Chapter 6

Naruto and Ninny re-entered Wing Bind headquarters amidst an unrelenting buzz of activity. The sprawling atrium teemed with uniformed members, holographic displays glowing with mission updates, and dragons in every size and shape being escorted to and from their posts. The faint hum of magic filled the air, mingling with the soft roar of dragons overhead.

Naruto glanced around, this time around getting a good feel for everything, his grin widening as he took it all in. "Man, this place is something else. Do you guys have dragons as pets or is that frowned upon?"

"Idiot, don't you listen?" Ninny shot him a glare, her frustration from earlier still evident. "They're not pets, Uzumaki. We either work with dragons, or kill them. It's not a joke."

"Didn't look like work back there," Naruto teased. "Looked like you guys were struggling until I stepped in."

Ninny's hand twitched toward her Witch Kit, but she resisted the urge. "If you keep talking, I swear—"

"Swear what?" Naruto interrupted, leaning in slightly. "You'll blush harder?"

The red creeping up her neck betrayed her, but she pushed past it, storming ahead toward the briefing room. "Just shut up and follow me!"

As they entered the central atrium, a Wing Bind officer approached, his posture stiff with authority. "Spangcole. Report."

Ninny straightened, her tone curt. "Emergency containment complete. The target has been neutralized."

The officer's gaze flicked to Naruto, his expression unreadable. "And this… outsider?"

Naruto stepped forward, grinning. "Naruto Uzumaki. Dragon puncher extraordinaire, this firecrackers boyfriend! Nice to meet ya."

Ninny groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose "IDIOT!" Before violated stomping on the his right foot, her annoyed growing when the red-head didn't even seem to register it. "He's… part of the situation. The Crown Council needs to see him. Immediately."

The officer hesitated, but the mention of the council silenced any protest. He gestured for them to follow, leading the pair down a series of grand corridors.

The officer and Ninny led Naruto into a large, ornate room with a circular table at its center. Inside the chamber, a circular table dominated the room, surrounded by high-ranking members of Wing Bind. The air crackled with authority as the leaders observed Naruto with skeptical eyes. The head of the council, a stern-looking man with silver hair and piercing eyes, leaned forward, his expression unreadable.

Seated at the head of the table was Bruno Bangnyfe, the stoic and intimidating leader of Wing Bind. His piercing gaze locked onto Naruto, sizing him up as if he were an unruly dragon himself.

"You're the one who caused all the commotion," Bruno said, his voice low and commanding.

Naruto stepped forward, unbothered by the scrutiny. "Yup. Naruto Uzumaki. Resident dragon puncher. Nice to meet ya."

Murmurs rippled through the council, and Bruno's glare intensified. "Do you have any idea how much trouble you've caused? Engaging a Dark Dragon without authorization, damaging property, and—"

Before he could continue, Naruto casually reached into his pouch and pulled out a folded piece of parchment. He tossed it onto the floor in front of the council, the paper sliding across the smooth surface to land at Bruno's feet.

"Here," Naruto said, his tone light but confident. "Got this from a guy named Yamamoto. You might've heard of him."

The room fell silent. Bruno leaned forward, his eyes narrowing as he picked up the letter. He unfolded it carefully, the faint remnants of Yamamoto's Reiatsu still clinging to the parchment. The other council members craned their necks to catch a glimpse of the letter's contents.

As Bruno read, his expression shifted from annoyance to shock, then to something more solemn. He passed the letter to the council member beside him, who quickly scanned it before nodding gravely.

"This… this letter is over twelve years old," one of the council members said, her voice filled with disbelief. "It's dated shortly before the start of the Thousand-Year Blood War."

"War, that's news to me." Naruto scratched the back of his head, looking sheepish. "I kinda got sent twelve years into the future. Long story."

The council erupted into murmurs again, some of them incredulous, others clearly concerned. Bruno banged his fist on the armrest of his throne, silencing the room.

"Enough," he said firmly. He turned his gaze back to Naruto. "This letter claims you were sent here to assist with a threat that could destabilize the balance of both East and West Soul Societies. Do you even know what that threat is?"

Naruto shrugged. "Not exactly. Oldman Yamamoto didn't have time to fill me in on all the details before I got zapped here. But he said it had something to do with dragons and time getting all screwy. So here I am."

The council member to Bruno's right, an older man with a long beard, spoke up. "Twelve years ago, during an invasion, the Eastern Soul Society was nearly destroyed. Captain Yamamoto fell in battle against a man named Yhwach, and the balance of the spiritual realms was left in a precarious state."

Naruto's grin faltered slightly. "Yamamoto… didn't make it?"

Bruno nodded solemnly. "His sacrifice ensured Yhwach's defeat, but the cost was great. The East has spent the past decade rebuilding. Meanwhile, we in the West have dealt with our own problems—most notably, the resurgence of Dark Dragons."

Naruto crossed his arms, his expression growing serious. "Dark Dragons, huh? Are they connected to this time-distorting thing I'm supposed to stop?"

"Possibly," Bruno admitted. "Dark Dragons are incredibly dangerous, and their presence often coincides with spiritual anomalies. If what Yamamoto said is true, then the dragon you're here to face might be unlike anything we've encountered before."

At the edge of the chamber, Ninny shifted uncomfortably. She'd been silent for most of the meeting, but now she stepped forward, her voice cutting through the tension.

"So what's the plan, then?" she demanded. "You've got a guy who punches dragons for fun and a letter from a dead captain. Are we actually going to let him do something, or are we just going to sit around talking about it?"

Naruto shot her an appreciative grin. "Thanks, Spangcole."

"Don't thank me," Ninny snapped. "I'm just trying to figure out how we're going to survive this mess."

Bruno sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. "Fine. If Yamamoto trusted you, then we'll give you the benefit of the doubt—for now. But you're not going anywhere unsupervised. Ninny Spangcole and her partner Noel Niihashi will be assigned to oversee your movements. Any questions?"

Naruto raised a hand. "Yeah, just one. When do I get to punch more dragons?"

Ninny slapped a palm to her forehead with a resounding thud.

"Idiot,"

—-

Ninny stormed out of the Crown Council chamber, her boots clicking angrily against the polished marble floor. Her plaid cape swished behind her as she muttered under her breath, fuming about how the meeting had gone. Trailing behind her, of course, was Naruto, his hands stuffed into his pockets and his signature grin plastered across his face.

"So, Firecracker-chan," Naruto began, clearly enjoying her irritation, "what's next? More rules? More lectures? Or do I get to punch something again?"

Ninny whipped around, green eyes blazing. "Stop calling me that! And for the last time, you're not punching anything else unless I say so!"

Naruto raised his hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright. You're the boss, Firecracker."

Ninny let out a frustrated growl and turned back around, walking faster. "I hate this. I hate everything about this. Not only do I have to babysit Balgo, but now I've got to deal with you too. Great. Just great."

"Balgo?" Naruto asked, tilting his head. "That a person or a type of dragon?"

"Person," Ninny snapped. "And you'll see what I mean in about thirty seconds."

Sure enough, as they entered the bustling cafeteria, Naruto immediately spotted the person Ninny was referring to, he didn't even need to know the kid to know he'd rile Ninny up.

At the far end of the room, a young man with tousled dirty-blond hair brown hair and a perpetual goofy grin was balancing precariously on the back two legs of a chair. His arms were spread wide for balance, and he was humming a tune off-key, clearly enjoying himself far too much.

"That's Balgo," Ninny said, her tone dripping with disdain. "Professional idiot. And now, your problem."

Naruto smirked, ignoring the comment, as he and Ninny approached the table, his grin widening. "Yo!" he called, waving. "You must be Balgo!"

Balgo teetered on the chair for a moment before leaning back even further, tipping the balance dangerously close to disaster. "Oh, hey!" he said cheerfully, as if he wasn't about to fall on his face. "You're the dragon puncher, right? Man, I heard all about you! That's so cool!"

Naruto chuckled. "Yeah, that's me. Naruto Uzumaki, resident dragon puncher and—" he motioned toward Ninny with a playful grin, "—amazingly ninja boyfriend of this fiery little lady right here."

Ninny's jaw dropped, her face turning bright red. "You're not my boyfriend! I met you three hours ago!"

Balgo, oblivious as ever, let out a loud whistle. "Whoa, seriously? That's awesome! Congrats, Ninny!"

"He's not my boyfriend!" Ninny shouted, throwing her hands in the air. "Why would you even believe that?"

Balgo shrugged, leaning dangerously far back again. "I dunno. You guys have that vibe, y'know? Like, you're all fiery and bossy, and he's… well, him. It just makes sense."

Ninny slapped a hand over her face, muttering, "I can't believe this. I have to deal with two of them now."

Naruto plopped down into the seat across from Balgo, propping his feet up on the table. "I like this guy. He's got good instincts."

Balgo beamed. "Thanks, man! I like you too! You've got this whole cool, laid-back hero vibe. Way better than Ninny's constant yelling."

"Don't encourage him!" Ninny snapped, glaring at both of them.

Naruto leaned back in his chair, mirroring Balgo's precarious balancing act. "So, Balgo," he began, "what's your deal? You a dragon puncher too, or are you more of a… dragon whisperer?"

Balgo laughed, almost toppling over. "Nah, man, I'm just a regular guy! Well, kinda. I can see dragons, so that's cool, I guess. But mostly, I just try not to get eaten by them. Or blown up. Or arrested. Y'know, the usual."

"The usual?" Naruto repeated, raising an eyebrow. "Sounds like you've got an interesting life."

Balgo shrugged. "Eh, it's not so bad. Ninny yells at me a lot, but she's secretly super nice. Don't let her fool you."

"Stop talking!" Ninny hissed, her face growing redder by the second.

Naruto laughed, clearly enjoying himself. "Man, this is great. Firecracker here has her hands full with you, huh?"

"Oh, totally," Balgo said, nodding enthusiastically. "But she loves it. Right, Ninny?"

"Stop. Talking!" Ninny repeated, this time kicking Balgo's chair forward, causing him to finally lose his balance and crash onto the floor.

Naruto burst out laughing, clutching his sides. "You weren't kidding, firecracker. This guy's a riot!"

Ninny groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I'm surrounded by morons."

Ninny groaning didn't stop as she, whilst muttering curses under her breath, sat at a cafeteria table. She had left Naruto and Balgo behind to fetch herself some food, hoping the separation would give her a moment of peace. A tray laden with a sandwich, chips, and tea sat in front of her as she glared at the two "idiots" at the far side of the room, both clearly enjoying themselves far too much.

"Firecracker-chan, come sit with us!" Naruto called out across the cafeteria, waving enthusiastically.

Her head shot up, and she hissed through gritted teeth. "Stop calling me that!" she yelled back, her voice echoing across the room.

Naruto only grinned wider. "Aw, come on, Firecracker-chan. You're breaking my heart!"

Several Wing Bind operatives snickered at the exchange, while Ninny buried her face back into her hands. "This is my life now," she muttered. "Babysitting two brain-dead idiots."

As she sipped her tea, she didn't notice someone approaching until a shadow loomed over her. "Ninny," came a calm, measured voice.

Ninny looked up to see her partner, Noel Niihashi, standing with her usual stoic expression. The tall, curvaceous girl's blue eyes held their typical mix of seriousness and quiet curiosity as she placed her tray on the table.

"Niiha," Ninny said, sitting up straighter. "Thank God you're here. Maybe you can help me deal with him."

Noel tilted her head slightly. "Him?"

Before Ninny could explain, Naruto popped up behind her, balancing his own tray with one hand while throwing an arm around her shoulder. "Hey, Firecracker-chan!" he said brightly. "Who's your friend?"

Ninny froze, her face turning crimson as she slapped his arm off. "Don't touch me! And get lost for a second, will you?"

Naruto ignored her, his attention now on Noel. "Nice to meet ya! I'm Naruto Uzumaki, resident dragon puncher and—" he shot Ninny a teasing grin, "—her amazingly powerful boyfriend."

Noel blinked, her expression unchanging. "Her boyfriend?"

"No, he's not!" Ninny shrieked, nearly tipping over her tea. "I met him, like, three hours ago!"

Naruto shrugged, his grin widening. "Time flies when you're having fun, Firecracker-chan."

To Ninny's horror, Noel seemed to consider this for a moment before replying, "Interesting. He seems… persistent."

"He's an idiot!" Ninny snapped, glaring at Naruto. "And stop calling me that!"

Naruto chuckled, pulling up a chair beside Noel. "You're her partner, huh? Niiha, right? Cool name. So what's your deal? You a dragon puncher too, or are you more of a… dragon whisperer?"

"It's Noel," she corrected, her tone polite but firm. "And I prefer to pasture dragons, not fight them."

Naruto leaned back in his chair, looking impressed. "Pasturing, huh? Sounds peaceful. Bet it's a nice change from all the yelling."

Ninny slammed her palm on the table. "Stop acting like you know anything about me!"

As if on cue, Balgo slid over to the table, his chair balanced on its back legs again. He waved at Noel, his grin as wide as ever. "Noel! Did you hear? This guy"—he pointed at Naruto—"is Ninny's boyfriend! Isn't that wild?"

"No, he's not!" Ninny shouted, her hands balling into fists.

Naruto, unfazed, leaned forward with a smirk. "I like this guy. He gets it."

Balgo beamed. "Right? You two make a great couple. Opposites attract and all that."

Ninny slammed her forehead against the table with a groan. "I'm going to kill both of you."

Noel, meanwhile, sat calmly, her blue eyes darting between Naruto and Balgo. "You seem… energetic," she said to Naruto. "And chaotic."

Naruto grinned. "That's one way to put it. You don't seem too fazed, though. I like that."

"Thank you," Noel replied simply, taking a sip of her tea. "You're interesting as well. A little loud, but interesting."

Naruto studied Noel for a moment, his gaze curious but respectful. "You've got a good vibe, Niiha. Quiet but strong. I can see why Firecracker-chan keeps you around."

Noel blinked slowly, tilting her head. "Firecracker-chan?"

"It's his stupid nickname for me," Ninny grumbled, glaring daggers at Naruto. "And stop saying it like it's normal!"

Noel's lips twitched slightly, almost forming a smile. "It's… fitting."

"See?" Naruto said, nudging Ninny. "Even your partner agrees."

Ninny threw a chip at his face, which he caught midair with a grin. "I hate you so much."

As Naruto and Ninny bickered, Noel observed them quietly, her expression thoughtful. "You two have an interesting dynamic," she remarked.

"Dynamic?!" Ninny repeated, her voice rising. "There's no dynamic! He's just an annoying idiot!"

Naruto leaned closer to Noel, lowering his voice conspiratorially. "She's in denial. But don't worry, Niiha. I've got plenty of time to win her over."

Noel raised an eyebrow, her tone as deadpan as ever. "Good luck. You'll need it."

Ninny slammed her hands on the table. "I swear, if you don't shut up—"

"Easy, Firecracker-chan," Naruto teased, holding up his hands. "Don't want you blowing a fuse."

Noel, sipping her tea, glanced at Balgo, who was still teetering on his chair. "You should sit properly before you fall again."

Balgo waved her off. "Nah, I've got great balance. See?" He leaned back even farther, only to yelp as the chair finally tipped over, sending him crashing to the floor.

Naruto burst out laughing, and even Noel's lips quirked into a faint smile. Ninny, meanwhile, buried her face in her hands.

"I hate all of you," she muttered.

With Naruto's antics, Balgo's cluelessness, and Noel's quiet observations, Ninny's patience is quickly wearing thin. How long can she survive babysitting this chaotic trio?

Naruto grinned as he leaned forward, his hand reaching out toward Ninny's head with the unmistakable intent of ruffling her hair. She immediately swatted at his hand, baring her teeth like an angry cat.

"Don't you dare!" she snapped, leaning back to avoid his reach.

"Oh, come on, Firecracker-chan," Naruto teased, his grin widening. "It's a sign of affection!"

Ninny lunged at his hand, her teeth snapping dangerously close to his fingers. Naruto jerked back with a dramatic gasp, clutching his hand to his chest like he'd been mortally wounded.

"She tried to bite me!" he cried, looking around the cafeteria as if expecting sympathy. "I was just being nice!"

"Don't touch me, you idiot!" Ninny shot back, crossing her arms and glaring at him.

Naruto huffed, fake-offended, and crossed his arms. "Fine. If you're gonna be like that, I'll just have to date Niiha instead."

Noel, who had been calmly sipping her tea, blinked at the sudden declaration. "Huh?"

Without missing a beat, Naruto scooted closer to her, rubbing his cheek against hers with exaggerated affection. "See? Niiha doesn't try to bite me. She's nice, quiet, and super cute."

Noel remained stoic, her expression unchanging as she looked at him out of the corner of her eye. For a moment, it seemed like she might shrug it off entirely. But then, ever so faintly, a tiny blush crept onto her cheeks.

The cafeteria fell silent. Every pair of eyes was glued to the scene, and jaws dropped around the room.

Balgo, who had only just gotten back up and balancing on his chair, slipped and crashed to the floor with a thud, gawking in disbelief. "No way. Did… did Niiha blush?!"

Ninny's eye twitched, her frustration boiling over as she slammed her hands on the table. "What is wrong with you people?!"

Naruto, oblivious to the tension he was creating, leaned back with a triumphant grin. "See? Niiha gets it. She appreciates my charm."

Noel took another sip of her tea, her calm demeanor quickly returning. "You're… persistent."

"I like that about her," Naruto said, pointing at Noel. "She's honest. You should take notes, Firecracker-chan."

Ninny groaned, burying her face in her hands. "I hate you so much."

Balgo finally managed to climb back into his chair, looking between Noel and Naruto with wide eyes. "That was incredible. I didn't even think Noel could blush!"

"I don't blush," Noel said evenly, though the faint pink tinge on her cheeks betrayed her words.

Naruto chuckled, propping his chin on his hand as he looked at her. "It's okay, Niiha. You don't have to be shy. I know I'm irresistible."

Ninny, completely done with the situation, grabbed a sandwich and promptly threw it at Naruto's face. "Can we please talk about literally anything else?"

Much to growing frustration, Naruto accepted the food with a big grin, eating the small smooched sandwich in one bite. Ninny glared at the idiots sitting around her. "I don't know what karmic debt I'm paying off, but it has to be huge if I'm stuck with you three."

Balgo, grinning like an idiot, back to sitting, leaned forward. "Aw, come on, Ninny. You secretly love us, don't you?"

"Not even a little," she replied flatly, her voice laced with venom.

Naruto leaned closer to her, his grin turning mischievous. "Admit it, Firecracker-chan. You'd be bored without us."

"Bored?" Ninny snapped. "I would be peaceful!"

Noel, watching the exchange with quiet amusement, finally spoke up. "You could always request a new partner."

"And leave you with these two?" Ninny shot back, gesturing at Naruto and Balgo. "I wouldn't do that to my worst enemy."

Naruto chuckled. "Aw, she does care."

"I don't!" Ninny shouted, throwing her hands in the air. "I absolutely don't!"

Naruto watched her, his grin wide. "She definitely likes me."

"Or she's plotting your murder," Kurama muttered.

"Same thing," Naruto replied mentally.

The blaring alarm echoed through the cafeteria, cutting through the noise of chatter and Naruto's laughter. The Wing Bind operatives sprang into action, their chairs scraping against the floor as they hurried to their assigned posts. A voice over the intercom barked orders.

"Emergency alert! Explosion detected at the offices of The Realists. Units 1-5, secure the perimeter. Pipers Division: Ninny Spangcole, Noel Niihashi, and Naruto Uzumaki—report to the scene immediately."

Ninny groaned, shoving her tray away. "Of course. Can't even have lunch without something blowing up."

Naruto wiped his mouth with a napkin, looking intrigued. "The Realists? That a dragon thing or something else?"

"It's a tabloid rag," Ninny grumbled, already on her feet. "They twist stories about Reverse London into sensational garbage. Trust me, it's never good news when they're involved."

Naruto was already on his feet, grinning like he'd just been handed a present. "Alright! Let's go punch some bad guys!"

"You don't even know what caused it yet!" Ninny snapped, grabbing her Witch Kit and following him out. "Don't just assume it's something you can punch!"

Noel stood calmly, adjusting her cape as she followed them. "Explosions at The Realists is rather unusual. They're usually the ones causing metaphorical explosions, not literal ones."

Balg waved, a massive grin on his face. "Good luck, guys! Don't die or anything!"

Ninny waved him off without looking back. "We should've left him to clean it up."

Outside the Wing Bind headquarters, the girls approached their Broombuggies, sleek, hover-like vehicles resembling a small, winged Dragons with two legs and smooth bodies that end in large tails mixed with a broomstick. They exuded a strange mix of magical energy and spiritual energy, their bodies pulsing like heartbeats.

Naruto stopped dead in his tracks, his eyes wide with wonder. "Whoa, what are those?"

"Broombuggies," Ninny said flatly, climbing onto hers. "Try not to drool."

"I've seen them before," Naruto admitted, circling one of the dragon. "But not up close. These things are awesome! It's like magic and a broomstick had a baby."

Noel hopped onto her own Broombuggy, her movements smooth and practiced. "They're efficient," she said simply, fastening her seatbelt.

Naruto scratched his head, glancing between them. "So, uh, where's mine?"

"You don't have one," Ninny snapped. "You're riding with me."

Naruto grinned. "Aw, Firecracker-chan, you do care."

"Get on before I leave you behind," she growled, glaring over her shoulder.

Naruto hopped on behind her, barely fitting on, with enthusiasm. "Alright, let's do this!"

The Realists' Headquarters

As they zipped through Reverse London's winding streets, Naruto couldn't help but marvel at the sights. The fusion of magical and modern elements was everywhere—floating billboards, sleek carriages powered by glowing dragon cores, and towering buildings with architectural designs that seemed to defy gravity.

"Man, this place is wild," Naruto said, leaning slightly to get a better view as they zoomed past a cluster of vehicles. "So different from what I'm used to. Even the moving boxes look cool!"

"Moving boxes? Do you mean cars?" Ninny echoed, glancing at him over her shoulder. "What kind of backwater are you from?"

"Hey, it's not my fault your fancy magic world has all this crazy stuff," Naruto shot back with a grin. "I'm just saying, it's cool."

Ahead, the towering glass building of "The Realists" came into view. The sleek, mirrored structure reflected the chaos below as smoke billowed from the upper floors. Emergency teams were already on-site, cordoning off the area with glowing Barrier Tape, while bystanders craned their necks to see the commotion.

Naruto whistled low. "That's a lot of glass. Bet it makes for a great view."

Ninny rolled her eyes. "Focus, Uzumaki. We've got work to do."

The Broombuggies descended smoothly, landing just outside the building's main entrance. Noel dismounted gracefully, adjusting her cape as she surveyed the scene.

"What do we know so far?" she asked a nearby operative.

"Explosion on the fifteenth floor," the operative replied. "Initial reports suggest it might be dragon-related. No confirmed casualties yet, but the building's structural integrity is compromised."

As they stepped into the building's lobby, Naruto couldn't help but glance around, taking in the polished floors, shimmering walls, and ornate dragon-themed decor. "Fancy place for a glorified paper press."

"It's all for show," Ninny muttered, leading the way toward the elevators. "They spend more on appearances than they do on actual reporting."

Naruto followed, his curiosity piqued. "So what's the deal with these Realists? Why do they care so much about dragons?"

"They don't care about dragons," Noel said calmly, pressing the button for the fifteenth floor. "They care about selling papers. Dragons just happen to be the most sensational subject."

"And they're obnoxious about it," Ninny added. "They've written garbage about us before. It's all lies and exaggeration."

Naruto smirked. "Sounds like you've got some fans, Firecracker-chan."

"Don't start," she snapped, glaring at him.

When the elevator doors opened, the scene before them was one of destruction. The entire floor was in shambles, with shattered glass, overturned furniture, and scorch marks everywhere. Smoke hung heavy in the air, and the faint hum of magical residue lingered like an unspoken warning.

"Looks like something big went down," Naruto observed, stepping carefully over a broken desk.

"Stay alert," Noel said, her tone serious. "If it's dragon-related, it might still be here."

Ninny slowly drew a thin, yellow stick with a small circular loop, and a elongated barrel ending in a purple star and a grip decorated with purple star, her Witch Kit.

Honestly, to Naruto, it just looked like a fancy horn.

"Let's make this quick. The last thing I need is another reason for these idiots to write about us."

Naruto grinned, cracking his knuckles. "You handle the magic stuff. If anything jumps out, I'll give it the ol' one-two."

As they moved deeper into the wreckage, a faint noise echoed from the far end of the floor. It was low and guttural, almost like a growl.

"Did you hear that?" Noel asked, her hand moving toward her Witch Kit.

"Yup," Naruto said, his grin widening. "Sounds like it's time for some fun."

"Define fun," Ninny muttered, her grip tightening on her weapon.

The guttural noise led them into the heart of the wreckage. Smoke swirled in the air, casting eerie shadows across the shattered glass and twisted metal. As the trio stepped forward, a figure emerged from the haze—a tall, slim woman with pink, chin-length hair and a fur-lined trench coat. Her delicate features and timid posture seemed out of place amidst the destruction.

But it wasn't the woman that immediately caught their attention. Wrapped protectively around her was a dragon, its pink, sinewy form curling like a serpent. Its furred neck and limbs exuded a strange elegance, while its elongated snout and skeletal carapace gave it an almost ghostly appearance. The creature's blue eyes, covered by a bird-like skull, radiated a calm intelligence, yet its presence was undeniably imposing.

Ninny froze mid-step, her eyes narrowing as recognition dawned. "Macy…." she muttered, her tone laced with frustration. "What the hell are you doing here?"

The woman—Macy—looked up, clutching the dragon's tail tightly as if it were a lifeline. Her timid demeanor faltered when she saw Ninny, her voice quivering with a mix of guilt and desperation. "N-Ninny?"

Naruto raised an eyebrow, glancing between the two. "Friend of yours, Firecracker-chan?"

"Now is not the time," Ninny growled, stepping forward. "Macy, do you have any idea what you've done? Bringing a dragon here is a felony"

"I had no choice!"," Macy interrupted, her timid tone sharpening defensively.

"No choice?!" Ninny snapped. "Naturally, you don't know since you don't live here in Reverse London, but direct contact with a Dragon is a felony!"

Macy flinched but tightened her grip on the dragon's tail. "They don't understand. None of you do. Elly's not dangerous! She's… she's different."

Naruto stepped forward, his usual grin in place. "Alright, let's all take a deep breath here," he said, holding up his hands. "No need for things to get heated." He casually slung an arm around Ninny's shoulders, earning a sharp glare from her. "I'm Naruto Uzumaki, resident dragon... tamer, and—" he gave Macy a friendly smile, "—this firecracker's boyfriend."

Macy's reaction was immediate and visceral. Her timid demeanor evaporated, replaced by a fiery, almost feral intensity. Her eyes widened, and her entire body tensed as if someone had struck a nerve. "B-boyfriend?" she stammered, her voice rising an octave.

"You're not my boyfriend!"" Ninny snapped, shrugging his arm off. "And stop calling me that!"

But Macy wasn't listening. Her expression darkened, and her grip on the dragon's tail turned white-knuckled. "You think… you think you can just take her away from me?" she hissed, her voice trembling with anger. "Who do you think you are?!"

Naruto blinked, caught off guard by her sudden shift in tone. "Uh… I was just trying to lighten the mood—"

"Lighten the mood?!" Macy screamed, her voice echoing off the ruined walls. "You don't deserve to be near her! You—!"

Before anyone could react, Macy seized a nearby desk and hurled it with shocking strength. The heavy piece of furniture hurtled toward Naruto, who barely sidestepped in time.

"Whoa!" Naruto exclaimed, his eyes wide. "Where'd that come from?!"

"Macy, stop!" Ninny shouted, stepping forward. "What the hell's gotten into you?"

"You don't get it!" Macy screamed, tears streaming down her face. "They don't understand you, Ninny! They don't see how amazing you are! All they do is lie about you, hurt you, take you for granted!"

Ninny froze, her usual sharp retorts caught in her throat. "Macy… what are you talking about?"

"The Realists!" Macy spat, pointing toward the wreckage around them. "They wrote that you hate me! That you're worthless! So I made sure their office would used again!" Her eyes darted toward Naruto, her fury reigniting. "And he—this… this boyfriend—he doesn't deserve you!"

Naruto raised his hands defensively. "Hey, I think there's been a misunderstanding—"

"There's no misunderstanding!" Macy shouted, taking a menacing step forward. The dragon, Elly, stirred behind her, its glowing blue eyes fixed on Naruto. "You're just another person trying to hurt her!"

Noel, who had been quietly observing, finally spoke. "Macy, was it?" she said evenly, her tone cutting through the chaos, "this isn't the way to handle things. You're putting Ninny in danger, not protecting her."

Macy hesitated, her trembling hands loosening slightly. "I… I didn't mean to…"

"Then let's talk," Noel continued, her calm demeanor a stark contrast to Macy's hysteria. "But first, you need to step away from the dragon."

Macy's eyes darted toward Elly, then back to Ninny. "No," she said firmly, her voice regaining its desperate edge. "I can't leave her. She's all I have!"

Naruto took a cautious step forward, his tone softer now. "Look, Macy, I get it. You care about her. But this isn't helping. Let's figure this out together, yeah?"

Macy's gaze flickered between Naruto and Ninny, her emotions warring on her face. But before she could respond, Elly let out a low growl, its body shifting protectively around her.