Chapter 12: A Frayed Knot

A/N: To the moon.

2/7/21 11:45 P.M. Chapter completion, no edits.

I was amazed at how many reviews I got in a single day and felt motivated to write. I ended up writing the entire chapter. The human condition is weird, guys.

Chapter 12 START

"Thank you for coming in to talk with me today. I know I wasn't fair to you, but I'm glad we were able to put that aside."

Naruto hummed in agreement as he looked around. The Atlesian headmaster's office was quite similar to Ozpin's in comparison to size and shape, but that was where all similarities ended. Rather than clocks and mechanics that reminded the blond of time and how it was one of the only constants in the world, Ironwood's domain was filled with books and shelves packed with knowledge. Unlike Ozpin's sparse and spartan standards, Ironwood's room was full of furniture that lined the walls and allowed for some basic comforts.

In the center of the room was a hologram. Naruto had seen one before. It was described as a Scroll in the way it was interactable, but it had a 3-D aspect that was able to be utilized and interacted with as well. Whatever that meant, he had no clue. But it sounded cool.

"It was no problem. I'm happy to join you, dattebayo." Ironwood was already in his chair, sitting at the singular chair behind the desk that was wide enough to cover a good third of the room. The headmaster motioned for him to sit. He did so. "You have a nice view."

Ironwood smiled. "Yes, well. That's one of the perks of my position." The headmaster spun in his chair and looked out through the large window. "Well, I suppose the correct term is 'positions', but we're not here to talk about that."

"We're not?" Naruto said, grin widening. "Why, I was certain that was the subject of today's discussion."

Ironwood turned to face Naruto and seemed to analyze the blond. "I have a feeling that you and I would not have been very good friends if you had attended Atlas during my tenure. Are you always this sarcastic?"

"Of course not."

"That's a lie."

"Of course it's not." Naruto's smile, if possible, grew larger. "I only speak with total truth. Besides, I can practically make friends with anybody."

Ironwood glowered, but then let it go. "Yes, well," he huffed, "it would be easy to make friends if people wanted to have connections with you for your strength."

Naruto tilted his head. "So it' s that kind of talk? You're worried about whether or not I have friends?" Naruto lifted his head up, leaning back in the chair. "I don't think you're old enough to be criticizing me on the people I hang around with, Mr. General and Headmaster of Atlas. You don't look a day over twenty-two." The sound of a gloved hand pinching harshly against skin was heard.

"And here I thought that you were a capable individual. My opinion of you is rapidly disintegrating." Naruto met the man's eyes.

"Well, that's a shame." Naruto's grin didn't falter. "To be frank, whether or not people want me for strength or not hardly bothers me. I help people because I want to and because I have the strength to do so. That's simply all it is. If someone needs protecting, I'll protect them. Save those who need saving."

There was a momentary pause. "Even if they're the villain?" Ironwood asked. Naruto's eyes glazed.

"Even if they are villains. Everyone deserves a second chance. And...it's not as if villains aren't born. They're made - molded from the conditions that they were forged. And villains are the heroes to their own stories, you know."

Ironwood clasped his hands together and leaned forward. "I'm not here to have a morality talk with you. But in my opinion, someone that is directly against society and her favor, especially those that threaten her safety, is a villain and an enemy to humanity. They have to be put down. Removed in its entirety, destroying the root of the issue."

Naruto tilted his head again. "Are...we talking about the same thing?" He had an inkling of where this conversation was going but...

"Are you aware of the threat against our world?" Ironwood asked. There was the question. Naruto frowned, matching Ironwood's own.

"You're not talking about people anymore, are you?"

Ironwood shook his head solemnly. "No."

"...Yes, I'm aware." Ironwood seemed shocked, but the general reeled in his expression and schooled himself in a matter of moments.

"Ozpin told you."

"Yes," Naruto said. Ironnwood paused, seemingly organizing his thoughts.

"I...see. To think he told someone so young..." Ironwood looked down to his left.

Naruto crossed his arms. "I thought you were over that." Ironwood's eyes caught Naruto's. The general coughed uncomfortably.

"Ah, right. I apologize. It's still coming off as a bit of a surprise."

Clearly, Naruto wanted to say. He held his tongue.

Ironwood leaned forward in his seat. "Your student, Glynda Goodwitch, informed me of something I caught interesting. She said that your Semblance was actually not meant to be used as a tool for battle, but you conceptually changed it to tune it in such a way. She wouldn't clarify when I asked, so I'm asking you now. What did she mean by that?"

Naruto cursed inwardly. It was probably an innocent slipup from Glynda. Maybe she was frustrated that the general was pompous and looking down on him, but that was no reason for her to expose something so crucial. What she had told him would revolutionize the way people viewed Semblances, and Naruto wasn't sure if he wanted Ironwood to know...

The way the man seemed to view strength, it gave the blond a feeling of uncertainty. Also, the words he used to describe villains, it concerned him. What was it about it? The way how anybody against the safety of a Kingdom was dangerous and therefore a villain? That was a broad blanket statement. Technically, if Naruto was not affiliated with any Kingdom, he'd be considered a danger. Even if he wanted to live the life of a hermit and travel the uncivilized world with no intention of stepping a single foot into any of the Kingdoms, it'd be impossible to do so peacefully the moment any civilized portion of the world got a whiff of his capabilities. They'd hound him, search for him and try to take what he had.

If he refused, he would be deemed a danger to society. Not because he refused, but because he was a walking explosion of power that refused to side with society. It wouldn't be viewed as he was neutral. If he wasn't for society, than he was against it would be the stance that the Kingdoms would take.

But now, he was stuck in the unenviable situation of explaining to Ironwood something that could potentially give the world a huge boon against the Grimm, but destroy everything else after. What would happen if he gave Ironwood the tidbit of information that the general solely wanted? It would undoubtedly revolutionize the world of mankind, and a new era would start. People would become far stronger, and the Grimm would be a smaller issue. In fact, there may be a future in which Grimm were so little of a problem that Huntsman wouldn't even consider them a threat anymore.

Why?

Because people would be the real threat from that point on. And the villain that Ironwood spoke of, the one that was against humanity, would wait out the wars that humans waged against each other until they were weakened. And then they would attack all at once, when civilization was on the cusp of destruction. The small issue with that? They would probably win. They, the true villain, would take out the villains that Naruto would create by this little information given.

At least, this was all his theory. But he felt it in his gut that giving this vital information was dangerous, especially to someone he had only met today. Why had Glynda told the general something so pivotal?

"She told you this?" Ironwood nodded.

"Glynda said it when I wondered why you had no tells of a Speed Semblance or a Strength Semblance. Your base stats and abilities are all beyond seasoned Huntsman, and this is including consideration for some enhancing Semblances in the general categories." The general categories were words used to describe the most obviously visible boosters that a Semblance could provide. Speed, strength, agility, wisdom, and other basic categories of that nature.

Naruto cursed again inwardly, sighing outwardly. That girl was slightly too inclined to knowledge and with dealing out information as well. Well, he could deal with this...maybe.

"For starters, I want to mention that I have never told Glynda, the students, or even Ozpin what my Semblance is. None of them actually know what it is. I have given them hints, but telling them straight out what I have? Never." Naruto crossed his legs. "For Ozpin, I never told him because he never asked, but I wouldn't tell him even if he did. As for my students, it's more interesting to see what theories they come up with. Glynda's explanation to you was simply a theory she came up with that covered all the basis of what she knows about my Semblance. Which, in reality, is actually not a lot."

The general didn't seem to believe him. "Why would she say that your Semblance isn't meant for combat, then? There would be no way for her to come up to that conclusion without your input."

"I only gave her a hint," Naruto said, repeating himself. "She came to that conclusion on her own, and I'm sure my other students have other ideas."

"And you're saying her little theory is wrong?" Ironwood pressed. The man was deeply engaged in this conversation.

Naruto pressed his tongue to his cheek, pausing the conversation. "Let me ask you a question, since you've been doing it the entire time. You said that you couldn't figure out what my Semblance was because there was no tell. What can you siphon from that?"

Ironwood held his silence, thinking calmly and he processed the logical paths to any reasonable conclusions. The man held his eyes shut when he thought, only opening them nearly three minutes later. Naruto held his posture while waiting, not moving an inch.

"Before today, I would have said that your Semblance was an innate ability that enhanced your reflexes or improved your capability of hand to hand combat."

Naruto nodded. "That's perfectly reasonable. There's a Huntsman known as the Reaper." It wasn't an answer that was close enough to make the general let go. The Reaper, an extremely famous Huntsman, was known for her insane reflexes. She was known to never get struck by an attack, simply due to her ability to dodge everything, sometime even before an attack even started. At least, that was how the story went.

"But now, because of what Glynda said, I think it's still an innate ability, but something that is applicable and able to be broadly utilized," Ironwood said. Naruto hummed.

"Okay, let's assume you're correct. To say that a Semblance could used broadly is not exactly a controversial statement. For example, my Semblance really isn't that different from the Glyphs that the Schnees are known for passing down their family tree. Their Semblance, in theory, is under the concept of a Glyph, but there are many more capabilities than simply speed, time distortion and dilation, gravity, or empowerment. That isn't even including their creativity with the Dust that they famously have a worldwide market control of. I'm not saying that it is anything like their Glyphs, but as an example, many Semblances are creatively utilized to fit the scenario that they are forced to be used in. Most Semblances aren't simple one-tricks that accomplish things in a rigid manner."

Ironwood frowned. That hardly answered his question. "Semblances are the true revelation of our souls. It is defined by who we are."

"It's also our Semblance that defines who we are. The relationship we have between Semblances and our souls are give and take."

The general seemed entirely unimpressed, having realized that he was lead in a circle that had no true end. Naruto wasn't giving him an answer, and he realized that. "You do realize that the Kingdoms aren't fully at peace, correct?"

Naruto chuckled. "You think me telling you my Semblance would bring about that peace?"

"It would invoke trust."

Naruto almost choked. He uncrossed his legs and placed both hands on the table so that he was eye level with the taller general. "You seem to have a great deal of emphasis on trust and the way that society views villains and the relationship between everything in between. Trust, to me, is also a two-way street." Naruto stood up, pushing the chair away in the process. "Let me be clear with you about one detail that may have been unknown to you. I am a professor of Beacon Academy, but do not assume that I associate myself with Vale or with Ozpin. I simply am a professor who cares for his students and for people in general. The concept of me aligning myself with any of the Kingdoms doesn't work, because in the end, I'm simply a professor that wants the best for his students. If I were to go to any other Kingdom, then I would be the same."

"I represent myself. I am Naruto Uzumaki, and that's it. There is no Ozpin, Vale, Atlas, Mistral, Vacuo, or Menagerie in my head. To me, all of them are really the same in the big picture, ignoring cultural differences and the physical geographical nuances. I follow my own agenda, and Ozpin his, and you yours."

"So don't come to me about trust when you press me for information, threatening me with the fact that all of the Kingdoms are in a lull state of fragile peace and are in danger of breaking out into war at the slightest insult. Wars aren't something you'd want to start, and I'm sure it isn't something you'd finish if I were against you. You think that what I did to your flimsy students was all I was capable of?"

Naruto walked to a shelf lined with novels and battle tactics. "You can't tell me what to do. Neither can Ozpin. I don't care if you outrank me, because I outpower you, general."

For a few seconds, the only sound was the ticking of a clock that Naruto didn't realize was there at first glance. Time. Again, it haunted it. That one constant.

Ironwood breathed out slowly. "You have not, in the slightly, persuaded me that you are a safe individual."

"I'm not," Naruto said sharply. "But I told the same thing to Ozpin, and that guy trusts me and lets me do my thing. I represent myself and not him. I associate with the people I know, not the color of my flag or the city and Kingdom I grew up in, because who cares about that in the huge landscape that you're ignoring."

"Then tell me," Ironwood said slowly, "if you don't follow any Kingdom, what makes you someone that I can trust in any capacity?"

Naruto relaxed, easing himself against the wall beside the shelf. "That's an easy question. I stand behind humanity as a whole."

"That's all well and good, being behind humanity as a whole. But what would Vacuo and Mistral think of that, and I'm not sure that the population of Faunus would take well to your blanket statement."

Naruto nodded. "Right. I'm not here to talk politics, General. In fact, I'm hardly here to play games. I came to give an offering, that offering being the continued safety between Vale and Atlas by means of peace. The ball is on your court, and whatever you decide to do with it is no longer in my capabilities to affect. Your continued pressing the situation, either by curiosity, for the sake of power, or to pull a power card on me, all points to a leader that I want no part with once this ends. I'll report to Ozpin to allow me to never return to Atlas as an ambassador."

Naruto began to walk away from the general. "I never said you were dismissed."

"I'm not your soldier. And frankly, I don't give a damn," Naruto said. He walked out the door. His blood was sparking with hatred, and he tried to take his mind off of the insufferable man and the irritating conversation he put him through. "Frustrating, frustrating, frustrating...what on Remnant does he expect from me? First, he wants nothing. Now, he wants everything from me, assuming I'd fall in line and do whatever he says. Grow up!" He seethed, fury bleeding into his words.

He needed a walk. Naruto pulled his hair up, slicking all of his hair back starting from the front, then let it go. Breathing in deeply, he started to walk away towards the elevator.

"Mommy, who's that?" The door to the elevator swung wide, and a young mother and her baby daughter stepped out of the car. A woman with long, white hair and a smooth, frilled jacket and long blue pants. Impeccable fashion, and beautiful neon blue eyes.

Willow Schnee. Naruto hadn't known that the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company was married, and with a child, no less. He was not in the mood to deal with any of the higher ups in Atlas at the moment. James Ironwood had disappointed his expectations completely, and he was certainly not wanted to be let down so soon after the first. He bowed quickly, hoping that it would be enough for him to quietly walk by the pair and enter the elevator car and be off.

"Not so fast. You're the professor from Beacon Academy. The young one, right?" Naruto had stepped into the elevator, but he slowly turned around and removed his foot from his vehicle of escape. He slipped on his best, winning smile.

"I am." The mother gave him a soft smile. It held true, and the smile soothed Naruto. Perhaps...this woman was more than what the information Glynda had given him.

"I am Willow Schnee, and this young bundle is my daughter." The heiress looked behind her, where here baby daughter had taken refuge behind her legs. "Go on, introduce yourself to the man. He's waiting just for you."

The young girl, possibly no older than two, looked up at her mother, then at Naruto. "For me?" she asked, a finger in her chin. Naruto had to admit, the baby had far more mental cognizance than he had anticipated.

Willow knelt down and softly brushed the girl's hair, patting her and encouraging her in whispers. Eventually, the girl seemed to muster enough courage to walk up to Naruto - with Willow right behind her - and stood tall beside Naruto's knees. A small bundle of energy, the girl did her best to expand herself through pure presence. Stubby legs and short limbs, Winter had a face that was almost as wide as her shoulders, like most babies. Chubby cheeks were covered by her long, white hair that cascaded down, covering every angle but the front, so that her blue eyes, a direct copy of her mother's - or perhaps, fathers? - was visible.

"I'm Winter Schnee. It is nice to meet you!" The girl's eyes were glittering, almost watering as she stood there. She seemed to be proud, yet shy at the same time. Naruto dropped to a knee.

"And I'm Naruto Uzumaki. It's my pleasure to meet you, Winter. Do you mind telling me what you're doing here so late?" It was hardly past eight, but to a baby, that was considered 'late'. Winter puffed her chest. He almost laughed at the sense of ego the girl held.

"I'm taking a walk!" Willow giggled, bringing a sleeved hand to her mouth.

"She enjoys to walk around the Academy's campus more than in our own estate, so I try to bring her every night. We were just on our way to see James, actually." Naruto held back a scowl. It wouldn't do for him to frighten the child. Instead, he smiled as well as he could, meeting eyes with the girl.

"A walk is a very adult thing to do. You're very mature, Winter." He held out a hand, and Winter took it in her tiny palms. The two shook.

"Are you strong, Mister Naruto?" Winter cut in, wonder in her eyes.

Naruto made a show of thinking about it. Willow giggled into her palm. He hummed, but then he genuinely began to question it. In the physical sense, he was probably unable to be matched by nearly anyone in the world. But thinking back to his outburst with the general just a few minutes before, he was lacking far too much in the mental fortitude compartment.

"I'm decent enough," he finally said, looking back down and smiling at the adorable little girl's grin. She seemed disappointed, but she still held her smile when Naruto pulled back. He stood up, dusting his knees. Then, he straightened his back and put in hands by his sides. "If you were on your way to see the headmaster, I just finished talking with him. It's why I was leaving." Willow nodded, and he took at is his cue to leave.

"You know, anyone that says that they're comfortable with their strength are usually far stronger than they'd like to admit," Willow said. She put out a hand for her daughter, who tip-tapped over with her dainty shoes echoing in the large hallway.

"Bye, Mr. Naruto! See you tomorrow!" Winter said before catching up to her mother. He looked back at her. What an adorable little bundle of white. With white hair that was almost a carbon copy of her mother's. He smiled and waved, all sense of frustration gone as the girl beamed at him. Naruto pressed the button to call for the elevator.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Winter."

The elevator came. He entered, and the door closed.


Raven sat quietly by herself in her medical bed. The sheets were ruffled and wrapped around her haphazardly, but the blankets did their job of keeping her warm and comfortable. She was watching a clip on her Scroll. It had been sent by Glynda a few hours ago. A replay of the short spar she had with Naruto back in the combat training room at Atlas. Specifically, one of them...apparently, the campus was large enough to host four combat rooms of that size, with dozes of smaller, more specialized and catered rooms available to its students. How lucky...perhaps she would have enjoyed staying here as a secondary option, if only for the opportunities the tools and technology provided.

She paused the clip and replayed the five seconds she was reviewing, engrossed in her task. She had been watching this single minute for hours, dissecting the battle with as much scrutiny as she was able. The video on the left side of her screen and notes scribbled on the right, she had been studious in her endeavor to break down everything she could, even down to something as simple as breathing inefficiently.

Her finger tapped the screen, stopping the screen the moment when she overstepped and the exact second when Naruto capitalized on her mistake, taking complete control over the situation without hesitation. There wasn't a single wasted motion when he stepped in within her guard and spun in a tight circle to kick her in the chest with a powerful back kick.

It still amazed her, to be honest. She was still jealous, but there was only so much an envious person could do. No, an individual that strove to reach their goals was much more productive than one that stared at a successful individual was jealously and no motivation or action to change their situation. She would achieve her goal, and Naruto was the way to reach it.

If there was one reason that she felt it was imperative that she stay at Beacon, rather than transfer to Atlas for its impressive tech and gadgets, it would be because of Naruto. To her, that singular reason overwhelmed every other perk that Atlas Academy would have to offer her. Of course, Glynda, Summer, her team...they would also be a factor for her reasons to stay at Beacon. But, if for some inexplicable reason, Naruto decided to teach at Atlas Academy and ditch his position at Beacon, she would follow him in a heartbeat, even if her brother decided to stay behind. She could always meet up with him with her Semblance, anyway. And it wasn't as if they wouldn't be together after graduation either way.

Naruto was her means to reach the heights she wished to achieve. To have the strength to protect her tribe and make sure their lives were assured, no matter what situation she came across.

She looked out to the window on her right, the glass nearly as tall as the wall itself. It allowed anyone inside a full view of the city of Atlas from the peak. It was night, yet the city shined with its lights, like a city that never slept. Bright and gold, with thousands of beacons to show the world that it was fully indulging in its technology, Atlas, as a whole, reveled in its culture and technology.

At a steeper angle down, Raven was able to spot many of the students leaving campus for the city, taking the bullheads from the port that they had came in through only a half day ago. They left in large groups, happily chatting and enjoying their free time.

She swung her legs over the edge of the bed, careful not to irritate the injuries she took from the kick, even if she was mostly healed. She consciously brushed her lower breast and sternum, surprised at how raw and sore the skin and muscles felt there. To think that even after months of training without cease - with a regiment given by her professor, no less - a single blow from him was still all it took to take her out of combat. She had to acknowledge that he was using far more strength than he normally did in their daily spars, and he did seem to be moving faster than when he was absolutely destroying the Atlesian fourth years.

But still, the idle pain and sting just reminded her that she still had so much to grow. A bit more than three and a half years left of her stay in Beacon...she couldn't help but love the idea of it. She had already grown so much, and it had only made her hungrier for more.

Looking out the window, she peered down. The students were content, she thought. They were happy...almost casual with what they had and what they wanted. The students she had seen were not the monsters she had hoped to have seen. Odd. She had been so excited to see what another Kingdom's Academy would have to offer in terms of strength, but she had come to the realization that she was disappointed with the conclusion she came to. Something about this Kingdom gave her the impression that they were satisfied with the strength they had, instead capitalizing on their technology to cover any faults that the people had.

She simply couldn't live like that. Or maybe...was it that they had already reached their goal? Would she be like that once she reached the pinnacle of strength that she wanted so badly? What would she do then? Stagnate?

"Hmm..." she hummed softly, thumb pressing on her chin. She idly noted that the floor was cool on her bare feet. It was nice, almost refreshing.

Honestly, she wasn't sure what to think. So she stood there, barefoot and idly in thought, looking down at the lights and little dots that represented students and people. An entire city of life, full of blue and white, bright colors, and technology.

The door to the medical bay opened, and clack of boots echoed. She recognized that sound.

"You hungry?" she heard Naruto ask from behind her. She turned to see her smiling professor, holding up two paper bags, most likely containing food. "Sorry, I couldn't cook something. I didn't know where the kitchen was or even if they'd let me use it, so I found a quick restaurant in the campus and bought something for us."

Raven nodded and walked over. "Starving. The doctors wouldn't give me anything because it was unsanitary to eat here. They only offered me water."

Naruto paused, then pulled the bag of food behind his back. "Maybe we should eat outside, then." He grinned, then furtively eyed the room. "Then again...I don't see any doctors or medical staff in here right now." He sat on the bed she had been occupying, taking the edge of the cushion and sitting with his back to her at an angle. He placed the bags on the center of the bed.

Raven couldn't help but let out a small smile. "What about the others?" she asked when she sat on the opposite end in a similar posture, her side to Naruto. "Did you already get them food?"

Naruto shook his head.

"What. They went to get food on their own?"

"They took a short trip to the city. I told them to go ahead since I would be busy with Ironwood for a bit."

"Ah." That made sense. It had been nearly four hours since he'd left them with the headmaster for official business and whatnot. "You could've just taken them with you. I wouldn't have minded."

Naruto gave her the most dreadful expression, his eyes dead like a fish that had gone rotten and stale after days of soaking in the sun straight in the desert. "Right, as if they would appreciate political talk. The only one that would like that is Glynda, and even she has her limits." His eyes brightened and he opened the bags, pulling out a wrap of a thick cylindrical object. "I wanted her to enjoy herself. I know that she would try to take all of my responsibility if she could, so I told them that it would be doing some other detailing on my own. Whatever reluctance she had disappeared the moment I told her to take a visit of the city." His smile widened. "She finally acts like a normal girl her age. It's nice."

Raven found that comment strange. "What is she supposed to act like? You make it seem like you're older." She took out the wrap from the other bag, eyeing it with a professional look. "And what is this thing?"

Naruto did away with parts of the aluminum and revealed what looked like a barrier made of flour. "It's a burrito!" he said, although he seemed confused by what it was as well. "I've never actually seen one, but I've heard of it and seen it in references."

He took a bite with gusto and immediately took another. Apparently, he thought it was delicious. Raven let go of the fact that Naruto didn't answer her first question, taking off the wrapping and taking a bite of her own.

"Oh...wow, this is amazing..."

The flavors burst in her mouth. Meat with cheese, vegetables, rice, and all of it blending together to make this amazing mess of a meal that somehow came together into something incredible.

"Right?" he said.

"In an incredible unhealthy kind of way, it's still delicious." There was no way that this would be replicable in the wild. Cheese was rather rare in the wild. She took a large bite, savoring its taste as she chewed before swallowing it down whole."How'd you come across this food anyway?"

"I smelled it."

"Of course you did."

He laughed good-naturedly, his whole chest rising with the exhalation of happiness. He just seemed to enjoy life in these moments, she pondered to herself. Naruto, as smart or as idiotic as he was at times, always seemed to cherish the small moments like these. It made her feel like she was actually doing something special, even if it was just trying a food that they both have never tried. In a sense...it somewhat made her appreciate life a little more. Just a little.

"And what do you two think you're doing?"

The voice was clearly addressing them, as they were the only ones in the quadrant of the room. They looked up and saw a male doctor with a pale face staring at them with a languid look, as if this was a common occurrence and he wanted no more to do with this.

Naruto looked down at the burrito, then back at the doctor who was now tapping on his clipboard with a pen softly. "Uh...eating a burrito? I think that's what it looks like, right?"

The doctor rubbed his temple and pointed at the door. Naruto shrugged and Raven followed her professor outside. A few steps away from the door after it had shut after they left, the blond began cracking up. Raven grinned.

"Really, that was the best you could come up with?" she said. Naruto kept laughing.

"I'm just saying, if you say exactly what you're doing without trying to lie about it, sometimes, they'll be so shocked that you didn't even try to lie that they'll let you off. It happens sometimes. Just got to make sure what you're doing isn't a terrible crime in the first place, you know?"

"Like eating a burrito in a medical bay meant to prevent having any kind of contaminants inside the space?" Raven suggested. Naruto nodded.

"Exactly. Don't eat burritos inside any space that is meant to be clean and sanitary. Terrible idea, especially when all they use are bandages and it's not the real medical room." He took out his Scroll and pulled out a picture of Atlas Academy. "There's actually a few more rooms for students to go to in case they get injured, and there are tiers for how bad the cases are. From a level of one to ten, you were place at a one. Superficial and easy to heal, so don't worry too much about it." Naruto took another bite of his burrito, holding it with both hands. The bags were tossed the paper into a nearby trash bin. "Good thing that this is finger food. Easy to walk and eat at the same time."

Raven took another bite, and agreed with Naruto's assessment of the food. It was quite easy to eat on the move. Perhaps she'd incorporate this idea into rations when she went back to the tribe. The two kept walking, passing by a few students that were no longer dressed in their school uniform. More casually dressed, the Atlesian students had a far more relaxed attitude than the stiff, soldier-like presence they held earlier. It was still stiff, however. Their comfortable and laid-back attitude now made the Beacon students look lax during Naruto's classes.

No less than twenty students gave the pair a few sidelong glances, and there were plenty that recognized Naruto. Raven idly noted how some of them would point at him when they thought neither of them were looking, and others would whisper to their friends or team.

Naruto smiled through it all, pretending to be blissfully unaware as he ate, finishing his burrito and then wiping his hands with a wet cloth.

"This is our set of rooms given to us by the school." Raven didn't miss that he said the school, and not from the Headmaster. Naruto tossed her a keycard. "That's your room, and you'll be sharing with the other girls."

Naruto pulled out his own card, tapping it a scanner next to a door. It accepted his identification and opened the door.

"Naruto." The blond paused, his hands in his pockets. "What happened with the headmaster?" She had felt his irritation, and her Semblance flashed with information, telling her that it had been in the presence of the Atlesian general with no one else in the immediate vicinity. The was the only time her Semblance had flared, warning her of any negative emotions. Glynda and her brother seemed to be doing well enough.

Suddenly, her professor had the look of an old man. Tired, irritated, and cynical. He waved her to his door and walked inside. She followed.

The room was sparse, with four beds and another door that lead to the bathroom. It was similar to the ones back at Beacon Academy, but with less furniture and personal belongings, and with far more metal and white. It was almost too clean.

Naruto went to one of the four desks and pulled out a chair, and Raven did the same. "Your Semblance can tell you who I'm with now?"

"Kind of," Raven said. She placed her left elbow on the desk and palmed her cheek, legs crossed. "What did Ironwood say?"

She wouldn't do this with her brother. Her brother hardly ever complained, but Qrow was also more open with his feelings and thoughts. He trusted his big sister. The issue was that Naruto was like her. He bottled up his emotions, unwilling to let anything out. Even when the correct action was to talk and let the negative feelings out, both of them preferred to hold it in.

But the thing was that...they entered each other's lives. Out of the millions of people out there in the world, they found one of the few that could understand each other fully. Both of them had Semblances that allowed them to feel the emotions of people in a way. She wasn't sure how Naruto's Semblance worked, but she knew that he could. That was all that mattered. It meant that he knew that she cared, because he wouldn't talk unless prodded. She knew this because she was the same.

Naruto sighed. "It's not so much what he said, but more what his words meant. Empty words hardly affect me. It's the fact that his words implied that even though there is the threat of Grimm and, maybe, a larger threat looming in the horizon, he focuses on people and how to remain on top to subordinate others."

Raven blinked. He was being far more honest than she expected. Was he even allowed to say these things? "Aren't you worried about - "

"I neutralized all of the cameras in my room. Any device used to spy on us has been overloaded by Aura so that all that they'll pick up is static. Don't worry," he said. She smiled. It was funny, having a conversation with him. In a way, they were able to finish the other's thoughts because of the fact they were in tune with each other.

"And if they replace those?" Naruto shrugged.

"It's not how much Aura I use. I can mess with their settings no matter what they do to their tech." Naruto sighed. "This trust that the Kingdoms have...I wonder how strained it all is. Aren't you curious, even a little bit, how bad the other parties must be having it in Vacuo or Mantle? Atlas is considered Beacon's closest ally, and the welcome we received was unprofessional at best, and cold at worst."

"I took a walk around a section of the campus, and the fact I was ambassador for Beacon let me enter a lot of areas I don't think most visitors can. Atlas is building an army, but not just from students. They're building a machine force that could outnumber Huntsman by the tens...maybe hundreds in a few decades. The kind of force could keep the world safe from any threat, but it could also be used to squash any insurrection. Maybe destroy a Kingdom if one wasn't careful, or just petty."

Raven's eyes widened. "You really don't trust Ironwood at all."

Naruto shook his head. "It's not that I don't trust him. To be honest, I hardly trust anybody in positions of power. I just...they have their own beliefs and plans, and I have my own. There's an alignment somewhere, and that's it. It's how I'm the professor for Beacon Academy, and Ozpin is my headmaster. I was simply lucky to be born in Vale. There's a smidgen of trust somewhere there, but it's not because we love each other."

He was a professor by luck. None of the other Kingdoms would have made him professor. Only somebody as odd and unique as Ozpin would have made someone as young as Naruto into an official professor, especially one for combat.

"If that's the case, why not just travel and train other people around the world? What's keeping you in Vale?" Raven said. Menagerie would have been a solid option for him if he wanted to help the Faunus. They could always use more people that knew basic hand to hand. Oh Remnant, any Kingdom would be lucky to have him, even if he wasn't positioned as a professor.

"You know why."

Raven stilled. She...did know. She recalled something Glynda told her months ago, back when she was frustrated with herself and attempting to learn how to create an Aura slash from her blade. That night, Glynda had approached her and told her that Naruto had lost students...that night was one of two that struck out to her.

Naruto cared. He may not care about the Kingdom, but he cared for its people. When she first came to Beacon, she hardly cared about the campus, the culture, or the students that occupied the space. The city of Vale was just a fact of life. It was another large civilization that took up a space of the world that she just had to live with.

Months passed, and she could not say with honesty that if Vale disappeared from the map, she would feel nothing. She had come to integrate herself into the social web that the Kingdom had erected, and she did all of this without really realizing what she was doing the entire time. The culture of city was one she came to appreciate, and one that she lived.

Life was so much larger than just her. And to Naruto, who had lost students already...what did he feel? He had been at Beacon for a year now, and he had probably ingrained himself as one of the most important cornerstones to the staff, despite what the students thought of him. Her professor was as crucial to the students' survival as they were to him. He cared for all of them.

"I have to ask..." she paused, remembering the second point that Glynda had brought up that night, many nights ago. "Glynda. She said that concept of Semblances could be used in a creative way. Ironwood asked you to clarify, didn't he?"

"He did."

Raven narrowed her eyes. "He tried using you." Naruto didn't respond. His silence spoke for him, and Raven nearly grabbed her blade out of instinct. Instead, she slammed the desk with her fist, eyes dilating dangerously. "I'll teach that guy a lesson."

Naruto smiled, as if that question brought great humor to him. "You don't have to. I don't think you're strong enough to beat him yet, but I've already cornered him without lifting a finger. After all, what is he going to do against me that I can't simply deflect? He can seek me out, but I would run infinite circles, never answering any questions fully. He can't approach me without risking asking something too straightforward, and I could use that as reason enough to dismiss myself and stating that I no longer wish to be an ambassador...although I kind of already did that."

Raven dropped her jaw. "You...what?"

Naruto chuckled. "Yeah. I kind of told the headmaster of the Academy we're in that I represent myself and not Beacon or Vale. So. Technically, I've already failed this trip and I've possibly done more damage than Glynda has with her little accidental misstep." Naruto openly laughed when Raven moaned and leaned forward, bringing both hands to cover her eyes.

"Oh no...this can't be real."

Naruto stood up, pushing his chair out. He walked over to her and knelt down so that he was below her face. She refused to lower her hands and meet his eyes.

"My bad. I may have ruined your first trip outside of the Kingdom."

Raven slowly dropped her hands, but she still didn't match Naruto's gaze. Instead, she looked down at her legs. "Can you even state you represent yourself instead of the Kingdom you come from if you're going to say some controversial stuff?"

"Nope. It doesn't work like that. But hopefully, the worst that'll happen is that Ozpin gets an angry letter from the man up top and we get sent back as a new batch of students and a professor come over to smooth things over."

"When?"

"Huh?" Raven looked up to Naruto's confused face, and she sighed.

"When do you think we'll be forced to leave?" she said, and the realization dawned on his face. Naruto removed all pretense and lined his lips soberly.

"Tomorrow, probably."

Raven stood up. She paced to the door and quickly opened it. Naruto stayed still, expecting the door to close. It never did.

"What are you doing? Let's go to one of the combat rooms. You said that you had access with these cards, right? I'm going to make sure I get my worth of this place's technology tonight so that I'm satisfied by when we go."

Pride. What an odd feeling, Raven thought. She could feel it emanating from him, and her Semblance made it so she could literally feel the expression due to her connection with him. And somehow, he knew that she felt it, but said nothing of her slightly crimson cheeks. He walked by her, smiling proudly. Not at all worried about tomorrow, because today was what mattered.

"Let's go," he said, leaving the keycards on lanyards hanging on each door with a note for the students, explaining the situation.

The two ended up staying up until 2 A.M., when Raven couldn't move any more and cursed the burrito for making her nearly throw up. She had forced her body through the cramps and drilled her muscles to exhaustion, but she was supremely satisfied when she was carried back by Naruto when her body was hardly capable of moving. It wasn't weakness, he told her when she was upset she couldn't move anymore.

"What you show is a drive unlike anyone else. To push yourself until you can't move anymore and struggle for breath, and then to push yourself beyond that is not something a normal person would do. I'll carry you, spar with you, and train you as long as you need."

Raven only accepted his help after he said that, because she realized that without him, she wouldn't be where she was now. Accepting help...was not necessarily a bad thing. After all, he accepted hers by talking with her about the truth.

When they finally returned to the rooms, Glynda was sitting on the ground on the side of the hallway waiting for them. Naruto quickly dropped Raven carefully, knowing the black-haired girl would be upset if seen in such a compromising position. When Glynda finally noticed their approach, she immediately stood and walked up to Naruto. Raven saw the red in the girl's eyes. She had to know that she made a mistake telling Ironwood what she did.

"I'm sorry I - "

Naruto rushed in and hugged the girl, and Glynda nearly burst into tears all over again.

"It's fine. You made a mistake, but it's alright. I'm the one that made it so that we couldn't stay, not you."

"But - "

"No no...it's fine," Naruto cut in again, hushing her calmly. Finally, Glynda gave up and laxed her body, letting herself lean into the younger blond.

Despite how awkward she felt standing there, Raven realized that Naruto only blamed himself, and he didn't once blame Glynda.

Somehow, Raven understood.

And when Glynda separated from Naruto and apologized to her as well, she said, "It's fine. I just came to kick ass, and he did that for me." Glynda weakly laughed.

Raven felt happy that she finally did understand one more thing about Naruto.


Three knocks to the door.

Naruto groaned into his pillow, blearily cracking open and eyes and rubbing it sleepily. What time was it? The Scroll stated that it was around seven A.M. Technically, it wasn't a school day, so there was no reason for him to wake up to help any of the students. Also, the plans that he had for the day were starting at noon at the earliest, so anything related to acting as ambassador was ruled out.

So whoever was knocking at the door wasn't related to the school. Maybe it was Ironwood, or someone affiliated with the man, formally informing Naruto that he and his students were no longer allowed to remain on campus. If that was the case, he was going to hear it in his sleepwear as one last act of defiance to the stiff general.

"Good morning," he said with a tired voice.

"Well, you don't seem like a morning person." Naruto shot up straight and mentally doused himself in ice cold water when he saw Willow standing outside of his door, dressed fashionably and smiling with a mother's grace. She was in a long, flowing purple dress that lightly strapped her shoulders and showed a bit of cleavage, and the rest of the dress flowed down until it stopped right below her knees. Wrapped around her waist was a wide belt that had a golden ring that formed at her stomach. Her hair was done in a long braid, like last night, except she had a long hairpin that seemed to be made of...he couldn't tell. But it looked expensive, and quite good on her. "Still a growing boy, I see."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know it was you at the door and uh - "

Willow shushed him, and Naruto paused. The stillness gave him time to think and wonder, why was the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company here. Why was such an important person waiting outside of his door in the morning?

"You said some upsetting things to the general last night," Willow said. Naruto blushed. "He had convinced himself that sending you back to Beacon was the only action to take to prove that he still had matters in control and was preparing to call your headmaster. I convinced him otherwise."

Wait. What?

"You...you did that? Why?" Naruto asked, stumbling in his head for any possible reason. Willow stepped up and pointed at Naruto at the chest. He realized that the beautiful lady was hardly taller than he was now.

"You made a promise to my daughter, and I intend to make sure my daughter understands the importance of keeping promises. It wouldn't do for me to see her cry, either. And it certainly wouldn't do if some headmaster made a mother upset. Especially when she has a direct line to the supply of Dust in the Kingdom." It was at that moment that Naruto realized that Willow was by far the scariest individual at Atlas he had met so far. He could only imagine what she actually said to Ironwood to make the man "change" his mind.

"Of course not," Naruto said, grinning uncomfortably. "I always keep my promises."

Willow seemed satisfied with his response and tapped his cheek playfully. "Good. I hope you're more of a night person than a morning person, Naruto. My daughter and I will see you tonight."

With that, she left him. Naruto watched her go, eyes on her until she turned a corner and disappeared from view.

What a woman. Whoever her husband was, Naruto had to admit that he was one lucky man. There was absolutely no way that her husband did not appreciate Willow. There was just no way...and if he didn't, well...there was one person that Naruto would absolutely destroy to make sure he appreciated her. Because from what Naruto has seen from Willow in his two interactions with her, she was a beautiful, amazing woman.

Willow Schnee made it so that his students could stay and appreciate Atlas for little longer, if only for her daughter's happiness.

"What a woman..." he said, closing the door behind him.

Chapter End.

A/N: I'm making up for my late update. Say hi to Willow, since you'll be seeing her more often!

I decided to have this entire chapter focused on characters. Raven, Naruto with Ironwood, and finally, Willow. Willow is added and is most likely going to be important for this arc. To be honest, I had no clue this story would take this turn. I tend to write my stories without a plan and let it take its path as I write, so I'm stating honestly right now: I have no clue what the next chapter is going to be about.

I have an end goal, but how I reach it is completely unknown to me. So. I hope you enjoy the journey to get to that destination. Because I'm honestly enjoying writing this story.