A/N: REVIEW FOR IT FEEDS MY ETERNAL ENGINE OF CREATION!

Over EIGHT thousand words for you all! Hope you like it!

I worked my ass off on this chapter and I'm beat!

Glad to see the Sun-Sun fruit received a positive reception! And yes, the Seven Deadly Sins and co. exist in this story...in a sense. Not sure if I'll have them appear or not. I'll leave that up to you guys and gals. As to Naruto's power...not sure if counts as a Paramecia or a Logia. Probably the former. Long story short, he's monstrously strong-and invincible for a whole minute-during the day. At night he lacks this monstrous strength, but he can still put up a fight.

Now for your questions!

Q: Naruto with Escanor's powers?! Hell yes! Does it affect his personality?

A: Yes, almost dangerously so. He even admits it in this chapter. Escanor-and by definition the power he inherited from him-rubbed off on him in a big way, to the extent that he sometimes can't control himself. When he's in his normal/contained state he's perfectly pleasant, but once you get him going...

Q: Awful lot of previews you've got there. Which ones can we expect to see?

A: As I said, they're potential previews. Just because you see them doesn't mean they'll all show up in one chapter. We'll see some in this one, others later down the line.

Q: Just what "business" was Naruto up to? Or was that a throwaway line?

A: To summarize? He wants to tear down the World Government, but from within. He's quite active in that regard. To that effect he's willing to go to extremes and recruit allies wherever he can fine them. This chapter goes more into depth with his plans.

Q: Just how strong is Naruto anyway? Yonko level? Admiral? We need some stats here!

A: Naruto's a tough cookie, but he's not invincible. If he tangled with Kaido or Whitebeard he'd likely loose. Big Mom is a just BAD matchup, one in his favor. She literally wielded a sun for crying out loud! For someone with the Sun-Sun fruit, that's an almost perpetual source of energy. It doesn't help that Linlin isn't aware of this.

Q: He's stalling Big Mom while Brulee copies her Poneglyph, isn't he?

A: It was basically hinted, yes. I do apologize for Pudding's lack of screentime, but she's busy with Smoothie at the moment.

Q: I'm sensing some history here with the Big Mom Pirates and Hancock...I smell a story!

A: Yes, Naruto has a horrible past but we'll get into that later.

Fair warning, this chapter gets intense for many reasons.

Both in terms off battling, and emotions of alike.

First off, we're wrapping up the fight with Big Mom.

Second!

The Amazon Lily bit will cover part of this chapter AND the next chapter.

Now, then!

BACK TO THE BRAAAAAAaWL BABY~!

"And who are you then, knave, that I must bow so low?"

"Only a cat of a different coat, Boa Hancock. And please, don't bow. It doesn't suit you."

"Not another word you filthy-

-Monster? Is that what you're going to call me? Funny you should mention that. Y'see, monsters are like dragons. Some are just born rotten. Others do all that they can do be good, upstanding beings. They hide their teeth. Shed their claws. Tear off their wings. They tuck in their tails and try to live a normal life, to start a family. And for the most part, they're very good at hiding what they truly are. It's only when you give one a reason to fight, motivation and drive, the will to do defend, to do harm...that's when you find the monster."

~An Empress and a Dragon.

Only a Cat of a Different Coat

So.

This was pain, then.

She'd almost forgotten what it felt like.

Big Mom-no, Charlotte Linlin-opened her eyes to find herself lying face-up in a small pool of her own blood. Blinking, she regarded the scarlet stain in dubious disbelief. Thick fingers rose to palm the gaping tear in her shoulder, and once more came away crimson. What? When did that happen? Her collarbone gibbered in an unuttered shriek, a vicious red haze draping itself over her vision. She hadn't experienced such agony in years; not since she'd fought with that thing and lived to tell the tale. Yet here she lay, wounded once again. Belatedly she realized what had happened; she must've blacked out for an instant; why else would she be on the floor staring at someone-

No.

As she looked on a fresh wave of heat assaulted her senses, evaporating the bloody puddle and choking her thoughts in their cradle before it could be born. For a fleeting moment she almost thought she was looking at her son, Oven. But that didn't make any sense. Her son could never strike her-much less wound her. Rather, the scorching blaze belonged to another. It eclipsed the powers of the Netsu-Netsu no mi so utterly that they were naught but a pale shade by comparison. If anything, it felt as if she were standing on the surface of the sun itself, her very blood boiling in its veins...

She wasn't prepared for the laughter.

"You're playing with the big boys, now, my dear."

Light danced off the hardened plane of his scarred chest, exposing a tanned torso bristling with strength. The tattered remnants of a white robe clung to his shoulders, shredding themselves even as she looked on. Pearly white teeth gleamed out at her in a wide smile-no, a sneer!-their owner looming large over her prone form. Though the sun had long since reached its zenith, though tongues of flame scrawled across the sky, he stood proud and tall before her.

A lone finger rose, indicating the ruined chateau around them.

"Are you ready to concede defeat now, Linlin?" Naruto hummed. "Or shall we continue?"

"You?!"

Blue eyes crinkled slightly.

"Me."

Memory rushed back to Big Mom in a red tide and she burst upright with a snarl. Napoleon leaped from its place atop her head, elongating into a massive blade in a matter of moments. If the intruder was at all fazed by the sudden metamorphosis he did little to show it. He didn't even deign to defend himself; instead he nimbly leaped away as the blade bifurcated the table he'd alighted upon. This time, there could be no mistaking the gleam of pride lurking in those smug sapphire slits.

"Come now, you'll never catch me like this!"

Roaring, she bounded after him.

"SHUT! UP!"

A haki-clad limb slammed down on the interloper's shoulder and to her dismay accomplished next-to-nothing; in retaliation the Celestial Dragon's ax arced upward and delivered a stinging retort across her clenched fist. Two fingers flopped away from her outstretched palm, the severed digits trailing crimson blood as they arced across the chateau. Then the ensuing heat engulfed her remaining fingers-and her arm alongside them-in blazing flame, flinging the stubborn Yonkou to the ground in a shrieking heap. The burning man looked on for but a moment before averting his eyes in mild annoyance.

"Oh, dear. I could've gone without seeing that."

"Owowoowowowowow! Hot!" she wailed, flailing her legs! "You bastard!"

"Please, don't squirm about like that." he sighed. "Your movements are unsightly...like a cockroach."

A muscle jumped in Linlin's jaw.

To be mocked was one thing; but being batted around the chateau as though she were a mere lightweight...it broke something in her. Perhaps it was her pride. To have gone unchallenged for all these years, only to have this upstart swoop in not once, but twice it was galling. Perhaps it was his attitude; that indefatigable smile persisting in spite of all her efforts to tear it down. Nothing she threw his way did anything to shake him. It reminded her of that man, of almost eerily so. No, she realized with a start; it was his gaze.

She couldn't stand those damn eyes.

"Don't think you can run away, braaaaaaat!" foam frothed at her mouth as she doused the flames and rose, eyes spinning. "I'll have your lifespan if its the last thing I do! Prometheus!"

In a fit of pique, she reached for her sun, thinking nothing more than to render her foe into ashes.

He did not answer her call.

Pudgy fingers closed around empty air, experiencing the tingling current of Zeus rather than the blazing radiance of her favored tool. What nonsense was this? Baffled she stretched out her arm once more in a vain attempt to scorch the foe before her. To her dismay, it never came. The mass of compressed flames did not answer her call, rather, it seemed curiously absent. As she looked on a rush of flame obscured the whiskered warrior from view, forcing her to fling her wounded arm up and avert her gaze lest she be blinded.

"You have no one to blame but yourself."

'What did he mean by that? No matter! I'll just-

With a growl she struggled to rise once more, wincing in the face of this sudden inferno.

The sight that awaited her stilled her blood.

"How very foolish of you." that rich, resonant voice lamented as something-someone-shifted in her peripheral vision. "Here I was running low on energy and what did you do? You pulled out your trump card so early in our fight. I expected more of an Emperor. Foolish indeed. Were you not aware of my ability?" though she strained her gaze, she still couldn't bring herself to stare overlong at the towering monstrosity. "I suppose that's to be expected. Still, I should thank you." that broad-shouldered specter shifted as she looking on, a large hand brandishing that unholy weapon with gusto. "I hadn't expect to acquire a portable power source today. Rest assured, I'll make good use of him."

A hand rose and sure enough, there he was.

It didn't take Linlin long to put the pieces together.

"Huh? Prometheus?! Why...what are you doing over there?"

"Is it not obvious?" the dulcet tones of the Unruly Dragon crooned at her. "He's abandoned you; he did so the moment I wounded you. Just as your children have. How unfortunate that they're too afraid of their own mother to even think of helping her." Something wild blazed in those eyes, only to tamp down at the last instant. "Ah, but back to the matter of your pet. While your creations may be incapable of physically harming your body, they fear death just as much as any living thing, if not moreso."

The sun quailed slightly as she spoke.

"Sorry, Mama...

"Be a dear and go support Brûlée, would you?" Naruto hummed. "She should be nearly finished with her task right about now, but it wouldn't hurt for her to have reinforcements."

"I'm not sure I should-

Slitted eyes found his. "Do you want to die, then?"

"Yeek! No sir, right away, sir!"

"You traitor!"

"Such a harsh word." again, the sun-warrior scoffed as the sun scurried across the horizon. "A piece of your soul he may well be, but even he knows when he's beaten...

His lips quirked, just so.

...unlike his master."

With that, her temper slipped its fraying leash and roared to the fore. Mad, gibbering fury held sway, obliterating all thought. A rage beyond that of her hunger pangs consumed her, devouring every scrap of sanity it could find, leaving behind naught but all-devouring rage. The act of simply killing him could no longer satisfy her. Not just his lifespan; but all those he held dear. Anyone and everything he'd ever known and loved. She'd take it all, drag him down to the very depths of despair. Only then would she kill him. But for now...

"I'LL JUST CRUSH YOU WITH BRUTE FORCE THEN!"

Somehow she managed to reach the Unruly Dragon before he could react accordingly; in a single fluid blow Zeus sheathed her haki-clad first and crunched against the blond's chiseled torso. An annoyed grunt greeted her ears as the whiskered warrior found himself catapulted backwards; but not alone. Even as she made contact a boot slammed into her gut and fired the towering pirate through a wall. She'd scarcely risen before a towering hand closed around her nose and gave a brutal yank, hauling her upright out of the debris by the face.

"I take no pleasure in this, you know. Cease your resistance and the pain will stop."

Infuriated, she skewered him through with her blade and flung him away, sending the berserker skipping across the chateau.

"Mamamama!" delighted by what she viewed as a certain victory, Linlin belted out a mad cackle. "How's that, brat? You can't kill me; you were a fool to try! I'll never fall to the likes of you!" Still, he'd put up quite the fight; no matter, it would make what came next all the sweeter once she found that traitorous whore of a-

...naught but an itch."

A rush of super-heated plasma at Linlin's back proved her only warning; when she turned she quite suddenly found herself face to face with death itself. That snarling face dominated her vision, his blazing forehead pressed against hers, legs still tucked into his chest from his leap. Some sixth sense compelled her to lash out, to no avail. Napoleon carved an open trench through the earth, but failed to find flesh. Time slowed to an ugly crawl as her opponent planted himself on the exposed blade and raised his weapon high. She could feel herself moving, too slowly.

Then he struck.

Hard.

Golden light slammed into Linlin's unprotected visage like the hand of an angry god, wrenching her bulbous nose painfully aside to ram her headlong into the ground. Momentum seized her and ran roughshod with her body, sending her skipping across the tilted chateau as one might fling an errant stone. The world passed by in a mottled haze before she finally managed to steady herself. Just as well; a moment more and she might've flown clear off the chateau altogether. Even then her face throbbed painfully, a ghastly reminder of the wound he'd inflicted on her visage.

"Brat! Where did you go?!"

An alarm went off somewhere in the back of Linlin's mind as she painstakingly climbed back to her feet and prepared herself for their next clash. There was something decidedly unhinged in those eyes now. As though something-someone?-long held back had only now been unleashed. She could see his muscles writhing and twisting like wild snakes, gorged on an overabundance of power. Though she despised them all the more, she felt a pinprick of something she'd not experience in an age. A snake of dread coiled in her guts as she watched raw plasma emanate from her foe. Wait. She knew this feeling. It was...

Fear.

Blazing red eyes scorched her gaze.

"My mighty attacks cannot fell thee?" a low rumble pierced the air as Naruto rolled his shoulders, body spasming, a puppet severed from its strings. To her dismay he'd risen again, larger than ever before. As she looked on the gaping tear in his stomach sealed itself shut in a rush of steam, leaving naught but healthy flesh behind. "Who decided that?" A lone finger rose and with it, a snarling sphere twice the size of Prometheus ignited upon that outstretched digit. "My blazing sun cannot touch you? And who decided that? The only one who gets to decide such things...is me."

Against her will, the Yonko found herself taking half a step backward.

'Did his tone just change?'

"Begone!"

Napoleon howled.

"Bastard! Have at you!"

They ranged across whole cake chateau like mad titans; ever moving, constantly striking, never resting. A crazed smile, a bark of laughter, and Napoleon slammed into Rhita with the force of a small tsunami; the larger blade skittering harmlessly across the great gilded ax as though it were made of glass. Naruto riposted sharply, forcing the towering ogre of a woman back half a step. Then another. Another. And another still. His ax became little more than a golden blur as it struck out of her, the hilt and haft seeming to bend at impossible angles just to strike at her face. Even as she staggered a booted foot cracked outward, slamming into her unprotected ribs to fling her away.

"Bright Flare!"

An overhead smash flowed into a rousing roundhouse that took three of Linlin's teeth and set her world spinning like a top. A knee crushed up against her ribs, rupturing something deep inside of her. Armament Haki shielded her left arm, narrowly preventing the deep slice that followed from taking her dominant limb entirely. In retaliation the ax swung low and hamstrung her before biting deep into her thigh immediately thereafter. Blood stained her portly pink dress a garish shade of dark crimson and her right leg buckled beneath her.

Breath burst from her lungs in an explosive gasp and the titan fell to her knees.

This time, when the boot found the back of her head, she lacked the strength to push him away immediately. Mustering the last dregs of her strength she spun and swiped up at him with Napoleon's cognac form. It was the last act her blade/hat ever committed. A scream accompanied by a sound not unlike the tinkling of broken glass reached her ears and quite suddenly, she found herself clutching little more than a shattered hilt. Broken shards of steel rained down on her head and as she looked on, even those crumbled away into nothingness beneath the overwhelming heat.

Again, the finishing blow was held back at the last moment.

Rhitta planted itself beneath Linlin's chin, forcing her to raise her gaze.

"Now, I'll give you one last chance to walk away." whiskered cheeks dimpled in a warm smile. "You should take it while I'm still a gentleman. As a courtesy, I'll lend you three seconds."

Grasping at her blade's scorched remains, she felt her face twist into a rictus of grin.

"Never! If you think I'd submit to a wet-nosed pup like-

"So be it."

"Thunderbolt!"

Zeus roared to life a moment too late; even as the thundercloud lunged forward, spitting lightning, a searing hand rose to meet it. Taut fingers formed a sword and lashed out in a neat, vertical line. A simple, peerless movement. Little more than a flick of his wrist. And yet it eviscerated Zeus as surely as any blade. Something dropped in Linlin's gut at the sight. Her every instinct shrieked as one; screaming at her to move, to run, to flee-to get out of the way-even as those fingers fell in that slow, almost benign movement. For all her strength, and all her power, her bloated form simply wasn't fast enough.

"Peerless sword." the radiant deity declared with an air of finality. "Escanor."

The raw power behind it bellied the attack itself; no sooner had those steely digits descended upon Zeus and her with it. Despite her efforts to resist what followed, Charlotte Linlin found herself powerless all the same. She still heard the roar of fire in her ears, felt it howl over her flesh and claim her left eye. Tasted blood on her tongue. Through the other she saw the remains of her right arm join her left leg to pinwheel into the air, fingers still wriggling like mad worms trying to burrow their way into flesh. Words failed her. She could no sooner speak than she could think, even the act of breathing suddenly consumed every fiber of her being.

Just who was this brat? Where had he acquired this power? He hadn't had anything like this before!

Her expression must've been telling, for the Unruly Dragon piped up once more.

Some sixth sense compelled her to lash out, to no avail.

"I was trained by a man who bore a lion upon his back." the blond confided in her with a kindly look. "And when he passed on, I took his lessons to heart. Since inheriting his power, I'm afraid I tend to take after him whenever I'm in this form." Again, a speck of blinding brilliance ignited upon his outstretched palm. "Its a bit of a flaw you see. Do excuse my rudeness...but I simply cannot tolerate thy unsightly visage any longer. Until we meet again."

The sneer that followed was anything but kind.

"CRUEL SUN!"

A towering sphere many times the size of Prometheus's maximum radius swung up and barreled headlong into the towering pinkette from below, ripping her from the ground as though she weighed no more than a leaf. Helpless to resist, the Yonko felt herself curl around the snarling orb, scarcely able to prevent her face from mashing up against the all-encompassing sphere. It ignited at once, hurling her from the chateau and into the town below, then through the bustling streets into the forest beyond. In the end, she managed little more than a keening shriek before her body rocketed away across what remained of Totto Land.

"This isn't over Naruuuuuuuuuuto!"

He watched her form retreat into the distance, considering.

"Hmm, will she land in the ocean, I wonder?" after a moment of silence, the blond shrugged. "I suppose that's too much to ask. In any case...I've reached my limit."

Had anyone been present to witness this phenomenon, they would've witnessed a stranger sight still; in moments his towering form withered, those once expansive muscle shriveling down to a far more manageable size with a single breathe. In mere moments he'd gone from a great gleaming god to a mere mortal man. It really had been a close thing near the end there; had he not stalled Big Mom, he might've lost long before being able to utilize The One to its full potential. Even now his body shrieked at him in recompense for his earlier temerity.

"Do we have what we came for, Brûlée?"

"Wiwiwiwiwiwiwi!" gentle laughter greeted his ears as she emerged, clutching a worn sheaf of parchment in her arms. "You actually did it! You beat Mama! I didn't think that was possible!"

Directing his gaze southward, he found the object of his affections lurking behind one of the shattered walls. A greatly reduced Prometheus trailed after her; the homie's once towering size now little more than a mere shadow of its former self. Hmm. Not dead after all, then. Not yet. If Big Mom perished it stood to reason that the sun would no longer exist. He supposed it was no longer any of his concern. With the injuries he'd inflicted on her, she'd be hard-pressed to live a normal life, much less retain her title as Emperor. One of her rivals would no doubt finish what he'd started.

"You really are a monster," his fiance was still gloating as he came back to himself. "Wait 'till I tell Pudding and Smoothie! They'll be beside themselves-

"Aaargh!"

His world went white as her pale hand brushed his collarbone.

"Darling?!"

Despite Naruto's best efforts to maintain his composure, a bolt of fire coursed down his spine and he bent double with a hiss. Rhitta fell from his hand and clattered to the ground with a harsh thud, but he scarcely heard it, much less Brûlée's startled yelp. Every cell in his body clamped down as one, rebelling against the trauma he'd suffered in battle. Despite the boost he'd received from Prometheus early in their battle, he found himself teetering on the brink of collapse. The One wasn't something to rely on overmuch; even its momentary use of a minute had taken his reserves and drained them significantly. He hadn't had any other choice. Without using his full strength he would've been annihilated. Even now, he wasn't certain that last attack had truly killed Big mom.

"Its nothing...just a spasm. It'll pass."

A fresh pang of agony shot up his shoulder in agreement.

Still, something nagged at him.

For all of her might, no one had come to support Big Mom. In a one-on-one brawl he'd had the edge needed to defeat her; one he would've lacked had someone like Perospero or Katakuri jumped into the fray. Yet they hadn't even shown their faces. Where her own allies truly that terrified of her? Something to consider later. For now they needed to put Totto Land behind them before someone came to investigate or worse; in his current state her Sweet Commanders might prove troublesome. Brûlée might be an able fighter, but she wasn't suited to front-line combat...

"I should've known it was you."

A fresh pair of footfalls intruded upon their solace with implacable severity. He didn't need to look to know who hard arrived; their voice had confirmed his suspicions outright. When he raised his gaze he found a pair of peerless scarlet orbs met his. By themselves they wouldn't have been so worrying; it was their owner that concerned him. That imposing form, his steely visage wrapped in a low scarf. A disbelieving laugh burst out of him and leaped into the night despite his best efforts; a snarl of exasperation as much as exhaustion that threatened to sap what little of his strength remained.

For a moment, neither spoke.

"Have you come for my head, Katakuri?"

"That depends on your response." the mochi-man replied tersely.

"Oh, dear. You'll have to forgive me if I don't believe you." Naruto growled.

"Wait, wait! Don't fight!" Brûlée interjected hastily, throwing herself between them before they could come to blows. "I asked him to come! He helped me get a copy of Mama's road poneglyph! He's the only reason I managed to get out of the treasure room alive!"

Blue eyes cut toward her elder sibling with vicious intensity.

"Did he now?"

"You needn't worry." the towering man replied after a long, tense moment. "I'm alone. Perospero and the others are...distracted at the moment." Rather than elaborate, the Minister of Flour folded both arms across his tattooed chest and held his ground. "No thanks to the chaos you've caused."

"It was necessary."

"Was it?" Katakuri retorted with a dangerous air. "You've all but destroyed the balance of power here; you do realize that, don't you? Even should Mama somehow survive her injuries, she'll never be whole again. Now you've stolen a copy of her poneglyph with the intent to distribute it to the masses. In short, you have all but guaranteed that one of her rivals will eventually overtake and claim her territory, if not her life. She's going to lose the title of Emperor due to your actions here today. If Kaido doesn't move on her territory, then Whitebeard or Shanks certainly will-

"And what's wrong with that?!"

Brûlée squeaked as her husband-to-be wriggled out of her arms and thrust himself forward.

For all his stoicism and height advantage, Katakuri still flinched when the blond jabbed him in the stomach. It would've been worrying, were it not for the fact that he knew the smaller man had completely and utterly exhausted his powers. Said powers were gradually returning for every instant he spent in the presence of Prometheus. Given enough time, he'd recover. If he wished to kill him, now was the time. He should kill him. He already knew this man was a threat, not just to Totto Land, not only to his siblings-as those he'd helped spirit away all those years ago-but to the world itself.

It would be easy to end him now.

Almost effortless, even.

And yet...

"Your mother was/is a glutton who cares for no one but yourself." with each word, the whiskered warrior jabbed his finger into his vest. "Worse, she's a right spoiled little shit who never grew up and doesn't know the difference between right and wrong. If left alone long enough, she would've caused an international incident. You don't like it? Be better. Take her title for all I care. Or don't; find your own way on the seas and find your own crew, I don't care. This world needs to change, and it couldn't change while she was an Emperor. Now, then I'm only going to ask you this once...!"

Crimson drilled up into crimson with the heat of a thousand suns.

"Why. Are. You. Here?"

In that moment, Charlotte Katakuri could have given any number of replies. He had no reason to tell the truth; to admit that he merely wished to ascertain the safety of his siblings. Even after all these years, this man baffled him. He hadn't seemed the sort to go to such lengths when they'd first met-conversely, they'd scarcely known one another at the time-yet here he was once more, spitting in the face of fate. If he didn't know better, he might've thought the Celestial Dragon to be a "D", one of those impertinent fools always willing to do what no one else dared.

In the end, he simply shrugged.

"I wanted to meet the man who stole my sisters' hearts."

Brûlée sputtered madly.

"Brother!"

"Will you return here someday?" ignoring his startled sibling, he turned a rigid glare upon the exhausted blond. Already color had come back to his cheeks and he was standing straighter. He'd even retrieved his weapon-now there was a tool Katakuri found himself wary of-and used it as an impromptu crutch. Oddly enough, his inquiry only seemed to strengthen the young man. To possess that kind of resolve, to be able to stand strong in the face of adversity and emerge unscathed...no wonder Mama loathed him.

...I'll come back if your idiot mother causes more trouble." came the reply.

"Fair enough."

Without another word, the Sweet Commander turned and strode away. He didn't look back, even when faint snatches of conversation tickled at his senses. Loyalty was one thing. Family, another. If his sisters were happy, that suited him just fine. Mama needn't know about this little rendezvous; even if she were to learn of it, there was little she could do in her present condition. Her wounds would take years to heal, if not more. Beyond that, the people's faith in her had been shaken. Many would likely flee Totto land in droves now that their overlord was no longer in any condition to stop them.

Straightening with an effort, the Unruly Dragon groaned.

"Please tell me you didn't contact anyone else."

A pale hand lightly swatted him across the back of the head. "Of course not! Big Brother Katakuri was the only one I could trust with this!"

"Good, because I really don't feel like dealing with Amande right now...

Bitter laughter burst out of her. "She'd try to cut you if you even tried, you know."

"She would, wouldn't she?" With a force of will, the blond righted himself and began to massage the small welt left there. "You made the copies, right?"

"Naturally!"

"Good." his head bobbed once in agreement. "Once they're properly distributed to the masses, Big Mom will lose even more support. Shall we go, then? We need to visit Amazon Lily before news of this spreads and that'll take long enough by ship rather than your-

...just a moment."

Rather than answer the violette dithered instead, holding her tongue a long moment. Her gaze wandered across the chateau, taking in the ruined down below, the deep tear in the earth where her mother had been flung; the now-burning woods that lay beyond, raging high into the night. The fire cast a strange, almost eerie glow in her eyes. As he looked on, tears gathered in those almond orbs, brimming over. A willowy hand rose, covering her mouth, stifling a small sob against her fingers.

"Why don't I feel anything?"

Something lurched in him at the sight.

"This was my home, once." Brûlée murmured to herself, bright eyes turning misty. "I nearly grew up here. But...now that I'm back don't feel anything. I was afraid when Mama showed up and threatened us...but...no, wait. I do. Hate. I hated Mama. I'm glad she lost. I'm glad you hurt her. I hope that rotten bitch suffers for every moment of hell she put us through. I wish she died." her jaw clenched, a muscle leaping in her forehead, only to vanish just as quickly. "What's wrong with me? Why do I feel this way?"

A hand wound around her waist.

"We'll come back soon." he reassured her. "Maybe we can convince the rest of your siblings when we do."

"They won't listen. They didn't then; why would they now? Even...even Katakuri...

"Bah! We'll just knock them all out and take 'em with us, then."

More laughter followed his answer, sad and despondent.

"You're such an idiot. What do you see in us?"

To her disbelief, warm lips found her cheek.

"Everything."

Leaving her to stew-and blush!-with that startling thought, Naruto raised his weapon and turned to face the still-silent Prometheus. The sun wilted beneath his gaze, looking for an escape and finding none. Perhaps, had it retained more sense, it might've tried to follow after Katakuri. Alas, it had missed that chance and now found itself pinned in the face of those blazing orbs. Even as it thought to flee a hand gripped it by the face and drew it close.

"Right, then. Get in the ax, hothead."

Again, the fire faltered.

"Eh?"

"My weapons absorbs the heat I exude and multiplies it." Naruto raised Rhitta for emphasis, keenly aware of his exposed state with each passing moment. "You'll find yourself quite at home there. Now get in...unless you'd rather meet the same fate as Zeus and Napoleon?!"

"Alright, alright!

With a whimper the mass of compressed flames did as it was bade, storing itself in the gilded ax. Hefting his weapon the blond permitted himself a moment to revel in his victory. But only a moment. Any more and his pride threatened to go to his head, something he refused to allow. Totto Land would heal from today's wounds, given time. Perhaps, in two years, they might make another foray here. Perhaps Big Mom would be gone by then, and the threat she posed with her. For now, there were matters to attend to. Events that couldn't be ignored, as much as he would've liked to leave them lie.

"Now, then..."

Naruto beamed.

"Let's begin phase two."

(...Small Scene Break/Several Days Later...)

"A Celestial Dragon is in our port?!"

"Y-Yes, my lady, I saw the sail...

Hancock felt a muscle jump in her jaw even as she parroted the words back at the courier from her throne. For their part, the messenger mostly managed to meet her frigid gaze without fainting. Poor thing. A vicious burst of Conqueror's Haki put paid to that. Even then it did nothing to tame the roiling serpents in her stomach. Her heart lurched painfully against her chest, threatening to burst out of her breast if she did nothing to calm it. If it was this bad for her hearing it secondhand, she shuddered to think of what her sisters must be experiencing on the docks. Especially Sandersonia.

The thought of her siblings ashen faces did precious little to console her.

In a fit she threw herself from her seat and began to pace. She wasn't even aware that she'd bit her own thumb until the acrid tang of blood flooded her mouth. Irritated by this brief bout of weakness she turned and spat on the floor. Somehow the sight of the stain on the cobblestones triggered something in her. A flash of memory took her in midstride and she went rigid.

Blood, whips, and burningburningburningalwaystheBURNING!

"No, no, no!" a furious shout escaped her lips before she could think to hold it back. "Why are they here?!"

Salome offered a soothing hiss, causing her to absently stroke his coils.

All the while her back burned, just as it had that day.

Amazon Lily was protected by the Calm Belt; even with recent seastone innovations fostered by that irritating Vegapunk, ferocious Sea Kings devoured anyone fool enough to stray too close to their home. More than that, her deal with the World Government had been formed just for the purpose of preventing such intrusions. Though she was loathe to obey them, it kept those vile predators away from her home. Now that protection had been violated with little more than a thought, and for what? She didn't even know the reason.

She didn't want to go back.

She couldn't bear the thought of it.

She'd sooner die than submit herself to that again.

If one of those things laid a hand on her, she'd lop it off. She wanted to tear them apart and feed them to wild animals. Yes! That was precisely what she would do! Celestial Dragons were many things, but they were weak when it came to physical strength, almost laughably so. A crazed plan took shape in her mind, spurred on by her own anxiety and fear. She would toss them into the arena and feed them to Bacura. They'd scuttle his ship in the Calm Belt and leave it for the Sea Kings to dismantle. No one would ever know that a World Noble had set foot here.

To her dismay the doors opened of their own volition.

Hancock rounded on them with a hiss.

"Who dares?!"

"I apologize for my rudeness, Snake Princess," an unfamiliar voice reached her ears over the creaking hinges, "But I decided to show myself in. I won't be but a moment."

Hancock's back went rigid.

Clad in tattered white robes, the Celestial Dragon was everything she hadn't expected him to be. He was very tall, she'd give him that much. Were it not for the robes she would've never suspected him to be one of them. His eyes were a striking blue, his cheeks whiskered, his blond hair more unruly than a serpent's nest. Then there was the matter of the cage he'd brought with him. Held aloft as though by an unseen force, it glided behind him Was it wheeled, somehow? How had he managed to cart it up the stairs, then?

Sandersonia burst in behind him a heartbeat later, her face pale.

"I'm sorry, sister!" she exclaimed. "I tried to stop him!"

Mustering her courage, Hancock glowered darkly.

"I will say this once, man; leave this island."

He didn't agree, but neither did he laugh.

"Ah. I had a feeling it was you, but I wasn't sure." there was a hint of recognition in those eyes, yet she knew him not. "You probably want to kill me, don't you? That's alright."

Sandersonia bristled explosively, nearly shifting into her hybrid form in her anger.

"You filth! How dare you speak of her that-

"Peace." that quite voice soothed. "I won't fight."

As she looked on a gloved hand rose, loosening his collar.

"If it will bring you some measure of solace, you may have my head."

Rather than continue his steadfast approach the blond stopped some distance away and exposed his neck, refusing to move. The sight of his arrogance had her grinding her teeth. The gall! A snarl tore out of her and she found her hands twitching into her favored pose. Bacura be damned, if he spoke another ill-word she'd turn him to stone and hurl him into the sea herself!

"And who are you then, knave, that I must bow so low?"

The smallest of smiles plucked at those tanned, whiskered cheeks.

"Only a cat of a different coat, Boa Hancock. And please, don't bow. It doesn't suit you."

In an instant her rage boiled over.

"SILENCE!"

A haki-clad-heel shot out like greased lightning to strike him in the chin. To his credit, the Celestial Dragon rolled with the blow, uncaring as his back crunch against a nearby wall. He made no move to catch himself as he fell; absorbing the impact with his face. Hancock heard something crack and her heart twisted with dark pleasure at the pain etched into his visage. With a low grunt, the Unruly Dragon reached up and snapped his nose back into place. Only then did he climb back to his feet.

"That's it. Go right ahead. Hit me as many times as you like." he growled, spreading his arms wide. "Break my nose. Tear out my tongue. Your hatred, your spite, your rage...I'll take it all; I won't fight back."

"Not another word you filthy-

"Monster?" blue eyes flashed dangerously at her, stained with flecks of red. "I come in peace and that's what you were going to call me? Funny you should mention that. Y'see, monsters are like dragons. Some do all that they can do be good, upstanding beings. They hide their teeth. Shed their claws. Tear off their wings. They tuck in their tails and try to live a normal life, to start a family."

He paused, waiting for her to challenge him; when she did not, he plodded onward.

"Y'know, for the most part, they're very good at hiding what they truly are." a show of teeth sent shivers shooting down her spine. "I'm not saying this to frighten you; I merely speak the truth. It's only when you give one a reason to fight, motivation and drive, the will to do defend, to do harm...that's when you find the monster. Take it from someone who knows. I'm not your enemy m'lady. On the contrary, I'd like nothing more than to relive you of that burden of yours. But if you press this issue...if you pick a fight with me for no reason other than petty spite and mindless indulgence, if you continue down this path...

...you'll see just how much of a monster I can truly be."

Those blue orbs narrowed.

"You may not remember me but I remember you. I wasn't able to prevent what happened to you and your sisters that day, Boa Hancock." Despite the flinch her name drew from the Warlord, he plowed onward. "And for that, I'm truly sorry. I didn't have the power I possess now, but that's no excuse. I've regretted it every day of my life. Every. Damn. Day. I'm here to make up for that mistake."

"Now, then! On behalf of my forebears...

Wordlessly, he knelt, no, bowed before her.

...I've come to beg your forgiveness. And with gifts."

Despite the trauma clawing at her, Hancock arched an eyebrow.

"Speak swiftly," she growled, "Lest I change my mind and do something...foolish."

His head rose incrementally. "What would you do if I told you I wasn't your enemy, Hancock?"

Her heart lurched painfully against her breast, shrieking. "I would not grace your ears with hearsay."

"And I did not come here to waste your time." The Unruly Dragon retorted firmly. "I find actions speak louder than words. Behold!"

With a flourish the Warrior of the Sun reared back and seized the tarp, unfurling the contents of the what she'd assumed to be a mere box. It was not what she'd expected. Heavy bars greeted her gaze, reinforced steel so impenetrable that nothing short of monstrous strength could ever hope to break them. Certainly not the cowering captives contained within. Bound and gagged, the three of them flinched away from the light, whimpering in distress as their naked forms were exposed to the light of the throne room.

The blood drained from her face.

She knew these men.

All too well.

There was the one who'd branded her. She knew him by his bearded face and the scar on his temple. Beside him, his brother, the one who'd forced each of them to eat a Devil Fruit for his own amusement. She'd never forget that ugly, joweled visage. The third was unknown to her, but she suspected he was a relative of some sort. One with a broken jaw, judging by that incessant wheezing of his. Wordless gibberish flowed from his swollen face as he tried to scamper away from her as far as the bars would allow.

"Mmmph!" piggish eyes bugged wide at her, round and glassy with fear. "Mhmph?!"

"Do forgive Charloss." the blond hummed pleasantly, patting the bars with his off hand. "He was quite loud when I took him. Unlike the others. They're my gift to you." he declared, placing his head against the floor once more. "Free of charge. I give you those who wronged you and your sisters so long ago, and their descendant. I give you retribution...

Unflinching, he stepped aside, even as she rose.

The three aged figures cowered in terror.

...I give you your due vengeance."

Her eyes cut toward him.

"What do you want?"

He smiled.

A/N: Ah, I'm so tired from writing, I feel as though my eyes might fall out!

...although I have no eyes to speak of.

SKULL JOKE! YOHOHOHOHO!

And we're moving on now!

Again, Naruto isn't the have-all-be-all. He can be overpowered. He can lose. Kizaru-if he actually dried-could land some dangerously fatal blows. Someone like Kaidou would give him a HARD fight. Don't even get me started on Whitebeard or Shanks. But let's face it, Big Mom is just a BAD matchup; doesn't matter if its mochi or candy, you bet your ass the sun will BURN that shit to the ground.

So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...

...Review...Would Ya Kindly?

Next time: That's all the Truth I Know.

And enjoy the previews!

Potential ones at that!

You'll see 'em soon!

And an Omake!

(Previews!)

"Throw him to Bacura!"

"Strangle him!"

Pudding glowered.

...I don't know if I should kill you or kiss you."

The Unruly Dragon feigned hesitation with a small smile. "Well...

"I'm loyal to one thing and one thing only.

"And what might that be?"

"Peace."

White teeth flashed in a cheery smile.

"Grit your teeth."

"Wait, wha-

CRUNCH.

(Omake)

Aokiji twitched.

"You can't be serious."

"I'm entirely serious! Pedal faster, ice-head! We've got a lot of ground to cover!"

"You can literally fly on that sun of yours. Why do you need me to-

The shit-eating grin that followed chilled his already frozen bones in a way that few things could. His smile alone seemed to super-heat the sea itself; sending the temperature spiking wildly, veering into danger. A thick bead of sweat rolled down the his brow and dripped off his chin. Damn it. Damn him. If their abilities weren't such a poor match up, he might've actually considered freezing the dragon on the spot. As it stood, he was the one in danger of melting-and soon at that.

...fine." his shoulders sagged. "But if you think for one second I'm going to let you ride on my shoulders-

A crushing weight settled somewhere between his abdomen and spine.

"MUSH!"

R&R~!