A/N ...short chapter, I know, but also a double update today.

This, and Dear Consort Eternal. Apologies for the delay, depression is strong these days. My mood is high, then low, then high again. Its affecting my...well, everything. Its in my head, trying to tear me down, but I won't let it. I can't let it. I've fought it off before and darn it, I'm gonna do my level best to fight it off again. Nothing less will do. I can feel it eating away at me sometimes, but thanks to Slifer and Advent, I'm fighting on. Endure, I must. And yes, I am aware of the second season of Arcane coming soon. I planned on updating this regardless.

Update schedule got a bit messed up as a result, but I'm preparing updates for Foxfire, Long May He Reign, Just a Shinobi, Practice Makes Perfect and Shed no Grace on me. Those are just the ones I have in the works at the moment, many more are coming. Advent is working on Dance of the Dread and Rise of the Red Queen, while Slifer is preparing the next chapter for Father of Monsters.

Just wanted to say, I appreciate you all! More feedback means faster updates! It's especially important, in these, trying times, with the main site notifications down. Every word counts and i appreciate you all! All these reviews really keep me inspired! Looking forward to hearing from you~!

As ever, I own no quotes, references, themes, or memes. Not a wit or a one! 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~! Here we go. And yes, obvious references are very obvious.

Minor flashback/refresher to bring everyone up to speed.

"Killing changes a man. Hardens him, not just his heart, but his mind. His spirit.

Once you cross that line, no matter the rhyme, nor the reason.

...there's no going back."

~?

Take a Breath

Naruto whirled and flung the Silco headlong into the blazing inferno below.

The screams that followed would forever haunt his dreams.

A small price to pay for karmic retribution.

The building was already crumbling around them; he had mere moments to act before the entire thing came down on their heads. He spared the maimed mogul's flailing fiery form a passing glance and considered finishing what he'd started; the fire might kill him, but it might not.

He'd already shown mercy in letting Vi go.

.

..

...should he finish him?

Should he not? The question burned at him.

He took a step forward, only to wince as the twisted scaffolding protested underfoot.

Surely he could make it in time...

Another step, a pause now as the roof rumbled ever so ominously over his head.

Powder was closer; he bent low to grab his apprentice, and leaped for one of the broken window shutters.

Well that he did, too; because

Heat slammed into his back, propelling him through and outside the building at breakneck speed. He curled around Powder protectively and grit his teeth as best he could.

The ground rushed up to meet him like an old friend.

Naruto closed his eyes and braced himself.

Darkness swept in.

(.0.0.0.)

Powder jolted awake with a start.

Head aching, lungs burning, she flailed to her feet, gasped when one of her legs buckles, then promptly fell down again.

Sprawled out on her back, she took a moment to observe the night sky above. Dark clouds rumbled ominously above, threatening rain or worse. When the first raindrop plinked down on her nose, old memories began to return, and with them a vague recollection of how she'd landed herself here.

Vi.

The fight.

A tremendous explosion.

Someone shielded her, pulled her into their arms and leaped...!

The first thing she registered was pain, or rather, its source. her left leg was twisted, possibly sprained. The next was her surroundings, or rather, a distinct lack thereof.

Silco's facility was a scorched mess, belching smoke and flame into the night. Within hours it would be little more than a pile of rubble. Anyone within was dead and ashes. Of her siblings, she saw no sign. Her gorge rose at the thought. She wanted to believe they were alive, had to believe that Vi, at least, was alive.

Pushing herself up with an effort, she realized something else.

Naruto was nowhere to be found.

"Boss?"

Casting her gaze about, she found him and immediately wished she hadn't.

There he was. Laid out on his back, chest bare, still as the grave. He wasn't breathing.

That wasn't the worse of it. Not by a long shot. Someone crouched over him, a glint of steel in their hand...!

Everybody panic!

She tried to stand, only to hiss as pain shot through her leg. She crawled over to him, arm over elbow, dragging herself until her hands were bloody. Even then, she kept going, heedless of the damage she did to herself. It didn't matter if she got her, SHE didn't matter, so long as he was okay...!

Boss would've chided her for that. She DID matter, but she valued his life more than hers.

Belatedly she realized she'd reached them.

A badly burned man loomed over Naruto, twisted and scarred by the explosion, the lower half of his visage wrapped in a red bandanna. Not Silco, then. Silco didn't look like this. As she looked on aghast, he withdrew a strange syringe from the blond's arm -was that a stray glimmer of Shimmer or was she imagining things?- and set it aside with the rest of his tools.

She'd never laid eye on this man before in her life.

And yet something about him was so familiar...

"Who are you...?"

"I go by many names these days." Out came the gauze now, man's voice was little more than a hoarse whisper as he tended to the blond's burns. "Which one would you prefer?"

Naruto sucked in a ragged gasp and groaned where he lay. "Cut the mysterious crap, Singed...

The -doctor?- made an annoyed noise, but complied. "No taste for the dramatic, I see."

"M'fine." he rasped. "Just not used to seeing this much of my own blood anymore."

Powder crawled over to him. "Will you be okay?"

He didn't seem to hear her.

"Sloppy," he muttered aloud, the words a laugh, his cough a breathy wheeze. "Used to be I could laugh off an explosion like that in my sleep. I've gotten rusty...

Rusty?! Was that what he called rusty?! No, wait, that didn't matter. Her fears did and they reared their ugly heads now like a mad hydra. No matter how many she cut down, more of the slimy bastards grew right back, leaving her grappling hopelessly with her own inner demons.

She tucked her head into his chest. "M'sorry, boss...please don't die...

"I won't die." he patted her head. "Keep an eye on the mad scientist for me, will ya? Make sure he doesn't chop off m'arm or something."

Singed scoffed. "Rest assured, I will not. You're in perfectly good hands. There shouldn't be any side effects."

Naruto made a doubtful noise. "Y'see, the way ya say that, that's what...worries me...

He was speaking strangely. Powder squinted at him. "Boss?"

Naruto tilted his head away from her with a yawn.

"M'sleepy...

His eyes drifted shut, but his chest continued to rise. She watched him intently for a moment more, just to make sure. Asleep. He was just asleep. He'd live.

Only then did she dare bury her head into his chest and weep tears of relief. Her chest heaved as she sobbed, just a little.

"Honestly." Singed clicked his tongue above her in mild amusement, "Isn't he a little old for you?"

Powder clung to him, refusing to concede the point. "I'll get bigger."

A low bark of laughter answered her.

"What's so funny?!"

"Bigger, she says." he clicked his tongue. Such a brash girl. I can hardly believe Silco lost to the two of you." a pause now, as he considered the burned, ruined building before them. "Years worth of work. Ruined." he shook his head in despair. "Do you have any idea what you've done; what you've unleashed here, today? Do you?"When she didn't answer, he blew out an annoyed sigh. No, I suppose you don't. It wasn't as though you came here for the sole intention of ruining my life's work."

Gulp.

Best not admit that out loud...

Powder squinted. "Why are you helping us, then?"

Singed smiled in response. It terrified her. "Progress. Your friend here, represents the future, I think." Idly, his gaze traveled to her twisted leg. "Would you like my help as well? That broken ankle won't fix itself anytime soon...

Powder eased back on her good leg, eyeing the mad scientist warily. "What kinda help...?"

"I could speed the healing process along for you. Among other things."

Her brow furrowed. "Will it hurt?"

"Only for a moment," he reassured her.

"I dunno...

Too little, too late.

A needle slammed into her neck.

Powder swayed. Her world went whoozy. She collapsed.

A/N: Sure, Singed would be a little miffed about losing his lab, but on the other hand...chakra! Of course he'd want to get his hands on that, thereby making sure Naruto and Powder survive at any and all costs.

Our mad scientist may mean well, but we've all see what he can create!

Careful now, Naruto...

Hope this chapter put a smile on your face!

Getting closer and closer to the inevitable timeskip here...who knows what'll happen?

As ever, we're following the Ember's Rule here. That's no joke. Really, it isn't. If folks don't like this...well, I'll not continue it. Every bit of feedback helps. Reviews are the fuel which keeps me writing in these crazy times. With my tight schedule, I simply don't have time to write a story folks don't like. Without them, my inspiration cannot take wing and I can't write a word. So by all means, speak up!

Reviews are my lifeblood. Without them, I cannot write.

So In the Immortal Words of Atlas...

...Revieeeeew, Would You Kindly?

They keeps an old man alive.

And enjoy the previews.

Mostly the same:

SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!

PLOT DETAILS AHOY!

YE BE WARNED!

Get ready to smile~!

Obvious references are obvious~!

(POTENTIAL!) Previews! Playing the long game here. Don't want to spoil things.

Reference to the song in the first episode of Arcane.

Vander blew out a sigh. "You've kicked the hornet's nest now...

Powder walked across the bridge, an army at her back.

And as she walked, she began to sing.

That same sad song, that she'd sung once as a child, so long ago.

"Dear friend, across the river, my hands are cold and bare. Dear friend across the river, I'll take what you can spare. I ask of you a penny, my fortune it will be, I ask you without envy, my heart is bare as can be...

We raise no mighty towers, for our homes are built of stone...

...so come across the river...and find...yourself...alone."

She drew her daggers and waded in.

...you're done."

A giant golden fox burst from the blond's arm, jaws yawning wide.

His foe had an instant to balk, to blink, then-

CRUNCH.

Powder tilted her head. "I want that."

"No, you don't."

EDIT: Hey, you made it!

As ever, we're following the Ember's Rule here. That's no joke. Really, it isn't. If folks don't like this, if people don't enjoy...well, I won't continue it. What's the point in writing something no one likes? Every bit of feedback helps. Reviews are the fuel which keeps me writing in these crazy times. With my tight schedule -two jobs!- I simply don't have time to write a story folks don't like. Without them, my inspiration cannot take wing and I can't write a word. So by all means, speak up!

Looking forward to chatting with you all~!

R&R~!