I OWN NOTHING

Being honest, I have a hard time getting used to Glimmer's new look. I like her better with fluffier hair.

-0-

"How is this training?" Naruto asked, shirtless and holding his wooden sword.

He stood in the middle of a clearing with only a tree, Castaspella and a flustered Glimmer. Said aunt was checking her niece's development in the simple arts of energy manipulation. Keeping her hands up, the pink princess created a small circle which blinked in and out of existence. Meanwhile, Naruto was forced to lift his sword with both hands clasped right in front of his face while he sat cross-legged.

"Clear your mind and feel the energy around you..." the high sorceress said cryptically. "It will take time. You need to get used to it if you are to effectively keep Glimmer away from the Horde."

"I've got Entrapta's style for that," he muttered to himself as he had already soaked in the information from the scroll the spunky princess handed him.

Speak of the tiny, pigtailed devil, she wasn't idle. Entrapta had set up an entire array of gadgetry and gizmos that defied logic and rationality. Weird rotating satellite dishes, a set of binoculars attached to a single tripod, and a large screen that she was fiddling with until it lit up and displayed a detailed image of Naruto's muscular system while he trained.

"Do you think you have it down? Perhaps we could train you a bit if I get a few bugs out of my newest prototype," she giggled childishly with a beaming smile.

"At the rate I'm going surpassing King Micah will be a piece of cake," he boasted.

And it didn't sit well with his new teacher, "Do you believe that?" the way she spoke said that he hit a nerve like when he first met her.

Knowing he was in trouble, he decided to double down, "I know it."

Castaspella begun to speak, extending a hand to form a small sphere of magical energy over her palm, "Getting stronger, mastering your powers, unlocking new abilities, learning about how to utilize them…" She lifted it skywards and wordlessly threw it at Naruto. "If you are so confident in your abilities, allow me to teach you how Micah trained!"

Glimmer was stunned into shocked silence while he wasn't as quiet, "Whoa!" he exclaimed as the pink princess tried to help him only to be stopped by her aunt.

When he meant to dodge, the high sorceress shouted at him as loud as possible, "STAY STILL! If you run from every attack, you will never learn how to defend against them!" He froze just as the sphere stopped in front of his face. Castaspella's expression shook Glimmer to her core. Those were not the eyes of the kind and silly aunt she had come to known. Glowing sharply, Castaspella's face was truly one of utmost seriousness.

The pink-haired spellcaster whispered to herself, "Were those the eyes she had when dad…?"

Castaspella spoke as she threw more spheres, each one gathering around the one that was hovering just an inch away from his nose, "I am a kind woman, but I have seen too many of those who call themselves hero die pointlessly. They dodged when they should've blocked. They cut when they should've stabbed. I have trained many pupils and saw almost all of them die along the way to greatness. That is why I told you to not fight the Horde, for you are not ready to truly beat them."

Choosing to stand by his word, Naruto readied himself, "Do you know what I can do? I've said I'll be the world's greatest swordsman. After that, I may as well take on the universe!"

The magical orbs transformed, one on fire, one into a forest of spikes, another a silvery colored sphere with a pair of prongs sticking out on one end. Each sphere rotated around him as Castaspella placed both palms together. With a clap, she pulled down her index and middle fingers over her arms, casting a wordless spell that multiplied every sphere until he was surrounded on all sides.

"Forest Gale, I am Castaspella, the greatest spell weaver of Mystacor. And I will train you to become stronger than ever, or you will die in the process. Block every sphere for an hour or I will kill you myself." Her words were nothing but grim determination, bringing a gasp from Glimmer's mouth.

"A-auntie! You can't- Naruto will... he'll die!" She tried to beg her aunt to stop, but the woman's face looked as if chiseled out of stone and marble for all the warmth it lacked.

Naruto shook his head, holding his wooden sword and swallowing as he got up from his seated position, "I won't back down from you, lady. If you want me to get stronger, then I'll take you up on your challenge!"

He knew, before the woman spoke again, that it was the test of a lifetime, "Begin."

With that, the wave of violence begun. For an entire hour, Naruto did nothing but block the spheres that flew at him in indiscernible patterns. Sideways, up, down, from below, from above, to the side, diagonally, all at once, one at a time. Every time his sword blocked one sphere, it had to move immediately to block another. Sweat and blood poured from his face as he accumulated wounds and exhausted himself. But still, despite all of that, Entrapta was in awe as she rushed from screen to gizmo.

The engineer knew, when seeing Naruto smile, that he was getting into the battle, "Heh, just perfect!" the blond shouted and charged.

"Incredible, simply incredible, his natural energy reserves are accelerating in size and power with every minute!" the engineer nearly foamed at the mouth in her declaration to a frantic Glimmer, "He's growing stronger the more he's being pushed! This blows all of my previous calculations out of the water! Why, if Naruto masters this, he'll be able to gain even greater mastery of his swordsmanship!"

Naruto's plump princess shot the tiny inventor a look of admonishment, "How can you be excited!?" she grabbed Entrapta by her shoulders and shook her around. Entrapta smiled at her in response before she asked further, "He could die from this! My aunt could kill him! Why are you so happy!?"

"I believe in Naruto, though! He'll get stronger, so why don't you just trust he can do this?" Entrapta asked Glimmer with that same smile, stunning the girl into silence. She turned around, seeing Naruto's expression for the first time since the training had begun. Although he had a determined look in his eyes, he had never stopped smiling since it started.

"Do you have the strength to be even greater than you are now!?" Castaspella asked him.

"I never thought otherwise! If I want to be number one, I need to get stronger than I am right now. Each step forward-" For a brief moment, the woman saw her brother give her a grin through Naruto. He held his sword in hand, beckoning her on with his unchanging smile, Naruto's expression and voice flowing seamlessly from Micah's back to his, a reflection of how he walked the path the King once had, "-brings me another step closer to my goal, so don't hold back, okay?!"

Her eyes widened to the brink, then gained an unfathomable level of determination, "Just like he did, you seem to surprise me at every turn…" whispering softly, Castaspella couldn't help her own smile. "Very well, let me get a little serious. Brilliant Mystic Sword Arts: Glorious Armory Heaven's Advance!"

Throwing her hand down, her eyes burned pure purple. Where her hand touched the earth, an illusory fortress full of soldiers appeared behind her. Upon lifting her hand up, the phantom army raced forward! Each soldier came at him with an assortment of weaponry of all types, maces, flails, spears, swords, clubs, axes!

Grinning to himself, Naruto whispered to himself and his audience, "Watch this, Glimmer! This is how I'll surpass the King!" He spun his blade in a circle, bracing it against his shoulder almost as if holding a club against it. He took a strange stance, his hands gripping the handle in a double grip, then threw his body like he was swinging a club, the motion creating an afterimage of an immoveable metal rod.

Entrapta quickly took note of the wrong thing, "Oh, subject Naruto finally tries to gain the princess' affection."

Either he didn't hear her or he ignored her, but Glimmer heard her and listened to her obvious crush, "Cast Iron Sword: Massive Swing!" Every technique the Cast Iron Sword taught was either a blocking, countering, or deflecting technique. Quite versatile as a style that promoted defense rather than offense. A perfect method for learning how to fight defensively and take blows rather than getting out of their way.

A pillar of strength, an iron wall, that was the power of the Cast Iron Sword. The strongest defensive sword. The phantom army was stopped cold, and despite the pressure of a tide of weapons on him, Naruto completed the Massive Swing. Scattering the army into motes of air and light, he spun the sword around, somehow making a clanging noise as the image of a wall appeared behind him. Hard rock mixed with even heavier clay.

His stance evoked the image of the unmovable fortress, "Cast Iron Sword: Heavy Guard!" when he held the blade in a diagonal grip in front of his face, the wooden sword forming a guard, this wall seemed to grow several times larger.

"You've taken to the defensive side of your swordplay well, but it's not nearly enough to surpass Micah! Can you defend against this many attacks at once, Forest Gale!?" Castaspella placed both hands together, palms open and taking a wing like shape while braced against her wrists, "Brilliant Mystic Arts: Descending Just Angel's Vengeance!"

When she thrust both hands forward, fingers pointing at him, streams of lasers shot from her finger tips and struck his sword violently. Each hum of the light piercing him sent him skidding back until his foot touched the very edge of the circle he had been training inside.

"Not yet…" He whispered angrily, clenching his fists around his sword hilt, even though his arms were begging to go limp. "I can't stop, not until I've surpassed King Micah!"

His vison was blackening around the corners of the eyes, and it took everything he had in him to just stay standing. "Why do you fight?" Castaspella asked him, her tone one of pure neutrality.

"If I don't, then I can never be the greatest swordsman…" He breathed inwards, drawing out power from a deep core he didn't even know he had. Unbidden, his eyes emitted a blue haze as he let his mind clear of all unnecessary distractions.

"What does it mean?" Castaspella asked with her hands creating a magical circle, sensing the power in him. "That notion of being the greatest?"

"That no one will ever look down on me. No one will ever be able to ignore me again…" He said that, but with a mind that had become as clear as a crystalline lake, he realized for the first time how shallow it was.

Castaspella narrowed her eyes, a glimmering sword forming from her spell for her to wield, "Is it that simple? A wish to be famous? Does fame matter when you're this strong?" She readied herself as Naruto let his sword go limp for but a moment, but It was all he needed to switch his grip and reverse it.

He repeated the motion until it was swinging from side to side! Batting the beams being fired at him instead of just blocking them! "I want this world to shout my name! Sue me! I'm just a greedy bastard who wants it all! Defeating the Horde, teasing your niece about how cute she is, why should I not try?!" He finally got it, finally let go of his shallow and simple desire. It was so much more complex than just a wish of being the greatest. True strength needed to be earned with passion. And he wanted everything that Etheria had to grant him.

Glimmer gasped to herself, a revelation of her own hitting her, "He's..." Naruto wasn't backing away anymore, he kept advancing, swinging his sword until the wooden blade was beating back the streams of lasers that kept hitting him! The way he was swinging the sword resembled the ever-swaying nature of a clock's pendulum, only accelerating faster and faster as he kept moving forward.

"Cast Iron Sword: Oscillating Chime!" He had reached Castaspella at last, his sword seemed to hook around and launch itself at her neck, in response she lifted a hand that held a blade made of pure magical purple energy and parried the sword!

Pushing him back and surprising him, she stepped around him to deliver a swift kick to his midsection, "Brilliant Sword: Silent Dance." She whispered upon sending him to eat dirt. Her energy blade was then placed inches from his neck while she breathed softly, "For a moment... You almost reached it. It was your greed which made you predictable."

"How did you do that?" Naruto asked her, eyes narrowed but not hateful. "Getting past me like that after stopping my sword... I couldn't even hear you breathe... Did you suddenly die?"

Castaspella dispersed her sword, then offered him a hand, "Clearing your mind requires a lot of skill in itself, and upon reaching the highest ground for the Brilliant Sword..." she gave him a soft smile which threw him off by witnessing the return of the cheerful, caring aunt. "Well, let's just say you can do things without thinking."

"Come on, tell me the whole story," he argued. "Doing things without thinking is kind of my specialty."

"I've noticed," the woman said with an awkward smile.

Entrapta hummed, "Well, it's obvious he's quite a simpleminded individual and-"

"I didn't mean it like that!" the blond snapped, getting up. "I get into my own rhythm whenever I fight, I don't need to think too much because I can follow the beat of battle." Facing the high sorceress, he pointed a finger at her, "You had no rhythm, even when you called your attack! No hints of what you were preparing or muscles tensing too much... Just... nothing."

"It's a state of mind one achieves through ruthless ordeal, but the first step..." she sat cross-legged in front of him, motioning for him to do the same, "...is meditation."

"Fine..." the boy grumbled, returning to where he started. "Just know I want a rematch."

"I shall await... Do you want cookies later?"

"Yes, please!" both Naruto and Glimmer replied in unison, getting the woman to giggle.

-0-

As for the intruders, they were keeping a close eye on the events from inside a kitchen Kyle was currently cleaning.

Catra frowned and adjusted her disguise, "I'm so ripping these clothes once we're done screwing him over."

"Don't be like that, I think they look good on you," Adora complimented her.

"Yeah," Kyle agreed, looking over his own duds. "Do you think I can keep these? This apron thing is quite useful to not get dirty."

"Go do your new job!" Catra snarled, making the boy yelp.

"Come on, Catra, relax," said a guard. They turned to the towering mass of muscle, armor, and carapace that called herself Scorpia. Having taken time to adjust her armor, Scorpia still found it tight, snug against her melons, and didn't fit her toned frame perfectly. That said, it hid the bulk of her body, and allowed for her to fit in close enough that nobody gave her a second glance.

"How exactly?" the cat girl asked.

"We can all go to the hot-springs after we deal with the Forest Gale," Scorpia said oblivious to the fact it was a rhetorical question. She then frowned upon turning to her side, "I've heard from some of the guards there's no better way to loosen up sore muscles than soaking in them It's too bad I told them I was too shy to join them. They treat recruits really nice here."

"Yup, I mean, cleaning this kitchen is better than cleaning duty at the Fright Zone," Kyle said enthusiastically as he cleaned up pans and utensils. "Also, this cooking stuff is a lot of fun. I knew kingdoms kept all the good stuff for themselves, but they really have lots of good meals."

"Getting a job was easy, but aren't you worried how easy Shadow Weaver got us in?" Catra growled, looking around for any moving shadows. "I get it she's a sorceress and has got to know a couple things about a magical place, but this... It's ridiculous."

"Are you saying that because you got janitorial duty with Lonnie or..." Scorpia started curiously, then knitted her eyebrows. "Um, no, wait, that is a good point."

"Of course, it is a good point, why else would I complain?" Catra snidely remarked, though she silently mumbled to herself. "Although, yes, it sucks cleaning this place with her of all people."

"Believe me, the feeling is mutual," Lonnie shot back when she entered the kitchen. "At least Rogelio enjoys gardening. So, what did I miss?"

"Catra mentioned that Shadow Weaver obviously knows too much about this place," Adora told her. "Perhaps... enough to have a connection worth looking into."

"We're on thin ice with her!" Kyle shouted mid-scrubbing. "So, no thank you! I'd rather not anger her! Anything she may do to us may not be as bad as what Hordak will for this failure, but I'm not willing to make a comparison!" He was so terrified his knees were almost clapping from how much his legs trembled, "Also, she has her eye on us, how... How could we even... How do you plan to...get started?"

"You're up for it?" Adora asked with her eyes wide and arms crossed.

"No! Yes! I don't know!" the boy yelped, clutching his head. "I mean, we could use the dirt to save our hides, but if she does find out..."

"Luckily for us, she's not here," Adora informed them. "I've barely started magic classes, but there's a place she's interested in. Great magical power resides there. Just a single lesson in how I'm supposed to write symbols in the air was all it took for her to get in and out. And yet, she returned when I had the next lesson."

"Writing your name with sparkles?" Catra joked, earning a glare from her friend which made her snicker. "Sorry, couldn't resist."

Regaining her composure with a deep breath, the blonde looked at everyone, "No, it was a symbology lesson, but the point is that Shadow Weaver is looking forward to something," Adora explained, getting Catra's full attention as well as the others' in a tense atmosphere. "Don't you find it weird that she's telling us to wait? Could it be that she needs time to set up something?"

"Behind Hordak's back..." Scorpia shuddered. "Oh, I think I have an inkling on what it could be. Are you all familiar with the Black Garnet? Big dark magical jewel from which she draws unlimited power from? Well, it's not the only source of such power around the planet."

"Oh, ain't that precious?" Catra smiled slyly. "Now we got a bargaining chip to use against her."

Lonnie was quick to burst her bubble, "Question is, how do we get it? Scorpia isn't the best at stealth, and no janitor like us will be in just like that."

Catra gave a full-blown smirk, "She also wants the Forest Gale, who is close to the princess, who is close to the head honcho of this place..."

Kyle made the question in everyone's mind, "So, we use him to get close to what Shadow Weaver wants?"

"It'll also make seeing his face a lot better once it all pays off and he turns to see us betray him," Catra snickered in dark amusement.

"Wow, mean, but still a wow as in wow is that plan good," Scorpia commented, trouble with her own feelings. "Don't get me wrong, I do think he's adorable and want to capture him, but breaking his heart? Poor little thing is already too cute for me to want to pummel his face... Making him cry is like five steps too far."

Catra turned to the others with a blank expression, "You know, he's quite lucky he got her as an enemy."

"He is quite adorable!" Scorpia chirped, "I just want to pinch those whiskers and-"

"Can you keep it down? I'm trying to train here," walking past them, Naruto spoke up, having only heard Scorpia's yell. He was shirtless and covered in bruises, magical burns, and bandages. He was put through the wringer by Castaspella and wanted food. Immediately and if he had to fight anyone to get it, he would.

Catra paused in her cleaning, stiffening up as despite their disguises and their whiskered enemy's obliviousness, she still felt paranoid he'd recognize her. He didn't give them a second glance and walked right past them, only pausing to talk with Scorpia briefly.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Scorpia stepped to the side, blushing as he walked past her. Adora and Catra each shared a brief look, their gazes locking. They'd make their move soon… It was too late that they noticed that Scorpia had wandered after Naruto.

"What the heck is she doing!?" Catra hissed, her ears going flat against her skull.

Scorpia's stomach was rumbling clearly and she wanted food.

"The land is coated in deepest blue…" Naruto muttered to himself once he was safely in the personal kitchen for the highest sorcerers of Mystacor.

Glimmer was already there, sullenly eating a luscious salad. It was composed of delicate looking yellow leaves, sharp spear-like leeks, blue vegetables that had a frozen appearance, and covered with small bread cubes that seemed to be coated in a layer of delicious sauce. Sparkling black flecks coated the salad as a whole, indicating some kind of spice.

Impressed by it, he had to ask, "Does this one have a name too?" he asked, sitting down and waiting for an attendant to get him a bowl of the same. She looked up and after chewing on a crunchy blue vegetable responded. Or would've, had that guard from earlier not spoke up as she entered the kitchen after him.

"Oh, oh! I know that one! It's the Prominent Coldness!" Clattering past him, the guard spoke up while giving him a strangely familiar smile, "It's a delicacy from my- uh, the former scorpion people's realm. We-they had made the salad using imported vegetables from Princess Frosta's lands. Typically, they'd dice them up into super small chunks, garnish it with a rich sauce to help improve the cold taste, and garish it with these super delicious bread cubes that were sunbaked and sprinkled with spices."

After she explained readily, Naruto gave the salad an appraising look, "It's a health meal?" he asked, the guard nodding quickly and eagerly at him.

Where had he heard that voice before?

"Yeah! It's a great health meal! You should try some! Definitely! Oh wow, I haven't had it sin…." She trailed off when his stomach and hers grumbled.

Naruto sat down with Glimmer, the guard doing the same. He wasn't sure what her name was and was too hungry to consider asking. They were allies in getting food, that was all he cared about at that moment. A fresh bowl of salad was prepared for them, stirring the appetite as he watched how the chefs professionally diced the bread, cut the vegetables, put the salad together and drop two bowls in front of them. While he ate with Glimmer, the guard looked at her 'hands' for a few seconds. Then carefully moved her head down and begun to eat it with her mouth.

"Naruto, are you sure about my aunt training you? You look pretty um..." Glimmer slowly paused, admiring his body for a few tantalizing seconds before she shook her head, "Well, you look bruised and beaten. Are you sure you're okay?"

Naruto bit into a bread cube, crunching it up quickly and then chomping down on his food. He never talked while eating. Even he had proper manners in that regard. Finally, after he satiated his stomach enough to consider doing something other than stuff it, he spoke up, "I'm fine. Castaspella is crazy strong. I haven't been this tired in a while. Learning from her, I think you should join me."

Glimmer froze mid-bite, her fork shaking for a few moments in a faltering grip, "I…I don't think I should."

"Why?" It wasn't Naruto who asked, but the nameless guard who lifted her head up, salad leaves dropping from her mouth as she idly chewed on them. "If she's your family, shouldn't you want to learn from her? Your techniques can always be made better, you know. Maybe you should train with the Forest Gale."

Naruto considered her point and nodded in agreement when he found nothing to criticize about it or her, "She's right, you should consider getting yourself in shape. Not that I mind your thick hips, but if you can get better at fighting, what's to disagree with?" Glimmer stared into her bowl, her expression distant, she was clearly half-way across Etheria in terms of her thoughts.

"…She wouldn't go all out against me. And would take it easy on me." She said, half-way as an excuse, one that even when she said it didn't feel like it was the whole truth. But it was the one she wanted them to accept. Naruto of course, did not.

His tone indicated he wasn't happy with her words, "That's stupid and you damn well know it. What is really bothering you about this?" Glimmer exhaled through her nose.

She finally spoke after she gathered up her thoughts and feelings properly, "She only sees my dad when she looks at me. She won't teach me anything that I can use to fight the Horde. Lest she lose me too."

"Shouldn't it make you happy? Having people who care about you like that?" The guard asked in between getting seconds, "I'm just saying it's not a bad thing she loves you and doesn't want you to die."

"If she's not changing her mind easily, I can help in that," Naruto said and stood up, beaming. Giving her a confident grin and holding her hand to help her stand up, eliciting a blush from the princess, he continued, "We just have to surpass her not by going a step forward but giving a giant jump ahead of her. Let's do it."

"W-w-w-what?" she stammered with wide eyes.

"Defeat your aunt," he said like it was the only logical response in the world. "I'll cover you and you can show her what you're made of. I know of what you did to fight in the Leviathan Libraries and you escaped from those Horde soldiers by yourself. You're a lot stronger than she thinks you are, we just have to show her."

"Aw, that's so sweet and cute!" Scorpia should've been thankful her sleeves were long enough to conceal her pincers. She squeezed her cheeks at the sight of affection between the two, "It's like... Oh... Oh no, I'm... getting a tad too overcome by how adorable you two look together. Ah, control yourself, girl! But you're so-"

Finally, the two looked at each other and their hands held together, then Naruto spoke after he and Glimmer broke apart, "Hold it, what's with you and Entrapta trying to pair us up!?"

"It's scientifically and emotionally intriguing!" the tiny engineer said right behind him, appearing out of thin air.

"How'd you get here!?" Glimmer exclaimed after jumping back.

"I've studied all shortcuts and all ideal romantic spots for you two," the shortstack scientist giggled happily.

"Let's go, Naruto," Glimmer sighed with a certain level of irritation and reluctant acceptance. "The sooner we get to training, the faster we can get things going."

"Wait, are you sure?" he asked her, knowing she had a lot in her mind regarding her aunt.

"I'm... not," she said honestly but managed a meek and sincere smile. "It's also the best way to get through to Aunty."

"Alright!" he beamed happily, leaving with her while Scorpia cooed at the sight and Entrapta tapped her fingertips.

"Perfect..." the inventor almost cackled like a mad scientist.

"Yup, they sure are," Scorpia agreed with a grin. "Do you want to spy on them being cute together?"

"Bring me the best bite-sized snacks and I'll show you the greatest reconnaissance spots!" Entrapta giggled.

-0-

It's near a small beach inside Mystacor that Naruto and Glimmer face each other close to the waves with a basket filled with apples.

"I know you have limited magic, so we'll use this to prepare you for Castaspella," Naruto told his princess with his wooden sword hefted on a shoulder.

"Fair enough," she said and got into a stance. "So, what do you have in mind?"

Using the dull side of his edgeless sword, the blond picked up the basket and handed it to her, "You'll be throwing these at me as I run around on the beach."

"What?" she asked, baffled. Although, she had grown to see what a capable fighter he was, and didn't question him, "How does that work? What's your plan here?"

"I feel that I'm too slow to face her, so I'll run around with the water at waist-level," he told her. "It'll make it hard for me to move, let alone maneuver with the waves. You'll use that to attack me by throwing these at me for me to slice. In doing so, you'll be practicing your aim from a standing position. Your goal is to get the apples as close to me as possible, and mine's to get faster with every session."

"It actually sounds like a game," she said giggling.

Rubbing the back of his head, the blond chortled, "I...used to do it with the kids of Oakley to show off what their hero can do. The idea came to me when seeing this beach."

"Alright, let's have some fun," Glimmer said as she picked up an apple and got ready to chuck it.

When she tossed it, her guardian spun his sword around, knocking it back at her. Realizing his aim wasn't just to train himself, she dodged quickly, avoiding the urge to use her powers and flash away. Wary of him, she picked up a fresh apple, inhaled, and started throwing without mercy. Each time Naruto blocked one or had to dodge, she did the same when they sailed back at her. At first it looked like they were playing a game, but it became clear simply by examining them that they were training each other intensely. Sweat and water poured down his face, and she worked herself into a frenzy. Glimmer started dashing to the apple basket, and dashing around the beach shore, the apples flying as fast as her magic blasts could. Each respective party watched intently from their own hidden spots.

Castaspella floated in the air, sipping a tea cup of Night's Melody, gazing longingly at Glimmer and Naruto as they trained together. Memories of when her brother and the one he would marry did the same flashed through her mind. Images of Micah and a younger, shorter-haired Angella seemed to superimpose themselves over the two. When Naruto pulled back, she saw Micah do the same. When Glimmer threw an apple, she was able to see her sister-in-law grin as the red fruit soared on its path towards Micah's head. Before his sword flashed into motion and bisected it. The illusion shattered when they both laughed, the sound of different voices ringing in the mage's ears. Her face fell and she looked into her cup, hoping to find answers to her internal woes in the red colored liquid.

"He's strong. I'll have to copy this training method when I can…" Adora observed, for the first time realizing the impossibility of Naruto's skills. He was the living definition of hard work paying off, and his efforts to surpass himself she found to her shock she couldn't muster the same hunger or drive for. She wondered briefly if there was a trick to this, if he had something which she lacked that let him push past his own limits.

Catra was halfway gazing at the training scene, halfway focused on how the water lapped at her heels and forced a recoil. The group was hiding behind several pillars that overlooked the small beach, and she felt the warm sand eat away at her desire to keep watching. Her blue eye fluttered slightly and she had to yawn, her jaw cracking and stretching open.

The Munchkin trio had their own matching opinions. Lonnie was only paying attention because Naruto was training, but unlike Adora she wasn't watching his swordplay but instead how tired he progressively got as he continued on. Rogelio had lifted Kyle up so he could see better, the blond boy peeking out in trepidation lest they all be seen.

"Oh! So cool! The Forest Gale's really going at it, huh. What do you think?" Scorpia asked her new friend, who giggled maniacally.

Entrapta was beyond giddy, "Indeed, he's the epitome of a physical body at its peak capacity and he's still so young! In adulthood he will become an ideal mate for any species! I can't wait to see Naruto and Princess Glimmer proclaim their love! The child he spawns shall be a perfect blend of his DNA and any woman! I'm talking about a massive boost in evolution from combining any genes with his!"

"A child with him?" Scorpia taught on it, then her eyes became hearts at the idea of a tiny scorpion boy with blonde hair and sharp blue eyes opening and closing his pincers asking to be carried. Then, her mind went places, the same boy seated on an adult Forest Gale's shoulders as the swordsman walks to her, "Uh, wow... Is it getting warm in here or is it my armor?"

In the darkness cast by the clouds, the shadow familiar summoned by its mistress watched Naruto and Glimmer training. Shadow Weaver observed the two with a curious tilt of her head. She saw the resemblance to her favorite student in everything Naruto did. He only lacked Micah's strong affinity for magic. However, she also noticed the princess' resemblance to Angella and Micah and felt herself grin under her mask.

Once the two were done and a sweaty Glimmer sat down to take a rest, Naruto approached her, "Not bad for a first time, right?"

"Yeah, but still, all this running and throwing..." she gasped.

Rubbing his cheek with a finger, he looked at her shaking, "Is it really that bad?"

"I just need a moment to-whoa!" Glimmer's face became a brighter shade of pink than her mother's when her bodyguard scooped her up, "What are you doing!?"

"Taking you to a bath, you need one," he said while effortlessly carrying her like a bride.

Glimmer had to resist the urge to feel up the defined, slim body of her guardian, "I-I can still walk!" she blurted out.

"I saw your knees wobbling, this'll be faster," he retorted. "Plus, this way you can guide me to those hot springs you told me about."

"F-Fine..." she hated how she stammered but loved the sensation of the strong arms holding her and the warmth of his body.

"Just know I'll take my time, warming up your already heated up muscles right after a workout is not a good way to keep the gains," he told her.

"I don't mind," she said without thinking, memorizing how good he looked closely. Everyone watching rubbed their face with the exception of Scorpia and Entrapta, the former thinking on how her possible future son would grow to be the kindest of giants while the latter gathered the data.

-0-

Three days had passed since Naruto and Glimmer started to train together at the beach. Their routine hadn't changed much with the princess' aunt. Both still took meditation and magical energy control seriously. An observant eye could even see how they added such lessons to the swordsman's odd training. Castaspella had stopped sparring with him after seeing that, desiring to see how far he could evolve with such an idea.

And, finally, they decided to face her at the clearing they trained at, "I assume you aren't going to take the long, arduous road of meditation," she said more than asked.

Both her niece and the swordsman stood in front of her, the latter speaking, "I am never taking the easy way." He told her and readied himself with his first stance, "I am, however, going to make you see Glimmer and I stand more of a chance than you give us credit for."

"Fine then," Castaspella frowned immediately, her brow furrowed upon summoning her magic energy sword. "I'll give this lesson as many times as needed!"

"Now!" Naruto shouted and the sorceress got ready but couldn't help herself. Looking to the side, she expected to see Glimmer disappear, shoot magic or anything... Instead, her niece watched the fight intently and pumped her fists, silently cheering the blond.

"What?" Castaspella asked, leaving her guard opened for Naruto. She immediately parried the attack, conjuring a magical circle to push her blade back against his, "Plotting to surprise or shock me won't help when a master of this style has polished their mind like a mirror. That is the power of the serene mind which makes the Bright Sword what it is."

Twisting her blade, Castaspella twirled it around the wooden sword to place the tip at her opponent's neck. Surprisingly, he leaned all the way back, dashing away from her...and immediately leapt right at her! With a fraction of a second to react after her sword didn't even scratch his cheek when he passed the blade, the high sorceress tried to strike him, but her weapon was pushed aside by a familiar blast of magic. She couldn't believe it, but she was still a master. When Naruto attempted to stab her midsection, she used her free hand to hold his face and shove him back... and it was a mistake!

Grinning, he spoke up, "I know, but Glimmer can't abuse her magic..." then, Naruto spread his legs at a width that should've made him easy to topple, but Castaspella found his feet firmly planted on the grassy floor before she felt her hand slip off his face, "...which is why I'm taking you to her!"

Castaspella gaped when she found herself losing her footing when the blond spun around the swordswoman. He actually disappeared from her sight and left her exposed for a pink magic bolt to the chest. The sorceress gasped after receiving the strike more in shock than pain; no niece would want to hurt their loving aunt. Stumbling to the side, the black-haired woman was about to bring her sword up but found a wooden one pressed against her neck softly. And a grinning boy gently pulled back the dull blade of his fake weapon before sheathing it, leaving her stunned at such a display.

"Your...your footing..." Castaspella finally realized it. "You weren't training to gain speed; you were running against the waves to perfect your footwork!"

"Give your niece credit, too!" Naruto exclaimed with a large grin. "She learned to read my moves and yours combined to get you."

"I...I guess my aim got better," Glimmer said, blushing.

Naruto beamed, "Better than that, it's the best it's been and it'll be greater if we keep at it!" Gaining a brighter shade of red than before, Glimmer felt the obvious start of a crush rush through her. Castaspella saw and knew, so, despite her previous words...

"You two have really pushed each other into greatness..." she sighed sadly, looking at her own blade before making it vanish.

From afar, Catra gaped at what she saw through binoculars, "How did he do such a thing!?" she whisper-yelled on the roof of a faraway building.

Adora bit her thumb, lowering her own binoculars, "He learned from the way she moved and used his own force against him. Her style is about proper responses with a serene mind, but he forced his body to respond to any shift in the flow of her attacks and their combined weight to make his counters natural. Through running and clashing against the waves, he learned the perfect footing... The footwork to move even against calm and raging waters. And he's taught that princess how to read his and the sorceress' moves, to predict where to attack precisely... No, it's as if he's taught her to read nature's own flow."

"Grr, we better attack soon, then," Lonnie snarled. "If he gets stronger, he'll be a threat."

"No..." Catra groaned, rubbing her wild-haired head. "I learned my lesson. We take this slow. After all, we do have a plan and a witch to watch."

Back with Castaspella, the woman composed herself, "I beg of you two to not give me this much hope without reason." Placing a hand on her chest, she looked at the two and opened her heart, "Micah, Angella and I tried to develop this style further for the sake of defending everyone. What you two have done in such a short time brought back the same hope we placed in each other to do such a thing."

"With your help, it's more than a dream," Glimmer told her, holding the woman's hands in her own. "Together, aunty..."

"Glimmer..." Castaspella had tears on the corners of her eyes as she kneeled and hugged the girl. "I'll... I'll help you two fight. Not just for you or Micah, but for me as well... I forgot what it was like to push myself for the sake of others after losing your father, so now I shall do so again."

Naruto stared awkwardly, not sure of what to say or do, but couldn't help but smile at the happiness the two shared, "Must be nice having that kind of love..."

Not that far off, the Shadow Minion observed everything and replayed it for her, "With this, capturing him alive shall more than make up for the problems he's caused my sweet child." Gripping the air with the desire to squeeze and crush something, she glared at the boy, "It's a shame he's such a fool, but with his blood... Mmhmhmhm..."

Chortling darkly to herself, the witch eagerly waited for her chance to spring her plan into action.

-0-

And that's my rap!

Hey, it's been a while. For those curious about my hiatus, I took a break from writing since the quarantine hit me hard. I'm still trying to move forward, but writing here is a hobby first and foremost, nothing else. I put effort into it, but I don't ask for donations. My job, education and family come first, so please understand that I was never going to write regularly.

However, I will thank you for your patience and I'm still glad you enjoy my fics.

Also, for those of you who want Naruto to have a magical sword, I will say this one time only: I will keep the wooden sword. Why? Because I like the idea of Naruto just saying "Imagine if I used a real sword" just to let it sink into someone's head that he's already insanely strong without magic. Also, I'm the writer, so it's me calling the shots. I appreciate suggestions, but I'm not one to easily bend the knee.

Swordslinger out!