Welcome back! Hope you all enjoy the latest chapter!
Disclaimer: I don't own "Naruto" or "Scott Pilgrim," they belong to their respective owners.
Taking Charge
Without another word being said, the group of seven stunt doubles charged Naruto at once.
Ducking under a swing of a skateboard, Naruto threw a right hook into the man's gut, causing him to hunch over. Grabbing the skateboard which fell to the ground, he slammed it over the back of his head, knocking him out.
That was one down.
Hearing a battle cry, Naruto backflipped to avoid two skateboards coming to him at once. After landing, he slammed the heads of the two stunt doubles together, hard.
And again, and again, and again, until they crumpled to the ground like a sack of potatoes.
That was two more down.
"Oh shit…they're all in deep trouble now…" Wallace grinned in thought, knowing Naruto was pretty damn good at fighting.
"Every time I see him fight…" Ramona thought while blushing, "…it turns me on…"
"Get him, boys!" Lucas Lee shouted out in annoyance, seeing his team was being swept.
That's when the remaining four charged at him with their respective skateboards. Ducking under one board of wood, Naruto followed it up by jumping over two leg sweeps. However, one stunt double managed to hit him square on the jaw, causing him to fall backward.
(Naruto's Health Bar – 91%)
However, as he fell back, Naruto used his momentum to land on his arms. Using his feet, he shot them up and wrapped them around the stunt double who had hit him. With a quick yank using his lower body strength, the stunt double stumbled backward.
Seeing he was off-balanced, Naruto did a kip-up and stood on his feet once more. Another stunt double came in with a left hook, which Naruto avoided by adjusting his body backward.
This was unfortunate as he didn't see the stunt double behind him, who smashed his skateboard into his ribs.
With a grunt and wince, Naruto focused up.
(Naruto's Health Bar – 85%)
Ducking under a skateboard, Naruto grabbed it with both hands and delivered a sharp kick to the man's gut. This allowed him to pry it loose from his grip and swing it three times in rapid succession over his head, causing the stunt double to collapse.
That was the fourth one down.
Unfortunately, the skateboard in his hands was nothing but two pieces of wood now, having snapped while he used it as a blunt weapon. He threw the ruined skateboard to the ground.
Seeing one of the remaining stunt doubles charge him, Naruto blocked an attack from their skateboard. He used his left elbow, right elbow, and ducked under the third blow. Having enough, Naruto dashed forward and delivered a straight jab into the man's throat.
This caused him to fall on his knees, clutching his neck. Grabbing his discarded skateboard, he placed it in front of the man's head and then kicked the back of his skull, causing the board to snap in two.
The stunt double fell forward onto the pavement, knocked out.
That was the fifth one down.
One of the last men standing decided to swing the skateboard above his head, charging up for an overhead swing. This would be his biggest mistake.
Using the quick opening of an unguarded torso, Naruto gave a hard gut punch with his right hand followed up with a left hook into his side. Just for extra measure, the blonde also slammed his right elbow into his liver, ensuring he would go down.
Grunting and wheezing, the man dropped his skateboard while kissing the concrete. He didn't get back up, feeling winded and defeated.
That was the sixth one down.
Looking up, Naruto prepared to fight the last man standing. However, to everyone's shock, the stunt double looked like he was about to cry.
The groans and moans of the other six seemed to have made him realize he wasn't going to win this fight. Throwing his skateboard on the ground, he ran away while screaming, "This isn't worth my shitty pay! I quit, Lucas!"
Naruto blinked, not expecting that outcome.
That was…the seventh one down?
"Fucking extras," Lucas spat out, finally engaging in the fight, "If you want to do something right, you have to do it yourself."
On the side, Lucas's producer was practically foaming at the mouth. This fight would sell more than any shitty movie Lucas was producing at the time. He only saw money signs and green in his future.
Charging him like a bull, Naruto widened his stance to absorb the incoming impact. Once Lucas did hit him, the two interlocked arms and held their ground.
"D-Damn…" Naruto said internally with a wince, "This guy is pretty solid…he can hold his own…"
His strength was nothing to scoff at, and the blonde could respect that.
"But if I can't beat him in strength…" Naruto reasoned, "Then I'll use speed…"
He would have to hit him, rapidly, quickly, and precisely. It would be death by a thousand cuts.
With a roar, Lucas yelled and threw Naruto through the air. After crashing through a backdrop, the blonde landed on his feet. They were slowly taking this fight further and further from where it started.
"AH!" Lucas yelled, intent on pummeling his opponent.
Ducking a right hook, Naruto jabbed his elbow into Lucas's side, causing the man to spit out in shock.
(Lucas Lee's Health Bar – 79%)
The blonde was putting his strength into each attack. He couldn't risk getting grabbed or slammed by Lucas, otherwise it was game over.
Leaning his head back to avoid a jab, Naruto slapped Lucas's outstretched hand away and delivered a kick into his torso.
(Lucas Lee's Health Bar – 67%)
With another grunt, Lucas grew angry. He couldn't believe the blonde was waiting, counterattacking, then waiting again.
He wouldn't give him time to wait anymore.
Charging, Lucas broke into Naruto's personal space and the two began exchanging blows rapidly. Naruto had the advantage in speed, while Lucas had his great strength to rely on.
Naruto jabbed his four fingers into Lucas's left bicep, followed up with a palm strike to his nose.
(Lucas Lee's Health Bar – 55%)
Moving his head to the side to avoid a punch, Naruto caught Lucas in the jaw with a strong left hook.
(Lucas Lee's Health Bar – 43%)
However, it was Lucas who now landed a hit, striking the blonde in the ribs. This caused Naruto to grunt, feeling the impact of the blow.
(Naruto's Health Bar – 63%)
Trying to follow up, Lucas got overconfident and tried giving a kick into the blonde's stomach. Unfortunately for him, Naruto caught his leg and struck it with four vicious elbow strikes, causing the muscles underneath to tear.
(Lucas Lee's Health Bar – 20%)
Dropping the leg, Naruto decided to use his stamina to finish this fight. With a roar, he struck with speed.
One hit on Lucas's jaw turned into two more strikes on his stomach.
Which turned into five punches on his torso.
Which turned into a hard uppercut below his jaw.
He was practicing many of the quick techniques he learned as a child. Many of the quick movements were derived from Wing Chun which he learned early on in his life. Combining these movements with his solid hits resulted in a deadly fighting style.
Lucas spat out a tooth, looking dazed, "I can…do this…all day…"
Naruto decided it was time to finish this.
The blonde finished by throwing a hard left hook. This hook was so strong, it managed to knock out some blood from the actor's mouth. He had wide eyes, not expecting the blonde to have a quick burst of speed at the end of their fight.
(K.O! 45-Hit Combo! Bonus! 3000 Points!)
Just like Matthew Patel, Lucas Lee exploded into coins. Not bothering with it, Naruto sighed and walked away.
As he walked back onto the set, he winced slightly. Despite the fact he only took a few blows in that entire fight, he could admit that Lucas hit hard. His knuckles were also throbbing from the constant thrashing he gave the actor.
He watched as the crowd dispersed, some mumbling how they wished the actor won instead. As for the producer, he turned off his camera and made a few phone calls. Naruto guessed he was trying to publicize and sell the footage for profit.
"Hey…Wallace…" Naruto said while wincing in slight pain. He walked over and rubbed his knuckles to ease the pain. "Where's Ramona?"
"Don't know man," Wallace shrugged, wearing the jacket Lucas signed, "She disappeared a few minutes ago. Didn't say anything, just left."
"What? Really?" Naruto asked in confusion. He wondered if he had done something wrong.
"Yep, just left," Wallace nodded. The sassy man was also confused as to why the girl suddenly left.
This made Naruto feel…angry. Just when he went out of his way to fight these STUPID evil exes for a girl he…loved, it came back to bite him in the ass.
He didn't understand why she left abruptly, they were on good terms before coming here. It was all so sudden and confusing for the blonde.
Naruto scoffed, "And to think I thought she was different." Despite hiding his pain behind a face of indifference, Wallace could tell the blonde was truly hurt. He didn't often open up his heart to many girls.
Seeing that his normally cheerful friend was feeling hateful, Wallace stepped in. For once, he wasn't his sassy self. He could tell when somebody needed a friend.
"C'mon, let's go buy a beer and talk," Wallace said while leading the way down a staircase, "It'll be my treat. I did owe you something for bringing me my jacket anyway."
Sighing, Naruto decided to follow his friend down the staircase. He didn't have anything better to do at the moment.
The Next Morning
Naruto was taking a walk to clear his head, dressed in his thick coat and beanie. He didn't know if his relationship with Ramona was over already, but he didn't want to think about it right now.
He was able to have a heart-to-heart with Wallace the previous night, with his roommate being there for him. Naruto knew the man had his flaws, however, he was a good friend.
After their discussion and a few beers, Wallace let Naruto know that only he could decide how he wanted to move forward. If he truly wanted to be with Ramona or cut things off, he needed to see what resounded more in his heart.
He was struggling and facing an internal conflict. He had messaged Lisa a few times throughout the day and explained what had happened. To her credit, his friend offered a sympathetic ear and said he should follow his heart.
This was part of the problem, as his brain was telling him to break up with Ramona while his heart still yearned for the woman. For once in his life, he was conflicted about what to do.
RING! RING!
"Oh great…what's this…" Naruto mumbled in his mind, seeing that an unknown number was calling him. Keeping his walking pace, he answered the phone, "Hello?"
"Hey foxy, how's it hanging?"
Hearing the voice on the other line, Naruto momentarily froze. He didn't expect to hear her out of nowhere. The world spun for a moment, as the blonde stood there in shock. It had been a long time since he heard that voice.
He could hear the woman on the other end huff in annoyance at not being answered.
"Naruto, it's Envy, I was calling because-"
Without dignifying a response, Naruto hung up the phone and blocked the number. He wanted nothing to do with that woman.
He remembered the good times he had with her. The times they kissed, laughed, smiled, and made love.
He remembered their first interaction, and how he found her to be a sweet girl. Back then, she was just quiet and kept to herself. Long before the fame reached her head, he had known the real girl underneath.
Their time together in college, forming Kid Chameleon was one of the best times in his life. He enjoyed their music as well as the freedom. They didn't need to bow under any corporate labels or studios.
He remembered bringing her around his mother, with the entire time being pleasant for all. He was even teased for finding a girl who had the same hair as his mother. It was a great time and he truly thought their relationship would stand the test of time.
He also remembered the time he caught her cheating and threw her out. All the love he had for her vanished in the same second. He never looked back nor did he want her in his life at all. He was fully content with never seeing her again.
These memories flushed into the blonde's mind, making him groan in frustration.
"Fuck, why can't my life be simpler," Naruto said to himself, pocketing his phone. Deciding to go for a coffee, he walked over to a nearby cafe. He wondered if the day would go by fast.
Pulling out his phone, Naruto continued to text his friend.
Naruto Uzumaki – "So when are you going to see me? You never come to Canada anymore!"
Lisa Miller – "I know :(. But I'm just so busy in the States that I don't have time to travel anymore!"
Naruto Uzumaki – "Just don't forget me when you get famous lol."
Lisa Miller – "I should be the one telling you that! Who knows if your band will go triple platinum one day!"
Naruto snorted at her last text, finding it unbelievable that it would ever happen. As long as they continued to play at small gigs, they would never crack the mainstream.
Turning down an alley, all he heard was the soft crunch of snow beneath his feet. That was until his instincts told him to duck, so he did.
WHOOSH!
Someone flew over his head with their leg outstretched, clearly intending to attack him. The figure was quick, vanishing once more.
"Listen, if you're an evil ex, I'm not really in the mood for this shit," Naruto growled out. He put away his phone and scanned the alleyway for any foes.
He didn't get a response, instead, he had to jump over their form as they flew by them. Once again, they vanished before Naruto could get a good look at them. The person kept throwing a smoke bomb to cover their escape.
"I'm being serious," Naruto dodged to the right, "I'm already pissed off." He had to keep his instincts up and alert. This person was incredibly fast.
Seeing the person fly back at him, Naruto snapped. He was already having a bad day and this person managed to be the final straw for him. "Fine, I'LL JUST FUCK YOU UP THEN!"
Twisting his hips and using the momentum, he shot his fist upward. It was a nasty uppercut, digging deeply into his opponent. He could feel the power shoot into his opponent.
However, Naruto was slightly confused as it felt like his knuckles dug into something soft and squishy. Normally, he would hit muscle, bone, or tendons. Squishy was not what he usually felt when fighting.
Looking over at the person groaning on the ground, he realized something. This wasn't a guy, it was a girl. She was dressed in dark clothing and a thick jacket which hid the form underneath. They also wore fish nets along their legs with dark boots.
It was even worse when he realized she was holding the spot between her legs. She was wincing in pain and hissing out curse words.
"Y-you asshole!" the girl spat out, "You just punched me in my pussy! Who does that!? Were you just trying to cop a feel?"
Naruto gained a blush of embarrassment, shooting his hands up in a surrender motion. "Listen, I wasn't trying to harass you! I didn't even know you were a girl! If I did, I wouldn't have hit you as hard as I did!"
It was true as growing up, his father had taught him to not hit girls. He was only allowed to fight back if he was defending himself, or if he had to protect others. Despite these exceptions, Naruto still felt wrong to even think about hitting a woman. He respected his mother too much and couldn't imagine himself laying a vicious beat-down on a woman.
That's not to say he felt he could win against any girl. He knew there were some women out there that could smack him around…like his mother.
"Besides, you attacked me! I was just defending myself!" Naruto exclaimed with a red face. This day was just getting worse with every passing moment.
The girl stood on shaky legs, glaring daggers, "I attacked you because I'm Roxy Richter, one of Ramona's evil exes!" she announced, "And I'm here…to fight you!" The words wobbled out of her mouth while she tried to prevent falling over.
She had blonde hair and a black face mask, obscuring the bottom half of her face. However, from what he could see, Naruto could tell the girl was cute.
Despite her confident proclamation, Naruto could tell the girl could barely stand. It seemed his uppercut hurt her tremendously.
Naruto sighed deeply, "Listen, let's just call it here. I've already been having a shitty day, just come back some other time."
"I-If you insist!" Roxy said while taking the opening. It was a perfect time to recover without seeming weak. "I will accept your cowardly retreat for now! Until we meet again!"
Throwing down a smoke bomb, the girl disappeared. Internally, she was grateful that she didn't need to fight. Her body had shut down after Naruto's blow.
"Man…what the fuck…" Naruto mumbled, now realizing Ramona had dated a girl before. It seemed his girlfriend…ex-girlfriend?…was bisexual. Or maybe it was during a time when she experimented? He had seen some girls in high school kiss other girls as a way of testing their sexuality.
It was just another new thing he learned unexpectedly. Unless Ramona told him directly, he would never know the answer for sure.
Shaking his head, Naruto continued to walk. The snow crunched under his feet while he kept his gaze low. These moments of peace allowed him to reflect on his life.
Specifically, his love life.
He did have a crush once while in middle school, which didn't end the best. Fast forward to high school, he met Kim and Lisa. While he and Kim did have a mutual connection, neither acted on those feelings. As for Lisa, he could never tell with the girl.
At first, he thought she might have been into him. However, seeing as she never made a move, Naruto decided to just say friends. He didn't want to look too deep into something that wasn't there.
Then came…his ex. He had met her in college through Julie of all people. She was his first official heartbreak. It had taken some time to get over her, but now, he felt nothing for the girl. He felt she changed to fit in, while he loved her actual personality. However, it was a thing of the past now.
Naruto believed his relationship with Ramona would be different, and better. Then he realized he had to fight seven exes who were intent on smashing his face in. He thought he could make it work…but he wasn't so sure now. He didn't even know where his relationship was at the moment.
These thoughts occupied his mind, allowing him to daydream. He didn't even realize he had arrived until he saw a familiar pattern.
Naruto laughed after entering the coffee shop, realizing this was the same place he had pushed Ramona up against a few days ago. It was the same cafe and brick wall on the outside.
There weren't many people seated inside, but it was somewhat busy. He could see other couples, which made him momentarily wince.
Walking over to the counter, he contemplated his options. The menu seemed endless to him, as he wasn't an avid coffee drinker. After a few minutes, a barista came over to help him.
"How can I help you?" spoke a bland voice with no emotion.
Taking his eyes off the menu, Naruto saw that it was Julie standing behind the counter.
"Oh great, it's my number one hater." Naruto groaned internally. He forgot that Julie had many different jobs. It looked like this was just another income source for the woman.
Putting on a fake smile, Naruto asked, "Hey Julie, could I just get a Caramel Frappuccino? Medium for the size, please?"
Ignoring his order, Julie began to speak, "I heard you asked out Ramona Flowers, is that true? Are you both dating?"
Naruto sighed, not feeling like talking about this at the moment, "I don't want to talk about it right now Julie. Can I just please get my Caramel Fra-"
"So it's true?" Julie continued with a scowl. It seemed this enraged the worker. "I can't believe you would ask her out Uzumaki! You don't deserve her!"
Naruto frowned with a stern look. "Okay Julie, I get it. I just want one Caramel Frappuccino plea-"
"You need to keep yourself in check before you break another girl's heart!" Julie scoffed with a sway of her hair. "I mean, you already ruined Envy after your split up, now you'll do the same to Ramona! I mean, honestly, how do you-"
Naruto didn't know if it was the entire day catching up to him.
He didn't know if it was Julie's condescending and piercing voice.
He didn't know if it was his ex contacting him today of all days.
But he snapped.
"JULIE, ENOUGH!" Naruto slammed his fist onto the counter with a face of fury, startling the girl, "I JUST WANT THE FUCKING COFFEE! OKAY?!"
The entire coffee shop quieted down, with many customers looking over in worry. Julie stood there with wide eyes, having never heard Naruto yell at her with such hate in his voice. She had never really heard him yell at all.
Calming down, Naruto rubbed his temples, "Listen, I'm sorry for yelling at you. I've just had a bad day and I kinda snapped…I'll just head out." He didn't want to cause any more issues for the woman.
Putting his beanie back on, Naruto prepared to head out the front doors. That was until he heard Julie call out.
"No, that was my fault," Julie said in a quiet voice, "I'll make the coffee, on the house. Consider it my apology for pushing you past your limit."
While she was a hater, she didn't truly wish any ill will on Naruto. She could admit when she fucked up, and she had fucked up.
Without another word being said, Julie disappeared into the back of the cafe. Naruto could hear the coffee machines spinning to life in the back.
"Man…what a shitty day…" Naruto rubbed his face, exhausted already. It was another thing to add to his bad day.
"Hey…"
Cracking open an eye, he saw Ramona approach him from the right with her head down. He didn't know if she just entered the shop or had been here a while now, but he didn't care.
"Great…this day just keeps getting better…" he whispered to himself. He thought of himself as someone who had good luck, but it felt like he had none at the moment.
"I want to apologize," Ramona spoke up first, "For leaving suddenly last night. I just…get like that sometimes. It's not something I'm proud of… but I've been trying to cut down on it."
Naruto didn't respond, instead choosing to cross his arms. He kept his ears open for anything else.
"I can understand if you don't want to be around me anymore," Ramona admitted with a small voice. "I was in the wrong last night, and I take full responsibility."
It took a few moments before Naruto spoke up, "Listen, Ramona, I appreciate you taking ownership of your mistake…but that doesn't erase the fact you just left me. I thought you were mad at me, broke up with me, or something else all night! You didn't return any of my calls this morning either. How am I supposed to be with someone that can easily run off on me?"
Ramona didn't have an answer for this, clenching her hands. She looked to be ashamed of herself.
The blonde shook his head, "Maybe it is best if we call this thing off…I mean, I wanted to give this a shot, but I don't think that-"
"No!"
Stopping mid-sentence, Naruto raised his brow in surprise. He didn't expect the girl to have such a sudden outburst.
"I'm tired of letting my red flags control my life," Ramona said suddenly. "I know I messed up, but I promise you, I will work on this. I want to get better. I want to be with you, Naruto!"
The blonde didn't waste a second to respond.
"How can I trust that?" Naruto asked with a frown. For all he knew, this was another ruse.
"Because every time we hang out…I feel a knot in my heart," Ramona admitted while getting teary eyes. "I feel safe, content, and happy with you. You provide me with this warmth that I've never really felt before… and I like it. I just didn't know how to handle my emotions last night…so I ran off like a coward."
Naruto was taken aback, not expecting such a personal answer. He could respect her admittance of fault, that was a good step in dealing with a problem.
"I know you already used the L-word… and I think I might be falling in love too," Ramona said with genuine intent. She had finally confessed how she felt.
Now Naruto's eyes widened, not expecting this answer. It looked like Ramona was genuinely asking for another chance, a chance to work on herself.
"Just…one more chance… please," Ramona begged, "That's all I'm asking."
The two stared at one another for a few seconds as Naruto contemplated his decision.
On one hand, he didn't want to deal with all of this emotional trauma any longer. Ramona's red flags were something that he had to take into account within their relationship. If he stayed with her, he still had to fight off the crazy evil exes.
On the other hand, he did have strong feelings for this girl. Not only did she appear in his dreams, but he loved being around her. Her laugh, her smile, and her voice all brought joy to him. It was an intoxicating feeling to be around her.
"I…I…I can try…" Naruto said while looking at the woman. "I can try to make this work, but this is my last chance…" He hoped he wouldn't regret this decision.
He left the remaining words unsaid.
"…I can't afford any more heartbreak…"
With a smile, Ramona leaned over and planted a deep kiss on her lover's mouth. It seemed she was just barely able to save their relationship, and she wouldn't screw up this time.
"Hoping I wasn't interrupting anything here," said another female voice, "Just wanted to stop by and say hello!"
Turning over, the duo saw an approaching woman. She had red hair, dark eyes, large earrings, and thigh-high boots. She was also wearing a black coat and scarf. A stern expression was on her face while she eyed the blonde.
"Uhhh…." Ramona blurted out, "Who's this?" She couldn't place her finger on it, but the woman seemed familiar.
Naruto sighed, "My ex-girlfriend, Natalie Adams." He wanted to leave the coffee shop that exact instant.
Ramona's eyes widened, realizing who this was. This girl was the lead singer of Clash at Demonhead. For once, their relationship was inverted. Now it was her who had to deal with his ex.
"I go by Envy nowadays," Natalie said with a frown. She looked at the couple with ice in her eyes.
"Yeah, well I'll keep using your real name because Envy sounds like some stripper name," Naruto fired back while waving the girl off. He hated just being in her presence.
Ignoring the blonde's attitude, Envy looked over at Ramona. With a wide smile and cock of her head, she asked, "So you're Naruto's new girlfriend?"
Ramona nodded, unsure of what to say. Envy seemed to hate anything or anybody that went against her…and she felt included in that category.
"Well, I'll admit, I'm jealous," Envy said with a frown. She could admit that Ramona was a different beauty in her own right, a stunning girl overall.
"Jealous?" Naruto said sarcastically with a chuckle, "You're jealous?"
"Why? I can't be?" Envy said with her hands on her hips.
Ramona hugged her…boyfriend's hand tight, feeling his body tense up at the conversation. It was clear that just being around this girl set him off. Memories of their past interactions were getting him riled up.
"No, you can't," Naruto said with a shake of his head, "You're the one who cheated on me, so I dumped your ass. What does it have to take for you to realize I never want to see you again!"
Ramona gave another squeeze of support by holding his hand. The more he spoke, the more she understood the situation.
This made Envy wince, showing that she had some form of remorse for this action, "R-right, well, my band will be playing at Lee's Palace tonight. I was just coming over to say you should come and bring any friends, it'll be awesome. Was hoping to see you in the crowd."
"Definitely not, don't expect me there," Naruto said with a firm tone.
"Order for Uzumaki," Julie said, coming back with Naruto's coffee. Thanking the girl, he retrieved his coffee and looked back over at Envy one last time. He eyed her and gave a shake of his head, disappointed in who she had become.
Gently grabbing Ramona's hand, the two walked out of the coffee shop together.
Naruto loathed that girl with every fiber of his being.
Walking back, the duo let the wind pass them by. Naruto held his coffee while Ramona chose to eye the scenery around them. Her blue hair fluttered in the wind.
It was clear there was some tension from Naruto's previous interaction, given he hadn't said much.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Ramona broke the silence with a calm tone of voice. She could tell the girl had left a negative impact on her boyfriend.
Naruto looked over and sighed, forgetting the coffee altogether. He kept his pace but his eyes seemed to go into a faraway memory.
"I guess I should. I've bottled it for too long."
"You haven't told anybody? Not even your friends?" Ramona asked in confusion.
Naruto shrugged. "Wallace and Stephen know enough while Kim and Knives know some pieces here and there. But none of them know the full story…"
Wrapping her fingers around his, she looked up with hopeful eyes. "Do you want to tell me what happened?"
Naruto thought about it before deciding it would be a good idea to get it off his chest. He had a habit of dealing with his problems and not bothering others. It was a bad habit.
"Well…that Envy girl used to go by her real name, Natalie," Naruto explained while they walked down the sidewalk. "We met in college and we kind of clicked right away. We went on some dates before becoming official."
Ramona nodded, not interrupting at all.
"Once we got serious, I thought we would make it. We had some good times…before…" Naruto sighed, "Before it ended."
"Why did it end?" Ramona asked in a soft voice. She could tell this was probably the hardest part to recount.
Naruto let out a hollow chuckle, "I caught her seeing some friend she had named Todd. It was when she was showering and her phone buzzed. I looked over and saw it was from her friend and it was a flirtatious text. After a few minutes of checking through their chat log, I could tell she had been cheating for about a week at that point."
Ramona grimaced, feeling horrible for her boyfriend. She could tell that just recounting the event made the blonde bitter.
It hurt her heart to see him in such a bad mood considering he was usually so happy around his friends. She wondered how long he kept these problems burdened on himself without an outlet. Everybody needed to vent every now and there…but Naruto didn't. He kept it to himself.
At that moment, she realized her boyfriend was much stronger mentally and emotionally than previously thought. If it wasn't for this conversation, she would assume that Naruto didn't have any bad experiences with love.
It made her feel that much worse, as she had also hurt his heart. She didn't want to become another Envy Adams to him.
Naruto continued with his story, "I confronted her after she exited the shower. She did the 'I can explain' and 'it's not what it looks like' routine, but she confessed in the end. I never found out if they were sleeping together, but I didn't care at that point. I just packed up my things, moved out of our shared room, and left. She eventually started dating Todd from what I heard, but I don't care anymore."
"For what it's worth, I'm sorry you had to go through that," Ramona said while squeezing his hand. She could feel the emotion in his voice as he spoke.
Tossing his coffee cup into a nearby trash can, Naruto sighed. "It's in the past now, I don't care for her anymore. I just don't like that we ran into her since it always brings up bad memories."
"I understand," Ramona nodded. Getting an idea, she looked over with a hopeful smile on her face. "How about we go Karting? My treat!"
Naruto chuckled, "You want to go racing? Right now?"
Ramona smiled and giggled. "Yep, and it's my treat! It's only fair considering you paid for laser tag on our first date!"
With a resounding sigh, Naruto conceded defeat. "Fine, I guess we can go Karting." He hid a grin, not showing just how excited he was. He was always a sucker for anything he found fun.
Dragging his hand, both laughed while the wind brushed past them.
They both had faults and problems…but they were slowly getting through them together. Ramona had her issues of abandonment while Naruto still had hate in his heart from his ex. It would only be a matter of time to see if their relationship lasted and healed those wounds.
"OKAY! THIS IS FUN!" Naruto shouted with a laugh as he raced by Ramona. They were currently on an indoor race track with the proper safety equipment. Ramona had tipped the race operator a little more so they could be the only ones on the track.
Naruto was driving an orange kart while Ramona was placed in a blue one. Both were excited as they drove past the track.
Zooming around the corner with a grin, Naruto couldn't help but enjoy the rush of adrenaline filling his veins. Controlling a piece of machinery at high speed just brought a sense of joy, almost as much as when he played music.
Or maybe it was because Karting was just plain cool.
Laughing alongside her boyfriend, Ramona tried her best to catch up. However, deep down, she didn't care about winning the race. She just wanted to get her boyfriend's mind off of Envy, and it worked. He was having the time of his life at the moment.
She would normally never go out of her comfort zone, but Naruto had changed that for her. He was a sign of what things could be between them if she let them be.
Giggling at his childish attitude, Ramona sped past another corner only to see Naruto far into the distance. Before she knew it, his orange kart passed her once again.
"LOOKS LIKE I LAPPED YOU!" Naruto screamed out with a grin, "CATCH UP SLOWPOKE!"
This was the side she enjoyed seeing. His enthusiastic, happy side.
Deciding to play dirty, Ramona waited until Naruto was far ahead so he couldn't see her. Pulling over to the side of the barrier, she contacted the race operator.
The man was in his mid-twenties and wore a red shirt with the company's name printed. He seemed to be enjoying the couple's antics.
"Just before his final lap, cut the power to his kart!" Ramona said in a hushed whisper. She could barely hold back her giggles. "I'll even tip you a $20 for it!"
"Oh please!" The man waved her off with a grin, "I'll do it for free!"
Smiling in assurance, Ramona speeds off once more. She played it cool, acting as if she wouldn't catch up.
She was behind by three laps while the blonde was only one lap away from victory. He had become quite competitive the more time passed. She was ready for her master plan.
Just as Naruto was a few feet from the finish line, his kart suddenly stopped moving. Blinking in surprise, he tried pressing the gas pedal again.
Nothing happened.
Zooming past him, Ramona realized she was only two laps away at this point. She could see the blonde sweating, wondering what had happened.
Thankfully, the track was big enough so she wouldn't risk bumping into her boyfriend. If it was more narrow, she doubted the operator would be so willing to help.
"Hey, operator!" Naruto shouted across the track, "I think my kart lost power! Can you help me out!?"
The operator seemed to play his part beautifully. Fefining a look of confusion, he assured the blonde he would be right on it. Walking over to the control panel, he turned some knobs and pressed some buttons.
Ramona once again zoomed past him, meaning she had one lap left. Her giggles echoed off the walls of the racetrack.
Sweating internally, the blonde got desperate. With a heave, he began scooting his kart along the track. Leaning his body backward, Naruto hunched forward with all his might.
The kart moved three inches. Determined to get there, he began scooting the kart as far as he could.
He could hear his girlfriend's giggles rapidly approaching which increased his efforts. He was only a few feet away at this point.
"C'mon…c'mon!" Naruto panicked. He was so close!
Just as he was about to pass the finish line, Ramona zoomed by with a laugh.
At that moment, his kart regained power. Naruto slammed his head into the steering wheel in defeat. Just when he was doing so good too.
Ramona laughed her heart out. This was definitely worth the trip. She proclaimed her victory, saying they were even in wins after his victory in laser tag.
Peeking over the steering wheel with one eye, Naruto smiled. He had seen his girlfriend speak with the operator and put the pieces together. He would let her have this win for now.
The two walked out of there with high spirits and smiles on their faces. And of course, after having a passionate make-out session.
The blonde prepared to head over to Stephen's to prepare for their rehearsal. Ramona was happy to tag along.
"Okay, no," Naruto said, denying Stephen's request. He placed his hands in an 'x' to emphasize his position.
"But please!" Stephen begged on his knees. "We have the opportunity to open for Clash at Demonhead! Envy personally asked us to perform! This is like, the biggest gig we've ever been offered!"
"No way! I don't even want to be in the same building as that girl!" Naruto professed with a frown.
The group had arrived at Stephen's for band practice only to hear some news. Envy Adams had requested for Sex Bomb-omb to open at their concert, which was a rather big deal.
Naruto had brought Ramona while Young Neil and Knives spoke on a nearby couch. Kim was also paying attention to the conversation.
"C'mon, please!" Stephen begged with wide eyes. "Can't you put your emotions aside and do this for us? For the band?"
"I-"
"G-Man might even be there!" Stephen added in before Naruto could answer. He was really trying to sell the appeal of the gig. "What do you think Kim?"
Looking over at the girl, the drummer shrugged her shoulders. "I'm fine either way…but I would like to grow our fanbase." She liked having fans besides their usual group.
Naruto sighed to himself, feeling as if he was the only one against this. He felt Ramona's fingers intertwine with his own, which did manage to calm him down slightly.
Seeing the pleading eyes of Stephen, Naruto spoke. "Fine, I'll do the damn gig."
"YES!" Stephen pumped his fist into the air. He knew the band couldn't perform without Naruto's help.
"But I'm only doing this for you," Naruto clarified. "It's going to take a lot from me, but I know how much you want this. That's the only reason I'm doing this."
Let it be known that Naruto was loyal to his friends…even if it was to a fault. However, even he had his limits.
"I know," Stephen confessed with a nod. "I thank you for that! Now, let's practice and get ready for our gig!"
"When is it?" Knives asked confusion in her voice. She didn't catch the date of the performance throughout their conversation.
"Tomorrow night, so we need to practice!" Stephen said with a smile. Grabbing his guitar and microphone, he prepared his vocals.
As the band practiced, nobody but Ramona noticed something peculiar. For the first time since she had known him, Naruto seemed…hollow while playing. It took her some time before she realized what was happening.
He wasn't playing with his heart.
The Following Night
Lee's Palace was filled to the brim with people. There were still lines of people waiting on the outside just to get in.
The band had been escorted backstage and given special passes given they were the opening act. The venue had people who helped set up their equipment, which was a new experience for the band. They were used to doing the hard work themselves.
Stephen mentioned this was a taste of luxury. It was the high life that he often chased in the music industry.
Ramona, Knives, Young Neil, and Wallace were watching from the crowd with varying expressions.
While Stephen sang his heart out and played his guitar well, Naruto just couldn't get into the rhythm. He was dreading the feeling since this was the same feeling he felt after his Kid Chameleon band signed to a label back in college.
It was the emotion of indifference. This was the most dangerous trait to feel in his opinion, because it meant you had no passion for the music. If you had no passion, you wouldn't play to your heart's content.
While the blonde didn't play horribly on stage, he didn't try his hardest either. Kim rocked out on the drums but he could tell the girl was messing up occasionally. He assumed the nerves of being on a big stage had gotten to her.
Soon enough, their song ended with Naruto choosing not to provide backup vocals for once. He feared he would sound bored if he got on the microphone and he didn't want to embarrass the band's reputation.
"Thank you! We are Sex Bomb-omb!" Stephen huffed out into the microphone. All that singing had tired his lungs out. "We are taking autographs if anyone is interested! We'll be in the back!"
To his surprise, Stephen saw many people giving the band a fair clap. He could see others nodding their heads in acceptance at the band's performance. It seemed they had performed better than he thought they would.
The trio departed from the stage, which Naruto was eternally grateful for. He felt like he couldn't get off the stage quickly enough.
Choosing to sit at the bar with his bandmates, Naruto watched as their friends walked over. They took nearby seats and ordered some drinks.
"So, how did we do?" Stephen asked while chewing on his lip. He looked around their friend group, hoping for a positive answer.
"Well, you kept my attention," Wallace shrugged while ordering another beer. He didn't mind the band's performance.
"I felt like you could have done better," Knives piped in, "Maybe some backup vocals would have helped?" She was just giving her best shot at constructive criticism.
"Yeah…I guess I could have done that," Naruto sighed while ordering a glass of juice. He didn't feel like drinking at the moment.
"No worries though, it was your first big gig! You'll get better!" Young Neil said with a smile. He didn't think the band did very badly, however, he was also biased in their favor.
"Well…not complete shit," Stephen said with a crooked smile. He was just happy people clapped for them at the end.
"Who cares? I just signed my first autograph five minutes ago!" Kim said in excitement. A girl their age had asked for the drummer's autograph, which she signed with glee. It felt nice being appreciated.
"Nobody's asked for my autograph…" Stephen mumbled to himself.
As for Ramona, she was speaking privately with her boyfriend. Just before their conversation could continue, the lights began to dim in the building.
Looking over at the stage, the group saw the main event walk up. Their bass player wore a white t-shirt and had white hair. He remembered his face as the same guy who Envy cheated on him with. Her friend is named Todd.
Their drummer was a dark-haired girl with thick glasses. She had her hair tied up in two pigtails.
Naruto squinted his eyes and thought he saw a…robotic arm on her as well. He wondered if it was a prosthetic or costume.
The moment Envy walked on stage, the crowd erupted into roars. Many chanted her name while many more shrieked in excitement. It was clear the girl was loved by many in the building.
Looking over at his partner, Naruto gulped down his glass of juice. "That guy up there, the bass player, is Todd."
Ramona bit her lip, "Yeah…I know…"
"You what?" Naruto asked with a raised brow. "How?"
"Oh, YEAH!" Envy screamed into her microphone, causing the crowd to lose their minds.
"…we used to date."
"Hello again, friend of a friend…" Envy's voice rang out behind the blonde as he left through the front entrance. He couldn't stand hearing her voice.
Ramona chased after him.
Naruto didn't smoke, but he wished he did at the moment. He stood outside the front entrance, getting a breath of fresh air for the moment.
It was just his luck that Todd managed to involve himself with both girls he was romantically interested in… but the same could be said about him.
The front entrance was empty as everybody had long since entered the building. Even the bouncers outside had gone to see the main event. It was just him and the lonely night.
Feeling a presence beside him, Naruto looked over to see Ramona. She had followed him outside.
"Hey, sorry for running out like that," Naruto admitted with a sad smile, "I just needed to clear my head for a moment."
"I know, don't worry. I understand seeing her on stage probably brought up a lot of memories…" Ramona said with a surprising amount of maturity. Naruto could tell she was truly trying to better herself for their relationship. He couldn't lie, she had treated him much better after getting a second chance.
"So you and Todd dated, huh?" Naruto joked while leaning against the wall. Ramona joined him, leaning against the wall with him.
Ramona let out a sigh. "Yeah…after I dated Lucas, I dated Todd. We were a rowdy duo, breaking things and smashing stuff. The guy even managed to punch a hole in the moon for me."
"A hole in the moon?" Naruto thought with a raised brow. "Even I have to admit…that's pretty cool." He wondered if he could pull something off like that as well. Only time will tell.
"About a week into us dating, he told me he was being sent off to some Vegan Academy for special powers. I dumped him that same day and he was soon shipped off." Ramona explained.
"Damn," Naruto blinked, "You dumped him? Just like that?"
"I was a different person back then…I like to think I've changed now," Ramona admitted.
"Fair enough," Naruto nodded. "That Vegan Academy place does sound weird though."
Ramona giggled, "Yeah, apparently it was a place that teaches you to have psychic powers if you go vegan or something. I don't remember the details of it all."
Looking over, Naruto nearly choked back a gasp at seeing his girlfriend in the moonlight. She looked incredibly gorgeous with her blue hair and milky skin. Her lips were soft and her eyes were shining.
Wrapping an arm around her waist, he gently pushed her against the wall.
Smiling, Ramona wrapped her arms around his neck in response. "Why so bold all of a sudden?"
Kissing her, he broke away to give his response, "Just wanted to kiss my beautiful girlfriend, that's all."
The couple grinned and gave each other a passionate kiss. Before they could continue, they heard a rather loud cough interrupting their activities.
Looking over, they saw it was Julie with a frown on her face. "Envy personally asked for everyone to meet her backstage. Your band is already waiting, I just came to grab you two."
Naruto waved her off, "It's okay, tell her we're fine."
"She said if you two didn't show up, she would put in a word to get your band blacklisted."
Normally, Naruto wouldn't care about such a thing. However, Stephen was determined to get their name out there and gigs would be nearly impossible if Envy threw her weight around in the industry. She was an already established music figure after all.
Naruto's good mood vanished. A scowl appeared on his face while Ramona frowned. Both didn't see the need for Envy wanting their presence so badly.
"Fine," Naruto spat out, "We'll be there soon."
With a nod, Julie walked away.
Gazing back at Ramona, Naruto sighed. "I guess we have to head back there."
"Don't worry, we'll make it quick," Ramona assured her boyfriend. Walking hand in hand, the couple prepared to meet the main event band.
The backstage room was so tense, that you could cut through the air with a knife. On one couch, sat Knives, Ramona, Naruto, and Kim.
On the other couch, sat Stephen, Julie, Todd, and Envy.
Young Neil and Envy's drummer chose to stand instead by the wall.
"Nice to see you again…Ramona," Todd emphasized with a raised brow. He looked at the girl as she sat across from him.
Ramona didn't say anything but instead chose to glare at her ex-boyfriend.
"So…Naruto…" Envy said with a glare, "You're serious about being with Ramona, huh?"
"I am," Naruto said with an even glare.
"Does she make you happy?"
Naruto couldn't tell if she was being sarcastic or not, but he decided to answer honestly. "Much more than you ever did."
Everyone could feel the tension rising by the second.
Deciding to try and make it a comfortable environment, Knives spoke up. "Envy, I read your blog every day! I even listen to your band's music! I think it's really good!"
The lead singer glanced at the girl over before ignoring her altogether.
Even Ramona felt bad for Knives, thinking Envy was a rude bitch for ignoring the girl.
"Your outfit looks so good," Envy said sarcastically while looking at Ramona. "Was it on sale at a thrift shop?"
Before Ramona could respond, Julie decided to interrupt. "So, Envy, how did playing with the Pixies feel like? I mean, you're so-"
Bringing her hand up, Envy shushed the woman. "Can't you see that I'm talking to Ramona right now?"
Julie blinked a few times before zipping her mouth shut. Despite their differences, Naruto felt bad for the woman.
"We should get out of here," Ramona whispered to her boyfriend. She feared a fight would break out at the rate things were going.
"I agree," Naruto whispered back. He was more than eager to get out of here.
"Your band is one of my biggest inspirations!" Knives said again, feeling awestruck while staring at her idol.
Once again, her idol ignored her.
"Was it hard moving on?" Envy asked her ex-boyfriend with a raised brow. "I want to know."
"Once I found out you were a dirty bitch, no, it wasn't," Naruto confessed with a frown.
This earned some gaping expressions from Stephen, Young Neil, and even Kim. The group wasn't used to the blonde using such hateful profanity against anyone before. He was seen as the friendliest guy in the group for a reason.
"I think your style and hair are so nice!" Knives tried to cut the tension with a strained smile. She didn't want anything bad happening to her brother figure.
"Can you please shut this girl up?" Envy asked her current partner. She had a scowl on her face at constantly being interrupted.
"Gladly," Todd responded.
With a quick motion, the bass player for the Clash at Demonhead smashed his fist into the girl's face. The blow was strong enough to lay her out cold on the ground, unmoving.
Naruto's eyes widened in shock, not believing what he had just seen. It happened so fast.
Sitting back down on the couch, Todd smiled. He felt proud for knocking out the annoying girl.
Young Neil and Kim went to check up on her, fearing what happened to her. Naruto looked over and spoke softly.
"Kim, Neil, please take care of Knives. We'll be done here shortly."
They could feel the authority in Naruto's voice. They could also hear how he was trying to restrain himself from smashing Todd's face.
"You'll be done here shortly?" Todd snorted, "What is that, a threat? You think you're gonna take me on?"
"You don't have a problem hitting girls, do you?" Naruto said while keeping his eyes locked on Todd.
"Me? No!" Todd explained as if it was the easiest thing in the world. "Why would I?"
"I thought so," Naruto said before breathing in deeply. He was trying to control his anger just as his previous martial arts teachers taught him, but it was becoming increasingly difficult to do so. "Apologize."
"Fuck no!" Todd said with a smile, "I'm not apologizing!"
"Apologize, now." Naruto eyed Todd with a blank look on his face.
"Fuck. No." Todd had a smug look on his face, enjoying this moment. It looked like he wanted to piss off the blonde intentionally.
Envy and Ramona both stayed silent throughout the interaction.
"Last chance to apologize," Naruto warned, preparing for combat.
"Same answer as last time," Todd grinned while leaning back against the couch.
"Don't say I didn't warn you."
Without another word being said, Naruto kicked up the wooden coffee table with his foot. It flew up like a soccer ball in the air.
With his other foot, Naruto kicked the table forward at the opposing bass player. Outstretching his hand, Todd activated his psychic powers and flung the table aside.
Little did he know, that's what Naruto expected.
Just as the coffee table smashed into the wall, Naruto delivered a heel kick that landed directly on Todd's jaw. The blow was strong enough to send the man flying through the wall and landing in between an alleyway.
Getting up, Naruto walked around the couch to fight his opponent. He wouldn't allow anybody to hit Knives on his watch. The girl was practically a sister-figure to him.
Wiping a small trickle of blood away from his lips, Todd smiled. "You want this fight, huh? You know you won't win."
Naruto didn't respond, instead choosing to walk forward. With Ramona's information earlier, he expected Todd to have his vegan powers. He hoped the coffee table would provide enough of a distraction so he could get a clean hit in. It worked.
Todd's eyes glowed a bright white as he smiled. "I have special abilities granted through my vegan training. What do you think you'll do to me?"
Naruto said three simple words.
"Kick your ass."
Todd frowned, "I'd like to see you try."
"Oh trust me, you'll see." Naruto snarled while preparing for battle. Both opponents stood in the dark alleyway, ready for a brawl.
Everyone scattered to get a better view of the fight. The only people to have left were Kim, Young Neil, and Knives.
Ramona and Envy looked up to see glowing words appear above their partner's heads.
Naruto Uzumaki VS. Todd Ingram
Channeling his powers, Todd prepared to fling the blonde into the sky. In response, Naruto kicked the lid of a trashcan nearby that had fallen when Todd slammed through the brick wall.
Like a Frisbee, it flew toward the vegan at high speeds. Catching it in mid-air, Todd smiled, "Nice trick, but you won't get me twice with it."
Flinging the lid back at high speeds, Todd's smile turned into a look of shock when he saw Naruto return the lid to him.
"It's like the reversal of the fireball that Matthew Patel threw at him!" Ramona thought in surprise. It looked like that ability was not a one-time fluke.
With the momentum from both parties being added, the trashcan lid flew straight into the gut of Todd. The vegan grunted in pain and slammed into the wall behind him once more.
(Todd Ingram's Health Bar – 82%)
Throwing the lid away in frustration, Todd snarled. "Okay bastard, I'm going to beat the shit out of you now."
"I am going to beat your ass into the ground for hitting Knives," Naruto declared, uncaring that this was one of Ramona's evil exes. "I'll make you this promise Todd, you won't walk away from this fight."
Todd's eyes glowed even brighter. "We'll see about that."
With a shout, both engaged in combat once more.
AND WE'RE DONE!
I'm so sorry it's been a long time since I've updated this story! I have not abandoned it or forgotten about it, just been focusing on some of my other stories lately!
I have some changes I'm going to make in terms of plot points soon, so keep an eye out for those. I hope you liked the character development of Ramona in this chapter and Naruto's counter to Todd's powers. I guess we'll see how it turns out next chapter!
I usually like to keep my chapters longer than 9k words, so that's another reason why I've taken so long to update!
Anyway, please review! I enjoy reading them!
Until next time!
Cheers!