A/N: There we go. Double update day. This, and A New Archon.
Now I sleep. Looking forward to reading your feedback when I wake up!
Still here, still updating DAILY~!
Wanted to spread the love around this month.
With that said, RWBY and Eldem Ring are next on the docket alongside Doctor of Demons.
As ever, we're following the Ember's Rule here. That's no joke. Really, it isn't. If folks don't like this, if people don't enjoy...well, I won't continue it. What's the point in writing something no one likes? Every bit of feedback helps. Reviews are the fuel which keeps me writing in these crazy times. With my tight schedule -two jobs!- I simply don't have time to write a story folks don't like. Without them, my inspiration cannot take wing and I can't write a word. So by all means, speak up!
Now for your questions, comments, and concerns. Feel free to skip this if you like, but do so at your own peril...
Q: Wait, Powder's fallen for Naruto?
A: Given that he's been teaching her this long, confiding in her, and actively training her? T'was bound to happen sooner or later. Naruto's quite unaware of it mind you; while Powder is content to wait until she's older. Thought I made that last bit abundantly clear.
It also gives Sevika a chance to make her move in the interim.
Q:...why do I have a bad feeling about this?
A: It wouldn't be a proper story without a bit of risk now, would it? By the end of this story, Bodies will hit the floor, some hearts will soar, others will be broken. The ending won't be all sunshine and rainbows; few things in Arcane are.
And yes, before someon asks, we WILL be hitting a timeskip sooner or later, in which we get to see and older Powder/Jinx and Naruto.
Won't speak to the fate of the others, though. That would be spoiling and I've done enough of that already~!
Q: ***** better not be alive!
A: Why is everyone asking me that, oi?!
Doing so would tip the delicate balance I'm going for here.
Alright then, I've kept you long enough. Lets get into the meat of the matter and have some fun!
Once more, I own no quotes, references, or memes.
Not a wit or a one. NOT! A! THING!
"Ashes, ashes, we all fall down...
~?
Ashes of Hope
After that incident, Powder didn't stray far from his side.
Naruto wasn't much sure how to feel about that; on the one hand he found her far more receptive to his teaching now, more willing to listen than ever. Vi's...accident had opened her eyes; now that her sister had come to harm, Powder realized just how powerful she was, and with it, the meaning of restraint.
On the other...he worried for her mental state.
Powder seemed strong on the outside, but on the inside she'd become brittle. Fragile. Was that the word? He didn't much mind the attention, but if things continued apace like this, something was going to break. He'd made an excuse just to get some air; sending her off to get a few scraps for his next project. She was all too happy to do so. It gave him time to think, to ponder his next move...
.
..
...even if he didn't know what said move us.
"There you are."
Naruto looked up from his workbench, hands still fiddling with his of scrap. How on earth did Powder make gizmos and gadgets out of these? No, nevermind. Focus. Vander had asked him something.
"I'm sorry, what?"
Vi's old man looked at him askance. "You seen Claggor and Mylo about?"
The blond quirked an eyebrow. "No...? Why?"
"Haven't seen 'em."
...oh. sorry."
Truth be told, he'd not given much thought to the boy as of lates. Sure they were Powder's brothers and as such he'd tried to be nice to them in the beginning. He'd failed. They'd gone out of their way to avoid him. Now? he hadn't seen them since Vi had her...fall. He hadn't missed their black looks.
Maybe they knew the truth. Maybe they didn't.
Regardless, there was bad blood between them now, blood he couldn't just mop up.
"Fair enough. Let me know if they poke their heads out, yeah?" Vander clasped his shoulder. "Need a worth with 'em."
"Right, right." he muttered halfheartedly. "Will do."
He could tell Vander wanted to say more. He had that air about him today. Old dog was probably worried about. Thankfully, he took the hint. His peace said, the aging brawler sauntered away, grasped the door to his work shop, and closed it behind, leaving Naruto to his work.
"You're treading a slippery slope there, kid. How much are you willing to let slide?"
His lips pursed. "It was an accident."
"Was it?"
"Kurama!"
"Fine, fine. At least answer me this. What will you do if she becomes too powerful?"
Naruto quirked a blond brow inward. "Stronger than us? How, exactly?"
...fair," the old fox allowed. "Perhaps I'm being paranoid."
"You are, but its fine." he muttered. "I forgive ya."
"So benevolent."
Silence stretched between them, broken only by the scraping sounds of his tools. At length, Naruto felt the need to speak again.
...I won't let her become another Sasuke. I swear."
The stump of his right arm twitched in solemn reminder. Just a bit of phantom pain. He conjured a golden chakra in its place, curled it into a fist, and went back to work. If he could just make one of these smoke bombs work, then he'd finally be able to take the next step in his plan. He needed a lot of smoke, with no fire, a distraction with no destruction.
"Do you regret it?"
"A little," he admitted, fiddling with a screw. "Still don't think I killed him."
"You best pray you did. I don't relish the idea of facing an Uchiha."
"..."
"He's gone, Naruto." Kurama's voice was almost soft this time. "It wasn't your fault. You did what you had to do."
"Hmm. he grunted halfheartedly. "Whatever you say...
He was still working when Powder returned.
(.0.0.0.)
Vi wouldn't look at her.
Neither would Mylo, or Claggor, even. That...hurt. More than Powder cared to admit. It stung like nothing else, wounded her in the worst of ways. She wasn't even sure Vi properly remembered what happened, but enough of the meory lingered to make her miserable all the same. Their bond was fractured, if not broken outright; for the life of her, she didn't know how to repair it.
She had to try. She just...didn't know how, right now.
And yet despite her sister's actions, or perhaps in spite of it, Naruto had covered for her. She'd broken his one rule. He'd been well within his rights to take her chakra away; to leave her the powerless wretch she'd been before. But he hadn't now, had he? Instead he'd helped her cover it up. She felt just awful about Vi, she really did. She'd learned her lesson.
With great power came great responsibility. She had to be careful-no, she must be careful, not to break this world or those who lived in it.
It was with such thoughts in mind that she came for today's lesson.
Tiny knuckles rappped against the door.
"Come in~!"
She stumbled in, prize in hand. "Here, I got a lot of scrap. You gonna tell me what its for?"
"You'll see." he helped her carry her bag to the table, then beckoned to the seat beside him. "Here. Have a look at this." Only then did she notice the scroll laid out nearby. Naruto looked to it, then to her with a pleased smile. "Today we'll be practicing summoning.
Her lips pursed in a thin line. "Not sage training?"
"Its not that simple." he chided. "I've taught you a bit, but the toads are better at this sort of thing than me...
"Awwwww!"
"There's nothing wrong with being eager, Powder." he patted her head. "But you gotta be patient. We live in a world of cardboard, you and I." she gazed up at him as he tousled her hair. "We have to be careful not to lose control, or someone might get hurt, or worse, die.
The words stung. She hung her head with a little whine. "M'sorry."
"Don't be sorry." he chided. "Be better. Be the person you know you can be. Now, c'mon. Up you go.
She nodded and clamored into the seat beside him.
That settled it. She'd made up her mind. She was going to marry him someday. Not now of course; when she was older maybe. Heh. Just the thought of it brought a shy little smile to her face. She was his one and only pupil after all; she'd learn all she could from him, carry his teachings into the future. And then...well. Time would tell. Let that old biddy Sevika have him for now. She could try to woo him all she liked. She wouldn't be top dog forever, nor would she be around forever. She'd show Sevika.
She'd show her.
She'd show them all.
Naruto would never see her coming.
(.0.0.0.)
"Are the men ready?"
His lackey grunted. "Jut about, boss."
Silco stifled a sigh into his glass. "Give them a nudge."
"But, boss! I thought we was gonna wait until, well, you know...
"Your thoughts are irrelevant." he pinnioned him with an ugly look. "Get out."
The man saluted stiffly and stalked out. No spine in this one, either. So hard to find good help these days.
Left alone with his own thoughts, he turned in his chair to admire the underwater world beyond the glass, and the beasts beneath. Monstrosities, every last one of them. Even a single creature could drag galleons down to the depths. Beasts, the lot of them. They didn't care for subtlety. Only power. They took what they wanted. When they wanted. He almost envied them in their simplicity.
Pivoting he turned to regard his erstwhile ally lurking in the shadows. "Beautiful, aren't they?"
...they're monsters.
"Hmm." he hummed and poured himself a glass of wine, then took a moment to watch the dark red liquid swirl within. Red as blood. "There's a monster inside all of us. You of all people know this."
Silence reigned supreme. He began to wonder if his guest had departed. And then:
Naruto's shadow clone sighed. "Does it really have to be this way?"
"You know the answer as well as I."
With a flick of the wrist Silco knocked the glass back and drank deeply. He savored the burn in his throat. It centered him. He'd agreed to stay out of the boy's way, and he had kept that promise. Their pact held...for now. They done well to avoid one another thus far; not stepping on each others toes. Whatever plans that blond braggart held were his own-just as Silco's schemes belonged to him and him alone. They would leave one another be for the time being, until such was no longer possible.
He had made no such oath to Piltover.
It was nothing personal, really. Just good business-no, wait. He told a lie. It was very personal. He took no small pleasure in what he was about to do; in the chaos he was about to wreak. Enough of Piltover and its posh pageantry. They had sow the wind, and now?
They would reap the whirlwind.
Contrary to what some might think, he didn't need to win a war against Piltover. He just needed to scare them. Shimmer would do all that and more.
Levering himself upright, he snatched the knife off his desk and stalked out the door.
"May the best man win."
A/N: Aaaaand scene!
As ever, we're following the Ember's Rule here. That's no joke. Really, it isn't. If folks don't like this...well, I'll not continue it. Every bit of feedback helps. Reviews are the fuel which keeps me writing in these crazy times. With my tight schedule, I simply don't have time to write a story folks don't like. Without them, my inspiration cannot take wing and I can't write a word. So by all means, speak up!
Reviews are my lifeblood. Without them, I cannot write.
So In the Immortal Words of Atlas...
...Revieeeeew, Would You Kindly?
They keeps an old man alive.
And enjoy the previews.
As ever:
SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!
PLOT DETAILS AHOY!
YE BE WARNED!
Get ready to smile~!
Obvious references are obvious~!
(POTENTIAL!) Previews! What can I say? I've been busy.
"Did you ever care?"
""You're up to something."
...is that a giant horse?"
It is."
She scowled at the ghastly metal contraption. "You can't be serious. They'll never fall for that."
"Oh, I know. Its just a distraction."
Did she dare ask? For what?"
"My revolution."
Sevika laid a hand on his shoulder. He stilled. The air felt charged between them. This close he could taste her scent, the faint smell of honey and hardened leather.
Blood spattered the floor.
"ITS NOT FAIR!"
"You have a choice to make girl. I can't make it for you. Only you can.
What is it you want? Power? Safety? Or family?
Well? What will it be?"
"I HATE YOU!"
"No. You hate being powerless. There's a difference."
"You think!" another blow hurtled them away. "You can hurt! My apprentice?!"
They looked up. Just in time to see a building crash down on their head.
"Why won't you die?!"
Someone stalked through the smoke.
"Honestly, has this ever worked?" he sighed softly, wounds healing, the damage undone before their very eyes. "Your kind never learn. But that's alright...
THRUCK!
...class is now in session. And I'm the teacher!"
His victim folded over as a fist slammed through their torso. They hurtled up into the air, only to cry out as a hand caught their ankle, yanked them down, and whipped them into the ground. The street creaked and began to crumble, leaving a decidedly human-shaped impression behind.
"Open your textbook to chapter nine!" Naruto's boot stomped down on their chest, grinding them deeper into the dirt as he leered down at them. "Also known as the pages of PAIN!"
"It has to end this way."
Now remember kids, murder is never the answer. Murder is the question...
...and the answer is yes.
"Are you feeling angry, humiliated, is that it?!" He caught their fist, snatched them up by the ground and slammed them down. "Idiot! You don't know what humiliation is!" Bone twisted then broke as he stomped down in a rage. "I'm trying to HELP this place, but you're all making this so...damn...difficult...!
"Please, I need you!"
"You're not allowed to die!" Powder clutched at his hand. "Promise me you won't die. Not ever!"
Vander roared.
One punch. That was all it took.
His attacker folded like a piece of sheet metal.
His right gauntlet swept back...then forward, obliterating their skull.
Silco smiled as Marcus seethed.
"I want every gun we have focused on that man! I don't care who sees! Drop the damn building on him, if that's what it takes! Kill him! KILL HIM NOW!"
"Kill them!"
"Why won't you understand!"
"Only monsters deal in absolutes. I'll do what I must.
A tired sigh pierced the foggy gloom.
"You will try, my old friend."
"You call this a wound?"
He walked through the doorway.
"This ain't a wound; barely even a scratch."
His victim pitched backward, struggling to hold their bleeding face together.
"Lemme show you...what a real injury looks like. Feels like! SOUNDS LIKE! Come here! I'll carve it into your corpse!
Get up! Rise, damn you! If you don't get up right now everyone is going to die! Nothing will change! GET UP!
His arms braced against the ground. Pushed. And the rubble gave way.
He was unarmed. His hands empty. His back riddled with wounds he'd taken protecting them, one arm hanging loosely at his side. So much blood. Yet still he stalked forward. Oh gods. She could see right through him. How was he still moving...? Bravado or sheer willpower. Had to be. He'd collapse any second now. But he didn't. He threw his head back and snarled. The sound was dark and painful, filled with so much hurt and regret and...and death. So much death. Like a fell hound howling at the moon.
"I can...do this...all day."
R&R~!