A/N: Quadruple surprise~!
That makes four updates for this story in one month. A new record~!
I nearly retired with all that nonsense going on with the site, but I'm still writing here...for now.
If this chapter gets a ton of feedback-hopefully!-then I'll do my best to ensure another early update again. It might even become a weekly thing!
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.
*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. Feels like everyone's lost their minds sometimes. 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.
Quick Q&A here:
Q: Is Naruto from his own planet in this verse?
A: I should probably clarify that. He's from his own natural dimension, and coming to the current verse changed him for lack of a better word. There is no "shinobi planet," out there per se. Everyone thinks he's human for the most part. Its going to make the inevitable shock the other Viltrumites suffer -oh yes, we'll be seeing all of 'em- that much sweeter when it finally comes.
He is, however, practically the last of his people for reasons that'll be discussed later.
Q: Why is Earth so important to the Viltrumite empire?
A: I really can't say without spoiling things early up here. Those who had read the comics will know. Lets just say its crucial.
Read and see. This chapter explains.
Q: Who attacked Naruto?!
A: One or two of you have already figured it out. I'm curious to see who else will.
Alright, I've kept you long enough. The fate of this story depends on you, the reader. Your feedback determines the fate of this tale, and many others.
As ever, I own no references, quotes, themes or memes. They're tributes to legends far greater than I.
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.
In other words...its up to YOU, the reader. Do let me know~!
Gentlemen (2019) references once again. I own nothing.
Let the chaos commence!
"I'd make a deal with the devil himself it it meant the safety of this planet and the people on it."
"That's where we disagree. What good is safety and security if you give up your soul?"
"Don't you start preaching to me now you sanctimonious-ack?!"
"You're starting a war with me, Cecil. You crossed the line.
And that comes with a price...
~Unleashed.
You Know the Rules
"We can't do it."
Naruto took a deep breath to center himself. It helped, if only just. His temper sparked to life in him, roaring like a wild beast, itching to lash out at the two men seated across from him. He took ahold of it, wrapped it up, and stuffed it into a box. He knew the Mauler Twins weren't to blame for Polly's plight. It wasn't their fault. Really, it wasn't. Venting his anger on them served no one, least of all himself. Just breathe. In. Out. In and out again. He pinched the bridge of his nose to silence an oncoming migraine. He did not succeed.
...explain." he said softly.
Meeting at a diner come Sunday morning seemed cliche, but no one would dare bother them here. Not with him around at any rate.
The Mauler Twins sat across from him, devouring a stack of pancakes with brutal dispatch.
They'd best. He was the one paying for all this.
"You're asking us to transfer her consciousness," the leftmost twin said between bites. "It doesn't work that way."
"We duplicate." his partner -brother? He'd never really understood how that worked- carried on in his stead. He mentally named them Right and Left. Easier to see who was who that way. "What you're asking...we've never done that before. How's the wife and kids, anyway?"
"Kids are good." he took a long, languid sip from his glass, savoring the bite of orange juice in the early morning. "They fell asleep as soon as we got home."
"Your house is still standing?"
"Surprisingly. Its large enough for the five of them to run around and get lost in." a rare, rueful chuckle escaped him. "I left a full staff of Shadow Clones behind too, just in case. Even and the others will be occupied for hours once they wake up. Now explain."
The Mauler Twins exchanged a long, lingering look between one another.
"Like we said," Left began warily, "We can't do what you're asking, not easily at least. Growing a new boy for your wife? Yeah, we can do that. But her mind?" he laid his hands on the table. "You'd have a clone of your wife walking around. Not knowing who the original is works for us, but we're pretty sure it won't go over so well for you. You'll essentially be creating another...well, her. That won't work out so well."
"You're asking me to let a version of my wife die."
"So a healthier version of her can live." Right interjected.
"There might be a way to transfer her to a healthier body," Left added, "but its not our specialty. Not like that. Nevermind the fact that growing a body would take time. We can't just scoop out her brain and put in a new host. That takes time, and even assuming we get it just right, there's a million things that could go wrong. And then there's the matter of the actually body. You want her to stay a weak little human? We could make her more than that. Make her stronger, faster-
"Its not what I want, its what she wants." Naruto bowed his head with a sigh. "I'd like nothing more than to make her indestructible, or untouchable, but Polly likes being human. Asking her to discard that would be," he ran an exasperated hand through his hair, trying to find the proper word and failing. "It would be like cutting off her arm. I'll talk to her when she wakes up.
"When she wakes up?"
"Healing trance." he muttered. "Should give her a few more day at least.
A few more days, when they shoud've had years together. And wouldn't that be a lovely can of worms to open?
The Mauler Twins looked between one another again. Right spoke fist. "Speaking of talking...word has it you've been making moves."
A blond eyebrow rose. Wherever were they going with this...? "Define moves."
"You tussled with the Guardians of the Globe and wrestled with Omni-Man."
His brow climbed higher. "How do you of all people know about that?"
The madmen preened, just a little. "We have our own sources."
...right." he sighed." You can keep the money I gave you.
Left scoffed. "But we haven't done anything yet."
He stood, paid the tab, and left. "You will.
Time for another visit.
(.0.0.0.)
"Wake up."
Cecil Stedman jolted upright in his bed with a start.
His hand fumbled for the pistol he always kept beneath his pillow...!
A hand caught his wrist and locked down tight, grinding nerve against bone. He looked up and sure enough, found Naruto standing there at his beside, towering over him, silent as the grave. The last time they'd spoken he'd been frozen and filled with dread. This was worse. Those soulless blue eyes gazed down upon him as one might an annoying gnat...or a monkey. He found no compassion in that gaze, no empathy, no emotion at all, none that he could see. Somehow what was worse. Anger he could guard against, sorrow he could deflect, jealousy he could use, but he couldn't tell what the bastard was feeling.
Worse, he'd gotten to him in his own bed.
"Damnit, kid. Don't scare me like that. To what do I owe the pleasure...?"
Fire Shadow didn't say a word. Didn't make a sound. Didn't even seem to breathe.
He just...stared.
Not for the first time, Cecil found himself hoping Steven Erickson was burning in hell. He'd unleashed this. Him. Sure he might've turned a bind eye to it, refused to believe that his old friend would go to such obscene lengths in the name of their country, yet he had. Someone must've pushed him to it, poured poison in his ear, bribed him, maybe. Why else would he countenance such madness? He had to say something, do something, because that silent stare was seriously starting to unnerve him...
"You gonna glare daggers at me all night, or are we gonna talk this out like adults?"
A slow tilt of the head was his only reward, at first. And then. "You should have known better, Cecil."
Six little words and yet they put the fear of god in Cecil Stedman right and proper as only one other man could.
No, his mind bleated in a brief, irrational moment. Not yet. Surely he hadn't worked his way up the chain of command that fast. Not even he was that quick! It hadn't been a week. Even the legendary Fire Shadow wasn't so fast as to go through an entire government in a single night.
"You're right, I'm not."
He scowled. "Since when are you a telepath?"
"I'm not." Naruto released his hand, leaving him to massage his aching wrist. "Its written all over your face. I can see it plain as day." his gaze shifted to his other limb, regarding the metal that began just above his right wrist. "You took my warning seriously, I see. How's the hand?"
Cold. Metal. Heavy.
He couldn't feel a damn thing from it.
Not like had any choice, though. Better to have a metal hand than tho lose something important like an eye.
...why are you here?"
Naruto didn't answer him. He sat at his bedside, effectively blocking any hope of escape.
"When I first arrived in this world," he began apropos of nothing, "When I became "Fire Shadow", I specifically chose to straddle the line. I like helping people." a hand waved and Cecil kept one eye on it, not daring to look away. "Encouraging them be the best they can be, ya know? Hero, Villain, doesn't matter. I still like that. But you don't help." those keen blue eyes fixed on him intently. "Oh, no. When you see a problem, Cecil, you don't try to talk, not really. You whip out the big stick and start swinging. You are, and always have been, the destroyer of worlds. Maybe not planets, yet lives are lost under your watch all the same."
Cecil bridled at the insinuation. He wasn't the bad guy here. "I'd make a deal with the devil himself it it meant the safety of this planet and the people on it. You know that."
"Hmhmm." Naruto nodded. "I do. But that's where we disagree. What good is safety and security if you give up your soul?"
His temper sparked. "Don't you start preaching to me now you sanctimonious-ack?!"
A hand found his throat, glowing an eerie, ominous shade of red.
"Don't worry." Clawed fingers dug into his windpipe. "I'm not here to give a sermon.
"So why are you here?"
Naruto didn't answer. Instead, he let him go, stood, and took a long step backward.
Cecil had half an instant to balk at this unexpected act of mercy.
Then his heart and stomach clenched viciously.
He tried to speak and vomited.
"...?!"
"You're starting a war with me here, Cecil." Naruto shook his head slowly, uncaring as his body began to seize and spasm. "And I'm trying to be a good sport about it all, but I'm finding it very difficult." He stepped to the window, took a hold of the curtains, and closed them. "You turned a blind eye to your man Erickson. You didn't think I'd find out?!"
Cecil tried to speak, only to vomit again.
"You crossed a line." Quick as his namesake, the shinobi crossed the room and pressed a clawed finger set itself to his trembling temple, ready to perforate his skull. "That comes with a price. Your organization hurt my family. Is still hurting my family." He leaned closer, eyes glowing balefully in the gloom. "My dear Polly may never be whole again because of your boys did to her. Your boys fucked with my family and you let them. You know the rules and so do I! What were you thinking?"
Ceil held up a hand and tried to ward him off. Naruto slapped it down.
"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING?!"
He didn't reach for his gun. He could've, but didn't dare. Fire Shadow would kill him if he tried.
Instead he held out both hands, palms outstretched, and simultaneously tried not to weep or vomit again. He succeeded in the latter. Not so the former.
Naruto let him go.
"Should you try and undermine me again," his voice was a low and terrible whisper that would've terrified Hades himself, "Should you attempt to threaten my family in a way, or otherwise provoke me, I will be forced to accept your call to arms. And should such a day comes, you'll wish I killed you here tonight. The only reason I haven't, is because you might be of some use to me. Do you understand?"
Cecil nodded. It was all he dared to do.
"Good." just like that, Naruto's smile returned. "Now, I see you're not feeling well. Would you like me to do something about that?"
Horrow dawned. Fire Shadow had touched him before this. Twice.
"What did you do?"
"I gave you a little...present." A scarlet spark flitted through the blond's eyes. "You see, the human body is a marvelous thing. It can adapt to chakra quite readily. However, it doesn't take kindly to Kurama's chakra when he's angry. And right now? He's furious. If administered in too strong a dose, said chakra becomes toxic and causes the body to shut down."
He reached into one of his belt pouches and withdrew a little blue pill, pinched tight between his fingers.
"I suggest taking this." he held it up for him to inspect. "It neutralizes excess chakra within the body. You should be fine...in a day or so. Long enough to consider your past indiscretions."
Cecil fumbled for it.
Naruto held it back. "Say please."
The word lodged in his throat "...please!"
"Good boy." he dropped it into his palm and walked away, only to pause and look back. "Oh, and Cecil? If I can get to you in your own bedroom, I can get to you anywhere. You'd do well to remember that."
He left him there, wasted and gasping for air, weeping in a puddle of his own vomit.
(.0.0.0.)
Robot leaned back from the screen.
He'd seen it all. He dearly wished that he had not.
Perhaps...it would be better not to trouble Fire Shadow at this time.
(.0.0.0.)
Nolan considered the device in his hand.
Such a little thing. It looked downright harmless, really.
And yet with the flick of a switch, it could change...well, everything.
He had never wanted to use this communicator. This was something he'd wanted to handle himself. Something he thought he could.
He'd been wrong. Terribly, horribly wrong.
You see, Earth was vital to the Viltrumite Empire for three key reasons. One, its people. Any child born between someone of earth and a Viltrumite was almost pure-blooded. Second, espionage. They virtually all but looked alike, which made infiltration all the easier. And third, perhaps the most vital reason of all...
.
..
...there were less than fifty pure-blooded Viltrumites left in the universe.
Not enough to repopulate their people, not properly, not anytime soon, if at all.
Hence the crucial importance of Earth. Which made Fire Shadow's cooperation all the more vital.
If it came to a fight, he would resist. Nolan knew he would. That way lay disaster. Short of throwing every single Viltrumite his way at once -and even then he didn't like their odds- there was next to no way of taking that monster down through natural means. A sneak attack had worked once before, but never again. Nolan still wanted to throttle the bastard responsible for that, whomever they were, wherever they were hiding.
And they had to be hiding, make no mistake.
You didn't attack one of the world's strongest men and just vanish.
No, they were still out there somewhere, lurking, waiting for their moment to strike.
He'd thought about doing the same thing once, not hiding of course, but attacking when Naruto wasn't prepared; leaving the planet, slingshotting his way back around, dropping out of orbit and hitting him so hard and fast that he'd simply cease to be. Anything less would give him time to regenerate and make him even stronger.
An orbital drop have been simple and...not necessarily clean but an otherwise quick and painless end for a worthy adversary.
He would have given his family the same courtesy if he could; killing them painlessly as well. Fat chance of that, now.
Naruto's guard was up and training could only do so much to bridge the gap.
But if he could be swayed! There was potential there. He already loathed Cecil and the GDA for what they'd done to him. He might even be open to the idea of a Viltrumite takeover, so long as he and his family were let be. And why wouldn't they be? One did not poke a sleeping dragon...erm, fox. If given the right incentive, the right nudge...
It was time.
He activated the communicator.
"This is Nolan." he sent a curt, coded transmission through. "I require assistance with weakening this planet. Send a female if you can. Fire Shadow may be more pliable if seduced."
'Ha. Seduced, right. You're a liar.'
It was remarkably easy; they took the bait.
A faint click sounded through the receiver. And then:
"Acknowledged."
"He sounds like a worthy foe.
Nolan tensed, eyes widening. He'd hoped for at least one response, but two? That exceeded his expectations. The deed was done. There could be no taking it back now. It would take time for them to arrive, weeks, maybe even months, but arrive they would. And once they did...well. Then things would become interesting.
There was an old human saying he'd once heard. No plan survives contact with the enemy.
A small part of him wondered if this one would.
He thoroughly crushed the communicator in his fists and let its remains crumble into the ocean. The tide would take care of the rest; scattering the scraps away with the current to the four corners of the globe. Doubt was meaningless. This was for the best, he told himself, trying to soothe his own anxiety. One, maybe two lives, to help conquer a world.
This plan wouldn't backfire, surely. This...this would work. Better a peaceful alternative than outright war.
'Keep telling yourself that, Nolan. You're slipping...
Time would tell.
A/N: Aaaaaaaand scene.
Worry not, we'll more time with the family next chapter.
What chaos awaits? Who will live? Who will die?! Find out next time, on Apples and Atoms~!
Well? What say you? Do you want this to remain a story? Yes? No? Maybe so? Make yourselves heard! Really need to hear from you, here.
Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this particular story, and others. If folks don't like this, it won't be continued. Meaning that if the story itself isn't popular? Well...I'll not continue it. I'm working two jobs -might need a third soon!- 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. Working nearly all hours of the day keep me absurdly busy, and I can't bring myself to write something folks don't like.
Aaaand there we go. As ever, reviews keep me alive. Without them, I cannot write. So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...
...Review...Would You Kindly? Hope you enjoy the previews.
We've got some new ones and some are...intense.
They've been expanded and then some!
Read at your own risk:
WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
SPOILERS AWAIT YOU!
YE BE WARNED!
(Previews)
"You must be Rex." The man stood before him, idly wiping blood from his hair. "Your boss had good things to say about you...before I popped his skull."
Ah, shit. That would explain all the blood then, wouldn't it? He looked like he'd gone through a blender.
The boy raised his hands. "Whoa, whoa! I don't want any trouble."
"No, son. No, you do not."
"Higher, higher!"
Naruto sighed. "Alright."
He tossed Eve into the air again.
She crashed into the ocean with a happy squeal.
Her siblings joined her a moment later as Dad launched them into the water.
...hi." she smiled. "I'm Samantha. Nice to meet you.
"Mark." he stumbled for a second and managed a dopey grin. "Mark Grayson...
The girl grinned at him and something in Mark's heart lurched. "Wanna play a game?"
"Do you, ah...like football?"
"I love football!
And just like that.
It was love at first sight.
"I came to this world with a purpose, son. I'm practically the last of my kind. And as my eldest son, there are...certain things you should know."
Joshua listened, rapt with attention. "What things, dad?"
Naruto sighed. "Lemme tell you about chakra...
"Daaaaaad!"
"No buts! Eat your veggies, missy!"
"Unbelievable." Cecil flung down a sheaf of papers on his desk as Ferguson looked on. "Simply unbelievable.
"Sir...?"
"Just look at this!" if looks could kill, the news articles would be a pile of smoldering ashes and his desk with a good bit of the floor besides. "We've got heroes AND villains coming out the woodwork to speak in support of this guy. The media's eating it up. And we're the ones left holding the bag."
Of course they were! A family of six kidnapped and experimented on for twelve years. Who cared if that technically wasn't the truth? It was close enough, and if people loved a good tragedy, they loved a comeback story even more. He'd forgotten just how well-loved Fire Shadow had been by the people. This boded poorly for the GDA. Erickson might be dead-he hoped so, although that slimy worm always seemed to have a backup plan- yet his actions just might see everything they'd ever built run into the ground.
They had to turn things around. But how...?
I don't care how fast you are. I don't care how strong you are, and I don't give a s**t how smart you are. I know your future. You don't live to see tomorrow.
Blood flew through the air.
Is this still fun?! Are you enjoying yourself?! Having fun?! Well?! Answer me!
...what are you?
"Just a family man." he took a long sip from his mug. "Thula, was it? Run along now." his fingers flicked out in a shooing motion. "I'm not int he mood." A thought occurred to him and he cocked his head. "Unless you want to fight. It won't end well. That blade in your hair won't help you."
...I am not here to fight. I am here to talk."
"Go on, then." he took a long drink. "Talk. You have one minute."
"You look lonely. I can fix that."
Naruto pivoted in the air, annoyed to find someone behind him. "And you are?
...Anissa." the woman's grin only grew. "You're certainly strong for one of your kind. Exceptionally strong."
"One of my kind?"
Her fist slammed in at his face.
He caught it, wrenched her arm down and behind her back. From there, he glared at her shoulder over her. "Had enough?"
She had not; much to his surprise her grin only grew and she leaned into him, pressing her full figure against his chest. "Enough?" she tilted her head back to grin up at him, eyes bright, a wide smile wreathing her face. It almost made her look human. "Why would this be ever be enough?" He could feel her muscles straining against his, taut and excited. "You're impressive! Most impressive! I can see why you beat-
He whirled and tossed her upward with a vicious twist, sending her flying into the clouds. "You talk too much. Cool off in the atmosphere."
The moment he turned away, her feet barreled headlong into his back. "Then I'll speak another language!"
An elbow barreled down into her neck and plunged her into the ocean below. "Right back at ya!"
The water erupted and then Anissa was on him again, grinning like a madwoman.
"Yes, that's the way! HIT ME HARDER!"
EDIT: Hope this story brightened your day and made things better, even if only a little.
Looking forward to chatting with you all when I get back from work~!
May you have a great day and lots of luck!
Warm regards,
~Nz.
R&R~!