We are back once again! With a vengeance! Now there’s not a lot I really have to say about in this bit at the top, so we’ll just move on to the story itself.
~TCL~
Twilight Velvet was many things.
A mother of three, a writer of notable worth, and “best mom” as denoted by her son Spike.
She was also patient, and understanding. She had to be, having had to basically raise three children, though luckily, no more than two at a same instance and occasion.
“Um, excuse me, Naruto?” she started out, causing the buggy teen to look up at her from his position on the tree’s side. Sitting parallel to the ground, as he held a stick with a string on it holding a gem, while Spike did his absolute best to try and catch it.
Seeing the mother of Shining giving him a worried look, he smiled before allowing himself to fall off the tree and land safely on the ground, handing a slightly tuckered out Spike the emerald gem. The tired drake child simply grinned, before stuffing his prize into his mouth.
Kids truly were simple sometimes.
Stretching, he eyed the mother of three.
Twilight Velvet seemed like she was pretty used to shenanigans when it came to her kids. Bearing pale lavender and white striped hair and tail, a pale gray fur color, and light baby blues for eyes. On her left hand was what looked like three purple stars. She was dressed in a slightly puffy gray blouse, with a white skirt.
Eying him slightly, she couldn’t help but wonder.
“I couldn’t help but wonder. It’s been a month, and I don’t think I’ve seen you in anything other than that tracksuit you’re fond of, or a long sleeve and sweatpants combo,” she noted, to which the blonde froze.
He didn’t know why, but that trail of thoughts she was probably having was setting off the alarms in his head. Was there something wrong with him wearing what he got from the royal guard for clothing?
All day, every day. Except for those few times, that he wore his tracksuit?
Why was this trail of thoughts worrying him so?
“Uh, yeah. Shining and the other guys from the Royal Guard gave them to me when they found out about my... lack of other clothes,” he said in an unsure tone. Velvet’s eyes closed as she thought, her brows coming together as she put her mind to use.
Night Light was out for work elsewhere and Shining was at the Royal Guard HQ in the Princess’s castle going through drills. Naruto would have gone with him, but they wouldn’t be taking the blonde in just yet. Something about making his verification paperwork? Besides the point, Twilight, her daughter, was currently also at the castle, studying under the Princess.
It was just her, Spike and Naruto. The only reason Spike was here was because Velvet had asked for him to be. Plus, the little drake seemed to grow greatly attached to the bug-teen. Stating that, and she quotes, “He’s different from everypony else! Like me!”.
She’d honestly felt a little heartbroken by that. That her son, as he was nothing less than that, could speak such words of alienation. It was one of the many reasons she asked for him today.
That said, she couldn’t help but open her eyes and turn her gaze on the blonde teen, as he flinched under her stare. She looked for a little longer, before nodding.
“Boys, or really Spike, time to put on some outside attire. We’re going clothes shopping!” She declared with urgency, causing the blonde to show an expression of horror, as Spike was simply chewing on his treat.
The life of a child was truly blissfully ignorant.
~TCL~
“Come on you two! We’re simply going to get a few clothes for Naruto, and maybe even get Spike a new onesie,” Velvet said with enthusiasm, holding Spike’s hand, as the group traveled the streets of Canterlot’s marketplace.
Naruto could only grumble behind her as they walked. His mind filled with the future torture of being thrown through a hurricane of clothes, and apparel. His mind drifted back to the few times he and Ino hung out, usually with either Chouji and/or Shikamaru present, and he noticed that she’d almost always be ready to shop when he was around.
To this day, he still wasn’t sure why.
As they passed shop after shop, the blonde allowed his eyes to wander.
For the most part, from what he could gather from Shining and the rest of the guys and gals in the Royal Guard, Canterlot was basically a place for royalty, nobles and the well off. The place was pretty well kept. Streets were clean, light fixtures were luminescent and the ponies were, for the most part, as snooty as one would expect.
He watched as another pair of ponies passed, their eyes catching his before they shoved their noses high into the air.
He rolled his eyes at them, before making a rude gesture, causing them to look appalled. He snickered some before he got hit in the back of the head by a purse by Shining’s mom, or “Shiny” as she called him.
The blonde still wasn’t going to let that one die. He had to get his mileage, and Bright would get his.
"Junior Shiny" was going to be a thing.
Rubbing his “injury”, he turned back to catch Velvet’s stern disapproving look, causing him to wilt. He’d never known a mother’s love, but he already knew that he didn’t like a mother’s disappointment.
It was more than a little bit unnerving.
“*Sigh* Naruto you shouldn’t do those kinds of things in front of Spike. You know that he looks up to you, almost as much if not more so than Shining,” she said, bringing his attention to the small drake.
Spike was currently looking at him in confusion as he sucked on his thumb. Those eyes of emerald green seemed to search his soul in that moment of eye contact. Once seemingly done, Spike turned his head back ahead, as Velvet nodded.
Naruto scratched the back of his chitin covered head, before slumping.
“Sorry~” He let out in a drone. She smiled at him.
“I know that some of the ponies around here can be a bit...standoffish,” he snorted at this and mumbled a few things. Her glare kept him silent. “But that doesn’t mean you should let them get to you,” she finished sagely, before looking both ways and leaning in.
“Besides, they have a pole shoved so far up their plots, I’m sure they lift their nose so high up so they can breathe.” She whispered to him, causing him to look at her in shock before he laughed.
Oh, this mare!
She laughed herself, as Spike looked on confused. Looking down at the drake, the blonde ruffled his head fins as they moved on.
Maybe this wouldn’t be so bad.
~TCL~
Why, oh why did he tempt fate?!
Currently, he was standing in front of Velvet as she looked him up and down. His current set of attire was a pair of jeans, with a white undershirt and a dark blue vest. Giving him one last look-over, she laughed sheepishly.
“I guess Nighty’s clothing style doesn’t really fit you,” she said. He sent her a look, before sighing.
He had a feeling this was going to be...interesting.
The next moment found the blonde ninja in a set of white long cargoes with an orange sweater-jacket top. The top left unzipped so that he could see the black shirt underneath that bore the sign of a crossing set of halberds. The collar came up enough that he could pull his head down slightly to cover his mouth, if he wanted to.
Velvet looked him over once more before she nodded at him.
“That looks so nice!” he smiled nervously at her.
“Great, so we’ll just take this and-” she threw him a look.
“Naruto that’s the first outfit. We still have so many more to go through. One for formal occasions, informal occasions, funerals, weddings, PTA meetings….” and she trailed on. That list had more points than he had inches in height!
The next moment had the blonde in a tux. The blazer was open to show the white dress shirt underneath, and the black dress pants were seemingly made of the finest silk.
He turned himself over in it as he looked in the mirror.
Okay, he didn’t mind the suit as much as he thought he would, so that was a plus. The downside was apparently that this suit was for his wedding.
How far ahead did this mare try to think? Next thing you know, he’ll be looking at the suit he’d be wearing for his own funeral!
He spotted Spike just sitting there in a giant purple bunny onesie. He was currently nibbling at the end of his spade-like tail, idly sucking on the edges.
At least one of them was enjoying this.
“Ooh, we’ve got pick one up for the day of Shining’s promotion to lieutenant!”
He sighed.
~TCL~
He shuffled in place, as he sat in the chair next to Spike. He was very aware of the stares he got, as Velvet shuffled through the clothing aisle after aisle, before setting herself up in front of them.
The blonde eyed the mountain of clothing articles with trepidation.
Sweet Kami! They were going to be here all day! Unless…!
‘Naruto, you’re a genius!’ he couldn’t help but pat himself on the back.
This plan couldn’t possibly backfire!
He chuckled sinisterly, as he walked over to Velvet who was trying to decide what combination of blouses to choose.
“Ahem! Hey Velvet?” he tried to get her attention.
“Hold on, Naruto, I’ll try on the first set soon! Now would this do good with my….mumble, mumble,” she didn’t really hear him, but that was okay, he had a sure-fire plan for this.
Velvet was currently trying to choose between the maroon blouse and the wine red cardigan before she caught sight of a flash of light out the corner of her eye. Turning to it, she froze as she found herself in the audience of…
Herself?
She slowly turned away from her mountain of clothes, to take in the sight of her mirror image. Slowly reaching up to touch her face, the copy did the same. Tapping the top of her head, it followed. It was as she got a closer look at her double, she noticed that the clothes “she” was wearing.
In all of a second, her eyes snapped wide.
“N-Naruto?” She shakily uttered, as she saw her reflection grin at her.
“In the flesh! Or in this case, in your flesh!” he said, before grimacing.
‘That sounded way better in my head.’
Velvet seemed too shocked to notice.
“H-how? Why?” She was needing some help there, and so he obliged her. He held up a finger with a grin.
“Easy! I’ve always been able to do this. I just never showed you guys because it honestly never came up. I figured since you’re going to want to try on just about every combination of clothing...I thought, might as well make this faster! Plus this! Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!” The next instant there was smoke before Velvet found herself nearly fainting in shock, as well as the other patrons of the store.
10 Velvet’s stood in a line. Each of them grinning like a certain blonde teen she was getting to know.
Naruto was too happy with himself to notice the encroaching darkness of Velvet’s shadow visage. His eyes closed, and grin on his face, he was ever the oblivious one.
His first notion that something was wrong, was the shiver he felt down his spine.
The second was when he noticed just how quiet it had gotten in the store.
His third was when he felt that iron like grip on his shoulders.
So he blinked and opened his, copy-velvet’s, eyes and saw his doom.
Twilight Velvet’s eyes had become shining stars in the darkness that her bangs cast over her face. A mockery of a polite smile played against a shadowy background.
“Naruto…” he froze at the sight, but when she spoke his name, he knew right then and there.
He was fucked.
“You also wouldn’t happen to be able to change into a few other ponies, would you?” he gulped audibly.
~TCL~
He simply allowed his head to lull backward over the back edge of the bench. His eyes closed, as he simply tried to relax. Spike was by his side as they sat in the park. Velvet was long gone, with a small group of his clones carrying all the clothes both bought for him, her, and the rest of her family.
Spike had kept the onesie though.
“Ugh, Spike how you hanging in there buddy?” He used enough energy to look over at the small drake who was currently kicking his feet back and forth happily. Smiling at him, he looked over in the distance to a small cart vendor.
“Come on little man, I’ll get you some ice cream for being my best friend of the day,” he said as he got onto his feet. Waiting for Spike to follow, he held the little boy’s hand before they walked over to the vendor of the sweet cold treats.
Several moments later, they were walking away from a confused stallion, who didn’t know what kind of sick joke he was in.
A bug pony and a baby dragon walk up to an ice cream cart!
What was the punchline?!
As they left a pony in a state of utter confusion, they made their way through the park proper. The ninja was happy to be stretching his legs, while Spike was currently enjoying his ice cream to the best of his ability.
Each couple they passed, couldn't help but stop and stare at the pairs. A duo of non-equines just casually walking through the park, and they were the center of all the talk going around.
Or maybe it was the sight of an adorable baby dragon in a bunny onesie? Who knew.
Finding a spot by a picnic table, the two settled down for a bit. Taking the occasional lick of their dairy treats, as they vacantly watched the world pass them by.
Taking another appreciative lick of his ice cream, Spike couldn’t help but notice how Naruto, his BBBB “best big bug-bro”, seemed to look at his ice cream with a small smile. The drake licked his once more, as he stared at the blond.
Naruto couldn’t help but chuckle as he looked at the frozen treat. Mind flashing back to two similar instances of eating a frozen treat with his own teachers.
‘Iruka-sensei. Ero-sennin,’ he thought solemnly, before looking at Spike, who was staring at him with a curious look.
“Ice cream not good?” the kid dragon asked, causing the blonde to blink before he chuckled once more. Taking a decently large chomp, before giving Spike a grin, right before his face broke out into a pained expression.
‘Why did I do that?!’
He massaged his temple as he groaned.
“Brain-freeze, bad idea. Really bad idea,” he muttered, causing Spike to giggle before he looked at Naruto again. This time the blonde noticed the look of focus on Spike’s face.
“Naruto is happy?” This question caught Naruto off guard, as he looked down at his smaller male companion. Spike himself was looking at his ice cream, rolling the cone in his hand, before stopping and doing it again.
“What do you mean Spike?” The little dragon looked up at him.
“Naruto looks sad. Did somepony do something to you?” The frown on the little drake’s face just made the blonde feel guilty. He didn’t want Spike catching his melancholy. Especially not now.
Placing his hand on Spike’s head, he ruffled his spines.
“No need to worry Spike, just thinking about somebo-, somepony, I used to know.” The drake gave him a look.
“Far-away?” Naruto smiled.
“Yeah...Something like that. I’m probably not going to be seeing that person for a while. He and me used to eat ice cream like this, every now and again. I guess I was just remembering.” He said with a small smile before Spike gave him a look. Shoving his ice cream in Naruto’s face.
“Ice cream! We can have ice cream all the time. Then you can tell your friend about it!” The blonde merely looked at the slightly melting frozen treat, before his mind caught up to Spike’s words, and he laughed.
The drake seemed to frown before he found his ice cream bumping against Naruto’s own.
“Yup. We’ll have ice cream too. We’ll try every flavor there is, and every kind there must be. Then when I meet that person again, I’ll tell him all about them, and my little buddy who helped me eat them.” He grinned, causing the little drake’s eyes to shine, as he nodded. They settled back into their seats, enjoying their treats.
The blonde felt a little lighter that day.
~TCL~
Cleaning up Spike’s face after they were done, at the water fountain the two continued. Spike for his part wanted to go play on the swings, and Naruto was willing to indulge him.
It was as they were walking the path, that Naruto found himself watching as Spike ran off in some random direction with a yell of “Twilight!”, causing the buggy teen to look up to find the onesie-wearing Spike, hugging a surprised, lavender sundress-clad form of Twilight.
The nine-year-old unicorn was surprised to find her little brother hugging her at the moment before she looked up to see an incoming Naruto.
The composite eyed teen let out a small wave, as Spike began to babble on to Twilight about his day.
“Then we got ice cream! Now we’re gonna go and play on the swings!” the drake finished, Twilight’s eyes going wide, as she turned to the blonde.
“You went shopping with mom?” The tone she had when she said who he went shopping with, made it all clear.
He had survived. He was triumphant!
He basked in the fake glory.
“Heheheh, kind of, yeah. Your mom is crazy picky,” he commented running a finger under his nose, as Celestia’s protege nodded. She knew just how eager her mother could be when it came to some things. Much less clothes.
“Naruto changed into mom! Then made all these copies, and we got through it in no time!” Turning to Naruto to ask what Spike meant, but instead found another her. She stared at the copy as Spike ran over to her double.
“See! See!” he said, as he jumped around the other her. She tried and rationalize how this could be possible. As far as she knew, there were no spells for such a thing. Maybe Naruto was a high powered unicorn?! OR a Bicorn! She’d never seen one! Wait, did Bicorns even exist?! He did have two horns, or possibly...
She would have continued this train of thought, were it not for feeling someone tapping her on the head, bringing her out of her reverie. She looked up at the normal form of Naruto, as he smiled at her.
“You doing okay there Twilight? You looked like you saw your doppelganger,” he smirked, as Spike giggled.
“Y-you’re impossible! There’s no known pony, not even the princess, that can do that! The very statistical chance of anypony being able to change like that is impossible! I’ve never seen anything like that in the princess’s library!” She nearly knocked him over with her exclamations, before he put a hand to her head.
“Whoa, whoa, whoa! Easy there Twilight! Deep, even breaths..Breathe.” The eldest’s, of the three, words caused her to take a moment to stop, and do as he said.
Several deep breaths later, she let out one more expulsion of air, before looking down at the floor. Her cheeks burning a fierce red, as she hid her face behind her large backpack. Eyes peeking over the edge, she apologized.
“I’m so, so, so sorry! I didn’t mean to do that! It’s just...I’ve never read a book about you before. I’ve read about griffins, minotaurs, donkeys, mules, zebras, the saddlian ponies…” she began to ramble again, causing the blonde to pat her once more on the head causing her to squeak and cover face with her bag again.
“Twilight, Twilight. I get it. You’ve never seen something like me before, you don’t need to go all textbook on me. I have a hard enough time getting textbooks as is.” She felt like her face was going to burn off, but she took one more deep breath, allowing her enflamed face to cool slightly.
“I’m sorry. I’m just surprised that we’ve never heard of your kind before.” He simply nodded at her, before adding.
“Well, it’s not like I know what I am either. For the most part, I’m still finding out about all this,” he gestured towards himself, “ myself.”
Twilight looked to the blonde in thought, before she smiled a big smile.
“We can document you! I mean, if we put this all down on paper, we could have the first account of your kind in Equestria! We might get our names added to the library’s authors list!” Her eyes shined in the shape of her Cutie Mark, nearly blinding Naruto himself.
Well, at least she wasn’t embarrassed anymore.
~TCL~
There was much to be said about Twilight Sparkle. She was young but smart. She endeavored to live up to the title of “Celestia’s student”, she had a distinct taste for pistachio ice cream, and was an avid reader. Also, she was kind of awkward in social situations, join the club, and she was a great writer for her age.
Naruto, however, could say with the utmost confidence that Twilight Sparkle, Celestia’s student, and little sister to Shining while older to Spike, was one more thing.
She really, really, tanked hard when it came to anything artistic.
She could make all the funny looking schemas, equations and formulas she wanted. She just plain sucked at drawing.
Not that Naruto was that much better, but he was not one for documenting pictures hand-drawn anyway.
“...”
“...”
“...Moose?” And Spike’s words were definitely more on track with what the blonde was thinking, sending a currently face-booking Twilight, even further into her hard covered book.
“It looks kind of like a deer?” His own input seemed to just make the impression of her face into hard leather that much more distinct.
“Mmmmmmm…” Her groans caused him to laugh nervously, as he scratched the side of his forehead. Spike chose to instead pick up a pencil and began scribbling on a piece of paper. Naruto, for his part, tried to get Twilight’s face out of her book. In the more literal sense of the word.
“Come on, Twilight. Twi~ Come on, it’s not that bad.” She removed her face from the hardcover to give him an annoyed look.
“Not that bad, not that bad! I drew you as a MOOSE! Arghh!” Book held a face once more, and he just sweatdropped.
Well, at least she wasn’t denying it.
“Authors!” He found something shoved into his face, from a pleased looking Spike. With the paper so close up, the blonde could barely see the colors on it. Something black and yellow, but he wasn’t sure.
“Uh, Spike? Little buddy? I can’t really see.” His words granted his vision back, only for Spike to repeat his words.
“Authors?” he said, but it sounded more like a question. Looking over at the drake, he saw what he was showing him and chuckled.
“...Twilight? You might want to look at this,” he said, without moving his head away from the sight.
Twilight, who deigned it inappropriate to cover one’s face with a book undeserving of it, regardless of how much she still wanted too, looked over at Naruto wondering what he was talking about.
She caught sight of the paper in Spike’s hand and stared for a moment.
On the sheet of wood product was a picture. A picture of a black and yellow looking figure in what seemed like clothes. Mind you, she understood that it was Naruto, obviously from the tail, but what she found out about it was.
It still looked better than her own.
Her eye twitched.
~TCL~
He made sure that Spike was set in the clones lap before the blonde set himself up on his own. Twilight choosing to sit in the middle of the two on the last swing, as she held a notebook in hand. On the cover was the picture that Spike drew, much to her indignance.
Set himself up for a good rhythm, he started off. Luckily there weren’t that many ponies nearby, if any. Those that were here began to empty out for the moment.
“So ask away Twilight,” he said, as he leisurely moved back and forth, legs kicking every so often. The young unicorn smiled, before looking down at her notebook.
“For reference, how tall are you?” And the questioning continued like that. Each time she asked a question, he gave an answer that would be described to the best of his ability.
What food he ate, how he transformed, his lack of flying capability (he was sad about this one), his two horns (was he capable of magic? She wanted to test this when they could), and other such things.
One of the questions she asked though, did have him wondering.
“You have the ability to transform, but what is the biggest thing you’ve changed into?” He and his clone actually stopped at that, causing Spike to whine.
The clone kept swinging leaving things up to the original.
The blonde bug couldn’t really say he had tried transforming into anything that wasn’t a pony, human, or bipedal. If he wanted to be truly technical, he’d transformed with Henge into the Kyuubi before, but that involved Gamabunta.
...Holy shit!
The blonde stopped with a look of shock on his face before he scrambled off his swing seat. Standing up, and moving away from Twilight, who looked at him in confusion.
“Naruto? What happened?” she inquired bemusedly, as he scratched the back of his head before grinning.
“You just reminded me of something! I just hope this works.” He said, before bringing the soft underside of his thumb to his mouth.
Making the incision with his canine, NOT his bigger fangs due to habit, and ran through a set of handsigns before bringing them down on the ground.
“Kuchiyose no Jutsu!” he spoke the jutsu name, before being enveloped by a decently sized smoke cloud.
“What the...Who summoned me? The last time I remember being summoned…” A slightly deep voice echoed out from the cloud, before it cleared, leaving all those in attendance dropping their jaw. The clone stopped swinging with Spike, as he stared at who was left in the smoke.
Luckily, Spike found himself preoccupied with the sight of the…
“Giant Frog!” He grinned.
“Huh? What the…? Is that a horse? That a talking lizard?” Gamakichi asked, as another figure walked in front of him, before grinning.
“Gamakichi! Man am I glad to see you!” The giant toad blinked for a moment, before turning to the bug teen standing in front of him. His horizontal pupils seemed to focus in on him for a moment, before trailing up to the mop of blonde on top of his head and gasping.
“NARUTO?!” The blonde himself grinned as if Christmas had come early. It was but a moment before the two bumped fist, the blonde laughing all the while.
Twilight at that point dropped her pen, notepad….and her jaw. The clone next to her saw fit to close the last one, lest she catch flies.
The toad looked at the blonde’s new form.
“Naruto! Where have you been?! Ma and Pa have been worried sick! Much more so, everyone else is wondering where you went.” The blonde scratched the back of his head for a moment before he looked up at his first ever true toad summon.
“It’s been a long story...A really long story. I just need you to reverse summon me to Mt. Myobokuzon,” he stated, only to find the toad wearing a frowning expression. His face only morphed to match the expression on his long time friend’s face.
“‘Kichi?” The blonde’s inquiring tone caused the toad to sigh.
“Naruto, you may not realize it, but we’ve been trying to reverse summon you for a while now. As in, ever since you haven’t returned back, the moment Pein revived all the lost lives,” his words caused the blonde to stiffen before his expression fell.
“So you mean?” Gamakichi nodded his head solemnly.
“Trying to get you back has been fruitless, and not from lack of trying.” Naruto kind of slumped over, as he listened to the news before he sighed. He ruffled his hair, as he looked down at his feet.
“Damn. I kind of had a feeling, but I was still the smallest bit hopeful, ya know?” The summon nodded his head, yet before the conversation could continue, they were interrupted by dual shouts.
“Wait Naruto, what is this?!/Trixie demands to know how to summon giant toads!” The duo of toad and bug only stared for a moment, before turning to find Twilight had gotten up, and there was another small blue unicorn filly by the swingset.
....
“Crap.”
~TCL~
The little azure unicorn, Trixie, was not swayed. Naruto could only hold his head in his hands, as Gamakichi laughed in the background.
“Trixie demands to know the spell to summon giant creatures. She must be able to summon creatures to set upon her enemies!” Twilight merely looked at Trixie in confusion, before the azure filly turned to her.
“And you!” She pointed her finger dramatically, causing Twilight to flinch before pointing a finger at herself.
“M-me?”
“Yes, you! You’re Twilight Sparkle! You became Celestia’s student when you just entered the school. Once Trixie beats you, she will be called the greatest of all the students!” The lavender colored filly, merely rubbed her hands against one another.
“D-do we have to?” Trixie’s gaze turned determined.
“Yes! Trixie must beat you to gain access to the summoning beast spell!” That caught Naruto’s attention.
“Wait what?” Trixie merely turned to him with a satisfied expression.
“Obviously, you are Sparkle’s master, outside of Celestia! You were planning on teaching her your spell, but Trixie found you! She will win the right to summon a majestic creature!” Naruto merely looked on, still confused, before hearing her last words.
He cracked a smirk, before pointing back at Gamakichi.
“Him?” He was about to snort, but the hard slap to the back of the head from ‘Kichi had him steadying himself. The toad merely grinned.
“At least she has good taste.”
Naruto merely grumbled before he thought about this situation, and grinned an impish grin.
“So you wish to fight my pupil, Twilight Sparkle, do you? You wish to gain the ability to summon the, uh, oh, Mighty and Majestic toads of Mt. Myobokozon?” he said in a larger than life voice, causing both fillies to turn to him before Trixie nodded eagerly.
“Then you must pass my three challenges!” This was all for the sake of hamming it up.
He was doing this for two reasons.
One, to create some entertainment for himself.
Two, to get Twilight some friends, Kami above knew she needed one. A rival was always a good place to start.
Hopefully, she didn’t follow his example in rivals though.
“What no!/Trixie accepts!”
~TCL~
“I can’t believe you did that. *yawn* That was tiring,” Twilight commented from his back, as Spike was well asleep on his clone’s back as they walked home.
“Hey in the end you had fun. Besides, you need to make friends. In the end it seemed more like she was Spike’s friend then yours,” he commented. They had dropped off the azure colored eight-year old at some elder looking pony. Though they did nearly give him a heart attack.
Gamakichi was quickly sent home afterwards, with a promise from Naruto to summon Ma and Pa later.
He felt Twilight thump him once on his back, weak as the blow was, even for a child.
“That’s only because she showed him some of her magic tricks,” she grumbled into his back.
“You mean the ones you couldn’t do?” He heard her grumble some more.
“I could have done it...If i had some time.” He merely smiled.
“Hey, it’s not like you didn’t show some of your own stuff as well. While you both have some good tricks, you still beat her with that small time teleportation spell. So you guys are about even. Maybe you can trade spells sometime,” he stated to a quickly becoming drowsy Twilight.
“*Yawn* I don’t...think..so. ZZZZzzzzzzzz.” He listened as she finally fell asleep, before shaking his head.
It wasn’t like she didn’t have fun though. He remembered seeing the smile on her face as she went against Trixie. The blue unicorn filly herself probably didn’t notice it either. If they ever just got together to talk, they’d probably be the best of friends.
“Sasuke…” He looked skyward at the setting sun. His mind going back to his once upon a time friend, wondering what the Uchiha must be doing at this point.
“I wonder if you ever did get your wish, and if you’ll just come back to Konoha afterwards,” he muttered, as he continued on. Him and his clone, carrying a pair of sleeping children.
~TCL~
Getting to the Light/Velvet household, Naruto was quickly ushered inside by Night Light and Twilight Velvet. Taking their children from the blonde’s care.
“Thanks Naruto, it’s good to know that they’re home. Safe, and sound,” Night Light said, as he cradled his daughter in his arms. Dressed for bedtime, he was in his Yellow pajamas, while Velvet was clad in a bathrobe holding Spike.
“No problem Mr. Light. It was good to hang around with the both of them today. It’s only right that I make sure they come home, without worry,” Naruto said quietly, causing the two to smile. Before he was about to go to the couch, Velvet spoke up.
“Oh, there’s some food left on the table. Spike and Twilight won’t be able to have theirs, but you can share some out for yourself,” she said, before leading off to Spike’s shared room with Twilight, Night Light right behind her.
Nodding his head before she left, he made his way to the kitchen, turning the lights on. He spotted the pot of food and looked in to find some spaghetti with parmesan.
“I’m seriously starting to like this stuff. It ain’t no ramen, but it’s definitely a close second,” he said, as he shared himself out some, before taking a seat at the table.
Swirling the fork in his hand, before bringing the food to his mouth, he chewed and enjoyed the cheesy flavor.
“A mother’s cooking, huh?” He took another bite, “I guess I’ve been missing out on this.”
He finished off the night with a full stomach, and a small smile.
~TCL~
A Week Later…
“Come on boys, another set and you’re done!”
“Can...you...keep up...Naruto?!”
“Please...Remember...I’m...leading...by….20!”
The scene of the backyard of the Light/Velvet household was a sight full of sweat, slight or otherwise, cheering from Spike, and viewing from the wife of the household.
Night Light held the watch as time ticked by. His normal combo of dress pants, shirt and vest changed. In place was a visor and no vest, as he finally clicked down on the stopwatch.
“Time!” he called out, causing both of the boys to stop. One falling back from sit-up position, sweating profusely. The other was sweating only slightly, all the while checking the weighted bands around his forearms, shins, chest, head, neck and biceps.
Naruto finished his inspection of the weighted equipment before sitting up next to the gasping Shining. The unicorn officer gave him a look of disbelief.
“What kind of pony are you?!” he wheezed out, as the blonde smirked
“The kind that still did 30 more sit-ups than you, with weighted clothes. Also, not a pony.” The bug teen grinned impishly, as Shining let his head fall. Night Light moved over to them with Spike at his side, the small drake carrying a set of towels.
“Good job boys! Shining, you got 34 sit-ups in under a minute, a new record for you. Naruto though, beat you out by 31, a total of 65 sit-ups,” Shining’s dad commented, causing the white unicorn to groan, as Naruto got both towels, tossing one at Shining’s head. The white unicorn allowed the, cooler than him, cloth to stay there as Naruto gave Spike a little hi-5.
“Shining, remember you promised to pick up Twilight today! I heard Cadence would be there~” Shining’s mother sang.
All those in the yard never saw a unicorn recover so fast, as the junior officer seemed to kip up, and dash off inside to take a shower, all in one moment.
The rest simply laughed, as Shining’s yelp reached their ears.
“Ah! The water! It’s cold!”
~TCL~
Naruto looked over at Shining as the two walked down the park path. The buggy one wearing a large dark blue shirt with a yellow circle on the front and back that said, “Here comes the awesome!”. Wearing a pair of tan shorts with dark brown bars going down halfway of the pants legs.
“Geez man, cool it! You act like you’ve never seen Cadence before. Also, nice comb over,” the blonde said mockingly, as Shining finicked with his hair once more, before sending the blonde non-equine a sour look.
Wearing a clean, pressed, white long sleeve dress shirt, and dark dress pants, Shining continued to mess around with his hair. Reaching into his breast pocket of his brown, light jacket, he pulled out a half-eaten pack of mints, tossing one back.
Naruto simply shook his head, before snatching the mint package from Shining and taking one for himself.
“Naruto! What are you, doing?! I need those!” Shining said as he snatched back the package.
Naruto sent him a flat look.
“It was ONE mint.” Shining was not moved.
“Yeah, MY one mint. I only have so many left.” Naruto deadpanned.
“Shining you bought that TODAY! HALF AN HOUR AGO. You finished HALF of them already!” The unicorn looked appalled.
“What if I need to freshen up!” Naruto rose an eyebrow at him.
“Please, if there’s anything Cadence will be suffering from this evening, it’ll be your minty fresh breath.” The blonde shot out, only to find the unicorn was now gargling water from a fountain, causing him to facepalm.
“Dude! Calm down! You’re blowing this way outta proportions.” Shining couldn’t help but snort.
“What do you know about love, Naruto?! You wouldn’t be saying this if you were the one with a cru-affection for somepony!” His piece said, he went back to gargling. The bug merely shrugged his shoulders.
“Newsflash, I’ve had crushes before. Well, one, but that’s beside the point. I wasn’t this bad.” Then again, he never did get Sakura to date him. The few times they went out to eat together, it always seemed to involve someone coming in about a quarter of the way, or they were in a group to begin with.
He definitely, wouldn’t be stressing it like Shiny was, though. He totally wasn’t slightly envious that Shining’s pink haired/furred crush actually gave him the time of day. He did not have issues.
Totally.
Once the unicorn male was done gargling, they continued onward. Roaming through parkways, in search of a certain little unicorn foal, and her foalsitter.
Coming up on a small hill, the duo found themselves looking from their vantage point, before Shining’s gaze stopped in one direction and he started breathing a slight bit faster.
Taking notice of Shining’s escalating condition, he rolled his eyes already knowing what caused it, before looking in the direction Shining was looking. Finding the obvious cause for his friend’s now inept ability to keep his cool.
That “cause” was currently sitting with the pair of Twilight and Trixie, who seemed to be arguing over something.
With hair that was pink, purple, slight red and yellow, and clear purple eyes sat an alicorn. Either a winged unicorn, or a pegasus with a horn, he’d given up trying to guess which. With a short sleeved, blouse of a more tie-dye nature of colors that matched her hair. Pants that were a dark pink, and with her hair in a ponytail, princess to love and all things romantic, Mi Amore Cadenza, or Cadence, cut quite the casual figure.
Too bad, Shining didn’t notice this. So smitten was he, that when Cadence waved he locked up. Naruto waved, and moved one arm behind Shining to wave for him.
Ahh, the responsibilities of a wingman, or wingpony, in this case.
Truly, the responsibility of being a Bro.
Walking on down, or in Shining’s case, shuffling every five inches, they duo met up with the trio of females of two foals and one teenager. Walking over Naruto tossed a hey in Cadence direction.
“Heya Cady, what’s going on?” The blonde decided that Shining would come to eventually.
He usually did.
“Naruto!” She gave him a hug, to which he returned. Cadence did have something that could make Shining weak in the knees. Oh he knew Shining wasn’t shallow, he’d been chasing after her since apparently middle school, but Naruto could admit that Cadence was well, and curvy.
She was nice, and seemed to want to bring ponies together through the power of love, which was all good and dandy, but…
He could feel the hug, turn into a harsh grip around his torso, and he refused to look down.
“Naruto~” That sing-song voice of hers did little to make him want to look down, but a light pink aura surrounded him, and he had little choice but too.
That smile was on her face again.
Ever since Shining had, stumblingly, introduced the two of them, they got along fine. For the most part, while a little hesitant at first, Cadence was a nice mare who could look past appearance, and see the person, or pony, within.
Sadly, she had this little tick of wanting everybody to find love, and being her friend made him the target of her more aggressive tactics. He honestly hoped she outgrew it, because it made some of these meetings into interrogations given enough time, and enough attention on himself.
“So~ Naruto….Found any pony you fancy yet? I know I saw this interesting looking mare who worked at the astronomy wing. Moonbeam I think was her name. She has a little sister in the same school as Twilight, and I heard she’s single~” Oh geez, that poor mare in Cadence’s sights.
Unfortunately for that poor mare, Cadence was quite persistent, if she had you in her sights for too long.
“No Cadence, I haven’t. Please, can we just drop this? Pretty please, with those micro-teddy bear marshmallows you like on top? I mean, just look over there, a perfectly good Shining Armor!” He passed the buck, as he really didn’t want to deal with this at the moment.
She gave him that look that said “This isn’t over,” before slipping on over to, a just coming to, Shining. Seeing her coming though, was quick to send the stallion into another fit, before she latched onto him with a hug and cry of “Shiny!”.
The blonde had never seen someone go so red since Hinata.
Because I love you Naruto
He held a hand to his head and sighed, as the memory came to him. He’d really messed up before coming here.
Walking over to the now staring forms of Twilight and Trixie, Naruto crouched down and grinned at them.
“Ma-Naruto!/Master!” The twin cries, with one being quick to amend herself, of the fillies caused him to snicker. Twilight let out a groan, as Trixie turned her gaze her way with a sneer.
“He will not be your master for long Sparkle, don’t try and trick Trixie!” The lavennder one simply let her face fall into the book she was holding, as Naruto simply sat there amused.
“Aha, so you’re finally acknowledge me, young Twilight! Trixie has been a good influence on you! Tis a good day, to find such young and applicable students,” he stated with that oh so impish grin Twilight was coming to hate, all the while Trixie merely puffed out her chest in pride.
“As Trixie would expect!” She thumped her chest once, ruffling the denim dress. She was currently wearing a set of black shorts, and to finish off in her hair was a small metal clip of a wand.
“I keep telling you, that he’s NOT my master! Besides that’s not important,” Twilight started, causing Naruto to mockingly grab his chest.
“Ah! The pain of being crushed by my own student’s words. Is this the feeling of a wayward student gone rogue?” Trixie, ever the gullible one for these kind of dramatics, was quick to “console” the blonde.
“Worry not, master! Trixie shall never abandon your ways, that you haven’t taught Trixie yet.” Twilight sent her an annoyed look.
“Stop doing that! He’s faking it, besides we have to get this spell done before class tomorrow! Were it not for a certain blue pony, I’d be done already!” Trixie turned back to her “rival”.
“It’s sad that Trixie is a better student than the student of the princess! Trixie already said that she can get some strings set up to make it…” And the two devolved into an argument, leaving the blonde bug teen too simply look at them with a small smile.
Ah to have a rival. Different ways of seeing things. Two perspectives, and personalities.
While they fought, the blonde felt the presence of Shining and Cadence come up behind him, causing him to look back at them. Seeing the stiff form of Shining holding on to the giggling Cadence, the blonde silently nodded to them, shooing them off.
Turning back away from the sight of the leaving couple, he found himself looking at the forgotten book sitting between the two standing children. Figuring that nothing was wrong with taking a look at the book, he picked it up and looked over the page.
‘The minor transmogrification spell?’ He wasn’t sure what it meant, but looking over the lettering the blonde took a guess.
It was like a small transformation on an object. A Henge that affected small objects, but completely. Not a hardened illusion, but an honest to goodness change from one object to another.
Reading the instructions, he idly wondered.
Did he have magic?
Sure the sight of spells happening didn’t really bother him too much, but he never really bothered to think about trying and performing some spells of his own. Too caught up in trying to fit in with this place was he, that he didn’t really think about it. Especially when he already had his chakra.
Then again, what about when he changed? Within out the use of chakra or jutsu, how did he change the way he did?
Setting the book down, he cupped his chin, tongue flicking out at lips in thought. The two foals stopped arguing for a moment, to stare at him.
“Master?/Naruto?” Hearing their calls, he shook his head, and turned his attention on the two of the curious looking girls.
“Ah? Oh, nothing girls, just wondering about this spell of yours.” Hearing this Twilight eyes looked at him in confusion, while Trixie merely laughed.
“Of course! Trixie should have thought of this before! Master, please help us solve this spell!” She bowed to him, actually making him flush slightly. Konohamaru had been his student, true, but he’d never been so formal about it. Being called “Boss” was fun, but it was more of a brotherly-mentorship.
Twilight looked like she’d been forced to swallow a lemon.
“We can’t do that! This is our homework, and we have to do it ourselves,” Twilight said, with an annoyed frown. Trixie threw one right back at her.
“Trixie really shouldn’t be so surprised Sparkle. She wonders if you even want to get this done with.” Twilight’s temple developed a vein.
Naruto seeing this, was quick to try and settle things before they got out of hand.
“Look Trixie, I’d love to help you guys, but Twilight is right,” he said, causing the two to look to him in shock, before Twilight smiled.
“See, I was right!” she said with a little jig, while Trixie looked betrayed. He scratched the back of his head, before adding.
“Besides, I’m not sure if I could do any of these spell things anyway. Never had to before.” This caused the both of them to look at him in shock. Well Twilight looked at him with another curious look, going from his face to his horns.
Trixie looked put out, arms slumping to her sides, before she adopted a thinking expression.
“Hmmm...Trixie gets it! Her master is so good, he doesn’t realize he’s using magic!” The two others in the vicinity gave her a look of disbelief, while Twilight did as well along with a twitching eyebrow.
“That doesn’t make sense!” Twilight screeched. Trixie merely waved off her disbelief.
“Trixie has more important things to do Sparkle. Now Master, we must get you to learn magic!” The idea of Trixie brushing her off made Twilight’s brain fizzle, and pop.
Naruto merely looked amuse, as he saw Trixie grab his hand and start pulling him in the direction of the school in the distance.
“Trixie will prove she’s the best student, by bringing Master into the world of magic!” she said determined, as she dragged the blonde along.
“Hey get back here Trixie! That doesn’t make sense!” Twilight shouted following after them. Naruto could have easily stopped Trixie and put an end to this, but his curiosity was peaked.
Could he do magic?
~TCL~
Finding themselves in a library, after passing a shocked looking librarian, they set themselves at a table.
The duo of Twilight and Trixie had zoomed off to grab a couple of books for him to “unleash his masterful potential”, Trixie’s words, not his. Twilight seemed to dislike the idea at first, and then she became enthused by the prospect of it.
A clearly magical being, who couldn’t use magic? She’d take that challenge. Plus he was sure she wanted to fill out more of that book on guys like him some more.
So as he waited, he leaned back in his chair, eyes roaming the library. His optics taking in the architecture, and finding it weird.
Books filling out the walls didn’t really do it for him. He wondered if there were any adventure stories in here.
*Gasp*
Eyes falling back down from the walls, he came gaze-to-gaze with another small filly. Catching his composite eyes in those of her own dark violet ones.
Staring for what could only be a rude amount of seconds, the filly slowly brought a book she held up to hide the body half of her face, trembling slightly.
He stared for a completely different reason. She looked a lot like…
“Twilight?” He said out loud, causing the filly’s ears to perk, as she stared at him in more curiosity, than discomfort.
“Naruto?” His gaze went off to his side, finding said lavender filly coming around the corner. Following after her was Trixie, and the both of them were carrying a few books each. The turned the corner, only to find the filly who had been staring at their Master/”master”.
“Moondancer?” Twilight asked, as she set her books down, and approached the now awe inspired filly.
Coming over to his side, Trixie set down her three books, and gave the pair of Twilight and Moondancer a sour look.
“Hey Trixie, who’s the new girl? And what’s her deal with Twilight?” The azure unicorn simply crossed her arms.
“Hmph! That would be Moondancer, and she seems to be inspired by Sparkle. Trixie would wonder what her deal is, but Trixie is sure that even Master can see where the weirdness really starts.” And she wouldn’t be wrong, Naruto could see exactly what she was talking about. This was the Moondancer Cady had been talking about when she mentioned her sister.
Moondancer looked almost completely like Twilight and it was freaking him out. Were it not for the long brown skirt, different colors and tan long sleeve top, he’d be well into the idea that Twilight had learned the Kage Bunshin no jutsu! Thankfully, another distinction were those eyebrows of hers.
They were at least not bushy brow sized, and he was sure she wouldn’t let them get that far, even as she grew. They gave her a sort of focused look, definitely made her stares seem more intense.
Seeing the two hold a small conversation, Trixie broke open a book, before shoving it in his face.
“Now Trixie knows that Master is great, but the only high-level spell she could find in the library was about the Teleportation spell.So since that’s all there is, we’ll start with this-”
“Trixie! We agreed to start with levitation!” And there was Twilight to the rescue, because the blonde wasn’t sure what Trixie expected of him.
“Pfft, Trixie only said that so she could get you off her back, now Master we must get you working on this spell, so we can move away from Sparkle at the smallest chance!” Announcing her plan out loud probably wasn’t a smart idea, Naruto was sure.
“”That’s why you wanted the spell?!” The lavender unicorn filly exclaimed, before the two of them descended into another argument.
Looking this over as the usual, he was surprised to find that he was one of two watching the duo. Turning to see Moondancer watching them as well, she caught him looking at her, and she did her best to look as small as possible.
He simply smiled at her, and made a “come hither” motion.
She caught this, and trembled slightly. He could only give her the most welcoming smile he could, and slowly, but surely, she shuffled over. Taking a seat in the chair opposite him, she set her own book on the table and just looked down at it.
“So..?” His word startled her, but she looked up in uncertainty. Hands gripping the bottom of the seat slightly.
“U-um, how do you know Twilight? Um, sir?” she inquired. He simply grinned at her, causing her to retract slightly from his sharp teeth, before she moved slightly just to look at his fangs.
“Oh, well that’s because I live with her family, and so I kind of help keep an eye out for her. Right now, we were trying to find out if I could do magic, but well…” He gestured to the two foals, who were doing their best to outshout one another, causing the little yellow filly to giggle slightly.
“Shhhhh!” Came a shushing form the librarian, as she rounded the corner, causing the two girls to flinch before uttering their apologies. Turning her eyes to him and Moondancer’s directions, her eyes widened as she saw her younger sister next to the bug teen.
Moondancer gave her sister a small wave, as the librarian stared at the leaning back blonde. She narrowed her eyes at him, causing him to raise an eyebrow, before she pointed to his foot. Said foot was listing dangerously close to the edge of the table from his leaned back position, and he quickly set himself back down.
He sheepishly chuckled, as she nodded her head and went back to the front, making sure to catch his sight one more time, before going back.
“Now if you two are done making the librarian angry,” he spoke up, as the two hung their heads in shame. Twilight’s was especially low.
He took up a book, and well, the first thing he came across was words upon words. His eyes screeched to a halt over the blocky text, and set the book down.
Okay, so maybe this wasn’t going to be so easy.
Seeing his expression they asked what was wrong. Well Twilight did, since apparently this was one of the books she had picked.
“Well, it’s all wordy. Like I feel myself getting sleepy just by looking at it.” Twilight looked like someone had just killed her puppy.
“That’s the theory behind the application of levitation series! That’s one of the most basics of books we can start with!” She managed to scream quietly, only for Trixie to scoff.
“Leave it to Sparkle to drop nothing but words in your lap. Trixie’s choices are obviously far better choices for Master’s tastes.” The blue unicorn of the group said, causing the blonde to pick up a book from the other stack of books.
Opening that one, he was frowning once more.
It was easier to understand, make no mistake. There were pictures in this one, at the least, but the spells themselves. Looking at the title on the cover, he wasn’t surprised about what he was going to find.
Gravity and You! The Unicorn’s Realm of Spatial Magic
He sighed once more, before putting the book down.
“Trixie, this stuff is too much. Some of these mid-level spells seem like they need me to know like a million other things before I can get to even half of it,” he said, causing her to deflate. Neither of the three noticed that Moondancer had gone off, and was coming back with a small book held to her chest.
Two deflated fillies, and he wasn’t sure if this was a good idea anymore. Right as he was about to suggest that they leave, he felt a couple of taps against his shoulder.
Turning, he found Moondancer offering him a book with a small smile. Taking the book from her, he read over the title.
Baby Steps to Magic! Your Unicorn Filly and You
Looking back to the book, he opened it up and skimmed the text, before he smiled. Yeah, this would do it. Unconsciously setting a hand down on Moondancer’s head, causing her to squeak, and catching the attention of the others.
Seeing a smiling Naruto holding up a book, and a flushing Twilight doppleganger.
“I think, this is what we might have been looking for,” he said, confidently.
~TCL~
They had watched the blonde read over the first few pages, before he tried to put into application that he read.
From what he understood, unicorns channeled it through their horns, and melded their internal magic with the one that existed outside their bodies. It allowed them to alter reality as they did, because they were like literal “buttons” to a reality “computer”.
Alicorns were like having a higher level ninja having access to the jutsu parts of a ninja library.
What he was currently doing was trying to find that magic in himself, and bring it out. This would create an “aura” representing his magic coming out.
Focusing on that train of thought, he closed his eyes and tried to search for that inner well of magic energy.
Feeling the grass underneath his crossed legs, and the tree at his back, he was definitely pleased with the decision to move the session outside.
The kids were over on a blanket that the blonde saw Twilight get from one of guards. He made sure to salute them on their way out, and here they were. They were going over that spell from before, while he did his thing.
Focusing back on himself again, he allowed his mind to travel his body as he seeked and searched for that magic well. The book had stated that magic should be unique to its user, at least ones with Cutie Marks. Once the magical tattoo had been attained, the feeling changed, but by that point most had a good grasp of it already.
The blonde was hoping that the feeling of magic would remain as that of a mental spark, as the girls had been talking about.
Sitting and focusing, he traced the chakra paths in his body. The streams flowing through the tenketsu, and Gates, was a familiar notion to him. He couldn’t help but focus on each singular stream and follow its “path,” before he found one that crossed “over” something weird. Following this trend were several other “streams,” and by that point he might have found that magic of his.
Touching his mind to it, the moment he “touched” it, he was met with a minor pull.
His horns began to glow a slight yellow as he pulled more and more on that pool.
Opening his eyes, he could catch sight of the slight illumination on his head. The glow stayed for a moment, and he wasn’t surprised to see it fade after he lost the connection.
“Okay, so I do have it,” he said to himself, as he saw the kids each slowly levitating a small flower in front of themselves.
Slowly, the flowers were changing themselves in shape. The glows of each of their auras covering the flowers, before in a blip, they each changed them.
As he sat there enjoying the breeze, he heard the sound of something, or more somepony, coming up behind him.
Each of the girls were too involved in their own work to notice as a tall, white pony entered the garden area of the school.
Taller than even he by a foot, large wings bigger than any pegasus he’d known/seen up to this point, and a horn longer than any unicorn’s.
An Alicorn. Not just any either, not that there were many to begin with, but Princess Celestia herself. The long flowing white toga dress she wore had slight gold colored accents, her forearms adorned in long fingerless glove sleeves. Around her neck she held a necklace with a purple jewel encrusted on the largest portion, and on her hooves were golden hoof casings. Flowing tail and hair, of soft teal, purple, green and pink colors. There were two sun symbols on the hips of her dress, and he could see one on her hip of the slit of the dress, allowing the leg to be seen.
Last was the signs of her rule, both her crown, and the sceptre she held in her hands.
Coming to stand just in the shade of his tree, she stared out at the fillies with an impassive gaze. Her hair flowing in that non-existent wind of hers, that never let up.
He acknowledged her existence with a nod of his head, as he joined her in their watching of the fillies finally becoming aware of the world around them.
He could remember when he’d first met the princess. It was almost amazing how different she was from the princesses he knew.
Especially so, when she was more a ‘Kage, than any princess.
~TCL~
Month and a Half Ago…
The blonde knelt down next to Morse Code and Sail Wind, as the trio of him and the captains heard the guards around them stand in attention.
“Presenting Her Majesty, Princess Celestia!” It was as the blonde heard that, that he could have sworn that his senses went haywire.
Becoming a sage had done tons for him as ninja. Besides that which he garnered from the toads, he’d also become far more attuned to the feeling of the energies around him.
So when the world around him felt like “heat” and the like...Well he could be forgiven for gasping slightly from his knelt position.
This power he felt, far engulfed everything he’d felt up to this point. It was far stronger than the large Scorpoleon from before, and was more comparable to something like...like…
A Bijuu.
His eyes went wide, as he finally heard the sound of hooves on ceramic tiles.
Hearing a cushion slightly deflate, he and the captains allowed their heads to rise, and he gazed upon the sight of the most power creature he’d seen since coming here.
The winged unicorn that sat in the large throne, cut an imposing figure. Larger attributes than any of the races he’d seen up to this point, made her figure stand above all the rest as a singular being. A mix of three, who ruled them all.
Celestia let her gaze fall over those who knelt to her, as she traveled the steps. Her eyes roamed her court, the court that she’d held for over a thousand years. Her purple irises landing on the three kneeling ponies that were at the base of the throne’s carpeting.
Setting herself up on her cushioned throne, she couldn’t help but find the feeling from the center pony to feel, “different”.
It was strong. Truly strong. The energy she could feel was vibrant, lively and soothing all the same. A river that flowed silently, but with great strength.
Focusing in on the center pony of the three in front of her, she watched as they all rose to meet her gaze.
Her eyes slowly widened, as they met the visage of what was not a pony, but a race she was familiar with.
Changelings.
She didn’t allow her countenance to fall, her expression staying neutral as she watched the proceedings.
She heard as they conversed with her advisor. The two captains doing most of the speaking, as the changeling merely looked up at her. The spiky mop of hair he held on his head frizzing at the tips, as he kept focus on her.
Her own mind coming to a halt as she realized just why he did.
He could sense. He could feel that which most could not, and that meant many things.
If he were of ill-intent, none of which were good.
Many didn’t understand, that as an alicorn, her magic grew in spades. From when she was first born to now. She learned, she ached, and she triumphed over many trials to become as powerful as she was.
For not just herself, not just her foolish pride in her youth, but for her family, for….Luna.
For her ponies, when she and Luna had become their rulers.
Yet, he could feel her. He could grasp how strong she was, not fully, but he had a clue.
And that was dangerous.
“Princess Celestia?” Hearing the voice of the captain, ‘Morse code, was it?’ She turned her attention to him and his fellow officer.
“Speak, Morse. Why have you come to my chambers? Why come with another of your own, and a...Changeling?” Her question she expected was to bring up many topics.
He might have been a deserter of a clan. One of the four hives she knew of. Perhaps he was a dignitary? Slim, almost zero, but possible.
She wasn’t prepared for the first words to come out the changelings mouth.
“That’s what I am?” he spoke with a voice of uncertainty, that caused her eyes to widen slightly.
Young. Almost too young, but strong.
She paid more attention, as the teen’s small outburst got him cuffed one. The bug life form muttering small curses, as he rubbed the back of his head, before looking down at his hand.
She needed answers.
“You see, Your Majesty…” And he spoke a story.
A story of a lost changeling, with no idea of where, or what he was. Of words of a different language, and even tales of strength that, were he not in front of her, she might be hard pressed to believe.
Once he was finished, all those in the courtroom stayed silent. The guards who stayed behind to watch the princess could only find the tale to be hocky. To believe that one such being, especially with how young he was was utterly-
“I believe you.” And the guards and others nearly snapped their necks in accordance to her words.
Celestia could only look on with a small smile, as she stared down at the Royal Guard captains.
Turning her attention to the blonde male in the middle, she sent him a look.
“Would all who are in the chambers please leave? I wish to have a talk with our changeling guest.” Most those in the room at that moment were shocked, and rightly unwilling to leave their royalty in the hands of a...unknown.
She allowed her gaze to roam the room, encompassing all her ponies in her smile.
“Please, do as I say. I’m well and fully capable of contacting you should anything happen. I only wish for you to trust me, as I trust your ability to protect me.” Her words were like a caressing kindness.
“Now please, leave.” And so they did. She watched as her ponies left. Each one passing a glance at the lone changeling in the room, as they passed him.
Suspicion. Spite. Regret.
Naruto allowed them all to pass over him. They meant nothing to him. Just like before, just like the words of the villagers in the past.
Once the room’s doors closed behind him, the two were all alone.
He simply stared at her, as that “heat” engulfed the room. The intensity of this feeling was not lost on him. He simply stood as he was, not caving in the slightest.
He would not cower from her. Whether he stayed, or went after this, he would not be cowed by anybody.
Naruto Uzumaki did not get intimidated by anyone.
She merely let her gaze fall on him, as she allowed her magic to flow outward. Not exerting it on him, but allowing her tightly knit control to loosen her hold on it.
She merely watched his reaction, and bar some more frizzing of his hair, he wasn’t moved.
She allowed her internal energy to flow outward some more, before reigning it back in. She simply let out a small sigh, before coming down the steps of her throne.
Naruto decidedly missed the warmth as she pulled back her influence over the area. It felt kind of chilly now.
Once she stood in front of him, she simply stared him in the eyes, before speaking.
“They speak highly of you. Tales of your strength is something I heard on the way here when I passed the junior officers, but seeing you here in the flesh I’m assured that those tales are true. Yet, I wish to know,” he tilted his head at her, “what do you truly think?”
“What do I truly think?” She nodded at him, her mouth staying a thin line.
“I can not say that I’ve ever been in the presence of another like yourself, and not been uncomfortable.” Sombra, Discord, Tirek, Grogar.
““Another like me?”” He asked, and she nodded.
“Ones who are strong. Those that could be items of legends.” She said.
“Ones who are within my realm of power.” His eyes widened, as she waved her hand at his form.
“Tell me, do you feel it? Do you feel the strength I possess?”
He stood tall, but closed his eyes, and nodded. She closed her own eyes, and simply stayed silent.
“You asked me what I truly think, and I think that you don’t trust me, and you’re completely right to do so.” She stayed silent.
“You’ve heard my story, so yeah, I don’t have much more to add onto that. It’s all in your hands whether you trust me, or not.” he said simply.
Several moments passed, before she opened her eyes. Expression still tightlipped, she asked her last question.
“What is it you seek here?”
He chuckled.
“I’m honestly not sure. I guess...I guess, I just want to find my place again.” he responded.
She took a slightly deep breath, before releasing it all the same. She blinked once, before bowing to him slightly.
“I would like to thank you. For protecting my little ponies. There are many that would be lost without them, and I’d feel no small amount of grief should they never return home. So on behalf of Canterlot, and all those in Equestria, I thank you.” she finished with a smile, as he blushed, a light teal coming to both his cheeks.
“Ehehehe, no problem. Those who abandon the rules are trash, but those who abandon their comrades are worse than trash. That’s something my older teacher once taught me, and I carry that with me to this day, and onward.” She smiled at this.
“Your teacher sounds like a wise one.” He smiled at her.
“Not really, he’s just a massive weirdo.”
She tilted her head, before shaking it in amusement.
~TCL~
Present…
She smiled as the fillies finally took notice of her. Their eyes widening in surprise, the floating rocks they now held shooting off in random directions.
“My cabbages!!”
“Hello my little ponies. How are you this sunny day?” she asked cordially, even as the girls ran over and bowed to her.
“Princess!/Your Majesty!/Princess Celestia!” Their calls were apologetic. As if the princess would take some offense that they were too busy to notice her.
The ponies really loved the princess, Naruto couldn’t help but observe.
Seeing them all converse, he went back to reaching for that magic of his again. He found that well, “touched” it, and had the mental spark. Light tugs later, and his horns were glowing.
He looked up at the two extra extensions on his head, and couldn’t help but notice.
Did they get longer, or was that him?
Pushing the thought to the back of his mind, he thought about this magical energy now coursing through him.
It felt light, airy, and thin, but it had a sort of “connectedness” that he couldn’t really put a word to.
So as he was thinking about this, he allowed it to start to move throughout his body. The energy circulating to each of his limbs, as he allowed it to. He assumed his meditative stance, and went stock-still.
________________________________________________
Twilight could only stare at her brother’s blonde friend, as began to be encompassed by the magical energy.
She wasn’t the only one either, as Trixie and Moondancer were paying attention as well. Seeing the blonde’s unmoving form become engulfed by his own magical aura was almost hypnotic. The yellow glow surrounding him was in an almost flaming spherical shape, as the energy moved. For someone not use to magic, he was adapting to it pretty well. Maybe she could write this down in the book!
Celestia merely looked on, as her mind followed the blonde’s magical output. She couldn’t help but notice that the energy he was currently outputting was unlike what she felt from him before.
She could feel this magical energy, and it wasn’t close to how she expected the blonde to be. At the same time, she could also still feel that powerful presence within him. This magical energy was possible to become more than it was, but it wasn’t what made him-!
A new development came to her eyes, as the yellow energy began to be intersected by vibrant blue. The energies swirling around one another in that sphere shape, before the orb got larger. The sphere passing over the tree, and coming to pass over them all.
Peace, tranquility and determination.
The feeling that washed over her was soothing. As if the world itself began to welcome her more into its grasp than she normally could. Eyes roaming down to the children she was not surprised to find them all basking in this glow.
They opened their eyes, and she withheld a gasp as they’re eyes glowed the colors of their own auras.
Wind, illusion, capacity, gravitation.
She looked up, and only then noticed her own horn had begun to glow, involuntarily. Her mind being open to the flowing magics, and energies that surrounded them.
It was a connectedness she was just barely familiar with.
Her eyes went back to the changeling, and she noticed that yellow lines began to flow up the side of his face. As they encroached, she felt this aura grow stronger, more intense. Yet, it wasn’t suffocating.
Right as the lines were about to finish, he stopped, and the feeling left the area, dying as the aura faded itself.
_________________________________
Naruto couldn’t help but to lose himself in those comforting energies. His idea of seeing how well his chakra would mix with the magic went far better than he was expecting.
Feeling all those things, as he did, was overwhelming. Then he noticed that unconsciously he was pulling in the natural energies as well, and he cut it short because he wasn’t sure what could possibly happen should that come into the mix.
His “hair” had finally rested back from its floating state, before he opened his eyes. His mind coming back to the waking world, he took notice of the fact that there was no conversing coming from the side of him. Turning his eyes to the side, he found that the four females were looking at him with various expressions.
Celestia seemed slightly conflicted. Her hand had come to her horn, in narrow eyed confusion.
Moondancer seemed to let out a small whine, as she held her hands to her horn.
Trixie was grinning from ear to ear, as if she had just won the greatest deal in her life.
Twilight though, her eyes looked to him in wonder. As if he was a grand puzzle, or some ancient book, with the greatest of secrets within it.
After those few moments of silence, he soon found his face full of blue and lavender.
“Master that was amazing.../I’ve never seen that happen before.../How did you do that?!” He was hit by the shouts of the duo of his filly “students”, as they got far too close for his own taste. Pushing them back gently, he made sure to keep a hand on each of their heads, just in case.
“Calm down, I have no idea what you’re even talking about,” he said, which caused Twilight’s eyes to widen, as did Trixie’s grin.
“I knew Master was amazing! Trixie will be the greatest!” Her enthusiasm wasn’t shared by Twilight, who simply looked at him with the most curious of expressions. He eyed them for a second, before he found Moondancer coming over to him with her hands scrunching up the hem of her upper article of clothing.
Celestia only watched on, as the other unicorn fully explained to the blonde what had transpired. All the while, she held her gaze onto him, and her mind was trying to sort out the one last thing she felt when he cut off contact.
A void. Something that was empty. Something that was once filled.
Her mind came back from the sliver of memory, taking in the scene of Twilight and co. trying to get the blonde to show them how he did what he did.
He indeed was more than she had been expecting.
~TCL~
Two Weeks Later…
He couldn’t help but stare at himself in the mirror as he brought his hands up to the pair of horns at the top of his forehead.
He couldn’t help but notice something off about the extensions to his cranium.
“Seriously, are these things getting bigger?” He asked himself, as he tapped the bony protrusions. They seemed to be at least an inch longer than they had been originally. Maybe half of what Shining’s own horn size was if taken separately.
Looking at them for a little bit longer, he simply shrugged, before looking down to his exoskeleton-like body. Taking himself in, as he’d done so many times before, he looked at his upper portions in curiosity. His bottoms covered by the red shorts he currently wore.
He brought a hand down to his stomach, and focused a little chakra before finding the seal like tattoo was still in place. It kind of looked like chalk on his stomach. On each of his limbs were those weights from some time ago, when he was training with Shining for these trials.
Well it was more for Shining than Naruto. The blonde wore them just to try and even it out for the bluenette unicorn.
His body was another thing. It was kind of bulky, in the sense that he could feel the carapace was more broad around his form. The joints were kind of exposed out of the shell where knees and the like were. Last but not least he couldn’t help but truly wonder how tough his exoskeleton was.
“I have to wonder what this is really still here for. The Kyuubi’s not here anymore buddy, you can get away now,” he muttered to the seal array, as if it could hear him. No response, but he wasn’t surprised.
Sighing, he went back to putting on the red sweat jacket.
Just as he was zipping it up, that the door to the bathroom stalls opened up, by none other than Shining Armor.
Currently the unicorn junior officer was in a set of sweatpants and jacket just like the blonde himself, but his set was that of gold and purple.
“Naruto! Good to see you’re ready! The trials are about to start. All you have to do is make a good impression, and you’re in, though I’d be more surprised if you didn’t make it in,” the eldest of three said, as he kept the door open to the blonde, as they walked out the bathroom/stall house.
Coming out to the view outside, he took in the field, as well as the other spaces of equipment going on in the center. On the sides of the fields, there were large crowds cheering on the recruits down below. Flags, and shouts were made to those in the field, both in purple and red.
The blonde could seem Shining’s family, Trixie and that elder pony from before and Cadence. Said alicorn was currently waving at the duo of them, causing Shining to go bright red, as they waved back.
“This is the day you join me in the Royal Guard Naruto, look sharp!” he said with a easily reciprocated grin. The blonde was looking forward to this, as he and Shining walked towards the other sets of ponies in bright red wear.
Mid-way Shining went off to join another group bearing the same colors as he was, waving the blonde to his own group.
Quickly making his way to the other reds, he simply ignored the small berth they gave him, and focused on the pony giving out instructions.
“Attention all recruits! I welcome you to the much anticipated Recruit Day! Today you will be seeded into to find out whether you got the STUFF, to be a Royal Guard!” Came the non-descript pony captain. Adorned in his own set of grey sweats, he focused on letting groups off into different directions.
In a group of his own, the blonde found them being lead onto the track field. Waiting for them was a familiar looking face of a pegasus captain.
Sail Wind saw the group he’d be leading in these try-outs, and couldn’t help but to hide his grin, when he noticed the blonde changeling in their midst. He merely had a tightly held thin lipped expression as he went down his check board.
“Now for your first assessment, we’re going to be doing some 2 mile runs. Remember that this isn’t a race, and it’s to test your ability to keep up with the rest of the group. You pass once we have gotten to the finish line with all those involved,” he said, as he set down his own board and held the whistle to his lips.
The group began to stretch for a bit as they got ready. Naruto for his own part was doing some leg stretches as he got ready. Finishing off with a hoof touch, he set himself up near the back of the group.
“Begin!” Sail blew the whistle and they were off.
The blonde couldn’t help but to notice as he jogged that the group of other ponies were pulling ahead, bit by bit. Each of them seemingly trying to separate from the back of the group.
Every time he kept pace, he felt like they were pushing to go faster. Come the first loop around the track, they had gone from slight jogging to a decent run. Yet, the blonde paid it no mind, as he kept to the back of the group.
Sail was off to the side, watching as the ponies and one changeling made their second lap, and he couldn’t help but frown. He already see some of them doing their best to separate from the bug blonde, a sort of group agreement. Yet he only smirked once more as the blonde kept up.
Come their third lap, they were failing to lose Naruto. Come the fourth, it had turned from a controlled run to a full out one, in which the blonde kept pace, just as easily as before. All the while the recruits, sans naruto, began to sweat at the exertion.
Naruto himself, could hear the crowds cheering for the recruits all around, but he focused more on the voices he cared about.
“You got this Naruto!” Spike.
“You can do it, pace yourself! Go BBBFF!” Twilight.
“Master beat the pants off those other lesser beings!” If that wasn’t Trixie, he’d eat a brick.
“Keep time son! Naruto stay easy you’re coming onto to the sixth lap.” Night Light.
“Shiny, do your best! Naruto I want to both you boys smiling by the end of this!” Twilight Velvet.
Coming onto the sixth lap, Naruto decided that he’d do one for his wayward “Student”, and pulled on ahead by going around the side of the group. Those who were originally ahead of him, began taking notice of the fact and tried their best to remain ahead.
Come 7th loop, he was the only one who wasn’t sweating heavily. He barely had a sheen on though. Halfway into the eighth, he decided to drop all the pretenses, and gave them one word of advice.
Pulling ahead even more so, he smirked to the group at his side.
“Try not to be so obvious, ‘kay? Bye!” And he pulled ahead in what could only be the largest lead.
By the time the ponies were at the 3/4s of the last lap, Naruto was just passing the finish line.
Hands on his hip, he let out a single breath, and gave Sail Wind a grin, which he returned with a smirk, before the captain took a check off on the list.
And so his day continued as such.
~TCL~
The rest of the exercises continued as such.
From weightlifting, to push-ups/sit-ups, chin ups and the like.
Then came the obstacle course. Seeing the hanging ropes, the climbing wall, the combat crawl and finally the monkey bars near the end, Naruto was sure for any normal pony this would seem rigorous.
Yet, he was no pony. Nor was he normal by any definition of the word.
The group had been dissected by that point subtlely. Naruto couldn’t help but notice that halfway through, he was always in the front of the groups at the start. Probably a scoring system of some kind.
They were on the third to last event of the day, the Obstacle course. Each of the recruits stared at the long path with obstruction. The numbers had thinned out, mostly those who couldn’t keep up with the training regimen, or hurt themselves during. By this point there were at most fifty, but more likely 40 ponies, and changeling, left.
Naruto merely smiled at what looked like a fun time.
Those in the golds and purples had finished earlier. The junior officers coming over to enjoy the last three events of the coming recruits. Some had gone up to the bleachers for their families, such as Shining, who now sat next to Cadence.
All eyes on them.
The group could only look on as an aura fell over the obstacle course. It expanded the course in it’s entirety, making it long enough to fit the whole lot of the rest of those doing it.
So lining up along with the rest of them, Naruto got into ready stance, before the whistle sounded.
He separated from the group at the first instance, coming up to the climbing wall. There were a set of ropes there meant to help those across tall piece of hardened equipment.
Grabbing onto one, he seemed to lunge up it. Each of his steps being long strides as he pulled harder on the rope. Once he was near the top, he grabbed onto the ledge and flipped himself over it. Grabbing hold onto a rope or two, and allowed his form to fall as the friction between his soft underpalm and the rope itself meant nothing to him.
_______________
The captains watching all the recruits simply raised eyebrows, widening their eyes at the blonde bug kid clearing the obstacles with ease.
Once he landed on the other side of the wall, he was already a good distance ahead. Come the combat crawl, they couldn’t help but laugh as he had trouble with his horns getting caught in the net
By the time he got out of it, the others were at least over the wall.
Come the rope jump, they weren’t sure what to expect, other than the normal.
Swing. Well, somepony didn’t give this blonde the memo, because he simply jumped across the distance of 20 ft, and continued on like he hadn’t.
Come the monkey bars, they weren’t even surprised when he began to swing from bar to bar like the obstacle’s namesake.
To top it off, he flipped and stuck the landing on the finish circle. The crowd seemingly ate it up, because he bowed to the applause he received.
__________________________
Shining couldn’t help but to grin as Naruto finished first. HE wasn’t surprised, but most of his family, nor Cadence, had truly seen what the blonde could do. Seeing him clear this like it wasn’t a problem had more than a few of them clapping near the end.
He couldn’t help but take notice of the fact that Cadence was giving the recruits a good look over. Seeing her expression of focus, which was adorable, he asked her what was wrong.
“I’m just wondering….Do you think Naruto likes sporty mares? Somepony who can keep up with him? I can’t help but wonder, maybe that’s why none of my choices were working.” Shining sweatdropped, as she seriously contemplated this.
________________________
Twilight only stared, as Spike bounced about in his seat. Cheering on his BBBB, as the buggy teen trounced all the competition.
Trixie for all she was worth, was cheering loudly, as her grandfather just kept blinking at the display the changeling was putting on.
Velvet was currently just looking on in slight worry, as the blonde went through all the obstacles, before sighing when he made it to the end first. She turned to her husband, only to find the unicorn stallion was bouncing a bag of something jingly. Rubbing his face on the sack, he opened his eyes to catch his wife staring at him, before he tried to hide it behind him, with a nervous grin.
~TCL~
The changeling stood on the raised platform, hands in his pockets, as he stared at the pony across from him.
Said pony was shaking slightly as she stared at the buggy teen. She, along with many others, had seen what the blonde could do. She couldn’t help but lick her lips nervously as she looked down at the large bullseye on his chest.
She was just supposed to hit him three times in the bullseye on his front or back. He was to do the same, as she too wore a bullseye on her body.
A captain raised a flag, as their match was about to start.
“Ready!”
She set herself into the stance of Forefront Hoof. She was a novice practitioner, but she had enough training to maybe take him down. She’d seen him, he was a wild sort. He had speed, flexibility and strength, but she had skill.
Hopefully.
“Go!” And the flag fell.
She darted forward, her form low to the ground, before she came up right in his face aiming with a rising kick. Leaning back, he simply dodged just enough to have it barely touch his nostril.
Seeing this, she flared out her wings in his face, before bringing the leg back around to his mid-section.
So she was surprised to find herself missing as he ducked down, like some sort of frog!
Coming back up, he quickly jabbed her in the solar plexus, getting a call of a point against her, his blow sending her skidding backwards. She only stopped just barely from the ring out circle. Her eyes widened, as she looked back up at him.
She growled, as he stayed standing with his arms in his pockets. He was mocking her, as he simply stood there with a smile.
She set her form back up, arms at 90 degrees to her sides, leg spread, as she had her body turned away from him.
She waited for a moment, before she launched at him again. She set her back leg on the ground, before aiming a kick straight for his center. It wouldn’t score a point probably, but it would bring him closer to the ring out. A ringout was still a win without the need for three points.
He slipped to the side as she expected, but she rotated as fast as she could flaring out a wing to take him off guard, before bringing back the leg from before to kick him backwards.
He ducked the wing, and she was hoping she could catch him in the sides of his body or face. So she found herself on the floor, when he grabbed her leg, pulled her close and palmed her in the back sending her across the mat.
“Point!” Another against her! She got back up, as her eyes narrowed at her opponent, only to find him set into stance, unlike before.
Legs spread into a Harden-Horse stance, one hand in a fist held at his right side, with the other fist extended out with the arm slightly bent.
She felt her eyes widen, as she set herself back up again. She didn’t know what to expect.
She would prepare the best she could.
So it came as an even bigger surprise to her when she was sent sailing out the ring.
~TCL~
Come the last exercise, most were simply expecting the blond to dominate once more. Until things changed.
“In accordance to the will of the princess!” Most snapped their heads to the podium where all the captains stood, where a certain sun goddess now stood, sceptre in hand, as she whispered to one of the guards.
“We will have a change of event! Will Naruto Uzumaki step forward?!” the captain shouted, as the blonde changeling brought himself to the front of the group. Running over to the podium on the other side of the field from the others and to the podium.
Once there he was tossed a band bearing the princess’s mark on it. After looking it over, he put it on his bicep, and was told to face the other direction.
Towards the trainees.
He could already see where this was going, but he grinned when he saw the princess direct a hand covered smile his way.
‘Oh the game is on, princess!’
There was a glow from her horn, before the entire field was changed.
A forest. A canopy of heavy foliage appeared between the blonde and the other recruits.
Over by the other group of recruits, they were approached by a junior officer handing them all sets of bands with no markings on them.
Once they were on, they all heard the princess speak, as her voice was projected over the area. In front of her lips was a small, floating dimmed circle, just large enough for her mouth. Each time she spoke it lit up before stopping when she did.
“Hello my little ponies, I apologize for my barging in on this year’s Recruit day, but I felt that we should...spice up this year’s initiation of it. For the last exercise, I’ve set up a veritable field, and it will be the top recruit against the rest. For this event we’ll have our recruit, Naruto Uzumaki, face off against the rest in a battle of keep away.” She snapped her fingers, and the mark on Naruto’s band began to glow.
In response each of the trainees themselves had view of a small golden light across from them.
“Recruit Naruto currently holds a band with my mark on it, and you all should be able to see a light emitting from the other side of the field. The light will help you determine just how far from the “target” you are. With the increase or decrease in distance, the light will alter itself. At 5 meters from the target, the light will stop emitting for those up close. The goal of the recruits is to find and apprehend recruit Uzumaki. Naruto’s goal is to capture at the least 10 bands by the end of the ten minute mark. Should neither side complete their objective we will call a draw,” she finished before, in a flash of golden light, a screen appeared on above the field.
On it was a picture of Naruto on one end, while the rest of the recruits were on the other. Underneath each picture, there was a photo of their bands. In between the two sides was a large map of the field, with dots of red showing the recruits, and a gold one showing the blonde changeling. Finally above the map, was a small countdown, starting at 10 seconds and going down.
00:10
“Once a band has been removed, you will be expelled from the field, and not allowed to re-enter. So my little ponies..”
00:05
“Let the games…”
00:02
“BEGIN!”
00:00
______________________
Most of those in the recruit section were sure of themselves.
Weird looking as he was, the blonde was only one guy. Compared to the forty they had on their side, it shouldn’t have been hard to catch and subjugate him.
So it was with that mindset that they ran into the forest, towards that gold light.
_______________________
Twilight and Trixie couldn’t help but feel nervous for Naruto.
That was a lot of ponies, and even for somepony like Naruto, this was a bit much. Those in the bleachers only watched as the dots from both sides entered the forest. The map expanse showing only that the single gold dot was seemingly strolling into the territory, while the red ones were quickly covering ground.
“Naruto.../Master…”
Spike was worried as well, but he believed in his BBBB, and wouldn’t do any less than cheer for him.
Velvet was more than slightly suspicious of her son’s friend’s chances of winning. She made sure to look to her right, as Night light was currently watching the map as well. His eyes narrowing, as she turned back. Never catching the stallion casually handing a bag of bits to several other stallions waiting in the crowd, as they all added it to a bag in between them.
Cadence looked on, as she saw those dots getting closer and closer to the blonde’s position. The red dots had spread out around, seeming to want to pincer attack the gold dot. Turning her eye to her left to get Shining’s take on this, she found him grinning, as he saw her look.
When asked why, he merely shook his head. His confidence in his changeling friend, overshadowing the nervousness he had when he was close to the pink alicorn.
“Oh, I’m just wondering how long until the first ‘casualty’,” he said, only to smirk when there a beep and all turned to see one of the bands of the recruits disappeared.
Said recruit was expelled from the forest, soon after, falling on his rump as he stared back into it.
“I don’t even know what happened!” he shouted, much to the confusion of the crowd, but to the amusement of Shining.
In the next moment, there were several more “beep”s, before several other recruits were ejected from the forest in similar fashion.
___________________________
Naruto couldn’t help but to grin, as he stood in the shade of a tree. The sounds of a passing recruit’s hoofsteps all he needed to hear, before he lashed out.
His arm came to grab the mare’s yellow arm, before he pulled and tossed her over shoulder into an oncoming mulberry blue stallion earth pony.
Collapsing in a heap, they didn’t get a chance to get up, before the blonde was above them and slipping off their bands. Their forms stayed still for a moment, before quickly blurring out of the forest.
“How many is that?” he asked out loud, before quickly clotheslining a running pegasus, and tossing him over his shoulder, idly pulling off his band as he did. The sailing, not on his own power, pegasus didn’t even touched the floor before his body blurred out of the forest.
Shaking his head, the blonde merely jumped high, as another set of steps made themselves known.
The now visible unicorn mare walked unsteadily into the center of the forest. Her eyes went every which way, as she did her best to keep an eye out for the blond.
“O-okay. Nothing to worry about, *gulp*. He’s one guy, ha, hah, one guy...oh no.” She stopped as her ears flicked to and fro in search of a sound.
His glowing had stopped a bit back, meaning that he was close to her. Somewhere around her. She felt her own heartbeat going crazy, as she turned in place.
Right as she was about to look more, she heard something, and let out a scream as another stallion entered the clearing.
His black fur and yellow hair meshed well with the backdrop of the forest. She could see his horn, meaning he was a unicorn like her. He seemed out of breath, as he clutched his knees, letting out some deep breaths.
“Whoa, hah, I didn’t think I’d find anypony else in here! I thought I saw that guy’s dot, but it disappeared on me. You see him? Hah,” he asked as he steadied himself, her heartbeat coming down from its frenzied state, as she realized it was an ally of hers.
Looking at him, she was glad to have somepony else with her. She didn’t want to get caught out of nowhere, alone.
Walking up to him, she greeted him with a hi-5 greeting, and they continued on. Looking every which way,as they looked to see if the dot showed up.
Stopping for a moment, going back to back, she was about to say something, before she heard a shout.
“Alright, you bug bastard! I’m about to show you what’s fo-! Huh?!” A voice came from their left, causing her to scream before another recruit came barreling out of the forest.
She calmed down, when he took notice of them, and jogged over looking left and right.
“You guys seen Uzumaki? I could have sworn I saw him in this exact direction, then he disappeared. I figure he’s around here somewhere.” The pegasus stallion looked every which way in search for a gold dot, but found nothing, putting him on edge.
“We haven’t see him either. I think he’s playing us. He wants to make us panicked. We have 7 minutes left, so he might be trying to time us out,” she said, causing the pegasus to look at her before thinking himself.
“Hmm, you might be right. Besides, now that we’re all together, we can get him all at once!” he said, causing her to nod as well.
The black unicorn stallion’s back was to them, so they never saw his mouth expand into a grin. He rubbed his hands together menacingly.
“Hey guys, I think I just saw something!” His words caused the two to snapped their heads in another direction, as they rushed over to him.
“What what is it?! Was it uzumaki?! Come out you bastard!”
“Eeehhh?! Where is he?! What did you see?!” The only female of the group screamed, as she joined the pegasus in looking for him.
Neither of them were aware of when they lost their bands, until they felt two taps on their shoulders.
Turning around as one, they saw their black furred comrade twirling their bands, causing them to look to him in shock. At that moment, before they blurred away, his form rippled in orange flame before Uzumaki appeared.
“Bye, bye~” he waved them off, but not before they shouted at him.
“He can transform into other ponies!”
From there, the forest became a cacophony of noise, as ponies in groups panicked.
______________________
Most could not believe the sight, as recruit after recruit came out of the forest. Each one muttering some intelligible words that they didn’t understand.
“He came out of nowhere.”
“I was so close.”
“There were so many mares!”
“My leg!”
“My eyes!”
“He’s not equine!”
“He’s in the trees!”
The crowd could only watch in awe, as red dot after red dot disappeared one after the other. They could all see the golden dot coming towards red dots, and the reds disappearing as soon as it made contact.
Shining was laughing the whole way through as things progressed.
The screams were the best part!
_____________________
They were the last group, as far as they were concerned. They had been together as soon as this started, and each was sure to never leave the others.
“Come on, he’s around here, somewhere. I can see his dot right the-!” the earth pony at the front of their group started but stopped, as they all saw the dot disappear.
Meaning…
They quickly went back to back. Four of them, as it were, they could cover all the cardinal directions.
There eyes went everywhere, their ears were set for anything and their bodies were ready!
So it came as a surprise, when they heard a voice echoing from all directions.
“Oh so you’re all that’s left?”
“Little ponies, roaming the forest~ Each coming to meet their end~”
“Once I come around the bend~”
After those words, they stiffened when they heard the sound of rustling from their left.
They all froze, as they watched that direction prepared for anything.
Seeming to just appear out of the forest like it was water, Naruto looked at the last group.
It was maybe three mares, of all three races, being led by a single earth pony male. He tilted his head at the group, before looking up. They didn’t move, awaiting the trap, but the stallion looked up to see the clock above the map, which now had the time limit, was at 45 seconds.
Looking back down, the blonde smiled at them.
“40 seconds left guys. What are you going to do? Listen to the forest, you’re all that’s left,” he stated simply as if talking about the weather.
They could all feel the sweat coming down the side of their heads, as they looked at the insectoid guy. He was doing nothing but standing there, but it was as if they could see nothing but shadows.
The unicorn mare of the group merely stated the obvious.
“We only have 30 seconds! We have to attack now!” The other mares seemed to agree with her, as they all rushed him. The earth pony stallion stared in shock, as he held out an arm to them.
“No wait!” he tried, but it was already too late.
The second the first mare crossed the distance the forest erupted into smoke and each of them found themselves at the mercy of a blonde bug.
The earth pony stallion could only stare in shock, as the three were dealt with. Before leaving, each clone made sure to blow into the ears of each of the mares, making each one let out a shriek as they zoomed out of the forest.
All that was left was him. Seeing the clock count down from ten, he simply collapsed to his knees, as the blonde strolled forth.
Naruto simply .sat in front of him, as the stallion handed over his band, not even offering up a fight.
~TCL~
Standing in attendance with the rest of the defeated trainees, Naruto simply smiled as he could feel the glares of some of the wounded pride around him. Many were, for the most part, depressed that they had been defeated, while a few just wondered how.
“I thank you all for your hard work today! You may now call yourselves members of the Royal Guard!” Morse Code spoke from his place at the podium, as the group cheered, before being let go to disperse.
Naruto, for his point, was about to simply walk away to the bleachers to the others, but had been stopped by more than a few of the other recruits.
Handshakes, hi-5’s, and the like were traded. He was surprised but perfectly fine with reciprocating.
Moments later, he was far lighter than before, and he had a smile on his face as he met up with his little group.
“That was beyond cool! You were all like “Eeerrryo,” “Wham,” “Whoosh!” “When I come around the corner!” “And it was all so cool!” Spike’s enthused retelling was more than a little hilarious to the ninja, who ruffled his head spines.
“Trixie wasn’t worried in the slightest! Master is the best, uh….warrior! Trixie was always sure he would win!” Came the boast of a certain azure filly, he knew she was probably lying.
And she was.
“Wait, I thought you were chewing your fingernails and saying stuff like “That’s unfair to Master!”, huh? Little Beatrice?” the elder looking stallion next to Trixie spoke up, causing her cheeks to burn a bright red.
“Grandfather! Trixie did no such thing!” Aw, adolescence.
He was quick to hi-5 Shining, and they locked arms.
“I knew you’d push through, didn’t doubt you for a moment.” The unicorn stallion grinned, as did the changeling.
“Oh sure you weren’t the smallest bit worried,” he said with a smirk.
“As a matter of fact, he was laughing the whole way through. Naruto that was amazing! I’m sure there’s never been a pony that I know who could have done what you did today!” Cadence came up to hug the blonde, to which he returned.
“Well, I would think that Shining knows better than anypony, just how good I am.” He grinned, as did Shining.
Twilight Velvet merely walked over and gave him a pat on the back, as she congratulated him. Night Light gave the blonde a crushing hug, as he soon thereafter was rubbing his face against a large bag of jiggling items.
He was taken away by ear, by his wife, as Twilight came forward.
“How? I don’t understand! There should have been no statistical way for you to have won, I, I don’t get it!” She threw waving arms at him, to which he laughed and crouched to her level.
“Twilight, Twilight, Twilight. Tsk, tsk, tsk.” He wagged his finger at her. “I can do what I do, because of one reason.”
“I’m awesome.” He pointed a thumb at himself.
That night, the family and friends had a large outing at a very fancy looking restaurant.
~TCL~
Some Months Later…
“Fashion week?” The blonde looked up from the bean bag chair in Shining’s room. The comic book in hand had lbe folded in his lap, as he turned his attention to Cadence.
Cadence stood there with that flyer in her hands, as Shining Armor re-entered the room. In hand, he had a box of donuts.
“Donut Joe’s Creme Special! Now with Bear claws, and Butterfly Rolls!” He announced to the other teens in the room. Naruto raised his hand in celebration, as he flipped over the back of the chair and rolled to the stallion before coming into standing position.
Cadence merely rolled her eyes at the duo, before the blonde changeling presented a cream puff underneath her nose.
Her mock annoyance was quickly forgotten.
Indulging in the treats, the ninja perked an ear as he could hear the tell-tale sounds of an incoming pony or drake.
“Spike get back here! I told you that I don’t want anypony to see it!” That sounded like Twilight.
“But it’s better! I’m sure Naruto would love to see it! Naruto, you gotta see this!”
In through the door, and into his stomach, came the running form of Spike. The bug teen did his best, to not fall over, hold onto his food and keep his food in as the drake bodyslammed him.
Good hustle on that one.
“Naruto! Naruto! Shiny! Cadence! You guys gotta see-!” Then in came Twilight, also, tackling him in the stomach, pinching the paper in Spike’s hand from his grip.
The blonde, for his part, just focused on keeping food in, and not out.
“Spike I told you to stop taking my things! I didn’t want anypony to see this!” Twilight said as she held the paper in both hands, away from the grabby drake. Never noticing Shining Armor looking over her shoulder to look at the paper.
The older brother he was, Shining commented.
“Is that some sort of bug-eyed moose?” Twilight froze before she turned to see her brother over her shoulder.
“Gah!” She jumped, before landing on her brother’s bed. She glared over at him with a pout, before noticing a certain flyer in the room.
Picking it up, she looked it over and looked to Cadence, who was just enjoying all that was going on with a smile on her face.
“What’s this flyer all about? Cadence you’re going to this?” The pink alicorn nodded, as she pointed at the paper.
“This show only comes once every season, and I wanted Shiny and Naruto to go with me since they have the week off from training. Plus, it’s in Manehattan, we can go see all the cool stuff around the actual city,” she said excited, causing Twilight to frown. She never really got fashion, for the most part.
Give her a good book, and she was perfectly fine.
Spike looked up at Naruto with a frown as well, but for different reasons.
“Awwwww, you mean you’re not going to even be here?” the drake whine, as Naruto gave his head a good ruffle. The blond knew just how much the drake enjoyed their time together. While the blond couldn’t give a lick about some fashion show, he wasn’t adversed to seeing some of the other places in Equestria.
Especially if they weren’t Canterlot. It was a nice place for the most part, but most of the ponies here sucked.
“Mmmm, Cadence, you think we could bring Twilight and Spike with us?” he asked, looking down at the drake, and getting a shocked look from Twilight herself.
The pink alicorn tapped a finger to her lip, as she considered it. Letting her eyes trail down to the drake currently giving her the wobbliest set of puppy dog eyes, almost made her fall to her knee and hug him right there.
Oh wait, she did.
Twirling the little dragon in her arms, she stopped for a moment with Spike in her grasp and pointed dramatically.
“Fine then! Boys and girls, pack your bags! We’re going to Manehattan!”
Naruto could already feel like this trip was going to be changing.
In a number of ways.
~TCL~
And that’s wrap on this chapter!
Man let me tell you, it was not easy coming up with that last bit near the end. Mostly because I want most of this romance to happen in Manehattan. But I kind of wrote myself into a corner and I couldn’t realistically find a way for Naruto to want to go there.
I’m going to apologize to all my readers here because I promised that we were going to get some Naruto x Derpy in this chapter.
And we didn’t, which I hate myself for.
Oh make no mistake, I planned on there being some. Hell, this chapter was projected to kind of be half that stuff, but… Well, character development and introductions got away from me. Also, I had to cover my ass when it came to a certain plot hole for this story, which should be obvious.
All that said, I had to restrain myself from making this chapter longer, if only because I think it’d be feeling like I tacked on the Naruto x Derpy, instead of just wrote a good few scenes of it.
Make no mistake, there is going to be Naruto x Derpy in the next chapter. Derpy’s backstory as well, as her family situation is included.
Hoping it doesn’t become as bloated as this chapter though.
So yeah, enjoy this one, guys. I’m gonna go lay down.
~NRK OUT~