyone wanted to be under. Their word was just as good as the Kings, and they have proven to get what they wanted one way or another... Which made my escape all the more poetic."
The beads morphed into Anna once more, but of her fleeing from what looked like a battle being had.
"We were ambushed by a group of brigands. In the chaos, I escaped, taking my knowledge with me and vanishing from Goldoa all together. However, it would be a month later that I realized how rash my actions may have been."
The battlefield turned into a forest, the girl now lying in the dirt. Her cheeks were sunken, and the signs of dehydration and starvation were clear to see.
"Though I was an alchemist, and quite smart for my age, I was still but a child. A child who knew nothing of the world or how to survive on the run. Within the first week, I had run out of food, and within the third, I had no strength to carry any of my supplies. It was on the fourth week, lost, dirty, hungry, thirsty, and homeless, that I realized death would soon claim me... Until I was saved."
The face of a woman replaced the scene. Long-haired and wearing robes, she stooped down to pick up the young one before the scene changed once more. Now in a bed, the girl was looking up to the woman who'd saved her from starvation.
"I was rescued, and later nurtured, by a Divine Dragon known as Nagi—or who is better known today as the Deity she now is, Naga."
You could hear a pen drop in the silence following, yet another, jaw dropping revelation.
"Y-You've met Naga?! In the flesh?!" Came Lucina once again, eyes sparkling, and the first look of genuine elation on her face.
"Yes. It was the era of the Divine Dragons. Traveling to the East would have you come by one as easily as passing a stranger on the street. They were mighty, but kind and wise as well. They were practically divinities around the lands, and even Kings bowed before them. As for Naga, she was the King of all Dragonkin at the time, and by pure chance, had stumbled upon me at my most vulnerable during her travels."
"Naga, was King?" Inigo piped up for the first time. "I don't mean to sound dogmatic, but was Naga not a woman? All texts do not point otherwise, and you yourself have preferred to her as a 'she'."
"She is. However, 'Queen' was not a title used amongst Dragonkin. One could be King no matter the gender, but none could claim the title of 'Queen' even through marriage. It was said to be a sign of weakness and damnation after the war between Yune and Ashera. Only the strongest could hold the power of 'King' and Nagi held power the likes no mortal man had ever seen. With a single breath, she could wipe out an entire country, while a flap of her wings could start Tsunamis. And yet, she was kind; gentle. She treated everyone as equals and not once fell victim to instincts or selfishness. She was truly the embodiment of perfection."
Lucina listened to every word with naked awe. She'd heard the scriptures of Naga, of course. Everything from her travels across the lands of Tellius, to how she united the Divine Dragons, to how she founded the Outrealms. And yet, listening to someone speak of her through actual experience gave a more personal feel to the stories. She didn't feel like they were just words on a piece of paper written by someone who'd likely never even met her, but of a friend. A friend that stood right next to her.
It made her a little jealous.
She found herself wishing she could have been there, to be someone Naga spoke of so highly. It made her inwardly debate whether she should've put in a little more effort in getting to know her own friends.
"...Ah, but I digress. It was Nagi who saved me that day, and from that day onward, I was nurtured by her. She is the one who helped me grow, showed me her Kingdom, introduced me to more Divine beings, and ultimately is the reason I have lived far past my lifespan."
The beads morphed, forming not people, but a structure. A gate towered over two dots, white light emanating from the open Gates.
"Nagi was not simply wandering with no purpose. Years prior, she had received visions from the Gods, urging her to find a monument. A monument said to hold wonders and gateways to other worlds. It was to be found as a sort of test, to prove her capabilities as King of the Divine Dragons. It took us 20 years of searching, but we found it, not on the continent of Tellius, but on the newly arisen Continent of Archanea."
The Continent of Archanea showed itself before them.
"I cannot speak of what we found in the Outrealms, but we had completed our search, and as thanks for my assistance by the Gods, I was granted wardenship over the Outrealms. Through the gate, I was able to gather technology not of my world and use it to further my craft. Visiting different worlds, with Nagi by my side, we learned of many differences in culture, technology, and progression. Some worlds thrived on peace and prosperity, while others thrived on violence and oppression. It was truly fascinating."
"However, as fun as those times were, our journey had to come to an end." The beads changed once more, this time to Anna holding Naga's hand in a bed. "I was 35 name days when the Gods called Nagi's name back to the Heavens. It was neither sickness nor natural causes that claimed her. Simply the Divine energy keeping her flesh together finally waning. With the last of her power, she infused a single drop of her blood into a cup of wine we shared. And with that, our bloods fused, and I gained the longevity of her lifespan, the blessing of the Gods, and became the official Guardian of the Outrealms."
In the wake of the finish, the beads all fell to the table before slowly dissolving into the ether. An awed silence followed, no one really having anything to say other than 'wow' or 'ah'. When it was broken, it came from the youngest at the table. "Sssssoooooooooooo what about the other Anna's? Where do they come in in this story? And who is their Dad?" Two glares curtsy of Robin and Lucina shot Morgan's way. "What? You guys are curious too! Don't be mad at me because I'm the only one who has the guts to ask!"
"It is fine. I do not find your question intrusive." Annabelle reassured, to the smugness of the blonde. "However, my children were not conceived through normal means."
"What do you mean by that?" Robin asked, ignoring the smugness of the younger blonde.
"I meant that I did not give 'birth' to them as normal humans would. Yes, most of my children nowadays did give birth to children of their own, but they cannot give birth through normal means. They are capable of reproducing, but are incapable of bearing anything other than females or even doing so without a specific treatment that only I can perform. They are capable of aging but are limited in that capacity. They require constant care and injections of serum if they wish to live longer than 20 years. No Anna other than myself has lived past 40 name days."
"Are, you saying, you created life?" Inigo said, the widening of his eyes showing his astonishment at the feat.
"In a sense, yes." The woman said nonchalantly, as if what she did was as simple as breathing. "Back when Nagi and I were transversing the Outrealms, I came across an idea in a specific Realm where a man made robotic clones that looked so human you wouldn't be able to tell the difference if you saw them on the streets. I thought I could utilize that to better help Nagi and I transverse the Outrealms and Continents without the need for us to do so ourselves. I created something similar in mass 3 years before Nagi's passing called dolls, as you all saw upon your intrusion."
Most of them winced at the reminder, not particularly wishing to bring up the nightmare from before.
"But first, I needed a place where I could continue my research unmolested. With what little dolls I had, I sent them to sea in hopes of finding an island to inhabit. It took a year, but they succeeded. The island you stand on now is that island, and I have not left sense."
"You mean to tell me you've been isolated for over 4000 years?!" Robin bocked, the rest equally shook.
"Roughly speaking; perhaps longer," was her straightforward answer, none of them able to fathom how someone could remain isolated from society for so long. "I have ventured to the nearby settlements every now and then, but they never lasted long, and I always made sure to erase all evidence of my presence event when I was but a memory in time. My research was more important, and I was determined to complete it. 5 years after her passing, I was able to give one flesh. 10 years, and they had they no longer required chips for thoughts, 20 years and I created my first child using DNA from both my and a male host. 4000 years later, and I now have over 584,839 thousand of my children spread throughout the Realms—1.2 thousand in this Realm alone."
Jaws were dropped at the number.
"You, you did it. You really did it. You created life! There is no greater feat to top such an accomplishment!" Lucina exclamied, getting more worked up by the minute.
"Flawed, but yes." Annabelle replied.
"It matters not if they are flawed or not. Whatever 'flaws' you may see, it does not take away from the fact that you created life. Living, breathing beings capable of reproducing and thinking for themselves! It borders on Godhood! That is arguably the greatest feat any human has achieved!"
Annabelle, for once, did not have anything to say to the bluenette's praise. It was heartfelt, honest, and it made her feel, warm. Her cheeks were suddenly read and she found it hard to look at the bluenette any longer. She suddenly became bashful, a hand coming to cover her face as she turned away from the bluenette.
"P-please do not flatter me so. I, I may get the wrong idea."
Ah, there it was again.
The awkwardness.
Yet, ironically, it only made her 10 times more attractive.
"And to think one woman was responsible for populating numbers the size of nations." Inigo commented, further reddening the mother's face and causing her to squirm.
Attractive indeed.
"I-it is like I've stated before, I did not bear my children through customary means. That process required another male, but we did not have intercourse to make those children. I simply aquired a sample from him to achieve my goals."
"And how exactly did you get these 'samples' that you speak of?" Naruto asked, causing the redhead to become almost volcanic.
"I, allowed earlier models of my dolls to 'assist' them in so... or even have one of my daughters do it if they were willing." Seeing the raised brows around her, she further elaborated, beginning to sink further into her seat. "They, stimulate the sexual organ until a sufficient amount of seed is provided for child bearing, be it by customary means, or artificial."
Faces were crimson by the time she finished, save for three. One being Morgan, who did not yet care for the intricacies of fornication, while the other two...
Inigo raised a hand, his face right as rain, "Can I volunteer as a 'willing' tribute?"
Naruto's hand followed immediately after, "Can I join him?"
Two hands came to meet faces, Lucina more forceful than her albino traveler.
Suddenly, the door to the dining room opened. All heads turned in unison to see the new arrival. Once they were close enough, four pairs of eyes immediately lit up in recognition.
"You're the mother from the port." Naruto revealed, the woman giving him a curtsy before standing next to the Witch.
"It is no coincidence that you found yourself here, Naruto Uzumaki." Annabelle said, making sure to make eye contact with the blonde who seemed to realize something at the same moment their eyes met.
"Ah, so that must explain why there was an Anna at that port as well."
The Witch nodded and confirmed, "Correct, though I gave her no specific orders to guide you here, I trusted in your ability to convince her." If by 'convince' she meant handing over a small fortune, then yeah, he was very 'convincing' indeed.
"Wait, if you knew we were coming, then why did you send those things to attack us?" Morgan accused, glaring at the redhead.
"Ah, forgive me, I share part of the blame for that—though I don't believe I can share it all for what transpired." She said, her demeanor unmoved. "I will admit not being properly prepared for your arrival. To fix this dilemma, I had my dolls awakened to guide you towards the dining area while I properly prepared. However, my messengers were all disassembled—thrice, at that—before they even had a chance to speak. Such actions activated the mansion's defenses, turning you from 'wanted guests' to 'intruders'. Not only that, but you somehow found the entrance to my lab and had found your way into a restricted area. What else were they or I to think other than you bearing ill will?"
The other table occupants all suddenly seemed to find anything else in the room to be far more interesting.
"But, I thought, they were ghost..." Morgan said weakly, getting the Anna's deadpan to land on her.
"Ghost do not exist, child." She stated plainly, much like Naruto had hours ago.
"Th-then what about those two? Why were they tied up?" Morgan stretched, pointing at the brunettes across from her still finding the room to be more interesting than their topic of conversation. The Witch gave them a glance before returning to the blonde.
"Upon arrival, the flirt gave a passing remark to one of my daughters. She didn't like it, and threw him in the closet. As for the Taguel," the woman owlish stare landed on the Taguel who immediately cowered in fear. "...He was found hiding in my closet...whilst I was changing."
Lucina gave a flabbergasted stare towards the Taguel who cowered further, tears threatening to leave his eyes at the bluenette's gaze. "I-I'm innocent! I swear!"
"But alas, your presence before me now is not the only thing that was orchestrated." Annabelle continued, looking back to the shinobi. "Your arrival was preordained by Nagi years ago, before you ever arrived in this Realm."
Naruto's eyes widened. "You don't mean..."
"Yes, it was I that stationed the Outrealms in the Elemental Nations, and it was Nagi who gave you incentive to go through the gate and allowed you safe passage through."
Naruto could do nothing but gape. The moment he arrived at the Outrealms, to when he felt Kaguya's chakra, to standing right here at this very moment. Was this woman saying that it was all preordained? If that were the case...
"But, why?" Naruto asked, trying to make sense of a plot he just wasn't understanding. "If Naga really cared about the future or me defeating that lizard, then wouldn't she have put me in contact with you the moment I arrived in this world? I'm sure if she did, then Princess and the rest of them wouldn't have had to return to fix her screw-up."
The time-travelers didn't speak up, but their expressions did not favor the redhead in a positive light.
"Your anger is warranted, but misplaced. I cannot speak for the Nagi of the future, nor of my future self. I simply follow what information is given and adapt accordingly. If Nagi did not wish for your future self to be told of the upcoming threats, then I can only assume her reasoning to be sound."
"Sound?" Naruto sounded offended at the mere sound of the word. "What the hell could have been 'sound' about letting an entire world be destroyed?"
"As I said before, I know not what the future Nagi, nor I, was thinking. I can only speculate. However, I know Nagi as if she were my own sister, and I know she is many things, but shortsighted is not one of them. If she has reasons not to reveal information, then I trust there to be a greater meaning behind it."
Naruto scoffed, his frustration rising as he leaned back in his chair. "This secretive shit always pissed me off." He muttered before glaring at the witch. "So, what you're basically saying is that Naga is playing chess while we're still playing checkers, right? Don't know how that may sound to you, but to me, it sounds more like lives are being played with as pieces while they continue to play a bigger game they think we can't understand. And the one thing I can't stand is being used."
The air in the room suddenly dropped in temperature. Shadows around the room began to stretch, and the light spell keeping the room lit began flickering uncontrollably. Everyone in the vicinity felt the hairs on their necks rise as they turned to the Witch whose demeanor morphed from calm to tense.
She was a vision of fury, her blazing eyes and clenched fists not nearly enough to portray her raw anger. Her eyes were sharp, and the placid mask she typically wore had transformed into a look that told of a warning.
"You will do well to tread carefully, Mr. Uzumaki." She spoke, for the first time, with something other than respect. "I understand the implications. I also understand that they may not be favorable to your beliefs. However, I shall not allow a slight against the character of the woman with whom I shared blood oaths with go undefended—nor unpunished. Let that be your first, and only, warning."
The threat was left in the air. Immortal stared down immortal, and will clashed against will as neither seemed to back down from their convictions—one of magical intent and the other of pure ferocity. The clash made the air harder to breathe through, making the other occupants in the room feel increasingly uneasy.
Seeing no end in sight, it was Inigo who attempted to break through the stalemate. "Th-there is no need to raise unneeded hostilities. We are all on the same side, are we not?" Neither immortal's eyes wavered, and for a moment the rest thought the brunette's interference would be in vain.
Thankfully, it was the Witch who broke eye contact first, Naruto looking away not too far behind. The air in the room eased up on the broken contact, and everyone immediately breathed a sigh of relief.
"You are correct," the Witch said behind Inigo's words. "We are not here to speculate on what is already done, nor fight amongst each other. You all have reason for being here, and I am simply here to send you in the right direction." Standing from her seat, the redhead beckoned them towards the door leading to the front. "If you would please."
...
Traveling behind the ancient Witch was a quiet affair. Whatever questions the group had before had all either been answered, or had no interest in the answers they'd likely get. Ignorance was bliss, and they were more than willing to ride its coattails.
Thankfully, their travel wasn't long.
They all now stood in the main hall of the mansion, the Witch stopping at the front door of the building to look back to the rest of them.
"As you all already know, war like any other is coming to Archanea." She stated, frowns appearing on the faces of the party. "It is not just the Plegian War that I speak of, but what comes after, and in order to ensure the future isn't grim, you must obtain allies. Allies willing to fight for your cause, along with allies strong enough to fend off the Fell Dragon himself. With that being said," Annabelle held out her hand, and immediately, something appeared in it out of thin air.
Upon further inspection, they realized it was some sort of coin. It was twice the size of a single gald and seemed to shine brighter than even the brightest gold. On the front was, of course, an Anna—winking cheekily with a thumbs up and a salute.
"From this point onward, you shall have the Anna's full support in any of your endeavors as long as it is for the betterment of mankind." She said, shocking the group at large. "If there is anything you shall need to aid you in your journey, my daughters will be at your disposal—be it money, or manpower. Show this to an Anna, and they will allow you to browse their wares for no cost. Flip the coin into the air and every available Anna in the vicinity will flock to you."
"Th-this is-" Lucina stammered over her words, overwhelmed by what this could mean for their future endeavors. "I, I have no words. Th-thank you, Lady Annabelle." Lucina bowed, the Witch nodding at what she thought was an over-the-top reaction for doing what she thought was necessary.
"Think nothing of it. It is Nagi's wish that I aid you in your journey, and it is a wish I shall uphold... That being said," Placing the coin into Lucina's hand, the Witch looked to her fellow immortal who was currently with his hands behind his head. "I ask a favor of you, Naruto Uzumaki."
The blonde raised a brow. "Depends on the favor."
"As of now, there are duties that I must attend to before the war with the Fell Dragon. When the time comes where I have been granted permission to venture from this mansion, I ask that you allow me to travel alongside you and your companions."
The other brow followed behind the previous. It was a request he was not expecting from the redhead. 'Why' was all he could think to ask.
"It has been nearly four millennia since I last traveled outside these walls. Though I have no interest in interacting with the masses, the same cannot be said for my interest in how the world has changed. Not only that, but you are powerful. More powerful than I at your best, and unlike yourself, a well-placed arrow is more than enough to fell me. However, under your protection, I am confident I can transverse the land without fear of my life or worrying my daughters needlessly."
Naruto stared into those red eyes unflinchingly, as if searching for something they couldn't see. After about a minute of silence, his uncaring expression morphed into his familiar foxy grin. "If that's all, then who am I to say no?"
Backing away, the group bore witness to the first sign of a smile on the unnaturally beautiful woman's face. "Then I look forward to our future travels together."
The moment she said that, magical arrays appeared underneath all of their feet. Looking down, they realized the circle for what it was before they all attempted to move, only to find their feet practically glued to the ground. Panic seemed to fill all but the shinobi, who looked as if he was expecting this outcome.
Yet the Witch remained unmoved by the glares and fearful looks given by the rest of the party.
"Before you can continue further, there is something you all must do if you are to ensure the world does not meet the dark future it is heading to. I am sending you to those places now." The woman paused for a bit before her eyes lit up as if remembering something, "Ah, and worry not. Your mana should return within the hour. Until then, I bid you all farewell, and safe travels."
Before any of them could let out any obscenities, they disappeared in a flash of bright light, leaving the Witch alone once more in the mansion. Thoughts of her old friend filled her once more, causing her to look to the ceiling in reverie.
"Nagi..." She whispered, knowing that her voice would be heard. "I pray that whatever you're planning works this time around."
Location: ?
"Ahx3!"
Three bodies landed in various heaps on unknown soil. Groaning, Lucina was the first to push herself to her feet. Shaking away the dots in her vision, she instinctively turned to check on her allies.
Less voices than she was expecting answered her back.
Morgan's high pitch was easy enough, along with Yarne's whimpers. However, that left three unaccounted for. Scanning her surroundings bore her no fruit. In fact, her surroundings brought along a sense of unease.
The forest they'd found themselves in was thick. Towering trees soared high above them, layered in brilliant green foliage. Sunlight trickled through the thick canopy and illuminated the rich brown bark and glimmering moss. Birds cheeped and sang, and the buzzing of insects filled the air. It was a sight and feeling Lucina hadn't truly felt before despite her travels with the two Uzumaki.
"Where, are we?" Yarne spoke up from behind her, finally pushing himself to his feet to take in the sights.
"I've no clue." Lucina admitted, the forest not giving any hints as to where they could be. One thing she knew for sure was that they were definitely not in Ylisse anymore. The leaves were far too thick for one, and no landmark she knew of had forest this thick. That could only mean they were on lands yet discovered, in Valm, or worse, the Northern continents. Just the thought of being in such a place brought a bead of sweat to her forehead.
The sudden rustling of forestry had Lucina and Morgan doing a 180 with their hands on their weapons in an instant while the Taguel hid pathetically behind them with an 'Eep'. Ready for anything, they expected any form of wild life to exit through the foliage.
What they did not expect was a ball to suddenly roll through. Blinking at the ball, they looked to the moving leaves that followed behind the ball's appearance. If they weren't expecting the ball, then they for sure wasn't expecting the girl, no older than 6, retrieving it. If the scene couldn't get any weirder, the girl bore familiar features. Features that couldn't be ignored in a crowd, nor amongst any of her friends.
Features closely resembling a certain craven Taguel.
Patches of fur along the backs of her hands, neck, and completely covering her hips. Light armor covered all her joints, including her chest, while familiar floppy bunny ears ran down to her chest. Tribal lines adorned the sides of her face, and a fluffy tail poked through the fur on her backside.
The trio witnessed the moment the girl's eyes landed on them. They watched in agonizing slowness as the girl's happy features morphed from surprise, to shock, then finally fear before she abandoned the ball all together and fled back through the woods—shouts and pleas following in her wake.
"H-help! Heeeeeelp! Man-spawn! The Man-spawn are here!"
The time-travelers watched the girl disappear into the forest in silence. It wasn't until they could no longer hear the girl's pleas for help that Morgan spoke, "Um, guys? I'm no genius, buuuuuut I think that's bad."
Agreed or not, it was all too late for them to make their escape. By the time the thought even crossed their minds, multiple presences had made themselves known. Emerging from the foliage first were sharp claws, followed closely by a pointed muzzle and sharp, shimmering golden eyes. Thick manes the color of midnight accompanied a wide, burly form of tamed muscle on four legs the size of a horse. Long ears stretched out to their backs, and iron armor adorned all of their vitals.
And they were everywhere.
In the ground, in the trees—there was nowhere you could look and not see a Taguel. It was a sight that would strike fear in even the most hardened war veteran.
For the time-travelers, they were no ordinary 'veterans'. Standing back to back, Lucina and Morgan surveyed their surroundings with keen eyes, desperately searching for a way out. As for their third member cowering below them? Well, the less said, the better.
"Uh, any ideas, guys?" Morgan asked hesitantly. Unfortunately for her, neither of her companions had even an inkling of how they were to even take a step without being torn apart.
"I advise you not to make any unnecessary actions, Man-spawn."
A voice called out from the foliage. Turning in the direction, specifically where the girl had first appeared, walked another Taguel.
This one, however, was not transformed like her brethren, but in her hybrid form. Tall, muscular, she wears armor befitting a female Taguel and has ears wrapped in her hair to form drills over her shoulders. Her brown orbs stared at them almost uncaringly, yet they brought both a hint of fear and joy to the cowering Taguel who perked up the moment he recognized the voice.
Stopping before them, Panne looked down at the shorter humans and cowering Taguel with indifference.
"You are quite a ways from home, Man-spawn."
A/N: For a reference of what Annabelle looks like, think of Irene from Fairy Tail with curly hair and dressed more like the typical witch. Then think of her in a bodycon and you have Annabelle. Hopefully my description of her was legible. Describing people is still a big weakness of mine...
I understand that this chapter was basically an info dump, but as much as we hate chapters like this, it needed to be written. It holds significant importance for future chapters and also the conclusion for this story. For the next chapter, it will deal with Morgan, Lucina and Yarne dealing will the 'extinct' Taguel. Wonder how they survived...
After that, there will be lots of Naruto x Robin interaction along with the introduction of one main cast character and a character I know no one is expecting. Hope you all are ready for it!
Going to see about posting this on Questionable Questing to get more feedback.