I OWN NOTHING

After watching the show again, I'm up for doing this story with some needed changes like more focus.

-0-

Crying, a child's sign of much needed attention, was heard in a large throne room. Each wail drilled into the lord of a large city. Steel and circuitry made a once thriving, fertile land into a fortress the lord saw fit for a king. And yet, his desires to find a way beyond the world around him, a planet which he sought to conquer, only brought him tears and screams. Such was the sight his closest advisor witnessed.

"Lord Hordak, am I to assume these two are the result of your project?" a woman whose very presence seemed to be part of the shadows around her asked a man seated on a throne. She had long and flowing black hair which moved after her like a sinister shadow. For clothing she was cloaked in a dress colored red and dark maroon with pink details, as well as a sleeve on her right arm but not her left. Most of her body was in layers of cloth with only her fingers visible while a crimson mask adorned by a glowing red jewel on her forehead hid her face, leaving only purely white eyes to be seen in the darkness.

Giving an exasperated sigh, the man didn't even look in her direction during the cries of two children, "An utter failure." He replied, not even looking at the babies cradled by soldiers, "Something blocked the portal, an energy signature unlike any other. What brief tear I managed to create in space brought these two infants... And they are trying my patience."

Examining the children, the woman's eyes widened behind her mask, "Milord, these two..." she paused, thinking carefully as she examined one of them, a boy, "...would be perfect disciples of the Horde... A proper warrior and captain of the Horde." She caressed the girl's cheek before motioning to the boy, letting them reach out to hold her fingers, "And a pupil of mine, a proper disciple."

Crimson eyes narrowed questioningly, "Explain yourself, Shadow Weaver."

"I sense great magical potential in the boy, something to be nurtured as a great ace against the princesses," she chortled amusedly. "As for the girl, she's more than blessed with strength. She can be granted honor in serving as a soldier."

"Are you willing to waste time teaching a child magic?" Hordak asked.

He was unaware of the woman's eyes shifting from the boy to the girl, "Of course, milord. One as talented as he could lead your army to an easy victory in due time."

"Very well, I shall allow you to take him as an apprentice of sorts, so long as he learns his place serving the Horde," the man stood up, a hand to his chest as he uttered the last word sternly.

Glee could have been seen in the woman's glinting eyes if not for the shadows surrounding her, "It shall be so, milord."

Seventeen years later, things had changed...

"Alright, rookies, it's time for an impromptu trial," said a large lizard man in a t-shirt and pants which signaled his status as an instructor. "For this one, Shadow Weaver herself wants to test something out. So, you are the lucky generation which gets to deal with actual magic before facing the princesses in real combat. Any questions?"

"Yeah," nonchalantly said an armored soldier. "Do you mean we're fighting Shadow Weaver herself or...him?"

"What do you think?" the instructor asked as a large gate opened behind him, the thick metal plate slowly sliding up to a massive training room with green hexagonal plates. "Lord Hordak is alright with letting her pupil test you as well as test himself. Consider yourselves lucky we got two sorcerers on our side."

He watched the trainees enter, just as a thin young man arrived on the other side, "Wait... Is this really him? He looks so scrawny and..."

"Oh, sorry, am I supposed to be intimidating?" their opponent asked, rubbing the back of his blonde head in a laidback manner.

"No, you just look, well..." a young cadet said nervously.

"Unlike anything you'd relate to the mistress, right?" he chortled. His next line was delivered with a carefree grin and a devil-may-care attitude when he placed his hands in his pockets, "Seriously, what'd you expect? Four arms, fire coming out of my eyes, mistress Shadow Weaver's oh so fabulous nails?"

"Are you really her apprentice?"

"Name's still Naruto, mistress Shadow Weaver's pupil, yes," he replied with a shit-eating grin. Naruto had a slim body with the ideal two percent body fat needed. The hair on the sides of his head was cut short, the top was a neatly combed back in a spiky mane. Deep blue eyes and six odd birthmarks resembling whiskers on his cheeks made his lean face stand out. Donning a baggy red high-collar jacket with a hood on, black combat slacks with red kneepads, red short boots and black fingerless gloves, he stood out.

"Um, no offense, but you really don't look like you'd take much of a hit," an armored girl said.

"I also don't look like I can hit back," he retorted upon crossing his arms, then moving his palms in a circle. Simple as the motion was, it brought a shimmering golden light which formed a magical rune, a pattern of intricate seals which he easily controlled, "Anyway, be honest, I kinda have a little bet going. Did any of you expect me to have multiple eyes?"

"Well...I often thought you'd be made of shadows," one admitted.

"Huh, she won yet again..." the boy grumbled under his breath.

"Start!" shouted the instructor and everyone put their game face on.

However, Naruto smiled lazily as he kept the circle aimed at them, "Show me a good time, guys." Knowing he was not to be taken lightly, a total of ten cadets raced at him with their weapons drawn. Energy batons sizzled with life and green sparks of electricity as they came to life. One by one, they formed the tightest circle around him, intent on attacking him from all sides. Without anything else to say, the blond let them come. None of the soldiers wanted to take their chances, so they went all out.

Not a second later, the blond thrust both palms forward, creating a gale of wind which blasted the ones in front of him backwards, "What magic is this!?" a cadet asked in shock.

"My own kind!" Naruto cheered as he spun around, moving his left hand on a circle over the floor with the golden light forming another seal. "Up, up!" he shouted as he brought up a fist, then the other in rapid succession like one would two uppercuts. Pillars of steel as thick as a leg each flew upwards and nailed three cadets on the chin just as two barely avoided them, "Down, down!" he cheered and slammed his hands on the floor, creating a third magical seal which opened the floor for the others to be swallowed. "Left, right, left, right!" he exclaimed as he extended his hands to the sides, making smaller circles with his fingers!

"Gah! Oh! Ow!" the rest of the cadets yelped and cried as he flicked the air, sending condensed air like bullets at them to effectively knock them all down!

Well, all but a large 7-foot-tall bulky warrior holding his baton up along one he picked up, "Don't leave yourself so wide open!" he yelled.

Spinning to face him, Naruto clasped his hands, golden energy sipping around his arms, "Thanks for the tip!" he said as four arms made of solid yellow light emerged from his back! "Here's mine..." he grinned in an utterly impish manner as two of the arms grew as large as his body and grabbed the soldier's legs, "...clench your teeth!"

Throwing both remaining arms forward, he hammered the largest warrior's face, cracking his helmet with two giant fists, "Ow..." the blond dropped his opponent gently, letting him sleep.

Once that was all said and done, he heard slow clapping from behind him, "Excellent work as usual, Naruto... However, you are getting a tad sloppy." Said a tall woman as she practically hovered over to him with a wave of shadows flanking her, "Your form isn't firm enough and you keep playing the jester upon fighting."

Grinning at those words, the boy placed his hands on the back of his head, "Come on, mistress Shadow Weaver, it doesn't hurt to get magically artistic!" he leaned forward, looking at her with a warm grin before straightening up his spine, "Besides, it's not like I have to terrorize these guys." He turned to her, widening his smile as he continued talking, "Just saying, them liking me doesn't hurt, does it? I'd rather have people praise me than...well, your methods."

"Such a good child you are, but don't lose focus," she warned him. Her hand was placed softly on his shoulder, "Your naivete and lack of knowledge about the world and how ruthless people can be should not blind you. Once you're out in the field, you cannot overcome the enemy with party tricks, bad jokes or silly moves."

"Sheesh, it doesn't hurt to be more positive, mistress," he replied and poked the corners of his mouth, stretching them to give her a smile. "Just a simple expression like this and a few words like..." he gave her the most exaggerated thumb up with his chest puffed up and a deep authoritative voice, "You, good job. Here, you earned yourself extra rations."

"Do not mistake me for a jester, child," her eyes turned into irritated slits. "You may be adept at elemental magic, but you have much to learn in regards of composure."

Throwing his hands up in the air, he replied with a tired smile, "Don't blame me for trying. Even Adora can only smile so much when you're gloomy and sinister, mistress."

Clenching a fist slightly, the woman looked at her hand, "Truly, you are blessed with luck for your domain over magic. Otherwise, I wouldn't be able to keep such good health," like she said, she exposed her face more. Green eyes, light grey skin, pointed ears and her long, dark green hair made her an entrancing mature woman. She wore a red veil hiding her nose and mouth but kept the red jewel her mask previously had in a necklace with a golden cross-shaped badge.

"Goes to show, doesn't it?" he asked rhetorically as he walked in circles around her, a finger up. "Charisma makes people appreciate you. Why not take over this world and earn the praise? Not too difficult to ask, is it?" widening his smirk, he crossed his arms, using a hand's thumb and index finger to hold his chin, "Just imagine all the little people and princesses paying tribute willingly, perhaps a few gold statues... Hmm, a foot massage here and there wouldn't hurt, either."

"Do you truly believe you can make princesses bow down to you?" the woman asked with narrowed eyes.

"Cooped in here, no," he retorted with an exaggerated shrug, tilting his head to the side with a grin. "Outside and trying? Well, I could see statues of myself done within a week."

"Practice your magic before you bite off more than you can chew," Shadow Weaver retorted dryly. "Now, get back to our room, you have plenty of studying to do for my next lesson."

Mock-saluting her once her back was turned, the blond sighed without losing his smile, "Such a fun waste of time. Maybe I should talk to a wall next time to get the same results." Then he smirked, "Well... She just told me there's time, meaning I am allowed a little break, right?" Clasping his hands, he gained a typical troublemaker's childish, happy grin, "And I know how to spend that time."

-0-

Running laps in an obstacle course was the closest to a playground for the Horde soldiers. All of them had to wear simple gear of red shirts with white shoulders and sleeves, gray pants, and red combat boots or, in few cases, a more personalized outfit. Whether it was preference or plain needing a different set of clothes to better use their body without restraint, their lord allowed them to choose a variety of uniforms. All of them had his symbol in either a badge or an emblem.

"Hurry, hurry, here she comes!" exclaimed a skinny, petit blond boy with shaggy hair in a long-sleeved version of the uniform, trailing behind a much more towering, green-scaled muscular lizardman. Both of them were on gigantic rolling pins, trying to find their balance to get to the other side fast, "Whoa...easy, easy..."

"Shaaahh..." the lizardman hissed, both of them having trouble avoiding anything that may destabilize their circus trick and move as fast as possible.

"Thank you!" a blur of speed said with a female voice, just as it bounced on their backs to reach the other side, promptly letting them fall to the ground.

"Hey!" shouted a girl with a dark complexion, the sides of her head cut very short and the rest done in braids which she pulled into a short ponytail. She was buff yet not unfeminine, which helped be strong as well as agile enough to turn around and confront the jumper, "No using others as steps!"

"Survival of the fittest!" joked the pouncing girl just as she flipped over the other. "Goodbye!"

"Huh? Whoa!" the first girl was confused for half a second, her baffled expression changed to one of shock upon being tripped by a long cat tail. "You'll pay for this, Catra!"

Catra was a slender, tan-skinned girl with an athletic body, angular features, and almond-shaped, heterochromatic eyes with a pale yellow for the left one and a soft blue for the right. She had freckles, and a fiendish smile with fanged teeth. Sharp claws on her hands and toes, small fangs, large, black, catlike ears, and horizontal markings on her arms made her stand out. Wild, brown untamed hair in a large mane was held back behind a cat-inspired red headpiece. She had an orange leotard, two belts, and torn reddish-violet leggings exposing her toes and heels.

"Aw, but here I thought you liked a challenge," the cat-girl taunted her with a mocking coo.

"And I thought you kept your guard up," said another voice.

"Ah!" Catra had half-a-second to react getting pushed down into the ground on all fours like the cat she was, followed by a giggle. "Hey, not funny, Adora!"

"Because it's done to you?" replied the fifth and only remaining person still atop the rolling pins.

Adora had dark blonde hair in a ponytail, blue eyes, and an athletic body with some muscle in yet not too much to rob her of nubile femininity. Possessing a curvy pair of hips and breasts barely below the average to be considered big but plump enough to be held in a hand each, she could entrance anyone. Just her firm buttocks alone could distract Catra enough to forget her anger upon turning around to continue running. Adore wore a long-sleeved white t-shirt, a red jacket with quarter length sleeves, gray pants, and a brown belt with a Horde buckle.

"Get your butts back to the start!" shouted an instructor, a red-scaled lizardman, "Or do you want another hundred laps added to this routine!?"

"No sir!" the others shouted.

It was then that an icy tone greeted them, "Enough."

Everyone tensed up, the instructor yelping, "Lord Hordak!" he kneeled as did everyone else, Adora doing so after jumping off the course.

Lord Hordak was menacing and intimidating in appearance, resembling a bat with sharp teeth, bat ears, and pale outfit. Hordak had red eyes, teeth and mouth with a white, skull-like face, black eye rims and eyelids, and his dark blue hair resembling a Mohawk or undercut combed back. While he appeared tall and muscular, it was because of the armor over his arms. He wore a black robe with a crimson symbol shaped like bat wings on the chest and a large, flowing red cape. Just the sight of him screamed vampire.

"Stand up," the leader of the Horde said, his arms behind his back as his voice boomed in everyone's head. "I see potential here, quite an interesting team, to say the least. However, I also see a lot of flaws." None of the other trainees nor their instructor could help look at the tensing cat girl, "And that is why I'd like to be alone with them."

"B-But Lord Hordak, it was Catra who-" the instructor tried to argue, only to get a sideways glare which shut him up.

"I care not who you put at fault, do remember the Horde needs a strong sense of comradery," Hordak growled menacingly. "And you just sold out a budding talent without a second thought. You should know what kind of action that is, right? Betrayal... Something which no army tolerates. Either take responsibility for your actions or prepare yourself to be judged for your mistakes. Now... Leave."

"Y-Yes, milord..." the lizardman swiftly turned and walked away, breathing heavily the farther he got from Hordak.

Once he was gone and the obstacle course was empty, Hordak laughed, "Ha! Now, that was fun!" he turned to the others, a flash of light revealing Naruto.

"Oh man, I...I actually thought we were goners..." the other blond boy breathed out, letting himself fall flat on his back from overwhelming relief.

"Don't you ever do that again!" the braided girl exclaimed as she got up, pointing a finger right at Naruto's face.

"Hey, I just saved you from redoing this whole thing again," Naruto argued, moving the finger off his face. Extending his arms to the sides, he held his palms opened and faked looking hurt playfully, "What's it going to take me to get just a little bit of appreciation from you? For once, you get an actual break and time to hang out with yours truly, but no. Just no. No letting Shadow Weaver's disciple have fun with the regular folk since he's too privileged already, am I right?"

"Hey, I'm more interested in that trick of yours!" Catra said with an excited smile and mischievous all over her face, "When did you learn that trick? Any chances you can use it for extra rations?"

"Catra, don't encourage him," Adora chastised her, then narrowed her eyes at Naruto. The lanky blond looked impassively as the girl spoke, "Please just tell me you didn't do anything which may get Shadow Weaver mad." The boy rose a finger, "Yes, I'm still going to count having fun as the worst reason to get her mad. And I still think you shouldn't be so intent to anger her."

Ruffling his hair, Naruto gave out a sigh, "Take the wind out of my sails, why don't you?" he then gave her a lazy grin. "Gotta hand it to the mistress, she didn't make a stickler for rules out of me, but she did make one out of you all ways to Hell and back."

"Ew..." Catra said with a grin and a quirked eyebrow. "She's not here, you don't have to call her that. It sounds super gross... Not to mention you don't have to inflate her ego further."

"Would you like me to do the opposite, then?" he asked with an impish grin. Not a second later, everyone saw Shadow Weaver, "Oh, Catra, I am so sorry! I should have realized your beautiful claws and wonderful ways to have fun make you a better candidate for my affections than Adora. You're no stick in the mud nor do you try so hard to please me and my fabulous hair!"

Catra bust a gut laughing, nearly tearing up, "Snort! Ahahahahaha! Yes, please, more of that! Ahahahaha!"

Adora sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose, "Please, again, do not encourage Catra. You two get along too well at times."

In another flash of light, there were two Catras, the new one leaning on her shoulder with her tail sticking out, "Oh, jealous? Or afraid the fun-seekers outnumber you?"

"Not sure if creepy or cool..." the real Catra said.

"Creepy, even nightmarish," said the braided girl.

"Come on, Lonnie, this is the closest we have to an actual break," the skinny blond said, then turned to Naruto. "Hey, so, if you're here... How are you avoiding Shadow Weaver and Hordak?"

"Well, my dear Kyle, being her apprentice has many perks," Naruto said as he returned to normal, making two magic circles with his index fingers. He summoned a miniature version of Shadow Weaver made of light like a hologram and a mini-Naruto, "Sadly, she's not as cozy or kind with me as she's with Adora, but if she thinks I'm studying..." his replica was then placed at a table reading books while the copy of his mistress looked elsewhere, "...I can get a little break and hang out with people who will laugh or kindly tolerate my jokes."

Adora raised a hand in a dismissive manner with a roll of her eyes, "I don't tolerate them, I simply resign myself to the fact that if Shadow Weaver can't change you, no one can." Then she looked at Catra, "Just like a certain someone you spend too much time with."

"Aw, but what are friends for other than annoy each other in fun, loving bonding time?" Catra snickered.

"Besides, I have more fun with you than the mistress," Naruto added.

"Ew, still ew," Catra groaned.

"Alright, there's one thing she did get through my thick skull," Naruto admitted with a sigh. "Call it the only formality, but she does teach me magic."

"And keeps you cooped up with books and her company, there is...so much wrong there," Catra told him with a fake shudder. "An ideal way to torture me if you ask."

"Anyway," Adora said. "Did you come here only to mess around?"

"Give me a better thing to do here," Naruto replied with another exaggerated shrug before leaning back, dispelling his light puppets. He let himself fall back as four arms of pure energy stopped his fall and propped him up like he was on a reclining couch, "I don't get to join anyone in their training unless I'm the obstacle. All I do is study, practice and breathe magic. Other than that, I barely get to walk out. I guess if Shadow Weaver had her way, I'd be caged in my room learning more magic. Or, more likely, shackled to my desk."

Catra exaggerated pain and suffering with a hand to her forehead in a dramatic manner, "Oh, the woes and miseries of someone who just has to wave a hand to fight instead of breaking their bones and flesh! How can you live so safe and sound in a room pampered by the Horde's second in command and needing a single twitch from your nose to blast your enemies away!?"

"Yup, it's so hard being me," Naruto got in on the joke, the look they gave Adora telling the blonde of how worse things would get. "It is doubly awful when someone suffers both pains."

"Alas, it is true, oh poor Adora, such hardships like receiving a pat on the back and actual encouragement in this place," Catra overacted with a smile.

Deciding it was better to join in on the joke, Adora shrugged casually, "I guess I'm no good at the easy life of finding ways to irk Shadow Weaver or- Mouse!"

"Where!?" Catra asked, tail up and her eyes glimmering.

As her friends laughed and got a growling response of how not funny it was to mock her for her animal instincts, Lonnie turned to the other two in the room, "Those three need to get laid."

"Hiss, grr..." the lizardman replied.

"So I wasn't the only one thinking they really get along?" Kyle asked.

His scaled friend patted his back, hissing and growling an explanation.

"Yeah, what Rogelio said, the tension between those three is rather thick, almost as much as their skulls," Lonnie said.

"Um, he said they would get into trouble together more, but I guess that is another truth," Kyle told her.

-0-

Seated in a small room, Naruto recalled how the day went by practicing his magic on a bowl of water, "Heh, that was good. Didn't know Catra could throw that far." He said as he watched said cat girl and himself in one of the many halls of the fortress, Catra throwing a smoke pellet at a group of senior cadets, "Of course, Adora had to stop the fun. At least she didn't rat us out or get too mad... Looks good with her hair down."

He sped up the events to show himself and Catra on their knees, getting scolded by Adora with her hair wet and out of its usual ponytail due to a bucket of water, "Why must you continue to play the fool?" asked him a booming voice which came from nowhere to be seen, "Acting like an imbecile with these people watching over you shall-"

"Alright then," he said aloud, happy there was no one around yet. Putting the bowl aside, he waved his hand to create an adorable 4-inch-tall red fox made of light which angrily stared at him, "Come on, do tell me why I'm a bad boy. Did I not clean your cage enough?" he poked the tiny creature on the nose with a finger.

"Grr, had I known you'd be this obnoxious, I'd never make myself known," hissed the tiny fox.

"Aw, but then I wouldn't know the mistress tried to take you out of me," Naruto poked his nose again, cooing. "Grumpy fox wants me all to itself, I see. Does my little friend want a hug?"

"Enough!" the fox growled, baring his teeth. "She could've killed you had she not realized how dangerous my power is! If her plan had been successful, you two would be dead! Why, after knowing all this, do you not act like I am on your side!? Treat me with some respect! Your power-"

"My magic is my own," Naruto flicked the small animal's nose, but his finger phased right through it. Giving the fox an amused smile, he spoke softly and sincerely, "All I am and all I do is my own magic. My natural talents come from my own chakra. And I plan to earn what I want through my own power."

"With my power and knowledge, you could decimate this place in the blink of an eye," the fox growled.

"And that's why I just love some of the teachings in the Fright Zone," Naruto retorted, pulling out a book and opening it. Flipping through pages, he got to the one he needed, changing his tone to an actually serious one as he spoke, "Earning something is more rewarding than being given the answer without trying. Sure, this place makes it all for Hordak, but the mistress' teachings give a wider perspective."

"Why would you heal her scars, though?" the fox asked. "She failed to rob me from you, and now she plans to use you as a pawn."

"Teaching is still her forte," Naruto smiled as he traced a symbol on the book with his finger. "Besides, someone wants her at her prime before dealing with her properly. And I can respect both her and the mistress for trying to gain more power, even if both are extremely greedy." Finally looking at the fox, the boy made a new circle with his hand while his other grabbed a candle, "So, do you want to repeat this conversation next time I have fun behind her back?"

"Keep your word of letting me be free, then I'll think on what words I'd like to give you," the fox groaned as the projection disappeared.

"Such a drama queen," Naruto placed the candle near the outstretched finger which made the magical circle. He grinned as a small fireball the size of an eye came out, floating at his beck and call, "Don't worry, I got this." He waved around his finger, making the flame dance up and down. "After all, I learn fast when I really apply myself. This time I didn't-"

Suddenly, the fireball erupted, bringing his sentence to a halt as it blew right on his face, "You were saying?" the fox taunted him.

Fortunately, it wasn't big enough to burn his flesh, but it still had enough power to knock him ass over teakettle, "Learning experience... Fire's really hard for me to control." Naruto said as he got up, wiping all the soot off his face with a hand, "Alright, let's try this again. Wind's easy, so..."

"No," said Shadow Weaver upon holding his hand. "Wind is an affinity you possess. Meanwhile, earth and minerals are always around you and easier to master given their solid form. Fire is like wind in the fact it's a free element. Unlike wind, it is ever-consuming. There is a reason we say that if you play with fire you will get burnt."

"Hey, I can still move it to my will...even if for a short period of time," he mumbled the last part to himself. Then, he shrugged with a lazy grin, "Alright, mistress, you caught me. I am finally stuck with an element I do need your help with. Perhaps you could teach me without locking me up in this room and letting me take a look at it somewhere else outside the Fright Zone."

"Do not tempt your luck, boy," she told him softly yet firmly. However, she gently and actually lovingly held his chin, "You're nowhere near ready to face the princesses. Each one dominates a single element, yes, but they can turn the tides of battle easily with their mere presence. Dominate your mind and you can control truly the purest and greatest magic."

"Friendship and love?" he joked, earning himself a glare. "Sorry, couldn't resist."

"I wish you took Adora's example rather than Catra's..." she hissed under her breath, her narrowed eyes conveying how much she disliked the cat girl.

"Oh, but Adora loves her and she's the best source of entertainment out here outside of making other soldiers look like fools," he said and made another circle, aiming it at her. Having said that, he took a caring and more serious tone, "Now, please hold still. It looks like a new scar is forming."

"Yes, I was about to ask you to do this before our lesson started," she admitted, moving her face to the side to reveal a nasty scar which seemed to grow.

Naruto's light shone bright into her skin and the grayish green flesh resealed itself as if it was brand new, "There, mistress. It should last another month."

"Think you, child," she said with an almost reluctant sense of gratitude. It was obvious she didn't like being too dependent on him, "First, let's start with your breathing..."

-0-

On one of the many balconies overlooking the Fright Zone, Catra could see the vast deserted wasteland which expanded into the horizon. Beyond that was a forest, or so she had been told. Everything at the Horde base was either large steel towers or facilities. Perhaps the world would end like that under Hordak's rule or he'd leave some of it looking as it originally was. All in all, she didn't care.

"Hello," Naruto greeted her while walking up the outer wall of the building, magical circles forming around the soles of his boots and leaving once he moved up.

"Just how much magic do you have?" she asked curiously.

"Shadow Weaver thinks it's either limitless or that it replenishes itself really quickly," he told her. "For all I know, I could be draining magic from all around me naturally without knowing."

Lying on her side like the cat she was, Catra waited for him to make his way up to her, "Anything new? And...did you burn yourself again?"

"And here I thought that last shower helped," he quipped before climbing on and sitting beside her. A relieved breath later, he spoke up, "So, where's her favorite child?"

"Beats me, I'm more interested in how long it'll take for us to make it big here," she said and leaned on his side, rubbing herself slightly as her natural instincts told her to put her scent on him. "Like, what has that witch plotted recently and how can we pull the rug from under her feet? Any new weakness you've learnt? Come on, don't skip the details."

Grinning, he leaned back and placed his hands behind his head, "Mistress still comes to me for her skin treatment. Other than that, she hasn't been making any moves. She does seem to mumble about Adora a bit more, though. Possibly a surprise... I don't know."

"I wouldn't be surprised if it's big, the Senior Cadet test is coming soon," Catra replied and lazily rested her weight on Naruto.

Casually, he pulled out a magical tome and held it singlehandedly, "If you purr, I'm scratching between your ears."

"Oh, come on, it's not that funny!" she grunted, flushing a bright red.

Waving his free hand energetically while his book arm was still under Catra, he chuckled, "It's hilarious that Catra, the self-proclaimed future master of the Horde and the Fright Zone, is still an adorable little kitten. I've heard there's this Force Captain really into kitties. Maybe we should keep you away from them or they'd steal you from me."

"Can they even try that?" she replied with her eyes tightly shut, rubbing herself a bit more on Naruto, "Bet they aren't as comfy and warm as you or Adora."

"At least you like to sleep near her feet and not atop her chest..." he looked up quizzically. "I'm still trying to find out how I didn't suffocate, let alone how you sneaked in so well into my room."

"For one, you are one heavy sleeper, and I'm not that heavy," the cat girl argued. "Besides, we were still young."

"Seven years, or so I'm told," he casually stated. "Being honest, I'm surprised you didn't go to Adora that night."

Bitter anger covered Catra's face, "Shadow Weaver separated us because we got into a fight with the bullies who yanked my tail, remember?"

"I still only met you two that day," he recalled.

-10 years ago-

Meals at the Horde were served at different intervals for soldiers and trainees. Regarding their rank, they would be divided into groups to get rations. Gruel, a tasteless but nutritious meal. Kids were the first to eat and had to do so fast. Otherwise, some of the older members could get impatient. Everyone respected the norms, but it didn't mean they would blindly follow them.

"Let's hurry, Adora," tiny Catra said in her white sleeveless t-shirt and red shorts, following closely and equally clothed mini-Adora.

"Did someone start shoving others already?" the blonde asked her cat friend, looking side to side.

"No, but I don't like how one group is laughing..." the small cat girl said, licking the back of one hand to comb her large, wild mane.

"Alright, let's move forward and- hey!" Catra noticed too late a little boy in a red tunic, black slacks and red shoes cut in line.

"Wha...?" he asked, tray in hand and already stuffing his face. Catra and Adora then noticed something, how similar he was to the blonde, "Huh?"

His odd questioning noise seemed to indicate he also noted their shared hair and eye color, "Did Shadow Weaver, like, clone you and make you a boy?" Catra asked.

Gulping down his food, the boy narrowed his eyes, "Hey, you're... Um, what name did she say...? Adora, right? And...cat something?"

"I'm Adora, she's Catra," the ponytailed girl corrected the boy with spiky hair, cute round face and baffled expression.

"Yeah, Catra," he snapped his fingers, letting them move forward. "Anyway, sorry to cut in line, but I was starving and the mistress wants me back soon. She just told me to come here fast."

"It's...alright, I guess," Adora said.

"Miss Tress?" Catra asked, "Who's tha-Ah!"

Her question was interrupted when a ten-year-old boy yanked her tail, "Hey, hurry your furry butt over, you little freak!"

"Hiss!" Catra turned and took a swipe, but another boy was quick to catch and push her down to the ground.

"Hey, who do you think you are?!" a mad Adora asked, walking up to the larger child.

"Shut it, pipsqueak, now let us grab some grub or-" the older boy was interrupted by Naruto.

"Alright, if you're hungry," he started, making a large circle of light with his two hands, "eat up!"

Pushing both palms against the air, he summoned a gust of wind which made a dozen bowls of gruel flip into the air and land on the other two boys' faces! Everyone was either stunned by the display of magic or, in the larger boys' case, really mad. After wiping the gruel off their faces, the two locked eyes with the small blond. Stomping towards the whiskered child, they were more than ready to pummel him.

"What is going on here?" asked a voice which made everyone tense up at seeing Shadow Weaver before Naruto learn healing magic.

"M-Ma'am!" the bullies saluted her while Catra looked away, tail between her legs.

Adora stood up, "Those two boys bullied Catra, they yanked her tail and pushed her!"

"Is that so?" the woman asked, then sneered behind her mask towards the cat girl. "You shouldn't get into fights because of that, it could help build character for those unfit to be here."

"Y-Yeah, and there's more, ma'am," one of the bullies shouted, pointing at the tiny blond boy. "That little turd started this f-"

Darkness erupted around the woman, looming over everyone and most likely mentally scarring the bullies for life, "That child is not to be insulted. What you saw is my pupil at work. Someone with a potential both of you can match. Either keep your tongue still if you are to disrespect him, or I shall permanently ensure it remains that way."

"Understood, m-ma'am," the two boys said.

"And they gotta apologize to Catra," Naruto said walking up to the witch. "If they can't insult me, then they shouldn't insult her either."

Closing her eyes, his teacher thought on his words and decided not to be too much of a hypocrite in front of him, "Very well... I shall leave them to apologize properly and wait for you in my chambers, boy. Do not take long to eat and get back to practice."

Just like that, she left the boy, who started tapping his foot impatiently with his arms crossed, "Well, I'm waiting, as is she."

"Sorry..." the bullies grumbled.

"Hey, loud and clear!" Adora exclaimed, arms also crossed. "Otherwise... I think our new friend may make Shadow Weaver late."

Catra smirked and stood next to her, "Do you want to be the reason she's waiting?"

"Sorry, sorry!" the two cried in terror, the rest of the kids laughing at the display.

After that, all three new friends sat at a table to eat their gruel, "Hey, thanks..." Catra told the boy, then furrowed her brow. "Wait, what is your name?"

"Naruto, did you not hear about me?" he asked, eating rather quickly as he finished half his bowl while Adora didn't even get a third and Catra barely ate a quarter of their rations.

"I didn't think Shadow Weaver would have a pupil," Adora confessed.

"Ugh, well, I'm not surprised, she keeps me locked almost all the time to teach me magic," he grumbled.

"Are you, like, a male princess on our side?" his fellow blonde asked curiously.

"No, I'm just told I had talent and she took me to be her pupil," he answered. "Apparently, we're, um, sorcerers and she's a, uh, sorceress."

"Source-what now?" Catra asked with a quirked eyebrow.

"Normal people who do magic," he explained. "Not princesses, but still strong like she is."

"Can you show us?" Adora asked excitedly, her beaming smile matched in brightness by Catra's anticipating eyes.

"Sure!" Naruto grinned widely, unaware that he started quite an odd friendship, and planted the obvious seed of a crush on little Catra.

-Present-

"You two were the first to accept me the first chance you got," the feline girl mumbled, feeling sleepy due to how warm and cozy Naruto felt.

"Lucky for me, you two were friends I enjoyed seeing any time I could escape Shadow Weaver's eyes," he admitted...then hear purring, making him smirk.

During her nap, Catra dreamed of a perfect world for her, enhanced by Naruto scratching her head between her ears. Monuments done in her image, banners displaying her symbols, halls which would be painted in her colors, and a throne for her to overlook her subjects. At the bottom of her seat was Shadow Weaver, shackled in ragged clothing and forced to file Catra's clawed toes carefully. On the cat's right would be Adora in a revealing red bikini top with a gold rim and a skimpy white loincloth with the rear part hidden between her buttocks. On her throne, serving as her cushion, was Naruto caressing her hair and magically conjuring gold statues of herself with his free hand.

"You know she wants you as her servant," the voice in his head warned him.

"Let her try," he whispered back.

-TBC-

And that's my rap!

Alright, with this prologue out of the way, I can have some fun. Just a heads up:

1. Naruto's magic works like alchemy from FMA. Meaning he needs to be in contact with an element, sort of how ninjas from his world need to stand near water to control it.

2. I just wanted to show that Shadow Weaver can be a good teacher, but Naruto is more of a freestyler, as in he prefers to come up with his own tricks. He still learns from and respects her.

3. Naruto not using Kurama's power is for the reasons stated in this chapter: he wants to show he can earn something and does so without using someone else's nearly unlimited power.

4. In case you didn't put it together, Naruto's fighting style is all about casting spells and keeping his enemies at a distance. Meaning, yes, he is weak. Physically, that is.

5. No godly Naruto here, sorry for those who love those stories, but I wanted to make a story with a glass cannon – he can deal a lot of damage but most be careful not to get hit.

6. I know a lot of you already hate me for these decisions. So, if you want a story with a super-powerful sorcerer Naruto, I could give you tips to write one.

7. My love/hate relationship for She-Ra and the Princesses of Power is what makes writing this fic so much fun.

Swordslinger out!