AN: In light of the recent blizzard, I came up with this story, a triple crossover with Naruto x Fairy Tail x ?, though the third crossover element will become very apparent quite soon...
Also, this story will have quite the contradiction! Because it's a Non-Magical!Naruto AND Magical!Naruto, though how it will be that way, just like the third crossover element, will become very apparent soon...
Enjoy!
Chapter Start
-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-
"You're hired."
Those two words still echoed in his mind, numbing the mindless chatter that buzzed throughout the campus, incoming freshmen and returning upperclassmen zooming about in search of friends or their first classes.
But him? Though he visibly kept his composure, he was a nervous wreck on the inside. This would be his first official day on the job, straight from graduation school to a job in the very same university.
He honestly still wasn't sure if he was ready to be a teacher...
"Hey." He was broken from his stupor when he felt a tapping on his shoulder and a feminine voice call out to him. He quickly spun on his heels, coming face to face with a beautiful young woman.
She stood at 5'6" with golden blond hair that went halfway down her back and had side-swept bangs in front, with two strands of hair draped down the sides of her head. Her eyes were a warm chocolate brown color, and her attire consisted of a light blue keyhole sweater that showed off part of her cleavage, dark blue jeans that hugged her shapely hourglass figure, brown shoes, and a grey-green backpack slung on her back.
"You look a bit confused. Need any help finding a classroom?" she asked, giving a gentle smile that made his heart rush...
Little did he know that she was checking him out, causing her to mentally giggle perversely.
He was a little taller than her, standing at 5'8", slightly tanned skin, cerulean blue eyes, and straight red hair. He wore a white button-up shirt, a black vest, a grey suit jacket with elbow patches, grey dress pants, a red bowtie, black shoes, and a black computer bag. But what stood out most, at least in her mind, was the blue-tinted, reflective Teashades that drooped slightly down his nose.
All in all, he was quite a handsome 'freshman/transfer student'.
"Actually, I'm looking for classroom... 173?" he said hesitantly, glancing down at the slip of paper firmly grasped within his hand before looking back up at the blond woman. "If you would be so kind as to point me in the right direction."
"Oh! Of course!" she exclaimed. "Just head down this hallway, up the nearest flight of stairs, and then it should be the second lecture hall on the left."
"Arigatou, miss... erm..." he trailed off.
"Anna. Anna Heartfilia." she replied, shyly extending her hand to the red haired man.
"A pleasure. Naruto Uzumaki." he responded, shaking the extended hand with a smile of his own matching Anna's.
The sudden chiming of the nearby clock tower suddenly caught both their attention, signifying that classes would begin in five minutes.
"Oh my." Naruto mumbled, a small red hue spreading across his cheeks as he quickly glanced down and noticed her accentuated assets.
"Listen, Naruto-kun. As much as I would like to stick around, I have to get to my first class soon." Anna stated, quickly dashing off and giving the redhead a wave as she left. "Catch ya later!"
Naruto said nothing, only waving at the busty blond until she was no long within hi peripheral vision.
The moment she was out of his sight, he released an exasperated sigh, the nerves that had diminished with the small conversation he had with the blond immediately returning to him like a boomerang.
Taking a deep breath and gathering what sense of courage he could muster, he hastily made his way down the hallway, following the directions that Anna had given him until he arrived at a door with a sign that read 'Room 173'.
"Okay... you can do this Naruto!" he chanted to himself, twisting the doorknob and pushing the door open, the sound of sixty give-or-take students all talking simultaneously hitting him with a force akin to a bull slamming into a man.
The moment he stepped inside, the door slamming shut behind him, was as if a switch had been flicked. Immediately, all the chatter and noise died down, nearly every students' eyes glued on his form. Naruto adjusted his bag and pulled at his collar a little...
Today would be a long day, that of which he was certain.
-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-
"Did you guys hear?"
"Hear what?"
"The new teacher."
"You mean the one that took the place of Mr. Jackson?"
"Yeah. Rumor has it that he's kinda cute."
"Really?"
"And get this... he's our age!"
Anna perked up at that last statement, previously having been listening to the mindless chatter of rumors some of her friends had overheard.
"Our age?" Anna questioned.
"Yeah. Why? Does this... pique your curiosity~?" one of her friends teased, waggling her eyebrows suggestively while the other made kissing noises.
"Oh shut up Emma, Natasha. I don't even know who this guy is." Anna defended.
"Well we're about to. The rumor goes that he's the professor of our next class." Emma stated. She stood at 5'10" with blue eyes, dyed ash blond hair that went halfway down her back, perfect skin and while her figure was not as curvy as Anna's, she certainly made up for it with a more generous bust. Her outfit consisted of a light blue shirt that ended at her abdominal and white pants, both of which hugged her curves, white shoes, and a blue-and-white themed purse.
"Room 173..." Anna mumbled. "I met a new student our age that had that classroom right from the beginning."
"A new student? Boy or girl?" Natasha asked. She stood at 5'7", her green eyes filled with mischief and her black hair ending just past her shoulders. She wore a black shirt with orange trimmings, black yoga pants, a tan open jacket, and black shoes.
"He just asked for directions, that's all."
"Ooo? Do I hear wedding bells~?"
"Shut up, Emma-baka!"
...
"Anna-san?" Naruto called out, catching the trio's attention - specifically the blond woman in question.
"Naruto-kun?" Anna responded, turning to face the red haired man she had met earlier that day.
"Is this the guy you were talking about, Anna?" Emma asked.
"Yep! Emma, Natasha, this is Naruto Uzumaki. Naruto-kun, these are my friends Emma Frost and Natasha Eucliffe." Anna stated.
"Nice to meet you two." Naruto replied, pushing up his glasses slightly before they could drop off his face.
"So Naruto..." Anna began. "Since you had a class in room 173, can you tell us what the new teacher is like?"
"Is he hot?" Natasha questioned.
"W-Well, I... uhh..." Naruto stammered.
"You can ask us for details later, Natasha." Emma stated, waving her hand dismissively. "Don't you have to get to the other side of campus for your next class?"
"..." Natasha froze up, staying absolutely still for a few seconds before bolting down the hallway, leaving a comical dust cloud in her wake.
...
"So what brings you here, Naruto-kun?" Anna asked, bouncing up and down on her heels slightly.
"My next class, Anna-san." Naruto replied.
"Your next class? I thought you had a class here first period?"
"Weeeell..."
-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-
Anna and Emma sat in their seats flabbergasted, jaws dropped with comical wide eyes.
Why were they in such a state of shock? The answer was at the bottom of the lecture hall.
"Good afternoon, class." Naruto stated, adjusting his suit jacket slightly as he spoke. "Welcome to 'World History and the Impact of Mythology'. I am your professor, Naruto Uzumaki."
...
"You're kidding, right?" one of the students called out.
"I am not." Naruto replied curtly.
"But you're our age." the same student retorted.
"Mister... Redfox, I presume?" Naruto said hesitantly, continuing to speak when the student nodded positively. "If you have a problem with my class, the door is right over there. The same applies to anyone else who feels the same way."
He wasn't surprised when four students stood up and left, making the total count of students that had done so being seventeen.
"Well then..." Naruto began, handing out small stacks of paper. "Take one and pass it back. This will be your syllabus for the year. Any questions?"
-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-
"You're the professor?!" Anna exclaimed, herself and Emma being the last two people inside the classroom, save for Professor Naruto himself.
"Yes. I do hope that this won't be problematic for either of you." Naruto stated, taking off his glasses and cleaning them with a cloth.
"U-Uhh..." Anna stammered, her face turning beet red and steam coming out of her ears. Not even the first day and the new guy she met turned out to be her professor.
It didn't help that he was attractive in her mind.
'Why is it that the first nice, cute... hot - cute guy that I meet of the school year and he's my professor?! Muuuu...' Anna mentally exclaimed.
"Anna? Earthland to Anna?" Emma called out, waving her hand in front of the blond woman.
"H-Huh? W-What?" Anna questioned.
"I was saying that I was just about to head out on my lunch break. Another class will be occupying this classroom in my absence." Naruto said, grabbing his bag and hoisting it over his shoulder. "I bid you two good day."
...
"So..." Emma said the moment Naruto left the room, a brazen grin on her face directed at her blond friend. "You liiiiiiiiiiiiike him~!"
"W-What?! No I don't! I do not like Naruto-kun!" Anna denied furiously, though her reaction said otherwise.
"Who said anything about Naruto~?" Emma retorted in a sing-song voice. "And 'Naruto-kun' too? I can already hear the wedding bells~!"
"Emma-bakaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!" Anna exclaimed before suddenly pausing. "Oh?"
"What is it?" Emma asked.
"I think Naruto-kun might've left something on accident." Anna stated, walking over and noticing the odd leatherbound, thick book with black letters on the front spelling out 'Ἐγχειρίδιον'.
"What does it say?" Emma questioned.
"... The Enchiridion?" Anna said hesitantly, eyes widening by a fraction.
"*CREAK*!" The door suddenly opened up. Naruto hastily stepped inside and made his way over to the desk that the duo stood around.
"Terribly sorry, I almost forgot this." Naruto said, snatching the leatherbound book from the curious eyes and leaving just as swiftly.
...
"... Come on." Anna said, a certain edge to her voice as she spoke.
"What?" Emma responded, confused by the sudden mood shift of her friend.
"That's The Manual." Anna replied, a look of realization coming across Emma's face.
"Understood, Anna-sama." Emma said, her face and tone drained of emotion.
"We need to retrieve that book." Anna stated. "Also... how did a Mundane acquire it?"
-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-
"Information at this time is... inconsistent at best, but rumors from the nation's borders speak of destructive forces clashing against one another. There are a few theories on what is the cause of this mass destruction, but again, we can neither confirm nor deny any of these accusations. We will try to keep you informed to the best of our abilities as soon as new information arrives, this is channel seven news, August 27th, X392, signing off-"
Anna and Emma tuned out the news broadcast, peaking around the corner of the building they were hiding behind, spying on the unsuspecting redhead professor.
As they continued to follow (Read: Stalk) Naruto, they passed by many strange sights that were common to the city...
Lines that stretched for blocks that lead to military recruiters, with men and women alike shuffling forward to ideally serve their country in the line of duty, newly recruited soldiers in pristine uniforms worn for the first time talking with their friends and loved ones, civilians occasionally pausing in their tracks to stare at the propaganda posters that decorated nearly every available wall and/or window...
Anna actually paused to glance at one of the posters that caught her eye.
'It can happen here!
-Unless we
Keep 'Em
Firing!'
The accompanying picture was of a smoldering building, with two dragons flying up high in the sky spewing fire that burned the remaining landscape, and at the bottom of the poster was an image of a tank and biplane to go along with the last line of text.
"Excuse me, sir." Anna and Emma had to quickly hide out of sight when an army recruiter called out and approached Naruto.
"Yes? How can I help you?" Naruto questioned, adjusting his glasses slightly as he spoke.
"If I may just have a moment of your time-"
"I'm not interested in joining the army." The man's expression dropped at the blunt statement that the redhead gave him.
"B-But your country needs you!"
"I am a pacifist, as well as a Renaissance man. My duty to this country is to ensure that the knowledge we have accumulated before, during, and after the war can be passed on to future generations." Naruto stated. "Now if you excuse me, I only have twenty-one minutes left on my lunch break, and I would very much like to have lunch before that time is up."
And with that, Naruto promptly moved around the man and went on his way, pausing briefly and turning to stare at the 'hidden' Anna and Emma.
"Anna-san, Emma-san. You realize that if you two wished to join me for lunch, all you had to do was ask... right?" Naruto called out, causing both women to comically jump.
-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-
"H-How did you find us?" Anna questioned, staring down at her iced tea with a look of embarrassment on her face, the same applying to Emma except she had a water with ice.
"You two weren't exactly subtle." Naruto replied, sending a deadpan stare at the duo before returning to his BLT sandwich. "So care to explain why you were following me? Or should I make an educated guess?" he asked after taking a bite.
"That book of yours looks... intriguing." Anna stated, glancing at The Enchiridion that was placed on the same side of the table beside the redhead professor.
"I see..." Naruto mumbled, his expression unreadable and his eyes hidden behind the glare of the sun on his glasses. "You're interested in The Enchiridion, the Hero's Manual?"
"I... erm... yes." Anna replied.
"Well I'm sorry to inform you, but it isn't for sale, if that was your intention." Naruto retorted, readjusting his glasses once more. "It's one of my most prized possessions."
"How did you acquire it then?" Emma questioned. "The legend surrounding the book says that it was lost after its previous owner, Epictetus, vanished."
"Well..." Naruto began. "That is quite the tale that-"
"*BEEP* *BEEP*! *BEEP* *BEEP*!" Naruto paused when the sound of two consecutive beeps repeatedly pierced the vale of noise.
"... Will have to be told at a different time." Naruto finished, waving for one of the waitresses. "Check please!"
...
The disappointed look on Anna and Emma's faces almost made him laugh, though he settled for a fox-like grin instead.
"My lunch break is almost up. I need to get back before the next class starts." Naruto said, pulling out his wallet and placing money for the food and drinks on the table. "Farewell."
-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-
"Incoming! Take cover-" "*BOOM*!" The soldiers dove to the ground as a Boeing P-12 came crashing down, exploding and sending shrapnel in all directions, even impaling a few unfortunate soldiers in the process.
"*GRAAAAOOOOOOOOORRRR*!" the draconic roar boomed louder than the sound of the guns that were aimed at it, striking fear into the hearts of those who stood to oppose the massive creature.
"Open fire!" Tanks and machine guns alike struck the dragon's scale in an attempt to pierce and hopefully kill the beast, but to no avail did these metal shells slay the creature.
With a gust of wind from its wings, the dragon knocked back the humans and their creations, killing dozens upon dozens and destroying just as many vehicles.
"Fall back! I repeat fall back!" Those that could not run began to limp, those that could not limp began to crawl, and those who could not crawl were left to die, screaming until their lungs were burning and their voices hoarse or emptying their remaining ammunition in attempt to fire upon the dragon or simply laying there to die, unable to move even a little bit from the pain they were in.
"Send a message back to command HQ..."
"Yes sir."
"Tell them... Tell them that we have confirmation... The Dragon Civil War has reached beyond the Ishgar-Alakitasia borders."
-The Path Paved With Good Intentions-
The waves advanced and receded in an erratic pattern, the rocky beach being mostly devoid of life, save for the fishers and pockets of water that trapped some of the creatures of the sea on the shore.
It was the calm days like this that Ivan found solace in. Despite temperatures reaching only 10° Celsius on a good day, he felt there was a peculiar rhythm to the waters that while ever-changing remained constant.
...
"Oh?"
A glint of light caught his attention, glistening from its deposit in the wet sands, far too bright to be one of the common useless rusted metal trinkets that occasionally washed up on these shores. He quickly dashed to the glistening object, never taking his eyes off of it lest he lose sight of the item in question.
"Well, well... what do we have here?" he mumbled, his fingers coiling around the glistening object and pulling it from the wet sands.
Strangely enough, even though he had grown up with the blistering cold, the moment his fingers touched the foreign item, it felt colder than anything he ever felt...
Brushing the wet sand that clung to object away, he found three red rubies embedded in the gold...
A gold crown with three points and adorned with three red rubbies.
Chapter End
Post AN: Timeline of significant events in Earthland:
X384 - Roubaul creates Nirvana.
X391 - Dragon Civil War breaks.
The current year in the story so far is X392, nearly a year after the Dragon Civil War began.
Well, I'll see you guys next time! Ja mata!
-CrimsonKyuubiSage out!