Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto or RWBY.
Anarchy Of A Storm
The Calm Before
If there were anything that Naruto was grateful remained the same between his home and Remnant, it was that his ramen existed. Or, at least, what was the equivalent of ramen. Was it even called Ramen?
Bah, forget technicalities! The noodles are here and that is all that matters! Cried out a boisterous woman within his head.
"Yeah! Hey, Jiisan! Bring another bowl!" Naruto cheered from his seat at A Simple Wok. His favorite travelling noodle stand had returned to the City of Vale (which goes without saying was within the Kingdom of Vale). The old man behind the counter nodded at him and disappeared into the kitchen. The whiskered blond with markings around his eyes was not armed to the teeth today, only having his Samaritan and the shotgun shells on his person, so he was not as large a target to the masses.
Which is good, a gentle man's voice mused within the blond's head. Considering they compensate for their single choice in weaponry with aura and semblances. You don't have that luxury.
"Do you mind, Old Man? I'm trying to enjoy my Ramen." Naruto complained softly as he set his bowl down. A sudden feeling of depression stabbed a small part of Naruto's chest.
O-Old!? I'm barely into my thirties! Argued the gentle voice.
More like you're halfway into your fifties. Face it, dear. You're old! The boisterous woman laughed.
"Ma's got you there, Old Man," Naruto said with a snicker. His eyes lit up in delight as the next bowl was set before him. He grinned broadly at the chef and took a moment to slap a few cards of lien onto the counter. "Thanks, Jiisan!"
"Anytime, Psycho." The elderly cook smirked and swiped the money from the countertop. "Finish up fast, you're scaring away my other customers with your rambling."
Insolent old fool...He could be forced to wait on you hand and foot for the rest of his miserable life if you wished. The dark, beastly voice growled. Just tap into my power...Come on, Naruto. Think about it. All the Ramen you could ever want. Just open my cage and set me free.
Naruto didn't bother responding to the voice. He instead chose to chow down on his favorite meal. He'd been suffering under the arguing between Ma and the Old Man voices and resisting the temptations of the Caged Monster for almost seven years now. The causes of his insanity were also the things that kept him going after he realized he'd never get home, never get back to the ones he'd left behind, and never realize his dream.
As long as he had the voices, as long as he was never alone in this world, Naruto was content with being called 'insane'.
Plus, it made life way more interesting when small things like 'law-abiding' or 'fair play' were not the top things on your mind.
If I were a betting man, I'd say they'd triple cross me for Dr. Baloni, or whatever. Naruto thought while he inhaled his treat. Probably planning to cut me out of the picture for my prank last night.
Or worse! Ma gasped in horror. You impressed that Bitch with your mad skills, 'ttebane!
Are you still mad that she's basically the physical equivalent of Mikoto? Old Man wondered. How many times do I have to tell you that you have no reason to be jealous of her looks?
Baka! I am not jealous of Mikoto-chan's sexy body, Dattebane! The Bitch is probably going to try to seduce Naru-chan to her side! He's just a baby!
...I'm nineteen, Dattebayo. Naruto groaned internally as he finished his bowl and got up from the food stand. He slipped his hands into his pockets and walked off. "Though I have to say, if she does want to seduce me, I won't complain."
You will not be seduced by some-some self-righteous, curvaceous hussy! Ma yelled. The volume of the voice made Naruto wince and swirl his pinky in his ear.
"Wanna say that again? I don't think they heard you in Mistral!" He shouted. He ignored the many eyes that had turned his way and put his hand back into his pocket. "Besides, there's been literally not a single woman I've met who's met my-slash-your standards, Ma. Be they Human or Faunus."
Hey, here's a weird thought! Do you think Faunus call Doggy-style the missionary position and the Missionary the Human-style? Or is it universal? Or-OR! Is there a new species of animal that has taken the role of the Dog in this world? Old Man mused.
Dear, you're perversely rambling again. Ma deadpanned. She released a pensive hum of her own. Although, I am curious about what we should call those positions now.
"I vote for the sagging backpack for the first and the flopping fish for the other." Naruto offered nonchalantly. "However, without any prior knowledge – no thanks to you, Ma."
Find the right girl to give me grandbabies and then we'll talk exotic sex positions!
"...I am so glad you're not a real person, otherwise, this would be super awkward. Although, it does raise some concerns about my subconscious desires," Naruto said thoughtfully as he rounded a corner and walked into a small bookstore. A grin spread its way across Naruto's face as he made eye contact with the store's owner. "Wazzup my fave Faun!?"
"Are you here for business or pleasure, Naruto?" The owner asked dryly. He was a middle-aged man with short brown hair and thick mutton-chop sideburns that wore a simple brown T-shirt and jeans.
"Aw, Tukson, so mean after all the things I've done for you-!" Naruto recoiled, his hands over his chest and a wounded pout on his face.
"Putting me high on the list for former members that need to be executed for treason against the Pearly Teeth, yes, what a wonderful thing you've done for me." Tukson deadpanned. He crossed his arms over his chest. "I won't ask again. Business or pleasure?"
"...Party pooper, no cake for you." Naruto grumbled sourly as he tucked his hands into his pockets. "I'm here to talk to the Boss Lady."
"Business-?"
"Dude, she's almost old enough to be my mom." Naruto deadpanned.
Hey! She's older than I-Your mother was! Ma cried out.
"My point still stands."
Tukson rolled his eyes at the insane teen's behavior and reached behind the counter. "Blackbird sings in the dead of night."
"Take his wings and learn to fly," Naruto said, a grin back on his face.
Tukson nodded and then moved his hand back up to eye view. He moved to the register and pressed down on a few keys in what seemed like a randomized sequence before the sale sign went up and the register popped open with a ding. A bookshelf in the romance section shuddered and slowly lifted up about a foot while the floor slid back to reveal a descending staircase.
"So, when's the fire sale?" Naruto asked as he made his way to the romance isle.
"Next Wednesday," Tukson said. He gave a small wave. "Take it easy, Psycho."
"Get a shave, ya fart!" Naruto called over his shoulder as he walked down the stairs. Once he cleared the bookshelf, the opening closed behind him.
Tukson shook his head and propped his chin up on the counter. "Crazy kid needs to get a laid."
"Ah, man, it's great to be back," Naruto said with a smile as he exited the long tunnel through a rusted door with a sign that read 'Maintenance Only'. Once through, he pulled the door shut behind him and pulled a lever on his left that sent a signal back to Tukson's Book Trade, alerting the owner to his arrival at the checkpoint. The checkpoint really only consisted of a small group of guards that had automatic-shotguns, similar to the mass-produced weaponry of the White Fang militia.
The guards stationed at the opening of the tunnel straightened up and tightened their grips on their guns. Naruto, more than familiar with the procedure that would come, pulled The Samaritan from its holster and held it up along with his hands. A small camera at the top of the tunnel extended out of the wall until it was a foot away from Naruto. A green light screen flickered up and scanned over the blond.
"Hey, hey, hey! Look who's back on the tracks!" Greeted a broadcasted heavyset voice once the scan completed. The camera's lens blinked like an eye before it beeped. "Word of warning: The GM's been waiting for you."
Uh-oh, sounds like you're in trouble. Old Man hummed. Think she knows about the deal gone wrong?
"Deal didn't go wrong, I just altered the plans to our favor," Naruto said under his breath as he walked through the tunnel until he hit a large metal door branded with the symbol of Vale that dated back to The War. Two yellow sirens flashed and an alarm blared as the door creaked and groaned while it rose. The door revealed a previously abandoned subterranean train station. Once the door finished opening, the heavyset voice broadcasted again.
"Welcome back to Hel, kiddo."
"Thanks, Bert!"
With a grin on his face, Naruto walked into the Guild Hall. 'Skies On Fire' by the rock band Power Streams played through the speakers strung throughout the former station. Planks of wood and stone bricks were placed across the tracks in makeshift bridges. Dust torches hung along banisters that kept the ceiling from collapsing kept the area lit. No more than a dozen people were in the main hall. Each wore something similar to Naruto's outfit and each had their own personal touches visible in their armor. But all of them had the same smiley-face somewhere on their uniform that Naruto had.
I still find it hard to believe that a guild of Dark Hunters has managed to persist so long undetected in the heart of a city as large as Vale. Old Man mused.
Is it so hard to believe? Ma asked. They take missions mostly outside of the city, no one would think to look for them inside.
Unless that woman uses the White Fang to come looking for Naruto. Old Man pointed out. Naruto did very little to hide his scent.
"Yeah, but let's face it. If I need to, I can put my scent over every inch of this city." Naruto joked as he walked through the Guild and lifted a hand in greeting to those that acknowledged him.
He continued his stride towards a door branded with the Guild's smiley face, where the Guild Master resided. Before he could even reach the door, let alone consider opening it, it was thrown open and a tall man stormed out.
Though it was a fleeting glance, Naruto noted the man's grey hair and red eyes, narrowed in anger as he stormed past. At his hip was a massive blade, hung from his belt without a sheath, and a circular gear set just centimeters from the hilt. That indicated an alternate form, whether it be ranged or not was up in the air. The blond watched the man stop at the bar and snatch a drink from the countertop. He stormed out of the Guild with the bottle opened and his head tilted back, not bothering to look back as the door closed behind him.
He seemed charming. Ma mused. A bit grizzled, but I think he wore it well.
Hey, no ogling other men! Old Man chided sternly.
Then you can't ogle the Guild Master! Ma shot back.
I don't ogle her! I appreciate her beauty through Naruto's eyes. Old Man argued.
...Yeah, no, I'm staring at other men's asses now. Ma decided.
"Not with my eyes you're not." Naruto snorted as he walked into the office. He gained a bright grin and threw his arms out. "Hey, Boss Lady, I'm ba-Yipe!"
Naruto ducked under a thrown mug that shattered against the doorway. He popped back up and looked incredulously at the Guild's Master. A red-eyed woman with raven hair glared at him from behind the Master's desk. A large nodachi was settled behind her, a white, Grimm-like mask that hung from the hilt of the sheathed blade.
"What the hell, Boss!? You could've hit me with that!" Naruto complained.
"Believe me, Naruto, if I wanted to hit you with something, it wouldn't have been my brother's empty mug." The woman drawled. She sat forward and narrowed her eyebrows further. "Now explain to me why we've received word that the enemy is preparing to double cross you?"
"...Don't get mad." Naruto began, his hands raised.
"Too late for that," the woman said dryly. "If you'd arrived before my brother, maybe I would've been only a bit annoyed. Right now, however, I'm absolutely livid."
"Ah. Well...Don't get furious with me. I was merely acting in our best interest," Naruto said as he moved to stand beside the chair opposite of the Guild Master's. "May I?"
"You're going to anyway." The woman waved and sat back, scrutinizing the whiskered blond as her arms folded.
"You're too kind, Boss Lady," Naruto said with a gentle bow. He pulled the chair back and plopped down into the seat. He kicked his foot up to rest atop the Guild Master's desk, before it was smacked off. Giving a mildly affronted huff, Naruto resettled himself with his leg hanging over the arm of the chair. "So where was I? Oh right, my reasons for going against the mission."
"Again."
"Give a man a fish, and he eats for a day. Teach a man to fish and he'll fish the pond dry," Naruto said, grinning.
That...No...Not even...Ugh that hurt my head. Old Man muttered.
What? He got it mostly right. A for effort, sweetheart! Ma cheered.
"Aside from that being completely inaccurate and mind-numbingly stupid, please get to the point," the Guild Master said flatly.
"I decided to milk them for all they were worth and burnt the initial pay to a crisp. ...Oh, and I might have damaged the hotel you set me up in. Nothing big...Really, you-you don't have to look into it."
The woman closed her eyes, rubbed her temples and took a deep breath.
"Times like this I wish I stayed on Patch."
"I wish I didn't have to watch my best frienemy get ripped apart by Beowolves, but that's reality for you. Or at least, this reality." Naruto shrugged. "Win some lose some."
"Naruto," The Guild Master said. "I'm not going to be able to sweep this one under the rug. You have a bounty on your head."
"Awesome!" Awesome! Naruto and, though only he heard it, Ma cheered.
"Not. Awesome." The woman slammed her hands down onto the desk and glared daggers at the blond. "Naruto, I have defended and protected you from the Kingdoms' council and from the Brotherhood of the Sisters-"
"That is still literally the stupidest organization name I've ever heard," Naruto said, smirking. "And I'm pretty sure that last month we stopped a political rally by some ambitious douchebags calling themselves the Fourth War. I mean, there's only been one War...Officially anyway. Hm, maybe it's not so stupid..."
"Naruto!"
"Hai, Ojousama?" Naruto asked, snapped from his thoughts before that train left the station.
"You are hereby banned from Hel until further notice. If I have any jobs or work that requires your assistance, specifically, I will let you know."
"...Oh, fuck are you serious!? Shit! You're serious!" Naruto stood up in alarm. "Raven-sama, believe me-!"
Raven held up a hand, silencing him. Once his mouth clicked shut, she lowered her hand and leveled the blond with a stern glare.
"You have to start taking these missions more seriously, Naruto. We're not playing a game, we're at war. A war that's been on since Man and Faunus alike stepped out of their caves and began to face the Creatures of Grimm. I've tried – I've tried very, very hard to make you see just how fine a line we walk. You are barred until further notice. I'm sorry, Naruto, but you've dug your own grave this time." Raven closed her eyes and sat back in her seat. "It's time that you lay in it."
"...Sorry, I zoned out for a minute there after you said 'war'," Naruto said sheepishly as he scratched the back of his head. "What's the deal again?"
"You're on your own." Raven grabbed the nodachi beside her and glared at the blond. "Now leave."
"Nothing I say could convince you to help?"
"No."
"Hm, bummer. Oh well," Naruto said, sighing. He cracked his neck and then stretched his arms above his head. "Think you can do me a favor and make the giant vortex of doom thingy connect with my hotel room? I gotta go check on Dr. B."
"...Fine." Raven huffed and tapped her sheathed sword on the ground. A portal opened up beneath the whiskered blond. Naruto looked down and then back up with pursed lips.
"Of course you realize, this means wa-a-a-r!" Naruto cried out as he fell through the portal. Raven arched a brow and her lips pulled back into a small smirk as the portal closed.
"Qrow was right. That boy will be the death of me."
"So, let's review the situation." Naruto mused from where he sat atop the quivering form of Dr. Baloratori, now clad in full uniform with Baby hung on his back. Across from him hung the weapons and uniforms of Coyote, Jackal, Spider, Neko, Pan, and Br'er. Naruto tossed a kunai tiredly into the air and caught it with ease as he stared at the uniforms. He pursed his lips. "I think its time this world learns just what I'm capable of."
Yes, make them tremble before you! Show them my power, and-! The dark voice snarled eagerly, only for Naruto to cut it off.
"Well, short of doing that, anyway. I'd like to get laid once before that even becomes a possibility," he said with a chuckle. Naruto looked down at his captive audience. "What do you think?"
"Mmph! Mmph, mmph-mmph!"
"Oh, right. Sorry," Naruto said as he pulled the dirty socks out of the man's mouth. "Your thoughts?"
"You are an absolutely intolerable imbecile! Who do you think you are!? I demand you release me at once!" Dr. Baloratori shouted while he kicked his feet. He opened his mouth to yell again, but the pair of socks was stuffed back into his mouth.
"Totally forgot how negative and useless you are," Naruto said with a scowl. He twirled the kunai by its ring and caught the handle in his palm before he held the edge underneath Baloratori's chin. The struggling and muffled curses ceased immediately. "You really need to re-evaluate the situation I'm in, because I'm the one thing keeping you both alive and out of the White Fang's hands, you racist fuck."
Baloratori whimpered something and Naruto pulled his kunai away.
"Yeah, that was way too mean. Sorry, I shouldn't have assumed you're a racist," Naruto said as he put the kunai back into its holster. He pursed his lips. "Well, if I'm going to die, might as well face it on my terms. Sit tight, Doc. You're going to see some really awesome shit."
Is it so wise to display this in front of him? Old Man asked.
"Who's he going to tell? General Ironwood? I'd be more surprised if Boss Lady's old schoolteacher didn't already tell him," Naruto said with a snort. He shook his arms out and stood up, walking over to the more open part of the room. Naruto grinned and held his hands up, his index and middle fingers crossed in front of him. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu (Shadow Clone Technique)."
Dr. Baloratori watched as a plume of smoke engulfed the blond and a good portion of the room. It quickly dissipated to reveal seven exact duplicates of the blond madman. The doctor's eyes went wide at the sight before him, clone semblances weren't entirely unheard of, but they usually were limited to an incorporeal form. The ones before him were solid, seen by the way the floor creaked with each step.
"Alright guys, you know the drill. Suit up!" Naruto ordered his clones. The clones nodded and their hands rapidly flipped through three hand seals.
"Henge no Jutsu (Transformation Technique)!" The clones were once more engulfed in smoke. Were he capable of it, Dr. Baloratori's jaw would've dropped. The smoke cleared to reveal six different people, all faces that could easily be lost in a crowd and varied in height. They quickly dressed in the hung uniforms and prepared the rifles that were set-aside for them.
Spider pulled a lever on its rifle and it expanded into a sniper rifle, which he slung over his shoulders and then jumped up to the ceiling. Clinging like his mask's namesake would, the diminutive clone climbed over to the window and crawled out. The others, save Br'er, followed his path, but used the fire escape instead.
Naruto grinned and pulled a navy blue cloth from his pouch. He tied the cloth around his head, revealing a metal plate with a slash across the leaf-insignia that was carved into the plate. Naruto pulled Baby from his back and cracked the weapon open to load a grenade into the barrel.
"Br'er, you're with me and Dr. Baloratori. If they start shooting, bail and leave the doc at drop point Charlie." Naruto ordered. He snapped Baby shut and grinned. "Clear?"
"...You're not going to kill me like the last one, right?" Br'er asked.
"What? No...Of course...Well, maybe." Naruto shrugged. He slid Baby back onto his back and crossed his arms. "Does it really matter? Eventually, we all die."
"That's...kind of dark, Boss."
"I know, right? I must be feeling really chipper," Naruto said with a laugh. He pushed the door open as Br'er pulled the doctor over his shoulder. "C'mon, let's get this over with. I got things to do with my life."
"Right, Boss." Br'er nodded and shut the door behind him.
A few minutes later, the room rented out to the blond went up in a blaze of fire.
"You're late."
Naruto pursed his lips in disapproval at the male voice that greeted him. A man wearing a white coat and black pants sat atop one of the boxes in the warehouse that Naruto told the pretty woman to meet him in with the cash. Though, he would admit that the man had awesome orange hair and a nifty bowler cap atop it.
Still...There's nothing like a fine pair of legs to admire when negotiating. Old Man sighed.
Oh, yeah, because it's the legs you're staring at. Ma huffed.
"Honestly? I prefer eyes. The more interesting the eyes, the more interested I am," Naruto said with a smile. "And Neechan has some pretty eyes..."
The man blinked. "O...Kay...So, did you bring the midget?"
"Shouldn't we wait for your boss to get here?" Naruto asked. He looked around. "Or is she here already? Really hope she's just hiding."
"First of all, I don't have a boss," the man said with a scowl. He crossed his arms over his chest, his grip on his cane tight. "I'm a hired hand, just like you."
Naruto's grin stretched wider at the proclamation. The hired hand stiffened as the air became tense. The shadows seemed to become larger, but at the same time, the light provided by the skylights seemed to dim.
"Oh, Roman..." Naruto's eyes briefly flashed red as he met the man's startled gaze. His smile was toothy and fanged as he began to step further into the warehouse. "Roman, Roman...You have no idea just how wrong you are."
"You keep your damn distance! I've got you outnumbered thirty to one!" Roman lifted his cane up, the end flipped up to a reticule. He looked around and groaned in annoyance. "What do I keep hiring you fools for? That was your cue to get out here! Now do as you're told!"
"Oh?" Naruto stopped and his grin faltered as just over two-dozen dark-suited men stepped out of the shadows, all wielding mass-produced weaponry like his clones were. Though, his clones were temporary hired guns, that these humans lacked their own unique weapon... Naruto's grin widened again.
"Oh, this is good...This is really funny! I mean, wow! What are the chances!?" Naruto put a hand to his head as he began to laugh. "Both of us violated the privacy exchange clause, haven't we, Roman?"
Roman's eyes narrowed and he stepped off of his box.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
"Walk into my parlor, said the spider to the fly." Naruto recited. "The fly did such, and wouldn't you know it? It promptly died."
"Man, she was right. You are crazy," Roman said lowly. "I'll say it again. I have you outnumbered. Now bring out the doctor!"
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. That's not how the game's played...No, the rules have changed now." Naruto rolled his head along his shoulder and widened his stance. He held his hand up, with the thumb and index finger extended. He pointed his finger at the nearest grunt in front of him and his thumb went down. "Bang!"
The men paused, lifted their weapons, before they realized the absurdity of the situation. They started to laugh and resume their advance, when the head of the man Naruto had pointed at suddenly exploded.
"Ohh! Gross! I was not expecting that!" Naruto recoiled along with the others, looking at his finger in horrified awe. He then pursed his lips and held his hand out again, trembling as he backed away towards the door. "Don't make me use this thing! I know how to use this thing!"
Not in the way that really matters. Old Man said idly.
Don't say such things! Ma chided.
"Guys, trying to do a thing here, shut up..." Naruto hissed through clenched teeth. Another grunt made a step for the whiskered blond, who promptly shrieked and pointed his finger at him. "Blammo!"
Another beat passed and the man hopped back. The grunts blinked at the long pause, and just before they thought they were safe, something burst through the man's chest. The grunts and Roman gaped at the massive hole that had been left in the man's chest.
I wonder if these idiots even have their aura unlocked? Maybe we came here a bit too ambitious, Old Man said.
Bah, there's no kill like a good ol' fashioned overkill. The Monster growled out.
"By the Will of Old Magic, what the fuck is he using out there? An anti-tank rifle?" Naruto cried out in alarm. He held his hands up in surrender, the gun-hand still in shape. "Okay, let's, let's try this again. I'm going to slowly put this down and kick it over to you. Okay, Roman?"
"...Do you really think you have a gun in your hand?" Roman asked, disbelief written across his and many of the unnerved grunts' faces.
"Well, to be perfectly frank, no. No, I don't. I'm insane, not stupid. ...Most of the time," Naruto said as an afterthought as he lowered his hands. The tops of the holsters strapped to either of his thighs were unlatched and Naruto took up his readied stance once again. A grin on his face. "I was just trying to psyche you out, but you've got no qualms with sacrificing these grunts, do you?"
"Considering how much I paid for their help, no. No, I don't." Roman deadpanned as he glowered at the men. He shook his head. "Where's good help gone these days?"
"I'd say over to your mother's house to give her a hand." Naruto grinned.
"...The one that manages to bring me his head will never again fear having an empty wallet," Roman said coldly.
"Oh-ho-ho! Seems like that nerve was touched!" Naruto chortled. He ducked out of the way of a sword's swing and pulled a kunai from the left holster. In his turn, he stabbed the throwing knife up into his attacker's gullet. He pulled the kunai out and rose to his full height. The body dropped and Naruto flicked the blood off of the knife in his left hand while his right hand drew the Samaritan from its holster.
"So..." Naruto began, his head ducked down. He lifted his head up and grinned, his whisker marks a bit thicker and his pupils now slits. "Who's next?"
What happened afterwards was nothing short of a massacre.
Roman watched his men get taken down one at a time, either by the lone blond or by one of the mystery gunmen that accompanied him from afar. The high-caliber sniper rounds tore through no less than six more grunts, and double that lost limbs to either the whiskered teen's misnamed handgun or to the rapid fire of four associates that emerged from the shadows. The five of ten men who didn't die that night were only surviving because of the strange throwing knives Naruto used to pin them to the steel that held the warehouse up.
The rest, well...Roman didn't want to think about what might've happened to them.
Oh yes, as soon as those others emerged from the shadows, Roman Torchwick bailed out of the plotted hit faster than a bat out of Hell.
Naruto snapped open The Samaritan and let the four empty shell casings rain down on one whimpering survivor. The man was extremely lucky; he was only grazed by one of the Samaritan's shots. Still, that chunk of his thigh was not going to heal overnight.
"So, I guess the next logical step would be to interrogate you for the pretty Neechan or Roman's locations, but seeing as you've only been hired on as what amounts to be a meat shield, I think that'd be a moot point." Naruto mused as he slowly began loading the Samaritan's four chambers. "Not to mention the cops are going to have a freaking field day with this. I daresay those sirens are on their way here now."
"P-Please don't kill me...P-Please..." The grunt whimpered. Naruto pursed his lips into a frown and knelt down beside the wounded man's side. He placed a finger on the man's lips.
"Oh, shh-shh-shh, don't cry. No one likes to see a grown man cry." Naruto tilted his head and pulled his hand away. He snapped The Samaritan shut and holstered it behind him again. "Er, well, I don't like to see grown men grovel. It's disgusting, to say the least. So, I'm-a tell you what I'm-a gonna do. If you tell me who handled your contract and spread the word about the bounty on my head, I'll let you go. Swear it on my best frienemy's tombstone."
"J-Jun-Junior...Th-The Club..." The man sobbed. He grabbed onto Naruto's arm. "P-Please..."
"There, see? Wasn't so hard, now was it?" Naruto smiled and patted the man's head as he gently pried the man's hand from his arm. "I'm a man of my word. Which is why, I'm not going to kill you. However...I'm-a tell you a secret."
Naruto leaned in and whispered into the grunt's ear.
"I'm not gonna save you either."
"N-No! No! Please!"
Naruto ignored the man as he reached for him and stood up. The blond whistled the tune that had been playing in Hel's Hall and stepped over the other wounded or dead bodies as he walked out. Naruto paused and pulled Baby from its holster on his back. He turned and aimed far at the end of the warehouse.
Naruto, you promised to let him go. Ma scolded.
"...But I didn't promise to let the others go."
Stick to your word, Naruto. Old Man warned. Naruto's eyes flashed.
"Since when have I been able to do that?" the blond asked, his voice empty. Before the other two voices could chime in, the third gave its opinion.
Do it. The Monster urged. Scar this planet with your wrath. Let them know what now walks among them. The Pariah of Konohagakure no Sato...The Demon Child...That Uzumaki Boy...These are who you are, Naruto. And now that woman has no say in what you can do. She's exiled you, Naruto. Abandoned you when you needed her most.
Naruto's hand trembled.
"Don't...Don't say it. Don't say it. Please, don't say it." The blond whispered and clenched his jaw.
Just like everyone else.
A shuddering breath escaped Naruto's lips. A choked sob followed, and after that came a gentle laugh broke from his lips. The trigger-finger tightened and a sharp, windy thump echoed in the night as the grenade launched from the Baby's barrel. The projectile struck something and the beginning light of a fire began to spread.
Naruto! Ma and Old Man cried in disapproval.
Good...Good...The Monster cooed. Now, come here...see me...And release-
"Shut up." Naruto slid Baby back over his shoulder and walked away from the slowly rising warehouse fire. "There's no Dust or ammunition there to blow, just a fire that'll slow the investigation down. It'll keep the law off of my back for a bit."
...You're going to continue this? You're one person, Naruto! Ma said.
You don't have to do this alone. Old Man hedged. You can go back to Hel and ask-!
"No. Raven-sama's right. This isn't a game." Naruto grinned as he leapt up and landed atop the edge of the nearest roof. He snickered. "This is war. And war...is no joke."
Then why are you laughing!? The voices demanded.
"I'm laughing because it's precisely that. This war...it's a big fucking joke. This whole thing, all of it, is a big. Stupid. Joke." Naruto wiped a tear from his eye, his smile almost forced as he did. "There's no reason for Faunus and Humans to hate each other, no reason for the White Fang to be at arms against Humanity, no reason for Humans to think they're better than Faunus! It's all a joke, a prank, crafted by the worst threat to come."
Humph, Humanity always acts in its own interests. Even you, Boy, are no exception to that. The Monster snarled. Whatever horrors come for them is too good, in my opinion.
"Maybe you're right, and maybe you're not." Naruto mused as he kicked the rooftop door in. He gained a smile again as he began his descent. "I can't say whether it's right or wrong. So I guess I'll just have to keep getting my hands dirty, and hope someone else can find the answer that will dispute your claims."
"Thirty bodies, Raven." The scraggly man paced the office of Hel's Guild Master, all while the master in question watched him dig a trench into her floor. "Thirty men, dead. Gruesomely killed! Hell, I've seen Grimm attacks that weren't hardly as stomach churning!"
"I fail to see how this is my fault." Raven Branwen arched a brow and kept her arms folded while she patiently watched her guest. "I told you this would happen."
"No! You told me that he needed guidance!" The man snarled as he rounded on her, his red eyes glaring into hers. "You told me that you knew what you were doing! Then what the hell do you call this!?"
"If I recall, I believe you told me to let your beloved 'Brotherhood' handle him. I was merely giving you the opening to do so. Then again, perhaps it'd be better if I hadn't. I mean, after all..." Raven sat back in her seat and glanced at a photo on her desk. "Look at what happened to Summer."
"Don't. You. Dare." The man's hand flattened against the desk while he pointed a finger in Raven's face. "You keep her out of this. This isn't about what happened to Summer and this isn't about you, Raven! This is about that kid and what he did!"
"And what did he do that was so wrong, Qrow?" Raven countered, her tone even and her emotions schooled. "Did he break the law? Did he steal crate-loads of Dust? Did he assassinate a Councilman?"
"He killed thirty men-!" Qrow growled.
"In self-defense, I would presume." Raven hummed. "I've taught him that the best way to keep yourself from having too many enemies, would be to prevent any from holding grudges."
"I don't care what you say, Raven! This...This was not self-defense!"
"No, you're right. Perhaps he did go a little overboard."
"Do you even hear yourself!?"
"Do you?" Raven countered, still cool and collected. "Do you, Qrow? Do you hear yourself? Do you know who you sound like?"
"Ozpin?" Qrow snorted.
"You sound like a General, Qrow. Or, to be more accurate, you sound like Atlas' General."
"...Raven, I can't keep coming back here to warn you. Ozpin is not willing to play this game anymore," Qrow said firmly.
"Oh, really? I beg to differ." Raven stood from her seat and folded her hands behind her back. "He's still overseeing Beacon, is he not? 'Preparing the future for a brighter tomorrow'."
"You will not insult Ozpin. Not in front of me." Qrow warned softly. "Sister or not, insult him again, and there will be consequences."
"Will there? Oh, how frightening, Qrow." Raven quirked a small smile. "Do you have anything else to say, or should I presume this conversation over?"
"...Keep your dogs on shorter leashes, Raven, but be careful of their bite." Qrow snapped before he turned and stormed out of the room.
Raven sat back down in her chair and closed her eyes.
"It's not the dogs I need to worry about, Qrow. It's the wounded fox."
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