Disclaimer: I certainly don't own Naruto, Disney or any of its affiliated properties. If I did, I wouldn't be writing this now would I?
"The connection of our hearts…" : Speech (Bold for yelling ,Bijuu, or massive creatures)
'The connection of our hearts…' : Thought
The town of Nottingham, half an hour after Skippy's birthday…
Skippy was ecstatic – the seven year old had never really enjoyed anything that could be called luxurious in his brief time alive so when the Robin Hood showed up at his birthday party, he was on cloud nine with joy. To add icing on the proverbial cake, he even got to keep the farthing his mother had suffered many a hardship to save up for him (he was all too familiar with the financial drain he and his siblings were on his poor mother, especially since he didn't even know whom his father was) while watching the fat sheriff get his butt handed to him! He honestly didn't think ol' Bushel Britches had it in him considering the speed with which he scrambled out of the Rabbit homestead. Once the celebrations were complete, Skippy had left the house with his sisters and friend coming along to see him use the bow and arrow Robin had gifted him (Tagalong's jibes about him not looking like Robin had incensed him something fierce and he was out to prove himself now…).
After a brief jaunt into the finer parts of town, Skippy and his group had settled in a grassy field behind the royal castle walls. Now suitably assured that any practice archery wouldn't lead to casualties, Skippy began drawing his bow, the bowstring proving to be quite the challenge to pull back as the young rabbit's arms were shaking from the effort required.
"Er Skippy, perhaps you might want to try just shooting an arrow into one of the trees around us first before trying to use a power shot…just a suggestion!" Toby said, the shy tortoise adjusting his glasses timorously before smiling weakly at his excited friend.
"Yeah Skippy! I mean, Robin himself gave you that bow and I am sure a weapon meant for a man's hands would ill fit a kid like you~!" Sis teased as Taglong decided to add her own two cents to the matter.
"Yeah Skippy – the bow is meant for grownups and you aint no grown up see? Best to start small!" Tagalong said, smirking at her older brother's indignant expression, his puffed cheeks a testament to her proficiency in the subtle art of the deadpan teasing of her sibling (both her and Sis loved Skippy but they had to get some licks in when they could – why did he get a bow and they got nothing…they didn't even get to touch the thing yet!).
"Oh yeah?! Well, Robin gave me this bow and Mister Naruto said nuthin' about the thing being too much for me – seein' as the two were so chummy, he must have known what he was doing when he allowed it! I'll show you…watch this shot!" Skippy said, drawing the bow before letting loose his singular arrow.
Unfortunately, his zeal led to him overshooting – the arrow flying in a high arc, finally landing over the castle walls. The children stayed stock still, mortified by the perceived gall and the punishment that awaited them for their audacity. When they didn't hear any yells, screams of pain or outrage, the children relaxed somewhat, at least before Tagalong turned to her brother and decided to say the one thing that was on everyone's minds.
"Say Skippy…don't you think we should go and get the arrow back?" She said, watching Skippy's face pale a little before he adopted an expression of faux bravado.
"Sure I will – wait here!" He said, walking off only to be dragged back by Sis.
"Hold on there! We're coming with you" She said, nudging Toby to his friend's side as the ragtag group of children snuck into the castle gardens, where a certain vixen and her lady in waiting were enjoying the morning sunlight.
Meanwhile, with Maid Marian and Lady Kluck…
"What a fine morning we have today – truly relaxing isn't it? Why, if your other uncle could somehow miraculously come back, I daresay we would have nothing to complain about!" Kluck said, walking towards the badminton court (or rather, the part of the castle gardens where the ladies played the game) with Marian following close behind.
"Yes, it really is a beautiful day so let's not talk about Uncle Richard now Klucky…Prince John will also be coming to stay in the castle for some time and we all know just how much he hates being reminded of his better sibling…" Marian sighed in resignation, the two women starting their game of badminton.
The passage of time had been kind to both ladies, although it affected them in different ways. Marian had grown into a beautiful, if delicate vixen with the body proportions of a furry forest nymph. Kluck on the other hand, grew into a more matronly physique that held a surprising amount of strength and speed that belied what her figure would normally suggest. Case in point being the badminton game the two were playing right now, with the hen darting around the court to knock the shuttlecock back to Marian.
"Bah, that fool is coming here to stay? Why, I wish Naruto was here to set him straight then – that cowardly and greedy fool is no true ruler and quite frankly, is only concerned with collecting gold! Have you received any letters from Naruto recently? That man is usually so punctual with his correspondences…" Kluck said, swinging her racket as she returned the shuttlecock back to Marian, who looked slightly pensive.
"The last message I received was about a month ago – Naruto said something about the crusade being nearly over and that he could return ahead of the royal entourage…while he didn't mention an exact return date, I am sure he'll be back before the end of spring!" Marian gushed happily, her face somehow managing to convey her blushing despite her crimson fur.
"Oh ho, is my lady finally going to confess to her old bodyguard? My, my – you have certainly come a long way from the shy little girl who could barely look at him in the eye without faltering!" Kluck teased, enjoying the way Marian pouted at her before launching the shuttlecock at her with a powerful swing of her racket.
"Hey! Don't tease me like that! It was difficult coming to terms with my fading affections for Robin and my growing ones for Naruto! I thank my lucky stars I didn't actually become sweethearts with Robin before I met Naruto that fateful day…" Marian said, remembering how things had settled down between her and the outlaw back when they were kids. While Robin liked Marian, thankfully his younger self wasn't invested in the idea of romance as much and as such, found it unremarkable when Marian started liking Naruto romantically instead of him (he respected Naruto and felt that if Marian was to pick anyone other than himself, then it would be Naruto, especially seeing as he was a phenomenal specimen of a fox). The two remained close friends until Robin's eventual turn to 'crime', becoming an outlaw who took refuge in the Sherwood Forest.
"Hey, you don't have to take my teasing so seriously! Heavens, I thought that shuttlecock was coming for my head! Now where did it go?" Kluck hummed as she lifted her dress and hopped around trying to make the shuttlecock fall out of her bodice. Of course, the sight of a grown woman dancing around with her dress pulled up was quite the amusing one so Marian couldn't be blamed for dissolving into a fit of giggles.
"Oh Klucky, you're so silly sometimes! Let me help you…" She said, walking over to Kluck before plucking the article out of her bountiful bosom (to the hen's embarrassment). While the women were chatting though, they had some uninvited guests in the form of Skippy and his gang, who were sneaking into the garden to retrieve the arrow. They believed themselves to be sneaky enough to escape notice but they couldn't escape Kluck's inquisitive eyes.
"Don't look now Marian but I do believe we have guests. Let's go and greet them shall we?" She said, pulling the vixen along, who quickly noticed Skippy, or rather his hat – she recognized it as Robin's cap and was curious as to who he was.
Back with the children, they were in for the shock of their lives when the lady of the castle herself appeared in front of them with her lady in waiting as well. Before they could panic though, the women calmed the children down before asking them what they were doing in the castle. After a short explanation, Marian and Kluck proposed a sort of role play, with Skippy playing the part of the dashing outlaw Robin Hood, saving Maid Marian from the pompous and greedy Prince John (played as Kluck).
"Haha! Give up Robin Hood! I have Marian in my grasp and I will not surrender her to you!" Kluck said, talking in a faux grandiose tone as Marian pretended to 'struggle' in her grasp.
"Oh, save me Robin! Free me from the dastardly Prince!" She said, watching as Skippy leaped over to her before pulling out a wooden sword and brandishing it in front of Kluck, who now adopted a scared look.
"Spare me Robin, don't hurt me or I will call for Mommy!" Kluck said, adding the last part as a hidden jibe at John's unhealthy childish tantrums.
"Back down John, I am here to save Marian! Take this!" Skippy said before swinging his sword at Kluck, who collapsed to her knees, dramatically acting out her 'death'.
"Oh, you scoundrel! You have slain me…a thousand curses on you…aagh…" Kluck said, falling onto her side, now 'dead' and Skippy free to spirit the lady to the Sherwood Forest.
Skippy took this quite seriously though and slowly approached the down hen.
"Err…ma'am? Are you hurt? I am sorry if I hurt you…" Skippy said, shamefacedly looking at Kluck, who cracked one eye open before smiling at the lad.
"Oh, don't mind my theatrics, it's all a joke. Now, go save the lady – you have slain the villain after all!" She said, as the giggling Marian dragged the flustered rabbit to a grove of trees and bushes where she gave him a brief kiss on his cheek.
"That's how a man should treat his lady fair – keep this in mind when you find yours!" Marian said, Skippy noticing how she talked about Robin, as it lacked the warmth he expected from an expectant lover.
"Pardon my asking milady, but isn't Robin your sweetheart? I couldn't help but notice how you talk about him is all…" He said as Marian sighed before patting him on the head.
"Clever lad…yes, my heart belongs to another, a fox unlike no other I have ever seen. I am waiting for him to return from his quest so we can finally be together!" She sighed amorously while Skippy looked thoughtful.
'Hmm…is she talking about Mister Naruto? He did mention that he would go to the castle today after all… I guess she'll be in for a good surprise later today. I won't spoil it for her.' He thought, finally taking his arrow back and leaving the castle with his group, leaving Marian and Kluck alone again (who had relocated to Marian's chambers where they decided to rest after playing with the children).
"Why Marian, you look a little down in the dumps. Whatever is the matter?" Kluck asked as Marian sighed in a lovesick manner.
"Oh Klucky, it's just what Skippy said reminded me of Naruto. Oh, it has been too long since I saw his face…my heart can't help but yearn for him!" Marian said as Kluck tutted at the vixen as her knitting needles click-clacked away.
"Oh, patience, my dear, patience. Remember, absence makes the heart grow fonder." She said as Marian sighed in agreement. Time then flew and before they knew it, three hours had already passed and the morning gave way to noon, as the sun climbed high in the sky.
It was during this time that the ladies heard a strange rapping sound at the window of Marian's chambers. Confused at what could be the cause of such a sound (they were in a tower and as such only expected a knocking sound from a door, not a window), Marian went to open the window, only to be met with the grinning visage of Naruto, who was clinging to the tower wall with his claws.
"Hello there Marian! Long time no see!" He said, laughing at how Marian and Kluck scrambled to the window to greet him.
"Naruto?! You have returned! Does that mean that King Richard will return soon?" Marian said, pulling Naruto back into the room as the fox stretched his body out to get rid of any kinks in the muscles.
"Yeah, I just got back today and your uncle will return in a week I think. So, how are the two of you doing? I visited Nottingham and met Robin there – it looks like the stupid Prince has enforced a heartless taxation on the people there!" Naruto said as the two women sighed before nodding and explaining what they knew of the situation.
One exposition session later…
After Naruto was told of what had happened in England in his time away, he decided that he had to get rid of Prince John immediately, but after enough people had evidence of his and the Sheriff's crimes. Fortunately, there was word in the town that Prince John was organizing an archery contest where the winner would have the honor of getting a kiss from Marian (of course, Marian only allowed this to happen because she knew that Naruto had returned and would trounce all the competition). After explaining his reasoning for not announcing his presence to John (he knew he wouldn't listen to the Sheriff's warnings about his return since he and Hiss knew the real reason why Richard went on the crusade and would assume that without the king, he wouldn't return alone out of a sense of duty), he escaped into the town, hiding in Alan's home until the day of the tournament.
Of course, he kept Robin up to speed with his plans, warning him about Prince John's ploy to capture him with the tournament. When he went to visit the outlaw however, he met Friar Tuck, who was in the process of explaining the situation himself.
"So, looks like your information network knows no bounds Robin! Even getting the local priest to help you with your banditry is truly impressive!" Naruto teased the trio (Robin, Little John and Friar Tuck), who all greeted him amiably.
"Hello there Naruto, back so soon after visiting Marian? I thought she would have kept you with her a lot longer, seeing as she missed you quite a lot…" Robin said (he was well aware of Marian's affections for Naruto and was silently pushing the two together, especially since he knew Naruto would treat the vixen right).
"Yeah, I met her and Kluck – we had a good time together but I wanted to talk to you about the tournament. The prize notwithstanding, I want you to win the competition – I believe that the Prince is trying to draw you out so he can have you hanged." Naruto said, calming Little John and Tuck before continuing his speech.
"When your identity is revealed, the cowardly prince's true colors will be revealed to the townsfolk and the Rhino Guard. While his royal status will ensure his orders are carried out, that's where I will come in – my trouncing of said guard back when I was a youth has allowed me to have a greater degree of influence over the rhinos and that will allow me to fight with you to imprison the Prince, Hiss and the Sheriff until Richard returns, upon which the King will pass judgement on them." He said as the group was shocked at the boldness of the plan before they remembered that Naruto fought back about forty soldiers as a teen and could only have gotten stronger with time.
And so, after about five days, the tournament began – competitors from far and wide came to test their skill and get the kiss. Robin disguised himself as a stork and Little John as the Duke of Chutney to get closer to the Prince. Naruto also joined the tournament as a foreign warrior from the desert nations, his scimitar and leather armor lending credence to his idea. The Sheriff also joined and despite appearances, was a capable enough that by the end of the tournament, only the three of them were left.
"Ah, so you two are my competition eh? Who are you then?" The Sheriff said as Robin only shrugged his shoulders saying he was just a peasant while Naruto grunted in inaudible tones, selling the façade that he was a foreigner. The three then continued with the competition and while Hiss did recognize the true identity of the stork, the snake was unceremoniously stuffed into a jar of ale by Friar Tuck. According to plan, Naruto beat the Sheriff and allowed himself to be beaten by Robin.
However, the Prince wasn't as dumb as appearances would suggest, and had already discovered the identity of the stork as Robin. As such, it was with a grand flourish that he called the Sheriff and the Rhino Guard to his sides before speaking.
"Foolish outlaw! Did you think me a fool – I know it is you Robin and you have fallen into my trap! Guards – seize him! I want him thrown in the dungeons immediately!"
"You aren't the true king John! The true king is still Richard and he wouldn't agree with what you are doing with the country! All these taxes are insane and the people can't handle it!" Robin said, infuriating the Prince, who now wanted Robin dead.
"Enough of this! Seize Robin-I want him executed immediately!" Prince John said, only to be shocked by Robin's laughter.
"Oh, John, I also came prepared – Naruto! It is time!" The fox said, surprising the Prince, who was disheartened by Naruto's reveal.
"Oh yeah! Time to really let these fists fly!" Naruto yelled, ripping his helmet off and putting his bow away before lunging towards the few Rhino Guard who supported the Prince and the Sheriff, who pulled out a short sword as well. Little John and Robin also joined the fray while Kluck tackled some guards who tried to get fresh with Marian and her.
Needless to say, the battle was short and sweet – Naruto made short work of any opposition, throwing rhinos and the Sheriff like ragdolls. In a few hours, Nottingham was under the effective control of Marian, with Naruto as her aide (John, Hiss and the Sheriff were in the dungeons for a change, waiting for Richard to return).
After a day of excitement and celebrations (from the townsfolk), Marian retired to her chambers after calling Naruto over as well.
"So, Regent Marian, how does it feel to be in charge of Nottingham for a change?" Naruto asked the vixen, who only smiled at the larger fox before sauntering over to him and stroking his cheek.
"I do enjoy the change of pace but I didn't call you here to talk about that. Instead, allow me to show you what I mean…" She said, pulling his head down to her before stealing his lips in a deep kiss and dragging him to her bed (not like that…at least not yet…) to rest for the night.
And so, the plight of the people of England finally came to an end – all that remained was for the reigning monarch to return and impose his judgment. However, for now at least, everyone was content to rest for a while and take things slow.
And that was chapter 58! The next chapter will be an interlude where we will see how Naruto will return to Ella and the others. This adventure was an isolated one, with no real interference from Maleficent or the Grimm Lords so Naruto will have to leave the world with some more mundane methods to regain the use of his chakra in a more 'magical' way (think of how Hagoromo could exist out of time).
If you'd like to support me you can find me on Patreon on the 'search for creators' bar under DudeWithaMac (I only get free time on Sundays since money's extremely tight-details on Panacea chapter 14). Alternatively, you guys can follow this link:p#at#re#on.#com/DudeWithaMac (remove the hash tags). Reviews and comments are always welcome!