A/N: *GASP*

DOUBLE UPDATE DAY WHOO~!

I actually updated something that wasn't a Fate story?! Hersey!?

The site's being difficult at the moment regarding email notifications and the like. Sorry about that. Feel free to review and I'll be more than happy to respond when I can-working a double as you read this-so by all means, read on!

ALSO! What's this I hear about Alita not getting a sequel?!

So as a present of sorts, here's an update. I'm not feeling any pain at the moment so I'm going to try and crank this out before I get crippled again. Game of Thrones and Endgame delayed this chapter more than I would've liked-not to mention the whole second job thing-but I've done my best to beat back the depression and put my fingers to the keys once more.

As ever reviews are my fuel; they keep me alive and writing.

Seriously, though.

Now then, for your questions!

Q: Don't nerf Alita please.

A: Oh trust me she's going to be spectacular.

Q: So the pairing is clearly Naruto x Alita but what about the other girls?

A: Other girls? What are you on about? As I said, this is a single pairing story. No harem here.

Q: Can we expect some more wild action scenes, or is this going to be more a slice of life kinda story?

A: It'll be both of course, I want to stay true to the movie while adding my own flair. I'll do my best not to disappoint.

Q: Did you read the manga? There's a lot that's been crammed into the movie and I feel that you're missing out on some good bits.

A: Alas, I have not in awhile, really need to get my hands on it again. For now, we continue as planned, but I'm open to making changes of course.

Q: Real quick, have you seen Endgame? And Game of Thrones? Those were some real tear-jerkers, especially given the recent episode of the latter. What are your thoughts? Are you going to write something on them?

A: Already am, in a sense...

Now we get right down to the meat of the matter here and it's absolutely glorious.

Oh, and obvious quotes are obvious~!

Sorry if this one is a little short!

Next one will be longer!

"I want to see everything!"

"Not sure about everything, but I can try."

"Oh! Well, that sounds good. Where should we start?"

~?

Questions (Interlude)

Alita.

That was her name.

Ido had given it to the girl and it suited her.

Almost too well in fact. That name seemed to define her, a truly free soul unburdened by the weight of being a victim of this cruel world; a child lifted by the innocence and naivety of youth, with no memories to weigh her down, her eyes wide with wonder as she took int he world anew. As though she were truly seeing everything for the first time. More than once Naruto found he had to reach out and pluck her out of someone's path or yet worse, lest she crash headlong into one of the grizzled bystanders striding about. She didn't seem to mind.

Well... at least that's how it appeared on the outside.

Even with his chosen task of guarding her, Naruto found himself at something of a loss where Alita was concerned. His mind couldn't help but draw comparisons with someone much younger in mind, if not body. So full of energy, so energetic, so...hopeful. Filled with energy and boundless curiosity, her enthusiasm soon proved infectious. Alita was a veritable blur of energy, bounding over crates, somersaulting around obstacles, laughing as only someone naive to the way of the world would. And the questions!

So many questions!

He found himself bombarded by them and it was here his lack of knowledge for this world shone through. Time and time again he found himself forced to deflect her attention toward Ido, in the hopes that the doctor would be able to at least offer some modicum of an answer for the endless stream of inquiries that flowed forth. And for the most part he was able to do just that. Yet in nearly no time at all her questions returned to him and he found himself flailing all over again.

"How does that work?" Alita pointed out a passing four-legged titan.

A small smirk quirked at the blond's lips. "I don't know."

"Ooh! Who's that?" in the next beat she gazed at towering mountain of a mech that was more machine than man.

The tiny smirk twitched into a smile. "I don't know."

He'd scarcely spoken before she bounded past him , pausing just long enough to gaze up a the towering city overhead. "What's that called?"

He was outright grinning now. "I don't know."

Quick as a blink she twirled on him. "Tell me, is "I don't know" all you can say?"

For a moment Naruto actually found himself taken aback by her wit. Belatedly, he realized he was still smiling, laughing even. Her blind enthusiasm had stirred something in him. It almost made him feel better, really. One could even say it reminded him of days that seemed so far away. Days he knew he never would be able to experience again-no! He stubbornly squashed down the resentment bubbling in his chest, his heart aching from the acknowledgement of his fate. He refused to acknowledge it. Instead he chose to smile.

"No." he said simply, deliberately, knowing that it would startle the girl.

Her eyes widened in childish delight. "I knew it! You can speak!"

Ido planted a hand over his mouth to stifle a chuckle.

Naruto offered a helpless shrug and quick as a flash, Alita was off again, this time to inspect a cage of tweeting sparrows.

With a long-suffering sigh, he trailed after her, with Ido only a step behind.

"Energetic, isn't she?"

"I don't know what to do with her." he shrugged helplessly as they skirted a pair hard-looking men, his artificial arm offering a soft whirrrr of protest as he edged to one side. The bruiser glowered at him for skirting so close, but the blond paid him no heed. "She's so...so...you know. Alive. But its not the right word. " his fingers flailed for a moment, trying to find the word, only to fail spectacularly. "You know what I'm taking about, right? I'm thinking of another word for colorful, but for the life of me I can't-

"Vibrant?" the doctor offered.

"Yes!" false fingers collided in a sharp snap. "That's the word. I've never seen someone so full of energy."

"You're fond of her, aren't you?" it wasn't a question, and his own hesitation shamed him.

...maybe?" he glimpsed the girl ahead, her attention claimed by a passing screen before the doctor grimaced and ushered her away from the ghastly sport portrayed within. "She's sweet. Reminds me of myself when I was younger. Much younger!" he amended with a laugh at the doctor's questing gaze. "Its still a bit of wrench, dealing with all of this."

"Take your time." the surgeon reassured him as their charge bounded away again. "You can stay with me for as long as you like...so long as you don't cause trouble."

Why did this surgeon remind him so much of the Third Hokage?

At a glance they didn't look remotely alike; but were one to look deeper they would see the same sort of gentle soul within. Of course, Ido-or Doc as Naruto had come to call him-wasn't the same. He never would be. But to see someone kind enough to open his door to a stranger in a world like this, well, it almost made him feel at home. Now if he could just find a way back-

"Puppy~!"

A distant bark claimed their attention.

Naruto swore loudly at what he saw in the distance. "Alita, no! Put the pooch down! Don't squeeze it that hard! Be gentle! Gentle!"

"But its so fluffy!"

She certainly helped to distract him from his woes in the following hours if nothing else.

Alita knew how to walk and talk in the traditional sense, yet that was where her knowledge ended. In so many ways she reminded him of a little girl. At first. Yet with each answer her mind seemed to sharpen, taking on a keen edge at a startling rate. When she let that little dog lick her fingers, Naruto caught himself smiling. When she bit into orange without bothering to peel the skin off he almost chuckled.

When she tried to do the same to a bar of chocolate Naruto all but howled with laughter.

"Blech!" she cried! "How do you eat this?!"

Shaking with suppressed snickers, he scooted up to her side.

"No, not like this. Here." his fingers wrapped around hers and plucked it from her hand. He couldn't quite keep the smile from his lips, for she watched him like a hawk as he peeled the wrapper off the bar, her large eyes watching in curiosity as the chocolaty goodness that lied within was revealed. When he offered it to her, she hesitated.

"I can have this?"

His shoulders rolled in a shrug. "Chocolate was never really my thing, so...

Mutely, he pushed it into her palms and folded her hands around it. With only the faintest flicker of uncertainty, Alita opened her mouth and bit down on the chocolate bar. Chewed. Slowly. With each bite she carefully-as best as he could-worked to pull back

Her look of delight as she devoured the poor thing was truly something to behold.

How could some derive such joy for a simple piece of candy?

You couldn't fake that kind of bliss.

"Mmm! 'S good!"

All things considered, Naruto was almost inclined to trust her outright.

There some connection that he had with the curious cyborg that simply had stumbled into his life, something that he couldn't explain.

A kindred spirit perhaps?

He didn't dwell on it for long.

Besides, he other matters to attend to.

Taking care of the surprisingly agile Alita for instance. If only she wasn't so damned fast. Even he had trouble keeping pace in his temporarily weakened state. Him! Of all people to have trouble keeping pace for essentially a glorified teenager, one who wouldn't let her newfound enthusiasm be dulled. She was, for all intents and purposes, pure. Everything was new and different-in some cases outright faded-but the shining example of it all stood as a curiosity for her, for everyone, for everything.

In the end, he shouldn't have been surprised when she finally turned those eager eyes-and her questions-on him once more.

"So who are you?" she asked, gazing up at him curiously. "Where do you come from? Are you from here?"

Naruto fought down a guffaw. "Full of questions today, aren't you? I'd rather not-

What he saw there in Alita's face caused him to hold his tongue.

She looked so...sad. As if he'd broken her heart.

So he told her. Slowly, at first.

He told her it all.

A/N: So tired...working a double sucks, and I'll be working it again by the time you read this. Still...

Ta-da~!

Felt good to get this off the ground again, though my attention has been focused of Game of Thrones and Fate Stay Night as of late. I'll do my best to keep up with everything, don't you worry! After all, reviews are water to my wine, and hearing from you wonderful people keeps the creative juices flowing.

So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...

...Review Would You Kindly?

And enjoy the previews!

Potential ones at that.

(Previews)

...move."

"Make me, you shitty little upstart!"

Naruto blew out a small, exasperated sigh. "Look, can we not do this right now? I'm a little irritated-

The blade flicked toward his face and with long-suffering patience he raised an arm. Once. Twice. Thrice. Each time that jagged weapon viciously sought his head; each time it found itself intercepted; effortlessly deflected as a lone golden finger made contact with the side of the of the ramshackle weapon. Naruto didn't give ground; on the contrary, with each attack he advanced, uncaring for the numbers, of the enemy, of the situation, of any of it; because she was in danger and they were in his way.

Finally the hunter stepped back, aghast.

"What the hell are you?"

Naruto barely heard him. Rage roared up in him, high and mighty and indignant. When the hunter cut out again he didn't even deign to dodge; rather he stepped forward, caught the blade between two fingers, and ripped it from his grasp. Momentum took over, and his attack stumbled forward. Into a clawed fist.

One that sheared off half his face.

...annoyed."

"What is that?"

"Its called music." Laughing, he took her hand.

Alita's brow shot to her hairline. "Noooooo no, no! I'm a horrible dancer-ack!"

"You're one of a kind."

Alita chirruped happily, pleased with this observation. "I certainly am, aren't I?"

"Yeah, you're loud, bossy, and honestly, quite a handful, but-

She swatted him on the back of the head and he he yelped. "Ow! I was going to compliment you!"

"Oh." she blinked. "Proceed."

"Jeez you hit hard...

The boy caught his fist effortlessly, crumpling it as though it were made of paper mache.

Red eyes blazed up at him, glazed with hate. "You shouldn't have done that."

"Everyone has a weakness."

A booted foot cannoned into his face.

"Well my "weakness" can kick your ass seven ways to Sunday. I think we're good."

R&R~!