A/N: Apologies for vanishing yesterday, I collapsed on the grass and needed time to recuperate. Still not feeling well, but I can't afford to take another it is what it is; work beckons, and I've bills to pay. Looking forward to any and all feedback, no matter how small or large you wish it to be. In other news...

I return at the promised time! As stated, I here we are with the return of Invincible Season Three~! I can finally stop waiting!

Would you prefer this story to become weekly once more? Several slots have opened up.

Kill the Boy, Arcane, and Running to the Edge tend to be monthly, as does Archon, time and schedule permitting,

At present, my update schedule usually looks a little like this these days:

Monday=...?

Tuesday=Hazbin Hote!

Wednesday=...?

Thursday=GOT/HOTD!

Friday=Elden Ring/Double Update Day!

Saturday=RWBY!

Sunday=HOTD/GOT! (Subject to change!)

Its not perfect, and sometimes life gets in the way, with at least one of those days is a recovery day for me; heck, sometimes I update seven days a week regardless!

Do let me know what you want to see and when! As ever, I own no references, quotes, themes or memes. They're tributes to legends far greater than little 'ol me. 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.

Now then, we'll be listing Naruto's current offspring in order from oldest to youngest from here on out to prevent confusion.

First and foremost, there's Samantha (Eve), then Joshua, Luca, Jessica, and finally little Amanda.

As ever, I own no references, quotes, themes or memes.

They're tributes, one and all.

Now off we go.

"Sir, are we actually considering this?"

"Against my better judgement...yes. Think about it. All that power in the hands of one person...its best we keep him happy...for now.

"For now?!"

"Until we find a way to turn the tables. In the meantime, give our friends in Japan a call. See what they can dig up.

After all, I don't waste talent."

~You Know Who.

Wanna Go Out

Anissa lay in bed and stared at the ceiling.

It held no answers for her.

Nor did the fan above.

On and on it turned, round and round it went, a cycle without end. Were she the philosophical sort, she might've made a remark about the circle of life, or perhaps the endless loop of violence her people had become mired in as of late. She was more than powerful to reach up and crush said spinning device if she wished, but breaking it wouldn't change anything, wouldn't stop the cycle.

It would just be more of the same; strength over substance; and with it, the slow death of the Viltrum Empire, not in glorious battle, but dying a death of a thousand cuts.

And there wasn't a damn thing she could do about it.

Ha! The irony almost made her laugh.

Deep thought had never been her strong suit; she often did as she pleased, when she pleased, with whom pleased her. Such had been her way for hundreds of years now. She lived by strength, followed strength, and one day, she would die to someone stronger than her. It wasn't the best life, but it was her life and she'd been...not content, not satisfied, not really, but willing to put up with it.

Until her world turned upside down.

Suddenly, she wasn't the strong one anymore. Or rather, she still was, but she'd found someone stronger than her. Been beaten, battered, broken, bent over and bred.

Truth be told, she rather enjoyed that last part in particular, having experienced it most thoroughly these last few days. Over and over.

Turning her hand about, she smirked and regarded the bite indentation upon her knuckles fondly, a mark hard enough to bruise.

It would vanish in time, as all her injuries inevitably did, but she would remember this mark. This, and every other left upon her body. Each one had been etched into her memory, never to be forgotten. Rough sex was the best sex, she found. Pure, no-holds-barred, coital bliss in its finest form, two warriors marking one another over and over. A seething carnal haze in which she could dominate and be dominated in return. Mostly the latter, if she was being wholly honest with herself. She wouldn't be walking straight for the rest of the day; already she found herself looking forward to the next round.

There it was; her problem. Did they ruin her? Or had she simply been ruined to begin with?

That was the question, wasn't it? She was a proud warrior of the Viltrumite Empire. She'd murdered so many she'd long since lost track. Planets quaked when they heard her name. Civilizations surrendered when they saw her in the skies of their world.

Yet here she was, wearing not a stitch of clothing, having a lazy day in bed, uncaring as the afternoon sunlight poured in through the window.

It had taken less than a month to break her down.

She'd let herself be...domesticated.

Once upon a time, the concept might've galled her. Going native, they called it. Soft. Not long ago, she would've happily razed this planet in the name of glory. Now she found herself thinking of children. The oldest girl of Uzumaki, Eve, absolutely loathed her. The second oldest, Josh, tolerated her. The remaining spawn of Uzumaki were a mixed bag. All in all, the children were...tolerable.

She didn't want one of her own.

No.

Nay.

Never.

She'd break the jaw of anyone who said otherwise.

Thragg would chide her for such weakness.

Conquest would beat her to death.

Thula would scoff.

Nolan...

.

..

...what was Nolan playing at?

He was the one who'd asked for her help in the first place. Did he know this would happen? Had be betrayed the cause?

Had she?

Since her defeat, she'd scarcely left the house, much less this room. Was she addicted? Brainwashed? Intoxicated? Yes to numbers one and three, not so two.

She didn't have an answer. And so her brow furrowed as she kept staring at the ceiling, lost in her own thoughts all alone.

"Just what the hell am I doing...?"

A soft sigh beside her answered that question. "Enjoying yourself?"

The Viltrumine woman rolled over, naked as the day she'd been born, without an iota of shame.

Besides, she didn't have the energy to rise at the moment.

Polly Uzumaki stared back at her, pale hair covering her right eye, one arm sprawled out over a pillow, wearing nothing but a smirk and a thin sheet. Weak. Human. Frail. These were the thought she had when she saw her. And yet she was the "husband" of her mate. Anissa still didn't understand the concept of marriage; but she knew it must've taken a great strength indeed to seduce Naruto Uzumaki. Not the physical sort, either...

"Something on your mind?" the dying woman smiled at her benevolently. "You've been glaring holes into the ceiling for an hour, now."

She scoffed and turned away. "Uzumaki left again."

His wife giggled. "Naruto does that. He's a busy fellow. You should try it, sometime."

Anissa clicked her tongue, refusing to look her way. "Try what?"

"Being a parent."

Urk.

Her imagination took the words and ran away with them, imagining a babe in her arms, a squalling infant with her eyes and hair color...

"Not now, of course," Polly sat up and began binding her hair into a loose ponytail, the action of which granted her a glimpse of the scars on her back. "But maybe someday. Its a wonderful feeling. You'd enjoy it, I think."

Anissa scowled her way. "You shouldn't be up."

"Dear girl, I'm hopped up on enough painkillers to floor an elephant. I'll be fine."

"If any harm befalls you in his absence...

"None of that!" Polly swept a hand back without looking and slapped her hindquarters; a gesture so weak she barely felt it. "I'm dying, I'm not naive. When my time comes, my time comes. I've made peace with it."

She bit her lip. "Death is for the weak."

"Is that what you believe?" a bright eye peeked over her shoulder, gleaming impishly. "By rights, you could kill me here and now. I wouldn't be able to stop you."

"And unleash the Fox's wrath? I think not."

"Hmhmmhmmm." Polly hummed smugly."You know, its not too late, Anissa. You can be happy. You can redeem yourself. You can have everything you've ever wanted."

She huffed, crossing both arms over her uniform. "And you believe that you know what I want?

"Naturally." Polly folded both legs beneath her, demure and seemingly healthy as can be. Anissa wasn't fooled. She could see the bone beneath the scarred skin, the veins pulsing within. They were more visible today than they had been yesterday. Her condition was worsening. "I believe you want three things." Holding out a pallid, hand, she began to count down from three fingers.

"Strength."

She had her there.

"Then, we have Security."

Also not incorrect. She held value in a given hierarchy.

"Last but not last, there's Affection."

True, she did rather enjoy being held, to say nothing of cuddles-GAH! Anissa choked. "Nonsense!"

"No?" Polly tilted her head. "You melt whenever Naruto and I touch you. Didn't you let both of us spoon you last night?"

Anissa made angry Anissa noises. "Don't make me break your neck."

"He doesn't realize this, naturally." Uzumaki's wife hid a giggle-turned-cough behind one hand. "He's a bit dense at times. Stubborn." a wry smile peeked out behind her palm. "But he's stronger than you. And getting stronger everyday."

Nonsense. Surely he couldn't exceed Thragg. Her Viltrumite instincts howled against it, and yet...

A pale finger tapped the bridge of her nose, snapping her back to reality.

"Love is a wonderful thing, Anissa." Polly leaned back, unafraid of her. "Marriage, even moreso. Someone to have and to hold, 'till death do you part. Its a shame your culture doesn't recognize it."

She batted her hand down, annoyed. "And yet you seek other paramours for him."

"Because I care." Undaunted, Polly reached out yet again, taking ahold of her face in a rare act of intimacy, one Anissa reluctantly allowed, so entranced was she by her voice. "I'll die someday." The Wife rolled her eyes when she said it; as though it were it a matter of fact, inevitable really. "Maybe not this year or the next, but with my broken body, after what the GDA did to me, I won't live to see a hundred." her lips pinched a little at the mere mention of her mortality. "And even if I did, Naruto would still outlast me. What will he have in five hundred years?"

Anissa blinked, realizing thing woman wanted an answer.

"Your children?"

Polly tutted and pinched her cheeks. "Eve, maybe, assuming she ever masters her powers, but I doubt her siblings will live that long. So what will he have?"

She was leading her somewhere with this, or maybe she was misreading her. Still, she had to ask. "Me?"

Poll's head bobbed in a nod. "You."

The realization floored her, worse than any punch.

Anissa went still, momentarily unable to process it. "You're entrusting him to me?

"Consider it a trial run. You're the first one to get a reaction out of him in years besides War Woman, and she's a whole other kettle of fish."

"Who? What is this kettle of fish of which you speak?

"Don't worry," she took one hand from her face to wave it about. "I'm working on her. Regardless, to me, my husband's happiness matters more than my own." here at last, a rare expression flashed across the mortal's face. "He's been through so much, suffered in silence for so long; I want to take that sadness and sorrow and smother it; drown it beneath an ocean of joy, and if I have to get him a damn harem to do so, then so be it. You want him, too, don't you? Sooo..."

Drawing her in, she kissed her forehead.

...take a leap of faith and help me help him. Whaddya say?"

Anissa blinked, puzzled by the saying. "Why leap when you can fly."

Polly burst out laughing. "No, no, its a saying, you silly goose."

"I am not some feisty fowl!"

Polly's laughter redoubled, until a coughing spasm overtook her. "Ack!" gasping a little, she wiped a thin line of blood from the corner of her lips. "Don't make me laugh so much. What I'm trying to say, is that this planet could be good for you."

Hadn't it been already? She certainly told a tantalizing tale and she and Naruto had more than tempted her with their bodies...no, no, focus. "How so?"

Another kiss followed, this one lingering on her lips. "Because your people know nothing of love."

There it was again, that damnable word she didn't understand.

She huffed and drew her close, pressing her sickly visage against her bosom. "Lust will suffice."

Polly grinned between her breasts, showering them with kisses. "Is it?"

Anissa hissed, and not from dismay. "Stop that."

"Why?" Another kiss. "Am I distracting you?"

"No, she growled, "Not at all."

Yes she was!

This weak waif of a woman sitting in her lap; she had no powers, no strength, her remaining lifespan might well be measured in months rather than years. And yet she had a different sort of strength. It would be easy to end her, break her body, but her mind would never break. Not even before monsters like Conquest or Thragg.

Wait. When had she begun to think of her own kind as monsters?

'Its this place,' she realized, panicking. 'This planet. They're getting to me.'

Was that Nolan's plan? Or had he fallen prey to this earth-weakness as well? She should say something, she should warn them, she should-

Polly looped both arms around her neck, using her as leverage to hoist herself upright before locking both legs around her waist. "I see the way you look at him." She kissed her neck, sending a shiver shooting through her. "He could give you a child." lips brushed the outer lobe of her ear. "A son. Would you like that?"

Anissa shot to her feet, red-faced and embarrassed. "Enough!"

Unfortunately she dragged Polly with her, still firmly secured against her lap, hanging onto her for dear life.

Naruto's wife smiled dauntlessly, wholly unafraid of being being dropped. "Hmm...that feels nice...

Not so Anissa!

In a panic -and terrified of what would happen should she harm her- the Viltrumite warrior sat back down; but the moment she did, Polly writhed upright to pin her against the pillows. One hand caged her wrists, while the other dipped lower, tracing past her stomach...lower still...

Lower.

"You'll be there to keep him occupied," Polly crooned seductively, nuzzling her nose with her own. "And when I'm gone, you'll be the one he looks to for strength. Doesn't that sound lovely?"

"He doesn't want to be occupied, and he doesn't want me-ah!" Anissa gasped, hips bucking as she mewled at her touch. "He wants you. You're the only one who matters."

Polly kissed her, silencing her protests, "And I want him to be happy, hun. Its the same thing, really. Now hold still and let me make you happy."

Anissa tried to protest, really she did; but it was no use.

Blasted woman was very good at what she did...

.

..

...resistance was futile. In a matter of moments, she was crying her name. "Polly...!

Almost on cue, a portal open behind them, swirling with green light.

Angstrom Levy poked his head through. "Is now a good time?

Polly leaned back, pouting in annoyance. "No? I need to make this girl cry my name at least three more times before I'm satisfied-

"Yes!" Anissa yelped out, peering past her captor in a panic. "Save me!"

He looked between them, noting their nakedness. "From what...?"

Polly tumbled off her with a sigh. "Relax, Levy, Naruto's not here. Did you need something?

"Hes isn't?" The dimension traveler chuckled. "I suppose that's perfect timing, then. We can surprise him."

Anissa blinked. "Surprise him...?"

Naruto's wife clapped her hands, delighted. "Is it finally finished, then?"

Angstrom sketched a deep bow and gestured to the portal.

"Come and see...

(.0.0.0.)

"I hate her."

Mark ducked a punch. "Eve-

"I hate, hate her!"

Blocked a kick that came barreling in at his face. "Will you just-

"I hate, hate, HATE her!"

"Alright, alright! I get it!" He hastily caught the right cross she threw at him, clumsily blocked with his forearm, then struck out at her ankle with his heel to trip her up and send her sprawling. "Stop trying to murder me!"

Train with me, she said.

C'mon, it'll be fun, she said.

You'll learn how to fight, she said.

Lies!

To her credit, Samantha righted herself slowly on the grass and didn't attack him again. Maybe it was the grimace on his face that did it, or the bruise on his cheek. Maybe it was the wary look in his eyes. Maybe she finally realized just how close she'd come to hurting him.

Regardless, she tucked her head into her chin and glared at the ground as she mumbled something under her breath. "...rry."

The younger Grayson planted a hand to his ear, cocking his head just so. "What was that?"

She looked up at him with a sniffle, eyes wide and watery. "M'sorry...

Urk. His heart. Girl had no business being that cute...!

He flailed for a new topic. "Is she really that bad?"

"Anissa is the literal worst!" Eve tore up a chunk of his yard with her powers and flung it into the air. "She's been squatting in our house forever! Why do Dad and Mom even keep her around?!"

Mark winced at the gaping hole she'd left behind. "Don't forget to put that back, or mom'll freak...

Eve huffed, but did as he bid. He patted her head, causing her to lean into him.

All the way into him, you know? He was growing up, and so was she.

His poor heart.

Distraction! Now! "You said your folks like her...then shouldn't you?

She squirmed against him. "Why should I? She threatened to kill me and my siblings!"

Yikes. Josh hadn't been kidding. She really was pissed off. "And didn't she get beat up for that...?"

Eve went back to glaring at the ground again. "Well, yeah...

"And she apologized after?"

"Sure...

"Has she done it again?"

A sullen growl was his reward. "No?"

He shrugged. "Then its all good, yeah?"

Eve glared up at him. "You're supposed to be on my side!"

Wuh-oh, angry friend!

"I am!" He flung up his hands. "Definitely. One-hundred-percent, no a thousand percent!"

She squinted at him, still doubtful. "Josh didn't put you up to this?"

...nope."

"You hesitated."

"Dunno what you mean." Warily, he slung an arm around her shoulders and steered the conversation to safer waters. "Look, your powers are badass. Hers aren't. If she does trying anything you can, I dunno, toss her into the sun or something."

Much to his horror, Eve actually seemed to genuinely consider it. "You think that'd kill her?"

"Eve, no. I was joking." he pinched her cheek, drawing a whine from her. "No tossing people into the sun. Supervillians do that. You're not a villain."

Annoyed, she batted his hand away. "Didn't your dad drop somebody from orbit the other day?"

"Yeah, but the guy lived!"

"How...?

"I dunno. Besides, I'm sure he had his reasons."

Her brow furrowed. "For letting someone almost burn up in the atmosphere...?"

Now it was his turn to bridle, just a little. His temper stirred and he stubbornly quashed it down. Eve didn't understand. She thought her Pops was the best hero, and maybe he had been, once upon a time, but his Dad was the greatest hero ever. Nobody could say anything bad about Omni-Man. Mark wouldn't believe it.

He absolutely refused.

"Look," he managed, gritting his teeth to force a smile, "I don't have my powers yet, so I can't pretend to understand what its like. If I want to fly, you have to help me. If a bad guy starts smashing up the street, all I can do is run away. If the world needs saving, I have to watch and hope for a miracle...

Eve squirmed all over again. "Mark...

He took his arm from her shoulders. "I guess what I'm trying to say is, be grateful for what you have. You're like, probably the most amazing person in the world. I'm just..me."

"You're not just you!" She grasped his hand before it could fall. "You're the best boy I know!"

"That's kinda of you to say, but...

She took a deep breath, steeled herself, and then: "You wanna go out?

He blinked, floored by the sudden question.

"Out where?"

"No, no," she waved her hands, flailing a little. "I mean out. Like out, out."

"I don't follow."

Eve kissed his cheek. "Out."

Ohhh. Realization broke like the dawn and a glorious dawn it was.

To be fair, Mark thought most girls were icky. But not Eve. No, never Eve. "Aren't we a little young for dating...?

"Mom always says the earlier bird gets the worm. Or the fish." she tapped a finger to her the chin. "I'm pretty sure it was the fish...besides, that Amber girl across the street kept staring at you." huffing a little, she drew his arm closer, all but hugging his limb. "She can't have you. You're mine."

Mark snorted, shocked and awed and bemused all at once. "Samantha Eve Uzumaki, was that a joke...?"

His best friend-and-maybe-girlfriend grinned. "Maybe. C'mon, lets get some ice cream. My treat.

She took flight, taking him into the air with her.

She held his hand the entire way.

Best!

Daaay!

Everrrrrr!

(.0.0.0.)

This was the worst day ever.

Naruto took a seat before Cecil, and planted his arms on the table, face carved from stone.

Cecil stared back at him, wearing a grimace all his own.

The very world seemed to hold its breath, waiting.

Neither budged an inch, but then, finally:

One of them spoke.

"Lets talk."

A/N: Scene~!

I feel the need to reiterate that THIS iteration of Angstrom is genuinely a good guy at this point.

His life hasn't gone bonkers.

Perhaps it never will.

Would you like weekly updates? Do let me know? 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 below.

Don't mind the X symbols, the site doesn't like scene breaks.

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)

A building crumbled. A child screamed and covered their face, desperate not to see the end of their life.

He raced their way. War Woman beat him to it.

Great. The last thing he needed was the Guardians.

"We need to talk.

"Do we? I have nothing to say...

He walked away, only for her to grab his wrist. "Not this time! Talk to me!

Blue eyes flitted down to her fingers, still gripping his arm. "Let go."

She didn't; of course she didn't, the stubborn girl.

"Not until you hear me out!"

"I'm warning you...

x

"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.

x

"Had enough?"

He planted a fist in the dirt and took a long, shuddering breath.

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?!" he slammed his fist down. "Are you enjoying yourself?! Having fun?! Well?! Answer me!

x

EDIT: I still haven't forgiven the show for making Thula old and ugly, messing with her voice, and just casting her aside for no reason.

Needless to say, we're sticking with more-youthful comic version of her, not the mad maniac we got in the show.

...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 in the 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."

Thula gulped and clasped both hands behind her back.

"Very well, then...

DOUBLE 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.