Kushina yawned as she stirred a large pot of noodles. Kihana was at the kitchen table, putting little decorations on a birthday cake while her father watched her. The blondes both giggled and laughed at jokes they told between each other, with the only redhead in the house to cook dinner. She stopped, turning around and looked at the cake.

"Oh, that's beautiful sweetie, I think Naruto is going to like it!" Kushina praised her daughter, walking toward her. "Hmm, what's that supposed to be?"

Kihana smiled brightly, "It's a fox, mama, like us!"

Minato chuckled, "The resemblance is uncanny."

Kushina replied to Minato with puffed cheeks, grabbing a plastic spoon that Kihana used to scoop icing up before catapulting some of it toward Minato. Orange icing splattered on the man's cheek. Laughing, he took his finger across it before sucking the icing off. The man got up from his chair, looking at Kihana, smiling.

"Honey, can you do daddy and mama a favor?" Minato bent his knee, looking at his little girl. "I need you to go pick out some flowers from the greenhouse you think Naruto will love."

"Oh, okay, sure!" Kihana got up and smiled, running toward the door.

Kushina watched as their little girl ran out the door, she looked back at Minato. There was a glint in his eyes, she smiled, blushing lightly.

"Now that's she away…" Minato walked toward Kushina, "The adults can play."

Kushina giggled as Minato brought her in close, kissing her neck. However, her giggling was short lived when he suddenly backed away. A palm covered in orange icing smashed into her face. Shrieking a little, she backed up, wiping her face with disbelieve.

"Minato…you…" She glared daggers at him, but then a smile crept on her face. "I'm gonna get you back."

Minato backed up, "Oh, how so princess?"

"Keep moving toward the bedroom," She backed him toward the hallway, "And I'll show you real quick."

"Yes, Ma'am."

Amira was playing a video game with Naruto; the duo had stayed close together after the bandits. Trees and rocks whistled by outside of the train, the feeling of vertigo was pervading the area as the train went into the mountains. The gray clouds let loose; rain pelted the outside of the train. Six hours had passed since their battle with the bandits, and now they had crossed into Vale.

The train whistled, they stopped playing their game, turning to see another train run. It wasn't a passenger train, it had cars full of various material. It has the logo for Atlas's Schnee Dust Company, which made Naruto glare at it. Amira took notice of that glare, looking at the blue-eyed blonde.

"You don't seem to really like that logo, but to be fair, I don't Schnee Dust either." Amira paused their game, "My family has been using Vacuoian Delights for years."

Naruto rolled his eyes, writing on a note, 'Schnee do not have good faith with my kind.'

"Ahh, yeah, I can see that. So, when we get to Vale, do you mind if I tag along with you? I know it sounds weird, but frankly, I'm the new girl here, and I've got no damn clue where I'm gonna go." Amira asked him, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly.

Naruto sighed, and then he smiled before writing. 'Mom always makes too much ramen, you're more than welcome to stay at my place.'

"Yes," Amira pumped her fist, "By the way, I noticed that necklace."

Naruto looked his topaz necklace, holding up the small crystal, he smiled. The blonde stroked the stone and looked at her. He got his scroll, writing with the stylus. Amira watched as he continued to write, obviously giving her the backstory to the necklace. He finished, handing her the scroll, and she takes and begins to scroll while reading.

'It's a family heirloom, my father was given it by his father and so on. My father gave it to my mother when they married, and then she gave it to me when I was born. This necklace is the most precious thing to me, besides my actual family.'

"Oh damn, that's friggin' awesome!" Amira handed his scroll back.

She looked at him, "So, I never asked…how old are you?"

Naruto smiled, writing on the scroll, "Fifteen, I turn sixteen tomorrow."

"Gah, what?!" She blurted out as she looked at him, "You're only fifteen and hoping to go to Beacon?!"

The Faunus looked downcast, rubbing the back of his head as his ears folded backward. The girl realized that her surprised blabbering may have offended him, and she lowered her head. She took a deep breath, and then looked at him, slightly frowning.

"Sorry, my dad always said I never think before I speak. I'm just saying, that's young, I mean seriously young. However, I can see why you'd try. You fight like you've been in an Academy before, and I have to say you're pretty damn impressive!" She reached over and placed on hand on his shoulder while cheering him up.

The blonde nodded, smiling, they suddenly felt the train angle downward. They were in Vale now, and it wouldn't be too long before they were to cross into Vale City. In about six hours the only thing the two would have to worry about is high traffic and the underground trains of Vale City.

They watched as people wondered about the train, it was hard to believe they had taken down bandits earlier. The way people seemed to just go about their business, with no regard to anything that just happened. It was disheartening on how people could simply return to a norm as nothing had ever happened.

Amira watched him as he got up, "Need some air?"

Naruto nodded, walking away as he headed toward the back of the train. Opening the car doors to move about, dodging some people. He ended passing by the same woman that had served him the chicken sandwiches earlier. She was manning the bar, he watched as people of "class" drank out of their fancy glasses.

Passing by a businessman, Naruto accidentally brushed up against him.

"Hey, watch it ya freak," The Businessman chided the blonde Fox Faunus.

The blonde simply retorted while walking away by flipping the bird at the man. Not even bothering to look at him as he did, Naruto got to the next car doors, opening them. The flabbergasted man standing there, his jaw slack, fuming at the retort from the Faunus.

Making it to the back of the train, Naruto watched as the dark landscape filled his vision. His eyes adjusting, as all Faunus did, in the dusk. The howls of Beowolfs echoed his fox ears, slowly pulling the headphones out his normal ears, he listened to their calls.

Grimm, to Naruto, was just as evil as the next murderer. However, their song in the night was something mesmerizing about it all. They were calling out to each other, for beasts, they were intelligent. Their echoed howls, barks, and growls filled the Dark Wood Forest with a deathly melody. It was sweet, so long as you were ignorant, so long as you stayed out of sight.

When the calls died, Naruto took a deep breath, closing his eyes. His mind revealing all things around him, pulses, like a heartbeat. Lights, more numerous than a rainbow, pulsing behind him. in the forest, mixtures of lights, animals. During those lights, there is darkness, dark spots. Grimm emitted no light, they had no light, in fact, they took away the light around them.

Creeping darkness, like a blood droplet in water, dissolving all life around it.

Taking a deep breath, Naruto opened his eyes, they briefly flashed crimson. It wasn't anything too special, even though he could see life in objects. His mind shifted toward a reflection he cast upon a glass window, huffing, he smiled.

'Wait a few more hours guys,' Naruto thought to himself as he leaned against the railing. 'I'll be home soon.'

Minato yawns as his wife stroked Kihana's hair, humming a lullaby. She looked at their little princess, smiling, kissing her forehead before picking her up. Minato was handed Kihana as he got up, his arms holding her tightly but gently, he walked up to her bedroom. Kihana mewled a little bit as her father laid her into bed, covering her up.

She was tuckered out, no doubt to all the things she did today involving her brother's return home.

Exiting the room, the blonde hummed as he walked past the master bedroom. Stopping, he looked at a display case in a separate room, the weapons room. He walked inside of it, looking at all his gear he used to use. Nowadays he worked as a private tutor, rarely getting clients that could pass his tests. It still brought in good money. However, it was slowly becoming time for him to retire entirely.

Minato traced his fingers on the display case. A white coat, with red flames at the bottom, stood proudly besides several wrapped scrolls. Looking at them, he felt drawn to the life he left behind before ever having this one. To the left of the coat, past the scrolls, there was a single wakizashi. It was marked in his seal; it had been his main weapon as a younger man. There was also another scroll by that very weapon, he took a deep breath.

'Gamabunta,' Minato sighed as he looked at the scroll. 'I often wonder if the choices I made back then matter today?'

"Honey," Minato turned to Kushina voice. "Is everything okay?"

"Yes dear, everything is fine. Just…you know, taking it all in. I remember when we were younger, we could make love all day…and fight the night after." He chuckled as he leaned against the case, "And now…well, now I have to say my back still hurts."

"Ooh poor baby," Kushina jested him with a smile, "You're getting old."

"Pfft," Minato blew raspberries as he rolled his eyes, "Thanks captain obvious."

Kushina laughed as she brought him into an embrace, nuzzling him as they held each other. The couple smiled, stroking each other's back.

"Minato," Kushina looked at her husband. "I had a dream the other night, I saw Naruto wearing your cloak."

"I hope so," he replied with a smile. "I am going to leave it to him if I should kick the bucket early."

"True…" Kushina relinquished as she looked at him, both starting a dance of sorts.

"Are you wanting to have another baby?" Minato bluntly asked her as he looked down into her eyes.

Kushina hummed, "Part of me does, I'm hitting that age where it doesn't work anymore."

"Heh," Minato chuckled as he held her close, "And?"

"Honestly," Kushina rubbed the back of her head, "I'm just happy with two. However, if we do get blessed with a third…I wouldn't mind it."

Minato smiled, "Speaking of children."

He got out his scroll as he broke his embrace, pressing Naruto's contact number. The scroll began to send a ping out for his son's, he saw that it was trying to connect. After a few seconds, he saw Naruto pick up the call, looking at his son through the glass.

"Hey there Naruto," He waved at his sun with a smile while greeting him.

Naruto smiled as he looked at upon his father. The teen's hair was whipping back and forth in the winds from the train. Minato watched his son lean on a railing. Kushina stepped behind him, making sure Naruto could see her.

"So," Kushina noticed her son's red eyes, "You gonna turn off your red eyes?"

The young man rolled them, slowly they turned back to their blue state. He looked at his parents, holding up a hand to sign to them. He began to sign, telling them about how he had been delayed, and what had happened. The blonde-haired man held pride in his chest at his son's regaling of his fight with a nasty group of bandits. Kushina watched as he made a sign for a friend, and more importantly, he signed indicating that he hadn't been alone during his fight.

Minato was about to ask him another question, only to notice something. His eyes widened; he saw something move in the darkness right behind Naruto.

"Naruto!"

"Naruto!"

Naruto's eyes widened tremendously as he grabbed a kunai he had hidden in a pouch under his left side. He turns on his heel while throwing his scroll into his pocket. Minato's yelling face plastered across it, watching as a Night Stalker leaped from the shadows. Everything happened at the speed of lightning, his instincts reacting rapidly to the peril of his situation. It's long bladed tail lunging toward Naruto from the darkness, its long snout filled with razor sharp, red teeth.

Deflecting the bladed tail, Naruto jumped up to the top of the train. He quickly attached a pouch filled with fire dust to the handle of his kunai. Reaching down, Naruto grabbed another kunai, running backward. He saw the long body of the Shadow Stalker crawl up on the wall of the car he was on. It's bone-white tail lashed out, the young Huntsman in training leaned back.

The tail barely misses him, his aura activates, creating an orange glow around himself. He used the kunai without the pouch to deflect the bladed tail, which sent sparks flying from the friction. Turning on his side, allowing himself to drop to gain momentum, Naruto threw the kunai with the pouch.

It soared, flying right into the Night Stalker's forearm bone armor. The pouch began to sizzle before Naruto activated his bracelets and sending a massive gust of wind from them. The wind missing with the inferno scolding inside of the pouch. The flames covered the Night Stalker as the pouch exploded, the winds fueling the flame, giving light to the top of the train.

The blonde jumped back, seeing that his dust crystals were depleted. He dropped down on the next car, watching the Night Stalker shake off the flames, roaring as it readied itself to lunge at the blonde. Naruto's hands quickly reached into another pouch, this time on his right side.

He somersaulted back to avoid the tail while tossing two blue colored crystals in the air. He turned around, punching the air to catch them inside the bracelet's slots, the bracelets turned blue in response. Naruto smirked, assuming a stance as he took a deep breath.

The beast growled at him, still prepared to launch itself. Naruto didn't give it the pleasure, jumping toward it, the beast launches it tail in response. Suddenly, water bursts around Naruto, he contorted his fingers into strange formations as his aura glowed brighter than before. He focused; the water slowly began to freeze into long icicles. Manipulating the dust crystals with aura, commanding them, the water they created bent to his will!

On his command the icicles flew down, slamming into the Night Stalker. It roared, backing up as Naruto landed in front of it. Cocking his fist back, Naruto threw a punch, a jet of water launched from the crystal in his right bracelet. The high-pressure jet of water sliced through the armor of the beast, slicing off its right forearm.

Dodging the tail by leaning to the side, Naruto turned to left on his side, creating a controlled jet of high-pressure water in the likeness of a wrist blade. It slices through the bone armor, cutting off the Night Stalker's tail. Seeing the red of the inside of the Grimm, Naruto's eyes turned red in turn. He felt power rush into him, he grabbed the stump that had been the tail of the Night Stalker. Forming an icicle Naruto slammed it into the train, pinning the beast into place.

Roaring, the beast launched its elongated body toward the blonde. Naruto responded by taking the kunai he had been holding through all of this and throwing it. As the beast widened its maw, Naruto disappeared in an orange flash.

Appearing just above it, Naruto slammed his left fist down. Shooting a jet of water into its head, Killing it. Landing on the top of the train as the beast began to disperse, he took a deep breath, his red eyes slowly fading back to blue. He heard through his fox ears his mother and father calling to him. Sighing, he reached into his pocket.

"Naruto?!" He heard his mother yell, he put the scroll up to where she could see his face.

Kushina took a very deep breath in relief, "Oh thank Lord Kurama, you're alive."

"Cutting it close, eh, son?" Minato questioned him slyly.

The blonde rolled his eyes, signing, 'Thanks for heads up before I lost mine, ya know.'

Snorting, Minato couldn't control a chuckle, "Whatever buddy. Say, you are mentioning a girl?"

His mother's eyes lost all concern, focusing back to the subject prior before they got rudely interrupted. Only, the top of the hatch of the car he was on to open, followed by a few gunshots. An alabaster-haired girl leaped up.

"Alright you Grimm sons of bitches, let's get…why aren't there any Grimm? Did I miss the Grimm fight?!" She looked around, holding Sun and Luna up, realizing she had missed the fight.

Amira sighed, rolling her eyes, "Figures the one time I actually have my guns ready to shoot something in face…that something is already shot in the face."

Naruto smirked, rolling his, Kushina meanwhile was observing her. She frowned, not really enjoying the girl's foul mouth, but she saw a certain fire in her. She giggled slightly and did what a mother did best in this situation.

"So, Naruto, who's your girlfriend?"

The teen pinched his nose, knowing that was going to come up eventually. Amira heard Kushina, walking over with a strut in her step. She looked over Naruto's shoulder, seeing the redhead with blue eyes, and then looked at the man beside her.

"Holy crap, you weren't kidding," Amira said as she looked at Naruto's parents. "Hi there."

"Hello!" Kushina greeted her cheerfully, "So, you know my son?"

"Well kind of, we met just a few hours ago," Kushina's face suddenly soured at Amira's answer. "Is something wrong?"

"No…no…I just wish I could tease him about a girlfriend." Kushina chuckled as she looked at her, "So, are you a friend of his?"

"Yep, I and he already kicked bandit ass, I just wished he'd saved some Grimm for me. Hear that, Naruto, you're greedy in a fight." Amira accused him with a smile, the blonde rolling his in reply.

Naruto signed to his mother, 'She's coming with me to the house, I promised.'

"Oh, that's fine sweetie, we actually made a guest room out of the old storage room." Kushina told him as she looked at Amira, "There is a standing rule in our house, which is just be respectful."

"No problem Mrs., um, Uzumaki?"

"Kushina is fine dear, just call me that. Anyway, I better get off here, I need some sleep. Naruto, are you going to be home tomorrow?" Kushina asked while yawning.

Naruto nodded, confirming that he would be home.

"Awesome, see you two tomorrow, and Naruto…be safe." She hung up as she said goodbye, her son smiled as the screen went dark.

"So, what did you kill, by the way, you did a lot of damage?" Amira questioned him, looking at the damage to the train.

Naruto smirked, getting his stylus, 'Night Stalker.'

"Aww man…I never get to kill the big ones." Amira whined a little, placing her guns in their holsters.

She started walking back toward the hatch, yawning, "Hey…by the way, I got some chicken sandwiches."

Naruto smiled, walking over to her before following her through the hatch.

The whistle of a train sounded throughout a large station. It pulled in, with Naruto quickly departing with Amira following behind. The duo was wearing sweats and long-sleeved shirts. Naruto's sweats were orange, with his top being blue. Amira's was all black, the shirt is a size too big for her.

As they exited the station Amira became awestruck. The flying cars, few, flew overhead. There were many vehicles, ranging from very high-end two-seaters to the economic family four-seaters. Motorbikes, grouped up into gangs, zoomed past the streets.

Amira was just all smiles, gawking at the view in front of her. Naruto, meanwhile, just had a flat expression. This wasn't anything new to him, he grew up here, and he took his first steps onto the sidewalk. The blonde motions for her to follow him, quickly she snapped out of her daze, following him.

The blonde was jamming with his headphones in his ears, his fox ears wriggling to every stimulation. Fighting Dreamers blasted in his ears as he looked at the city traffic.

He was happy to finally be back in Vale City!

Kihana was quickly trying to set things up around the house, by now Naruto would've arrived in Vale City. Minato was getting ready to go and get his son. Kushina was preparing a massive feast, her cooking apron and hat already stained with various spices and sauces.

"Daddy," Kihana got her shoes on as she called out to her father, "Can I go with you?"

"Not this time, help your mom out, she's getting overwhelmed," Minato told Kihana as he smiled at her, waving as he exited the door.

Kihana growled a little, "Man, I never go to inner-city!"

"You're going to Signal next year," Kushina chided her while smiling, "You need to act your age a little."

Kihana rolled her eyes, "Yeah, but I haven't seen brother since Rinne!"

"Rinne was last year," Kushina conceded and then knelt to meet her daughter's eyes. "Naruto is going to be coming home soon, and then you get to spend as much time as you want with him. However, there are some things that a father and son do before coming home on such things."

"Why are boys so weird like that," Kihana sighed in defeat.

Kushina laughed, "Because they're boys, and they big dumb dumbs."

"Yeah, your right mama," Kihana cheerfully agreed before looking at the stove. "What are you going to be cooking?"

"Various ramen, from chicken to pork, to spicy to teriyaki." Kushina laughed and kissed her daughter's forehead. "We'll make Naruto's day awesome."

"Yeah!"

There was a knock at the door, with Kihana quickly rushing to it. She opened it, looking at an onyx eyed teen standing at the doorway. He looked annoyed at being there, a person looking like him stood behind him. The slightly shorter teen had a small orange box in his hand, he looked at Kihana, and then smiled.

"Always late," he said as he looked at her. "What's up, Short Fox."

"Sasuke, you butt head, that's not very nice!" Kihana yelled at him, she crossed her arms and pouted.

"I agree," the older person behind slapped Sasuke's head. "Be nicer to your friends' little brother, or should I tell mother?"

Sasuke, the one holding the gift, paled. "No…"

"To which one?" The older man behind him asked.

"The telling mother part," he sighed, "Itachi."

"See Sasuke, why can't be nice like your brother!" Kihana pointed at Itachi, smiling as she jumped up.

Itachi nearly fell backward from the hug Kihana slammed him with, "Naruto is really gonna stoked you're here!"

"What about me?" Sasuke inquired.

"Oh, yeah, you too."

The young man's face frowned, looking past her he saw Kushina, "Oi need help?"

"No, I'm good, tell Kihana to get her butt in here!" Kushina yelled at Sasuke from the kitchen.

Sasuke looked at Kihana, "You know the drill, get.'

Frowning, the girl hopped off Itachi, running back toward her mother. The two brothers stepped into the house, looking at pictures. They noted that there was a small banzai tree where the gifts were being placed, Sasuke took his over to it, placing under the banzai.

The raven-haired youth took a deep breath, smiling at a certain picture of him and the blonde. It was the last picture they took together, right before Signal accepted him in. He took a deep breath, placing a hand on that photograph.

"I got my acceptance letter!" Sasuke cheered as he looked at his family, watching as Naruto's stood around him.

He was about to open his letter, Sasuke ran over to him, smiling. Only it died when Naruto opened is, in big red ink, "DENIED" sprawled across it. Naruto had a hurt look on his face, with several people jeering him as they passed by, much to Kushina's anger.

"Naruto?"

Naruto looked at Sasuke, some tears falling from his eyes. The children looked at one another, they knew this was going to be struggling. Sasuke, however, held his fist up. Smiling, waiting for Naruto bump it back. The blonde wiped his tears away, slowly raising his fist as well, bumping Sasuke's.

Sasuke pulled his hand back, looking at the door, "Welcome home…idiot."