A/N: Fine, fine, the people have spoken. I'll update some more of my RWBY stuff before the rest...

Sadly, this is a fragment. Working a long shift today, sorry about that. Blasted holidays.

Work a weary old man half to death why don'tcha... T_T

As ever, the Embers rule remains for this story.

If folks don't like this story, POOF! Away it goes. That's no joke. I'm absurdly busy this holiday season, writing ALONE now, with the departure of my team, and as such I don't have time to pen something that folks don't enjoy. So by all means, speak up! Every bit of feedback matters here! Truly, it does!

Now for your questions!

Q: Just how much has Future!Yang meddled here?!

A: YES.

Q: Are you taking requests?

A: Trying not to, but a few have caught my eye. Need to finish other stories first. All Things Must Die should be finished before Christmas on that note.

Q: Wait, how is team STRQ still keeping their name?

A: Clearly, you've forgotten. We've included Rumpole in this story. She's admittedly a minor character -and a teacher!- we only see from the books, but when you think about it she's actually quite dangerous...to say nothing of her Semblance. Sheesh, bloody overpowered thing!

Feel free to look her up.

Q:...this is going to blow up in Willow's face, isn't it? I smell a Jacques beatdown in the future.

A: *zips lips*

Q: This IS a pure Naruto, right? Wanted to be sure.

A: This question again? Pure Naruto yes, but full access to his powers...well, he's learning.

Q: More Arcane updates!

A: Soon.

Alright, then. I've kept you long enough.

As ever, I own no references, themes or memes. Not a wit or a one. Alright then, here we go~!

Looking forward to your reviews, they're all that keep usmegoing in this madness.

"Nine, nine, nine. There's something about him and the number nine...

"Oh, baby girl. You have NO idea.

"But you will."

~Yang.

The Ninth Fracture (Fragment)

Qrow absolutely whooped with glee.

"Ha! You're kidding me!"

...I wish I were."

Glynda knocked her glass back with a snarl and slammed it down on the table hard enough to crack the wooden frame beneath. Somehow the glass survived, while the table did not. She didn't know how. Didn't much care for that matter, either. She was entirely too sober for these shenanigans. Hence the drinking. All the drinking. Why wasn't she drinking?

"Another." she demanded hotly.

"You sure about that? Students like us really shouldn't be having any in the first place...

When the bemused Branwen continued to snigger she lifted her crop in warning. "Pour, or I will harm you."

"Alright, alright...

Say what you would about Qrow Branwen, but he was a good listener. He also knew when to shut up. And knew when to pour.

"So," despite his laughter, his hand remained perfectly steady as he refilled her glass with his flask. "Lemme get this straight. Just to be clear, this whole "engagement" thing little miss Schnee was prattling on about," he crooked his fingers at the aforementioned word, "Its a hoax, right? She's not really...you know what I mean?"

"It is not." Glynda snatched up her glass and knocked it back. "Unfortunately, it left your sister quite...cross."

Understatement of the century, that. She wanted no part of that madness and had rightfully left the three of them to sort things out while she was away. They could tear up Vale until they calmed down for all she cared. If she had been team leader, perhaps, she would've tried harder to corral them. But since she wasn't...

Nope!

Qrow pulled a face as he leaned away from her. "Whiskers bit off more than he could chew, eh? Sounds like something he'd do."

Across the room, Rumpole looked up from her book. "Qrow, whatever you're thinking, don't."

"Wouldn't dream of it, goldie."

She gave him an evil look and returned to her reading.

"Meh, let 'em go." Taiyang uttered a jaw popping yawn as he rolled over in his cot. "Best to get it out of their systems, and all that...

Not for the first time, Glynda tamped down a reflexive surge of anger. Blast these three. Blast them all! Beacon was supposed to simple. She'd been recruited by the best of the best, brought up on tales of fame and glory. She'd thought this academy would be the pinnacle of prestige, the hope of humanity, the one place where she could put her talents to good use. Miss Yin had certainly made it seem so.

.

..

...but they were all mad! All of them! Each and every one of them!

"He's your brother." she looked away with a huff. "You ask him.."

"Funny thing, that." A low chortle answered her. "He really ain't. We're not related by blood.

Glynda sensed a story there. Curiosity reared up in her heart.

"No, no, no." She shook her head fiercely to stymie it. "I want no part of this madness! They'r welcome to have him and be done with that.

"You say that," Qrow knocked his flask back, "But I see the way you look at him. 'Sides madness is like luck. It finds you." his brow twitched a little as he considered the inebriated girl currently sitting on him. "Whether you like it or not...

Summer hiccuped from where she lay in his lap, utterly smashed. "Yuuuup."

Qrow leaned forward just so. Glynda found herself mirroring him.

"Lemme tell you how we met...

A/N: As ever, the Embers rule remains.

Worry not, we'll see more of Hazel's team quite soon.

If folks don't like this story, POOF! Away it goes. That's no joke.

So by all means, speak up! Every bit of feedback matters here! Truly, it does! That's no joke!

As ever, without reviews I cannot write. 'Tis a simple, yet painful truth.

So In the Immortal Words of Atlas...Review Would You Kindly?

Oh, and before I forget. One last time!

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!

SPOILERS BELOW!

BEWARE!

(Preview)

"That's absurd! How did you dodge that many bullets?!"

"I didn't dodge them." Naruto turned just so, revealing his bloody coat and the scarlet stains spreading across it. "I resolved to take them from the start." a thin red line ran down his lips, yet his expression never wavered, not for a second. "To protect her."

"Fool! You'll die! This world will die! You'll all burn!"

"Maybe. Unlike you, I've got something called willpower." Blue eyes bled red. "Something you know very little about. Also?" his head shifted a fraction of an inch to the right as they unloaded again. A dust round lodged between his teeth, caught well short of its target. It shattered as he bit down. "I have people to protect."

"M-Monster!"

He lumbered forward. His attacker recoiled and tried to fire again. His shot went high.

"I'll let you in on a little secret...

A clawed hand closed around his face.

"You see, there's a monster in all of us." Scarlet light bled from his stomach. Mine's real."

His victim tried to speak, only to choke as scalding energy poured down their throat.

"Time to let the monster out."

R&R~!