A/N: EDIT: Bloody flames! FINE! I took out the Adam bit.
I'm tired of getting ashed about for trying to redeem characters.
So much for trying something new, it seems I've only upset more people.
This chapter's more humorous; we need some sappy stuff in these dark times.
SPEAKING OF WHICH.
I swear by all that is holy on this good green earth, if ONE more person points out that I'm a day behind on daily updates...! Seriously! I'm writing this while I'm bloody sick for crying out loud! Don't even know what the hell I have, only that its not the virus. Whatever it is has left me with a raging fever and no strength. Yet in spite of that, IN SPITE OF THAT, I'm still updating daily. You don't need much stamina to type. And yet a bunch of people keep reminding me that I'm behind. Stop poking the dragon, lest he bite.
*twitches*
I'm still updating daily.
Aiming for doubles, at that.
But at the end, I'm only human.
I'm also trying to update old stuff, too.
Now then, I hope you're all keeping healthy and safe.
Someone asked why Naruto hasn't given Cinder back her arm yet. Elementary, my dears. Considering there's currently a very powerful GRIMM limb on that sucker? I don't think she'd let him.
Also, Doctor!Naruto is best Naruto. He's gonna help you whether you want him to or not. Mental trauma? He's gonna try to fix it. Physical trauma? He's got a living goddess inside of him. He can all but bring back the dead for crying out loud!
On another note, this Naruto could easily create his own "Maidens" of a sort, splitting up Kaguya's power at the cost of weakening himself as Ozpin did. But he's not about to attempt that. Weakness aside, even a "piece" of a sentient Kaguya would likely try to consume her host, and only a handful of individuals have the willpower to hold her at bay.
Cinder's a bit of a Tsundere in this story, ain't she?
As ever, I own no quotes or references!
This is a pure Cinder chapter for...
...well. Reasons. You'll see.
"Let me be!"
"Can't. You're mentally unfit."
"Mentally unfit? What does that mean?!"
"It means you're not ready to leave yet. Simple as that."
"Sorry boss, you heard him. Doctor's orders. Back to bed you go."
"Its for your own good, ma'am. We just want you to be safe and healthy."
"Wha-hey! No Stop! Let go of me! Traitors, the lot of you! I will have my reveeeeenge!"
~Cinder and Sage.
A Gentle Pace
She'd been had!
Cinder realized it the moment she finally managed to pry Emerald off her chest; it didn't take long to put two and two together while she held the delighted girl at bay. Less so to see Mercury and Hazel poking their heads through the door her minion flung open. Naruto's satisfied smile only served to sanction her suspicions. All this time thought herself alone. Abandoned by her allies. One look at Emerald's bandaged forehead told her all she needed to know. They'd taken injuries of their own. Yet she hadn't seen them for days. Which in turn begged the question:
"Where were you hiding them?!"
"As I said, you're not my only patient." Naruto jerked a thumb over his shoulder as the men sauntered in. "The burly one brought those two in for treatment shortly after I found you. Metal-legs over here sustained broken ribs. Little Emerald here wasn't even able to walk until recently. When she thought you died, she overtaxed her Semblance and nearly killed herself." his mismatching eyes narrowed upon her minion. "Come to think of it, I believe I told her to stay in bed. Perhaps she misheard me."
"Urk." The mint-haired girl wilted. "Sorry, sir." a pause and then, "Thank you for giving Cinder back her eye."
"Sir? I told ya already. Don't go callin' me that." the doctor drawled as he glided towards the door. "I'm not that old. Oi, Gorilla." he said, addressing Hazel. "We're going hunting. Gonna need more than a deer to feed this many mouths tonight."
...I have a name." the larger man sighed. Much to Cinder's dismay, he still capitulated and followed him out.
"So you do." Naruto laughed. "Maybe I'll use it one day if you behave yourself. Now get over here!"
Cinder should have used their absence to escape; it was the most logical thing to do, really.
Instead she processed the exchange numbly, her mind awhirl for entirely other reasons.
Someone had nearly died for her? Emerald nearly died? For her? Why? She wasn't worth dying for. It was...a foreign feeling. She wasn't sure if she was proud, touched, or furious. Proud to inspire such raw loyalty in those beneath her, touched that there was someone in this world who nearly threw their life away out of grief for her, or furious that so useful a tool of hers would allow themselves to be overcome by emotions. The girl's unique Semblance was one a kind, the sort that only came about once in a lifetime. Losing her would have proven to be a major setback to her future plans. Not that they mattered now. Salem wouldn't let them return until they redeemed themselves.
Of course, her own emotions chose that moment to burn all treaties and go to war in Cinder's head.
For a terrifying moment, she couldn't bring herself to move.
Still. Such selfless devotion deserved praise, in only to ensure further loyalty.
She wasn't proud of the girl, she lied to herself. She wasn't. No. Not at all. This was simply necessary.
Her gaze snapped to Emerald and perhaps expecting punishment of some sort for what she no-doubt viewed as a failure, the poor thing drooped even further. She felt like she'd just kicked an earnest puppy. Something in Cinder flinched, something that wouldn't have before. Stop. Don't look at me like I'm the center of your world. It was a weakness. Softness. Kindness. She had no need of either. Cinder knew this; Salem should have long since ground any such soft sentiment out of her. Yet she couldn't bring herself to quash this. She should chastise her. Condemn her for breaking down in a moment of crisis and failing to secure the relic. Punish her, at the very least.
But the hope in the girl's eyes was almost too painful to behold.
"Emerald," she bade, the word a purr, "Come here."
The girl did was she was bade. "Ma'am?"
"Is what he said true?" she demanded. "Did you risk yourself for my sake? Instead of the relic?"
Mercury whistled somewhere in the background. "Hoo, boy. She looks pissed."
Emerald had never looked so small and tiny as she did in this moment when she nodded. Well. That settled things, didn't it? Her failure was complete. With her Semblance, she could have stolen back the relic from those damn brats, or at the very least made things difficult for them in the face of her defeat. Instead she'd broken down, lost herself in her trauma, and flung her Semblance at everyone with such force that she'd nearly killed herself. Nearly thrown her life away. Stupid girl. There could be only one answer for her foolishness. No matter what Naruto might say to her.
Her hand descended.
Emerald flinched aside with a wince, expecting a slap or worse. It never came. Bandaged fingers stroked her scalp gently, caressing the minty tresses of her hair as a mother would her child. Without thinking the younger girl leaned into her touch. Just this once, Cinder allowed it.
...you did well, but never do that again." the words came out far softer than she intended. "Don't throw your life away for me."
She forced herself to smile. "Good girl."
Cinder realized her mistake instantly; because rather than accept this precious piece of praise for what it was, Emerald reacted to it. Overreacted. She knew it by widening of her eyes, the way her minion went suddenly and terribly still under her hand. Let it not be said that Cinder didn't know the girl's tells; after all, they'd been working together for some years now. She wouldn't be much of a villain if she couldn't control or manipulate those beneath her, much less read them. And everything her newly restored sight told her? Nothing good. No. Emerald. wouldn't. She couldn't. She didn't dare.
She would, and she did. "CINDER!"
A tan blue of green and brow cannoned into the former Maiden's chest with enough force to physically flatten her back against the bed, pillows and all. It didn't so much hurt as it did startle her; because Emerald never did this! Never! Ever! She knew better! Now her wounds hissed angrily -as did Cinder!- when the girl wrapped both arms around her and buried her head into her still-healing collarbone shoulder. To make matters worse, she started sobbing. Weeping into her shoulder like some newborn babe. Ugh! Sentiment! It burned!
"I thought you were dead." she babbled into her shoulder, shaking her head to and fro. "We all did...how did you survive?!"
Cinder did not like being touched. Hugged, even less so. She said as much.
"Get! Off!"
Emerald did so immediately, and Cinder stubbornly quashed another pang of guilt.
Taking a moment to gathered the shattered shards of her pride, the blackette forced herself to sit up and straighten. Yes, she reminded herself. She was in control here. She set the pace. While that blond buffoon was out she could plot, she could plan, and find a way to get back into Salem's good graces. She might not have her Maiden powers anymore, but she still held her wit and her skills. Her mind and her body remained her greatest weapons. They had served her in her weakest days, and it would serve her now. Her. Not this quack of a doctor.
"Mercury. Emerald." Her voice was still recovering, but it was enough to make her cohorts stand at attention. "This man is a means to an end." she lied. :Nothing more." of course she lied. "Do you understand?" Why was she still lying? "Do not get attached."
"Meh. No problem." Mercury shrugged. "Don't much like the guy."
Emerald almost looked...dare she say conflicted? "Yes ma'am. I understand."
"Whipped." Mercury swiped at the air and made a cracking sound with his tongue.
Emerald launched a pair of pillows at him from the bed, but the assassin nimbly dodged aside with taciturn ease.
"Enough, both of you." Cinder's voice may as well have been a whip the way it cracked at them. "Did your Semblance work on him?"
...no." the green-haired girl confessed, realizing the question had been meant for her. "He just laughed and told me to try harder next time. He's...
She flushed and turned aside, suddenly hesitant to speak.
"Well, what is it? Out with it, girl."
"He's been teaching me." the words tumbled out, startling her. "Training, really. He said I have potential."
Well! This was an unexpected development, but not an unfavorable one. "Did he now?"
"What are we going to do?" Mercury inquired. "Should I-
"Continue. For now."
His earlier scare aside, she wasn't willing to test Naruto's patience. Not yet. Not when he'd displayed a power well above her own. Earlier she might have been willing throw Hazel and her allies she might be able to take him down. If she had her Maiden Powers she was sure she could've put up a fight. But now? One glace at the duo and that hope was dashed against the rocky shores of reality. He'd subverted them somehow, weakened their will to the cause; or perhaps he'd simply given then what they wanted. He had them wrapped around his finger. Just as he did her-
"Aaaaaand we're back!"
Just like that the door to the hut crashed open.
Mercury turned. "Huh. That was awfully quick. How did you...thatisabigfish."
Cinder's gaze snapped away from her cohorts to see what Mercury was gibbering at this time. She soon had her answer as a large shape was hauled through. Oh. My. That was a rather large specimen. How had he caught something like that so swiftly? Gods, why did Hazel have an entire armful of the blasted things? Had they simply dove into the river to catch them?! They weren't even wet! Fishing? No, it hadn't been long enough. More of Naruto's so-called Magic at work? To catch ten fish longer than her arm in as many minutes...that was absurd.
To make matters worse, they weren't alone. There was a kitten following them.
...what the actual hell.
"What...is that?"
It was a tawny dirty little thing with bright green eyes, trotting after the two men without so much as a care in the world; which was precisely why Cinder noticed it in the first place. There was not so much as a hint of fear in its posture. If anything it looked perfectly at home here in the hut. Baffling. Animals were meant to fear humans. Yet this one pawed at Naruto's leg and mewled pitifully as he began to prepare their meal. Hazel and the rest were able to ignore it with ease, but her gaze still lingered all the same. She'd seen one just like it as a child. She remembered feeding it scraps.
She wanted to pet it.
"Hmm? The cat?" Following her gaze, Naruto flicked a bit of fish at the tiny beast while he worked. "Its just the village stray. Harmless."
When it saw her, the little beast mewled and padded over to the foot of her bed. Kitty! Cinder's heart gave a painful girlish lurch at the sight, and her human hand reached out to pet it without thinking. She clamped down on it with her Grimm arm until the pain cleared her head. Naruto noticed immediately, if the impish gleam in his eyes gave any indication. Of course he did something about it. How could he not? In a plume of smoke -one that noticeably didn't make any of her allies jump- he left the meal prep to a doppelganger and stepped in to scoop the small feline up. Then he offered it to her.
"Here you go." he said.
Cinder bristled. "No. Get it away."
He read her bluff. "You were trying to pet it just now."
"Was I?" Cinder's voice turned coy. "Whatever do you mean?"
A rare flash of anger cross Naruto's visage. "You're being difficult."
As if to second this statement, the kitten made a pitiful meow in his grasp.
Cinder's resolve began to tremble. It looked so small and helpless...no! Stay strong!"
"Cease this foolishness." she rallied herself and looked away spat. "I don't want to touch it."
Naruto arched an eyebrow. "Alright, then. I'm sure you wouldn't mind if I gave her to Emerald then-
"Mine!"
Cinder's human arm betrayed her just as her voice did; sweeping forward to snatch the little hellion up before he or her minion could lay claim it. In a heartbeat she'd pulled it into her lap, curling her natural limb around it. Another had her stroking its coat. To make matters worse, the little creature started purring. Well, that tore it. She was lost. Blast it all. When had she come undone? In that moment she wanted nothing more than to bury her head in a pillow and pretend this never happened. Someone's Scroll -MERCURY!- clicked in the background, immortalizing the moment forever, and her temper blazed. How dare he. This meant war!
"Emerald." her word was a hiss.
"Ma'am?" the younger girl stood rigid at attention.
"Aim for the head." It was a command, not a request. And she did.
Mercury's terror was sweet music to her ears. "N-Now hold on a second-
Doctor or no, Naruto hadn't sworn any oaths; he stood idly by when Emerald flew at the assassin in a whirl of motion and summarily beat the tar out of him. Nor did he bat an eyelash when the wily woman snatched up his Scroll in the chaos. Noticeably, she didn't break it. And if Cinder failed to notice, who was he to say anything? He had other plans. And if Cinder just so happened to be distracted by a kitten in the midst of it? Well. He wasn't about to say anything.
"Now then," he raised his voice to make himself heard, "Did you want to continue with your lessons while we wait, Emerald?"
The girl perked up, pausing just long enough to glance at Cinder for acknowledgement.
"Make yourself useful and fetch some firewood, Hazel." she instructed the larger man. "Dinner will be ready when you return."
Damn him and his knowing smile. "How much?"
Naruto rolled his eyes. "As much as those beefy arms can carry. Off with you now, shoo!"
Hazel grunted, but noticed what the girl failed to. For all her earlier objections and plots, she was eager to sit down. Eager to listen. The girl was even taking notes as Naruto explained new uses for her Semblance. Hazel listened as well. Some of those uses were rather...creative in scope. Not particularly destructive or violent mind you, but creative. Hmm. This might be good for her. Emerald was many things, but her world and views revolved around Cinder and by definition, shaped her as a person. Even he knew this was unhealthy. Girl needed some support in her life. So he lingered, allowing a now-bruised Mercury to bustle past him. And he listened.
Hazel heard her giggle as he left the hut behind. Good, indeed.
"Right," Naruto continued under Cinder's watchful eye, "We'll continue where we left off last time; you are the only limit to your Semblance." he paused, brow quirking as the girl listened raptly. "Your Semblance is a part of you as much as you are it. Think of it as a muscle, one you need to strengthen. You define where it ends, you define what it affects, and you expend your stamina to maintain it. Unlike a genjutsu, you don't need seals or any-
"Genjutsu?"
"Slip of the tongue," the blond muttered. "Ignore it."
Cinder didn't. She filed the word away for later. Another piece of the puzzle.
"Now then, have you ever considered playing a prank on your metal-legged friend?" Naruto inquired.
"I've never thought about using it that way." Emerald shook her head slowly. "Its hard to keep up in combat, and if I use it on more than one person-
"Yes, yes, the headaches." the whiskered warrior thumbed his chin. "I believe that's merely a matter of stamina. Easily addressed, that. You just needed the right person to train you." when he thumbed a lone digit at his chest, it was all she could do not to roll her eyes. "With the right motivation...well!" A pale hand rose to scratch the back of his head. "Lets just say your potential's kinda scary. Even for me. If you think of it as a field, you could even expand it from your body." Another laugh. "Like I said, you're scary."
Emerald preened at the ill-hidden praise. Scary, he'd said. She liked that. "You think so?"
Naruto barked a laugh. "Why my girl, you could be a prank queen."
Cinder observed them patiently as the minutes dragged on into an hour, then two. Three. Four. All the while the sun sank lower in the sky; all the while she tried to ascertain his purpose and failed. Utterly. What did he gain from training Emerald like this? Her loyalty? Emerald would not be so easily swayed...was what she wanted to tell herself. But the girl's eyes were bright and keen on Naruto as he continued his lecture. Blast it. She didn't like this. Where were Hazel and Mercury? Were they dragging their feet? Had the authorities found them? Something was wrong here. Her shoulders tightened with tension, a thread of doubt weaving itself into her heart.
"I had the pleasure of meeting the Spring Maiden, once." Naruto said suddenly, jarring her from her reverie. "Someone like you might've been enough to make her change her ways."
Cinder snorted. "Of course you'd know that woman. Why am I not surprised?"
"No, not Raven, though she is a bit of a regular." the blond waved her words away and the alarm that came with them. "I'm talking about the last incarnation. Poor girl. She stumbled upon my clinic in the dead of night. I told her not to go looking for those bandits. She didn't listen...and we both know how that wound up, don't we?"
Cinder silently seethed at the reminder, but she made no effort to release the purring kitten nestled in her lap.
Naruto arched an eyebrow. "Would you look at that? Seems that Ser Pounce has taken a liking to you."
...you are not calling our cat that." Weakness, blast it! And he seized it, too!
"Our, you say?" His right eye gleamed. "I wasn't aware you liked cats."
Her cheeks turned red. "Of course I don't! Idiot! Shut up-
And the world shook.
It wasn't so much a tremor as it was an explosion of noise and sound; one moment Cinder had been sitting abreast of her bed, scowling at her host as her good leg swung lazily over the side. She was...well, not content, but neither could she call herself angry. In the next a vicious blast of something shattered her world, tore off the roof, and sent her tumbling to the floor. By some instinct, she'd managed to clutch the kitten to her breast and protect it; her Aura did the rest. It didn't make her landing any less pleasant or humiliating.
Emerald bolted upright. "What in the world?!"
Screams rippled outside, waves of fear and anger, the scent of fire and flames reaching Cinder's nose. She didn't need to see them to know the cause, just as she didn't need her former power to know what was about to transpire. Her darkened arm had already begun to ache long before she found her footing. She knew what it meant long before someone slammed through the door and started shouting for Naruto's presence. Grimm. Of course it would be them. It explained Mercury and Hazel's absence. As if things weren't bad enough. Did the gods hate her? Had she lost Salem's protection? She couldn't fight properly. Not with a bad leg, not with-
"Well," a familiar voice croaked, "We were overdue for an attack anyway. Time to put those lessons into practice, Emerald."
Naruto stood, catching her eye. Without thinking she grabbed at him.
"Where are you going?"
Mismatching eyes pulsed back at her.
"Thought that would be obvious. I'm going to work."
Her minion hesitated, suddenly caught between the two of them. "But Cinder will be...
"Fine." the blond interjected. "She's more than capable of killing whatever comes through this door."
Without so much as a backward glance, he sauntered outside into the night. A moment passed. Then another.
Somehow, despite all she'd seen and heard thus far, Cinder was still surprised when it was the Grimm who began screaming.
A/N: Ah, the obligatory Grimm attack. Every story has one.
Fight -slaughter, more like!- next chapter.
And there we go.
We didn't get to see team RWBY this time around for a reason; because Cinder still thinks she can turn this around. Poor, poor Cinder.
I...wouldn't call this Naruto good. But I wouldn't go so far as to label him as evil either. At the end of the day, Naruto, is still Naruto. He lives to help people, and through his life experiences his idea of "saving" the people around him has become a touch extreme. Be it through words or actions, or even something as simple as tending their wounds. Be ye good or evil, it doesn't matter. In his own words he doesn't "fix" people. He helps them. Sometimes helping means healing. Sometimes healing entails a swift kick in the ass. Or murder. Depends on the day, really.
He's taken it upon himself to help Cinder and her allies for now. Wonder how long that'll last?
As ever, reviews keep this old man alive during this dark and crazy time. I ain't joking.
Seriously, we're all locked away anyways these days, its all that sustains me.
So in the Immortal Words of Atlas... Review...Would You Kindly?
And enjoy these previews! Remember those hints?
Yes? No? Hope you paid attention. Because!
Here. We. Go.
(Preview)
Ruby inhaled.
Exhaled. Raised Crescent Rose high. And the scythe's edge coated itself in red flame. When she tried again, lightning shot from her fingers. Ruby didn't cackle. Villains cackled. But she DID giggle.
Qrow slapped a palm to his forehead. "As if she wasn't dangerous enough...
"Like I said, you're not my old man." Mercury growled. "I don't need anything from you."
"Oh? Then I take it you wouldn't want your Semblance back-
"Nope. I take it back. Best dad ever."
...whatever you're doing to Cinder? Keep doing it."
Naruto didn't look up from his book. "Why, whatever do you mean?"
Emerald turned scarlet. "You know! She smiles now! Hugs me! Treats me like...
"Like a daughter?" he turned the page without so much as batting an eyelash. "Good. She should."
Much to his amusement, the teenager slapped a palm to her forehead. "By the gods, you can be such a DAD-
A peal of bemused laughter startled her and caused her hands to clamp down over her mouth. Too late. She couldn't take the words back. Bemused eyes rose as the wily doctor took his hand from the pages of his journal to favor her with a dry look. Emerald opened her mouth to refute him...and it clicked shut thrice as fast. Huh. He'd fed her, clothed her, tended to her wounds, and listened to her words. Didn't parent's do that?
"Hug?" Naruto chuckled, not moving his arms an inch.
"Ugh, no!" Emerald shuddered. "You're old!"
"You're being a very bad daughter...
"NARUTO!"
Raven jerked back as if she'd been burned. "The hell is that?!"
A hand settled on her shoulder from behind and the roving Maiden jumped half a foot.
"So you found it." Naruto's voice hissed in her ear. "Are you happy with yourself? You nosy little...!"
"You can bring back the dead?!"
"That is indeed what I said, mister Arc." Naruto nudged the revived squirrel with his foot, sending the restored creature skittering back into the brush. "Its not something I do lightly. If everyone knew I could bring back their loved ones, I'd be swarmed. I'll have to ask you to refrain from speaking of this.
Odd. With the way he spoke, this guy almost reminded him of Ozpin but...older. Stranger. There was something ancient and unknowable in those gleaming blue eyes; as if standing in his presence would somehow impart the secrets to the universe or somesuch. Jaune didn't care about that. He'd latched onto the those last few words with all the tenacity of an Ursa. Naruto's arm? Moreso. He'd thought they'd met by chance, that this was some random encounter in the dark but this...this must be fate! What else could it be?! The words sprang to his lips. "Could you-
"I could. But why? I don't know you. My means aren't perfect, nor is my eye. I require...a sacrifice."
Jaune wilted when those mismatching eyes found his. faltered. "I...is this a test or something? No. Use me. It should be me."
"No. I think not." the sage sniffed, causing the blond to stumble. "Though if there were a test, you just passed it. Do you have anything of hers? A piece of cloth, perhaps? Anything with her DNA?"
R&R~!