Fox of Remnant

by Zagger the Bloody Angel

A wish. His wish and dreams were placed into the hands of another. And their wish was for him to live peacefully. It seemed Fate was a cruel mistress and still had plans to use him for her gains. No more! He will fight against these chains that shackle and bind him! Naruto/Blake/Weiss. Volume III. Berserk Crossover. AU Naruto. Tags: Action, Fluff, Humor, Angst, Drama, Hurt/Comfort

23. Volume III - Chapter V

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FFN recently made some changes and that was one of them as they're still making some fixes.

---

Night had come. A fire had been lit on the soft sands of the beach far from where the tide would come in. The vast majority of the young hunters were gathered around, seemingly idly chatting with one another. There was some laughter as they celebrated the day's successful events and the start of summer vacation.

Odd coincidence that things coincided.

He noted that the girl with the rose wasn't among her friends; only her sister was. She didn't seem to have the same vigor she showed earlier in the day and was forcing herself to laugh and join in with events tonight.

Watching her sister end another person's life must have been difficult for her.

And from the looks of it, her mother wasn't around either, and her father was off at their house nearby. So he felt it wasn't something he wanted to be involved with.

There was enough drama for him to deal with.

And she was sleeping by the fire in a small rucksack to stay warm. An elf floated over her, bouncing from person to person, enjoying his time listening and talking to people.

Guts rolled his eyes. Of course, Puck would eat the attention. That was nothing revolutionary. Even after twenty years, that hadn't changed…

But had he changed either?

Checking his stock of explosives, there was one positive in this world. He didn't have to worry about drawing in demons nightly due to his brand. Of course, Grimm were still attracted to him because of the negativity it emitted, but they had to be in the area to be drawn to it. And he was always on alert, and these kids were hunters anyways, so they should be fine…

The tall, scrawny blonde could be in trouble if it were anything more than the basic Grimm. However, he held his own in the brief skirmish with the Nuckelavee and the Khimera. So he wasn't half bad and could take care of himself. That was what mattered.

Someone was putting much effort into training him.

Which led him to another despondent member of the kids as the redhead warrior seemed relatively placid and downcast. She, unlike the blonde, wasn't forcing herself to join in the laughter and had sat away from everyone. Instead, she stared into the ocean, gazing into the depths as if searching for answers.

Maybe if he had anything close to a normal upbringing, he could relate to them, but Guts couldn't. He only understood life's cold, harsh reality and the thrill of battle. He could relate to those things best, and everything else was…

Difficult.

How he didn't screw up Tealle with all her medical issues was beyond him. But, her mother had to gave her some of her grace and all of her love from beyond, as he sure as hell had fucked up enough that she shouldn't have turned half the way she did…

Or survived for as long as she had.

"So, are you planning to stand there? Do you intend to join me?" Guts stated as he sharpened one of his daggers, never taking a moment for granted.

Taking a seat on the downed tree the black swordsman had felled, Naruto gazed over at his group of friends as he took in the scene. He let the day's events sink before he brought up his hands to his chin, interlaced his fingers, and rested his chin on them. "I am curious… You had every opportunity to take her and leave by now. Why haven't you?"

Placing the dagger back on his weapon belt, Guts then moved to his repeater bolts and ensured they were still in top condition. He then gruffly responded. "She needs rest. Moving her is unsafe."

"And you won't make a move." Guts added.

Naruto's cerulean eyes snapped to the black swordsman, and he scowled at him. "You don't think I won't do anything?"

"You've already had an opportunity and did nothing." Guts stated plainly before he started packing gunpowder into the cannon on his left arm.

Guts brought his attention from packing, and his stoic gaze met Naruto's intently. A brief silence as the two did not break eye contact. And finally, the swordsman broke it. "Your eyes say it all. You understand the hardships and struggle of life yet…."

It is not in you to hurt an innocent child, even if you know the danger she can become."

"And that is why I left her in your care to finish the job. She was safe. I made sure she would stay that way in the future." He then shifted back to packing his cannon before carefully sliding a cannonball into it. He gave it extra preparation. He wanted to ensure it would devastate the target it hit when he fired it.

Squinting his eyes in response, Naruto repressed a growl. The man acted as if he knew him so well. It put him off that he was ready so easily. Of course, the witch might have informed them of his values and traits. But this seemed like he was judging him strictly at that moment. And he looked like the type who didn't trust others' opinions…

Meanwhile, he found the man difficult to figure out. He was trusting enough to leave his daughter alone with them so they could rescue her. He knew that it was risky when he went to kill the man that imprisoned her and Naruto's allies. And here he was, letting her rest with them but preparing for battle in case things turned and he had to fight his way out.

It wasn't that he trusted that handing his daughter over more as it was necessary to do so. On the contrary, he didn't believe anyone else could or would do the deed, so he did it himself.

Then there was the incident with Ruby and Raven…

He wasn't sure how Taiyang and Qrow were handling that right now. But it did explain why Yang was out here and why Weiss was staying in a cot in his living room.

Neither needed to be there for that. Yang was petrified enough as it was seeing the act, and Weiss didn't need to be involved in their family issues.

No, she now had to be front in center of his now… Ironically it did deal with her, but…

Pushing those thoughts out of his head, he regained his focus. His eyes sharpened as he loured at the man formerly known as Jett. "You make it sound as if you know me…."

"Strugglers recognize each other." Guts said in his monotone gruffness, having gained some understanding of a particular acquaintance in his past having lived this long. "The witch may have led us to you under false premises and pipe dreams… But if there is someone that can make the impossible happen, it is another struggler."

"So you are aware." Naruto gazed over at Tealle by the campfire as his friends enjoyed telling stories, trying to lift the mood, and it seemed as if a couple of them, he could feel, wasn't invested at the moment. "If you know that… Then you must know…."

"I am more than aware of what temptresses like that are willing to do to get what they want." Guts responded coldly as he finished loading his cannon and flicked his mechanical hand back into place. "But I don't think she was entirely fabricating her story, was she?"

Frowning, taking Guts' gaze into his as the man met his eyes once more, Naruto rubbed his temples. He then spoke in a sharp tone. "In theory, that is capable of suppressing her presence and allowing your daughter to live the rest of her life without fear of her taking over, yes. It is possible."

"But I don't have the techniques or research time to create my seals to do such a thing, and she knows it," Naruto said as he glowered at his statement. "She led you here for other reasons, which bothers me, considering I destroyed the witch's body. And the reason your daughter gave me is the one I fear the most…."

"Is that Fate's wheel is turning, and we're all caught in it, and she's trying to align herself with the only other person trying to fight Fate."

For once, Gut held a look of disdain on his face. So his daughter kept vital information from him about what was happening. Either that or the witch did not inform her until they had arrived, but she doubted that. And if that was the case, what else was she not telling him?

He should have lost her years ago, and it was a miracle that she made it as long as she did. The witch suddenly possessing her was the most cursed blessing. It was meant to give him extra time with his daughter, but…

She would, in the end, lose herself to the vile woman. He had already come to terms with the fact that he would lose her, but he fought and got every lien he could to make their lives more comfortable. To get her better care.

To give her one more day. And now she was magically getting better but at the cost of losing her soul…

The witch herself claiming there was one capable of separating souls was a risk he was willing to take. So he followed along with it knowing better than to trust the darkness, having learned his lessons many times. But sometimes you had to dive into the darkness to get the best results…

The person who knew how to contain the witch lacked the technique or time to do so because he was also displaced in this world.

Puck's chattiness was helpful on occasion.

"It's as I feared." Guts reacted with a gloomy expression before gazing at Dragonslayer with a longing expression. "So unless there is a miracle, I can only see one option in the end."

Sighing deeply, Naruto looked up into the starry sky, and his eyes glimmered in frustration. "If only I weren't separated from my partner when I came to this world. I would be able to do a few things I used to do and accelerate my sealing studies… Would be useful right about now."

"Your world sounds vastly different from my own or even this one." Guts commented as he tore his eyes from his chunk of metal resting against the chopped tree and looked at the starry sky himself. "I was brought here unwillingly along with Puck and the one that mattered most to me by one who refused to allow his fate to be intertwined with mine… To give me a chance at a brand-new life."

"And it failed spectacularly..." Naruto confessed honestly, and Guts nodded as if it were true.

He then gave a bitter laugh himself as he continued. "You know what, I think that might be why I'm here. I believe the person whose fate I was most intertwined with wished for something upon my death. This is because now I'm here, dealing with all of this instead of resting peacefully with the family I never got to know."

"So they failed spectacularly." Guts grinned, and Naruto barked out another laugh in response before nodding.

"Yeah, I think they did if that's what happened. Fate is a cruel mistress." Naruto exhaled and brought his attention back down to earth, to one specific individual. "I can make no guarantees when it comes to her. I'm already devoting a lot of time to seals as it is, and that level is much more complex. A mastery far beyond what I'm capable of right now that I would be lost if I didn't have some of my master's notes. So if it comes time…."

"I've already made that decision, whether the witch and my child know it or not." Guts once more gave a slight glance at his massive sword before looking at his daughter. "I will give her every chance to fight and struggle as she has throughout her life. But the moment she is no longer in control, I will not stay my hand for her and her mother's sake."

"I will deliver her to Casca's arms and end the witch." Guts grimly said without hesitation.

While Naruto had to admire the man's will and determination, he scowled at the last part. He had to know. "Salem isn't killable by conventional means. I destroyed her body, and all it did was make her soul find a new host. Your sword… Wait a second."

Finding it challenging to sense things around the man, as he felt radiant negativity pulsing from him, Naruto felt something else. But it wasn't coming from him. Instead, there was another source of power. A source of energy…

"What is this?" Naruto squinted his eyes at Dragonslayer before turning his gaze back to the black swordsman. "Your sword has a negative pulse… But it isn't alive. How can that be possible?"

Having seen people in this world that could sense similar things, this wasn't out of the realm of possible things. And considering Puck felt it as well…

"The only answer I have is it has bathed in the blood of countless demons of my world." Guts answered as he gripped the handle and lifted the mighty blade before him, letting the moonlight and the nearby flames glisten off it. "And only minor demons of my world and apostles of my world existed on the physical plane…."

The realization snapped Naruto's attention cold as he stared directly at the weapon and then at the man in black. Salem had unwittingly found the only other person that could grant her desire.

And she gave him the greatest and most despicable motive to do so.

"It can damage one on the spiritual plane..." Naruto said as he knew all too well what it was capable of, looking at his hands and cursing silently.

If only he had his powers. He could have ended this himself. But then, would that have helped the black swordsman who could have been mourning his daughter's death at any moment? And given the intensity of his emotional state, his way of mourning would be pretty brutal…

The state Merlot was left in was a testament to what he could do. It was the first time he had to come upon a body in that state. He had to finish the job like an Anbu hunter and leave nearly no traces, with a notable exception.

If there was a bounty, he had to claim it or at least show proof of what happened during the confrontation. He needed identification.

Taking all that and putting it aside, Naruto furrowed his brow and spoke cautiously. "I don't advocate it since I prefer to save her... No child should suffer such a fate... But if it does come to that, will you be able to save her?" She is your daughter..."

Guts only growled in response. "I will give no quarter because she's not my daughter and deserves no mercy at that point."

"And I would be more than happy to show her why I was feared by man and demon!"

---

It was cold. Darkness engulfed the room, but it didn't bother her.

For a faunus, the night was nothing.

But this room was empty and she was the only one in it. She had trouble lying in any position due to the lacerations she had received from the Grimm they had fought earlier. Nothing was comfortable. Everything was agony, even with the questionable legality of the medication her mate had acquired.

She took it regardless.

She lied on her stomach, facing the head of the bed. Her feet jittered and her ears twitched impatiently as she listened for the sound of the door opening.

The elf's dust seemed to be a miracle cure. Her wounds were quickly closing, and she was grateful for that. Staying another night in the hospital would not have been where anyone wanted to be. And there were ample enough first aid supplies that her wounds were covered, and anti-septic was applied if she cursed and clawed the unfortunate caregiver…

Blake's mood further soured as he wasn't in the room with her. She shrunk into herself. Her head lowered and her ears flattened. Her golden eyes that glowed in the night had lost some of the glimmer within.

It was just another reason…

Tears dripped onto her cheeks as she grabbed her pillow and buried her face into it, wrapping it around her face. Her scream was muffled, and hopefully, the pillow and dampeners kept anyone from hearing her.

Everything had deteriorated from horrible to horrendous, all because of her actions. Naruto walking out. Her chasing after him. Ignoring Weiss' correction assumption, tracking his band's scent, and getting dragged to that damnable island. Getting her friends hurt, held hostage, and almost killed. Top all that off, what they were preparing to do to Ruby, and then her decapitating that woman…

She should never have had blood on her hands. It should have been her…

The door shifted open. She didn't dare to remove the pillow from her face. If it was him, she was too afraid to face him. If it was anyone else…

She wasn't sure she could deal with them.

And it wasn't his scent coming from the person who closed the door. "Blake… Can we talk?"

Barely sliding the pillow from over her mouth, she yowled at the intruder in her room. "What makes you think I'm capable of talking right now, Weiss?"

"Because we need to, or nothing will get better," Weiss responded, her hair free from her braid and flowing below her shoulder blades as her sister trimmed earlier to fix the damage.

All she got was a hiss from Blake despite being muffled by her pillow.

Approaching the shikibuton, Weiss firmly sat on the corner of the bed. She spoke with a demanding tone. "Blake, I am not going anywhere. We need to talk. The longer we put this off, the worse it gets for Naruto and us."

"I am done hurting a beloved friend and the person with whom I have the most honest and sincere connection that I will ever have and will likely ever have again because of who I am!" Weiss said before she dictated the next line. "So sit your ass up, and let's talk. We all fucked up as we did not stop you, and once we left, it was out of our hands as I feel Fate played us again. We were lucky we came out intact this time."

"So what?!" Blake rolled over, snapped up into a seated position, and her golden eyes glowed in the night as she snarled at Weiss. "Am I not supposed to feel guilty for luring everyone into the death trap? For dragging Ruby and you with me and having us and Pyrrha nearly killed, Ruby nearly using for scientific breeding stock and traumatizing Yang further from watching her sister take another life in front of her?!"

"Because I do! I hate myself for being the cause of all of this! Everyone came to rescue us because of my dumb decision! Regardless if Fate was involved, I fell for it!" Blake cried with tears streaming down her face. "I knew better! You were right! I knew you were! But something in me thought he had run away from me and I couldn't stand that thought and the moment I caught his scent I panicked! I believed he did and wanted to check on him!"

"I know he wasn't answering my texts, but dammit, I should have called! I should have had one of you call because maybe he would have answered if it wasn't me… Anything… I could have done anything better. So that none of that would have happened. It was my fault!" Blake let all her sorrow out as her voice fell hollow, her body trembling.

And she felt the stinging in her cheek as she hissed, as her golden eyes widened. Weiss' cold blue eyes stared back at her as she knelt on her bed. "You think I didn't call?! You didn't realize Ruby was texting the entire time?! He didn't answer Blake, which meant he turned it silent or was ignoring us, which still worries me as we don't know what he was doing! Why do you think I followed you without hesitation?! It's because I didn't know anymore as we'd never seen him upset like this before!"

"We were scared and acted irrationally, and Fate let us into a trap." Weiss solemnly dropped her head and looked down and away. "Our pillar of strength left us because of the drama my father brought into our lives, and it nearly cost everything… And now I think it's time to end this madness myself, even if it means giving up everything. I'm tired of seeing my friends suffer because of me, all because I want to chase my dream…."

Each word stung as she looked away after the slap. Again Weiss was on top of things she should have been! Even with her worry, she was making better and wiser decisions…

Blake's eyes narrowed as she heard the last words. Seeing the downtrodden eyes of the heiress before her, she shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks as she realized what they meant. "No… Weiss…"

"I'm going home."

Stopping herself from grabbing her by the shoulders, Blake instead reached out, gripped her by the forearms, and shook Weiss. "No! You can't let him…."

"What choice do we have?!" Weiss bemoaned with a cry before pulling her arms from Blake's grasp. "I don't want to keep hurting you, Blake! I don't want to keep hurting him! That's all I'm doing by staying! I can go back, do what I can to cancel the wedding plans…."

"Weiss, do you think that will stop it at this point?" Blake hissed back as she snapped the heiress' attention to hers as she delivered her statement. "Your father is dead set on making this happen at this point. All it would do is make us worry and make yourself miserable. There isn't anything you could do in a week by returning home that could get your father to cancel this wedding!"

The only connection we have is this contract and the rest of this organization that attempted to assassinate Naruto! If we can do that, we can prove they're also connected to VR7 once we find a lab! We expose them and maybe…."

"That takes too long, Blake!" Weiss cried out in frustration and slapped the bed beneath them. "Say by some miracle we find the lab tomorrow! Okay, we have to heal up from today because we aren't ready for that, so that takes a day away. That's four days left, Blake! Another day to get there, wherever it happens to be, and possibly another to expose everything."

"The issue becomes finding the proof and how long it takes to bring those in power down! Look how long it took for Vester Gold to step down from his position as Vale councilor when he was directly linked to the Vest Frontier incident! He didn't even face any charges after months of investigations. He just lost face in public!" Weiss shrieked before palming her face miserably as she wept.

"Even if we do connect my father… All we will be able to do is likely oust him from power after months and months, maybe even years of drawn-out legalities, and the same applies with many of these others without direct, concrete evidence! ...And we don't have any time... We have days now instead of a month to gather support and at least for a deadlock in the World Council when my father comes for my license."

With Weiss solemnly finishing, Blake stayed silent for a moment. Biting the corner of her lip, she lowered her head, her ears dropped. "I… Was aware, but I was hoping that something more substantial could be found… Something, anything. Even if it was only a lead that could have led somewhere else, something so that I could bring him swiftly to justice to avoid all this pain for you and me… So that we could ignore the wedding…."

"Blake… Do you understand the significance of the marriage?" Weiss softly spoke, catching Blake's attention as her ears perked up, and she slowly turned to her huntress partner. "Do you know why my father has been pushing it so hard and why it would make divorce social suicide for Naruto and myself?"

"While I know it is a marketing strategy for him, as the bottom line is what matters most, he has pitched this wedding out as racial progress in Remnant. Even he, the person who has had controversial labor laws toward faunus, has come around. He is willing to give the hand of his prized daughter to one of the most influential faunus in Vale… Someone who has once again begun a rallying cry for equal rights for the lower class. Many faunus tend to fall under."

"We'd become the symbol of hope for the future of Remnant for faunus and humanity to cooperate peacefully," Weiss explained as she slowly lifted her head to gaze at her friend.

Her shocked and horrified eyes were glowing in the night light. She drew her gaze from her friend and looked downcast once more. "I knew Naruto knew as he had been trying media ploys of his own but… It's why I was so shocked you were even considering allowing me to marry him as divorce wouldn't be an option as so many eyes would be on us, looking at us as the future… The hope of tomorrow."

"That's why I knew Naruto was so upset even in my excitement…." Weiss blankly stared at the bedding below. "It's why I thought I should leave and let things be but your right… Father would not let them be at this point. We're trapped, and I don't see a way out without my father making a world-class mistake… And that's something he won't do."

Blake felt lost… Afraid… Cold.

She knew Jacques was appearing on Remnant TV, hyping the marriage between his daughter and the legendary Gale Fox of Vale. She didn't know how or what methods he was using. She didn't care. They had a plan, and they were planning to implement it. They were waiting for this weekend to hit the Kingdom of Vacuo with JNPR and CFVY. With all three teams operating, they could make strides before returning for the start of the festival…

Then everything had to happen, and now they were left in this conundrum…

But to know he had been focusing on the wedding and Naruto and Weiss union as a symbol of peace and progress for faunus and humanity… That broke her. That was everything they were working for, but it was actively working against them too!

And that only infuriated and motivated her!

He doesn't have to... If the fuck up is severe enough, it will bring him down. So there is still hope even if it is only for a moment." Blake hissed as she clenched her fists while her body trembled. "I'm not planning to give up. I can't. I… It is not for me any longer. I need to keep fighting for him… And for you, as this isn't fair for any of us. You never deserve to be thrust into this…."

"And I'm sorry that this happened to you. I can't imagine being in your position. As much as it upsets me, you have genuine feelings for my mate. Being in this position between your father and not wanting to be forced into a wedding with someone you actively care for... How can you stand this?!" Blake honestly asked as she looked at her friend in wonder.

And at that moment, she realized the answer as Weiss bitterly laughed. "You honestly think I can handle this?"

"I silently cry myself to sleep every night into my pillow so I don't wake up Ruby. I break down almost every time I spend the night with Winter, who has done everything she can to stay strong for me. I pretend to stay strong in front of everyone, but the moment I'm alone, I weep openly as I can't stand it! I've ruined my friends' lives with my presence, and I can't do anything about it! I have been a burden to everyone since the beginning, causing conflict between us! Weiss became more and more hysterical with each word she spoke.

"It would have been better off if the Grimm had snapped its jaw around my neck! At least then, it would have spared everyone the pain of having to deal with me!"

Feeling the stink in her left cheek, Weiss' head snapped back. She was suddenly embraced by Blake, one hand sliding around her back and the other combing through her hair and holding onto her head. "Don't you dare say that again! You are worth so much more than that! We all love you and are here for you, so don't think you are in this alone!"

That was all it took to break, and Weiss cracked. Tears exploded as Weiss buried her head into Blake's shoulder as she wailed, her sorrow bare. And Blake held onto her and listened, for it was all she could and needed to do.

It was a surprising role reversal for her four months ago. She was in this position, and now twice within a week, she had been supporting a friend like this. And in a way, she was grateful she understood what was needed…

And she had her mate to thank for that.

Blake gently let Weiss weep, no matter the stress it placed on her wounds. They could be tended to in the morning, and the pixie dust would help. The elf said they would stay that long.

She felt Weiss exhaust herself in her grasp, and to her surprise, she had indeed cried herself to sleep. Blake almost wanted to shed a tear herself. "She wasn't kidding… I'm in no condition to carry her back to her cot."

"I guess this is how this night is going." Blake sighed as she softly laid her friend down on the bed, sharing her pillow with Weiss. "Won't be the hardest thing to explain if he comes back..."

"This has been rough on all of us."

---

Keeping the fire stoked with some kindling as everyone began to settle down for the night or had already called it and was already in their sleeping bag, rucksack, or cot, Yang watched the flickering fires flash before her eyes as she looked out into the ocean past it. She then shuddered and closed her eyes as she saw the red cape billowing in the window, blood spurting from the lifeless body left behind her.

Yang's eyes seized uncontrollably. Her breathing started to labor. Sweat drenched her body as she began to palpitate profusely. She reached for her temple with her left hand and clutched her chest with her right as she strained for breath. Everything was becoming blurry.

What did Ruby do? All that blood…

That cold yet justified look. How could she stomach that she did that? She was still dealing with the consequences of her actions months later and didn't regret the choice she made…

The sounds of bones cracking…

The squishing of the gray matter…

All the blood…

Feeling her stomach lurch, Yang turned around and over the log she was sitting on, thanks to Yatsu having cut down several to serve as everyone's chairs on the beach, and heaved. The contents of her stomach gushed forth unpleasantly, splattering onto the beach sand below. Smelling and seeing the sour liquid only made her retch so much that she dry heaved until all of her stomach contents were expelled.

That's when she felt a light press of a hand on top of her back, gently rubbing her back as she was expelling the last of everything within. This was until there was nothing left. When she finally felt everything was settled down enough and she could see straight again, she wiped her lips clean and looked up to see Velvet softly smiling as she took her from her back.

"Thanks," Yang mumbled, blinking her eyes a few times to get the blurriness out of them.

"Happy to help where I can." Velvet smiled infectiously, trying to spread her positivity, and while she was happy to see a very weak smirk from Yang, she could tell it was forced.

Her senses told her that a lot had changed over the past two months with her friends, which bothered her. They weren't even this dour last month when she ran into them in Vale. They all seemed generally in good spirits. But she also knew the train incident was a violent affair, and now having watched her sister kill someone in front of her…

Yang appeared to be showing signs of post-traumatic stress. The anxiety was written all over her, and it was hard to bear as this was someone who enjoyed combat. That enjoyed the thrill of combat.

Sitting beside her, she watched Yang pick up a small shovel they borrowed from her house before she got up to transport and toss her mess out to sea. She and everyone had to smell it. Also, it didn't attract unwanted pests to camp or Naruto's crabs. Velvet patiently waited until she was done with her cleanup.
Yang then returned, sat down, and sighed, figuring the faunus wanted to talk but didn't know what she wanted. They had never had a direct conversation, as it was always in a group setting. "Um, yeah? You got something to say?"

Recoiling at Yang's bullish bluntness and her own meekness, Velvet cursed. Clearly, she chickened out now, when it really counted. She had come over here because she had felt the distress she was in and wanted to help, but now when pressed, she couldn't do a thing. If she had a fraction of the confidence she had when Coco was present with her…

Tilting her head as the bunny ear girl looked away and seemed to push her fingers together, Yang blinked at the odd action taken by the girl and the bizarre interaction she was having with her. She knew the girl was timid from all the times she ate lunch with them when she sat by Naruto and Blake. But did she intimidate her that much?

"Um, I, uh…" Yang rubbed the back of her head, unsure how to proceed in this conversation, as it was apparent the faunus wanted to talk. "So, last time we saw each other, we were at the dance… You were with Fox. How's that been going?"

Velvet's ears dropped, her face tensed, and she had a quick, cold, and steely response. "I don't want to talk about him right now."

"Woah… Okay then." Yang felt her entire body tense seeing the usually meek but always cheerful Velvet suddenly turn so frigid had her racing.

What did he do to her?

A simple glance over toward Fox, where he was sitting on his back, holding his head in one hand and talking to Yatsu in frustration seemed to indicate that whatever this was…

It was recent.

She didn't want to deal with it. Yang had more than enough to deal with. More drama was not what she needed.

"Actually," Velvet found her voice after seeing Yang recoil from her oddly enough, "There was something I wanted to ask, but…"

"Why does everyone hold in their pain? I can clearly tell you're hurting." Velvet said loudly enough for most in camp to hear her. "Everyone does it. You're doing it! Pyrrha is doing it right now! You need to talk to someone and let it out! If you bottle it up, it will only hurt you in the end!"

"I was upset and angry at Fox for him calling me a derogatory term earlier, so I discussed it with Coco and expressed my feelings!" Velvet passionately expressed as she placed her hand on her chest over her heart. "If I am upset, I find those I trust to talk to, my friends! If it is a girl problem, I'll specifically talk to Coco, or if she's not available, I'll call my mother, aunt, or even Blake if I need to!"

"It's something I hate seeing as my friends should all feel comfortable enough to come and find and talk to me if they need to. Or someone they can talk to when they're in distress! I hated seeing people in pain. I was glad when Naruto and Blake both started getting help and were more open about everything." Velvet smiled comfortably, trying to convey her message.

She was suddenly leaning back as Yang responded. "Yeah, well, no offense, I don't know you all that well. We may have had the same friend group because we went to Beacon together, but when did we hang out? I can say Blake, Weiss, and Naruto are my friends because we spend so much time together. I spent a lot of time conversing with Nora, so I feel I know her and Ren through extension as he was just always there with her."

"Yes, I have been busy these last two months, so it has been difficult to keep up. However, Velvet, you were always with Blake and Naruto, even when you joined us for lunch and training. We rarely spoke directly to one another. I can't recall any conversation we've had that wasn't in a group setting." Yang continued with her lilac eyes piercing into Velvet's browns.

"So why would I be comfortable discussing my problems with you?" Yang snarled and spat with venom.

Yang expected that to be the end of the conversation seeing the intimidated and shocked expression on Velvet's face. In an unexpected turn, Velvet suddenly erupted in anger, her voice sharp in its tone.

"That's not what I said! I asked why you bottled up your pain. It's unhealthy, and it is causing problems! I felt your discomfort throughout the day, and just now, I felt a level of distress that I can't comprehend and caused your body to react violently."

Being caught off guard, Yang's eyes widened as she leaned away from the furious response from the faunus. She also wasn't expecting to hear that she could feel her distress similar to what Naruto did, leaving her alarmed. And Velvet was far from done.

"And you are right, I wished we had more time to interact, but school and life factored in." Velvet snapped at her, as she kept up her pace. "I don't know what happened between the headmaster and Naruto, but it blacklisted my friends. I hate it. I would rather have gotten to know everyone better as I trust my friend's judgment in the people he has befriended. Besides that…"

Taking a breath to compose herself and let her emotions carry her away, Velvet kept a steady gaze on Yang. "I believe in what Naruto pitched to me, and I want nothing more than something like that to happen as that seems like paradise to me. I know it is an impossible task and sounds too good to be true, but it is something I want to believe in and something I think that deep somewhere inside of me…"

"I know it can be done." Velvet smiled infectiously once more. "So maybe we can try again until you feel comfortable talking about it with me? That's what we're supposed to be here for. To help one another when everyone needs it."

"And I want to do my part."

Having taken her breath away by Velvet's fiery speech, Yang paused for a moment to compose herself. She then felt another presence beside her take a seat and noticed Pyrrha looking a touch despondent. "It's not something I'm proud of, but when those Grimm used that strange ability with their scream…"

"I was left petrified at my ineptitude and frozen by it." Pyrrha somberly looked at the fire while she crossed her legs to get comfortable. "All my life, I have been the best. It has come naturally to me. I was so exceptional that I was tutored and trained younger than normal. However, even then, I was barely able to win my first time in the Mistral Tournament against Vi... Funny how the world works, he found his way back into my life again, although very indirectly, and I'm sorry for what happened."

"You have no idea what I want to do to him for what he said to me." Yang flat stated, her eyes narrowed, her body tightened, and she clenched her hand into fists, remembering the bastard. "For what he did is unforgivable… I want to snap him in half, but I'll be satisfied watching Naruto do it instead."

"What did he do?" Having heard of the exhibition match that was to start the Vytel festival, Velvet frowned curiously. She found it quite odd that despite being kicked out of Beacon, somehow Naruto was going to start and end a festival that the Academy was technically hosting.

Somehow Ozpin had to be frothing at the mouth.

Meanwhile, she was very worried as she noticed something peculiar around Naruto's neck. She knew that while they were trying to do something about the wedding plans to protect Weiss from her father, she was worried that everything would fall through. She knew from Blake's texts that their relationship had become very close, and if she was right about that item…

Things were about to take a turn for the worst.

"We were clothes shopping, as you can tell," Yang motioned to herself and showed herself proudly in the process, earning herself a giggle from Velvet and a slight grin from Pyrrha, "And I was with Naruto while everyone was trying on their brand-new outfits. We were discussing a few personal things when the asshole showed up. He flat out called me, sorry for the slur here, an animal whore, and kept ranting about me loving the knot."

Velvet's face fell flat, and her ears drooped while Pyrrha winced. In the background, Fox and Yatsu abandoned their conversation and joined the circle while it seemed Nora and Ren had stopped setting up their bedding. And it was Fox who was annoyed. "What the fuck? I know I made a slip of the tongue, but are you serious? The hell was he thinking? Was he trying to start a fight?"

"Yes… He is that type." Yatsu answered, surprising everyone except Pyrrha.

"That's right. You competed every year with me until you came to Beacon the year before. That means you had a second year to compete against Vi." Pyrrha commented as she recalled facing Yatsu once before. "He did try to rattle his opponent and was insensitive. If he could get under your skin, he would use it."

"Well, it fucking worked, and he compromised me, upset Blake and Weiss and Naruto had to calm us all down. He managed it, and we went to leave." Yang rubbed her temple in annoyance before her face fell, and she dropped her hands and looked at the sand. "And then, with our guard down, he shot Naruto in the back."

The silence was deafening after Velvet's gasp. It took a moment for everyone to register what they heard. Pyrrha couldn't figure out why Vi would stoop to such a level while Yatsu clenched his fist and wanted to have a word with his fellow Mistral hunter.

Fox on the other hand…

"Oh fuck, how is he still alive… I mean Vi." Fox responded in bewilderment with his mouth slightly agape. "Considering the situation, he was likely protecting everyone, and he only got shot in the back. If I were still standing, I would turn around and kill him… Oh, by the Brothers…"

"We're having a live murder on television, aren't we?" Fox grimaced as he came to a stunning conclusion that had everyone else in alarm.

"What?! No!" Yang immediately shot back and waved her arms, seeing the panic everyone else seemed to be going through. "He personally said he was planning to break him… Although he had me worried until he alleviated it by telling me that he wouldn't because when he called the counselor in the middle of bleeding out in front of Vi to set the match up, he was determined to rip and tear him apart on a broadcast…"

"That brings up memories…" Velvet recalled being caught in the mist and hearing Naruto's bone-chilling voice calling out the vital spots of a human. "If that's what happened to set that off…"

"Fucker was the trigger that finally pushed me over! I have been in therapy from flattening Ironwall's fucking skull from nearly killing Ruby when he kidnapped her and Weiss from Beacon two months ago. But I didn't take it seriously as I didn't see it as a big deal at the time. But now, not dealing with all my other issues, something within me snapped, and I'm a broken mess with PTSD and hemophobia." Yang sounded clearly upset and visibly shaken.

"We're here to help." Nora's voice came from behind as she took a seat on Yang's left, wrapping an arm around her shoulder as Ren joined the group, as he couldn't sleep with everyone baring their hearts.

Ren nodded in agreement as he took his spot on the other side of Nora and besides Velvet. "Whatever you need, we're here. Don't be afraid to call us when we return to Beacon. We'll make time. I understand why you chose to stay with us. I don't think heading home is the right thing for you now."

"It's not like we're about to let our friend go at this alone," Jaune commented as he joined back up with the circle. "We're here for you… And you to Pyrrha. If you need to say something, say it. We're here to support one another."

Looking around at everyone at the campfire, seeing even Coco had joined and was sitting with Yatsu and Fox, Yang felt a tug at her heart. Everyone here…

Meant something to her. They were real friends. Unlike all those previous phonies that abandoned her in the past. That only wanted things from her.

Tears built up in her eyes, and she wanted to cry. However, Jaune brought attention to something she had almost forgotten. And seeing that she grimaced when her team leader mentioned her, Yang had to call her out. "Pyrrha… Are you okay?"

Sighing almost as the attention was brought back to her, Pyrrha lowered her head. She didn't want to continue where she had left off. "To be honest, I forgot what I was planning on saying for a moment as I was wrapped up in what Vi did, but… I remember now. But it is late…"

"And we're all here to help, Pyrrha." Jaune pushed, knowing this had been eating her for some time now, and he wanted to help her. "Let us in to help you. Let us know the issue so we can support you at the very least."

"Okay..." Pyrrha muttered weakly before taking a deep breath and looking directly at Jaune. "I will admit that coming to Beacon was a brand-new world for me. At first, I thought nothing of it as even the professors revered me and the students knew of me... Then there was you, ever clueless, and Naruto, who I now understand why he was a little in the unknown."

"Both of you treated me like I was an average person and… It was nice. I never get treated that way, and I liked it." Pyrrha smiled brightly and closed her eyes at Jaune before continuing her story. "My competitive streak kicked in when I realized how capable Naruto was when he attempted to rescue you, and I was barely able to take that win. After we trekked through the forest and into that cave to find that Deathstalker…"

"Seriously, what was your initiation test? A Deathstalker and a Nevermore? How did Professor Ozpin think that was acceptable for an initiation test? I am starting to question his decisions. You would have thought he had sent out a few teams to take care of those before the test started." Coco interrupted with a confounded question she had no answer for, and it still bothered her to this day.

"I wonder myself as it would take a team effort at the very least to bring that thing down, and it flung Jaune away. So I fled with it hot on my tail, and I felt terror for the first time in my life. I knew on my own that I was powerless against this kind of threat head-on. Everything was going so wrong when I came into the clearing and… I was suddenly whisked off my feet and shown the greatest feat of strength I still have seen…"

"Yang, what is that grin for?" Nora whispered as Pyrrha trailed off and paused to catch her breath.
"I didn't see it personally… But I know for a fact that Naruto took out a meteor. Got evidence of it too." Yang grinned as she whispered back while Nora's eyes widened before they sparkled.

"I want to see it!"

"Later."

"I was horrified that after years of hard work," Pyrrha paused again to figure out her wording as she looked up at the starry sky. "I was just second place. My hard work to be the best, while always secondary to defending Remnant, is what drove me."

"And to know that there are other threats out there looming and just as dangerous bothers me. Is my skill still useful? Am I good enough on my own merit to handle what is coming? Now that I know that the darkness is much greater than I could ever have believed, I'm so confused and don't have answers anymore..." Pyrrha looked down and was confused and bewildered at everything that had been transpiring for her.

"Shit..." Yang muttered, hearing Pyrrha from nowhere come clean surprised her and left her floored at the self-doubt she heard from one of the most powerful people she knew.

And it also confirmed that she knew about Salem. Thankfully she didn't seem to draw the connection that the sleeping girl in their camp had the witch's soul fusing with hers. However, that was another issue she didn't want to touch. She was a child that wasn't even old enough to start at the lesser academies, and yet she was already burdened with something she shouldn't have.

That made her grimace at what they were planning to do about her. She wasn't even sure Naruto had a game plan but had seen him converse with the man formerly known as Jett. She speculated there might be something coming. It appeared he wasn't too bothered that she slept near them and next to the fire.

He sat in a seated position, almost as if he was ready for anything. Given everything that occurred, keeping his guard up was fair, although she felt that he was usually like that.

"Well, I got to say, I don't think any of us have the answer, Pyrrha." Jaune was the one that broke the silence after Pyrrha finished, and everyone absorbed her words, only for her emerald gaze to snap to his smiling form. "Are any of us good enough? Isn't that why we're training and why we are trying so hard? Don't we all want to make the world a better place and protect it from the darkness, whether it is Grimm or the scum of society?"

"That's what I'm here to do. That's why I faked my transcripts and got accepted into Beacon. I wanted to prove to myself that I could help people in the same way my father had." Jaune admitted, not caring that he had lied to get accepted into Beacon Academy.

"Figured that was the case. You would have died if Pyrrha didn't save you from the jump pads on initiation day since your Aura wasn't active then." Ren commented, which only made Jaune twitch.

"And probably would have splattered if you hadn't flown straight into Naruto from being flung so hard by the Deathstalker." Nora chirped with a bright smile that made another tick mark develop on Jaune's head.

"You were picked on by CRDL worse than any faunus on the campus when they first arrived, and they were insufferable back then... Still didn't deserve what happened to them." Velvet muttered, which made Jaune choke on his spit before her face fell. "I hope Cardin will do well at Atlus. He changed the most out of the group and tried to run them straight after what happened in January."

"Well, despite my personal grudge against the dude, we can go check on him if you want. He isn't leaving until after the Vytel festival." Fox tried to cheer up Velvet, seeing her downcast expression and the faintest of smiles.

And she nodded. "Yeah, to see how he's holding up. Can't imagine he's doing too well, considering what happened."

"No kidding… Naruto and Blake barely got to him in time when that alarm went off, and he was lucky they were there at all." Yang commented that she knew they were the ones to have to deal with clean up. "Luckily, it was them, so today wasn't as bad either, so we knew how to deal with those Grimm… Hopefully, that was the last of those freaks."

Almost frowning after she said that, Yang had to wonder how much luck did play into this. It felt like this was almost ordained to happen. That it would be them that gathered the information to fight the abominations. Blake, Ruby, and Weiss would be able to hold out long enough for them to arrive and provide support. Blake's direct experience with the Grimm was even more vital…

Unless…

Yang narrowed her eyes. Was it possible…

Did they circumvent Fate's will with one simple action?

It was something she would have to bring to Naruto's attention and ask what happened after she left to pick up Ruby, for quite a few things transpired. But was that possible?

"Yang?" Velvet asked as she could feel the conflict building in the blonde, which snapped her back into the group. "You seemed like you zoned out there. Are you okay? You can share."

"Actually… I can't." Yang shook her head, making Velvet and Nora frown and drawing Ren's and Pyrrha's attention. "Not until we have the team meeting with everyone present, as I can't do justice to the revelation that hit us two months ago. Naruto has to be the one to explain that, and well… What is bothering me right now happens to revolve around that."

"Does it have to do with... What the professor..." Pyrrha tried to phrase what she wanted to say carefully, but Ren's attention was drawn as he was more convinced than before that something had happened between Naruto and Ozpin.

"Yes, but that… Is only part of the picture." Yang grimaced as Pyrrha all but confirmed her suspicion before sighing. "The revelation we came upon puts everything into place, and what he had known from Beacon before was only a small part of it. To be honest…"

"When you were talking about feeling so insignificant, I understood it because that is what this made me feel like. I've never felt so helpless, and we're supposed to fight back somehow. I don't even know how…" Yang dropped her head and looked at the sand below, feeling defeated before a light smile graced her lips, and she looked back up. "And despite everything, he feels like we can do this. I am not about to give up just yet.

"Okay... Sounds like we're facing something terrible if this is even worse than what we already prepared for," Jaune groaned, and Yang confirmed his words by biting her lip and nodding. "Well, hell… There goes any relaxation I wanted to have… Guess we really are going to be working hard…"

"But you know what," Jaune sighed before giving everyone a confident grin. "I'm all for it. I mean, we should always take a day or two here and there to rest, recuperate and relax so we can reset, but… I meant it earlier when I said I came to Beacon to prove to myself that I could do something for the world. And I feel somehow…"

"This is it. This is where I should be. Something special is starting here, and I want to be a part of it." Jaune had a confident smile as he looked around at everyone here. "I don't know about the rest of you, but when Naruto brought all of us together, I felt like I was finally part of something I belonged. And it meant so much to me. And to even be part of what's going on right now, I want to help out as it is."

Hearing Jaune's enthusiasm and seeing everyone begin to feed off it, Yang couldn't help but get a little charged. "Well, we'll be having that chance soon. I'm not sure what the plan is now, with everything seemingly getting jumbled up, but we'll wait until tomorrow. But I'm ready to get this started myself."

"Hell yeah! I want to get started already!" Fox grinned as he cracked his knuckles. "Cleaning up the streets is the entire reason I started my journey to become a hunter. Protecting Remnant from the Grimm is important. There are too many rotten things going on from within that need to change!"

"I hear that." Yatsu nodded in agreement as he joined in with his friend's sentiment.

"Well, let's get some rest so we're rested and ready to go after the meeting and figure out the plans. I'm sure we can at least get some things moving, especially if that woman is around. But you would think a semblance like that would have caught more notice…" Coco informed everyone before she tilted her head.

She found it odd that she had never heard of a Huntress with that specific ability. "Hunters are celebrities, so you would think one with that kind of ability would have a following…"

"Ah, anyways, let's not bring up my mom!" Yang anxiously stammered, for even though she didn't know what her mother did before, from the sounds of what the Branwen did in the clan from her uncle during their lessons at Beacon, she didn't want to hear about it. "You know, I feel really tired all of a sudden! I think I'm gonna have to call it a night!"

Seeing the anxiety her mother had caused Yang, she dropped this one as everyone had an understanding. It was being dealt with and not something she wanted to discuss with everyone. Almost everyone waved her farewell as they began to drift apart.

All except Velvet, who came with Yang as she left the group. The dragon turned and noticed her before intelligently responding. "What? Is there something else?"

"Um, I hate to ask but seeing as Naruto and Blake are both wrapped up in something else, can you confirm something for me?" Velvet asked with a mild blush before she shook her head, leaving Yang staring at her incredulously. "Not like that!"

"If I can. It might be something I shouldn't do. They've beat it into me not to tell other people's secrets." Yang answered honestly as she scratched the back of her neck and lightly chuckled.
As Velvet smiled in understanding, she took a deep breath to gain her confidence. She then recalled the detail she saw. "Is… Are Naruto and Blake… Did they…"

Then she lost all her confidence as she blushed and began to press her fingers together at the implication.

Yang instantly caught on and gave a hearty laugh. It did not make Velvet feel any better as she blushed further and muttered harsh words under her breath about the blonde dragoness. "Okay, I can answer if that is the question I'm thinking. It is right? I mean, they fucked so hard I heard them over half a mile away…"

"What, no?!" Velvet responded in a mixture of annoyance, horror, and, oddly enough, some curiosity before she mentally shook that out of her head and glared at her. "I wanted to know if they had mated!"

"Oh, that. I don't think they have a problem with me saying anything about that, so I think I can answer that with a yes. That time they didn't wake up all of Patch with Blake's roars." Yang carefully and thoughtfully considered for a moment before concluding that they didn't mind if the news was spread.
Velvet noticed something and merely wanted to confirm it. Then she grinned at the part she added at the end as she had the rabbit faunus furiously blushing at hearing her friend roar while being sated. Now that Yang thought about it, it made sense after seeing her father and learning he was a panther faunus. He was sure to have a mighty roar…

Yang blushed. That was not an image she needed to be thinking of. "Bad Yang! Bad brain! Stop doing that!"

Not questioning what caused Yang to blush or grab the sides of her head and shake it, Velvet smiled happily upon hearing the news. "Oh, that's wonderful to hear! I was afraid that with all of this wedding mess circulating around that they wouldn't, but now I don't have to worry. They must have figured a way to get around it."

"Yeah, I hope so." Yang smiled back, before she stiffened into a yawn. "What the, am I actually tired? Fair enough, been a long day."

"I bet it has." Velvet giggled at the dragon's yawn, who glared at her for it. "I think we all could use the rest. But thank you for confirming that was what I saw on Naruto. I'll have to congratulate them tomorrow."

"Is it that big of a deal?" Yang blinked before suddenly taking a step back, seeing Velvet's change of attitude and stern gaze. "Okay, I admit I don't know enough about faunus culture! I'm sorry! I never really had faunus friends growing up!"

Taking a deep breath, understanding that many humans wouldn't know and that it was why there was ignorance against the mated tradition, Velvet sighed before explaining. "In essence, it is similar to marriage but far more intimate. Think of a marriage taking place in the middle of intimacy."

Yang's eyes bulged, and she felt her heart beating rapidly. Oh, she did not feel comfortable at all and understood the position they took. She had admitted her attraction to a married woman… And had been flirting with her husband.

"Not only that, but the vows are shared at a very specific time during the most vulnerable period for a female. While they are in their mating cycle, or in heat with absolutely no protection and no medication." Velvet continued, which made Yang choke. "That is why all faunus treat the ceremony with such reverence. It's the ultimate act of trust and belief as the partners give themselves entirely to one another. And at the end of it, an item that holds special significance to the couple is placed upon their partner."

"That's why the mating ceremony is important to faunus and why we celebrate it. And that is why so many fight for it to be recognized as an equivalent to marriage. It should be." Velvet finished as she crossed her arms around her chest.

Yang stood slack-jawed for a moment. She took a moment, screwed her jaw back on correctly, and grimaced. "I think I need to apologize to them… I might have fucked up…"

"I think they're fine and understanding, but it wouldn't hurt." Velvet smiled at her before patting Yang on the shoulder. "You are hardly the first person that accidentally crossed those boundaries. It's unfortunately why so many faunus still get a marriage license as well, just so the Kingdom's laws accept their mating."

We're still behind the times, aren't we? That doesn't seem fair." Yang muttered and frowned as she saw a fraction of the depths of oppression that faunus still dealt with. "I thought getting kicked out of restaurants and stuff was bad."

"That's hardly it. There are still a number of minor laws that work against faunus, depending on the Kingdom you're in. Ironically, Vale has the highest faunus population due to more progressive laws, yet it is still not fair. Hopefully, things will slowly change now that June is in office. We have a voice at the top, but I can't hold my breath that will change anything." Velvet sighed and closed her eyes.

Then her eyes opened, and determination filled them as she turned towards the ocean and looked out into the darkness beyond. "We need to be the change. And I will work toward that goal with all my heart, soul, and body."

Hearing the strength within her words, Yang was surprised as she was usually so timid. With the fire still raging, Yang and Velvet looked out to the night sky over the ocean. She admires the view silently for a moment.

Finally, she took a deep breath and smirked. "Yeah, I'm down for that."

---

"What were you thinking?!" A voice hissed in the darkness, trying to be quiet but also showing his disdain for the situation.

In a dimly lit room, lit primarily by candle lights, forgoing the electricity for the night so as not to row suspicion from the sleeping occupant in a room over, Qrow narrowed his eyes as he sat at the table along with his sister Raven and his brother-in-law Taiyang. And he had a snarling scowl as his eyes pointed daggers at his sister.

"Of all things Raven… You could have easily taken care of it yourself… Why did you think pushing Ruby into making that decision was a good idea?" Qrow kept his voice low as he snarled, knowing Ruby was resting and recovering from the day's events in her room.

Alone.

Yang refused to come home as she was struggling with dealing with the fact that she had done the same thing months earlier. It was finally starting to affect her. And she witnessed her little sister commit the same act, leaving her visibly scarred and shaken, so she stayed with her friends for comfort.

Something he could not blame her for.

And Ruby's current roommate Weiss didn't return home either, disturbed by the series of events herself on top of the recent events occurring in her life. He was sure watching her friend behead someone brutally from above did not help matters. She had enough to deal with as it was.

"On this, I agree… Of all things, this was not what Ruby needed to deal with right now." Taiyang added, his voice muted from the drain he felt from handling his daughters after. "There is no telling how she will handle this. As much as I love my baby girl, I can tell… She's changed, and something is different. I can't help but think that it has to do with what happened to her brain."

The room was uncomfortably quiet once he spoke those words. Qrow lowered his head as he relived the incident and Ruby's resurrection, but now looking back on it, wishing there were a few more moments. That there had to be something more that he could have done than watch. Even now, coming up with much information about Fate as anything about her in lore, unlike the Brother Gods, was all but erased in Remnant…

And couldn't be sure why that was, but it didn't seem natural.

Raven said nothing, although a light grimace crossed her features. She knew how bright and bubbly the girl had been before. The darker side had most definitely been unveiled…

Frowning as he leaned back in his chair, Tai looked over at the Branwen siblings. Qrow he understood. But Raven's look annoyed him. How did she know his daughter that well? "Okay, I get it… I know I tend to push aside their flaws and look at them as the angels they are, but really? This isn't like Ruby at all. She didn't have that dark of an imagination."

"Tell that to the Grimm she's been dismembering limb by limb." Qrow squirmed as even he felt a small amount of pity for when she angrily dispatched them when she was upset and needed to blow off steam.

He then shook his head, took a deep breath, and glanced at his friend. "Ruby… Oddly trusted me with many of her secrets that I don't even think Yang knows half of. Maybe it was because I never told you as I felt that would be breaching her trust, and I'm still not going to, but…"

"She's had many of these dark and messed up thoughts and dreams for a while now. She's been having them since she learned what a hunter is and wanted to become a Huntress. She wanted to follow in her mother's footsteps, but as she read more, she kept coming to me distressed at everything she was learning and what it would take. And I told her the truth that sometimes those things had to happen. It gave her trouble, and she chose to focus solely on the threat of the Grimm because she wasn't sure she could make that choice." Qrow softly spoke before gritting his teeth and giving a heavy sigh.

"And then she met Naruto… And what can I say there? That's a whole can of worms in itself when Ruby is concerned." Qrow flicked his hands through his hair and groaned out. "The concerning one is that Ruby followed him into his world, veering away from hunting Grimm and being the hero to everyone in that way like she wanted… She saw how heroic he was and jumped right aboard despite the resistance… Tai, your kids are too fucking stubborn! Where the hell did that train come from?"

Tai could only nod in agreement at that one before narrowing his eyes and muttering. "This coming from the guy calling them his daughters all the time…"

"Fuck you. You know what I mean."

"They're strong-willed girls that think for themselves. Of course, they're stubborn." Raven decided to answer, snapping both Qrow and Tai's attention back to her as she looked at the two. "The one thing you two did right was allowing them the freedom to choose, and that kind of autonomy lets them think. And often, when we make a choice, we stick to it even when it is a horrible decision. We don't want to feel inadequate... Or lesser for making the wrong choice. To say that we were wrong."

"Like how wrong I was for leaving you seventeen years ago…" Raven finished quietly as she looked away momentarily before returning her gaze to Taiyang's surprised face. "But I have to sleep in the bed I made. And I will lay in this bed, too, as I believe that teaching this skill is necessary for them to survive. If they are up against people willing to use assassins and snipe people in the middle of the streets, they need to be aware and ready for it!"

"How do you know that?" Qrow growled as he focused his eyes on his sister. "How the hell did you get that information? The tribe wouldn't know any of that?"

"I watch my family Qrow," Raven stated as her crimson eyes pierced into his, holding back a snarl. "I always have. I might have ran away like a coward… But I always checked in from afar now and then. How do you think I knew where to find Yang that night and knew exactly where she was? How do you think I knew you were a drunk? I've always been watching, and that now means I will keep watch more than ever now, seeing as I have nothing else to do…"

"Wait, nothing else to do?" Taiyang immediately caught onto those words as he interrupted his ex while Qrow's eyes stayed locked on his sisters. "Raven… You've been here twice this week since you started working with them… In the first month, you've dropped by once, and it wasn't anywhere as casual as this."

"What happened?"

"She was exiled from the clan like I was," Qrow answered for sister, knowing the answer but speaking with a firm tone but a little pity in his voice. "They thought she grew too soft for wanting to help the outside world instead of plundering and pillaging it. The only problem is I don't think they threw you out, considering you have something extraordinarily valuable to the world in general…"

"The magical power of the Spring maiden."

"The fuck is that?" Taiyang blinked as he was a bit out of the loop on this, not having stayed with Ozpin for as long as Qrow, Raven, and Summer did.

He wasn't sure how Raven knew to be honest, as she left around the same time he did, or how she came to have powers. He had no clue what they were. He did know she did not have those lightning abilities before, so…

"Wait… You mean like the fairy tale maidens? Like from the books I read to Ruby and Yang when they were young?" Taiyang came to a weird realization as he was thinking about what her powers were and put together rain, lightning, and spring together in a strange roundabout way and then fused it with hearing magical…

Ultimately, he arrived at fairy tales.

Even he questioned his logic.

"The same, yes," Raven answered honestly, as she was surprised when she learned of their existence.

"The fuck! They're real?!" Taiyang, before wincing, looking over at Ruby's room. "Shit, need to keep my voice down…"

"They were real, and their power and essence are passed down person to person now to those compatible or, as we call them, maidens. Ironically it is always a woman, and other than that… I don't know the other traits. Ozpin and Ironwood were tight-lipped about what makes them special." Qrow sighed before shrugging his shoulders. "My misgivings and the eventual reason I left working for Ozpin revolved mostly around Ruby and his handling of her and Yang's safety. When I returned to Sanus from being in Mistral for the last year, I was pissed to hear and see Ruby was at Beacon two years early. I knew she was a candidate for being a maiden, and rescuing a half dead Amber, I knew they were planning to push looking for a new Fall Maiden, and I feared for the outcome since she was a potential successor…"

"That bastard was trying to do what?" Raven snarled, her red eyes igniting with passion. "These powers aren't a game, and I'm still struggling to control mine! I have had years upon years of practice with them too! Ruby still needs to learn how to become a Huntress and control the power of the silver eyes! She didn't need that thrown on top of everything else."

"Well, that problem was solved, so we don't have to worry about it. She's not there now, and he only has one potential successor left now out of the ones he was taking seriously." Qrow sighed, shook his head, and looked back over at Taiyang, who was distraught at what he heard. "Yeah, shady shit happened quite often at Beacon, and I was involved. Let's move on from that. I'm done working that job… Don't really like my current job that much either, but that's due to Ironwood. He is worse than Ozpin…"

"No shit… He, nor you, told Naruto about the relics… Especially about the Relic of Knowledge." Raven narrowed her eyes, and Qrow's face fell.

"You didn't…" Qrow began before, and seeing Raven stare back at him unflinchingly, Qrow cursed. "Dammit! As much as I hate Buckethead, I agree with him on this point… We don't need Naruto focusing on the Relics and snooping around while we are trying to confirm whether or not Arthur was involved with Salem or not. After that, I'm more inclined to let him take the Relic of Knowledge for safekeeping. It will be in safer hands that way."

"Are we just going to forget about Fate then while that Relic is the best way of providing an answer of how to fight back? You think he will accept that because I already told him." Raven hissed as she kept her voice low, and Qrow exasperatedly clutched his temples.

He then spoke with a steady, measured voice as he placed his hands on the table before he broke. "You did… By the Brothers, Raven... Did you at least dig the grave first before you buried me?! Or did you give him the shovel to beat me to death with it?!"

"I think we're getting a little off topic… Besides…" Taiyang broke it up before sighing as he turned. "I can hear you listening, Ruby. Caught your hitched breath just a moment ago. How long have you been at your door?"

Pushing her door open, Ruby looked guilty as she walked out in her pajama attire which was just white sweats with heart prints and a black sleeveless t-shirt. "All of it."

"Dammit! And I'm supposed to be the one with good hearing!" Qrow cursed before he took a deep breath to calm himself and gaze at his niece. "Ruby, honey…"

"She deserved it," Ruby spoke without hesitation, catching Qrow and even Tai without warning, and even Raven raised her eyebrow at how fast she responded to her brother as he hadn't gotten a word in yet. "She… Did things. Bad things. Hurt people. She was evil. She couldn't live..."

"So I ended her."

Those words washed over the adults in the room, making Qrow cringe and Taiyang shiver from how deathly serious Ruby's gaze was. Her silver eyes shone in the dim lighting with conviction, her gaze unwavering as she met Raven's piercing stare.

She believed in what she did.

And the former tribal chief nodded and smiled softly. "Then you did what was necessary to survive."

"Raven!" Qrow growled as even Tai didn't look pleased with her response.

"Stop sugarcoating it!" Raven snapped back at her brother and glared at her ex; her gaze fiercely bounced between the two. "This stigma against killing another has gone too far. While I may have lived in the tribe where we did deplorable acts that even now I can see went too far… Taking another life should not be looked down upon!"

"There are times it must be done. You know that, Qrow!" Raven glared at her brother, particularly at that part, before inhaling deeply and calming herself. "I understand the reluctance to do so. What the boy does is admirable, and he's one of a kind. Even has blood on his hands and will stain his hands if necessary, so shouldn't the girls do the same in order to protect themselves? That time has already come for both of them, and it has harmed Yang far more than Ruby."

"You both are being naive in thinking this isn't going to happen again, and they will be forced into a situation where killing another won't happen again. They need to be prepared for it." Raven finished with her eyes burning.

The room became silent once more as Qrow and Taiyang flinched. Qrow hated to admit it. He knew his sister was right. Tai felt himself deflate as he had watched Yang unravel after losing her innocence, and now he personally saw his youngest lose the innocence she had once so cherished…

"She right…" Taiyang felt defeated as he gazed over at his youngest, who was still standing, ignoring a cold nose sniffing at his ankles as Zwei had exited Ruby's room when she opened the door. "You are a Huntress now, and the road you have chosen… Is a brutal one. It's one most hunters tend to avoid as they stick to Grimm and only pursue bounties when necessary. Most hunters lose their jobs because of the politics and legalities at play."

"Ain't that the truth…" Qrow grumbled as he knew that all too well, having worked for Ozpin for years before looking directly into his niece's eyes. "And you are already directly in the spotlight because of association. Every action you take will be scrutinized, and not only can harsh judgment befall you… Everyone suddenly turns their back on you, hating you for your actions."

"Taking another life cannot be an action taken for granted. Look at what it has done to your sister…" Qrow as he made his intent clear. "Know that it weighs on you, and maybe this time everything was fine… But will that be true next time, Ruby?"

"And not everything is black and white, angel," Taiyang added as he reached down and patted Zwei on the head before focusing on his daughter, giving her a stern look. "Right now, it might seem obvious, but look at many people underneath that work for them… How many simply want to earn a wage and support their families? To come home at night and be comfortable as they try to make ends meet?"

"Knowing when to stay one's blade is important… To not be reckless and cause mayhem… Unlike the clan." Raven spoke before finishing softly and looked away, memories flooding before taking a deep breath and shaking her head. "It is something I can help teach. I think you are more ready than your sister to be taught this lesson if your father and uncle will allow me to."

Taiyang sighed as he glanced at his ex and over at his brother-in-law, who took a deep breath before looking away, defeated. He then gazed at his baby girl and gave her a half smile as he was emotionally exhausted. "It's your decision, always has been. Be aware of the risk not only to yourself…"

"But to those around you."

Taking in her father's serious expression, Ruby let the room fall silent as she ruminated on his words and uncle Qrow's. And everything Raven had said. Everything she heard from Naruto… Everything she remembered about her mother…

She was snapped out of her thoughts by a bark, and she instinctively knelt to pet and pat Zwei before lifting the corgi into her grasp. She held him tightly against her chest and stomach. The small dog happily panted as he looked at the rest of the room while providing comfort to his master by having his head stroked. He then looked at Raven.

And then barked while wagging his tail.

Raven twitched. Was it trying to intimidate her? Did it dare think it was better than her? She narrowed her eyes as its tongue lulled out of its muzzle and an additional bark echoed. Was that a challenge?!

She snarled at the corgi, but it only happily wagged its tail and barked again, thinking it was a game. It only made Raven more irate as her eye began to develop a tick. Was this thing immune to her natural, dominating aura?

It barked again, and Raven was ready to get up and rip the Zwei from Ruby's grasp by the collar to prove who was the most dominant when the girl finally spoke. "I… Need to think. Tired. Going to sleep."

"That's probably for the best." Taiyang smiled, hearing Ruby stifling a yawn while proud she didn't rush into a decision before standing up, stretching as he did, and walking over to Ruby and giving her a small embrace. "Know no matter what, I, and your uncle, love you and support your decisions."

Moving from his chair, Qrow walked over and nodded in agreement. "Whatever you decide, we will stand behind you. We always have, and I know you well enough to know you won't make this decision lightly."

"Oh…" Qrow was taken back when Ruby broke Tai's embrace to hug him, and while he scowled at his brother-in-law's chuckle, he softly smiled as he wrapped his arms around his Rose and embraced her back. "All right. Get some sleep. Your friends will want to see you in the morning. Consider taking a day off for once. Think everyone has earned that after yesterday."

"Right." Ruby released herself from her uncle's embrace before yawning once more. "Night."

"Have a good night, my little rose." Taiyang smiled as his daughter returned to her room and gently shut the door behind her.

Then he let out a soft sigh. "I think we should take that example too… I have to head to work in the morning. It's a Friday for me. I got classes to teach. Most of those kids are helpless, but I need to make sure the few that seem capable pan out. We need all the hunters we can get after all…"

"We lose so many Huntsman and Huntresses every year for so many reasons…" Qrow finished quietly, looked over to the couch, and glared at his sister. "Don't know where you're crashing, but I'm taking the couch for the night. Too late for me to head to my apartment. And before you say anything… No Raven… I want to sleep, not bang my head into the wall for the next hour!"

Her red eyes were glowing mischievously, and Taiyang was gulping as he backed away, his lack of willpower already draining from his body. "I can't ever win… Raven's dominating eyes… Summer's kinks…"

"Should have known the quiet ones are deranged. I had her pegged as a monster in bed that would make even the wicked witch flinch. Was proven correct when she told me some of her secrets in Beacon… She was something." Raven added simply to Tai, who flinched at a few memories before sighing and shaking her head. "But no. I've got a camp set up at the old abandoned cabin out there."

Qrow twitched. Oh, he knew that cabin well. It was the only other cabin out here, and it had a very particular memory attached to it.

Yang sure remembered that day well. Ruby slept through, thankfully.

Raven caught that twitch but said nothing. She felt there was something to it but felt the night was long enough as it was. There was no need to pursue it now.

She had all the time she needed anyways. Patch was her home again.

"Well, see you, boys. I need to start my campfire if I want to sleep well tonight." Raven waved as she turned and created a portal, exiting the house in her fashion.

And that left Qrow and Taiyang alone with their thoughts on the day. The former walked over, plopped himself on the couch, and laid back, grumbling ever so slightly while Tai sighed. "It's something else seeing her back after all these years… And now…"

"Dealing with her every day after everything, yeah. Trust me, that's something I wasn't prepared for either." Qrow sighed as he looked up at the ceiling above before he chuckled. "Well, there is one bright spot about it. She's forced to look after her daughters now."

"I'm not so sure that's a good thing… She's not a suitable role model." Tai winced at his words as his world revolved around hers for a time, and now he knew better and understood why Qrow was frustrated with him so much back in the day. "In fact… She's a lousy female role model for them… Maybe it's time I started playing the field again…"

"Try the police chief." Qrow quipped with a grin as he closed his eyes, struggling not to laugh as his brother-in-law choked on his spit. "Know her quite well. She's in our age range; I know you're not a fan of blondes, but she's got a smoking figure and knows how to show it off. She is strict and domineering… And when they are angry, those emerald eyes are something to behold…"

"Dammit, Qrow! Stop pointing out my weakness!" Taiyang roared at the uncle to his daughters before cursing as he remembered Ruby was trying to get to sleep. "You're an asshole. Liked it better when you're drunk."

"Have to do something to keep myself from thinking about the booze," Qrow commented before closing his eyes, but his grin shifted into a smile. "But honestly, give her a shot. Beneath that strict exterior is one of the most caring and sincere individuals there is. She is one of the most skilled Huntresses I know. She would be the perfect role model for Yang and Ruby to look up to right now as they are finding their place in the world. And the best part is…"

"She already adores Ruby after teaching her at Beacon."

"Oh… She's the one that left the academy recently. Goodwitch… I remember her a little bit back when we were in Beacon. She was our senior when we first arrived." Taiyang commented as he realized who Qrow was talking about before he grinned as he had few memories. "Oh, right. The one who put Raven in her place all the time."

"That would be her. The one that taught her humility even if she'll never admit it." Qrow smirked as he let out a content sigh at those memories. "Good times."

"They were… I might have to give it some thought." Taiyang gave a light nod before ripping off an echoing yawn. "Well, I'm hitting the sack."

"Yeah, yeah. Let me know if you are interested. I'll float the idea by to Glynda." Qrow waved from behind the couch as he watched his father of his nieces head to bed.

And secretly, in his other hand, he had his scroll pulled out, his thumb working as he typed a text to a certain good witch. "Yeah… Not leaving this to chance if she's staying around."

"It's better for everyone this way."

---

The sight opening his bedroom door was something, that was for sure. He had felt it was odd that Weiss was not in the cot they had brought over from Tai's place. And now the sight that fell before him couldn't quite place left him…

Two parts concerned. One leaned on what happened to Blake and Weiss while he was out, not quite ready to deal with his mate yet. The other on what they did to end up so close to each other in bed where they were almost snuggled together and using Blake's pillow to sleep on.

Naruto's more rational side took over as he could see Weiss shivering and shaking in her sleep and could tell it was not blissful. Due to the faunus' night vision, he saw the crusted tears staining their faces. He sighed softly as he slid the door behind him, trying not to wake them, but he knew that wasn't possible.

Blake's ears twitched as she was a very light sleeper. She gently lifted her head from the pillow and her golden eyes gleamed through the night in his direction. "Naruto…"

"Oh… We had a bit of a discussion…" Blake began softly, trying not to rouse Weiss from her fitful sleep as Naruto walked over to his side of the shikibuton, sat down, and shook his head.

"I think I understand what happened. Emotions are high, and everyone is tense. Things are in a volatile state at the moment." Naruto exhaled as he kept his gaze away from Blake, refusing to look in her direction. "Everything had been escalating, we were dealing with so many things, and the wedding plans were suddenly shoved down our throats again by it changing course. Top it off with our first fight where we refused to communicate with one another…"

"It became a cluster fuck because I turned off my damn scroll and realized Weiss and Ruby were calling and texting me too late, trying to figure out where I was so you would stop panicking." Naruto leaned back against the wall, looked up at the ceiling, and deflated. "So in the end, everyone is trying to take the most blame…"

"It's me. I fucked up the most. I'm the one who could have prevented all of this with a single act." Naruto bit his lip before turning and finally looked at his mate sorrowfully. "After being pissed off that you wouldn't listen to me, I flickered out of here. I decided I didn't want to hear it as soon as you started texting me. I turned my scroll off. And as usual, I forgot it existed unless I needed it as a tool which I didn't until I returned home. I found it flooded with messages and missed calls."

"So all the fuck ups you think you made, I fell for it worse, Blake… Fate might have lured you into the trap… She baited me away, and I left everything I loved behind to be torn apart and destroyed because of it." Naruto teared up as he admitted, clenching his fist, his body trembling from anger and the fear coursing within. "I almost lost you… Weiss was nearly killed… Got Ruby almost experimented on and raped."

"Why do any of you deal with me when your lives are constantly in danger because of it?"

"Naruto… I…" Blake whispered as she tried to sit up and move to comfort her mate but realized there was a body between them.

That body twisted around and beat her to it.

Weiss rose and wrapped her delicate arms above his stomach as she embraced him and placed her head against his chest, directly above his heart. And her icy eyes glistened with tears building in her eyes, both from anger and from her own sorrow. "It's because we care deeply about you, you idiot!"

"In these last six months, our lives have changed dramatically because of you and for the better! You have been there for us when we needed it the most. You have been there through our trying times! You listen to us when we are in need but give us space when we need it! You don't take our shit when we push too far! You set boundaries and keep them! You respect and care for us individually as friends while keeping your relationship with Blake! It's so admirable!"

"The least we can do is be there when you need it! To be that warm embrace! To be that listening ear! To be that slap in the face or the wake-up call you need!" Weiss cried as tears started to roll down her face as she hiccupped and held on tightly to her embrace.

And she was soon joined by Blake rolling around her, seated on Naruto's lap with her legs dangling close to Weiss as she embraced Naruto's right side. "Too often you blame yourself, and I find it so annoying. Please stop doing that. We are a team. We do this as one, and we all screwed up. It started with the phone call, and everything spiraled out of control. We both lost our cool, so we are equally at fault, okay?"

Feeling the warmth of his mate and the surprisingly cool touch of Weiss, Naruto sighed. This day was getting to be too much for him. He sunk his head to the right and softly sighed. "So then what are going to do about… This? I can't… The wedding doesn't look stoppable. Faking it in Atlas will only hurt Weiss when we haven't even initiated our plans to start working in Vacuo and get in with the council yet. It was almost like Fate knew the exact moment we would start…"

"There's no way we can do that in a week, and it's impossible to bring Jacques's crimes to light in that time. This event doesn't help, and I still don't have him named as a part of that group despite Kobe mentioning he was a partner of theirs. He's a partner to many people… He controls all the Dust in the land. Therefore, almost everything has to go through him…" Naruto seemed defeated before a curious glint caught his gaze at the end.

Blake caught that look due to their angle as she nuzzled her mate, trying to get him out of his depressive state. "I know that look… You thought of something."

"Not in the sense that it's usable right now, but it could put someone on the right track. I'll have to give him what I thought of." Naruto commented as Weiss slowly sat up, leaning against his shoulder now as he turned to meet her keen attention. "You would think because of that reason, being one of the wealthiest men in all of Remnant, being on the Mantle and Remnant council, and the ties he has with the Atlas military being one of the main financial backers to it…"

"You would think they would think twice before crossing your father when he has marked me as off limits." Naruto pondered. "There is a division, and I wonder if they're more willing to offer that information… Although to be fair, they would rather have my head, so we're at a bit of a crossroads there."

Weiss had to ponder that too, frowning at the thought. It was intriguing. Why cross the person with the most power and backing in the world over something else unless you were sure it was something that could be smoothed over? And considering it was something involving the man's daughter, it was doubtful it would be so simple, so why…

"I can only theorize…" Weiss began as she thought aloud. "But for the longest time, the Schnee family has controlled the most quarries, controlling the largest known Dust supplies in the world, and is only marginally challenged by the Mistral Trading Company. Thanks to my father's business tactics of buying out other companies after running them into the ground, he, together with M.T.D., drained the rest of Vacuo of their dust reserves before touching either Mantle's or Mistral's due to their Kingdom's position being the weakest."

"Is it possible," Weiss trailed off and muttered to herself, "They found another large mine of Dust? One that dwarfs all the Schnee quarries? And that's why they are acting without fear?"

"Because the balance of power isn't as tilted as before…" Naruto caught where Weiss' trail had led her, and her attention snapped out of her musings and back to them with a blush.

"I said all of that out loud, didn't I?" Weiss had a furious blush as she realized everything she said was verbalized as Blake's golden eyes blazed through the night and Naruto's cerulean eyes reflected all visible light within.

"Yup. Although I think we needed to hear it." Blake commented, giving Weiss a comforting smile as she softly let go of Naruto. "It is interesting, but it doesn't get us anywhere. It explains why they might be emboldened to act, not how we will stop this."

"It also explains his push to have me join the family. If that's the case, it's not just about strengthening the Schnee bloodline as we first thought. It's to protect his own assets… His family…" Naruto started before frowning as he could feel his temples throbbing. "Your father is a… Complicated man. I can't fathom the depths to him Weiss if even half of this is theorizing is hitting the truth."

"I know… I wish I could understand him better myself." Weiss shrank into herself and looked down as she let out a deep sigh and brought up the topic she dreaded the most. "So what can we even do about all of this? About us? What will we do about this pre-wedding he has sprung on us to ensure the deed is done so that the festival is just a celebration?"

"I know you don't want to marry me, and I understand that. Blake is your mate, and in faunus culture, it is considered equivalent to marriage. But the Kingdoms, despite Vale being the most progressive of the four, haven't recognized it as such. I don't want to be seen as a home wrecker as I love you as my friends…"

"We didn't expect this to happen either," Blake admitted with a soft hiss before relaxing. "I finally felt comfortable enough to give myself a little bit after the month started. I had bought our collars for something far down the road, but the moment we connected, I knew what I felt was right. I kind of find it funny, but my mom was right. She always said you'll know when you find the one that completes you."

"Didn't think she meant literally in this case…" Blake grumbled and then hissed at Naruto, seeing a sly grin from the fox, and then at Weiss for her light giggle. "Don't make fun of me! I already knew it was just confirmation... To make sure everything was right."

"Sorry," Naruto muttered his apology, grinning before carefully wrapping his right arm around her waist and pulling her into him, making her hiss at the pain before mewling at the warmth. "That better?"

"Much better." Blake purred happily at him before her ears dipped softly. "Are you still mad at me?"

"I still am…" Naruto admitted before taking a deep breath and nuzzling against the crook of his mate's neck. "But after today's events, I'm more worried about your safety, first and foremost. We're discussing the issue, and that's what I wanted. Not… Whatever the hell convinced you to get all possessive and controlling then. We are a team, first and foremost."

Blake's ears dropped further, hearing he was still upset with her. She understood the reasoning and could accept it. She was also glad he returned as she feared he would be outside all night and avoid her, so his warmth was a bonus. But now they had to face the music and discuss this.

"Weiss… I don't think we can stop this from happening." Blake turned her attention to her white-haired partner with a grim expression. "Whether we like it or not, our relationship is secondary to this problem. We only had plans on being mated and to fake the wedding with me as the replacement as I was for I was with Naruto. We were only going out when this happened and was forced upon you, and Naruto was baited into it to save you."

"And I'm not one to back down, knowing what it will cost," Naruto growled as he focused on Weiss. "You are my friend, and I don't want to see you hurt and returning to that nightmarish situation. I could always help you escape, but what good does that do when your license is taken away? And the work to get your license back could take years, but we could make it work…"

"And what? You want me to sit around and do nothing?! To work a normal job?!" Weiss snarled and snapped at Naruto, her eyes engaging his. "I trained in these skills for years to fight and defend Remnant! I want to use them! I'm not skilled enough or stealthy to do what Yang's mother does right now, and I don't care to skirt the law as she does!"

"I can't do an average job being who I am! People would recognize me, and we know how that works! Maybe I could convince Glynda to apply to work as a peace officer but after everything I've learned from working with you…" Weiss trembled as she continued to rant. "I wouldn't be satisfied! Their job is too restrictive! They can't get to the source of the problem and, more often than not, are held back because of it! It's why hunters exist! We don't just fight the Grimm! We solve problems within society too! It's why they are given so many immunities!"

"I can do so much more, but being forced to the sidelines would be demoralizing. I couldn't…"

"Weiss, that's not what I was trying to say." Naruto interrupted, and shared a momentary glance with Blake while she did. "The point I was trying to make was that it would take too much time, and while it would be a steep road to climb, it's not practical. We're in a crunch and already have enough on our plate. We need to take things off it, not add to it."

"And while this will be added for a little while… It will sort itself out." Blake solemnly hung her head as she took a deep breath. "What I said yesterday is still true. I don't see another option. What else can we do?"

"Our plan was taken out before it could start, so I don't know." Naruto deflated while he held his mate while Weiss grimaced and looked away, unsure herself. "I don't have an answer or the resources to fight this. I can't back out, or Weiss loses her freedom, and we have a new issue to deal with…

"I'm at a loss. I'm known for last-second miracles, but…"

"This looks like I was outplayed, and I lost. Apparently, not all my lessons paid off, huh, Shikamaru?" Naruto muttered as his ears drooped, memories flooding back as he asked for friends' help to teach a critical life tool he was denied in his youth.

Something the Nara was more than willing to assist with but in the end…

It still wasn't enough.

"I don't like any of this…" Blake hissed as she thrashed in Naruto's grip, yowling in frustration. "I hate it so damn much! Why can't divorce be an option?! After the dust settles and everything is good in a few years, say things didn't work out amicably separate!"

"Blake," Naruto whispered, holding her tightly to him to comfort her. "I know how you feel, but this is why I was upset when you pinned the idea on me without giving me a choice. Jacques has been marketing this marriage to Remnant as a massive event. And for him, someone who is known for his controversial views against faunus to be willing to hand his daughter off in a marriage…"

"Has ramifications that stretch beyond our imagination," Weiss muttered and gritted her teeth, but it was caught clearly by the twitching of the faunus' ears. "This affects global relations with humans and faunus everywhere. The eyes of the world will be on us to see if we succeed and how the Schnee Dust Company operates with the new head and a faunus taking the helm."

"Every action will be scrutinized and put under a microscope, even more than what it already is. You think the press is a problem now? It will get worse. I'm used to it, unfortunately." Weiss depressingly sighed. "The blessing of living out here is that they don't feel safe enough to come to our doors due to the Grimm out here at Patch. But every hotel and other place we stay would be right at our door if we aren't as discreet as possible. That's how it worked when we traveled abroad, and it will intensify for us due to the scrutiny we will be under."

"So it's back to using cloaks again when we go out to do our work, that's for sure," Naruto grunted in irritation, as that would be difficult for him to accomplish when everyone was hounding him. "Vary them up too, so they don't catch on as they mature."

He needed discretion to work.

Weiss sighed as work would be difficult. Being a Huntsman and Huntress, you were a celebrity already in some regards, depending on how new and worthy your accomplishments were. A lot was expected of you due to the role in society they held in protecting the masses from the Grimm. In addition, they dealt with outlaws and criminals that regular society couldn't handle.

It was why Naruto was making such waves as the Gale Fox. He had found threads that allowed him to tear down massive players within Vale due to their criminal activity. It marked him as a rising global star and someone who caught her father's attention. And ever since then…

"But more than anything, it will make your relationship with Naruto hell. In the public's eyes, if they see you with him, he's cheating on me. They won't perceive it as that you were with him first and that this was imposed upon us. They will see you as the interloper who either preyed upon him or made him willingly commit adultery." Weiss spoke, and Blake's eyes narrowed as she yowled at that.

And it only got more alarming as she watched her friend descend into an incoherent mess of upset yowls and hisses. "That means you have to keep your relationship with those you can trust. To show it here and nowhere else. No more morning stops at the coffee shops, lunch outs to the udon stand, dinner dates to the fish hut at the harbor. Because after the big day…"

"Everything has changed, and I don't know how to make this work."

There was a long pause as the room became silent after Weiss finished.

No one had anything to say as Blake visibly shook in rage, hisses escaping her grinding teeth.

Naruto growled softly, but he comforted his mate by wrapping his other arm around her and keeping her in his grasp. It was all he could do to comfort her and keep himself calm. For all his preparation and planning…

He didn't have a plan to stop this.

Finally, after soaking in what was said, Blake took a breath and gazed into Weiss' eyes, her entire body quivering under the swell of emotions she held within. "So, in essence, what you are saying is… To the public's eyes, you will be the one standing in the light with my mate while it will be me standing in the shadows."

"Yes." Weiss bit her lip but nodded, quivering as she held her friend's gaze.

That one simple word was all it took for Blake's facade to crumble as the rest of her strength left her. She let out a hollow scream as tears streamed down her cheeks as her head fell into her mate's chest, her body shuddering and contorting in his hold.

The cries chilled his heart as he felt her thrash in his embrace, not attempting to escape. Her body spasmed uncontrollably as he could feel her agony tearing her apart, making any wound she received shallow in comparison. And those wounds were torn open by her movements and began to bleed through the cloth bandages. He would have to suture the wounds himself and redress them afterwards. Right now, he could only offer support and try not to let his sorrow show.

And that wasn't possible as his mate was broken in his arms, beyond consolable as she expressed her anguish to the world. He couldn't contain his tears from flowing as her emotions connected with his and mirrored his, so he did the only thing he could.

He wept with her as he held onto her.

Weiss shivered at the scene before her, freely shedding tears as she clenched her thighs before looking down. Blake's wails of woe broke her down once more, and she grieved alongside her friends, sobbing freely.

"I'm sorry… I'm so sorry." She said as the three broke down.

What seemed to be an eternity passed as he could see their tears dry up from dehydration, and even his own, from the lack of sobbing. He felt the trembling in his grasp had begun to subside slowly. Now Blake was shivering and hiccuping in his grasp, struggling to breathe. "I… I… I…"

"I know…" Naruto whispered, feeling his day drain and tax wearing on him but found the strength to keep pushing, seeing the state his mate was in. "I don't understand how. I don't know how. But together we will make this work."

"I love you. You are the reason I was able to keep the darkness from consuming me. We will work before anything else. I don't give a damn about this wedding or the eyes of the world." Anger burned in Naruto's cerulean eyes. "I will not concede! Fine, he may have won this! If this is what it takes to save my friend, so be it!"

"But fuck him if he thinks I'm going down quietly!" Naruto bit back a roar as he drew both sets of eyes to him as they quivered. "I will go full sail with the notion that we're already mated! This isn't going to be pretty anymore! I'm about to publicly state that our wedding, while legal it may be, also ignores faunus culture! I am no longer willing to be a scapegoat for the greater good!"

Looking up to the heavens themselves as he let his words wash over the girls, he growled as he knew someone else was listening. She needed to hear this herself.

"I am Naruto Uzumaki, and I will break these chains and forge my own path! You better believe it!"

---

This chapter, and the next, have been oddly difficult to write.

It's not writer's block, as when I hit my stride it's going by smoothly.

I don't think it is burnout from the story as I went back and wrote a chapter for Volume I for the Christmas Special.

And it came together with no issue.

It also could be for the emotional content that is taxing to write.

And it could be that once I get past this part everything will open up again.

So I'm beginning to question if it is just the length of the chapters that is bothering me.

A poll is now out to see whether everyone wants these longer chapters or if I should go back to writing smaller, more digestible chapters.

If you can't vote, please let me know here or via PM but don't double up.

Going back to smaller chapters would increase update times and probably make easier edits.

I would also save the big chapters for pivotal spots.

Or I can keep with these longer chapters if that is what everyone likes.

I would like to hear what everyone has to say as I'm leaning one way right now but value my reader's input.

The Next Update is going to take some time regardless as I'm trying to get ahead and my writing has slowed.

So as of now, there is no guaranteed update besides the Christmas Special on December 23rd.