Greeting and salutations. Sorry this took so long. Don't have much to say about it. It was a difficult chapter to get the tone right between the serious subject matter I still needed to address without going too far as to lose some of the glibness. Patrons will be getting a reward to make up for it, which I will be promptly posting information about as soon as I get this up.

Some post-analysis at the end for those who are interested.

Chapter 34

Cleaning House

Cardin was prepared for a wide spectrum of reactions from Velvet. All of them were some level of annoying and bad, with some maxing out on one end of the spectrum or another. What he had not prepared for was the reaction he did receive.

"Thankyou-thankyou-thankyou-thankyou!"

Being hugged while a rabbit-girl threw her arms around him was not on the list of expected outcomes. He'd had his team go ahead of him to class so he could make a call to check on the status of his shield. He felt some remorse about using Pyrrha's money when he didn't honor their 'deal'. He forgave himself for his transgressions on the account of the bitch intentionally leaving the exact terms of their deal vague.

If she ever needed him for a real body-guarding mission he'd pay his due then.

"I didn't do shit," Cardin insisted, attempting to wrench himself free from her forced embrace. He was pissed to find out that she was actually stronger than him. Thus, in her arms he remained. "I called you a wuss because you are. If you stopped being a pansy because of it, that's all on you."

Cardin's attempt to distance himself with that statement was rewarded with sparkling brown eyes looking up to him from the head positioned firmly against his chest. A girl pressed this close to his body might have done something if she wasn't thanking him for setting her up to score with another guy. The fact that she was a faunus — a race he'd viewed more like monsters than potential sexual conquests — did nothing to stop her warmth from hitting his body. Which, again, Cardin reminded himself was only because she might be getting smashed by their school's superstar tomorrow night.

Now I feel like a cuck.

He didn't really like Velvet. Even though he was learning to temper his hate of the faunus, that didn't mean the reactions cultivated over years upon years had disappeared overnight. He was doing — and had constantly needed to since he changed his views — his damndest to tempering his feelings towards the faunus. That fact didn't have anything to do with why he didn't like her. Mostly…

It was more that she reminded him of what he'd been doing when he first came to Beacon. Weird, considering what he'd been doing was bullying her to almost tears. Both of them were spending a lot of energy getting nothing done. He'd been wasting his time acting superior instead of actually getting better. She'd been wasting it hoping he'd realize the error of his ways or some shit. That was never going to happen until something, or someone slapped him in the face.

And it shouldn't have been Naruto. It should have been her.

He'd given her hell, she should have given it back. She was a coward, and he didn't respect that. She should have manned up and kicked his ass. If this deathtrap of a hug was any indication, she sure as shit could have. She should have had the balls to ask Naruto out like a normal fucking person. She didn't manage to do that either. At least not without his help.

He helped her when she didn't deserve it because he screwed with her when she didn't deserve it. Now they were square. That was that. They were even. He didn't need this pity-gratitude-whatever-the-hell-this-was hug.

"I still don't agree with you," Velvet drove a finger into his chest and pushed him away with it as her grip came to a merciful end. "But I forgive you."

Cardin was fine with that. He didn't expect the two of them to be buddies or some shit. If she thought they were square and he thought they were square, that was that. They were square.

"So you stole him from his own partner," Cardin allowed himself a small sneer. "I guess you're not a total puss or a rabbit. You're a dog."

It wasn't the most tactful thing Cardin could have said. That much was clear by the light pink blush that colored Velvet's cheeks. Cardin wasn't the most tactful of people either, so even if he were to realize his error now, he wouldn't give a shit.

"We're only going to the dance together." Velvet responded tartly.

Cardin could tell she wasn't over the moon about that. He was also willing to bet it was completely her fault. Probably went as far to ask Naruto to the dance and called it good when she got a yes.

Coward.

Cardin kept his thoughts to himself that time. "More than anyone else has managed. Puts you in the lead. And I'm sure Pyrrha knows it."

Velvet preened a little at his words. The smile she wore and the twinkle in her eyes was a reminder that he wasn't going to get any at the dance. Damn shame, too. There were some damn good looking girls at Beacon. He probably would have tried to smash Yang if he didn't think she'd literally smash him for trying. There was always Blake. His grandpa always said the quiet ones were the craziest in the sack. Her and Velvet had a similar body type now that he thought about it.

Except for the animal bits, of course. Blake was a human, and that was enough to keep his sword pointing in the right direction when thoughts like that came about. No latent racism to interfere with his compass needle pointing due north.

Did I just compare it to a needle? Cardin grimaced.

"Anyways," Velvet started, awkwardly shifting as she took a step back. "I wanted to come by and thank you. And I've done that… s-so."

"I'm amazed you can suck worse at ending a conversation than you do having one."

Velvet glowered at him, her bottom lip jutting out into a pout. "Being strong and being rude isn't the same thing. You do know that, right?"

"Same as meekness and goodness."

The rabbit faunus continued to glare at him.

Cardin didn't look away.

"I may have forgiven you, but that doesn't mean I like you."

Cardin chuckled. "Feeling's mutual."

In the contest of stares, it was Velvet who ceded ground. She looked away and gave a sad sigh. "I don't get you."

Cardin grunted and shrugged. He didn't really care if she got him, and class was starting soon. It was the last day before the dance too, which meant if he wanted any chance of getting some, he had to make a move on a girl ASAP. It didn't matter that she hadn't earned his curtness, he had shit to do. He didn't have time to talk to the bunny.

Right as Cardin started to walk away, Velvet stopped him by breaking their silent agreement to stay fucking silent.

"Why'd you do it?" She asked him. Cardin looked over his shoulder and arched an eyebrow at her. "Pyrrha, she's training you, isn't she? Why would you help me?"

Cardin scoffed. He couldn't help himself. It was a stupid question because he'd already answered it.

"I owed you, now I don't. That's it."

Velvet shook her head vigorously. "That's not it. She is training you. She offered to buy your shield. You owe her too, not just me."

Cardin started walking away. Velvet said something that he purposefully ignored. She didn't move to stop him.

He had an answer. Thing was that he didn't want to give it. Whatever happened in that dumbass romantic triangle had nothing to do with him.

Unfortunately.

"You dastard! You demon! You fiend!" Nora reprimanded her leader harshly. Directly into his ear too. "How dare you betray the one true ship that is Firefox!"

"I still don't think that name-"

Nora's neck whipped her head to face her partner. "Renny! So not the time!"

Ren wanted to sigh, or groan… probably both. If not for the continuous joke that was Nora's pairing name, then the complete confusion on his leader's face that made it clear he had no idea what was going on was enough to provoke both.

"Why are you so loud?" Naruto asked, slightly annoyed as he twisted his pinky finger in his ear canal.

"Velvet? Velvet!?"

"She wanted someone to go to the dance with," Naruto answered nonchalantly as he took his seat in Port's class. "I figured I might as well say yes. Velvet's… been good to me," Naruto paused. "Besides, it's no skin off my back. No one else wanted to go to the dance with me."

Naruto was looking at the two of them on his right. To his left, Pyrrha's entire body convulsed.

Violently.

"I'm surprised," Ren spoke, doing his best to pretend he hadn't seen Pyrrha's reaction. "To hear you're taking Velvet to the dance, that is. I didn't think you were interested in dating."

If Naruto had been drinking water, Ren was certain he would have spit it out. Instead, he spluttered and choked on air.

"Dating?! Kami, no! We're going as friends."

Ren stared blankly at him. Nora did the same. RDL, all of whom had been eavesdropping from behind, did the same.

"What?" Five voices sounded as one. Pyrrha was the lone bastion of silence, though her head h

Naruto blinked. "What?"

"Friends?" Ren asked, torn between disbelief and finding the situation all too easy to believe at the same time.

"Yeah?"

They all should have known better by this point. This was Naruto Uzumaki, after all.

Nora broke out into a wide grin, giggling like a madwoman. "That's our fearless leader."

Ren wore a small smile on his face. Naruto now knew he was out of the loop on something. He pressed Nora for information the giggling orange-head was not willing to give. Not even when he bribed her with pancakes. Pyrrha's head had turned towards Naruto, her cheek resting on her forearms. She too had donned a smile. It was a bemused smirk admonishing herself for her bout of panic. Nothing short of a full-blown confession would get through the personification of density that was their leader.

Ren wasn't even sure if that would do the trick.

Their team had settled into a routine of class, training, and a little bit of craziness from time to time. Cardinal was a daily part of that routine, having become the team they would practice with. Ren had nothing against them personally, not anymore, but thinking about it made the smile slowly fall from his face.

He had thought it would be RWBY.

The all-girl team sat on the other side of the class. Originally, Naruto had split off from their three-team assembly due to the docks. Pyrrha had followed him, though she made it clear she didn't fault RWBY. He'd followed Nora following Pyrrha shortly after, making their team whole again.

This time the cookie had crumbled in much the same way, with the exception being that they weren't all on RWBY's side this time. Regardless, Ren had stressed the importance of patience to RWBY and they were doing their best to listen. He knew that something had to give. Soon. Ruby wasn't taking this well, according to Yang. Blake's quest for the White Fang had ceased after what had befallen Sky. It was a nice chance for all of them to catch their breath.

But Ren knew it would start again.

"Greetings and good morning!" Port's voice boomed out as his waddling gait carried him in front of the class. "You can put your textbooks away. Today, you learn how to deal with grimm from a firsthand source!"

Ren wondered if Port suffered from convenient deafness, or was impervious to the groans of suffering that often emanated from his class

After their initial protest, the class settled down and prepared for the siege upon their conscious mind that was Port's droning storytelling. It was so pointless that even the normally studious Pyrrha didn't mind talking through it.

"Did you have anything planned for training today?" She at least gave Professor Port the courtesy of whispering.

"You all can do what you want," Naruto answered, flipping a page in his notebook back and forth out of boredom, or maybe restlessness. "I've got something to do so I won't be there. I've put it off longer than I should have already." Naruto added when it looked like Pyrrha might protest.

Pyrrha let it go, albeit reluctantly. "Fine. I had a special training program I wanted to force- I mean help Cardin through."

Pyrrha had said it softly, yet Cardin shivered behind her. Ren wasn't sure if he heard or if it was a sort of sixth sense for sensing danger that compelled him to do so.

If it was the second option, Cardin's fear was certainly earned. Later that day Pyrrha would treat his face like a church bell. With Akoúo̱ as her mallet, his teammate would go on to bash Cardin's face in so much that it started to resemble the tolling of a bell to tell the time.

Ren had a feeling it would be a long time before Cardin ever crossed Pyrrha Nikos again.

Naruto had a whole laundry list of things to get done that didn't seem to go down no matter how much work he did. Today he intended to cross a particular item off the list. One that had needed doing for some days now.

What happened to taking a vacation? Kurama yawned from his usual perch.

I didn't expect a bunch of kids to be chasing after terrorists in their spare hours. Naruto groused without breaking his stride. He turned a corner in the windy dormitory halls of Beacon.

Are you an amnesiac? Kurama asked with dry amusement. I think you spent most of your childhood dealing with either dictionary-definition terrorists or some other threat of terror.

Naruto could feel Gyūki's approval even though he didn't give it words. It annoyed him, and it probably shouldn't have. The fact of the matter was he felt stretched thin.

It was odd for Naruto to feel overwhelmed. Lately, it had felt like there was one thing after another demanding his attention. Being able to destroy mountains had its perks, but there were problems you couldn't punch out of existence.

As Naruto rounded the final corner to the out of service room he hoped that this wouldn't be one of those types of problems.

Quietly closing the door behind him, he did his usual sweep of the room. The last thing he needed was to land back on Ozpin's radar because he missed a new camera.

Is now the best time for this? Gyūki asked, ever the voice of caution.

Naruto rapped his fist twice on the wall, checking to see if anything had been added or removed. I thought you'd be as annoyed as I was that it took me this long to get to it. You didn't like me leaving Cinder in play.

I don't. Gyūki corrected. But I doubt the two of them will do something irreversible in the next day. Why not spend the evening renting your dance attire? You don't intend to go in your sweats, do you?

Give me some credit.

When it comes to you knowing what's going on with this dance I feel I've given you too much credit as it is.

Naruto rolled his eyes. Content the first wall was clear, he moved to the second.

Please tell me you have a plan. Gyūki begged him after he'd almost finished inspecting the second wall.

Kami… of course I do.

Does that plan involve fighting? Kurama asked hopefully.

Or killing?! Shukaku added gleefully.

No and no. Naruto put both of them out at once. I think he was sending a message that he wanted to talk. I'm going to see what he has to say. That's it.

Shukaku whined at that. Talking didn't have the bloodshed he'd been hoping for. Kurama was different

He'd had been with him long enough to read between the lines. And if you don't like it? Kurama questioned him.

A smirk crept up Naruto's face. Things don't always go to plan.

Roman was not a heavy sleeper. You didn't make it to your thirties as a career criminal sleeping like a log. You didn't always get the luxury of an idiot tripping over something or some other noisy warning that you were about to be attacked. Oftentimes you had either know it was coming ahead of time and be ready, or be able to tell when death was on the wind.

Roman woke up to find that death wasn't on the wind. It was in his chair.

"You know, I kind of hoped you'd take the hint," Death spoke with undisguised agitation. "I was screwing around the last time I fought the two of you. I thought I delivered that message well enough."

"Loud and clear."

"From where I'm sitting it doesn't look like you got the message."

Where he was sitting was Roman's desk. The one in this hideout anyways. He'd flipped the comfortable office chair around so that the desk braced its back, forcing an immaculately straight posture in the seat he so often leaned back in. Death was dressed in orange sweatpants and a black shirt with that damn orange swirl in the center.

He'd almost claimed his first victim too.

"Knocking out my partner wasn't necessary," Roman growled.

"And risk the two of you disappearing again? I don't think so."

He knew he was in a position that demanded deference, the brat could almost definitely kill him.

It wasn't enough to stop his rage from boiling over.

Neo was unconscious. The rise and fall of her chest showed she hadn't been killed, though only at the blond's discretion. She was lying limply on the tile at his feet, her wrist held hostage in case she did wake up. It was smart considering Neo could blink the two out of there like she had last time. It was dumb because Roman had practically been pulling teeth to make this meet happen.

They were at one of their hideouts. An abandoned building that used to be a family restaurant. The place got foreclosed when the family got the bright idea that business would continue on the same as it had been the first few months. Idiots. When the anticipatable slump in traffic happened, debt piled up and they shut the place down. The location was awful too, making it the perfect place to lie low or sleep off the previous night's misadventures. They'd each thrown a cot in the kitchen and called it good enough.

How the hell had this kid found them? How had he made it past the traps he'd placed in every entrance? Roman had too many damn questions about this brat.

It was time to get some answers.

"Since I woke up in my bed and not in a cell I'm guessing you've got something to ask." Roman sat up on the side of his cot, his body pointed towards the door.

"Funny, I was going to say the same to you."

Blue eyes watched him carefully, yet carelessly at the same time. Naruto was obviously trained and disciplined enough to keep his guard up at all times, but only barely. Those were the eyes of someone conditioned to look for threats even where he believed there was no chance one existed.

They weren't the eyes of a first year at Beacon.

"So you knew I spared the kids?"

Naruto snorted. "News got around about how screwed they were," His amusement quickly receded. "They should be dead."

"They're not, big thanks to me. That came at a great personal risk too. You know how hard it was trying to explain how I failed to catch ten kids with a few hundred people?"

Naruto focused on the latter part of his sentence. "You have someone you need to explain yourself to?"

It was Roman's turn to snort. "Kid, I'm flattered, really, but you think I'm running the show?"

"No," The fucking brat admitted bluntly. "If you were calling the shots my classmates would be dead."

"Or I wouldn't be doing this in the first place," Roman added. "Which is why I wanted to contact you."

"Hoping to get out from under your current boss?" Naruto chuckled.

"Less boss, more psychopath-who-will-kill-me-at-any-provocation."

"Sounds rough." The brat remarked glibly.

Kid didn't know the half of it.

"Is that why I'm here Roman? You want out of your current mob-contract and thought a first-year at Beacon was your best bet?"

Roman stared him down. "First off; we both know you are not a first year."

Not a chance in hell. Roman has known that since their first fight. Now here the 'kid' was again, having taken out the stronger of their dynamic duo with his bloodthirsty fox draped around his neck like a scarf. He should have been giddy, scared, or nervous.

Naruto was all business with a dash of bemusement.

"Second, you're strong enough to get me out of this bind. Third, you've already shown you're willing to slum it with Remnant's less savory side."

Naruto frowned. "I don't recall us grabbing dinner and complaining about our nine to five."

"Ha ha, kid. If you hated lawbreakers with the same idealistically zealous passion of your peers I'd be in a cell. Neo doubly so — she approached you in the streets and you let her go again," Roman grinned slyly. "Even after she claimed your ass."

Naruto looked a lot less like death when he blushed like a teenager. "I was busy with something else."

"That's kinda the point, kid; we rank low enough to you that putting us in the back of a VPD cruiser isn't the only thing you think about when you see us."

Naruto didn't respond to that. Roman had half-expected a denial. He didn't get one, which made him all the more convinced he had pegged him right.

"You only got in our way at the docks because your friend jumped in to stop us. No way you planned for her to hold me hostage — a stupid decision if I've ever seen one, I might add-"

"Don't need to tell me twice…"

"And then you let Neo go again," Roman continued. "Why?"

"Too many civilians. The risk of collateral damage was too high if I engaged her there."

"Doesn't explain the first time." Roman leaned forward, turning his body to face Naruto directly.

The blond's eyes narrowed. "My focus was getting the other two out safely. Arresting the two of you was a secondary objective."

"Halfway through the fight you'd rounded up all the White Fang and your two animal companions were standing there gawking at us. Try again."

"I don't have to answer you." Naruto glared at him.

The fox that had been curled around his shoulders sprung to the ground. It wrapped itself up in in a circle with its own body, fangs bared in what Roman was sure was a sneer towards Neo's face.

"Then don't. I can put the pieces together myself, but don't threaten my partner."

Naruto's eyes flicked towards the fox with irritation. The fox looked to him, breathed deeply, and then exhaled. It reluctantly rose from its newfound position and oriented itself to face him without moving an inch away from Neo.

"Look, I kept those kids alive when I didn't have to. That should buy me a line of credit. If not for my generous meddling they'd be ten person shaped ornaments on cinder blocks bound for the bottom of Vale Harbor."

"And you'd be joining them," Naruto growled.

"Granted," Roman conceded. "And that's why I'm talking to you. If I cross you, I'll end up in a cell or worse. If I cross my employer, it's definitely worse."

Naruto shrugged. "Turn yourself in. I'm sure the police will keep you safe."

Roman burst out laughing. "The VPD? Really, kid? I've put enough of them on payroll or earned myself favors abounding with them over the year. Some might try and keep me safe, sure, but it only takes one person willing to sell to the highest bidder to turn that safe barred box into a shooting range."

Turning himself in was no different than suicide with someone else pulling the trigger. He'd have to take a nice old pass on that plan.

"You've said plenty of words, Roman. None of them tell me why I'm here."

This conversation was approaching the endgame. Naruto's impatience marked the fourth card, the turn. Now it was time for one more round of betting before the river.

"You suck at playing dumb, kid. You know exactly what I'm getting at."

Naruto knew he was asking for help. He didn't look happy or amused, nor disgusted. The supposed teenager looked reluctant. Not in the way a kid getting involved in a potential world-ending conspiracy should hesitate, rather the begrudging unwillingness a blue-collar worker had when he had to force himself out of bed at five-thirty in the morning on the command of a blaring alarm clock.

"I'm not so great at all this political maneuvering," Naruto confessed with a sigh. "Beginning to think I should take some time to study it. Seems like every other person I meet does it as an occupation."

It was Roman's turn to stay quiet. Responding to something like that would only derail the conversation further.

Not talking had its rewards. "You want me to take your employer out of commission."

"Got it in one."

Naruto gave a heavy sigh, massaging the lids of his eyes as he did so. Again, his mannerisms, body language, and everything else screamed exhaustion. It was not anything close to how Roman would expect someone in the kid's shoes to be acting.

"From what I've seen on the TV you're a bit of a big deal in Vale."

"Guilty," Roman agreed.

"And I'm trying to lie low-"

Roman guffawed. "Boy, that's a real knee-slapper. You? Lying low? I don't think there is a player in the game who isn't watching you with the keenest of interests."

"And your advice for that is to draw even more attention to myself by taking out some crime-lord?" Naruto drolled. "I know you don't actually care about what I want, but you're doing an awful job of selling this."

And now they moved to the river. The last card. "You really aren't a hustler, are you? If you were, you'd see that I'm one of the only people who does care about what you want."

"Oh?" Naruto intoned, bemused. "And why's that?"

"Because making sure you get what you want by helping me is how I intend to live through this apocalypse. I joined up with this psychopath because she'd kill me and take my place if I didn't. Now my next mission might as well have 'suicide' written on the front of the brief. Making sure you want to help me is how I weather the storm. So trust me kid, I have a keen interest in keeping my finger on the pulse of exactly what you want."

"And I know that's keeping the people around you safe," Roman continued, not giving Naruto time to speak. "You saved that Black Fang cat, and you're here now because of what happened at the warehouses. Keeping all those kids safe is something you want. This person I'm working for? The plan I'm working towards? I don't know much about either, honestly, but what I do know is it sure as hell ain't good for the citizens of Vale, or the brats at Beacon."

"I notice you're not on the list of people it is bad for," Naruto noted coldly.

"If I kept my head down and did what I was told, yeah, I could probably live. Thing is, killing civilians isn't really my shtick."

Naruto regarded him with obvious disbelief. "You said you were a killer, Roman. I can tell as much by looking at you too. Don't try and deny it now."

"Never said anything to the contrary," Roman shook his head. It wasn't until that point that he realized his hat wasn't resting atop it as it usually would be. Of course it wouldn't, he'd been sleeping. He'd been so focused on Naruto that he hadn't realized until that point.

Roman didn't know if he was at the top of his game or hurtling towards disaster.

"Why would you care then?"

"Dead civilians are bad for business. No high-end criminal wants people running scared, not unless the city's protectors are too weak to take them on directly. With Beacon looming over us that is not even close to a possibility. We regulate ourselves and punish any upstart punks who start skipping rope with the status quo. In return, Beacon pretends they can't catch us for keeping things in check… your cat friend obviously excluded."

"Ozpin gives you a pass?" Naruto asked. For the first time this conversation he looked genuinely interested. It was fucking weird considering they'd already covered apocalypse level threats to the populous.

"Not explicitly. But if he was to have ten teams of graduates comb the city for a week, what the hell could we do? We have some huntsmen trained in our ranks — defectors or those who learned the ropes elsewhere — but we'd never be able to compete with Beacon in a slugfest. Thing is if we disappeared there'd be a new group within the month. They might not play as nice as we do too. Neither law enforcement or that old codger is willing to take the risk."

The blond hummed his understanding, the momentary spark of interest fading from his eyes. It was unnerving. Roman decided to drive the point home further.

"I'm not joking around, brat. My boss is going to turn Vale into one big frying pan and trust me, she's got the fire."

"I get it, I get it," Naruto insisted. Then he fucking yawned. Yawned! "I'll look into it. No chance I'm going to take what you have to say at face value."

Roman started to lose his patience. "Don't underestimate her and what she can do. I'm not able to handle ten teams of huntsmen. Her? She'd find a way to put them all in shallow graves before moving on to the next. They already put a store-owner in the dirt because he wouldn't play ball anymore."

That got a reaction out of the bastard. "She's killed an innocent?"

That was what got him? He'd been talking about the end of the goddamn world and a little blood pushed him over the edge?

"He might not have had the cleanest of hands… He was an agent of the White Fang," Roman explained. "Fact was that Tuskon wanted out of this nonsense, couldn't stomach what they had him doing any longer. Bloke decided it was time to flee. Didn't even manage to pack up and make a break for it before she sent her minions to assassinate him."

Anger was an interesting thing. Everyone had a different way they got pissed off. Roman himself took tactile annoyance as his drink of choice. This guy? His rage bubbled like a scalding tar. Roman could easily discern that direct contact with Naruto's ire was not in the best interest of his health.

"Who is the next target?'

"Not who, where. We've been preparing for an attack on a Vale hub. Plenty of shops to destroy, and more importantly, civilians."

"How?" Naruto asked, his voice granite.

Roman answered immediately. "An old underground railway. We've been clearing and rebuilding it for the past month."

"Why?"

"She hasn't told me why."

And finally Roman lied. He knew why — to generate negativity. It would make Vale a bigger target for the grimm when Cinder's plans came into their final stage.

He wasn't going to tell Naruto that.

He was one of a very small list of people who had any idea what her goal was. He was also at the top of the list of people she'd expect to betray her. Huntsmen thwarting the attack could be explained by bad luck. Ozpin knowing why it happened? That had to come from the inner circle.

He'd rather the kid win and take Cinder out of play. Permanently. If he didn't, or couldn't, then Roman would be screwed. He wasn't willing to put all his eggs in the blond basket when there were still moves to be made. He wagered this was enough to get Uzumaki on his side. If he was right, revealing more was a needless risk.

And he was right. "Give me a name, give me a location, and I'll look into it," Naruto said stonily. He'd given the same words — that he'd 'look into it' — yet Roman could tell the difference between the two.

What he couldn't tell was what the hell the kid was on. "What do you mean, name?"

"Of your mafioso. Your crime boss. Give me a name and where I can find her, then I'll investigate. If she's the threat you say she is, I'll take care of it."

Roman couldn't believe it. Right then and there he felt like an idiot. This was the person he was running to for help? This moron?

Naruto really didn't know?

Roman bit back every instinct demanding that he respond with the most biting, condescending sarcasm he had available. The river had shown, and he'd won the pot. The only thing left was to make sure Naruto didn't fold and leave the table entirely.

"Cinder Fall, or at least that's what she goes by. Could be an alias for all I know. I thought you two knew each other."

The first emotion on Naruto's face was shock. It didn't fill Roman with confidence to see his would-be salvation so clearly out of the loop. The small 'o' shape of his lips was soon replaced with a terse frown.

"We do," Naruto admitted slowly. "I thought she was more nuisance than terrorist."

Roman laughed heartily at that. "Calling her a terrorist is giving groups like the White Fang too much credit. Give those degenerates a few million lien and the best they'd do is gather some people and guns and harass the local businesses with some half-baked ideology about equality. Cinder came in out of nowhere with her little helpers and had this city's criminal underworld in her pocket inside of a month. Once I was in her pocket she had me robbing dust, then selling it to turn a profit. Used that money to buy the White Fang. Bitch hasn't been here half a year and she already owns the local 'terrorists'."

Naruto didn't answer. He was quiet, contemplating, and Roman didn't dare interrupt him. This guy might not have known how to play the game, but there was a reason for that. You didn't need to develop your ability to solve problems when you could eradicate them. Roman viewed himself as a combination of strength and guile. Cinder was stronger and maybe as smart.

Naruto? The two of them could probably talk circles around him. That only worked so long as the blond decided to keep things verbal. If he opted for a more physical approach? After fighting him, Roman had his doubts Cinder could handle it.

That was what he was counting on.

When Naruto did speak, it was the four words that confirmed Roman had the nuts. "I'll deal with Cinder."

Ahhh… how I've missed you, Lady Luck.

"I'm glad we could come to an arrangement," And what an understatement that was. "Any chance you could have that wrapped up by dinner? I have been dying to check out this new sushi place and I just haven't had the time with the schedule she's been giving me."

Lady Luck was as fickle as ever. That much was clear as Naruto shook his head. "No. I'll work on Cinder, but in the meantime, you'll need to keep up appearances."

"That was not what I was hoping to hear, kid."

"It's what you're getting," Naruto responded gruffly. The fox leaped from the ground and took its place around his shoulders.

Roman stood up from his cot. This was the problem with their power dynamic. It didn't matter how much better at stringing words together Roman was. If Naruto didn't want to do something, that was that. It was on him to change the brat's mind.

"Kid, Cinder is dangerous. She's smart, ruthless, and filled to the brim with determination. Don't make the mistake of underestimating her. "

"You keep calling me kid, Roman, but you're coming to me for help," Naruto looked at him flatly. "You might think I'm a kid, but I'm not an idiot, and I'm not underestimating her. One way or another I'll stop whatever Cinder has planned. You have my word on that."

"Kill her and be done with it. Leave her face down in water under the bridge or she'll be back. Don't do it 'another' way."

Roman didn't like the way Naruto winced at the suggestion of killing Cinder. Her death was the only way he could go back to a normal life — the only way Neo could get back to a normal life.

"I said I'll deal with it. That means it's as good as dealt with," Naruto sighed before mumbling under his breath. "It's not the first time."

"Forgive me if the word of a first-year Beacon student doesn't fill me with confidence."

Naruto Uzumaki was an unknown and undefined quantity. The little he knew about the kid was that he was as strong as all hell and wanted to protect the innocent. The combination of those two things should have made for an easily manipulatable tool to pit against Cinder. He hadn't thought there would be this much pushback about taking a psychopathic mass-murderer-to-be out of the equation.

Was the kid too idealistic? That didn't fit at all. Naruto had tried to avoid fighting them at the docks. He'd only done so because an 'innocent' was in danger. He'd been more than content to let them make off with a huge shipment of dust despite being able to feed them their own asses without breaking a sweat. Roman had figured out it was because the kid wanted to lay low — possibly from old Oz, maybe the world as a whole.

"It should," Naruto's voice brought him out of his thoughts. "You came to me because you knew I could handle her. If you don't trust me, trust the part of you that's smart enough to figure that out."

I trust you to kick her ass. Maybe not even that. Handle her? Not on your life.

"Whatever you say, boss," Roman smiled smugly.

It had the desired effect.

"If I'm ever your boss I'm going to need to stop and reevaluate my life decisions. I'll deal with this on my own… probably need to do something about Blake… damnit."

That was all the better for Roman. The less he had to do with this, the better. Naruto might be strong, but Cinder was far more than clever. If brawn didn't triumph over brain then he wanted to make sure little 'ol Cindy thought he was just the most loyal thief she could ask for. Not having to deal with Red and the gang would make his life a whole lot easier, regardless of what side he picked in the end.

He was glad to be a non-factor in whatever Naruto had planned. It made what was said next all the more unfortunate. "I'm going to need something from you."

"You know I'm happy to help," He wasn't.

Naruto laughed, sensing his reluctance. For all the flak he'd given the brat for being a bit of an idiot, his instincts were razor sharp at the strangest times.

"Nothing dangerous," The blond assures him. "I'm on a bit of a deadline for something and you looked like someone who could help me out."

Roman had no idea what the hell the kid was going on about until he explained himself. Once he did, Roman liked the brat a bit more.

The kid had good tastes.

Gyūki didn't believe in being smug when you were proven right. Ultimately, the better-than-thou attitude made it more likely whoever you'd proven wrong would dismiss and move on. He didn't like smugness because it got nothing done.

Even so, he found it difficult to contain himself.

I warned you Cinder was a threat.

Naruto grumbled, a full paper shopping bag in each hand. I never said she wasn't a threat.

It was right before dusk. Dealing with Torchwick hadn't taken them long. The shopping afterward had occupied a much larger portion of their time. Gyūki had left him alone for most of that time. He could see that Naruto needed the time to process.

That time was over. No, you treated her like she wasn't. And why? You knew she was dangerous the moment you saw her.

Naruto groaned, leaping over a hard to navigate pathway up and kicking off a tree to clear the winding trail entirely. The bags and their contents remained on his person the entire time.

I thought she was normal dangerous.

Normal dangerous? Gyūki asked.

She's angry. We knew she was after the other half of that power. I thought the other half would be revenge against Ozpin, maybe try and assassinate a politician, that sort of thing.

Only an assassination. Normal dangerous things. Kurama quipped with a smirk.

You know what I mean. Naruto groused. I thought her anger would be focused, directed. Or if it was explosive it would be small scale.

Not running a terrorist organization. Gyūki finished.

Sounds less like she runs them and more like she recruited them. Kurama corrected his fellow bijuu. It's more impressive. Anyone could rise to the top of an organization they were a part of. She convinced the terrorists to side with her through bribery and mutual benefit. She even earned the bribe money using Torchwick.

She's clever. We shouldn't underestimate her. Which you are. Gyūki added pointedly.

Not anymore. I'll spend more time on Cinder. She can't be ignored.

Gyūki vehemently disagreed. Saying it like that proves you're taking her lightly. We should report her to Ozpin and be done with it.

You're willing to let someone else deal with her? Kurama asked incredulously. She's the most interesting thing at this stupid school. We shouldn't let the old man take all the fun.

Fun?! This isn't about-

Kami, give it a rest you two. Their now mutual host moaned. I'm dealing with Cinder like I'd already decided to weeks ago. Beyond that, we're not getting any more involved than we have to.

Gyūki backed off, willing to accept that for now. He was sure he'd be disagreeing with the means that Naruto employed to deal with the girl within a week. For now, it was best to hold his tongue, or technically his thoughts. Naruto getting involved in the world around him would help him continue to put down roots. Weird as it was, dealing with a terrorist to protect particular people in Remnant was a sign of emotional balance.

While his decision to not nag their host was surprising, it was nowhere near that of the normally lethargic fox deciding to exert himself in protest. We know the White Fang is cooperating with Cinder. If your plan leaves them standing you know those stupid girls will be running into the terrorists' armory this time next week.

Naruto sighed, and Gyūki was compelled to agree with him. Whether Team RWBY thought they were invincible or all had a child's sense of danger assessment was semantical. Either way, they continued to throw themselves into danger. Sky's injury was most likely no more than a placation. Blake Belladonna would be back at it again eventually, dragging her entire team with her. The only variable was time.

It needed to be addressed before that variable became a definable quantity.

With that being the unhappy punctuation marking the end of their conversation, they came to a stop. Naruto glanced around. Looking, searching for anything that could possibly spot him. They were fifteen minutes outside of the walls of Vale and well into the forested area surrounding it. A place of cover and anonymity. As soon as he was content, his chakra surged.

The next moment they found themselves in what had once been their familiar cave. The humble abode had lost some of its hominess with the lack of time they'd spent there lately. Naruto had almost constantly used it for decompression after they started attending Beacon, and before that, they'd lived out of here. That they hadn't returned recently likely meant Naruto was improving. Either Beacon was causing him a tolerable amount of stress or was beginning to become the break they'd hoped it might be.

Terrorists, manipulative headmasters, and a young lady bent on rage-driven genocide made him think it was the first option.

The cave was silent except for the crinkling of the paper bags swaying in Naruto's hands. There was a tension in the air like a string stretched to the point where it was beginning to fray. In spite of the plot they'd uncovered, this was easily the most nervous any of them had been today.

Today was a test — a test they all suspected to have a specific outcome.

Naruto tossed the two bags in his hand towards the cave wall one after the other. One landed upright. The other fell over, spilling the books inside of it on the cave floor. Beginners guides on dancing of all things. The intermediate and advanced copies were in the other bag.

No, the feeling in the air that had caused Naruto's breath to catch as he lifted his hands was not because of the dance. A date he didn't consider a date and a dance was not enough to rile him, even if the blond might not look older than a teenager at present. Nor did the idea of not knowing how to dance even trigger the idea of embarrassment for Naruto.

Still, why be embarrassed if you could learn? Naruto had once been an expert of learning. While he never lacked in determination, he was never the smartest shinobi. As far as learning went, there were many far superior to him in their ability to digest information and develop their skills. Naruto's approach to learning was often unrefined.

Brute force had its own way of getting things done.

As Naruto's hands reached his midsection, he lifted his right elbow up. Slowly, carefully, worriedly, he lifted it until his right arm was horizontally flat. His two hands crossed to make a 't', their fingers fully extended. With the same care that he'd raised his elbow, Naruto curled his fingers inward until only his middle and pointers on each hand remained, still crossed into a 't'.

He breathed slow and deep.

His breath hitched.

He forced the rest of the breath down with the same vehemence one would a bitter draught of medicine.

Then he didn't hesitate. "Tajū Kage Bunshin no-"

Naruto collapsed to his knees. Kurama lept from Naruto's shoulders, landing with his usual litheness on the stone cave floor right before the blond emptied the contents of his stomach onto it. The retching noise was painful for all of them to hear. Not for what it was, but what it signified.

Another failure.

"Kuso!" Naruto swore, banging his fist into the ground. The cave shook, rattling from the force of the blow.

It's… it's to be expected. Gyūki tried to console him. The headaches have gone away. You're happier. You are getting bet-

"Not better enough," Naruto chuckled waterily. They all knew he was biting back tears. Failing here was hard on him.

It's just a jutsu, brat. Even with all the ones you can't use, we could still take any place off the map. We don't need-

Naruto surged to his feet. "Tajū Kage Bunshin-"

He collapsed on the floor again. He vomited again. With the intensity of the first, there was little left in his stomach to be spilled on the stone.

Naruto-boy… stop thi-

"Tajū Kag Bu-"

And he was back on the floor once more. This time, nothing came out. The only thing was the sound of his gagging and the smell of what he'd already done.

Neither of them had a chance to get a word in before Naruto staggered to his feet once more. "Tajū Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!"

It had been a long time since any of them had heard the popping sound of smoke as clone after clone appeared into existence. One after another — ten, twenty, thirty — copies of Naruto appeared in the sizable cave entrance. For the first time since Remnant, he'd done it.

He'd done it in a way that could never be used in combat. He hadn't addressed what his problems were, or why he couldn't use his jutsu. Naruto had done none of that. There had been an obstacle barring his path and he threw himself against it until he gave way.

It had worked this time. He broke through the obstacle. Next time the obstacle might be the obstacle that broke him.

"Kami, I can't believe it!" One of the clones said with a grin. "I haven't seen the boss in ages."

"Where the hell have you been?"

"What's going on, boss?"

"I never thought cave air could smell so good! Vomit aside, obviously."

The clones were understandably jubilant to be out and about. They weren't all separate personalities — they were Naruto — but there was some variance from clone to clone on what they were thinking or feeling.

"Sorry guys. I'd love to stand around and catch up, I just don't have the time."

There was some faux-groaning, some laughing, and all around good cheer to his statement. It was funny to see so many grinning clones looking back at them. It was odder to know that Naruto was returning it with one of the widest smiles he'd had in a long time.

Gyūki was sure this was bad for him. Naruto was a titan walking around a world of men and monster a literal world away from him in terms of power. He'd begun to think there was no problem he couldn't solve with the overwhelming force he commanded. That egoism — no matter how accurate in some ways — would lead him to underestimate a threat because he believed he could deal with it.

And it wouldn't be Naruto that paid the price. It would be the people of Remnant. That was not something Gyūki wanted.

"I've brought you all some books on Remnant's dancing," Naruto gestured towards the upright and spilled bags near the cave wall. "Figure it out. You've got until tomorrow evening."

"Aye-aye Cap'n," One of the clones said with a goofy grin and a sloppy salute.

"When'd you get so stoic?" Another asked. There was some outspoken assent to the question.

There was one clone that looked different. Serious. "Guys, real quick," The clone said solemnly, drawing the attention to him. "Before we get started, I wanna say… dibs on lead."

There was a mad scramble as clones started shouting and hollering to try and reserve their position as the male role for practice. The real Naruto shook his head, giving a small amused chuckle. These clones were summoned at the peak of his success. Clone emotions were a bit of an unstudied area, but it was possible the exaltation he'd felt from his first successful summon in Remnant had made the clones more chipper.

And that was a problem. This wasn't a success. Naruto had managed to bypass a problem that needed resolution. It was not something to celebrate or to feel giddy about. The reasons behind Naruto's inability to use his signature jutsu was something that needed to be thought about, reasoned through, and solved.

Instead, it was the same as the bile on the cave's floor. It went ignored as everyone found a way to work around it. Gyūki knew that couldn't last. Accommodating a problem was not solving it. He worried that Naruto was running out of time to learn that lesson.

Remnant might not have the time.

I'm sure many readers have already guessed by this point that Naruto could not use his own personal jutsu. A few chapters after the beginning, we finally know why this is a Rinnegan story. Giving Naruto all the powers and letting him loose is something of a peeve of mine, yet clearly, I've done it. Not for the sake of coolness, but for character.

There are some obvious psychological implications to not being able to use one's own techniques. It implies a lack of satisfaction with oneself. It could mean that Naruto doesn't view himself worthy of using what he was once able to. It could mean that what has happened to him has left deeper scars than he is willing to admit. There are a few different reasons Naruto might have such a violent reaction to using his shadow clones, but it is a focal point of the story. I meandered around a bit to try and bring RWBY into the story, which I regret. It made this reveal come all the later and made the chapters seem dithering.

Oh well. First fic, live and learn and all that.

I want to make it clear that I do not think Naruto is an idiot. It came up a lot in this chapter with Roman, and not realizing that the whole Velvet thing is a date. Naruto solves things and deals with things in his own way. I brought the story back around to that near the end with him forcing through his mental barriers to use his shadow clones. Naruto doesn't want to think about zen Buddhist peace or the meaning of life. He's had a successful career by putting his all into each and every problem and finding solutions.

Instead of lobbying the favor of political institutions to gather money to fund the building of a park, Naruto would more than likely go and build the park. This idea of lobbying for political favor is something he hasn't needed for most of his life. Naruto is not the best teacher anywhere in canon. Naruto leads by example. An example that people follow. I've hit that before, but it explains why wordsmithing is not his forte.

You see this alot in IT. Some young kids can't understand why their grandparents don't get computers. Meanwhile, their grandparents can tend a garden, fix a car, knit, sew, and god knows what else. Naruto is unrivaled on the field of battle. He's even doing a damn good job of showing the Beacon students how to get stronger. That's his strength. THAT is who he is. In this story at least.

Anyway, patrons can head on over to [p a treon . com (slash) Faulkner] and vote on what you want your reward to be. You guys pay me, so I feel bad about the slow release. Pick your recompense.