A/N: Blasted storm is driving me bonkers, I'm afraid of lightning... T_T
Think of this a continuation of the last "Switch" chapter, or more likely, a prologue to it.
As ever, the Embers Rule Persists; if folks don't like this; poof, gone, to the void it goes. Poof! Gone! Deleted forever.
Would you rather this be a story? Yay? Nay? Really need to hear back from you.
By all means, speak up! Raise your voice! Make yourself heard!
This is a bit of a drabble to tide you all over while I work on the next chapter of Practice Makes Perfect. Chaos and comedy take time to write, and I want it to be juuuuust right.
Not sure if this little blurb here will ever become a fully realized story, but hey, I figured I'd try.
Just...brace yourself.
As ever I own no references, quotes, themes or memes. Not a wit or one.
"The heart is a strange thing. It breaks easily, and heals slowly.
Trust is the same, I suppose; in that it must be earned.
And what of you? Who will you become?
I suppose we'll find out.
...soon enough."
~A Wise Man.
Choice
"You are such a disappointment, Mercury."
No child wants to hear those words spoken to them. Not even the child of a killer.
Even after all this time, they still stirred anger in him. They stung, they burned, they consumed, just like the fire ravaging their home. Heh. Good riddance to that one. Burning the house down gave him more relief than a thousand lying whores. Unfortunately, it also promised to be his last act on this gods forsaken earth.
Wasted and gasping for air, Mercury grunted into the mud as someone shoved his face into it.
Marcus Black showed him no mercy.
"Did you really think you could kill me?!" A booted foot stomped down on his back, sending a fresh paroxysm of pain shooting through his broken body. "ME?!" A voice boomed. "I raised you, boy! I am your father! I taught you everything you know! And you DARE defy me?! I took your legs! Now I'll take your life!"
"Might as well...you already killed mom...
"SILENCE!"
Mercury raised a trembling hand in a one-finger salute. The knife swung down and hacked it off.
"You are nothing without me!" Another cut. "Nothing! No one-
"I disagree." a low voice hissed in the night. "The way I see it, the only one who's nothing...is...you."
Marcus whirled, only to be met by a storm of gold.
A tan chin came down over his father's shoulder; Mercury had the faintest glimpse of blue eyes and whiskered cheeks framed by grey-blond hair alongside a scowl. Strong palms closed around his face from behind, even as an arm locked around his neck. It tightened, choking the life out of the wretch he'd once called father. Marcus howled and struggled, thrashing back, to no avail.
"Is this what passes for a killer these days?" said frown deepened into a scowl. "How very...disappointing."
His hands twisted. An awful pop filled the air. Marcus Black slumped to the ground.
Mercury had a fine view of it from where he lay.
The stranger stood clad in a strange outfit; an unzipped black suit over a dark green buttoned vest and jade shirt. At least, they might've been green once upon a time. Someone had stained it an awful shade of orange, horribly bright and garish to the eye. Like someone had taken offence to the color and done their best to scrub it away. There was something wrong with his body, too. His very being seemed to shimmer with faint light, as though it couldn't decide between gold or green.
And then those piercing blue eyes found his. "You're still alive?"
For a moment he wondered if the man would kill him. There was a cold, dead look in his eyes; one that frightened him more than Marcus ever had.
"Fine, fine." he sighed at last. "You're such a worrywart, Oz."
Mercury flinched away. "Who the hell're you?! Stay back!"
"Hush."
With a long-suffering sigh the blond knelt and touched a hand to his back, Mercury felt something pop in his spine and the crushing pain abated, replaced by a cooling numbness in his hand. Strength surged back into his body, closing his wounds one by one. His mangled fingers regrew. Something twitched in his legs and he was alarmed to feel something; something that felt a great deal like...?
Mercury looked down and back
Blinked. Wiggled his toes. Wait. He didn't have toes. He hadn't for quite some time.
And yet those were clearly human limbs jutting from the bloodied stumps. His prosthetics lay discarded to one side, forcefully pushed away by the regrown tissue. Tears stung at his eyes. Legs. He had his legs again, he could feel again; all those pins and needles were the most wonderful feeling in the world, because he could feel!
"Who...are you?"
"If its names you're after, Naruto will do. Or Ozpin." the blond tittered as his eyes flashed. "Sorry. Still getting used to this body. You'd think a few dozen reincarnations would've set me to rights, but nope!" a rueful smile greeted him. "Anyway, we have a camp not far from here. Care to join us?"
The way he said join worried Mercury. Nevermind the plurals.
"Don't worry, you won't be alone. There's someone else waiting there. I'm thinkin' Emerald might like you."
"What," he coughed a bit of blood and spat upon the ground, "You hit her with the same recruitment pitch, too?"
"Not at all." his voice shifted and for a moment, it felt like someone else was speaking. "We merely offered her a warm bed and a bit of food." A blink, and those eyes were blue again. "Blast it, Oz! Let me handle this." he shook himself like a wet dog. "I don't need your help."
...you alright, there?"
"Hmm?" the blond blinked. "Nah, I'm fine. So? What'll it be?
That was the question, wasn't it. 'I...am currently questioning my life choices.'
Mercury considered the offered palm, regarding it like a venomous viper. Super scary guy who killed his old man. Check. Way stronger than him? Check. Absolutely off his rocker? Judging by the way he kept prattling on and talking to himself...yeah, definitely a check. Well...couldn't be any worse than dealing with Marcus.
He reached out and clasped his palm.
"Whatever you say, old man."
A/N: More of a buddy cop thing here; Naruto and Mercury just causing havoc in Remnant with no given goal...
...or is there?
As ever, the Embers Rule Persists; if folks don't like this; poof, gone, to the void it goes. Poof! Gone! Deleted forever.
Would you rather this be a story? Yay? Nay? By all means, speak up! Raise your voice! Make yourself heard! Still, Hope this made you smile. I'm in a bit of a funk at the moment. As stated, the my doctor's ordered me to a full day of bed rest and I'm going MAD. Hearing from you guys and gals would make my day a lot better...
So In The Immortal Words of Atlas...
...Review, Would You Kindly? It keeps us all alive.
No previews or potential ideas this time. Not writing 'em unless folks want to see them.
...fine, just a few. Hopefully people enjoy them, its hard to tell anymore.
And yes, each is a separate idea.
(Preview!)
"Where were you!? You could've helped!"
"I did. She's alive because of me. You're welcome."
"She's lost her legs, Naruto! She'll never run again. Not like she used to."
The words hurt, a stinging reminder of Ruby's defeat; of the end of her career. Cinder. All her fault. Because of her, Beacon was gone. Everything was gone. She gazed down at the stumps of her legs beneath the sheets, ruined and burned, ending well below the knees. A whimper stole past her lips.
"Funny." a voice came through the door. "They said that about me. I'll do my best, Tai. You know that. I'm back now. I won't be tricked like that again...
The door creaked open. Ruby dared to look up. A young man limped in, leaning heavily on a wooden staff. His left leg was missing, severed at the ankle. And yet it wasn't. A shimmering shroud of something jutted from where the missing limb should have been, some sort of golden foot. She had a fine view of it from where she lay in bed. She glimpsed Yang lingering behind him, wringing both hands fretfully before her chest. Pyrrha was there too, looking just as guilty now as she'd been atop that tower. They didn't understand. None of them would understand. Not Yang, not Pyrrha, not Blake or even Weiss.
Blue eyes met silver. "You must be Ruby."
She scowled at him. "Who are you?"
The blond smiled. "Just a guy."
"I'd like to think I have shown a great deal of patience over my many years walking remnant, but I do hate repeating myself...you WILL let your Father do his work. Do I make myself clear?"
Cinder growled. "Yes ma'am...
Naruto patted the little girl's head head. "Relax, kiddo. We can burn Beacon later...Tell you what." he stooped down to her level, grinning from ear to ear. "I'll bring you back a Maiden."
Grave golden eyes regarded him. "Promise?"
Salem scoffed. "You're far too soft with that girl...
He pursed his lips. "And you could stand to be a bit nicer...
"Just how many kids do you intend to have?!"
...all of them?"
"Daddy! Look what I made~!"
Naruto clutched at his heart. "Ack! Too cute...!"
R&R~!