A/N: EDIT: Sure, more flames than reviews. Nothing new here.
...why am I still doing this? I write for feedback. Without it...why bother at all?
WARNING! Spicy bits in this chapter. Ye be warned! Still here? Great!
I intended this to be a longer chapter, but with my health going the way it is, I wasn't able to make it quite as long as I wanted.
As ever, the sheer flood of reviews help me to update rapidly; truly, feedback keeps this ailing old man going. Without it? I just can't write. Every review matters, large or small.
...why did the finale do Neo dirty like that?
*sigh*
Volume 8...was not quite what I expected. It wasn't quite a disaster on the level of GOT but at least its over now. Volume 9 can't possibly muck things up worse than this...right?
Now lets answer your burning questions shall we:
Q: WILL RUBY BE BORN?!
A: Did you think I'd leave that precious little cinnamon roll out of this story?! No! Nay! Never! She'll be around.
As to whether Team RWBY will ever form in this iteration. Well. That would be telling now, wouldn't it?
Q: Maiden reveal please?
A: At this point, we know who the Fall and Winter Maidens are. Not saying a thing about Spring or Summer, though...some have guessed.
Its heavily implied that most Maidens would rather die than go to Salem. Case in point, Cinder blew herself up last chapter. Meanwhile the Summer Maiden...had a bad time. I'll say it plain and put all your concerns to bed; its heavily implied that Hazel killed her when she put up a fight. Meanwhile, Weiss was lucky enough to escape.
And clearly, Neo's under the watchful gaze of her "parents" at the moment.
Q: I simply must ask, are Naruto and Summer engaged or something? She's acting like he's hers.
A: And as I said, I'll let the story do the talking for me. Its heavily implied that Summer is close to Naruto and one of the few he'll listen to. They're partners after all. Their relationship, if one can call it that, is complicated to say the least. Lets see if she managed to survive this time around. And with that ominous little note, its time for the chapter. Sorry to keep you waiting.
Once again, I own no references, themes, or memes. Not a wit or a one.
As per the story, each story will have a "Heart" theme for it.
Now then...prepare yourself.
"The Man with a Heart of Stone. To what do I owe the courtesy?"
"Leave. Those Girls. Alone. Or you'll regret it.
"Dear boy, is that a threat?"
"No. A warning."
~Future.
Hearts of Silence (Interlude)
Naruto rolled over in bed.
...a realization hit him a moment later.
This wasn't his bed. These weren't his sheets.
As always, there was a brief moment of weightless panic as his mind thrashed its way out of another nightmare. His return to the waking world seldom proved peaceful these days, and this was no exception. The fear and confusion passed in due time; they always did. The immortal grit his teeth and rode them out, mastering himself even as his heart pounded angrily in his chest.
His body shifted a little as he propped himself up on his elbows.
He remembered where he was a moment later; even as his mind ticked through his surroundings with the cold efficiency of a machine. A ceiling fan spun lazily overhead. Sunlight spilled through a nearby window, bathing him and the bed in golden glow, cast against faded white walls. Tai's place. Guest room. They'd spent the night here. Well. Several nights now. Neo had begun to settle in here, skittish little thing though she still was, and Summer wasn't in any hurry to leave after their last mission. Speaking of which, where-
"Morning...
Summer's chin came up over his shoulder with a tiny yawn, her bare body spooning against his shoulders. Full breasts pressed into his back as she planted her lips against the back of his head, only to nuzzle his neck with a wordless hum. Naruto stole a glance at her as she cuddled closer. Hair tousled, silver eyes half-lidded from sleep and still smelling faintly of last night's wild endeavor, she still seemed perfect to him. Indeed, she almost seemed to glow in the sunlight. Now she was scowling at him. Oh, right. A response. Should probably give one of those.
"Hmm."
She bit his ear.
He frowned at her. "Ow. What was that for?"
"Don't you hmm me, mister! You're not a caveman!" she pushed him back down to the bed with a laugh. "I said good morning!"
Naruto rolled his eyes. "Good morning. There, I said it, same as yesterday. Happy now?"
"Very much so, yes." quick as a flash she climbed atop him. "I'll fix you yet."
Silver eyes met blue.
Unlikely, but he wasn't about to argue with her. Silver-eyed warriors were stubborn.
Instead, he leaned back and let her have her way with him. Summer was always rowdy come morning.
She nipped at his neck, drawing another frown from him. "Already? You're insatiable."
She didn't dignify that with a proper response. Instead her mouth fastened to his once more, tongue ruthlessly plundering his with reckless abandon. Naruto yielded to her with a sigh as her lips melded with his own. Her hands threaded around his neck as his own came to rest upon her hips, guiding her home. Their bodies came together as they always did; he sheathed himself in her and she did that wonderful trick with her hips, rolling her body against his in visceral grace. In moments they fell into a familiar rhythm borne from years of practice.
Summer's head tilted back in bliss as she gave a less-than-subtle cry, one she wasn't quite able to muffle in time.
"Oi! Both of you!" Someone's fist banged against the wall. "Keep it down over there! We're tryin' to sleep!"
The huntress laughed, hips quivering, eyes lidded in bliss. "Screw off, Rae! You're just as rowdy!"
Nevertheless, she tumbled off him and tucked her head into his chest. Naruto looped an arm around her waist and let her press close. She mumbled something into his neck. The word "love" might've been hidden in there somewhere. he...tried not to pay attention.
In hindsight he couldn't rightly say why he kept falling into bed with Summer. Love? Lust? It wasn't something he planned. It just...happened, more often than not. Every now again she'd give him a look, take him by the hand, and lead him upstairs. He let her. Perhaps it was her smile. Maybe she was one of the few people who could tolerate his long silences. It could've been any number of things. Honestly, he didn't see what she saw in him. He had given up trying to understand her long ago.
Her fingers danced along his ribs and a grunt escaped him.
"You smiled for a bit there."
He hid it behind a scowl. "Did not."
"Did so." her forehead kissed his with a laugh.
Honestly, she could be such a child sometimes. That wasn't the reason he tolerated her. In truth, it was simple. Summer Rose was pure, a quality most folk lacked in this wicked world. Not the "good" kind of good, but the sort you might expect to find in a fairy tail. Pure as the driven snow. Not a single mean bone in her body. Sure she could be a bit...aggressive when they made love, but beyond that she had few flaws to speak of. This was a woman he could understand, respect even; because she wouldn't hesitate to fight for those she cared about.
He'd been like that once...before.
Some small sliver of his shatter soul recognized a kindred spirit spirit. He wanted to protect that.
"Sooo~?" she grinned up at him like the imp she was. "How do you feel about children?"
Naruto coughed, a rare flush flooding his cheeks. "...do you mean Neo?"
"...right. Neo. Of course." Something flickered in her face, puzzling him. Her smile returned and she forgot it. "She's adopted us, you realize. There's no escaping her now. She'll probably be up and at us any second now after the ruckus we made."
Still, the silence loomed between them.
"Wait, did you think I meant...oh!" her face burned to match her namesake. "I mean, I wouldn't mind an' all, but isn't that a bit of a leap?"
"You're the one who said it." Naruto wrinkled his nose at her. "You phrased that weird."
"No, I didn't." Her face went deceptively blank. "You're imagining things."
"Summer."
She tucked her head into his chest. "Nope."
"No." he growled. "Not that again."
Still she smiled. "Nope."
Her face told of some silent secret he wasn't able to read, one she seemed determined to protect at all costs. Honestly! There was no arguing with her when she got like this. Whatever she wanted to tell him, she would in due time. Definitely. Hopefully. Maybe?
...?"
"But, hypothetically, if we were talking about children," her lips brushed his, sending a small shiver shooting through him, "How does Ruby sound?"
For a single senseless second Naruto actually did imagine in.
"Daddy!" a little girl with Summer's eyes gazed up at him, her dark red hair framed by pale whiskered cheeks and a silly grin. Little arms stretched toward him. "Up, up!"
His mouth worked wordlessly for a moment before he mastered himself. "Hypothetically, right? I think that sounds like a wonderful na-
All at once the door crashed open, causing him to blink, drawn out of that strange thought.
Neo sauntered in, saw them, and her eyes all but lit up.
Naruto saw her and hauled on a pair of boxers for decency's sake.
Just as well too; because Neo wasn't the sort to wait for anything else. She darted forward, vaulted the bed with eerie grace, and landed squarely between the two of them, uncaring of their nakedness. Summer squeaked in surprise and hauled the sheets up above her chest with one arm -NOW she reacted, the silly girl!- while corralling their adoptive child with the other.
"Neo, sweetie! Don't scare us like that!"
The little hellion only cocked her head to one side.
Her lips parted then moved slowly, framing a single phrase. "Nope."
"No, no, no! That's my word!"
Naruto watched the chaos unfold with a sigh.
One was more than enough. Still, the image persisted.
Maybe another wouldn't be so bad...not likely to happen, though.
He hadn't been able to have children for some time. Sage knew he had tried before. It just...didn't happen.
(.0.0.0.)
Summer was a simple gal.
Not that kind of simple, mind you!
She knew what she liked, what she disliked, what she loved, and what she hated.
For instance, Summer Rose was still rather cross with one Raven Branwen for stealing away her first love. Of course, she adored Yang. She'd always wanted to be an aunt and little ball of sunshine that she was, Summer knew she wouldn't trade her niece for the world. There were just some thing a gal could forgive, but never forget.
Conversely, she found herself rather fond of Naruto.
He was a good fighter, an admirable friend, and an excellent...well...another word that started with "F". One that involved silk sheets and tangled bodies. She wouldn't be speaking that word in range of the children. Heart of Stone though he had, that heart was known to fracture on occasion. It wasn't much, and not often, but in those moments, she sometimes glimpse the man he had once been. The man he still was, underneath it all. The man she wanted to help. The man she wanted to save.
The man she'd fallen in love with.
She saw the shadow of that man now as he carried an exuberant Neo upon his shoulders around and about the yard. The little maiden looked utterly at her ease, legs swinging to and fro as she rode her gallant steed into battle against Yang and Tai with all her might. A rare smile spread across Summer's face as Neo waved her hands in the air without a care in the world. And if one looked closely, squinted really, they might see a smile on Naruto's face as they grappled.
Heh. Softy. Speaking of soft...?
Naruto cried out in a rare moment of triumphant as Tai toppled backward into the grass. Neo pumped a fist with a silent shout. Qrow looked up from his chair and raised his flask in salute. Raven looked up from her meal on the porch and quirked a brow, but offered no words of rebuke. Summer soon saw why. Sure enough, fahter and daughter sprang back up, demanding a rematch. Naruto made to refuse, but Neo tugged at his hair and spurred him forward again. Softy indeed. He didn't want to refuse her, it seemed. Softy!
"Hey!" Yang's voice split the air in a whine. No fair! You cheated!"
Neo made a come-hither motion with her hand. Lilac eyes blazed red. "I'll get youuuu!"
Raven chuckled at their antics, a low bemused sound that startled Summer and had Tai shaking his head. She looked away from the playground scuffle and stole a glance at Qrow's sister. Now that she noticed, Raven was looking rather soft herself. She hadn't bothered to spar against either of them yet; spirits, she didn't even have her sword with her. And that was a rather large breakfast.
Could she be...?"
Silver eyes narrowed. Red orbs met hers across the way and refused to flinch. Even in a dress she remained every bit the warrior she'd once been. In the end, the younger huntress found herself forced to look away. The thought should have been an ember of hope, instead it lodged in her thoughts like a shard of glass. If so, she was happy for her old teammate. Unfortunately, it brought her own predicament to mind. Fear reared its ugly head in her heart.
Summer touched a hand to her own stomach.
Maybe she was overreacting. It was probably nothing.
After all, she wasn't that late. It couldn't possibly mean that...could it?
A/N: Did I just...?
Why, yes, I believe I did!
Had a blast with the more subtle -and some not so subtle- elements in this chapter. Worry not, we'll see Little!Weiss soon enough, her time is coming. As is the time of the Spring and Summer Maidens, and ohhhh boy that's gonna be a right shocker.
So lets clarify!
Neo = Fall Maiden.
Weiss = Winter Maiden.
I've already made plans for Summer and Spring.
As ever, reviews keep me writing. They're the only form of payment I'll ever receive. Without them...I can't write.
So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...Review...Would You Kindly?
And of course, enjoy the previews.
Surprise, surprise~!
(Previews)
"Don't let me die! I DON'T WANT TO DIE!"
They reached Beacon in short order.
No crazed Grimm, no terrorist attack, not even a stiff breeze to impede their flight.
The grand spires loomed before them in all their silent splendor. All the while, Neo watched with veiled interest. This place would be her home, they said. She would be trained here, learn to master her gifts and more. When her enemies came for her again, she would be able to defend herself against them. Really it was something to be happy about. Wasn't it?
So why did she feel so nervous?
Wrestling her fears down she waited as the elevator doors opened.
A man awaited them within
"Its a pleasure to finally meet you."
Ozpin offered his hand.
No! No trust! People had tried to win her trust before. Mama and Papa were the exception. Everyone else were to be wary of. Perhaps that wasn't the best english on her part, but she didn't care. She was a child
Neo bit it.
Summer howled with laughter.
Like mother like daughter it seemed.
Weiss turned her little teary eyes on him. "Can you heal her?"
...I can. She may not thank me for it."
"Please, sir! I'll do anything!"
Amber sucked in a ragged breath. "I won't...fail again."
Salem smiled. "We shall see."
R&R~!