A/N: Sorry for vanishing. Life has been rough as of late.
To make matters worse...my aunt has passed away just recently.
It happened suddenly, caught me by surprise, and sent me spiraling down into a dark place. Funeral will be in a few weeks, so if I vanish for a few days, that's the reason.
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. All this insanity around the world serves as a terrible example. 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.
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.
These constant breakdowns are testing my patience...but I remain. We'll see where this goes. I've started posting on other sites now as well.
So here we go. The fate of this story depends on you, the reader. Your feedback determines the fate of this tale, and many others.
I'm just a humble author trying to make his way in this wild, wicked world, one word at a time.
Once more, I own no quotes, references, or memes. Not a wit or a one. NOT! A! THING!
They're all tributes to legends far greater than little 'ol me. Disclaimer over.
Time and feedback will determine if this little ficlet remains a story.
Simple as that.
"Kid, at this point, you'd need a crowbar to pry those two chooms apart.
Still don't get it? I'll sum up how your mum feels in one word:
"MINE."
~?
Hesitation is Defeat
Gloria reluctantly opened her eyes.
After having them closed for so long, it was a painful shock to her system to simply see again, let alone comprehend the world around her. Had the bed always been this soft, or her body this tense? Was the sun always so infernally bright...? It felt like her senses had been sharpened somehow, and she wasn't sure she liked it.
No, that didn't matter right now
Because you see, she remembered.
Therein lie the rub. Her mind remembered entiely too much of what she'd seen; her brain was full to bursting, and it hurt.
Such a strange thing, having someone else's memories in her head, let alone living them. She had seen them all, from Naruto's first to the last. Hells, she'd been in HIS head! How were you the same person after that?! She had observed people she wanted to pulverize and folks she wanted to hug, enemies she felt sorry for and allies she would happily slap silly. And he'd been through it all. He fought what, if his memories were to be believed, amounted to a goddess. A freakin' goddess!
How did you top that?! Answer! You didn't!
And then at the end of it all...betrayal. His oldest, dearest friend had turned on him and blown a hole through his chest. That experience had marked him for better or worse, fractured him, but he was not yet broken. Even after all his world had thrown him, he'd endured most of it and survived. That spoke to a certain strength of character.
If only it ended there; but it didn't now, did it?
To make matters worse, she'd them; not just his past, but his memories of this world as well; the world that he'd found himself flung into. From the moment he met her and beyond.
She'd seen him with them.
Rebecca and Sasha.
That...stung.
Looking back to his still sleeping face, she dared to run a hand across his cheek. He was waking up, but slowly, she had mere moments to act...
.
..
...but what to do, what to do, what to do?! She hadn't the faintest clue what to do, let alone what to say!
She knew she had no one to blame for this but herself. Maybe he hadn't meant to show her that, maybe it was a mistake on his part, but it didn't chance the facts. She wasn't the only one competing for his heart; she'd suspected that, known it even, but to see it...to realize that her hesitation had caused this, that if she'd just SAID SOMETHING...!
"And?" A familiar voice crooned in her ear, darkly smug in its satisfaction. "What are you gonna do about it?"
Something she should've done a long time ago; consequences and cowardice be damned.
The moment Naruto opened his eyes and sat up, Gloria Martinez made her move.
She made her choice; one a long time in coming.
Because at the end of the day:
Hesitation is defeat.
(.0.0.0.)
"You're not going to leave again, are you?"
Naruto yawned once, sat up, opened his eyes...and his mind fizzled right out.
Gloria must've stirred before him; because she was sitting beside him.
Had that been the end of it, he might've recovered, rallied even.
It was not.
As he looked on in quiet disbelief, David's mother shrugged off her gown -he'd never seen such a lovely sight- and let the garment pool at her feet as she turned her gaze his way. She bared her beauty to him, bandages and all without a hint of fear, then leaned backward into him just so. At this angle he became aware of several things; her buxom body pressed into his lap and her hair tickled his face. Her head shifted to the right, just enough for him to glimpse an eye, to see her gaze rove upward and meet his.
When she finally spoke, her voice was little more than a whisper, her hand a feather's touch on his chin as she reached back to caress his face. "I'll give myself to you if you stay...so please don't go."
Was that her concern? It seemed silly to him, but from her point of view, it was probably valid. For all her bravado, he could sense the anxiety coiling in her chest like a serpent, doubt ready to sink its fangs deep. Doubt was the worst poison in the world, and he knew if he walked away now, hers would absolutely destroy her.
Not that he was in any hurry to leave, mind.
His chin came down on her shoulder and he looped both arms around her waist to control himself as much as hold her fast. "Who says I'm going anywhere?"
"I got hurt." she said the words as though they damned her to oblivion. "I was afraid you'd blame yourself."
He might have, once. Now h scoffed. "Did you think I'd run because of that? To keep you safe?"
She bowed her head, just a touch. "The thought had crossed my mind...
"Nope." he shook his head. "I'm done running. You're stuck with me."
Her hand fell from his face. "Is that a promise?"
He lifted his chin a little. "It is."
"Good. She made a pleased noise and pivoted to face him fully in turn, granting him the briefest glimpse of her bosom before she laid her head against his chest, just above his heart. "I'm tired of running myself."
"And what were you running from?"
"Plenty of things." She gave his knee a smack when he chuckled. "I'm serious! Mostly myself, really...but...
Her eyes met his, half-lidded, lips parting just so.
"No more running."
He had an inkling of what was coming next and he was neither dissatisfied nor disappointed.
Gloria jumped him.
Her mouth met his, lips pressing against his own in a searing kiss as she tackled him back to the bed, and with it, the last fraying thread of his self control snapped.
Several things happened at once then.
His hands came up to cup Gloria's waist as he kissed her neck and she liked that very much; so much that she grabbed ahold of his trousers and yanked. Then went his boxers and she wasn't waiting anymore after that, no sirree, she planted herself atop him -there was a single moment of blinding pleasurable white as their hips met- then she grabbed him by the shoulders and dove in for another kiss; frantic and wild, like a starving woman who'd gone without for far too long.
From there he sat up, pulling her closer, pressing deeper, reveling in the little gasp she gave.
Wouldn't dream of it, not that Gloria gave him the chance. She kissed him again before he could respond and hooked one long leg around his waist, then the other as he lifted her, grinning now when his hands settled on her flank and squeezed. She retaliated by biting his lip and digging her fingernails into his back Her eyes met his as they broke for air, and for a second, he could've sworn they flickered red.
"Don't you dare stop!"
Idly, he noticed something else, then. "You're glowing again."
"Eh?" She drew back, glancing at herself -her arms!- in faint alarm. "I am?"
She was. Her body was shimmering a faint shade of golden chakra. It was glorious.
Then her lips met his and her hips began to move; he soon found himself distracted by far more...pleasant things.
(.0.0.0.)
Becca peeked through the crack in the door and clapped slowly, softly, silently. "Ohhh, you sneaky bitch...
Sasha pushed a finger to her lips." Shhh! Keep it down! I wanna watch."
Both girls titled their heads as they watched the scene unfold.
Tilted them more, now.
"Huh. He's flexible...
"Well-fit, too...
(.0.0.0.)
Japan roiled with rumors.
Tales of a golden beast, and its displeasure with the Arasaka name.
As such the company was currently embroiled in a great deal of...conflict.
Hanako didn't know what to do. And so she turned to desperate measures. She called her brother.
(.0.0.0.)
Target acquired.
Arasaka had been very clear.
Gloria Martinez could not be allowed to live. A message must be sent.
He could see her through the scope now. All it would take was a twitch of the trigger and those sweet, sweet eddies would be all his. "Pull the trigger-
A face filled the scope!
The sniper took the shot on reflex; as such he had a perfect view of watching the sniper round flatten against Naruto Uzumaki's forehead.
It would haunt him for the rest of his days...well, what was left of them.
He reeled back, brandishing his rife life a club. "How did you...?!"
"I'm not foolish enough to lower my guard in a place like this, ya know." the blond crouched down and retrieved the flattened round, humming softly. "That's why I had the surroundings seeded with shadow clones."
The heck was that?
"Shadow wha-bleurgh?!"
A knuckle sandwich filled his mouth and shattered his teeth, sending him reeling to the floor.
You think you're hot stuff don't you? How's this for an answer? Five percent." He held up a hand, fingers splayed. "That's all I need to deal with someone like you. You people are soft. Squishy." crouching down, he took ahold of the sniper's arm and bent it back, ignoring the scream that followed. "Its almost sad, really."
His victim wailed. "What do you want?!"
"Answers would be nice."
He gulped. "And if I don't give them?"
A mighty golden shadow fell over him, teeth bared.
The sniper sang like a canary...and by the end, he died like one.
(.0.0.0.)
A door flew free from its hinges in a shower of sparks.
Naruto lowered his boot, leaned forward, and grinned into the now open archway. Hello, is this Arasaka? I'd like to make a withdrawal.
The result was everything h'd hoped it would be. Bullets spattered harmlessly off his chakra cloak, flattened against his chest and face, tickling him.
"Nice guns! Buuuut~!" His face split in a toothy grin as he conjured a pair of Rasenshuriken out of thin air, one to each hand. "Mine are bigger than yours."
He swung both hands forward and the screams began as he waded in. A bijudama was overkill in a place like this. Wouldn't do to bring the building down on his head like the last one, ya know? So yes, that limited him a little. But only a little.
He casually caved a guard's skull in, humming under his breath.
Definitely a bad guy, that one. Not so that scientist over there, he shooed them away with a gust of wind and sent the poor fellow scurrying for the exit. The next two he killed without a passing glance. The people in here were something of a mixed bag to his senses; most were scum, but not all. He was careful to pick his targets; the innocent lived and the guilty, those whose hearts were blacker than their own souls...well...
.
..
...Three guesses as to what happened to them. First two don't count.
He cornered a clerk against the wall with a smile. "Hey, pal. Where do you keep the important stuff in this joint?"
The man trembled.
He blew out a frustrated sigh. "Look, buddy, you're just a pencil pusher I don't wanna hurt ya. But you're gonna tell me one way or another. So what'll it be?"
...the t-t-top floor. Server room. You'll need an engram to get in!"
"Great!" He clapped him on the back. Thanks for being such a good sport about this. "You can go home now. Just one last thing." he craned his gaze up to regard the floors above. "What's on the top floor?
He looked back to find the fellow in a dead faint. Bah! He'd find it himself.
Did he feel bad about dispatching all these people? Mabe a little. But he couldn't let AraSUCKa get away with what they'd done. So in other words.
Boom.
Much boom.
All the booms!
A/N: We're back in business, folks.
To be clear, Naruto hasn't destroyed Arasaka Tower...yet.
Well? Should this little ficlet remain a story? Would you like weekly updates for tat matter?
Yay or nay! Really need to hear from you, here. If this story is voted into the "yay" category, I can promise faster updates and much more merry madness to come once my aunt's funeral is sorted out.
Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule for this story, and others. If folks don't enjoy this, it will remain, but won't be continued. Meaning that if the story itself isn't popular? Well, it won't be continued. 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.
So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...
...Review, Would You Kindly?
And because its a habit!
POTENTIAL PREVIEWS.
If this story stays off the ground.
If not...well. Suppose it depends on you.
Some of them are pretty far out, others are closer than you think...most are condensed to save space.
(Previews)
Gloria thrashed to her feet. "Again!"
"Again?! We've been at this for hours-
Her fist flashed quite close to his face. His eyes widened.
She grinned at him. "A~ga~in~!"
"So Arasucka wants to pick a fight with me, do they?
Gloria tilted her head. "Pretty sure its AraSAka.
"I know what I said." Naruto slung an arm over her shoulder. "Whaddya say? Up for a little mischief?"
The moment he was done, she jumped him.
A bullet whistled her way and she twisted away, letting it hurtle past. Slow...no, that wasn't it. She reached a glowing finger out and as it hurtled past, watched in muted awe as it instantly chanced direction, slammed into a man's skull and burst out the back of his head in ashower of red gore.
The now-crimson cadadaver slumped at her feet
. Still so slow, or was she just moving that fast. Maybe a bit of both? Whatever it was, she gloried in it and the rush of powe that came alongside it. No more weak tired, overworked Gloria. Now she had power. Now she had the strength to fight back.
Now this life was hers.
She dove into the fray with a cackle.
"I'm astounded. He palmed his face and shook his head, sending his hair swaying side to side. No, I'm absolutely flabbergasted."
His hand fell, but even then he couldn't completely see his eyes, those blasted blond bangs hid them from view. A subtle shiver of dread shot down his spine. Couldn't rightly say why. Kid didn't have a single speck of any kinda chrome on him. He was organic, through and through. In a fight there could be no contest.
So why.
Was he so.
Damn terrified right now?!
"I'm sorry." Naruto's shoulders shook once as he chuckled. "I can't help myself. I'm genuinely at a loss for words."
And then his head rose.
His eyes.
Oh gods his eyes.
What the hell were those eyes?!
"Did you honestly think I' would let you walk out of here alive?
"Heard you've been askin' about me...
"We're having a moment here!"
"Adam Smasher, was it?" he stepped over the corpses, uncaring of the blood on his boots, and lifted his chin to glare up at the machine man. "Not a bad name. Gives me an idea. Wanna hear it?"
The lumbering titan growled down at him. "And who the hell are you supposed to be, meatsack?"
Blue eyes boiled seven shades of searing scarlet, snapping into furious slits.
No. No freakin' way. He wasn't gonna...
.
..
...he was gonna.
"NARUTO SMASH!"
EDIT: Hey, you made it! Thanks for reading!.
I worked really hard on this, and I never have enough time to write these days, even so, I wanted to make folks happy...T_T
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.
Looking forward to hearing from you all when I get back from work~!
Feedback means the world to me. I appreciate you all~!
Warm regards,
~Nz.
R&R~!