A/N: Tada~! Shorter than I'd like, but I'm back. *coughs*
About to update a lot of different categories in the coming days, provided my health holds.
Covid was and still is, awful. I'm still not fully recovered -long covid, blech- but at least I can write again.
In other news, depression's starting to hit real hard these days. Sometimes I wonder why I do anything at all. I can't claim to understand what's going wrong with my head. I don't even know why! One moment I'm fine, then my mood craters for a few hours, then I'm back again for a bit, and the cycle repeats. Its rather annoying; as though I've become a prisoner in my own mind sometimes. Sure, what's one more mental problem on the pile. Not like I don't have enough, what with already being this old. Feels like every day is a battle sometimes.
My doctor is of no help at all and I'm off to find a psychologist. *siiiigh* Don't mind the rambling of this geezer...
With my fifteen year anniversary on this site finally here, 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. 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.
So here we go. The fate of this story depends on you, the reader. Your feedback determines the fate of this tale, and many others.
I'm just a humble author trying to make his way in this wild world, one word at a time.
Time and feedback will determine if this remains a story. Simple as that.
As ever, I own no references, quotes, themes or memes. Not a one.
They're tributes to legends far greater than I.
Hope you enjoy!
"I want one."
"Want one what now?"
"Do not play coy! You know what it is I want!"
~?
Thy Gleeful Misunderstanding
"Is that a kid?"
...yes it is, Naruto."
Ranni felt it was a simple enough statement.
Alas, she once again underestimated her dear consort eternal. Naruto propped himself in bed -his wounds from Mohg looked to have healed and she saw no lingering sign of the fiend's bloody curse about her beloved-sat up now, gave the infant Miquella nestled against her breast one long lingering look and said the first thing that came to his mind.
"Is that our kid?!"
Fire.
In an instant Ranni's face was full of heat and her cheeks were burning. "It is not!" she clutched her little half-brother closer regardless. "Why would you even think such a thing?!"
He shrugged on shoulder. "I mean, you were gone for a bit after we...you know...and ya came back with a blond baby! What am I supposed to think?!"
Stars above, she love her consort but he truly wound her up as no one else did. "Not this! 'Tis poor Miquella, not a child!"
"Ranni, that is a baby."
A muscle jumped in her jaw.
"Beloved, I have three free hands and I will happily use them to throttle thee-
"Did someone mention a child?" Rennala swept into the room in a swirl of silk, only to pause as she laid eye on the fussy baby in her arms. "Oh my goodness! "What a darling little boy! Give him here at once! Quick as can be, she swept past her; in short order little Miquella found himself swept up out of her arms, into her mothers. Resistance was futile.
"Never fear," she crooned down at the baffled babe, rocking him to and fro. "I'm here. Come, lets get you something warm to wear..
"Aw." Naruto watched her whisk away with a wisftul sigh and red cheeks . "I didn't even get to hold him."
Ranni poked his cheek. "Do not make such an expression. Our first child shall be a girl."
He sputtered a bit at that, but she could see the faint hint of longing in his eyes, one she silently reciprocated. Against all odds, she'd found the one man who actually wanted to be a father. How quaint. She wouldn't deny that it had been...rather pleasant holding a child. It almost made her long for another. To hold a little blue child of her own in her arms, to nurture a life that belonged to her and her alone; yes, she could see the appeal in all its glory now, and it spoke to her, demanding fulfillment. Little blue children indeed.
"Say," a wistful expression crossed Naruto's whiskered face. "do you think you're...?"
Now it was her turn to flush. "'Tis much to soon to know!"
His grin grew. "Maybe now, but in a month...
Ranni yanked her head down over her head to hide her furious flush. "Cease~!"
"Aww, c'mon." he patted her head. "Don't sulk-
Fine! If that was how it would be then...
She threw her hat at him. "CEASE!"
He kept laughing as she pouted.
(.0.0.0.)
Rykard called them to council some hours later.
"Do you agree now that we must act?" he slammed one hand down against the roundtable and the massive map sprawled atop it. "We are fast running out of enemies with the Erdtree more vulnerable now than it has ever been. Mohg is dead, Miquella's a bloody infant, and my spies tell me that Godrick has been slain since I last checked in on him.
That got Radahn's attention, if not necessarily Ranni's. "By whom?"
Their bearded brother shrugged. "I do not know. Too many whispers. Regardless, only Morgott and Malenia yet remain. One is Leyndell, the other in the far North. We cannot ignore them any longer."
Rann knew where he was going with this. It was almost enough to dampen her mood. "Yet the Two Fingers and their Baleful Shadows remain a threat."
"To you, dear sister," Rykard chided her gently, "But not us.
"What do you propose?" She didn't miss the way Naruto twitched beside her just then. "Surely you wouldn't call us here without a plan."
"Aye," Blaidd muttered under his breath. "Blasphemous bastard probably has another one...
"I suggest we divide and conquer." Rykard pointedly ignored her shadow's critique and drew a finger down the map, tracing a that pale digit towards the capital. "Split our forces and with them, our objectives. Together, our goals may conflict, but separately, we can achieve our aims. Radahn and I will take the capital while you," his pointer finger trailed back to the location of her Rise,"You and Naruto will seek out these Baleful Shadows you so fear with them the Two Fingers. Find them, end them, and be done with them. From shall reunite in Leyndell and then...see what comes."
It was a good plan. A solid plan. But she noticed a flaw nevertheless.
Her gaze trailed to the end of the table, where the last remaining member of their family sat.
"And what of Mother?"
Rennala had been quiet throughout their council, quietly rocking dearest Miquella in her arms. Here at last she perked up. "I shall remain here with little your half brother. He's in a delicate state and needs someone to look after him."
Naruto hid a smile behind his hand.
Ranni saw it and understood her scheme in an instant.
Aha! She knew what she was up to! "By someone you mean you, don't you, mother? Surely Blaidd can-
"Let me have this!" the sudden emotion in her voice brought her up short. "I was a poor mother to thee but I shall not be to him. This is my redemption." she rocked I shall see him protected and nurtured until such a time as we find his sister.
"And if we encounter Malenia?"
Rennala tutted. "When, not if, dear child of mine. I can see your thoughts churning already. Didst thou forget who raised thee? I can see thy schemes plain as day." she made a shooing gestured with her free hand. "I may not be sane, but I am quite capable of protecting myself."
Radhan chortled softly. "She has you there, sister."
Rykard brought his hands together. We are agreed, then?"
All eyes turned to Naruto, who heaved a sigh. "Against my better judgement...fine. But we're doing this my way."
Rykard granted him a grave nod.
"So be it."
(.0.0.0.)
"So where are we going, exactly?"
Ranni glanced over her shoulder at Naruto, the softest of smiles alighting upon her pale lips as she walked. "To where we first met."
"Oh, your tower?" he peered through the mist to the rise in the distance, barely visible through the fog. "Feels like a lifetime since we were here last."
"Indeed it does."
Had it really been that long? It almost didn't feel real; like they were hurtling toward the end of things. The last time he'd seen those towers, he was only just starting his journey. Now it felt like he'd come full circle, both as a shinobi and a person. The man he'd come was not the same blundering boy who'd first stumbled into Ranni's tower so long ago. He'd found faith, love, happiness and a woman he wanted to spend the rest of his long life with and damnitall he wanted to keep her safe no matter the cost. Some might call him a glutton for that. Greedy, even.
Was he ready to bring an end to things? He didn't feel ready. Far from it.
...I don't want it to end.' The realization humbled him. 'Not yet.'
He wanted to show Ranni his world too, ya know?
But it might not even be possible.
That saddened him.
"Its been a grand adventure, hasn't it?" There was something in the way Ranni said those words just now that filled him with unease. "To think that we've done so much." He'd only ever heard her take that tone a handful of times and it never ended well. "From here we shall take a lift deep into the bowels of the earth, and then go deeper still...
Here at last, a sad, stoic silence pushed itself between the two of them.
...we're going to have another argument aren't we?"
"Possibly". She conceded.
"Suppose its been a long time coming."
She bumped his hip with hers. "Do you truly fear nothing?"
"Of course I fear things." he glanced at her out the corner of his eye. "I'm just not vocal about them. For instance, did you know I'm afraid of ghosts?
"Truly?" one of her four hands threaded through his, fingertips cupping his own.
"Yup. I thought you were a ghost the first time I saw you.
She sputtered and tripped over her feet. "Nonsense!"
"Yes!" He laughed over her reply, hoisted her up, and kept walking with her, hand in hand. "I completely froze for a second when I laid eyes on you; I nearly turned tail and ran."
And he almost had! Really she'd scared the life out of him at first; it had taken him a great deal of time to even admit that much.
The lunar princess made a noise caught between a sigh and a laugh. "I am not some...some...spooky spirit!
"Well I know that now, but when I first saw you in your doll body, half your soul hanging out...
They shared a rueful laugh between the two of them.
It couldn't last.
"Art thou angry with me?
"Depends." he gripped her hand tight as they reached the rise. "Are you going to run off on your own?
...I was considering it-ow!" she yelped as he pinched her hip. "I said I was, not that I would!"
You sure about that?" he squinted her way. "Because I'll tickle you. So no lying!
Ranni lifted her chin to glare at him. "I am a princess! You would not dare!
A blond brow rose.
"Naruto, no. We must be serious about this."
"Must we?" he tilted his head. "Way I see it, we've been way to wound up since this Mohg mess. And if our journey's almost over...might as well have some fun before everything ends, yeah?"
"Don't you dare!"
She tried to retreat, but hesitated, unwilling to release his hand. It cost her most dear. He pounced, and in an instant his fingers were across her ribs as a musician might pluck the strings of their lute. She squirmed and thrashed in his grasp, to no avail. It wasn't long before she was giggling nonstop. He loved the sound of her laughter; it was such a rare throaty sound, hearing it out here in the open made it all the more heady. A man could get drunk on it. On her.
For all her protests, she only offered a token resistance; though she could've easily fended him off with her four hands and her spells she didn't. Instead she turned in his grasp to face him fully-as a concession he eased up on the tickling and let her draw in a quick breath. The moment he did she latched onto him with all four hands, pressing her body tight against his so he couldn't worm his way in and tickle her again.
"...!"
Her gaze met his.
Then something changed between the two of them.
Without warning the air grew charged; one of her hands moved to cup his face, another wrapped around his waist, as third began to fiddle with the clasps of his armor. And her fourth went...lower. Much lower. His own hands subconsciously moved to cradle her waist, thumbs stroking small circles just above her rear.
She gasped and forced his hands lower.
His eyes widened in return, but he didn't dare let go. "Ranni?"
'Tis your fault." she growled. "You made me like this. I had forgotten what lust felt like before thee. I never wanted a child before thou came into my life...
There was a decidedly glazed look in her eye now that he noticed; belatedly, he beheld the faint flush of her cheeks, the rapid pace of her breathing, yes, even the hammering beat of her heart. Oh. Maybe he'd pushed her a bit too far after all. He could see a spark in her that hadn't been there prior. He kinda liked it. Maybe he should-
"I wish to dance!"
"Dance?" Naruto blinked, somewhat taken aback by the sudden request. "Where's this coming from?"
"T'was not a request!" Ranni stepped into him and took his hands in hers, wrapping her remaining limbs around his waist and held tight. "Dance with me at once!"
Then she turned, presenting her back him, body pressed flush against his...and began to move.
Wait a minute. What kind of dance was this...?!
He wasn't used to just...swaying about like this with her, hand in hand, body to body.
"I am a princess of Caria." she looked up at him and belatedly he glimpsed the impish gleam in her gaze as he held her close. "I excel in every subject I choose to learn." The sway of her hips was hypnotic, like watching a moving pendulum in slow motion, to say nothing of the pressure as she pushed against him. "Art thou not entertained, my lord?"
"...you're doing this on purpose.
"Perhaps. Have I slaked thy appetite?" her grin gained an edge. "No? In that case...
His eyes widened, but her smile said it all. Wuh-oh.
"Take responsibility!"
She whirled and jumped him with a snarl driving him to the ground, all but mounting him, hands and legs spread on either side to pin him in place. She grabbed his hands and forced one to her bosom, and another to her rear, nearly tearing her robes in her haste to make him touch her once more. It was quite possibly the most aggressive he'd ever seen her during their time together.
Huh. Neat. He kinda liked it.
"You crave a child that badly? Ranni leaned in low, lips brushed his ear as she bit down, marking him as hers once more. "Then we shan't leave this place until I am certain I have conceived-
A low growl pervaded the air behind them as their surroundings darkened.
-but first, let us deal with this wayward dog that dares disturb us."
Pivoting, still sat on his lap, she faced the darkness.
"You can stop lurking about, now."
A crimson specter manifested itself not a yard away. For a fleeting second he almost thought it was...but no, it wasn't Blaidd. Its posture was hunched. Wild. Downright feral, even. It radiated madness and malevolence, a singular desire to rip and rend, to destroy all before it. And above all, it hated. Hate, hate, hate. The sheer intensity of its emotions was enough to make a man retch. In its eyes he saw no kindness, no semblance of sanity and nothing by which he could bargain. This creature existed only to kill.
This, then, was the last of the Baleful Shadows.
Naruto righted himself quickly, but he needn't have.
The silent shadow stalked toward them slowly, greatsword in hand.
"Right," he heaved a sigh and adopted a stance. "Guess I'm taking this one...
"Indeed, you may." Ranni hopped off him. "Do be quick about it. We have urgent matters to attend to.
He squinted her way. "Why do I get the feeling your idea of urgent and mine aren't the same?"
"I haven't the foggiest idea what you mean, my dear consort eternal."
The Baleful Shadow was upon them a moment later.
Its arms rose with a yowl.
A blade descended.
He stepped aside and let it clang harmlessly into the dirt. The beast barreled forward to bite, only to receive a stinging backhand. He stepped in as it reeled and drove a fist into his armored torso. It recoiled with a pained yelp but fought on, undaunted. It looked like Blaidd, smelled like Blaidd, even fought like Blaidd to a reasonable degree, but this thing it wasn't Blaidd. As if the red outline wasn't enough of a giveaway. Whatever it was, it fought like a creature possessed, which it probably was, in hindsight. It knew neither mercy nor subtlety.
This was what Blaidd would've become if he hadn't usurped his connection with the Greater Will.
Obey!
Its will lashed at him like a whip even now, filling his mind with agony.
He laughed at it.
Obey us!
Fought on, now
Why won't you obey?!
"Because pain's an old friend. And this isn't enough to stop me!'
It only had power here through its Baleful Shadow. And once he killed that...its influence would be broken.
Ordinarily he would've toyed with it a bit, maybe tried to talk it down, but right now he was feeling so...terribly frustrated.
So he did what any capable warrior would.
Parry!
His left hand swept up and diverted his death at the last second, smacking the cold greatsword away like the hulking bar of steel it was. Overbalanced as it was, the Baleful Shadow couldn't course correct in time; even if it had, it wouldn't have made a differnece. Simultaneously, his right swept in, sphere in hand.
"Chou Odama Rasengan!"
For an instant, a moment, a sliver of a second, he thought he glimpsed relief on the Baleful Shadow's mangy muzzle. Impossible to tell. Her attack barreled forward a heartbeat later and obliterated the beast's chest. What was left of it pitched backward to the ground in a heap. Still, it wasn't yet dead, so he should probably finish it off-
"Beloved." The word was colder than ice. "Hold a moment."
Something in Ranni's voice instinctively had him stepping aside; and well that he did too; because she came barging forward.
"Hello, baleful shadow." She crouched down before the rabid mutt. "Be a good boy and deliver a message to your masters when you die, won't you?"
It snarled wordlessly at her.
Naruto turned away, knowing what would come next.
Sure enough, he heard her stab her staff through the baelful beast's chest.
"They're next."
The beast expired with a rasping gurgle.
Ranni didn't wait. Even as the crimson specter faded, she kicked it aside and rounded on him. "Now then, where were we?"
Narutoo gulped despite himself. "Meep."
Ranni jumped him.
A/N: Meeep indeed. Someone wants babies~!
Aaaand Scene.
Hope you enjoyed this lovely little chapter.
Well? What say you? Should this remain a story? Moreover, do you want weekly updates? Ya or nay! By all means, lemme know!
Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this little tale. Sad to say, but if folks don't like this, it won't be continued. Meaning that if the story itself ain't popular? Well, I'll love the drive to continue it! I'm working two jobs during the holidays so I barely have time to write; as such, I cannot afford to write something folks don't enjoy. So by all means, speak up! Your voice matters! Make yourself heard! As ever, reviews are the fuel that sustain me. Without them I cannot write a single word. Simple as that.
So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...
...Review, Would You Kindly?
Enjoy the previews~!
(Previews)
...will you marry me?"
Ah, but who was it that asked first?
"Heed my words. I am Malenia, Blade of Miquella. And I have never known defeat.
Naruto smiled. It was not a nice smile. "You're about to. I brought friends."
The doorway shimmered behind him. "Hello...sister."
"Usurper! Smoldering with thy meager flame of ambition! You shall not pass!"
Footsteps resounded behind him.
...I already have. I'll just be taking a look at the tree now...
Morgott rounded on them. How had he gotten past?!
In a frantic fit, he lunged at him!
"I want a daughter."
Naruto's throat closed. "Excuse me?!"
EDIT: The fate of this story depends on you, the reader. Your feedback determines the fate of this tale, and many others.
I'm just a humble author trying to make his way in this wild world, one word at a time.
Time and feedback will determine if this remains a story. Simple as that.
As ever, I own no references, quotes, themes or memes. Not a one.
They're tributes to legends far greater than I.
Hope this chapter brightened your day!
Peace~!
R&R~!