DISCLAIMER: I in no way own Naruto or RWBY...Y'all need to remember that…

. . . .

From Dust Till Dawn

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Chapter 7: Relic Of The Past

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Cherie Uzumaki, my one, and only

. . . .

Velvet...needed a moment to herself. It was late, almost midnight. Though, since second years didn't start classes till next week, they weren't held to the same curfew as the others that were already in classes. And so, she found herself alone in the library, sitting at one of the far tables towards the back, feet pulled back onto the chair and her knees pressed to her chest as she stared off at nothing in particular.

She pulled out her scroll and thumbed through the settings until she came across the photo gallery. Thumbing through various photos of herself, her teammates, even her parents, she came across the one she was looking for. It was a old picture of an even older picture, a way to make it last forever. The original picture was of two children. The taller one stood with her chin resting on the smaller ones head, flattening the smaller girls ears as they both smiled brightly for the camera. Velvet couldn't fight the small smile that came to her face as she soaked in the picture.

"I miss you, Cherie." she said to no one in particular. "I think you'd be proud of me so far. I've made it to my second year at Beacon, I've gotten pretty strong too." she said with a small chuckle. "My team is pretty good too. I think you'd like Coco a lot...I see a lot of you in her, ya know? Same sense for clothes…" she trailed off as she continued to stare at the scroll. She took a shuddering breath before she continued, holding the scroll up closer to herself.

"I...I don't know why you and him got on so well. He's...so unlike you. So unlike how you explained him to be." she frowned slightly at the picture. "He's rude, and from the rumors I've been hearing, he's brutal. He doesn't seem like the bright, happy guy with a heart of gold you said he was…"

"Perhaps." a voice cut in causing Velvet's ears to perk up and her eyes to dart from the picture on her scroll.

"Perhaps he isn't those things at the moment," Ozpin continued, as he strode forward, can in hand, only stopping once he came up next to the girl. "But that doesn't mean he wasn't them before. Time has a strange affect on everyone and everything. And in each case, it's different." He set his cane to the side and took the open seat across from the girl, a small smile on his face as he relaxed into the seat.

Velvet couldn't find the words to speak, perplexed as to why her Headmaster was in the library so late at night, or the fact that he was talking to her as if he knew exactly what she was thinking.

"It is rather late, Miss Scarlatina." he continued after a moment of silence, his smile never leaving his face. "I bet your team is worried where you've gone." with that, he stood from his seat and made his way out with his cane in hand. Though, before he made it out of sight he turned to her, his smile now a concerned frown. "Don't be so quick to judge someone while they are in mourning. Let time take its course, and see just who Mr. Uzumaki is then."

. . . .

Naruto stood on the cliff outside of the Emerald Forest, a deep frown formed across his face. "I need to cool off…" he growled to himself, fed up with crying, now wanting something to break instead. With a quick roll of the shoulder, he jumped high into the air and off of the cliff. He could feel the wind whip against his face as he quickly fell into the forest below, eyes squinted into a grimace as he plowed straight through the tops of the trees and to the forest floor, a small crater forming below him from the impact. Though, besides the bend in his knees, he showed no sign of injury or fatigue from the fall.

Stepping out of the crater he took a few steps forwards while rolling his neck, earning a few pops as he readied himself for what he was about to do. With a deep breath he closed his eyes, and let it all out. All of the pain he had been feeling for the past few years, all of the regret, and all the anger. He let it out with a pulse of his power, letting the emotions roll off of him like a beacon for the inhabitants of the forest.

It didn't take long for something to respond to his challenge. A pack of Beowolves rushed into the small clearing he had formed just by flaring his chakra outwards, pushing trees and brush away alike. There were twelve in total for the moment, and one seemed to be larger than the rest, most likely the alpha of the pack.

All Naruto did in response to their sudden appearance was quickly slip a kunai into his hand and wait, not moving an inch while the monstrosities surrounded him.

After a moment of calm, Naruto grew impatient. "Well? Come on then!" he yelled out, his chakra flaring on its own from his anger, causing the Beowolves to recoil in something akin to fright, shocked by the power rolling off of the human in front of them.

Naruto grunted in irritation as he noticed they wouldn't make the first move, and with a lazy flick of his wrist, he let the kunai fly.

A flash of silvery-black was all the Beowolf saw before the blade embedded itself in its skull, cutting straight through its armor, and killing it instantly. Using that brief moment of surprise, Naruto shot off towards the closest Grimm and slammed his fist into its chest, sending it flying into a tree where it instantly began to dissolve into nothing, dying from the impact.

"Two down…" he mumbled to himself before he ducked underneath a clawed swipe and sprung into a almost vertical kick, sending the beowolf into the air. Quickly righting himself, the blond shinobi quickly jumped into the air, over a second set of claws and met the airborne Grimm. With a quick axe kick he sent it back towards the ground, and crushing another beowolf along with it.

"Four down."

He side stepped another swing, pulling out a new kunai and slashed the beasts neck. Not even stopping to make sure it was dead he dashed forwards and jabbed the blade into another's eye, striking the brain. And with one final movement he ripped the knife out and threw it into a third beowolf's head, watching the beast fall in mid run. Disappearing in a blur of speed he quickly retrieved his blade and stared down the remaining Grimm.

"Seven down…"

Only five left, the Alpha having stepped back to watch the human while the smaller of its pack fought.

Naruto grunted in disappointment as he watched the seven corpses quickly fade away. These weren't the challenge or the relief he was looking for. He sighed as he lazily brought up his hand, the hum of chakra quickly sounding out as it coated his blade in a razor like edge of energy.

As if by some basic instinct, or just years of learning to survive, the Alpha managed to duck in time to avoid the ark of pure wind slashing towards it and its pack. The trees behind them fell as the wind sliced through them like they were nothing, the four Grimm left in the Alpha's pack dissolving before their bisected bodies could even fall to the ground.

Naruto saw that the Alpha had somehow survived his attack and hummed in amusement before he started to jog towards the beast. The Alpha looked up to the blond human running towards it and snarled in rage, swinging its arm out in hopes of catching the blond with its claws. Though its chances of hitting him were dashed as the blond ducked beneath the attack, quickly following with a uppercut to the beasts body, sending it into the air. Before it could fly too far out of reach, Naruto lashed out with his hand and caught it by its maw, quickly spinning around and slamming its head into the ground, shattering the earth with its skull and forming a small crater below himself.

Naruto stared down at the quickly dissolving Alpha with a look of boredom. Such weak creatures...how could they pose this much a threat to the warriors of this world? He sighed as he began to walk away, further into the forest. The night was young after all. He had plenty of time to try and find something to amuse himself with.

. . . .

Burning eyes watched him move. They watched him fight, and they watched him emerge victorious. Time and time again, for hours they watched as he tore through the shadows, sending them back to the darkness from whence they came. Only to seek out more, and do it all over again. The eyes watched and watched, and all the while, a sickening red glow burned brighter and brighter.

"My...what have we here? You are different from the rest...How very...interesting…"

. . . .

Naruto tore his Kunai out of the eye of a fallen Deathstalker and sighed as he returned it to his sheath. "It's almost morning...I should head back…" he said to no one in particular. He turned from the fading Grimm and began to walk back down the path he had taken to get there, the bodies of dozens upon dozens of Grimm fading from existence in his way. Though, after a few steps, he stopped, foot almost slamming against dirt as he felt something off around him.

!

His eyes snapped wide as he spun on his heel, eyes searching for whatever it was that he felt. "There it is…" he growled to himself, that damned presence in the forest. Before where it was fleeting, and almost impossible to pin down, it was now almost overwhelming. A beacon of energy shining out for him to follow.

His pace was fast, his body a blur of movement as he followed whatever this was. He pushed deeper and deeper into the forest, scarcely paying attention to the moss covered stone work he passed on his way, the overgrown pavement he stepped on, or the severe lack of Grimm in his path as he moved.

And then, he came to his goal. A small house sat between a tree and a small river, long overgrown with various mosses and vines from the forest floor. The single window next to the rotted wooden door wide open with what looked like a few saplings growing out of it from inside the hovel of a home.

"What...is this place?" he asked no one as he walked up to the house, the presence prodding at his brain, begging him to step into the house. He reached to push what was left of the door open, but stopped his hand as he placed it against the ancient door.

"Well? Aren't you going to open it?"

His eyes narrowed as a voice whispered from behind him. It was young, almost...familiar. He turned his head to face the voice, hand never leaving the door. He looked down at the source in shock, unable to form words as he stood there, mouth ajar and unmoving.

It was himself, younger, thinner, and much shorter. The smaller blond wore a white shirt that seemed to be a few sizes too large for his tiny frame, coupled with his blue shorts and tattered sandals. His large blue eyes stared up at the taller blond in confusion.

"You are...Aren't you? You wanted to see what's inside, right?" The boy continued, a tilt of his head emphasizing his question. "What do you think is inside? Do you think it could be something that can help us?"

"H-help...us?" Naruto stuttered, unable to comprehend just what was happening.

"Yeah! That's why we're here right? You want help don't you?"

"H-help with what?"

"Going back duh? Isn't that what you want? To go home? Be with everyone again?"

"That can't happen...they-they're dead, I didn't break the Infinite Tsukuyomi, it's been so lo-"

"How do you know? Maybe they're still alright, maybe what's in there can help!"

"But what if it won't?"

"But what if it will?"

"But what if it won't?"

"But what if it will?"

"But what if it won't?"

"But what if it will?"

"But what if it won't!?"

"Then you'll have to make that choice!"

"I-I-"

"Choose!"

"I ca-"

"Choose!"

"I can't…"

"Choose!"

Naruto's eyes snapped open with a start, panting heavily as he searched his surroundings in a panic. He was laying down, in a bed, where? His room, in Beacon. Sweat poured down his body as he shakily stood from his bed and wandered into the bathroom, staggering in and heavily leaning against his sink. His blue eyes stared at himself from inside the mirror, a haunted look in them as he tried to control his breathing.

"Choose…"

He yelled as his reflection spoke, falling back and sliding to the wall, breath panting even heavier than before.

"Wha-...What in the hell…"

. . . .

Team RWBY and JNPR were quiet as they sat in the cafeteria for breakfast. It was only the third day of classes and-

"Did you hear? Two of the first year teams already dropped out!"

Yeah. That. Word spread quick that both Teams WHTT and TNGR dropped out shortly after their first day of Survival Training. It was...and eye opening experience for sure, but to drop out so easily? Where they so weak that they could not handle the thought that they might have to lay down their lives in the future for the better of others? Wasn't that why they were here? To help people even if it meant giving yourself to do so?
Ruby sighed as she heard the other tables whisper and gossip, these thoughts passing through her as she feebly ate her pancakes.

"Ugh, we get it, people dropped out, can someone find anything else to talk about?" Yang groaned out, breaking the tables silence as she flopped her head down onto the table in exasperation.

Jaune and Ren looked at each other and shrugged, not knowing what to say and deciding to sit back.

Weiss on the other hand, "well, we could talk about our classes for today if it bothers you so much." tried to give out a change in topic, which was met with another groan from Yang. With a huff the Ice Queen went back to her food. "At least I'm trying…" she grumbled under her breath, earning a small smirk from her partner.

The rest of the table remained quiet, save for Nora who was absent mindedly trying to start up a conversation on Pancake flavors with Ren. Pyrrha just sat next to Jaune, not knowing how to start up any conversations with the relatively new group. Jaune followed her lead, not really wanting to ruin anyone's already down mood. Blake, the ever aloof girl she was, was buried in a book, not even paying attention to the conversation.

They sat in relative silence for a spell before Ruby set down her fork and looked to her sister. "What do you think Professor Uzumaki meant when he said that we should think about what we want as Huntsmen? Isn't it already obvious?"

Yang blinked in confusion, head popping up to look at her sister. "Uh, yeah? Where's all this coming from?"

"I-I dunno? I'm just confused why everyone is so shocked at what he said? It's like uncle Qrow used to say, being a huntsman isn't all fun and games, it's a job to help people, and sometimes you'd have to put yourself in harms way to do that." The little reaper said, getting a somewhat shocked look from most of the occupants of the table. "W-What?" Why were they looking at her like that?

"Oh sorry, you actually said something pretty mature for once, just...shocking is all." Weiss replied for the group, who nodded in agreement. Ruby folded her arms with an angry pout as she leaned back in her chair, looking away from the rest of them who started to chuckle at her expense.

Yang sighed as she stopped laughing and leaned back down on the table. "Ah don't act like that sis, you know we love you." She snickered, hoping to lighten everyone's mood a bit more. Though she cocked an eyebrow when the red headed reaper didn't respond. "Ruby?"

She looked up and noticed her sister had dropped her pout, and a worried look was on her face instead. Yang followed her gaze out the cafeteria window and noticed what she was looking at.

There he was, the topic of conversation, Naruto Uzumaki. He was walking by the cafeteria, though stumbling seemed more like the appropriate term. The guy looked like a mess, covered in sweat, pale, and looked to be breathing pretty hard as he made his way past.

"Jeez what happened to him?" Yang thought aloud, getting the rest of the table to look.

"I-I don't know? You think he's alright?" Ruby asked, only looking away once he was out of sight.

"He seemed distressed?" Ren stated, earning a few nods from the rest of the table.

They would have continued, were it not for the bell to ring, signaling the ten minute warning before classes began.

"Well, whatever it is, it's not our problem. Come on, I don't want to be late for class." Weiss said as she got up from the table, the rest slowly following behind.

Ruby though, looked back out the window, a worried look in her eyes as she hesitated to follow.

"Ruby!"

"Coming!"

. . . .

Naruto clawed his hand against elevator button in the wall and once the doors opened slumped against the wall inside. He had never felt this before. This ache, this heat, this...power. Sheer unadulterated power was pulsing through him, and he felt as though he was going to be torn apart if he didn't release it somehow.

What was happening? He felt so much power within him yet he could barely stand, hell it took his all to even stay awake at this moment. Was it the thing in the forest? No. That things power was nothing compared to this. That would of been like comparing a puddle to a grand ocean.

He thought on this on the way up, and only three floors from his destination did it occur to him. He hadn't checked on them for almost two years, almost completely forgot. He had been lost in his own suffering that he left them to themselves.

"Mister Uzumaki?" Ozpin called from his desk as the doors to the elevator opened, showing a shocked Naruto, pale and covered in sweat, sitting on the floor of the elevator.

"Ugh...brat...what year is it?"

The Biju were awake.

"Mister Uzumaki are you alright?" Ozpin called again, this time getting up and moving towards the elevator. Cane in hand.

'Hold on Kurama, be right with you.' The blond told the fox, bleary eyes fixed on the older huntsman before him. "Not another step old man."

Ozpin froze at those growled out words. The boys eyes were red as blood now, pupils slit like a beasts. "What is in that forest old man?" The blond growled, showing fangs he did not have before.

"I don't know what you mean, Mister Uzumaki. Now, are you al-" he was cuz off as something even he could not see flee past his cheek, putting a quarter sized hole in the window behind him. He could feel something wet running down his cheek. He didn't need to be a genius to know what it was.

"The next one goes between your eyes. Now tell me. What. The fuck. Is in that forest?"

"Woah what's got the kid all uppity about?" Son Goku asked his voice strain and hoarse.

"I dunno but can you both shut up, my head feels like it's going to split…" Matatabi quipped.

Ozpin stared at the young man before him, scenarios of countless events playing through his mind in but an instant, and after a few seconds silence, he nodded with a sigh and turned towards his desk. "Come Mister Uzumaki, you'll want to sit in a chair for this." He called as he sat back at his desk, running his hands over his face in contemplation.

With quite a bit of visual effort, Naruto peeled himself off of the floor and lumbered into the office, slumping into a chair across from the headmaster.

"Brat, what's going on, who is this man?"

'LATER.' Naruto internally ground out as he kept a mask of calm before Ozpin. Though, the glowing red eyes did a bit to distort that image.

"Tell me, mister Uzumaki, what is you favorite fairytale?"

…

"Who the fuck is he?"

Dammit Shukaku.

"Cut the bullshit, I don't care about Fairytales." Naruto growled impatiently, the heat in the room seemed to rise, or was it him? What was going on? He was sweating up a storm and his breath was becoming ragged.

"Oh...this isn't good."

"What Isobu."

"You're overloading on Chakra, your coils haven't had the time to expand enough for the influx of our full chakra to safely integrate itself into you."

"Bullshit, it's been nearly seven years, how have I 'Not had the time'!?"

Kurama perked up at that. "What do you mean sev-" though he was interrupted when Naruto's attention transferred back to Ozpin.

"Are you sure you're up for this conversation right now, Mr. Uzumaki?" The old man said, leaning back in his chair as he watched the younger Jinchuuriki sweat and pant in front of him, the boy's eyes frantically changing colors from blue to red and even gold. What an enigma.

"No, not really…" the boy weezed, struggling to get the words out without cringing. After a quick moment Naruto's eyes widened as an idea came to him. "Overloading huh…" He could hear a deep chuckle in the back of his mind. Responding to his thoughts.

"Oh, I just came back and I'm already liking what you're planning brat…" Kurama chuckled with a dark grin, a few of the other Biju grinned as well, while others just seemed to stay out of the conversation all together.

"You...know what might help old man?" Naruto asked between breaths, his shifting eyes settling on red for the moment. Ozpin felt a cold bead sweat of sweat go down his back at the look the young man was sending him. It was almost feral in a way, almost...bloodthirsty.

"What might that be, Mr. Uzumaki?" The stare was beginning to strike a memory, one he could have sworn he's seen before.

"I haven't had a proper spar in a long while with anyone that could keep up…" Naruto lead before letting the sentence end itself, leaving the meaning hanging in the air. Ozpin swallowed, leaning forwards and adjusting his glasses as he did so.

"And why Mr. Uzumaki, does this matter to me? Surely someone of your talents could find a suitable way of training in your own time, and I believe we had other things to discuss." Naruto grinned at this, something that sent a feeling of dread through the headmaster.

"Yeah, we do, but I'm sort of on a...time limit here, before something bad happens. I need to get this energy out before it's put to very bad use, if you get my meaning? And why not make this fun, you can talk while you fight can't you? For every hit I get, you answer a question, and for every one you get, I'll answer one for you."

Ozpin stared at the boy for a long moment, drinking in this proposal. After almost a minute of thought, Ozpin clenched his eyes shut and pulled out his scroll, placing it on his desk. After a second the scroll lit up as well with the desk itself. Pressing on an icon that appeared on his desk, Ozpin waited for a moment before a small window appeared on the desk, the image of Glynda Goodwitch appearing inside.

"You called sir?" she asked over the video call.

"Come to my office immediately, I need your assistance with something." he said simply before ending the call there, his voice terce and to the point. Naruto quirked an eyebrow at the man before he shakily stood to his feet.

"What was-" he started before Ozpin fixed him with a look.

"...It wouldn't be a good fight if it was just me. Even in the state you are in now you'd with without a doubt. I'm just evening the playing field." Besides, the power that was radiating off the boy was astronomically higher than anything he could hope to match. Maybe back when he was whole, before the maidens, he could have stood up to him. But now, with his limited power and older body, he'd be destroyed if he truly wanted to face him.

Naruto just smirked at him though, the thought of maybe having a good fight for the first time in nearly seven years seemed like a dream.

"Alright...You're on old man."

. . . .

(A/N): To be continued…

Hahahaha….not dead yet mother fuckers! Just on the verge ;)

Sorry for the...LONG wait but I had a little thing called life get in the way...I apologize. Had some shit happen. Was in and out of the ER for a while, served some court stuff, had quite a few 40+ hour weeks, still running a D&D campaign, had a pretty bad breakup, and general writers block...still not sure how I feel about this chapter...especially after writing and rewriting it six (or was it seven?) times...

Anyway, I am SHOOK by the amount of follows and favorites this story has, like, I'm intimidated by the sheer size OwO

I still can't guarantee a set schedule of release for this since I have A LOT going on in irl, but I will say that this is definitely not a dead story, just one that takes a while :/

Remember to REVIEW! And like always, I'll see ya next time!