.
Chapter 2 Dos-Point-Oh!
I have little doubt that some of you are displeased that Sasuke is now married to Sakura, but I have my reasons. I understand that a lot of people hate Sakura and even Karin, but I don't hate characters at all, and I mean in every series out there (except Sekirei, fuck that garbage). Either way, just trust me a little bit.
New writing style, expect this kind starting from chapter 16 and onward!
There Are Reasons The Updates Were Late; I Was Playing So Many Things On My New PS4, Mate!
Chapter Two: She'll Sting You One Day Ever So Gently
Sasuke awoke calmly in a dark room, lit only by the moonlight peering through the window, thinking all that passed was only a dream, but looking out that very window told him otherwise. That damn shattered moon was in the sky told him what the truth of his situation was.
He stayed lying down, letting out a frustrated breath. Looking to the side, he picked up the Scroll he was given by Glynda and held it over his face. It was almost three in the morning, he had been asleep for well over half a day. He didn't forget that he flopped on the bed immediately after that blonde teacher guided him to his room after she instructed him how to use basic functions of the Scroll.
The fact he was that tired said much about the risk posed by using the Amenominaka as a way to get home. 'I'm lucky enough to find a world with breathable air.' A multiverse was not something he was willing to explore.
The Uchiha got off the bed, feeling rested but no less stressed. He wanted to summon a snake to inform his home, but that would come later. Perhaps it was because of his curiosity and his time wandering around, but he was interested in seeing what this whole new world had before he began finding a way home.
'There's no point in staying in the room,' he thought as he got up and walked out into the empty and dark hallway, with the blade he refused to hand over on his belt. He had a destination in mind before he even left the room, the library was the best choice to find information of his immediate surroundings.
But before he could begin his walk there, he noticed a figure in the dark, and assumed that this portly and mustached man was the headmaster's method of keeping an eye on him for the night. This person sat on a chair silently, eyes closed but he didn't doubt the man was fully aware and alert of his sur- Snore!
". . ."
Sasuke continued on his way passed the loudly sleeping man, feeling underwhelmed at the sight and sounds he just experienced. That wasn't the thing he expected to first see when he woke up.
Looking around, the academy's hallways were empty besides himself. The perks of waking up during a time where everyone was asleep. He could use the time and silence to think things through as he made his way to the library thanks to the directions Glynda had given him the other day.
Surveillance cameras were found here and there, those were the only eyes Sasuke found on him from his walk when he reached the library. And just as he expected, it was as empty as the hallways, but not as dark with the few lights that there were. It was enough, though, as he began searching the shelves for anything that has to do with the history and general knowledge of Remnant.
The Uchiha found a few promising books judging from the titles, and brought them to an empty table. He knew he would need more books, so took note of other books he would read up once he finished with the first haul.
'Interesting,' he thought as he began reading his first book. Apparently, this 'Dust' wasn't the same dust he was thinking of. It was even more fascinating to know that his own world was devoid of such element-based materials and ore. Perhaps he should bring back one or two stones to see if it could be synthesized. Orochimaru would appreciate a pet project, that's for sure.
That wasn't only that caught the ninja's interest, however. To think that there was only four major kingdoms and a few settlements here and there wasn't exactly unfamiliar. It reminded him of the five great nations and the surrounding smaller villages, but on Remnant it was for vastly different reasons.
Settlements were made out of necessity with the walls of the Kingdoms being unable to expand their borders thanks to these Grimm creatures, and even a few that seemed to have problem living within the kingdom themselves, but only a few were lucky enough to last as long as they did. Patch being one example, but it was near enough to Vale to be protected. Many weren't so fortunate.
Of all the information he had gathered from the books, Grimm was in almost every single one. Dust was needed to power up the nations, but also to fight Grimm. The walls of the kingdoms were made to stave off Grimm. Huntsmen trained at a young age to protect the people from Grimm.
There wasn't a book that at least mentioned their accursed existence and the terror they reaped on mankind. 'Such creatures would bring havoc in the Elemental Nations.' The fact they were attracted to negative emotions such as despair and anger, they would have brought chaos to the previously war-torn continent of his home.
Sasuke could imagine Grimm coming in like a tsunami against every village, big and small. But like in this world, he didn't doubt that the people back home would fight tooth and nail for survival. Perhaps ninjas would have fared better, considering the diversity of abilities, but during a time of war and disunity, the horde of Grimm would be no easy task regardless of power.
"Ahem." The Uchiha looked up from his book and saw a man with green hair and glasses looking down at him. "Sasuke Uchiha, I assume?" he asked before taking a swig from his metal thermos.
"I am," Sasuke replied, laying the book about the history of the Great War back down. "I assume you are one of the professors here." Not that it was hard to figure out when he looked much older than the rest.
"Doctor, actually," the man corrected. "Doctor Bartholomew Oobleck. I mostly teach history here in the academy."
The Uchiha considered asking him some questions he had after reading all those books. "And keeping an eye on me for the sake of the headmaster as well?"
"No, that was Peter's job." Bartholomew's disappointed shake of the head told Sasuke exactly who Peter was. "A strong Huntsman for sure, but perhaps too boisterous for his own good."
"I can imagine," Sasuke replied with a scoff, remembering the sleeping man. "Is there a reason you interrupted me from my reading, or did you simply come here to change what I think about your colleague?"
The man took another quick sip of his coffee. "Actually, I was wondering about your homeland and how it would have existed," the Doctor said in muted excitement. The fact he was shaking made the ninja wonder if caffeine was all that was in his coffee. Was a surviving village that rare? "If you've read all these books, then I'm sure you could understand my curiosity."
He wasn't wrong, Sasuke fully understood his curiosity if he was a scholar, but his answer to such a question was the same. "If you've spoken with the headmaster, then you know what my response will be." Oobleck nodded. "Yet you still approached me, why?"
"You'd be surprised how much you can know from simply conversing in person, whether they tell their secrets or not," the professor replied with a small smile as he took a good long look at the books on the table, even sifting through a few. Sasuke wasn't sure what he learned from this chat, but he knew that it wasn't anything compromising. "I hope to learn more of your home from you in the future."
"My decision is still the same," Sasuke assured with pursed lips, not appreciating the assumption. "I will not be some student here, doctor."
"I never said you would." The way he said it was odd. "But chatting doesn't necessarily mean simply at the school, and I'm very curious on how your home survived for so long."
"It hasn't." Oobleck's frown showed that he understood. "Hence why I'm here reading common knowledge like a damn child instead of walking with my comrades. Don't find the survival of my village fascinating, doctor, because it clearly isn't the case." That's the story he was going with anyway.
The professor hummed. "I'm sorry to hear that, but clearly your village was unique to be hidden even from the Kingdoms, and I would rather not let it go down in history forgotten, if you'd allow me, that is." A historian who's asking for the story of a destroyed village for it to be remembered and not be dust in the wind. He can't hate him for that, but again, the answer was still the same.
"My village is. . . was extremely secretive, doctor," Sasuke said with a faux slip. "I ask that you at least wait until I feel comfortable sharing things that would normally brand me traitor in my own home."
The Bartholomew nodded slowly in understanding and patience, which was an odd juxtaposition to his fast speech. "Who knows, perhaps you would tell me that story during your stay in Beacon, eh?" He looked to his watch. "I have a class to teach, so let's speak again, soon," he said, then sped off out of the library.
Sasuke frowned slightly at the veiled statement. He felt someone here has deciding something about him and were keeping him in the dark. Considering how many people knew him in this world and had some form of power, he had an educated guess who, and would make sure to know what the decision was.
He let out a breath of frustration. 'In one way or another, I will know.' He and Ozpin intended to speak anyway, so perhaps it was his decision that had been made. It was best not to let it agitate him, so the Uchiha continued reading his books.
In the coming hours, he knew he would be called to the headmaster's office, but Sasuke hoped it was sooner, as more students began filing in as time went on. That wasn't what bothered him, of course; it was the eyes of curious young women that decided to take seats close to him. He wondered if any of them came here to read, because he had to glare away one girl who asked to take a photograph with him, which seemed to have spawned a kind of betting pool soon afterwards and now even more daring students.
'Damn the Uchiha curse.' These people didn't even know him, yet he already started attracting them like flies. Here came another one now, and it was one of the Faunus he had been reading about, a rabbit Faunus to boot. "If you so much as point your Scroll's camera at me, you will lose it along with several of your fingers," he growled out.
The girl froze. "I-I'm sorry!" she cried after she leapt back at the sudden hostility. "I-I'm here to tell you that the headmaster wishes to see you." Well, that wasn't what he expected, particularly the odd accent.
The Uchiha looked to the Scroll he was given to know that it was nearly noon. He then looked back to the girl with less heat, she was still there and seemed to be waiting for him, if a more than a little disheartened at his response. "The fact you're still here means that you are to lead the way, correct?" She nodded reluctantly.
What the headmaster was thinking of, Sasuke had no idea. He had the Scroll and could have been contacted from there; he even knew the way. Was this an attempt to show him some added respect by being escorted? If so, then Ozpin should have come to him personally.
"Fine," the Uchiha said as he got up from his chair, finally taking a good look at his surroundings. As expected, his part of the library was suspiciously more crowded than the rest. "Lead the way." She nodded, turned around, and paled at the sight of jealous eyes wishing her nothing but a slow death.
He couldn't help but sigh as the girl stayed frozen for a few seconds trying to find a way out of this. "I have important matters to discuss with Ozpin, so let's go," he told the Faunus. She cleared her throat before saying a stiff 'o-of course', and began rigidly walking to the exit. She seemed to be handling it rather well, but she still veered away from tables and people that were better off distanced.
The Faunus let out a large breath of relief now that the dark miasma that was the library was behind closed doors. "This way," she said as she went the opposite direction of where they should be going. The Uchiha didn't move, he just stood there. When she turned around and saw that he was in the same spot, she asked, "umm, is there a problem?'
"We are going this way," Sasuke replied, and turned to the quickest way to the office, and began his walk there. Considering what the matter was, he didn't want to waste time.
"Wait up!" she yelled, catching up to him. "That way has more things to show, though."
That explained it. "Was it Ozpin himself who sent you to fetch me?" She answered the affirmative. Really, couldn't he have tried better than that? "I don't intend to go through the scenic route," the Uchiha said as he continued to march, the girl awkwardly by his side, now that she was being led instead of the other way around.
He gained a few curious eyes from time to time, most likely from hearing of a newcomer from outside the kingdoms, but not from any of the known settlements. "I assume people here heard of me?" The trainees he met in the forest came to mind as a source.
"Kind of," the Faunus said. "I only just heard about you from some students before the headmaster called for me, and then I just started hearing more rumors on the way to you." The Uchiha nodded in understanding. They could know the story he fabricated, he didn't mind, but the further rumors spread, the more convoluted and changed they become. "You don't come from a place that eats Faunus, r-right?"
His eye twitched.
Convoluted and changed like that. And within less than a day? In some ways it was impressive, but mostly irritating.
"No, and it would be best you forget whatever nonsense you've heard," he replied. He wasn't sure what's more annoying; that the rumors were becoming that bizarre, or people like this girl having some belief in them.
Looking to his side, he watched the girl's rabbit ears sway as she walked. He couldn't help but feel a small sense of irony that the first Faunus he met was a rabbit Faunus, with the whole debacle with the rabbit goddess years ago. 'Naruto would feel right as home here,' he thought amusedly, imagining him with his whisker-like birthmarks walking among these Faunus people.
"Is something wrong?" the Faunus asked warily, noticing his stare and expanded the distance between them.
Shaking his head, Sasuke replied as he looked back forward, "no, just lost myself in my thoughts." That hadn't provided much comfort, probably from the earlier rumor about him eating Faunus.
The books he took out hadn't much to say about the Faunus race, but it did say a few advantages they had thanks to their more bestial heritage. Could they have been a byproduct of some experiment to fight Grimm long ago and lost through the annals of history? Sasuke didn't know; unless Orochimaru was here, if that was the case he definitely knew. Even so, he could damn well name people from his home world that were more bizarre. Kisame, Kabuto, Sakon and Ukon just to name a few.
"We're here," the girl replied, steps away from the elevator that reaches the office. "I guess this is goodbye, then. It was nice meeting you." She turned around and walked away at his curt nod.
Sasuke didn't believe she meant the last statement very much, but at least she was polite about it. He hadn't given it further thought as stood in the elevator leading him up. A student's life here, that's what Ozpin essentially asked of that girl to show him.
People who were training to be fulfilling and altruistically heroic Huntsmen, as if seeing such would change Sasuke's demands. The books he read on Huntsmen were plentiful, but most said the same story. Heroes and the glory they had garnered, that's how they were described, and that was how their actions were emphasized.
Lies, all of them. Exaggerations at best.
Those books reminded Sasuke of his academy days, the instructor retelling the heroic sacrifice stories from ninjas of Konoha while fighting off ninjas from Iwa and Kumo during the previous war. Such was the method of instilling pride and loyalty at an early age.
Once one gets on the battlefield, the image of heroes for ninjas who used to be those very students become muddled in blood and steel, as war always had done. If ninjas survived, they continue to the next battlefield. When they died, they become heroes for the young ones to look up to. Rinse and repeat.
Did Sasuke think this as an evil act? He wasn't so childish as to label it as such. It was merely one kunai of many; another tool utilized for generations by all ninja villages to get their objectives done, nothing more and nothing less.
On Remnant, that was an even more dire necessity.
"Hello again, Mr. Uchiha." Ozpin's voice snapped him out of his thoughts as the elevator doors opened. "I was hoping to meet you later, but it seems you didn't accept Miss Velvet's route."
"Another time perhaps," Sasuke replied as he walked in, the two of them alone in the office. "When I'm not under the threat of eviction, I will see this academy my own way without an attempt by you to 'marvel' me into submission."
Ozpin sighed and shrugged. "I guess it was too blunt, but in my defense I didn't have much time to plan." He almost sounded sheepish. "I've thought about it a lot, what to do with you," he said in a tone befitting for an interview. "I want you to leave the premises immediately." Sasuke sighed, but nodded and turned to leave. "Is what I would have said if I didn't know you used the library for the entire morning."
The Uchiha stopped midstep, and turned back to the man. "You're convinced that I'm not a threat?" He had only rudimentary knowledge on a few aspects of Remnant, so he could almost make his way around, but if Ozpin was convinced, things would be that much easier for him.
"People who know how to fight but have unknown allegiances are always a potential threat, Mr. Uchiha," the headmaster said. "But you could say I was. . . curbed a little considering the books you picked out."
Now how could he have known what he was reading? There were certainly surveillance cameras in there, but was that really enough to convince him? Then something peculiar came to mind.
"You sent Professor Oobleck to check on me," Sasuke stated, not even an accusation. Now he knew what the green-haired man's knowing smile meant. Was the Uchiha vouched for by that man?
"Doctor Oobleck," Ozpin corrected on his colleague's behalf. "And yes, I sent him to see what you were reading and his opinion." Not even a lick of shame as he admitted that he sent a spy to his desk. Didn't matter much to Sasuke, however, as long as this person's belief of him being a threat had lessened.
"What does that change?" Sasuke asked. "Thank you for letting me a have place for the night and use of your library, but I haven't changed my decision. I will not be a student here, even if it means leaving Beacon." All the man did was nod and place his hands together on top of his desk.
"I understand that, so I've decided to simply let Beacon house you as you acquaint yourself to our ways," the headmaster stated. "But on one condition." Sasuke knew there had to be something, altruism was nothing but a risk when you should be wary, which Ozpin definitely was after the 'event' he vaguely mentioned yesterday.
"You are to essentially be a student-" He rose a hand when Sasuke was about to interrupt. "-but with certain liberties given to no one else." The Uchiha frowned, but let him continue. "According to Doctor Oobleck, the books you picked out books explained the most basic of information, so it matches someone who didn't know of the kingdoms."
Well, there was a completely valid reason for that, but that very reason won't ever be mentioned.
Ozpin continued. "You could say it made me believe part of your story that perhaps you aren't from those who harmed us. If it gets you to help us, I'm willing to let you walk amongst our students, attend any of the classes, and even have meals with them at the cost of Beacon."
"So essentially, now you're trying to let me convince myself that joining you would be my moral obligation?" Sasuke responded. Ozpin sighed and leaned back. "Not enough time to plan a quick method to make me turn to your side, so you opted for slow brainwashing?" He probably was going to think of another way during his stay, too.
"Brainwashing? I assure you this is merely a form of rhetoric," the headmaster replied, placing his elbows back on the table. "I'm not your enemy, and I hope you aren't mine. And In time, I hope to call you an ally."
The Uchiha thought it over. It didn't sound as bad as he was expecting. Yes, there were certain things he didn't like, such as attending classes, but perhaps he could put them to good use by finding some information that couldn't be answered simply from books.
"I want classes to be optional, that I leave at my leisure if I feel it's unimportant," Sasuke stated. "Also, I want access to the capital to understand where I'm staying." That was pretty much all he needed, some extra freedom of movement.
Thinking it over, Ozpin eyed the ninja. "You will attend the classes and abide by the rules of Beacon, the special set for you, anyway. But I'll even have you allowed certain absences depending on the reasons. Don't abuse it, because I will notice." The Uchiha stared long and hard, but nodded in the end. Those were acceptable, better than he'd hoped actually. "Well then, I'll have things prepared for you tomorrow, so enjoy your free day."
Sasuke said his goodbye, and left through the elevator down. It gave him time to think about his new position in Remnant as some pseudo-student. It wouldn't really hamper him when he began his search for a way home, and it certainly handled where he would stay and who he's surrounded by.
The doors opened to the hallway, and decided to lead himself to the cafeteria to find himself something to eat. Considering how few a students were around, Sasuke assumed that classes were still in session, and that the canteen should be just as sparsely populated.
Even if it wasn't, it didn't matter as long as he got some food in his grumbling stomach.
After a hearty and healthy meal, which were more on the side of hearty than healthy considering the options he saw, Sasuke went back to the library to read up on more of Remnant, partly due to his curiosity of the world itself. While he would like to say the women here had decided he was no longer interesting, it was more like they were changing shifts when to stalk him on when they had classes or not. He heard someone mention a fan club, and hoped it was simply his mind playing tricks on him.
'One of these days. . .' He hoped the same in his world, but it just never seemed to work. His marriage helped ease things, as did having people fawn over Naruto, but that was only when he was in his own village. While traveling, it was as though in his younger days.
The Uchiha looked to the side at the sound of loud, odd mumbling, and saw Ruby in uniform carrying several books in her arms. She was muttering something about showing how she could be a good leader to Weiss. She turned to see a familiar face staring at her. "Sasuke!" she exclaimed, before immediately being shushed by the resident students. She muttered quick apologies as she made his way to him books in hand.
"Rose," Sasuke greeted with a nod as she plopped on the seat, spilling all the books she carried onto the table. He didn't have to look around to notice the jealous eyes against this 'daring' young girl who approached the mysterious and silent warrior who accepted her. Fortunately for Rose, she didn't notice. "I never took you for the studious type."
"Not you too," she groaned as she picked up a random book from the pile. "I'll show you and Weiss. . ." She trailed off into low murmurs and mumbling as she began to 'read' the book. "She's mad at me for the whistle in the morning, I'm sure."
He ignored her mumbled, last statement, mostly from uncertainty what she meant. Assuming what he read and heard was right, students in Beacon were made into teams of four, and that Ruby was the leader of her team. He wasn't sure what she had shown that she was leader material, but perhaps the administration saw something he didn't.
"Is there a reas-" "Do you know what it takes to be a leader?" Ruby asked abruptly, cutting off Sasuke's question. "Sorry, I had an argument with Weiss about it."
If Weiss was who he remembered, he could guess the reason she asked and the argument. "I assume she believed herself to be the better choice for a leader?" Ruby nodded. The Uchiha could sympathize with the heiress, since he had a similar thinking when he was younger and saw Naruto only as the dead last. "Then you're asking the wrong person. I haven't seen you nor the other girl's action on the field enough to deduce properly."
Sasuke knew them for a very limited amount of time. How would he know whose right and wrong? "You were the one who was made leader, and she must follow your orders. That's all that matters in the end." The chain of command, a lesson taught to young students in the ninja academy.
"But she's my friend, she doesn't have to follow my orders," Ruby defended her partner, then looked unsure. "Okay, maybe not 'friend', but she still doesn't have to obey me." She sighed. "I just want show her that I can be a good leader."
"Trying to better one's self for the sake of the group is one sign of a good leader," Sasuke said offhandedly, gesturing to the books covering multiple subjects she brought to the table.
"She says she studied and trained with the best, though." From the way Ruby sounded, it must have hit her confidence in leading the team. "So I need to show her that I can get stronger and smarter, too."
All Sasuke did was turn to the next page of his book. He didn't know much about leadership besides leading team Taka for that short amount of time, and he knew he wasn't much of a good leader then.
"Being trained by the best only means you had access to good warriors to be a good fighter, it means nothing about leading a team," the Uchiha said as he laid his book down on the table, and reached for the next one. "What matters is that you would lead your team, your new family, to live another day even if you won't."
Kakashi spoke about how his father abandoned the mission for the sake of his team, and how Konoha's famed White Fang was treated afterwards by the village. Sasuke found an argument in whether the mission for the sake of an entire village was more important than the immediate lives of your comrades, but Ruby didn't have to bother with that as of yet. She'd learn in due time and make her own decisions during her job as a Huntress.
"Then continue to learn and train, Ruby Rose," Sasuke said, looking into her silver eyes. "The more you learn and the stronger you get, the better the chances of leading yourself and your team out of arduous situations to see the next day." The mission or the team, which was more important? This wasn't something you prepare for in a class, it was something you experience to understand.
"But what if there was someone whose already stronger and smarter than me?" she asked, leaning in to hear his answer.
The Uchiha wasn't sure why she thought his opinion on the matter would help, since her sister would surely make a far better support for Ruby than he would. Pep talks weren't his forte, so he might as well answer truthfully.
"There will always be someone stronger and smarter than you," Sasuke said as went back to his book. "What matters is that you are smarter and stronger than you were the day before. Constantly improve to overcome your own weaknesses, not that of others."
Years ago, the Uchiha would have told her that only to defeat powerful enemies meant she was strong, but that only told you were better than them, not strong. If those very people came back stronger, faster, and smarter to defeat you, then they would have overcome their own weaknesses, and that was true strength to Sasuke now.
Naruto irritatingly proved that.
"Thanks, Sasuke." Looking back at her smiling face, it seemed what he said was enough to help get her confidence and drive back up. She stretched her arms above her as she leaned back on the chair more relaxed than before. "I guess what Weiss said was right, but it doesn't have to stay that way." She leaned forward on the table and collected the books she had before sitting back down, but then looked to the Uchiha. "How long were you here anyway? I didn't see you at all today."
"Since three in the morning." She made a weird throaty sound at the response, but Sasuke didn't see why as he went back to his book that detailed more about the geography of Remnant.
"It's five in the afternoon!" she yelled, and winced at the amount of shushing aimed her way. "Are you telling me you've been here all day?" Even though she practically whispered, he could hear her surprise and disbelief. "Why?"
Because he didn't want to appear as a person not from this world. "What you know, I know differently," Sasuke stated. It wouldn't be that outlandish to come from a reclusive society, would it? "I'm trying to ascertain where our societies differ."
Apparently it caught her interest, since Ruby leaned in forward. "Like what?" She looked to the many books scattered on the table, probably trying to guess what he meant.
'Like what?' indeed. What the answers were was important, as he was being recorded which might be used against him if the footage was ever looked back on, and that was if Ruby didn't spread the information around. Sasuke could assume that the relationship between him and the headmaster was docile at best, but there was still wariness involved. More from Ozpin's side than his.
Picking up a book, Sasuke gestured to the title 'Properties of Dust'. "What you call 'Dust', we call 'Hero's Ore' or simply 'Ore'," he answered. The fake name didn't matter, but the fake lore behind it did. It took some time to pick a name and a tale for certain items, so he tried to be as creative as he could on the matter. If to simply close up loopholes.
And 'Dirt' wasn't exactly an elegant term.
"Whoa," she sounded at the concept. "Why call it that?" Ruby looked thoughtful for a moment. "Where do you come from, anyway?"
Here goes nothing. "We call it 'Hero's Ore' because it is believed that it's the crystalized blood from fallen warriors of the past," he lied. It helped that there was something to support it. "If you remember, my Chakra, what you call 'Aura' here, has a lightning quality to it. When I die, my blood would turn into lightning Ore for future warriors to use; or lightning Dust here."
Sasuke had to admit that he took the aspect Chakra nature of his world to use it for the story he made. Plus, it does describe his society as an archaic civilization with heavy mysticism, which was not far from the truth, actually. Especially when compared to this technological world. "As for where I'm from, I'm not comfortable sharing that information."
"Oh, sorry," she apologized, but Sasuke didn't pay it much heed. "So what other things did you find out?" She looked around at the books, probably trying to guess what the answers might be.
What else had he found out? He wouldn't know where to begin if he answered truthfully. "We call 'Semblance' as Bloodline Limit, 'Grimm' as Demons, but not much else thankfully," he replied evenly with a shrug. Might as well keep things simple for him to remember, especially since they were quite similar, he thought. "Customs are vastly different, however, something books can't help me with." That last statement was the only full truth.
Technologically, Remnant was infinitely more advanced than even Yukigakure, particularly their arms manufacturing and computers. It was actually rather impressive, especially those holographic monitors he could see around him.
However, the more spiritual side left much to be desired in terms of information. The books weren't very helpful in describing Aura, as it's still a fairly unknown subject. Chakra, however, was a well-known and studied energy in his world, so it was disappointing to read mostly folklore, theories, and speculations about Aura.
'When technology was this advanced, it should be the exact opposite,' Sasuke mused. From the books, it seemed that Aura was extremely passive, and only used intentionally when empowering it, and using a Semblance or certain smaller techniques. Especially when compared to Chakra, which was an active energy used depending on the skill of the user; it was far from automatic like Aura. 'Is it that different?'
"Huh, so it's like a whole new world for you, yeah?" Ruby stated, head resting on her arm.
'You have no idea.' And if things were to go Sasuke's way, she never would. He nodded, though, and decided to get up to return the books in their proper places, and it was time for a little walk around Vale and see where he was. "Think about what I said about strength, Ruby Rose, and perhaps it will get you passed times of self-uncertainties."
"I will," she responded in a more upbeat tone. "Where're you going?"
He shrugged. "I want to look around Vale, and now's a good time as any," he answered as he collected more of his books to return, then looked to the one in his hand which was picked out by Ruby, and sighed at the title.
"Hey!" Ruby exclaimed as Sasuke began taking her books. "What're you doing!?"
She looked miffed, but he ignored her annoyance and continued to see what her choices of literature were. "Wait here," he told her, and walked off with her books in hand, leaving her at the table.
Skimming through from memory, Sasuke took out certain books he read previously. Dustology by Pan was simply confusing; and One-Thousand Historic Stories by Scheherazade had conflicted with itself multiple times. The Uchiha didn't bother placing those books back where they were found, and just put them in the nearest empty space.
Sasuke came back to the table minutes later with fewer books than he left with. "These two explain Dust in simpler manner," he pointed to the two books he set on the table. "These three explain history chronologically without clear bias, and this one discusses Aura theory without obnoxious story-telling," he said while pointing out which books.
Honestly, Beacon should overhaul their library a little. Sasuke had read the first few pages of Ruby's books hours ago, and immediately set them back when he noticed their cumbersome or simply pointless method of informing. Granted, he hadn't read all of what Ruby picked out, but one with Aura and Me as a title didn't help his confidence in why Ruby chose any of her books, and he wasn't going to do it haphazardly and simply got rid them all.
Ruby looked to each book Sasuke brought. "They're thinner too!" she screamed out as she held up one of Sasuke's book in the air, no doubt referring to the thick, cumbersome books she brought out before. She would have been shushed, but he guessed people already seemed to have given up on her.
Perhaps it was because he expected this kind of reaction from a familiar blonde back home, but Sasuke found himself amused at Ruby's response and look of relief that her self-given reading was essentially halved.
"Learning from this first set of books is only the first step, so don't think you will be finished after simply reading and memorizing these," the Uchiha said. The way the sparkles vanished from her eyes was priceless. It reminded him of the time he told Naruto to lay off the ramen, that look of horror as if he committed heresy. "You can study all you wish, but it's pointless if you don't know how to implement it effectively." The more he spoke, the more she sunk in to her seat.
Learning the technique was half the process, the next half and most important was mastering it. If by some strange event that Ruby learned Chidori, she would still need to know how to successfully conjure it while under pressure of battle, and to know when to best utilize it.
"When you have a goal you must achieve, these things will seem trivial the further you go," Sasuke said, recalling his quest for revenge against Itachi when he was younger. It was something he hated remembering, but he knew that goal made him train harder and faster than most. He only wished that it was for better reasons.
The Uchiha nodded to her and turned to leave, but not before hearing, "thanks, Sasuke."
He hadn't stopped walking to the exit, but he did turn his head and nodded once more to her. "Study well, Ruby Rose." While it was only just showing her a few books, he wondered if this was what it was like with Naruto and Konohamaru; minus the teaching of that ridiculous, perverted technique of theirs.
"One more thing," Ruby said quickly before he could get to leave. Sasuke stopped and turned to face the girl, waiting for her to say what she wanted. "You can just call be 'Ruby' since we're friends. No need with the fancy, formal stuff." He shrugged lightly at the simple request, but nodded nonetheless. "Alright then, see you soon?"
See each other soon? Considering that Beacon was his home for the time being, that's a given. "Soon," Sasuke replied with a quick nod. "Take care then, Ruby." He then turned and left after she waved goodbye.
The Uchiha stiffened when he heard a loud slap from behind. When he looked, Ruby had her hands on cheeks, and a strong look of determination. "Alright, Mission: Show Weiss She's Wrong commence!" she yelled before diving into the books he brought out for her. He let out a breath of amusement before continuing his way.
Walking out of the library, the Uchiha wondered how Ruby thought he was a friend when they hadn't met for that long; more so the 'why' than the 'how'. 'Is it that easy?' If so, Naruto would have had droves of them during his childhood if he wasn't a hated Jinchūriki.
He passed many people wearing the designated uniform of Beacon on his way to the exit. It wasn't hard to guess that since a vast majority of them were wearing it, only a few wore their combat or casual attire. It was the combat attire that interested him, however, with the diverse amount either wore full armor or partial, but it must have been a custom job with all these variations, the Uchiha believed.
An expensive luxury back home, since they mostly wore the official flak jacket if they wanted. Most steel went into weapons and tools rather than armor, considering the only official attire outside of ANBU that even had metal was. . . He stopped in his tracks and checked his person to see if it was still there. 'The headband is missing,' he thought with a frown before he continued walking.
Sasuke tried to recall if it was on him during the dimensional jumping. It would be problematic if not downright impossible to find if it fell off in any of those hellish worlds. The only saving grace of that was he doesn't even remember taking it with him when he wore his old clothes yesterday morning. So it was likely back home with his traveling wardrobe.
The Uchiha sighed as he made his way out of the building. It wasn't something he usually forgot, but perhaps it was best he didn't have a scratched headband at the moment, if the people here were smart enough to understand the connotation of the gouged symbol. 'Doesn't matter now.' It was literally worlds away.
Outside, there wasn't much to be seen besides a simple courtyard, a place for simply walking around or meeting with friends, but that wasn't what he came out here to see. Sasuke walked closer to the port of Beacon, and at first he saw the sea, but the more he walked, the more he saw of Vale.
When he reached the end, he had to admit that Vale was certainly a sight to behold, especially looking down onto it from a cliff passed a body of water, this capital of an alien world. 'I suppose I'm the alien one here. Still, a city as large as this would be a major power back home.' It was hell of a lot bigger than Konoha, and Sasuke could imagine the industry they had here. Although if what he read was correct, the crown of industry in this world was for Atlas. Perhaps he would visit it someday if the opportunity ever presented itself.
The Uchiha thought if he should just jump off the cliff and onto the body of water below to reach the city, but decided against it and turned to one of the nearby vehicles. In his world, some abilities were available to all, almost no different than the acts of summersaults and tree jumping acquired from training, but that's not the case here for walking on water.
Of course, that doesn't count for technology, and just like their weapons, Remnant's modes of transportation seem to be just as advanced. 'A metal machine that flies,' Sasuke thought as he walked closer to the vacant aircraft. 'Back home, all of its kind was destroyed with the Sora-nins.' He would have had a hard time believing such things existed if he hadn't read that they used a port to fly students in and out of Beacon.
Touching the hull, Sasuke confirmed that it was indeed made of metal. "Oi, you heading out to Vale?" He turned to see a man wearing odd clothes and a helmet. "If you're done groping my bullhead, that is."
'Bullhead?' the Uchiha repeated in his mind, then looked back to the aircraft. 'Is that what it's called?' Perhaps it was because of those things on its wings that made it look like horns of a bull combined with the sturdy look of it. "Are you the one who flies this bullhead?"
"Damn right I'm the pilot. So you gonna hop on or what?" the man asked. "Or do you want some more alone time with it?" There seems to be an added level of snark in this world, the Uchiha noticed as the fool grinned.
"I want to see the capitol," Sasuke answered, ignoring the man's remark. "Immediately if possible." He was curious about the city itself, but also on how it would be like to fly in what was essentially a metal box.
The pilot's grin dropped, likely disappointed from the lack of reaction. Good. "Yeah, yeah, just get in and I'll get you there," he said with a grunt of displeasure as he climbed into the bullhead and sat in the front. The ninja was thankful that the pilot had given up on his humor.
Following the pilot's lead, Sasuke jumped into the cabin, and took one of the available seats in the bullhead. A high-pitched whine filled his ears, and it was slowly getting louder as the seconds ticked by, but it was what happened next that was. . . unique.
A sudden downwards force caused him to tense up, and since the view outside the small window showed that was getting higher, he rather quickly deduced that he didn't like flying in a bullhead. 'A heavy, metal box. . . in the air.' He clamped down on his discomfort, but only in appearance, which didn't exactly matter as he was the only one in the cabin. . . the metal cabin with no open escape route.
'You've flown before, stop exaggerating!' he scolded himself, but a voice in his head kept telling him that hawks flew, metal bento boxes don't, especially at the speed the pilot was now taking to move forward. 'You fought a goddess, this is nothing.' He was already coming with quick escape plans, which only served to remind him what he felt about the bullhead ride and the embarrassment that followed.
A minute of stress, that's all it took for him to go through until Sasuke finally reached the ground. 'Humiliating,' he thought annoyingly as he got off the bullhead and unto Vale's solid ground. He knew he wasn't even in danger, not with the techniques he had acquired over the years, but being in a tight, metal box flying high through the air with no control over it was. . . irksome, to say the least.
And he had to use it again to get back.
To the side, Sasuke saw a few other bullheads, most likely one of those were going to be his return trip. 'Stop acting like a child,' he scolded himself once more when he felt rising frustration at the concept. He walked away from the aircraft, ignoring the pilot who muttered something along the lines of 'thankless brat'. Sasuke didn't care, he just wanted to walk off the flight.
Fortunately, there more than enough sights to switch his focus on. The people dressed not too oddly compared to his world, but it was again the technology that caught his eye. The cars were sleek and quick, but were also noisy, so he could do without those, but the architecture was as different as could be from his world.
He gathered attention from the women here, as per usual, but he expected it since it was the same in Beacon as well. Still though, one particular was far too old to think of such. Sasuke shivered slightly at the memory as he continued wandering. Regardless of the nostalgic and unwelcome stares, it was intriguing seeing more civilians than warriors. 'Economy seems to be more important than having a large army,' Sasuke mused. 'Perhaps the Grimm situation isn't as dire as I was told.'
There were always ninjas when walking the streets back home, more for recuperation between missions rather than security, but that didn't make them idle if there was a crime occurring near them. Needless to say, being a criminal in a ninja-heavy environment was riskier than most people expected.
Nearby, a television on a store's display was on a news station was explaining how another Faunus protest for equal rights was disrupted. 'It seems hatred is present in this world as well,' Sasuke mused as he continued watching the report before walking away. 'This world's hatred is someone else's problem, not mine.' More so because he would rather not change anything in a world he wasn't even supposed to be in.
If this White Fang want to find equality through violent means, then Sasuke wouldn't stop them unless they decided to target him for whatever reason. Regardless, the social working of this world had nothing to do with him, especially when he intended to return home.
"Pardon," Sasuke said as he bumped into a man on the way, and moved on quickly before the man would say a word. Bringing his hand up, he opened the wallet he had just 'procured', it didn't have much in the lien these people used, but it should be enough to get a meal and a few items. Fortunately, a nearby store was just what he needed.
The Uchiha walked through the door, the bell ringing his entrance to the clerk of the store. "Welcome to Tucson Book Trade, home to every book under the sun," the man said behind the counter, a book in hand telling Sasuke that he had interrupted his own reading. "I'm Tucson, so what can I help you with?"
Walking forward and looking around, Sasuke finally stood in front of the large man. "I'm looking for books with general information. Encyclopedias, journals, school textbooks, and the like," the Uchiha told the clerk. The books within Beacon weren't bad, but he would rather have a few outside sources just in case any books were omitted from the library. Plus, there should be some interesting things he could take back home.
Tucson hummed as he rubbed his chin. "I don't have much of those, but there should be some of what you're looking for in the back corner," he said as he pointed towards a place behind the ninja. "Unless you want to special order anything, those are all I've got at the moment."
Special order? That would be convenient for Sasuke, but should also be quite expensive. Fortunately, there was a sea of pockets right outside, and all he needed was a few disguised clones. As for the wallets after they've been emptied and tossed away, surely some morally-obliged citizen would find and return it. . . or not; it wasn't Sasuke's problem, nor did he care.
He walked to the books he was told about, and looked through the titles and subjects to see if there was anything of note. Sasuke mostly saw books about mathematics, general sciences, and literature, but he saw a few books that spoke of Aura and history of Remnant. So he picked out two books he could take with the budget he had. Stealing them would be easy, but he intended to come back here later, and would rather not have the ire of the clerk.
Sasuke brought the two books up to the counter and placed the money beside them. "I'm also going to take you up on your offer to request books," he informed the large man. "History, Aura, Dust, and Grimm, these subjects I would like you to prioritize if you find any books for me."
While it was extremely unlikely, Sasuke was concerned if there was a possibility of Grimm appearing in his world even if it may not be in his lifetime, some information would go a long way. Aura and Dust might be of use back home, perhaps even utilized when he better understood them. Hell, ninjas might even had access to them but never knew. If he was going to be in this world for a while, he might as well get something out of it.
Tucson hummed as he scratched his impressive sideburns. "I'm not gonna lie, that's a weird set you want. With a sword like that, I thought you were a warrior, not a scholar," he said as he pointed towards Kusanagi on the Uchiha's waist. "Still, I'll need to check with my supplier. If you want, I can let you know when the new books come in. It's not going to be cheap, though."
The Uchiha was sure the people of Vale wouldn't mind their money going into education. "Don't worry about money," Sasuke said. "As for notifying me." He gave Tucson his Scroll. "Put your contact information in and take mine."
The clerk looked confused. Very confused, actually. "Uhh. Wouldn't be easier if you just told me?" As it turned out, his voice also showed his confusion.
'Yes, it would be. . . if I knew what my contact information was,' Sasuke thought sourly. He should've asked before he left, but he didn't think he had to, and he was certain Glynda hadn't even mentioned it in her brief explanation. And it's not that he didn't know, either, it was that he didn't know yet. "Just add your name and information so we can be done here." Ruby might tell him how the inner workings of this blasted device works.
Tucson sighed and shrugged before he began working on his own and Sasuke's scroll. After a few beeps that came from the Scrolls, he gave the ninja's device back. "Alright, I added your number to mine and added mine to yours. What should I call you by?"
"Sasuke Uchiha," he answered, causing Tucson to type a few more things on his Scroll. "Make sure to notify me whenever a new book becomes available." the Ninja nodded his farewell, and saw the clerk bade him goodbye as he left the shop.
Outside, the sun had begun to set, as the shattered moon was becoming brighter than when he first came to the capital. Still, Sasuke had some time he wished to kill, more so to ease all the stress from the studying he'd been doing for the whole day. As he walked further from Beacon, he spotted the spire in the distance.
'The CCT tower,' Sasuke concluded. Technologically, the Uchiha didn't focus much on those details, but he understood that this was the only way for the kingdoms to communicate with one another, something that was never an issue back home. Mostly because they rather preferred not to talk with one another back then. 'When united through a war, communication is paramount.'
But that wasn't what he found interesting about this tower system, it was that it was vital for all four to be active for them work. 'Such a weakness. If one was to fall, all are to fall with it.' The poeticism wasn't lost on Sasuke, but he hoped it was a technical aspect that was unavoidable rather than an overlooked flaw. Regardless, the protection on those must be intense.
The Uchiha looked back forward, the time walking had him find himself in the shiftier parts of Vale. Since it was now fully night, the darkness wasn't helping the 'hospitality' this place radiated. He found it amusing that in this part of town felt more in his element rather than Beacon itself.
Still, Sasuke found what he wanted and entered the nearest bar. Inside, he had to admit that it was rather nostalgic seeing so many unwelcoming stares, reminding him of his days traveling to obscure villages barely found on the map. Of course, like here, none dared to voice their thoughts, likely from his appearance as a Huntsman.
One thing out of place, however, was a young girl with pink hair who couldn't be older than Ruby back in the corner looking rather bored. In addition, these men seemed to have made a dead zone around her, none of them wanting to get close. Whatever the reason was, the Uchiha didn't care and sat at the counter on the opposite end of the bar.
"What's your poison?" the bartender asked from behind the counter.
"Do you have a drink called 'Sake' here?" the Uchiha asked, and received the negative. "Then whatever is common will do." The man grunted before walking away to a tap with a cup in hand. It wasn't surprising when a woman took the seat next to him. In fact, it was almost expected.
Sasuke looked to the woman, and saw it was the pink-haired one from earlier. Up close, he mentally corrected himself about mistaking her for a young girl. "You don't see a student from Beacon come here every day." Even her voice was that of someone older than him.
Looking back forward, the mug of fizzy, orange liquid might as well have magically appeared in front of him, considering how fast the barkeeper slammed his drink down before getting away from him quickly. 'Her, specifically,' the Uchiha corrected once more as he looked to the woman again. "Neither have you today."
All she did was blink for a moment, then gave Sasuke an uncomfortably familiar grin. "Well, what's a Huntsman like you doing here?" she asked, almost in a mocking tone.
"Neither am I a Huntsman," Sasuke told her, patience thinning. He brought the cup to his lips, if only to show faux casualness. "What do you want?" He took a sip, and put back down to never drink more of it. "Disgusting." He looked to the barkeeper, but all that man did was ignore him. Again, he reminded himself, because of her.
The pink-haired woman laughed. "That's what you get for ordering the cheap stuff," she told him as her mirth died down to normal levels. "As for what I want." She tapped her chin as she hummed. "Some fun doesn't sound too bad. What do you say, Mr. Not-A-Huntsman?" Chairs creaked as some decided to leave the shabby bar. From the looks of the bartender, he wanted to run as well.
'Who the hell is this woman?' he pondered. "I want none of it. Go ask someone else," the Uchiha quickly told her as he got up to leave as well. From the reactions he'd been seeing, he had an idea of the fun she wanted. Just like Jūgo's term for fun when he went on a rampage.
Placing a few lien on the counter, he immediately drew his hand when it was just about to be pierced through from a steel blade. Almost as immediate as the kunai that was now on the woman's jugular, and his grip on it was as tight as the grip on the woman's wrist to hold her and her sword in place.
"You're either stupid, or you have a death wish," Sasuke said with a scowl, his Sharingan saw the same haze of Aura he expected to see, but what he didn't expect was her giggling. Perhaps his comparison with Jūgo was a little too accurate. He wanted to cut deeper to show the seriousness of the situation, but the Aura shield wasn't even letting his knife cause a scratch.
"But you already are," she told him with a wink. When she wanted to move, Sasuke put his elbow on her neck, and forced her head on the counter, her arm still firmly in his grip, and knife still on the side of her neck. "Now why would a snot-nosed Huntsmen place a knife where it could kill me."
"I am not a Huntsman," he said once more, putting more pressure down her neck. He was a ninja, with a doctrine far different than that of a Hunter. Shinobi's fought against other shinobi for the sake of their country, Hunters fought against criminals and Grimm for the sake of humanity. Hunters were supposed heroes; shinobi were soldiers. Sasuke read enough to know their principles were barely alike.
Even when half her face was stuck on the table, the damn woman still had the audacity to giggle in her position, it stopped when he raised her gripped arm to cause some pain. "Oh, I know that now," she said as she looked up at him and his Sharingan. "Nice eyes, you have there. Maybe we have something in common." Her eyes switched from brown to pink at a blink. "Right, killer?"
Sasuke wanted to press more on the knife, but it was pointless since her Aura was protecting her. "You don't even know me, yet you dare speak as though you do." He humored the idea of imbuing it with wind or lightning, but thought better of it. . . for now.
"When someone's first reaction is to put a knife where it could kill me, I get a few clues." She sounded so proud of herself too.
"Then why don't I kill you right now?" the Uchiha voiced as he raised her outstretched arm some more, it went from uncomfortable to painful. Her grunt showed it was working. "Don't mock m-"
"You won't kill me, because you can't," she interrupted. If she meant he wouldn't kill her because of her Aura or some moral compass, Sasuke wasn't sure. "I know some pretty dangerous people, and as luck would have it, we're looking to hire someone also dangerous."
Sasuke raised a brow. "I'm threatening to kill you, and you talk about employing me?" It was something he heard of when targets were in a panic to save their own lives. Either she was clinically insane, or just damn cocky. "Wait. 'We're'?" He quickly scanned the bar, but the place was empty, even the bartender left long ago.
"I say 'We're', but a friend of mine isn't really happy with the quality of workers we have, so you could say he's the one-Hrk!" Sasuke's moved her arm only slightly higher to shut her up.
"I've heard enough," Sasuke said unkindly. "You will leave this bar, and if I catch you following me, no amount of Aura will stop the next knife to touch your neck. Understood?" She grumbled, but nodded. "Good." He let her go and back stepped away, hand on Kusanagi for any foolishness on her part.
Maybe it was because of her genuine nonchalance that he saw with his Sharingan or just shinobi paranoia, but he kept feeling that she could have escaped his simple hold whenever she wanted, but didn't; that she decided to humor him. Regardless, this outing was over, and he's going to wait for her to leave first.
She stood up and rolled her sore shoulder, then she took the blade that was stabbed into the counter, causing Sasuke to half unsheathe his own sword audibly to reminder not to do anything stupid. Looking at it now, her own blade had an unusually curved handle, which made sense when she put into a small umbrella of all things.
Sasuke fully unsheathed the sword when the woman leaned over the counter in search of something. "Need I remind you to leave?" he said threateningly. She didn't answer, but she did find a pen and scribble something on a nearby napkin.
"Money, Dust, or maybe just want to have a good time," she said as she waved around the napkin, and again, he knew her definition of 'good time' was vastly different than his. "Give me a call."
Sasuke went into a defensive stance after a bright flash of light, but that was all there was. There wasn't a sound of a sword whistling as it cut the air, no sounds of steel clashing, or any attack for that matter. All there was in the room was a napkin slowly falling to the floor.
A few seconds of silence passed before Sasuke was convinced it was safe enough to sheath Kusanagi. He still erred on the side of caution and kept his Sharingan active, even as he walked to the napkin the woman dropped on the ground, which had a sequence of numbers and a name.
"Neopolitan," the Uchiha tried the name, but it was what this meant that interested him. 'A connection to the criminal underworld.' Sources of information, materials, and even technology. If it was similar to back home, this was very valuable if he ever needed things unavailable through conventional, legal means.
Looking at the numbers on the napkin, Sasuke frowned. For it to happen twice on the same day, he really should have learned before he left Beacon. 'How do I add numbers to a Scroll?'
I hate myself that I had Neo be able to talk, but alas, it's too late for me to change that considering how much I need it to happen. You don't like it? Believe me, the one who hates it most is me! Ah well, I messed up and learned, better now than later.
Trivia:
1-The person Sasuke was supposed to meet at the bar was actually Roman, but alternate plans began forming and I decided to change it. The version of chapter 2 most of you read wasn't even the first version in the outline. Technically, this new one is the third version (the first was that bad).
2-Some of you don't know this (thank God), but the first chapter that was around 5K words initially had eleven page breaks (fucking eleven!). After the updated version in December 2015, it turned to zero, which said a lot about my lack of skill in transitions back then.
3-I'm still upset from how fast paced things are, and the lack of more interaction between Sasuke and Co, but it really helped me how I want to write any fic. While I love it, AHP's biggest purpose was to mostly help me set my style, and know what I should and shouldn't do.
Chapter 3 is waiting to be read, do you want to disappoint me like I disappoint my parents?
I need a hug for that edgy joke.
