4. Chapter 4
Chapter4
Raven sat up in her bed the next morning, her head splitting like firewood, and a look of annoyance in her red eyes. She wasn't a morning person, never had been and most likely never would be, and it had been quite some time since she had to watch over her son every moment of the day. Naruto had grown up so fast before her very eyes, an unfortunate fact of living amongst the tribe, but she would often remember the early years she had with him; when he was still small. With a barley withheld groan, Raven forced herself out of bed and stumbled over to the wash bin, only to pause a moment later when something caught her eye. Walking over to her table, which was covered almost completely in empty bottles, Raven actually felt her eyes moisten up at what she saw.
"The Law of the Wolves," Raven whispered as she bent down and picked up an old paper, that's right it was real paper, book with the image of a wolf carved into the cover.
When Naruto was little, Raven used to read this book to him almost every night before he went to bed. It was the same book that Raven's own father used to read to Qrow and herself, which played a rather large part in shaping the red eyed bandit queen into the woman she was. It's why she was so loyal to her tribe, why Qrow abandoning them had hurt so much, and why she'd sacrificed so much for her only son. Sitting back down on the edge of her bed, Raven began to read while her mind wandered back far into the past.
"Now this is the law of the jungle, as old and as true as the sky, and the wolf that shall keep it may prosper."
(Flashback)
"Butthewolfthatbreakitmustdie,"Ravenreadslowlytoathree-year-oldNaruto,wholookedupathismotherwithwideredeyesthatspokeonlyofinnocence.
"Asthecreeperthatgirdlesthetreetrunk,thelawrunnethforwardandback;forthestrengthofthepackisthewolf,andthestrengthofthewolfisthepack.Washdailyfromnosetiptotailtip;drinkdeeply,butnevertoodeep;andrememberthenightisforhuntingandforgetnotthedayisforsleep,"NarutogiggledwhenRavenplayfullypokedhisnosebeforeticklinghistoes,earningasurprisinglysoftgiggleinreturn.
"Thejackalmayfollowthetiger,but,cub,whenthywhiskersaregrown,rememberthewolfisahunter—goforthandgetfoodofthyown,"herfatherexplainthistoheratayoungage,thatwhileshewasallowedtohavehelpasachild,shewouldonedaybeexpectedtostandonherownbeforetheworld.
"Keeppeacewiththelordsofthejungle,thetiger,thepanther,thebear;andtroublenotHathitheSilent,andmocknottheboarbatuskinitslair.Whenpackmeetswithpackinthejungle,andneitherwillgofromthetrail,liedowntilltheleadershavespoken;itmaybefairwordsshallprevail,"aschief,shewasexpectedtoholdthesafetyofthetribeabovewhateverprideshemayhave,evenifthatmeansmakingpeacewiththosethatmightstandagainstthem.
"Whenyefightwithawolfofthepackyemustfighthimaloneandafar,lestotherstakepartinthequarrelandthepackisdiminishedbywar,"thiswasanotherlessonshewouldneedtoteachhersonearlyon; that anydispute inthe clan shouldbe heldaway from pryingeyes andthat their unitywas whatmadethemabletosurvivethewilds.
"Thelairofthewolfishisrefuge,andwherehehasmadehimhishome,noteventheheadwolfmayenter,noteventhecouncilmaycome.Thelairofthewolfishisrefuge,butwherehehasdiggedittooplain,thecouncilshallsendhimamessage,andsoheshallchangeitagain.Ifyekillbeforemidnightbesilentandwakenotthewoodswithyourbay,lestyefrightenthedeerfromthecropandthybrothersgoempty away. Ye may kill for yourselves, and your mates, and your cubs as they need and ye can; but killnotforpleasureofkilling,andseventimesneverkillman."
"Mama,"the small child interrupted,drawing Raven's gaze away fromthe book.
"Yes?"
"Arewewolves?"Naruto'sinnocentquestiondrewanothersmilefromRaven,somethingshe'ddonequiteabitmoreofovertheyears,beforeleaningdowntokisshisforehead.
"Yes,littleone,weareonebigwolfpack,andyouaretheprince.Oneday,justlikeforme,youwillleadourtribe."
"I'llbestronglikeyou?"RavenwassureSummerwouldhavesquealedindelightatthewayNarutocutelytiltedhisheadtotheside.
"No,"herabruptanswerdrewconfusedlookfromthechild.
"Whynot?"
"Noonecanbestronglikeme,becausenooneelseisme.Youmustlearntobestronglikeyou,littlewolf,"Ravenwasn'tsurewhy,butgivingNarutothesamenicknameshehadsomehowfeltright.
Ravenhadbeenherfather'slittleshewolf,strongandproud,andnowNarutowasherlittlewolf.Hewouldleadeveryonefarbetterthanshehad.
"Thestrengthofthepackisthewolf,"Narutosaidafterfocusingforamoment,hisvoicetiredwhilehiseyesslowlyclosed.
RavensmiledonemoretimeasshecrawledintothelargebednexttoherlittleNaruto,pullinghimcloseasiftokeephimsafe.
(EndFlashback)
"And the strength of the wolf is the pack," Raven whispered as she set the book back down on the table, now clothed in her traditional armor with her sword and rotary chamber sheath filled to the brim with six different kind of dust infused blades.
"I'm coming, little wolf," Raven vanished a moment later; a red eyed crow could be seen flying away from the Branwen camp.
Naruto grunted a bit in annoyance as the sun's rays peaked through his window, having just started rising over the mountains and lighting the sky up in a beautiful array of colors. Stretching his arms high above his head, the young Branwen couldn't suppress his grunt of relief when he felt almost all his joints pop at the same time. This was the day his mission would really begin, a mission more dangerous than any before it, and Naruto couldn't deny the small bit of excitement he felt.
So, after a quick shower and trimming his beard down down to an almost clean shave, Naruto donned his gear and inspected his weapons one last time. The armor could still use some work but his sword and twin knives were cleaned to perfection. Then there was his third and final weapon, something he got during his time in the desert. To any other person it would look like a simple collapsible spear, being that it seemed to fold in on itself for easier transport and concealment, but that was only partially true. If one were to look closely at the red tinted spear tip, they would notice a slight seam going down the middle of it. This seam was where the blade itself would split apart to reveal the barrel of the weapons gun mode. The gun of choice just so happened to be a highly powered sniper rifle, with the scope that popped out of the shaft itself and a trigger further back. It was a rather basic weapon, made long before the more fancy modern ones, but it got the job done.
"A well maintained weapon is a happy weapon," Naruto quoted the blacksmith that helped him forge his sword, not to mention nearly blew them all to hell because he liked using fire dust to heat his forge.
Raven gave them both a stern talking to for the next three hours. She was not impressed!
Getting back on track, Naruto exited his hotel room with a dramatic flapping of his cloak and a wide grin on his face. The manager, who was a grumpy old man with fading hair and squinted eyes, didn't even so much as acknowledge Naruto when he checked out. Still, a grumpy old man was better than an army of angry Grimm.
It also didn't take long for Naruto to find the airship that was to take him to Beacon Academy, given that there was a crowd of young people around it and a bunch of families wishing their children good luck.
Naruto resisted the urge to roll his eyes at this, his life living with bandits had shaped his view of the people that lived within the kingdoms. They didn't know what it was like to truly survive, to scrounge every day for their next meal, to survive Grimm attack after Grimm attack. Although Naruto wasn't as vocal about it is some of his fellow Branwen tribe members.
"Know are you sure you both have everything? We can still go back to the house if you forgot anything, you guys could even go to school next year if you miss this transport," Naruto saw a father proclaim rather loudly, trying to convince his two daughters not to go to Beacon Academy.
One of the daughters Naruto was surprised to of recognized, given that he had fought alongside her not too long ago, but he was sure the girl was too young to go to such a prestigious academy. Then there was the older sister, who was clearly the more physically mature one and wore an outfit that would catch most people's attention. Although there was something else about her that drew Naruto's gaze, something on an instinctual level, but after a few moments he chose to ignore. He'd been attracted to random people before, it really was no surprise that he be attractive to someone as good-looking as that.
"Were fine dad, we have everything we need, so please stop freaking out," the older sister said as good- naturedly as she possibly could, although it was clear she was growing embarrassed from her father's
antics.
"I know, I know, but can you blame me? I'm a single dad that's about to see his two little girls go off and learn how to fight monsters. I'm a nervous wreck right now," the dad chuckled, nervously scratching the back of his head, only for Ruby to suddenly lurch forward and wrapped her arms around the man's waist.
"We'll be fine, you and uncle Qrow taught us everything we know. You just have to take care of yourself now," Naruto actually found it rather touching the way Ruby was trying to comfort her father, although he quickly decided to move on to the ship just in case they took notice of his eavesdropping.
The airship's interior wasn't actually all that big, being about 12 feet across and not that long. The viewing gallery was rather fancy looking, with four symmetrical windows mounted facing down so that people could see the city below, green flooring with a simplistic design, and the couch spending the entire length of the windows. Naruto chose to actually rest up against one of the back walls while also claiming a spot on the couch, so that he could have a clear view of everyone that boards the ship.
"Now, let's see what kind of threat these people might be," one of the first lessons Naruto had ever been taught was how to gauge people, figure out their strengths and weaknesses, and more importantly he was taught had to do it without being caught.
The first few people the board of the ship weren't all that impressive, wielding basic weaponry and even more basic armor, but he didn't have to wait long for someone interesting to step aboard. Naruto recognized her almost instantly, Pyrrha Nikos, the so-called "Invincible Girl" wasn't one who could go places without being recognized. Naruto had watched a few of her matches, mostly during his trip to Vale, and had deduced her semblance after only a few moments of thinking about it. It was actually pretty clever, given that almost all weapons nowadays were made out of metal and she didn't broadcast her ability. Still, as far as train fighters go for his year, Naruto had a feeling that she would be the toughest one.
A few more students came in, and then there was Ruby and her big sister. Naruto actually found a bit of amusement watching the older girl practically crush her little sister in a bear hug, talking so loud that even he could hear them from across the ship. The young Branwen could tell, just by her personality alone, that the big sister was a heavy hitter. Everything about her just screamed "tank" and that's why she would be one of the easiest people for Naruto to fight if it ever came down to it.
"Hm, maybe I should go over and say hi to little red," Naruto silently contemplated to himself, weighing the pros and cons of actually getting involved with these kids.
Just off the top of his head, he would already have a pre established relationship with someone at the school, but on the flipside he might grow too attached to them. That had always been both one of his greatest strengths and greatest flaws; he tended to get attached.
"Naruto, hey Naruto, over here!" It would seem Naruto's decision had been made for him, for Ruby had somehow managed to spot him.
With the shake of his head and a soft smile on his face, Naruto got up from his rather comfy position and approached the two sisters. Ruby was practically jumping up and down with excitement, showing a type of innocence that not many people had. Her sister, on the other hand, was sending Naruto the type of look that a predator would send a fresh lump of meat.
"Well, well, well, I didn't think I'd be seeing you here, little red," Naruto greeted when he finally came to a stop across from the two girls, one hand resting on his hip in a rather relaxed manner.
"You mean after you abandon me to Ms. Goodwitch?!" Ruby's happy expression shattered like glass and was replaced by a rather cute, and not at all intimidating, silver eyed glare.
"I saw you manhandle a bunch of armed thugs, I figured you could handle one lonely teacher," Naruto answered with a shrug, his roguish grin on full blast, "Besides, it apparently all worked out in the end."
"Cough, cough," the blonde sister coughed into her hand, clearly have enough with being ignored.
"Oh, Naruto, this is my big sister, Yang!" and, just like that, Ruby was back to her hyper and happy self.
"So you're the guy that my little sister hasn't stopped talking about; I can see why," Yang's grin almost matched Naruto's perfectly, even when she leaned next to him to whisper into his ear, "I think she has a crush."
"Yang!" Ruby cried in embarrassment, her pale cheeks flushed.
Yang just laughed as she rests her arm on Naruto shoulder, idly flipping her golden hair back, "She's not denying it, but who can blame her, you are pretty cute."
Naruto's deep red eyes narrowed just a fraction, now he understood what was going on. Really he should have expected it, no girl was this flirty while their younger sister was round, not to mention they didn't tend to make jokes about said sister having a crush on an older guy. It was admirable, the way Yang was feeling him out, but he wasn't going to be that easy to get a read on.
"I don't know," Naruto began, never breaking eye contact with Yang, "You're pretty cute yourself." "Trust me, with me you'll have a Yanginggood time," ah, so she was a lover of bad puns.
"Well blondes do have more fun," Naruto shot back.
"I'm sure we'll have plenty of fun together," Yang moved to face Naruto, mirroring the way he rested his hand on his hip.
"I'm sure will Yangthe day away."
Neither of the two bond noticed it, but they'd been inching closer and closer the more they went on until finally something gave way. That something came in the form of a very red-faced Ruby, her innocent little mind couldn't handle all the painfully obvious flirting.
"Guys!" Ruby almost regretted her decision with a pair of red and a pair of violet eyes fell upon her at the same time.
The two blondes had united against the little red riding hood; she'd have better luck against a big bad wolf.
(Half an hour later)
The sight of Beacon Academy truly was a sight to behold, looking more like an ancient fortress than a school, and was definitely more impressive up close and person. The most prominent part of the academy was the massive tower that stood in the middle of it all, even going so far as to practically scrape the very clouds, which had several green orbs floating inside it. Yet Naruto's gaze was drawn to the main avenue they had all been dropped off on and the massive main door that no doubt led to the rest of the school.
The avenue was also marked with trees and flag-draped light-poles, as well as a number of impressive aqueduct-like features and archways.
"Man, this place sure is something else," Naruto whistled as he stepped off the airship with Yang and Ruby, his and Ruby's cloaks blowing gently in the afternoon breeze.
"You can say that again! Signal has nothing on this place!" Yang laughed, already thinking of all the trouble she could get up to in a place as large as Beacon.
Both blondes seemed to take notice of Ruby's lack of reaction and turned to face the blackette at almost the exact same time. Ruby, whose face was completely scarlet, absolutely refused to even look in Yang and Naruto's general direction. She'd been teased by Yang her whole life, but what she was just put through was on an entire different level! Her innocent mind would never be the same, she'd never be able to look either of the blondes in the eye again! All of her embarrassing stories, from the time she ran outside with her diaper on her head to her embarrassing first time activating her semblance! She never should have felt her room.
"Ruby? Hey Ruby. Ruby. Ruby! Ruby! RUBBBBBYYYYY!" Yang began to obnoxiously try to get her little sister's attention, even poking her in her flushed chubby cheeks each time she called her name.
"What?!" Ruby finally snapped, shooting a glare at Yang but quickly looking away with a renewed blush. "I think we broke her," Naruto commented, finding his ability to match Yang's personality almost too easy.
"Nah, she'll be find," Yang waved off Naruto's concerns, only for a knowing smile to form on her lips and a wink to be sent Naruto's way, "Hey Ruby, doesn't that girl over there have a flaming sword?"
Naruto was now more than a bit confused; what was Yang trying to do?
WOOOOOSH!
His answer came just moments later when Ruby took off like a squirrel with twenty shots of espresso pumped right into her veins! She was buzzing around like a little chibi fairy, going on and on about every new weapon her gray eyes fell upon. Naruto watched her with a bemused expression, his vermilion following the red and black blur without much difficulty, before she came flying back at him with rose petals in her wake.
"There's so many!" Ruby cheered as she went flying over Naruto's shoulder, her eyes set upon a massive looking sword that looked to be made up of no less than SIXdifferent blades, only to suddenly come to a
halt.
Naruto had somehow managed to catch Ruby over his shoulder, now holding her like a sack of potatoes, without any visible strain. Not only had this impressed Yang, who lost track of the many times Ruby has sent her flying just by ramming into her, but the sudden stop had also brought Ruby back to reality.
"Easy there, little red," Naruto said, putting the younger girl down in front of him, "Why don't you get to know the people before their weapons?"
Ruby flushed and looked away again, poking her two index fingers together nervously, "But I really like seeing new weapons. It's like meeting new people but better."
At Naruto's raised eyebrow, Yang leaned over and whispered into his ear, "She doesn't like large crowds, plus we're all older than her and she left all her friends behind at Signal."
Ah, now he understood. Naruto had momentarily forgotten that most people raised in the kingdoms didn't have the same views as those living in the wilds. A young man, at the age of fourteen, was expected to work in the some conditions as a man of thirty. The kingdoms didn't have this standard and so some young people found it harder to interact with others. If Ruby was going to be of any use to him, not to mention he might gain an allie out of Yang for helping her younger sister, then Naruto would need to assist her in overcoming this little detriment to her social life.
Cinder Fall was a woman that craved only one thing in life. It wasn't beauty, she already had that in spades, and it wasn't to become one of those self righteous Huntresses. No, above all other things, Cinder craved power! She'd seen what kind of power her mistress commanded, not to mention she'd been on the receiving end of it for some of her earlier failings, and that's what she craved. So, when her mistress hired on a simple mercenary to help them with their goals at Beacon, Cinder just had to find out what made this Naruto Uzumaki so special. This led to her taking a bit of useful information, putting on her most appealing dress, and going over to personally give it to the man.
He was ruggedly handsome, even if a little unkempt due to his time in the wilds, but it was his eyes that really gave it away. Not to mention he'd had her pinned to the wall, blade to her neck, almost faster than she could follow. Yet it was still his eyes that betrayed the power he held within; a malevolent energy that was the end of all things in came in contact with. This only made her want to know more, so she went to the one person that had eyes all across the planet.
"Cinder," a woman's voice spoke from the odd looking Grimm floating before the yellow eyed woman, "I take it the information has been delivered?"
"Yes, mistress," Cinder answered quickly, "But I still don't understand why we need a simple mercenary. Emerald, Mercury, and myself are more than enough to bring down Beacon."
The woman just sighed, her glowingred eyes shining with irritation, "Don't beat around the bush and ask what you really want to know."
"What makes him so special, why'd we hire him?" Her mistress grinned, she actually grinned!
"My dear Cinder, if that's all you wanted to know then you should have just asked," the Grimm creature reaches out with one of its tendrils and touched Cinder's forehead, "Infact, let me show you."
Cinder allowed her mind to be flooded with one single even, an even that took pace just a few months ago, and by the end of it she fell to her knees. Her yellow eyes were wide in shock, horror, and shere awe. Her legs even ended up giving out after a few short moment, not to mention her cheeks were flushed is shere desire. She wanted that power, even if it meant claiming the man it belonged to!
Slowly Cinder got back to her feet, ignoring the satisfied look her mistress was shooting her way, and walked away with a single image burned into her mind for the rest of her life.
A creature, made entirely out of a hellish red energy, tore through hordes and hordes of Grimm out in the vast desert. Four strange tails were soon turned to six, the bone from the slaughtered Grimm seemed to liquify before forming around the creature like some kind of skeleton. When the newly formed skull formed, in the shape of a fox's, glowing white circles could be seen in the place of eyes and a savage looking maw replaced where a mouth should be. Then it roared.
"Amazing."
I don't usually do AN's but I'm probably in need of a beta and the selection process on this siteis borderline garbage. Also I'll be accepting any and allideas my loyal readers may have. So
readandreviewplease.