Chapter 9: Sentiments
A/N: I was involved in a small accident that has impacted my lifestyle recently. I will heal, but it'll take time. But, I'll be able to read and write far more. I hope everyone's holidays were great!
Chapter START
Every morning, there was a stillness that shrouded itself over Beacon, much like how one would describe the night sky with a blanket of stars. The silence and immobility of the campus took over everything for the few minutes of its existence, letting nothing out of its white knuckled grasp. But even its grip on stillness was calm, and it would eventually loosen.
The first person would awake, and then another. Each person would prepare for the day, and the first signs of life would show itself like grass sprouting through the earth in the early spring. It was hardly an indication, almost imperceptible, as it were indoors. However, much like a well-functioning oiled machine, once motion and life began, none could stop its path towards overtaking stillness in the morning.
Naruto awoke in the stillness. When dawn was in the future, but night was past and the day was hue of violet and dark blues. Every morning, he would rise before the dawn, where he would wade in pools of darkness before light would fully wander onto the land. It made no difference if the shades next to his bed were open or shut. Darkness came all the same, and by the time he was fully arisen and light had carefully sprung its step on the grass and earth, Naruto was standing in the open.
He pulled the sheets off him. It was warm and heavy, a kindness considering that winter was coming soon. The people called it a comforter, and the one on top a 'thunder blanket.' The latter was apparently meant for pets and the like, as it soothed their instincts. Mankind relied on instincts, and he felt no need to ever ignore his, so he bought one for himself. Made and tailored for humans, mind you. It had done him wonders for his sleep. Anything would, really, if compared to his prior conditions of sleeping on uneven earth in the forest.
The forests had been a home to him. Perhaps it was not as convenient as the civilization that he lived in now, but there was a convenience that could be found only when one lived in nature's grasp. It came in the form of independence. Not in the way that one declared independence from their parent's - no, he would have hung on to his if they lived - but in the way everything a person needed was within reach. Nothing was ever more than a few miles range.
Mutely, Naruto shook his head. There was a full day ahead of him. Standing from his bed, he walked over to the closet directly across the side of his bed, picking out a loose white shirt with soft red accents to match with the slightly more formal - and presentable - red slacks with premade cuffs. Ten paces to the right, he entered his personal bathroom and flicked on the lights. His eyes adjusted so that he was able to see himself through the mirror. With practice and efficacy, Naruto put his folded clothes on the polished marble counter before turning on the shower.
Steam soon rose from the floor, swirling and dancing through the drops of water. Naruto stepped in, and the tension bled from his body. Stress bled from his mind. All there was in that moment was him in a hot rain.
And yet, it was the dreams that brought him back to reality. He had another one of those dreams. Those dreams. Not at all like the others, and he had become quite good at remembering them and being able to differentiate. He couldn't remember when they had started, but every dream he vividly felt alive occurred once he began the practice of meditating.
By the time he was dressed and outside, first light had struck the earth. The dew from the rapidly warming earth were light bursting crystals full of brilliance and color. Fog escaped his lips as he crossed from his building to the kitchen. Unsurprisingly, he didn't cross a single soul on his short walk, the echo of his shoes the only companion.
"You're late," Glynda said. She was wearing a white collared top with a black skirt, finished with a formal flair. Her eyes were on the watch clasped against her left wrist.
Naruto took a seat at the table she had occupied and sheepishly chuckled. "By twenty-three seconds."
"Was it not your words that complacency was the enemy of our own survival in this world?"
He had said those words to her. In truth, he had told that to the entire class when the year had ended, knowing that it would be the final official lesson he would have with that batch of students. The third years would be taken on by the next instructor for more advanced topics and team training. Although Naruto was deemed the best combat instructor in terms of pure individual combat - and this was only recently determined an acceptable conjecture to provide - he had yet to prove his mettle in improving team environments and the ease in which teams functioned.
In his conversation with Ozpin in his interview, he had told Ozpin he strongly believed that the teams he created were rather unformal and were created out of pure luck, but he also didn't mind that concept. After all, teams must be able to function no matter who they work with. Hunters and huntresses sometimes wouldn't have the choice of who they work with, and are thus forced to work with individuals they may despise. However, emotional baggage and petty squabbles are all removed under the circumstance of threat to one's life.
Very fairly, in Naruto's opinion, he said any form of complacency in their field of work would result in an untimely death. Striving for greatness was the only way one could see years beyond parenthood. To lose a parent as a child would be too heartbreaking for him to bear if he would ever be the messenger...
"True, those were my words." He palmed his chin and yawned. Glynda slid over a file stuffed with papers inside.
"The graded answers with constructive criticism. Although you should review them yourselves in case." The 'if I made any errors' was unsaid. She had confidence in herself, something that Naruto had been working on for her. She had started with arrogance, but he had broken that root from the core. However, it had left a rift in her belief in herself and knowledge of capability. He had done his best to bridge the gap, and it was slow work. Nearly nine months and only now was she not questioning herself with every misstep, rather taking the mistakes as a step for growth.
"Thank you," he said. He smiled appreciatively when she also put down a cup of coffee on his right, steaming and brewed strongly. She sat opposite of him.
"You had one of those dreams again?"
He took a healthy drink from the coffee. Silenced reigned supreme for a few seconds, and finally Naruto nodded. It was the only reason he was ever late in the morning, and eventually he told Glynda that he was having odd dreams. She was never informed of the details of what occurred in the nightly visions, but she was the only person aware that he had dreams that would cause him any pause.
He never was late if he could help it. Something about being a teacher and running late always rubbed him the wrong way.
"They aren't nightmares?" She was also the only person he believed that may take him seriously on first notice. Dreams weren't seen as anything superstitious in Remnant. They had no real weight. And yet, she took his word at face value and made sure that he was at full health.
"No." He stood up and made his way to the kitchen. "I'm going to start cooking. Want anything in particular?"
"I'll take some of the ribeye, rice, and a cup of coffee." Raven strode through the door, announcing her presence as her short heels clacked against the stone. "Please," she finished, when she made eye contact with Naruto, who had looked over his shoulder. Red and black were her colors of the day. A red jacket with a single line of purple that stretched down her right arm, and a black combat skirt over her black tights. Her voluminous hair was up in a ponytail, although it was more appropriate to compare it to an upside down pineapple.
All in all, the look was good. It wouldn't get in the way of training, and he wouldn't have to worry. Comfortable, aesthetic, and practical.
"Good for you to join us, Raven." Her eyes hardly softened, but there was a reaction.
"I'll take a pair of eggs and some sausages, please," Glynda said. She then waved over Raven to sit and pulled out one of the sheets from the file she had left for Naruto. They had been doing this every Monday, reviewing the prior week's evaluations on her. Glynda simply did it because she preferred teaching the younger girl over reading a book in the morning. It held more value and mentally engaged her. Review was healthy, both for the teacher and the student. It was also especially helpful that Raven soaked in all of the knowledge, completely intent of taking everything from each lesson and applying it for the next week. It was part of the reason why she had seen so much rapid progress in her technical prowess and strategical approaches to combat.
"So this here - you tried to gain an advantage..."
Naruto drowned out the noise when he stepped into the kitchen. He could still hear Glynda's succinct explanations and Raven's hums of acknowledgement.
Raven. He looked up from the counter with the gathered ingredients and through the opening that gave a full view to the expansive dining hall. Her red eyes were fully focused on the papers and Glynda's finger pointing at a Scroll, no doubt covering a recent spar. Her lips were pressed tightly, an unconscious response for whenever she felt that she had erred. It was a tick that he had recognized almost from the beginning of their acquaintanceship, but he had yet to try to focus on that aspect. She had more pressing matters to focus on, and he would begin on verbal and physical tells starting in third year when he would hopefully be given another class to teach.
He really hoped. Even with his stretched schedule, he wished he could do more for his students. If only they wouldn't come out like Sylvia Silvers did last night. She had fallen near the edge of the kingdom, and he had grieved when he was alone. A bustling fourth year with snarky responses and hellish quips, but a good, righteous heart. He would remember her. Naruto remembered every one of his students.
He looked down, back to the eggs and beef and condiments spread out before him. Now it was time for him to focus on the creation of the most important meal of the day. Breakfast, a necessary meal that would set the tone until night fell and one slipped under their covers.
In a few minutes, the papers were cleared from the table, and the three were eating in a comfortable silence.
"So what are you going to try to preach to us today?" Raven said. Naruto cocked his head, then chuckled. "What? Sometimes, you're more of a preacher, gifting us poor plebeians a sermon in the shape of a lesson."
"I find it rather difficult to defend your case, Naruto." Glynda had also been using his name in private, which he had been grateful for.
"Today, we will expand on each of your critical thinking capabilities. To be a good Hunter and Huntress, a keen and adaptable mind makes a well-rounded individual. For example, what is the difference between a scholar and an ignorant soul?"
Raven sniffed. "To be frank, there doesn't seem to be a difference between the two at times." Glynda's eyes showed a hint of amusement amid her silence. Snarky responses and witty comments were something of a rarity around Naruto once students had internalized that he deserved respect. Even when he would sometimes lighten the mood and act in an high spirits, the best he'd get would be a raucous laugh and amused students.
Raven was everything that the other students did not act. She was unruly, yet still refined. She was harsh with her words, but also concerned and forward looking. And she talked back and was always unafraid to do so. Otherwise, how would she learn? Asking questions and pressing buttons were her ways to learning, so she would unapologetically push through with her methods.
Naruto smirked. "I'll remember to not take you on any political excursions in the future until you clean up your quips. Not that it wouldn't be allowed, but that you need to be able to do so in a way that is both in good humor and welcoming to whoever is the victim of said remark." He palmed his chin, tapping a finger against his cheek. His eyes glazed in though. "I suppose you are correct. There is sometimes little to point out the difference between the two categories. However, the argument could be made equally well that two students who start at the same point in strength with vastly different work ethics are the same." He stared straight at Raven now. "The argument simply does not hold up."
"Is that your lesson for today? I have no doubt that it would go well with your students," Glynda said. Her sarcasm was not ignored. Naruto knew that most students that came to Beacon came to hone their technical skills and physical abilities. However, it was absolutely necessary to have people that could be trusted out in the field. Not only trusted due to strength, but also due to quality of mind and trust in their mental faculties.
He stood up, picking up the dishes that were wiped clean. After they were placed away in the kitchen, he began to walk towards the door. The other two caught up to him in moments.
"It's not really a matter of how well it is received by the others in terms of appreciation. What matters more is how effective it is for their future and whatever endeavors they may have."
"Rather dangerous argument if you ever have a student that goes astray and becomes a felon. A Huntsman-level mob boss with a keen awareness of the political and social world would be rather frightening if they were to ever be discovered to be under your tutelage."
Naruto frowned at Glynda's point, but he found little reason to be deterred. "Unlikely."
"Hm. Well, I will see you after my classes tonight, Professor." Glynda took a turn once they were outside, the cold wind reminding them that winter was soon to be upon them.
"Do you actually do anything politically?" Raven asked after a few minutes of silence, the two walking together in comfort. They had come to respect each other's presence over the past month. Although she rarely felt the need to actually be with him, it was better than playing board games with her roommates. As a plus, he was constantly in thought, and she was sometimes able to garner a few gems for thought that she would analyze over night to wonder over their purity and quality.
"The Vytal Festival is coming up," Naruto finally said. When it seemed that he would say no further, which Raven was fine with, he decided to elaborate. "I was assigned by the Headmaster to travel to Atlas as delegate."
"Couldn't you simply give them a call through a Scroll or another communication device and be done with it?" she asked. Naruto gave her a sideways glance, smiling at her question. Perhaps once, in a different lifetime, he would have thought the same.
"It's a show of good faith. My presence shows trust on the side of Vale, and they would have to reciprocate that trust on their end." His words gave Raven a tumble. Did he just imply that there was the possibility of strenuous tension between the two Kingdoms? "Also, it's much to get to know and understand a person when you in the same rooms. Not thousands of miles apart. And finally, it would be my first time traveling outside of the Kingdom as a professor for Beacon, so it was bound to happen eventually. It is a rather easy job and it should be fun. But I'm mainly sent to create an impression."
"An impression?" Raven said. She was still fixated on the implication of his other statement.
"To tell our allies that Beacon is strong and well protected. In terms of pure individual combat, I don't think anyone in his academy can best me." She had never heard him say that out loud. She had assumed it, and he had implied it, but he had never actually said it so straight. "And Atlas seems to hold strength in a very high regard."
Raven nodded. "That's understandable. Strength is a quality anybody can appreciate." Naruto hummed in agreement. His eyes betrayed a stance that differed slightly from hers. It was the same as if someone had told her a butcher and a chef had the same job of preparing meat. Technically, true. Thematically and for all intents and purpose, completely different.
They entered the combat facility. The smell of alcohol and freshly cleaned stone walls and floor permeated powerfully. At first, Raven had found the stench repugnant, but she had quickly grown used to it. It was hygienic, and considering how some students lived their lives, she was rather glad for it. She had caught a few students stating that they were exhausted and were simply going to crash on their beds when they got back. Sweaty and disgusting. If they didn't have the discipline to stay awake to shower, they probably didn't have the discipline to wake up in the morning to laundry their sheets to come back to a clean bed, thus only perpetuating the cycle.
So the smell of alcohol was rather welcoming.
"Trust is strange," Naruto said when they were standing on the stage. Raven was already stretching, making sure her limbs were limber and ready to explode into action. "It's not something given freely, yet if you simply portray yourself as a decent character, people offer their trust rather easily." He shrugged his shoulders. "I'd rather them trust someone that is actually a good person than someone acting like one."
Raven raised an eyebrow. "You're saying you're a good person? Rather odd for you to praise yourself." She spread her legs and bent over to reach her right foot, her hair falling like a waterfall, cascading to the floor.
"Ah..." Naruto scrambled. She grinned in the small victory. "The idea I got is that I'm rather young compared to the rest of the staff, so I wouldn't be old enough to understand all the politicking. I should be straightforward."
Raven went for the other leg. "Right. You should be. Sounds like you're saying that you aren't." She certainly hoped so. She looked up to him. The less faults he had, the more opportunities she could take from him to grow.
"Rather than answer that, how about I ask you a question instead," Naruto said. Raven looked up from the floor, then slowly stood up. She was still taller than he was, but only marginally now. He'd grown a bit, although his hair made him seem taller. "How would you like to come to Atlas with me and Glynda?"
She wasn't expecting that. Why her?
"Well, Glynda is pretty much a member of the staff already, and Ozpin actually recommended I take her with me. He also said I could take another person with me if I deemed them qualified."
Perhaps she had said her internal question aloud. Didn't matter. She narrowed her eyes.
"It sounds like you want to groom me. But again, why me? Why not Summer, or any of the other third or fourth years who are more qualified for this 'excursion', as you put it?"
Naruto sat down. There was no chair, but he procured a plane of Aura so that he could comfortably sit and talk at the same time, because of course he could. The amount of control and output that action took must be astounding. Too much really for her to comprehend at this moment. There were simply too many applications of Aura and its abilities that she had yet to really tread into.
But without even comprehension of the theory behind the phenomenon taking place before her, Raven had to be thankful for one thing. Naruto was, for all intents and purposes, a good person. The amount of destruction and chaos he could wring out from the Kingdoms would be unparalleled if he played for another side. If his ability with Aura was as unlimited as his imagination, then any person would be helpless against him. Swords would be rendered useless by any defense he could procure to counter it, and all offense would be shattered as long as he had Aura, which he had ungodly amounts of.
He was the absolute embodiment of something that exists that shouldn't be. He defied all laws of nature that existed in their current state of the world, and she couldn't help but accept that it was true. How was it possible to deny that there was a person in front of her whose innate connection with his soul and self was so advanced that no one could really assume what his Semblance was, simply because his Aura was capable of doing things that people could only dream of with their own.
Without asking, he created another makeshift 'chair' for her, nearly ten feet away from his body. It was perfectly stable and at a good height for her. She looked at him; he seemed to be doing it as easily as he was breathing. She sat into it comfortably.
"The youngest generation is the King."
Raven folded her arms. She glared at him, lips curling. "If we're talking about Remnant's Defense of Royalty, then I disagree. You are King. The King is yourself, and you aim to protect yourself."
Naruto nodded, but his eyes betrayed him. He pointed a finger at her. "You're the Queen. The bishop. The rook. The pawn. Perhaps even the unconventional Knight." He dropped his hand to his lap. He spoke slowly and surely. "But we are not the King."
She didn't know the game well, but she knew it well enough. Pawns could be sacrificed. Queens, bishops, rooks, knights, all the same. As long as the King remained alive and some of the other pieces remained to trap the other King, then there would be a victor. And he had said that she was a sacrificial unit for the sake of some younger generation?
"No. I'm not. I refuse to believe that. I make my own calls, and I'm the King. Not some bishop or rook, not the offensive queen or some random knight. I stay alive because I take care for myself."
The two stared at each other. Naruto's expression didn't even change. In fact, she almost believed he expected that answer from her, the way he easily stood up and said, "Let's spar."
His countenance was nonchalant. He stood slowly, casually removing his 'chair' from existence, and then hers when she stood hurriedly. She was excited, but also feeling itches of irritation.
And it upset her. Spotty, hot bursts of heat crackled in her veins as she clenched her fists so tightly in the grip of her sparring sword that the pressure was causing her arms to fatigue faster. She was unusually aggressive. At one point, she had charged at her instructor, jumping into the air in a spin and raising her sword above her whirlwind of hair, and brought the sword down straight to his temple. He saw it coming from a mile away.
She was never the aggressor. She always defended. But today, Naruto was the one in her shoes, redirecting and blocking her attacks, nullifying them or using her movement to his advantage. It was frustrating. Everything was frustrating.
Even when she had worn herself down by the time the students had started to trickle in, she was still stewing. Especially when he stood over her, her practice sword in his had, looking infinitely more at home in his palm than in hers, and he told her to give him an answer by the end of the month.
Thirty days.
Steady, unending frustration.
"It appears you gave Ms. Branwen a difficult time today. A," a long pause, and then, "mental thrashing of sorts."
Naruto looked through the glass and captured the image of the entire city of Vale in his head. From this height, he could see the mountains and the roads that dwindled down to nothing, winding down and down and down.
Away from the mountains and hills that overlooked the covered the city in shade as the sun set behind it like an old man walking away from work for the day, the city lay in its bustling self. Unlike some cities, Vale was bright and excited even at night. Lights would dance in the shadows, shining on eager faces that had eyes of heated coals and gems that reflected the colors of a hearth. Groups would wander the city in comfort; Vale was a safe city. Crime was such a rarity that it was top on the news if anything ever did happen.
And it hardly ever did.
"I'm pushing her so that she can reach her limits," Naruto said, turning so that he faced Ozpin, who was facing him in his reclining chair. They were atop Beacon in the headmaster's, with an unparalleled view of the world they watched over.
The man had a white cup of coffee held gingerly between his fingers, the liquid steaming in a fresh fragrance.
"It appears you have favorites," the headmaster spoke finally, breaking the monotony of ticking clocks. Naruto pressed his crossed arms against his chest.
"As if you can say otherwise. Raven doesn't come from any city, and neither does her brother. It's a wonder how you even found them."
"But the other two applied on their own."
Naruto leaned against the glass pane. The thin sheet of reinforced glass was the separation between solid footing and hundreds of feet of air. His lips slipped downward.
"The both of them applied to all four main academies in each Kingdom. You were the only one to offer a full scholarship and some to them from what I've seen." The papers he had been studying had not only been for class. "Besides, you can't say to me that they're normal, either."
Ozpin took a sip of his coffee. "And why not?"
"A Semblance that allows someone to stockpile power the longer a fight goes is practically unstoppable if someone's base power is high enough. Although Summer has far more talent, Taiyang can practically incapacitate her through her Aura with a single hit if he lands it. How is that at all normal? Also, Summer had already accepted her offer from Atlas, but you sent a direct message asking her to reconsider."
"Good investments require proactive measures."
"Yeah, that's exactly what I don't like. The question is what exactly you're investing in, and you may have everyone fooled, but you can't hide the truth from me." The blue in his eyes dimmed. "Somewhere out there, beyond the reach of our influence and where Grimm roam freely, there's an influx of power where all remains of Grimm seem to originate from. I can sense the fake souls of Grimm, and they are all touched by the same entity."
Ozpin placed his coffee on the table. His full focus was on Naruto now, gray eyes terribly narrow. Judging by his reaction, Naruto realized that Ozpin really hadn't shared this with anybody. How...dangerous. But he had gone this far, so he had no choice but to reveal his hand, and hopefully also reveal how foolish Ozpin had been in assuming that sharing it with nobody was the correct answer.
"There's something creating Grimm," Naruto said. He pushed away from the pane and made a half circle around the room so that he stood in front of Ozpin's desk. The headmaster followed him, turning in his chair. "And nobody seems to know that their existence threatens the balance. Grimm aren't natural. And the issue is that life as a whole is complex, so the being creating these shadows of darkness must also be intelligent enough to know humanity's stance against it. After all, life itself is so complex, it would be a wonder if the one that can create aggressive beings cannot interpret aggression itself against it."
The clock ticked on. Ozpin lowered his head and crossed his fingers across the bridge of his nose, The shade from the evening roughly marked the headmaster's features with harsh contrasts. Finally, he breathed in sharply.
"It's not something, but rather someone." Ozpin turned in his chair so that he was looking towards the sun, back towards Naruto. The cup of coffee was in his hand again. "A few people on this campus are aware of its existence, and I've informed others in the other Kingdoms. But the number is still in its teens, including you."
The gravity pressed against Naruto as if Taiyang had struck him and he hadn't put up an Aura shield.
"Why do so few know?"
"Because in this situation, having the world know would either cause mass panic, or not make a difference. Remember, Grimm thrill off of fear. By informing the public, we'd only play into their hands."
"But at least you could inform the council members...never mind."
Ozpin nodded. "Exactly. If you were Headmaster, or really anybody with the information that you knew now, would you give any particulars about this specific case to the corrupt and uncaring council? Personally, I find myself rather aggravated simply by the thought of how they would milk the details for what they were worth, and then somehow find more." He took a slow drink. "So no, I have not informed the council, or any council from any Kingdom for that matter. The public would only bring more fear, which would result in a hazardous situation of Grimm running into the city without thought of their own peril. And of the people that I can actually trust to not say anything to the wrong people or switch sides, how many actually can make a difference or fight?"
"...You're throwing this kind of situation on a sixteen year old."
Ozpin spun in his chair again to face Naruto with a smile. "I believe you are turning seventeen tomorrow. And I did recruit you as well." Naruto almost scowled, but schooled his countenance. "I don't thrust these issues upon any sixteen, soon to be seventeen, year old staffers. I can assure you of that." The irony of Naruto being the only underaged staffer in the entire premises was not lost on him.
"Right. Well, I'm not entirely appreciative of this early birthday gift. Care to try again, old man?"
"A healthy raise if you can keep training individual students such as those in STRQ, and perhaps those fourth years you so profoundly adore."
Naruto did scowl this time. "You want to keep them in Beacon after they graduate."
"They are all good investments."
Naruto rose from his seat. He disagreed with the way Ozpin seemed to view him and the students he were training. They both wanted the absolute best from them, but it seemed the origin for their willingness to seek the fruition of success from their pupils were for different causes. Naruto sought after each of his students to be the best that they can be so that they would survive in the field and hopefully train others to be successful in their hopes and dreams.
Ozpin, however, took on a far more utilitarian view. It irked Naruto, but at least their wish for their students to be powerful and self reliant Hunters and Huntresses remained.
"I'm doing it for myself, not for whatever sick game you're playing, Ozpin. I'll take a raise of fifteen-thousand Lien."
"You'd almost be making the amount some of my tenured professors make." Naruto raised an eyebrow.
"Good. Then you can raise my pay to their level instead. Kami knows I do more than they do, lecturing about history and practical lessons when I do literally everything else so that they can take it easy on the technical aspects of combat and teamwork. I make their lessons become reality in the training room."
Ozpin took another sip from his cup. "You make it sound like you can do their job equally well."
"I'm saying that if we swapped places, they wouldn't be able to fulfill my job nearly as well, while I can do their job better than they can, depending on the subject." Silence ruled once more in the room, taking over the space as the only truth. Ozpin's face displayed rumination and deep thought. He genuinely seemed to contemplate Naruto's words.
"Perhaps you'd like you teach a class for Professor Port. He'd take your place in combat training for a day with your being present, and you'd teach for his Grimm Studies course for the day with him present as well. Simply to test a theory, of course."
"As long as I get my raise, that's fair game to me, old man." Naruto turned to leave.
"One more question." Naruto paused. "Why do you keep calling me an old man when I am hardly a few years older than you are. You don't address any of the elder staff in the manner you address me."
"Really?" Naruto almost laughed. "I figure out that the Grimm aren't natural, are connected to something that creates it - which would already revolutionize history as we know it - figure out that you are related in some how, and you're asking me why I call you an old man?" He looked over his shoulder to Ozpin's passive stare. "If I can sense a person's Semblance and origins, what makes you think you're so special I can't see yours, Oz?"
Naruto faced forward when Ozpin had nothing to say. He left through the elevator, the same way he came in, and smiled. He pulled out his Scroll and immediately sent a message to Glynda.
'How does a raise sound?'
Ozpin was still for a long while. His lips hardly twitched when he breathed. He was dead silent and immobile even when his coffee cooled, the steam no longer wading into the air in steamy cloudy lines.
"He never questioned me on my age or relation to Salem," he said in a whisper, more for himself. Nobody else was in the room. Even when Naruto had actually gotten an answer, the only question the young professor had was why hadn't more people known.
Ozpin's pupils dilated immensely. He looked up to the ceiling and leaned back against his chair, reclining as he breathed out in disappointment. Then, he laughed. It was bitter, but there was a weight that lifted from his shoulders.
"He played me. I revealed that I affected history to him."
Naruto knew he was old. Old to the point that age was simply a number to him at this point. If what the blond had said before leaving was true, then he knew that this wasn't the first Ozpin, nor would it likely be the last. He was one of many, but all were He.
Ozma.
Ozpin wearily rubbed his temple with his fingers, massaging the headache that was soon to come. He would spend the rest of the night in his thoughts again. Since when had the child begin to suspect? He had hardly given any tells to his knowing, or any kind of hint that he was on the trail for his connection to the Grimm, and, thus, Salem.
The old soul brought the coffee to his lips. It was cold, but still delicious. Strong, powerful...enough roast and grounded beans to last a man an entire week in a single cup. Taste hardly was a factor to him once the years blended together.
"He asked why nobody else knew, and I foolishly told him that there were only a few others...he wasn't asking for clarification, he was asking to ascertain whether or not I was the one that informed others. And I handed it to him on a silver platter."
But now what? Naruto had figured out that Ozpin was the centerpiece in the long, long, long battle against Salem. But the blond had said nothing. He wondered - would Naruto be the key to beating Salem? The child certainly was strong enough to make a difference. Lives would be saved, and he could train the children to the point that they would be a mighty force.
By whatever god the child praised and cursed, Naruto was the closest thing they had to the old magic without a connection to the fairy tales. He was a walking contradiction, and yet he toed the line with ease. All of his abilities were based on his Aura, but he always said that it was thanks to his Semblance that he was able to perform these abilities. But it was not his Semblance to create swords out of Aura, nor floating chairs from nothing, nor thin lines of sharp needles that could puncture through a weak, unsuspecting Aura barrier.
He had thought on this for months already. How much could Naruto do in the war against Salem? Could he end it all? Would he be the one to turn the tides? Summer had silver eyes. Raven was a growing prodigy, as was her brother. Glynda was the best of the best in her year, and possibly out of the entire Kingdoms. Atlas was said to be promising a young general straight out of the Academy as well. Would this time be the chance he would get to end it all?
Ozpin closed his eyes. No. Comparing any of the children to the true monstrosity that Naruto was right now was too much of a disservice - the gap was simply too large - to the blond. Naruto would wipe all of them out on his own, and he would make it seem simple. He had already proven his might when he could take down an elite Grimm on his own. That was how Ozpin had first gotten wind of the young boy. No trained Hunter could accomplish that on their own. At least, hardly any.
It would not do to think any longer on the subject at hand. Naruto had shown his hand, and Ozpin his. They had shared what they knew, more he than Naruto, and now all that was left was to wait. To see what Naruto would do with the information he now had.
And yet, it was entirely unlike him to think. He had done it for centuries.
So Ozpin said in his chair, reclined. Thinking. Even when the night fell and the blanket, punctured with stars, caped itself over the sky, Ozpin was thinking.
Because he was truly lonely in this world and nobody truly understood him, he was left alone to his thoughts.
"I need to ask you something, Raven," Taiyang said. The brash student was chewing through a juicy chicken thigh, munching with the juice dripping carelessly through his lips. Raven had gotten used to it. She had found it wholly appalling at first, but she couldn't blame him. Not when her brother was the reason why Taiyang had begun to eat like that.
She eyed her brother to her side, who had loaded his tray with a pile of food, enough to feed a family that was well off. At first, Qrow hadn't eaten much more than usual, but ever since Naruto had made Taiyang work extra, Qrow had decided to be a 'bro' and join in. Qrow already had poor eating habits, and he was practically rabid once the increased workload had been pushed into his schedule.
She was proud of her little brother for working so hard. Any improvement was breaking new ground, and he was certainly pushing past his mental barrier. It had been an issue that had been on his mind for quite some time, so to see him take on action for his own sake - and Taiyang, she supposed - was great.
But it would be even better if he fixed his eating habits.
"What?" she said finally, turning her attention to the one that had called her. The cafeteria, which had been busy as usual, had slowly died down as many students finished their dinner and went off to do whatever it is they wanted in the evening. What normally would have been a difficult conversation to have due to the noise in the room, was now an easy task that required hardly more than a normal speaking volume.
"Did you really have to challenge those two by yourself?" Taiyang asked between bites. Raven shrugged her shoulders.
"I won, didn't I?"
"Today was meant for team exercise, though. I mean, yeah, it was cool. But still, I didn't want to bring it up at the time since you looked ticked off." He put down his utensils and looked at her. Really looked at her. "But you seem alright now, so I needed to ask."
"I'm more surprised that the professor even let it happen," Qrow said from beside Raven. "Usually, the boss is such a stickler for his rules and stipulations that the fact he let this one slide is more impressive to me."
Taiyang nodded. "It's odd. But Raven, that's not the issue, really. What my issue is is that you beat them with your fists, when it was also weapons day." He seemed aggravated, nervous. "Fists...aren't your weapon. Are you trying to piss your peers off?"
She had been...frustrated after the morning. On any other day, she would have been far more willing to keep up with the expected protocol and actually converse with others. But Naruto had made an absolute fool of her and also had called her a queen. When she was on her back, damp and sweaty, her hair sticking to her face, he had said of all the pieces, she'd probably be the queen due to how aggressive and mobile she was. Capable of performing almost any function in a team, but most likely to go forward first to create an advantage.
But expendable nonetheless.
She had no words that day to spare for any of her classmates, and only a terse 'Good morning' for her teammates. They had taken the hint and left her be, but it was far worse than the usual Naruto lesson. They had assumed she was tired, or irked that he had beaten her yet again. It happened occasionally. But the degree to which her frustration reached was a new height. Humiliation did not go well with Naruto preaching about her expendability. She refused to be expendable.
Raven was so deep in her misery that when she was called up for a spar, she didn't call for her weapon, forgetting that it was weapon training day. She had walked up on her own, her assigned partner for the day watching her with wide eyes. Their opponents waited on the circular stage with confusion, but when Naruto said go, they had no time. The professor gave them the go, so Raven blitzed in and demolished the two with her fists within two minutes.
It was only after that she realized that she was supposed to call for a sparring sword or her personal weapon. Her team had complimented her, but her disposition showed no signs of improvement. Summer had tried to talk to her, but there was no simply no breaking through her shell. Throughout the day, she was cold and silent, worse than the first day of the Academy.
She sniffed. "It's their fault that they were too weak."
"I knew you'd say that," Taiyang said before she could explain what the opposing pair could have done to prevent her victory. He was sure it would be an educational lecture from her side, but there were more pressing matters. Such as her current mood, and how it affected their team dynamics. The Vytal Festival was coming up soon, and any strange actions or behaviors on the team should be rectified as soon as possible. "The issue is that you aren't primarily a hand-to-hand fighter."
Raven looked bored. She pressed her knuckles against her right cheek, lips slipping in a fragile slope. "Okay, so you're annoyed I hurt their feelings. They should guard that as well."
"Raven." Summer was beginning to lose her patience as well. Her normally kind and welcoming eyes were now veiled. "Can you take us seriously?" Not the situation seriously. Them. Her teammates. Out of the four, Summer was still the leader, and was practically respected by every other first year student in the campus. Other than the fact she was a bit of a klutz at times, the girl was so genuinely kind and willing to help, passionate to talk, and an open individual that nobody could despise her. Summer was a one of a kind leader that drew people in for all types of reasons.
For Raven, it was because she was strong.
"Yeah, give me a second." Raven took a moment to prepare her answer as her team left their expectant gazes on her. "Well, to answer Taiyang first, it's not as if I'm not trained in hand-to-hand, even before coming to Beacon. If I were unarmed, I'd still be able to take down almost anyone in our class."
"I can vouch for that," Qrow said, raising his hand barely over his tired eyes. "We were both trained to be able to survive, so martial arts were a must."
Raven nodded. "And besides, we're here to learn combat. Sure, you can say history and grimm studies are important - "
"Which they are," Qrow mumbled.
" - But we're really here for combat. To train and hone our ability so that when we go into the field, we won't be taken down. So that we can survive and win against whatever opposition is thrown against us." Raven's blood flared. "And if those two kids that I kicked out of the arena can't handle their own ego so that they won't let someone beat them without their primary weapon, then there won't be any rude awakenings out for them left out there."
They'll already be dead.
"There has to be a better way to say it in a nicer manner." And this is the naivete that Raven both loved and hated about Summer. The kind, genuine nature came with a slice of "lack of maturity" that could be compared to unrested meat after being cooked. Sure, still great, but could be better.
"I don't do nice. Practical, yes. And besides, it's not as if I were trying to send them that message anyway. If they don't get it themselves, however, they aren't qualified to be here."
"Raven! That's going too far!" Summer was shaking. Qrow seemed ready to reel in his sister however he could. Taiyang seemed oddly calm, which was the last thing Raven would've expected. "They have four years to learn here, and even then, we're not expected to go straight into missions outside of the city proper. They'll have a chance in surveillance, border patrol, and more training if they want."
"And you're saying the 'cream of the crop' that gets accepted into Beacon come into this school with the mindset that they have four more years to eventually reach an acceptable level to become proper Huntsman? Aren't we supposed to be self-sufficient and reliable by the point we graduate?" Raven's words came calmly, each word deliberate and pointed. "I wasn't aware this Academy focused on niceties and proper etiquette before reality."
The others had nothing to say in return. Raven huffed and stood up with her tray of food, leaving the rest of her team as they brooded silently.
Taiyang sighed. "Would it really be too much to ask for your sister to be more accommodating? Seriously, she's chill and keeps to herself, but sometimes she's beyond rough-edged. Reminds me of my dad when he was cooking and I messed up a spice."
"That was her being accommodating," Qrow said. He shrugged his shoulders and the questioning stares. "She has hard opinions, and she's entitled to those. At least she listened to you two before blowing it off." He turned his head to where Raven had gone. "Besides, it's not as if I totally disagree with her, you know?"
"Not you, too," Summer said. Qrow returned his attention to the table.
"It's not like that. If you listened, she said that the worst scenario is that the students will die once they're fully-fledged Huntsman, running their own team. She implied that she does care, in her own way. We just don't have time to care about every small step a person takes. And if its their mental, I don't even know how to approach a person with that subject in mind, especially if we aren't friends."
"...So she cares." Qrow nodded at Summer. She let her shoulders sag a bit a small, thankful smile grace her lips. "Then it's okay. We didn't figure out what made her upset from this morning, but we can give her some space and try again later. For now, I'm going to go to the library to get started on my assignment for Port's class."
The other two groaned. Neither of them had started, and it was due on Friday. What a terrible start to the week.
It was close to midnight, and Raven was not asleep. There was a deep unease. Her skin tingled with awkward chills that belonged as well as snow during a summer day. Her heavy wool jacket that she had thrown on before going outside hardly did a thing to get rid of the odd goosebumps, but it did supremely well for keeping her warm and turning away the cold.
She pocketed her hands inside the jacket, walking aimlessly and letting her body move however she wanted. The hallways she traversed had windows that were evenly spaced and perfectly square, letting in geometrical layers of moonlight that smoothly lit up her path. Someone had left a door open, which was why the inside of the building on the first floor was cold. She cursed whoever it was, deciding it was her business since her dorm was on the first floor. But she didn't know which door, and since every person was already asleep - or should be, unlike a certain black-haired girl with a thick jacket - she felt the best course of action would be to check one exit, and then go back to bed with more sheets.
The exit she came across was open. The moonlight pooled in through the canopy of leaves and branches that the trees nearby offered as shade. The broken moon was a beautiful crimson red that had hints of white. She stared at it through the open door, then walked back into the hall where there was a free drink dispenser. Compared to what was offered in the cafeteria, the drinks on display were rather average in quality, but still quite acceptable considering it was free.
She picked out two hot cocoas and walked outside, placing the two inside each pocket of her thick jacket and palming them to keep her hands warm. Raven threw the hoodie over her head, the fur outline covering the top of her bangs and resting just above her eyebrows so that she still had a clear view of everything she wanted to see. Right now, she wanted to see the moon at a high vantage point, where no other buildings would obfuscate the scene. Looking around quickly, she closed in on a building nearby that towered above those around it. The library and Ozpin's quarters were far away enough that they wouldn't block the view.
Once Raven walked over, she adeptly channeled her Aura through her body. Practicing every day had made it significantly easier to control. Before coming to Beacon, she had thought that her control had been quite skilled, especially for her age. However, only a month into the first year, she had come to tame her tumultuous Aura a fair margin so that they were no longer waves but rather ripples. She had been satisfied before with her control, but no longer. Not when the goal she reached and yearned for was absolute calm.
Raven jumped up, using windowsills and small ledges on the walls to propel herself upwards. She stepped lightly onto the flat roof and turned around, tilting her head up to look at the sky.
"How dull. It's the same as in the forest." She sat down, pulling out a glass bottled hot cocoa. Raven closed her eyes and took a sip. It was rather good. It warmed her stomach, and she felt the heat travel throughout her body.
Someone slurped behind her. Raven reached for her sword - but her hand grabbed air. She looked up from her empty hand, her body already in stance for battle.
"The moon is beautiful from here, no?"
Raven looked at the young blond professor eating ramen from a bowl, a cup of tea steaming by his side. He breathed in while slurping the noodles greedily, eating the one unhealthy food in his diet that he loved. Ramen, he called it. She had tried it once by his pressing and had found it rather displeasing in the amount of salt present in the dish. His response was simply "that's what makes it so good. Because it's so bad."
So he sat there, content and satiated fully when the bowl was finished. Was it coincidence that the two had both ended up on the same rooftop? Was the tingle and discomfort she felt earlier a sense of connection and it was telling her to come here, to this very spot, so that the two would meet?
"You could sit down next to me and look at the moon," Naruto suggested amicably. He was relaxed, even around her, as if what he had said in the morning had never happened. Raven half-thought about jumping back down to the ground, but she recalled a detail that changed her fluctuating mind.
Naruto was sitting on a recess on the top of the roof, perfectly crafted for sitting. It was wide enough for a group of ten to sit comfortably with some space in between, and deep enough to have the back of the knees flush against the corner while still being able to lean back a few inches for comfortably rest against the back surface. It was comparable to a bench, but made out of the building - or was it into the building? His finished bowl of ramen was to his right. She could smell it from where she stood. Salty. But she had little doubt that he had spruced it with his own ingredients to make it bearable if any unlucky soul dared to ask for a taste.
She strode forward, her feet gliding. Then, she sat on the recess, the door to the stairs directly to her right. The two were a couple of feet apart; she was comfortable enough that she would sit with him alone, but not so comfortable as to sit directly beside him. Naruto placed his finished bowl to his left and sighed in content, then looked up at the sky for a minute. A silence brewed.
"Didn't take you for a night owl," Raven said.
"Didn't take you for a night raven, either."
"I don't know how long you waited to use that, but it wasn't as clever as you probably thought it was."
"On the spot, I swear it. Besides, I'm sure you thought it was slightly humorous, ya know." Naruto grinned and rolled his shoulders. "What's got you up?"
Raven crossed her arms and pulled her jacket closer to her body to ward off the cold and the uncomfortable feeling she had been undergoing the whole time. Her ruby eyes softly gazed on the puffs of cloudy air that passed out of her lips. "I'm not sure. I just...felt like I needed to stay awake for something."
"You felt uneasy?" Raven shook her head. "Hmm...then was it something in the air that you were able to recognize?"
She ripped her eyes from the fragmented to the wholly young and confident blond beside her. No...something was amiss. She pulled out one of the hot cocoas and held it out for Naruto. He stared at the object in her hand quizzically, and Raven realized with slight shame that she had never offered him something before.
"For your birthday. Take it," she said. The explanation seemed to clear any doubts on her professor's side, whose face lit up and snatched the drink quickly.
"Thank you!" And his smile was way too bright for what was supposed to be the deepest time of the night. She turned away so that the moon reflected in her eyes again, taking out her own drink from the other pocket of her wool jacket. The feeling of unease had dissipated, and instead, all was back to normal. She wasn't certain, but perhaps she was correct in her assumptions about what this meant.
"I think - "
"Cheers!" Raven was interrupted by Naruto thrusting his opened drink to her. He waited for her as she slowly uncapped her own, and then lightly tapped the bottle with her own. The two sipped on their sugary, sweet drinks in amicable silence. When their drinks were done, Naruto picked them both up with a light channel of Aura that tossed them into a trash bin that was near the door.
"Are there trash bins on every roof?" Raven pondered aloud. Naruto easily chuckled.
"No. I put this one outside." His lips curled and his eyes dimmed marginally. "I wanted to apologize for earlier. Well..." he awkwardly scratched the back of his head and closed his eyes, letting out a whimper of a laugh. "I suppose I should be apologizing for more than just today." Raven said nothing. Naruto didn't seem to mind. His eyes were on the rooftop's tiles. "As a professor, my job is to teach you the best I am able. Personally, I think I do well enough on the front of combat. However, as a professor that is teaching in a prestigious academy known for their graduates in a combat aspect, I believe I hold a consequential amount of sway and influence. This is only heightened by the fact that I hold the title of a combat instructor at a young age."
A cloud of cold air rushed out as Naruto sighed. "Influence doesn't necessarily mean respect. I know many of the students don't view me in that way, but it doesn't change the truth that I live rent free in many of their minds." Raven agreed mentally. "My beliefs and my words, the way I carry myself, and my perspectives are all subjective and something I should be proffering to the students as another point of view, not as truth. What I did earlier this morning was...not in line as a professor." He rubbed his bare hands against each other, thumb pressing on the back of the other thumb.
"If you want to be a king, you can be a king. My personal beliefs and convictions are merely a perspective taken by one that has seen a different life, and each person should take up their own and be inspired by their own inspirations. So...I apologize to you."
Naruto fell silent, and Raven wasn't sure how to break the heavy atmosphere that had suddenly taken over. She didn't know how to respond. Sure, she was frustrated, but it was more because she was weak. Not in comparison to her fellow students, but in comparison to her professor. She hardly cared about the education or political aspect, but she had to admit that they were important and that he was superior in those regards. It was why she actually tried in her other classes. No, what really mattered was strength and combat, and in that, he excelled.
He excelled to the point that there was still not an article or biography that accurately caught how large of a gap there was between a normal student and Naruto. It was doubtful that one could understand that gaping chasm without sparring against him first, and to do that, one had to be rather acceptably strong already. She had thought that her upbringing would give her an advantage, but there was another young than she who came from nothing - apparently - and was far further in combat knowledge.
Her thoughts were turning darker, and she palmed her chin harshly. In the end of the day, did it matter if she was king or queen or whatever? If she was weak, then that was it. She was simply too weak. So what would it -
"By the way, you wanted to say something earlier, right?" Raven bolted up. She had almost drowned herself in self-pity. She would not allow that.
Raven took a moment to steel herself, and then nodded. She straightened her posture and locked eyes with Naruto. "I was upset earlier...perhaps frustrated is the more apt word. I'm constantly reminded that I'm weak when I fight against you, and it stings my pride every time. I've almost come to accept that you are better than I am in almost every way that matters, but I don't want to accept it yet. Even if it has been over a month and I can't get close to making you try, I don't want to admit it."
Naruto didn't say anything, but he smiled wistfully. Of course he did. Of course he would somehow understand what her words meant. She gulped. This was it.
"I actually wanted to ask something, though." He nodded, so she pressed forward. "My Semblance provides me the ability to...teleport any distance as long as I have a connection to the person. This connection tends to provide me a sense of a person's feelings and - recently - has been giving me a weird sensation that provides a description of their surroundings. You...why do you feel like this on your birthday?"
She didn't feel as bad about admitting her Semblance as she thought she would. He had it on paper somewhere, and even if he didn't "know" from reading it, he probably already knew. He just did. Probably. Raven watched as Naruto's expressions shifted from understanding, to thoughtful, and finally to sadness.
"This is hardly birthday talk," he said weakly. Raven knew that, but that could be said for all of the other stuff that he had started. "Well, thank you for trusting me enough to tell me that about yourself. I know that it's sensitive information and that many students won't even write all of her capabilities on the application to the school, so your explanation to me personally is something I'll hold special. Thank you."
"You're welcome."
"...Birthdays are celebrated as the day we are born. Special. People from your family come from all over to congregate for you, and you do whatever it is you do to celebrate. Slice cake, dance, sing, party, play games. Spar, open presents, share good stories and intoxicating drinks that loose lips. And you have a grand time. No matter if you don't have direct family, then someone would still throw something for your birthday simply because it's a special day."
Raven couldn't deny those words. She and Qrow had feasts. There was a lot of drinking and rowdiness, and a large splash of crudeness involved, but she loved her clan and the parties they were able to put on. Warmth from the memories touched her mind, but a desperate cold strung from her heart.
"It's difficult to curb the jealousy that comes on this day, because I can't see it that way. Not anymore." The winds of winter were now freely sweeping across Raven's skin and blood. Naruto's thoughts were undoubtedly pressing into hardened territory. "At one point, I think I could have pushed past and celebrated with others happily and merrily."
Raven wanted so badly to tell him that he still could, but his eyes were dead. Cold. His bright blue eyes were azure and glowing with darkness.
"My parents never were able to celebrate with me because they died the day I was born. I had no one close to me to start the celebrations and I lived in an isolated fragment of the world where no one would be able to come to me easily. It's a wonder I survived..." Naruto turned his head and caught Raven's eyes. He looked back at the ground, back slightly hunched over. "Sorry, I digressed. Point is, I cannot easily celebrate my birthday when it is a reminder for a day of death for me, as both of my parents died the day I was born."
"I'm..." What was Raven supposed to say? Sorry? No, she wasn't sorry. She hardly knew her parents either, so she understood him. But even she had some fondness for birthdays. The fact that Naruto's emotions towards the celebratory day was entirely negative didn't match up. "I don't think I get the full picture."
Naruto sighed, and then the pure bleak and cynical attitude that had pervaded his person suddenly disappeared. His smile, however, did not return. The moon reflected in his eyes, and he gazed his hand out to it.
"We have similar Semblances, you and I. You can connect to others through a link, warping from your current spot to another. I can sense others' emotions." There was no way that the small snippet he just said was everything he was capable of with his Semblance, but it was a hint, and Raven was actually surprised he even gave her a straight description of one of his capabilities. "I appreciate the act of giving and receiving, and I love presents and gifts. However, I despise the date of my birth. It's the day I lost incredibly special people to me, and i can't forget it."
Raven never thought of Naruto as someone to not be able to move forward, but there was now something she realized that she was proven wrong. He was the strongest person she knew, and that also included the strongest feeling of resentment towards his birthday. Whether it was because he was born, or his loss of parents, or whatever discernable reason there could be found, he couldn't move on from it.
She didn't understand it. She couldn't and, therefore, felt irritated by it. Because this wasn't the Naruto she knew. Naruto must have felt her growing aggravation, because he stood up quickly, bracing his hands against his knees and pushing off into a straight stance.
"We should get some sleep. After all, we both have early days tomorrow, right?" Without waiting for a response, he walked away. Before he jumped off the edge of the roof, he turned to face her fully and said, "Also, thank you very much for your gift and thoughtfulness. I appreciate it and cherish it fully."
Raven sat for a few minutes longer, lost in her mired thoughts. Entangled and thoroughly wired, her introspection turned into a deep rumination that no amount of scrutiny could clear out in only a single night. However, she did realize two things. Firstly, she had forgotten to tell Naruto that she was going to take the trip with him to Atlas. And secondly, she wanted to see Naruto move past his hatred towards the tenth of October.
She swore this to the fractured moon.
Naruto was laying in his bed, wide awake. Despite what he told Raven, he couldn't bring himself to sleep yet. Not when it was his birthday. Perhaps he was wrong to tell her so much, but he trusted her. Trusted her enough that she wouldn't tell anybody, and he knew that she cared enough about him to not pity him.
He rolled to his side so that the moon's light illuminated softly against his body and face.
"One life of parents gone, I could understand. I moved on. And I did. One more, and I did." He gripped the blankets in a full fist. "But once aware of a cycle, how could I not want to break out. Realizing there was no escape from this cage, who wouldn't become defeatist and angry?"
Raven couldn't understand because he was sixteen, yet not sixteen. He was...like Ozpin, as a loose comparison. A drifting soul - that key word. Not once was he ever aware of his soul, until Remnant. Because of this world's attunement to one's souls and his specific Semblance, he was able to become far more in tune with his soul that any other person. In any lifetime.
Naruto Uzumaki of the Hidden Leaf. The Sage. Another Naruto Uzumaki. A hardworking technician. And yet another. Each one, living through their traumatic childhoods to become greater than what they initially thought they were. The shackles that reined them in as adolescents were released each time.
Except this time, this world released the shackles far too early, but it came with the price of knowledge.
His soul was the same. Every time. And his life. He would never...ever have parents, no matter how many lifetimes his soul went through. Of all of the triumphs and uphill battles he had tread through and defied to reach the apex of each mountain, this was one hill he could not overcome. Never would Naruto Uzumaki, in any future or past life, receive a mother's love in the physical sense. Nor a father's care.
He would only be left with a hollow placeholder where a parents' love should have been in his heart and mind.
He cried himself to sleep, still holding the blankets in a vice grip.
Three weeks passed far too quickly for Raven's tastes. She pushed herself beyond what she thought she could, but her body complied with her wishes and never gave out on her. It wouldn't allow failure, and neither would her mind.
At the end of the third week, Raven approached Naruto and told him she would join him for his trip to Atlas. He responded with his usual smile and affable nature, but she could never forget what she saw and felt that night on the rooftop. It had haunted her every night, and she would spend hours restlessly staring at the ceiling on those cursed nights when she couldn't sleep immediately. Which was happening less often, but the confusion was beginning to grate her more intensely.
She took out her frustration by training and evolving herself. There was no time to be distracted. That's what she told herself. But she was always thinking about it in the back of her mind. Now that she focused on it, however, she could sense that her link to Naruto always held that miniscule sense of hatred and unchecked anger. It was like a rock formation in a beach. Hardly noticeable, but so obviously discolored and mismatched compared to the rest of his feelings that it stood out once it was noticed. Then, it became like a landmark, and she honed on it and became acutely aware of it.
His anger never dissipated, but his positive energy tended to overwhelm the negative. Everyone else fluctuated in their emotions. At least, from her small sample size of people she had linked to with her Semblance, she could see it. Qrow was having an off day and felt particularly miffed, and he was annoyed that she was spending less and less time with the team. But he left her be. His mood had been dipping, and her link with him showed that. The link she had with the chief was far more stable, but even he had days where it would fluctuate.
But Naruto's emotions were almost stagnant. Sure, there were waves, but it was similar to the waves that crashed onto shore. At the end of the day, the changes were hardly noticeable against the whole beach and would only be perceptible over years and years of change, unless something drastic happened. Like on his birthday.
She had to stop thinking about it. The Vytal Festival was soon to come, and the trip to Atlas even before that. She had to focus.
Another week passed, and the day of the trip to Atlas came sooner than expected.
Raven, Glynda, Naruto, and a few other students Raven had never met before were standing at Beacon's bullhead dock. Each student was fully packed and ready to leave for the trip.
"I've chosen each of you for this trip for the practical means of learning from Atlas' professors and the getting a firsthand impression of their lifestyle. I want you to enjoy yourselves, and there will be plenty of time for that, but first and foremost, I want each and every one of you to be well aware that you are all students and I am your professor." Naruto's voice was hard and left no way for questions. It was a tone that not a single soul rejected or refused to comply with once they knew who Naruto was. Respect him or not, you didn't deny his strength. "If I say that we're leaving immediately, you'll be on the bullhead within minutes. Understood?"
"Yes!" the group of six students chorused with varying levels of enthusiasm.
Naruto grinned. "Good!" he said with a clap of his hands. "Alright, let's go!" he turned and entered the bullhead, and the other six followed behind him. Soon, the traveling group was off in the skies and traveling to the friendly Kingdom of Atlas.
Chapter End.