A/N: Trolls and threats all over the reviews yet again. Yeesh. Hope folks like this, I worked really hard on it. Uuuuugh, long chapters wear me out something fierce~! Still not feeling well and this took so many wooooords...

*melts into a puddle*

EDIT: Went back and changed the chapter titles. They felt too impersonal.

Long author's note here, for which I apologize. There are things that need to be said here. There's a few scene breaks as well, and I'm sorry for that as well, but given the nature of Initiation, its something of a necessary evil. Now, then:

PLEASE READ THIS NOTE, WOULD YOU KINDLY?

We've got a twist here and I am...somewhat afraid of everyone's reactions. The death threats have escalated to almost daily attacks now and I'm terrified that this will make it worse, but this part of the plot was the plan from the beginning. I'm not one who enjoys airing personal matters on this site but there you have it. I'm doing my best to keep each story unique and different from the others but I can only improve if I hear from you, the readers. That's the long and short of it I suppose.

Remember, this story isn't solely about Naruto and Emerald, but everyone. We're a year out from canon here, but events are radically different.

For some reason it feels like this story's gotten less love than the others; and death threats at that. Perhaps its because I'm taking things in a different direction; whether they know it or not, Naruto and Emerald HAVE changed events drastically; its created something of a drastic ripple effect. So I'm going to list the known changes one last time, starting from the beginning. I know many of you are aware of them and the chapters have explained as much, but I'm getting too many threats over this. Sorry. I HATE long author's notes as much as you do so I'll keep this short:

. A reincarnated Naruto met Emerald as a child and together, they went their own way in life. Naturally, their actions produced ripples across the whole of Remnant, many of which we haven't seen.

. As a direct result of this, Cinder was unable to acquire Emerald, and thus, unable to strike down Amber. She was, however, able to recruit Mercury.

. Lacking the Maiden Powers, Cinder was UNABLE to threaten Adam, indeed, she didn't even think to do so given her lack of forces. This in turn freed up Adam to move as he wished and pursue Blake who in turn did something incredibly foolish. Adam, in turn, did something even more boneheaded. I won't say what here. That'd be telling.

. Ozpin's more active in his machinations, trying his best to muster the next generation against Salem.

. Pyrrha came to Beacon a year early to get away from her fame and all the pain it brought her. Ozpin made her an offer. She jumped. I'm sure all know how keen he is to headhunt talent and without the matter of the Fall Maiden to focus on, it stands to reason he'd be actively recruiting who he can, where he can, whenever he can.

. Cardin's father used his connections to get Cardin and his gang into Beacon early. That was a foolish, pigheaded decision. Ozpin allowed it.

I won't say anymore here for fear of spoiling things Still, it seems Little!Pyrrha was a hit with everyone, though she's only a year younger than her canon self. Who woulda thought she'd be such a hit? Here we go! Votes have been tallied! Reviews have been counted! Aaaaand the teams have been chosen! Remember, this is our boy reincarnated. His memories may come back, and we've obviously seen Kurama isn't as dead as we thought him to be. Oho, poor Remnant's not gonna have the best time of things if he wakes up.

Minor verbatim for the Initiation here. So in lieu of a longer author's note...readysetgo!

"This feels familiar. Like I've seen this before...lived it before...

"Are you alright? Is it the headaches again? Should I tell the teachers?"

"Nah, its nothing. I'll be fine. Its just a migraine. It'll pass. Always has. Always will."

~Naruto and Emerald.

Landing Strategy

Ozma considered himself a man of tact.

Perhaps that was arrogant of him, for tact implied adroitness or sensitivity in dealing with others and their issues. These days, he wasn't sure he held the capacity for it, not as he once did. Even after all these years, some small part of him still quailed at the idea of sending children to fight monsters. Even if they were heavily armed, absurdly strong teenagers with years of training, the act itself simply didn't sit well with his soul. Beacon had housed countless students before them -and likely would for generations to come!- but it was always here, on the morning of Initiation that he felt his resolve waver.

Ozma, or Ozpin as he'd come to be known in this life, was not an evil man. But felt he couldn't be called good either. Not anymore.

What manner of man sent others to die for him? A coward.

He'd been called far worse slurs over countless lifetimes; liar, deceiver, traitor, oath-breaker, and of course, murderer. His hands were drenched with blood, both of the lives he'd taken, and those he'd sent to their deaths, knowing or otherwise. He still heard their voices sometimes, in his darkest moments. Damn you. How could you? They trusted you! There were so many. So very many now. He couldn't even remember all their faces, but the insults that followed, the slurs their loved ones hurled at him when he inevitably informed them of their demise...those were never far from his thoughts.

Men, women and children alike. They all died while he lived on, again and again.

So he bore each condemnation a heavy heart, knowing it to be true as the blue sky above. They'd been right, of course. He was all these things and more; he'd committed terrible atrocities in the name of peace and would commit more still if it kept the world of Remnant safe from her. He did what he did for the greater good. He fought for the greater good. He kept his secrets for the greater good. Always, the greater good.

Today would no different, and so it was with a fresh cup of coffee that he awaited the students on the cliffs.

Below him the Emerald forest -he was sure one of the applicants found some irony there, given her name- awaited the rising sun, still and silent as the grave. Ozma knew it was not so; already Grimm below grew restless and impatient; they knew what was to come today, as it came every year. Even now the soon-to-be students would be rising in the auditorium. Soon they would wake, dress themselves, find their breakfast, secure their gear and march toward their destiny. They had a talented crop this year, more than he'd expected. They were certainly a...diverse lot, if nothing else.

"You've made a number of exceptions this year, sir."

Ah, and there was Glynda arriving now, punctual as ever. Truly, this woman was an absolute marvel; would that he'd discovered her an age ago. He could've used someone like her in some of his earlier campaigns against Salem. Here was a bastion of order, someone who brooked no nonsense under her watch. By the Brothers, he didn't know how he got anything done without her these days. Unfortunately, that sword was something of a double-edged blade; in that it could cut both ways. Sometimes she deemed his designs...questionable. No doubt she thought this one of them.

"Have I?" the headmaster took a long sip from his mug. "I wasn't aware of such."

"Ozpin."

"And which exceptions might those be?" he mused, pointedly ignoring her glower against his back as he gazed down into the forest proper below. "We have a number of notable students this year. I'm sure they'll become fine huntsmen and huntresses by the time they graduate-

He barely batted an eyelash when the disciplinarian thrust a Scroll against his face.

"Ah, yes." this time he couldn't quite hide his the smile against the images that stared back at them. "Our little thieves from Vacuo. What of them?"

"You're aware their transcripts are forged." it wasn't a question. More an accusation than anything else. He didn't have to answer; because she already knew the answer.

Of course he was aware of them. He'd personally signed off on the papers himself when they crossed desk. These two were clever to be sure; no one could prove they'd committed those crimes and they'd been careful to disguise themselves each time. Anyone else would have failed to find the clues they left behind. They'd hit Vacuo, Mistral, even Atlas, but not Vale. Never Vale. Despite their notoriety they weren't wanted in this kingdom yet, which meant there must be something they wanted here. Badly. Very badly indeed. He hadn't been surprised to see their papers on his desk.

"Naturally." What was the saying? Keep your friends close and your enemies closer? He felt that applied well here. "

"You allowed this?!" the blond rounded on him, incredulous. "Ozpin, they're criminals!"

"I did, and they are." the immortal squared his shoulders, knowing what was to come, this wasn't the first time Glynda had challenged his decisions and it certainly wouldn't be the last. "What of it?" he turned to face her fully, his smile slipping into a frown. "Make no mistake, I'm sure James would love to have a word with them, but for all their dastardly deeds, these "criminals" have yet to so much as harm a civilian; I dare say they've gone out of their way to avoid it thus far."

Oho, there it was. The look. He knew what was coming next. "That doesn't changed the fact that they committed crimes-

"And yet they applied to our school knowing full well we might ascertain their identities." Ozpin interjected, leaning upon his cane. "Does that not signify a desire to atone for their mistakes?"

Perhaps that was something of a white lie on his part; those two had likely expected their forgeries to hold up in the face of any real scrutiny. For the most part they had. They simply hadn't expected a Wizard. Of course he wasn't about to admit that to Glynda. Doing so would give his old friend a foothold as well as a chance to force his hand. And if they were forced out, Salem may well snatch them up. That couldn't be allowed; not with skills and Semblances like those. If they let go of them now, he was certain they'd never be seen again. Beacon needed that kind of strength, and his words were enough to allay Glynda's fears, though she didn't much like it.

Indeed, she looked like she'd bitten into a particularly sour on a lemon. "I...suppose."

Glynda was also many things, but at the end of the day she was naive. She believed in black and white. Good and Evil. When in reality the truth was more often...grey. Ozpin's life was drenched in grey. Morally ambiguous decisions abounded in his storied lifetimes, none done with any true malice or spite, but once again, for hope of a better tomorrow.

"Then all's well that ends well." he patted her shoulder. "Was there anything else you wanted to ask?"

"As a matter of fact, yes?" what of miss Nikos?" Glynda shook him off as her riding crop slapped into the palm of her hand with an audible smack, further heralding her agitation. "Or Winchester and his little gang? Adam Taurus. Illia Amitola. Not to mention those two unknowns Lionheart recommended us, to say nothing of the other applicants." she paused, pinching the brow of her nose before continuing. "What were you thinking?! These children aren't heroes, Ozpin. They cannot possibly be expected to fight for one another, much less the greater good!"

Ozpin raised his mug to his lips once more, but the brew tasted sour.

And what would you know of that, my dear?

A stray thorn of guilt pricked at the old sage's heart, but he pushed past it. Of course Adam and Illia were well known to him; they'd been the ones to approach him in the first place. They were hunting someone, and they had full reason to believe said someone was hiding among the new students here in Beacon. She was, of course, but he wasn't about to reveal that. Moreover, he would have been a fool to turn them away. This way, the White Fang lost two of its most powerful members and Beacon gained the good press of trying to "convert" them both. Once more, it kept two potential pawns from Salem's grasp.

And if they did turn violent...if either made a move against his students...he would not hesitate to cut them down.

Miss Nikos was something of an unintended coup on his part; he honestly hadn't expected her to accept his offer to attend Beacon a year early, but accept she had. Cardin had been another unexpected boon, albeit less of an appealing one. His father had proven rather insistent on getting him admitted this year, and then the boy had dragged his friends along for the ride. Judging by last night's fiasco those four were going to be something of a problem. Time would tell if they were ready.

Still, Glynda was awaiting his response and so, taking a deep breath, he schooled his face into a small smile. Time to play the fool once more.

"You're forgetting the Belladona girl." he teased her gently.

"Oh, how silly of me!" her voice cracked like a whip and her hands shot up in exasperation. "Why else would two members of the WHITE FANG be looking for her?!"

"Who am I to refuse those who seek a second chance?"

"Ozpin, stop being a fool about this!" Glynda absolutely clenched her weapon. How odd. Riling her up usually worked. Instead she'd turned the tables on him. Quaint. Was this what anger felt like? Frustration? He'd all but forgotten the feeling. It almost made him feel human again.

"I seem to recall a young girl who once lost her way," when next he spoke, the sage's voice held an unmistakable edge that hadn't been there before, one he felt for the first time in centuries. "When everyone else gave up on her, I believed in her; helped her find way back from what she'd become. I wonder what she would have to say about this."

Glynda went terribly still.

"We need Hunters, Glynda." he tapped his cane once against the brittle earth for emphasis, earning a finch from the normally taciturn woman. "More than that, we need Warriors and we need to train them with what little time we have left. The Grimm have begun to move. Salem won't be idle much longer; we'll never have a chance like this again. My decision is final. Everyone on that list has earned their right to be here."

"I...understand." she muttered, holding her arm and glancing away.

"And I apologize for my slip." he touched her hand. "Rest assured, I'll be taking every precaution."

She was right to be worried, of course. He was taking an incredible risk with this generation. A band of misfits and criminals, outcasts and runaways, nearly all of them.

Ozpin had made due with worse than this in his heyday. Far worse. Team STRQ stood as a testament to that. He would do what he must, as he'd always done before. He made the hard choices that no one else would; because there was no victory without sacrifice nor sacrifice without victory. Sometimes one man had to die so the many might live. Sometimes there was no happy ending. It had to be him. Someone else might have gotten it wrong. Some of them would live. Others would die. Some always did, despite his best efforts to prevent it. May the gods forgive him for what he was about to do...

...because he certainly wouldn't be forgiving himself anytime soon.

(.0.0.0.)

Nope.

That was Naruto's first thought as reality reluctantly swam back to him. Naturally his first instinct was to roll over in his sleeping bag and tell morning to bugger right off. Squeezing his eye shut against the sunlight, he did his best to ignore the clamor around him. Even now he could hear others rising around him, discern the odd hushed voice or two. Someone called his name and he hissed out a curse, clutched his pillow tighter and tried to resist the impulse to murder them. For once, he hadn't dreamed of that damn fox. Was that a good thing? He wasn't certain it was. Because in the absence of said fox he'd slept sound. Perhaps too soundly at that.

So...nope. Nope, nope, nope with a heaping helping of nope. He gripped his pillow and rolled over.

Rather, he tried, until someone grumbled in his ear. "Stop moving, will ya...?"

Wait. Pillows didn't talk.

"Ohohoho~?"

"I'm up!" Realization dawned and Naruto bolted upright at the next nudge, but it was already too late to save himself. Coco's smile was the first thing he saw and it spoke volumes. It certainly didn't help that just about everyone in the auditorium was staring at them. A soft moan in his ear he sealed his fate completely. He made the mistake of inhaling and the scent of a familiar shampoo flooded his nose.

Then he looked down and saw.

Emerald made a quiet sound of contentment and snuggled deeper into his arms, wrapping her own around his back as she spooned against him. Naruto wasn't fooled for a moment and only stiffened as he felt tan fingers pinch his hip. A pair of hooded red eyes peeked up at him through mint green hair when he looked down, still bleary from sleep. For a fleeting moment he thought he glimpsed the ghost of a grin on her lips before it vanished and she nuzzled against his throat, kissing his neck. Everyone gasped above them and he felt a familiar heat shoot through him. Was this revenge for Coco's antics? It felt like revenge.

Naruto absolutely twitched. Little minx!

...why are you in my sleeping bag?" he hissed.

Emerald tucked her head into his arm. "Had a nightmare."

Oh. He didn't pry further. "You do realize everyone is staring at us...?"

"Don't care." she yawned and buried her head further into his chest. "Sleepy...

She tried to burrow into his chest like a groundhog and well would have if he didn't pinch her cheek. The growl that followed was adorable. Emerald would've stabbed him if he spoke of it. She didn't throw her Semblance at him; she launched it like a ballistic missile. Naruto ignored the haunting image of snakes sprouting from her hair and pinched her cheek in retaliation.

"We're gonna be late if you don't get up," he warned.

She snorted softly. "Nope. Comfy."

Blue eyes bulged. "Emerald."

Coco all but howled with laughter, physically doubling over as her bright eyes squinted behind her shades. In the end it took the combined efforts of her,Velvet, and another student to pry Emerald loose and allow Naruto to stand. Even then, it was only a momentary thing and Emerald swore like a sailor the entire time they were apart.

"Breakfast?" Coco offered.

"Breakfast." Naruto seconded with a sigh.

"Breakfast does sound nice." Velvet offered softly.

Emerald latched onto Naruto's back like a limpet. "Carry meee...

The brunette arched an eyebrow. "She's not a morning person, is she?"

"You have no idea." Naruto blew out a breath and complied with a groan. "C'mon...and don't bite my neck! I ain't food!"

(.0.0.0.)

Breakfast in Beacon was a violent, torrid affair. At least, Naruto certainly thought so.

A veritable horde of aspiring applicants descended upon the cafeteria in a single wave, united in their singular haste to scarf down a meal before initiation began. The poor kitchen staff never stood a chance; indeed, even trained though they were, they were swamped nonetheless. The strong elbowed their way to the front first, while the weaker students were forced to the back of the line to wait their turn. Metal trays sailed to and fro like metal frisbees, flung with sharp insults and an almost vindictive glee.

"Life is war and breakfast is but the first of many battlefields." Their mentor had once said. "He who strikes first, gets to eat. He who hesitates? Well. He goes hungry."

To this day, they'd never gotten the bastard's name. He'd been a dark-haired man with darker eyes, a creature of strange sayings and odd looks; one who took them into his home for a short time and in turn helped them hone their skills to a razors edge. They'd woke one morning to find him gone, a heavy pouch of lien left in his place, and hadn't seen him since. In a way they were grateful to him; his absence had spurred the two of them to leave Vacuo behind and make a name for themselves. Thad had been...what, years ago now? Why was he thinking about that here?

"Hey, you stopped." Emerald prodded Naruto's shoulder with her chin, drawing him out of his reverie. "What's wrong."

"Eh, its nothing." he muttered, shaking his head. "Just a memory. That aside...

She looked past him and saw the mob. "Yeah. That's a problem."

Now, looking out upon this wild sea of teenagers, Naruto and Emerald found themselves in complete agreement as they watched the sea of hungry people surge back and forth across the room in an angry tide. It was like watching some beautiful yet terrible disaster unfold before your very eyes; you wanted to look away, but you couldn't.

"Can you get off now?" Naruto sighed. Emerald immediately bit his ear for his temerity. Hard. "Yow! Not the ears! What did I do this time?!"

"You were rude." his partner retorted, sliding off his back with a dancer's grace. "C'mon, "she cracked her knuckles. "Let's show them how Vacuo rocks it."

"Took the words right out of my mouth." he hummed.

With a grin, they dove in.

A liberal application of elbows and knees and arms alike earned the former thieves a place in the horde, from which they snatched a heaping helping of pancakes, bacon and eggs. Emerald even managed to wrangle two cups of coffee for them, though Naruto suspected it had more to do with her sticky fingers than any actual use of her Semblance. He'd used his sparingly to shunt their adversaries aside, always quick to return what little energy he'd taken from his fellow students.

With their prizes firmly in hand, the unlikely duo stole an empty table for themselves and proceeded to dig in. Naruto claimed the middle-most space, and Emerald immediately took up residence on his left.

"Ahhh, breakfast." she purred, drizzling syrup over her pancakes. "Nothing like it."

"What is it with you and pancakes?"

Red eyes narrowed. "Says the guy drown his eggs in ketchup."

That should have been the end of things; even now everyone was off forming their little groups and cliques, congregating in the hopes of finding themselves a teammate in the trials to come. Naruto spied a bruised Cardin across the way and briefly considered whipping an apple at his head. In the end, he thought better of it. He wasn't worth the effort. If he went after Velvet's ears again all bets were off. A pillow would be the least of his worries if he tried to harass that poor girl.

Sure enough, the larger boy noticed him and flipped him off. Naruto flashed him a predatory grin and the brute went bone white.

"Somebody's feeling protective." Emerald prodded his cheek with a fork while he was distracted. "Looking for your bunny?"

"Nah." he looked back her with a grin before she could get angry. "Just contemplating murder."

"Cardin being a dick again?" she tilted her head, following his gaze.

"There's an idea! Maybe I should neuter him...

His partner snorted at his sarcasm and flicked a piece of bacon at him. Naruto caught it between her teeth, grinned, and launched a pancake back. Emerald snagged it with her fork and tore a great heaping chunk out of it, then flushed as she realized what her actions might have implied. He used the opportunity to toss another bacon shuriken at her. This one stuck to her cheek.

"Gods, you can be such a child." she still peeled it off her face and ate it.

"Like you're any better." He stuck his tongue out at her.

All things considered Naruto found himself mildly surprised by the attention they received. Apparently their actions last night had made something of a name for himself; his sensitive ears heard their names mentioned far more than once, while he caught more than a few folks staring when they thought he wasn't looking.

"Oh?" Coco's voice breathed in his ear. "Found prince charming, have we?"

Naruto nearly jolted a foot in the air and only narrowly mastered himself. "Bite me, beret."

"Ha! He's got teeth!" She laughed and slid her tray into the empty space on his right as though it'd always been there. Velvet crept in behind on the brunette's right a moment later, ears drooping. Poor bunny still wouldn't look him in the eye; if anything she steadfastly kept her gaze on his chest. Had he done something wrong?

"So what's the plan, partner?" His fellow freshman asked.

Emerald bared her teeth. "He's not your partner."

"Eh? Whuzzat now? Em! Stoppit! " Naruto whipped his head back to Coco and yanked the illusionist down into his lap the same moment; his actions mollified Emerald enough that she released the knife she'd been holding with a huff. "I'm not your partner. Why call me that?"

Once more, Coco's grin spoke volumes where her words did not.

"Well the way I see it," she leaned forward, swallowing a hasty bite of a donut as she did, "Either you or I are gonna be in charge when we get put on a team-

"Making a lot of assumptions there...

-and Mint over there strikes me as more a follower than a leader," the brunette continued without missing a single beat, "Velvet's a good gal and all, but she's got confidence issues. Still working on that. No offense, Bun-Bun." she idly reached around to hug the Faunus by her waist before barreling onward, "Look, I'd be fine with either of us being in charge really, but I don't wanna step on your toes. So!" she clapped her hands. "For the sake of our little discussions, lets assume it comes down to the four of us. Who's its gonna be?"

"Pass." Emerald crossed both arms in an X-shape before her bosom. "Hard pass."

"She's got a point you know." Naruto added with a frown of his own, "You keep saying this like its a done deal or something. Aren't you being a little overconfident?"

"Nope." Coco smacked her lips. "Because I am going to hunt you down, Whiskers."

Emerald nearly leaped upright before Naruto wrestled her back down. Coco wasn't fazed by it in the least.

"And if you fail?" he asked.

"Eh," she waved, "I'll just bribe the headmaster or something. No big deal."

Velvet finally found her voice with a gasp. "Coco, no!"

"Coco, yes!" her partner cackled.

"That's illegal!"

"It also won't work." Though Emerald's face remained stoic, Naruto knew her well enough to seen when she was angry, and he'd seen her fingers twitch back toward the knife just now. "He has a school, remember? This school. The one we're trying to get into. Bribery sounds like a bad idea."

Coco's head slammed into her empty tray.

...damn you and your common sense."

Naruto opened his mouth to say something to the same effect, only to pause as a fresh tray clanked down opposite him.

"Is this space taken?" someone asked.

"Huh?" he blinked, startled by the new arrival. "Sure, go ahead. Knock yourself out." he muttered the words almost flippantly, never once paying attention until a small slip of a girl slid in across from them. Even then he barely noticed her at first, consumed as he was in his conversation with Coco. Could it be called a conversation? Wasn't it more of an argument?

Meh. Semantics.

"I'm sorry," she apologized, bowing her head as everyone turned to stare at her, "Did I interrupt something?"

In any case, the newcomer was a slight little thing clad in a gray short-sleeved cropped top that left her midriff exposed, with matching brown pants and black-over-ankle boots. He wasn't quite sure if her skin could be called dark or dusky, but the somewhat darker spots on her exposed skin instantly drew his attention nevertheless. Logic said they might be scars or birthmark, but he suspected something else. Her brown hair lay tied back in a loose curling ponytail that rather resembled chameleon's tail, leaving her eyes a light gray with a faint azure tint. Said eyes creased in a slight smile when she caught him staring.

"That was a good thing you did last night." she hummed, quietly tucking into her meal. "Its good to see one of our own stick up for themselves."

Naruto twitched. "Say what now?"

"Our own?" Velvet peeked around Coco's shoulder.

As everyone looked on the new girl's skin flushed a faint green with blue her spots; no, her whole body did, even her hair seemed to change color for a moment, brown burning into a deep navy. Coco whistled and clapped appreciatively, a look of rapturous awe flitting behind her shades. Naruto was almost tempted to clap with her. A chameleon Faunus? Those were rare these days, rarer than him even.

"And you are...?" Emerald growled.

"Ilia." she granted the human a somewhat bemused look. "I believe you slapped me with a pillow last night."

"Oh. I remember you now." Emerald's smile resembled a shark. Her reply? More so. "You tried to strangle me with a sleeping bag."

"I failed, didn't I?" the brunette tilted her head with a smirk of her own. Coco all but howled with laughter; even Velvet was unable to hide the small, shy smile on her lips.

Ah yes, the great pillow fight night; that one had dissolved into insanity once Cardin and his crew went down; in the end it'd become a free for fall until no one was left standing. Good times. They'd have to do that again sometime. But more importantly! Just how did you strangle someone with a sleeping bag?! Real questions here. He had to know the answers. Moreover he had the distinct feeling Emerald just made herself a new friend. That was good, right? Emerald didn't have many friends. So why was he suddenly so terrified?

...should I fear for my life?" he muttered at her.

Emerald shrugged indifferently; she could've answered, but decided to let him sweat instead. Said indifference changed when another, larger body slid in beside Illia.

"Pardon me." a familiar voice caused her neck to produce an audible back as she spun around.

"You?!"

It was the man she'd seen yesterday; he was exactly the same as she remembered, right down to his outfit...with two notable exceptions. For reasons she didn't understand he'd deliberately dyed his hair black and wrapped a strange red cloth around his eyes to conceal them. Was that supposed to be a disguise? If so, she considered it something of a poor one. Could he even see through that damn thing? Emerald certainly saw through him well enough. You couldn't forget someone like that, no matter how hard they tried to hide.

"Is there a problem?" as though sensing her gaze, his head turned towards her. Gods above he really could see through that!

...no. Nothing."

"Hmm." the young man granted her a grunt.

"Don't worry about Adam," Illia hummed. "He's harmless...for the most part."

The young man clicked his tongue at his companion but otherwise didn't refute her statement.

Naruto, however, wore a more scrutinizing expression. "Adam...now where have I heard that name before?"

Ilia must've realized her gaffe immediately; because she turned absolutely bone white before she managed to master herself. Too late. Her companion grit his teeth and Emerald pounced on it, her gaze locking onto the now-sullen teen with a laser focus. Naruto had been right on that count; because the name Adam did sound strangely familiar. Ilia was a mystery, but Adam...she'd definitely heard it somewhere before, too. Hadn't she? Where? There hadn't been anyone like him in Vacuo, she would've remembered if there were. Which meant she'd heard it somewhere else.

On the news, then? Maybe? Possibly?

A small part of Emerald wanted to say that she had, even as she frowned upon herself for her own curiosity. She and Naruto had secrets of their own, secrets they desperately wanted to keep. Who was she to begrudge them theirs? It didn't matter. It shouldn't matter. So long as they stayed out of their way-

Naruto tapped her thigh beneath the table and Emerald went cold.

It was their own code they'd created as children; not terribly efficient and one they rarely used these days, but it was enough to catch her attention all the same. How had it gone again. One tap for yes. Twice for no. She felt him begin to trace a series of letters against her skin beneath the fabric of her jeans, fingers moving a brisk pace before stopping. Her blood froze in its veins as she understood them. Velvet was speaking now, but it was all she could do to stay still. She barely heard her; all the while the letters burned in her mind.

White Fang.

She flung her Semblance at Naruto in a one-way communique. "You must be joking."

Two taps.

"What the hell's a terrorist doing in Beacon?!"

The blond paused and wrote a name against her leg again with painstaking slowness.

Adam Taurus.

Emerald glanced at him again, a frown tugging at the corner of her mouth. Shit. No wonder she knew the name. She could see it now; the set of his jaw was the same as she'd seen in the news reports, as were the horns and the hair, though he'd clearly dyed it in an attempt to blend in. No one had ever seen his face behind the mask he always wore. Why the blindfold, then? What purpose did it serve? Did that mean Ilia was a member as well, or was she an innocent in this? Too many questions. Not enough answers.

At the end of the day, Emerald was a thief. She stole to survive. So did Naruto. And as a thief, she loathed terrorists.

Whenever they took a job, they always made sure it was clean. They had a code. Steal from the rich, never the poor. Only take what you need, or barring that, what you can use. Don't get greedy. Don't get caught. Don't sell yourself to the highest bidder. They didn't fight for a cause, didn't take lives, and most assuredly didn't blow up trains full of innocent people. Worse, they were hypocrites. Oh they preached about equality and Faunus rights, but Emerald thought it a bunch of tripe.

Naruto was a Faunus and she got on with him just fine. So what if he had ears and a tail? He was her friend. Bunch of bullshit.

Terrorists were the sort of folk you didn't steal from; they were liable to hunt you down and kill you for it. And the White Fang? They were the worst sort of terrorists. Wherever they went they left a trail of devastation and destruction in their wake. Bloodshed was bad for business. Bloodshed meant a body count and bodies meant heightened security. Security entailed extra risk, extra guards, extra cameras and for a thief? Death. Now one of the White Fang's most infamous agents was sitting at the same table with them. Blast it. Beacon was meant to be a new life. A simple one free of crime and complications. Not...this.

"So what brings the two of you to Beacon?" Blast it, dumbass! She cursed Coco for her curiosity even as her mind continued to race.

"We're looking for someone." Ilia hedged, stealing a nervous look at her companion, who'd gone curiously quiet in the silence. "A friend of ours. We...wanted to be hunters together."

Well there was a lie if she'd ever heard one. Adam's meal left was all but untouched now; he was too busy watching Naruto like a hawk. His smile suddenly seemed brittle, but the blond's grin had only grown in the time she'd taken her eyes off of him.

"What about you, horn-head?" the blond offered suddenly, startling her. "Got anything to add to that?"

Adamn didn't utter a word. Ilia was still as the grave.

"Does it matter?" Sensing the tension, Coco tried to put the matter to bed. "We're all students now, or we will be, once initiation's done. Right? Guy?" she waved her arms frantically. "C'mon, what's with you two?! What does it matter who we were before?"

"Oh, I think it matters." Naruto shook his head. "Doesn't it?"

"It does." The former redhead surprised him by raising his head. "A question for you, if I may."

"Shoot." the blond leaned forward.

Adam rose to meet him. "Tell me, why did you defend that girl last evening?"

"What?" Naruto blinked, momentarily taken aback before he recovered. "Because he was bullying her; because it was the right thing to do. Why else would I do it?"

Adam's mouth set itself into a thin line. "Then you have your answer."

Emerald's jaw clicked open. Velvet whined and rammed her head into Coco's back. Ilia sputtered in surprise. Naruto blinked, his grin falling slack before the unexpected jab. All the world held its breath.

Oh gods, here it comes. Emerald tensed and forced herself to drink her coffee, all the while dreading what was about to transpire. She knew her partner well enough by now to know what he'd do next. Watched the muscle in his right arm tense, knowing at any moment he'd bolt into action, flip the table and...

"Lets be friends."

...offer him his hand?!

Adam gazed at the offered palm, half expecting it to bite. "You can't be serious."

Naruto beamed. "Sure am! You said you were looking for someone, right? I'd like to help. Well," he paused, "That and maybe reform you."

Ilia toppled out of her seat with a squawk and this time, Emerald nearly joined the poor girl. This...what was this? Was she missing something here? They needed to leave! Run! Flee! Tell a teacher at the very least! She didn't know what the White Fang was planning here in Beacon, but it couldn't possibly be good for any of them. The fact that Naruto was actively shaking Adam's hand only left her even more baffled than before. Just what was it with him and reforming everyone. They were thieves! They stole things! They weren't therapists! When the terrorist actually looked her way? She lost all pity for him.

"Might as well give up." She had to force the words out, even as her legs longed to run for the hills. "There's no shaking him when he like this."

"Ohhh, I can think of one thing I'd like to see him shake-

"COCO!" Velvet wailed!

Naruto slapped his free palm against his face as the squabbling continued.

Adam Taurus.

He was shaking hands with a wanted terrorist. Said terrorist had disguised himself and gotten into Beacon somehow. Was Ozpin just being lax, or had someone let him slip through? He didn't know; nor would have made the connection if Ilia -if that was even her real name- hadn't let it slip. Anyone else would've bolted to their feet and started shrieking for the authorities. Him? He saw potential. Emerald had always called it a flaw of his in the past. He considered it a strength. He liked to see the good in people, but he wasn't a fool. Keep your friends close. And your enemies closer.

In a single sharp movement, he yanked his fellow faunus forward, wrist grinding painfully beneath his fingers as he pulled him close.

"From one monster to another, allow me to warn you." he whispered in his ear with a faux smile, "I believe in second chances. Not thirds. Nor fourths." Adam's wrist gave an ominous creak as he continued to squeeze, all but ready to shatter under his grasp. "I don't know why you're here or what your objective is and frankly? I don't care. You have one chance. One. Don't waste it, kay? Nod if you understand."

"Uh, boys?" Coco coughed. "Something you wanna tell us?"

To his great delight, Adam capitulated with a bob of his head. Good. Perhaps there was some hope for him after all. Time would tell. In a single seamless movement he released Taurus and sat back down beside a baffled Emerald. Ilia's head poked over the table as she reluctantly climbed back into her seat, looking just as frazzled as he felt. Her face flickered through half a dozen different shades and he almost pitied her. Not enough to rescue her from the smoldering glower Adam sent her way, though.

"Hope you know what you're doing." Emerald whispered in his ear via her Semblance.

Naruto sighed. You and me both.

By now their table was a touch crowded, and the hour they'd been afforded for breakfast nearly expired. Yet when he spied a familiar redhead still searching for a seat, he found a way to change the subject. He'd heard her name last night after she'd thrown the first pillow...but it escaped him. Naruto knew he had, but for the life of him he couldn't remember. It started with a P. He was certain of that much. Bugger. Well, he knew one way to get her attention.

"Hey, red!" he called out, his voice cracking across the cafeteria like a whip. "Over here! We've got an empty spot for you!"

Pyrrha's head snapped toward them and she nearly dropped her tray. "Ex...Excuse me?"

"You. Here. Now. Sit." he gestured grandly. "Understand?"

Pale cheeks gone red -no, redder!- than her scarlet hair, the girl hastened across the room their table. She didn't walk to them. She ran; as though in doing so she could somehow escape all the eyes upon her. Poor thing. It was like herding a skittish cat, she looked fit to bolt at the slightest provocation.

"May I?"

"Sure!" he made room for her. "We've always got room for a friend."

The hope in her eyes was almost too painful to behold. "If it isn't too much trouble...?"

"Not at all! You gave Cardin what for last night. That makes you a friend." He patted the space beside him and Coco slid aside with a faintly bemused look. Emerald rolled her eyes and made a point of ignoring the younger girl. Not so Coco. She smelled blood in the water and like the huntress she aspired to be, she pounced.

"Well as I live and breathe." she drawled, propping a hand against her chin. "You really are Pyrrha Nikos, aren't you?" Aha! There it was. That was her name. "Aren't you a little young to be here?"

"Seconded." Emerald munched on a muffin. "Just how many strings did you pull, miss Invincible Girl?" Naruto stomped her foot and she jerked in place. "Hey!"

Pyrrha wilted and he considered her anew as he polished off the last remnants of his meal. Was she? Sure she was small, but she had spirit. In a year she'd be freaking tall. He could tell. And if she was strong enough to make her way here on merit alone...well. Didn't she deserve a chance? Didn't they all? Everyone was owed a chance. At least one.

"Oh." Unfortunately, the freshman mistook their scrutiny for something else. "Is it that obvious?"

Velvet shrugged helplessly and you knew it was bad when she piped up. "It really is."

"You don't have to say anything." Ilia added hastily.

"No, its quite alright. I've been asked this question several times today already. Truly, its no trouble at all." she seemed to shrink for a moment before she steeled her resolve and spoke on. "My...father wanted me to attend Haven. I refused." when she raised her gaze those green eyes burned with quiet defiance. "I chose Beacon instead." no one challenged that remark and she seized the opportunity to bull on despite their silence, "If its all the same to you, I'd rather not say more."

"Still, a year early?" Coco was merciless in her interrogation. "You might fall behind with a gap like that."

"I'm willing to work hard to make my way here." Pyrrha's chin rose. "My grades won't be an issue."

"Good for you," Naruto reached around to pat her head. "That's the spirit! I call dibs!"

Emerald and Pyrrha bolted upright, eyes wide as saucer plates. "What?!"

"I've decided." he declared, heedless of the little redhead's squeak and Emerald's frown, "You're just too precious, so me and Em are claiming you. You're stuck with us now. Whatever this initiation test is, we wouldn't mind having you on our team. Right, Em?" as he looked on the olive-skinned girl considered her for a moment, summarily dismissed her as a threat, and shrugged. "Don't mind her, she's shy-YEOW!" he yelped aloud when she stomped him back under the table in retaliation.

Coco sniggered. "Right. Shy."

Adam tossed his head. "You're a strange girl."

She grinned right back. "Handsome, you have no idea."

Remarkably, he retort turned the boy's face the same color as his hair.

"Why you uppity little...!"

"Ignore him!" Illia squeaked out, grabbing his arm before he could do anything foolish. "He didn't mean that!"

"Eh, its fine." Naruto yawned. "We've all got thick skin here."

They made for an odd-looking group all things considered, and drew more than their fair share of attention; not all of it pleasant. It was a rare thing indeed to see so many Humans and Faunus congregating in one place, much less getting along. Even from here, Naruto could feel Cardin glaring bloody red daggers into his back. There it was, then. He'd had his chance.

This time, he whipped an apple over his shoulder; the strangled howl he received was sweet, sweet music to his ears.

Adam surprised him with a short bark of laughter.

"Attention. Would all first year students please report to beacon cliff for initiation." a woman's voice droned from the intercom above, swallowing his retort. "I repeat, all first year students please collect your weapons and proceed to the cliffs, immediately."

Naruto and Emerald exchanged a bemused look.

"Guess that's our cue."

(.0.0.0.)

Emerald saw the launch pads first.

More than two dozen of the worn silver squares awaited them on the cliffs overlooking the Emerald Forest. Heh. Whoever named the place had good taste if nothing else. Still, all these squares did not make a circle, and all of them were laid out in a long horizontal line leading across the grass as far as she could see. Crimson eyes widened first in confusion, then comprehension as she finally beheld Headmaster Ozpin and the woman from before. What was her name again? She couldn't be bothered to remember. Didn't matter.

They were going to send them down into the forest below. Call it a hunch. Call it instinct. Call it whatever. She knew. She just knew. Blast it all, she had a bad feeling about this...

One by one they were each bid to take their places on the aforementioned pads.

She flared her Semblance at Naruto as she chose the leftmost square. His ears twitched in recognition and he immediately selected the one next to her. A grinning Coco gave Velvet a nudge next to him then slipped in to snatch the nearest one she could for herself. Emerald raised her hackles at the sight. Blasted brunette. She was just too damn persistent!

From there the others chose their places quickly.

Adam and Ilia stuck together as did Cardin and his friends. She didn't expect any d

Poor Pyrrha stole a longing glance at an empty square nearby beside her and then, perhaps recalling Naruto's words, darted forward.

"I'm sorry." she whispered fretfully. "Is this one taken?"

Emerald granted her a pitying smile. Had she ever been that timid as a child? Of course not. They'd grown up in different kingdoms, different lands, different worlds for all that it mattered. This girl had everything handed to her while she had to fight just for scraps. Some of it must have shone through her expression, for Naruto flashed a black look at her. Thus, the thief blew out a small, exasperated breath.

"Its fine, kid." she muttered, scratching the back of her head. "Don't worry about it. Hope you've got a good landing strategy prepared."

Those jade eyes lit with a hope that was almost too painful to behold. She was just a little thing. Surely she was no threat.

Perhaps had Emerald been privy to the state of Pyrrha's mind at that moment, she would've felt more reassured.

They didn't know care about her fame. If they did, they certainly didn't seem to care. This. This was why she'd accepted Ozpin's invitation all those months ago. To come to Beacon, a year early. She could have a life here, a proper one. Friends perhaps, if she was fortunate. Maybe even something more. And so she smiled.

"I think that sounds grand."

Naruto barked a laugh that flashed his fangs and made her flush. It made him look more beast than man and the sight had her blood all but singing. Here was someone who didn't give a damn about societal norms; he did what he pleased, when he pleased, where he pleased. Was it wrong that little Pyrrha found that appealing? Was it wrong that she wanted to be his friend because of it? That was all she wanted friends. The friends she'd never had back in Mistral. Just a little piece of happiness with herself. She didn't have to be on Naruto's team. She'd be happy with Emerald. Coco. Velvet and the rest seemed nice, too-

"If the two of you are quite done?" Ozpin coughed into his fist.

Both the redhead and the greenette sputtered and stood at attention.

"For years you have trained to become warriors." the headmaster spared them one last bemused look as he raised his voice and turned to face the horde of applicants assembled before them. "And today your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest."

Blast it all, she'd been right.

"Now, I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams." the woman beside him stepped forth to continue where he'd left off. "Allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates...today."

Naruto sucked in a short, sharp breath.

"These teammates will be with you for the remainder of your time at Beacon." Ozpin added. "So it is in your best interests to be paired with someone with whom you can work well. That being said," he continued, "The first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."

Pyrrha made a choking sound. Poor kid looked like she was going to faint.

"After you've partnered up," Ozpin barreled on, heedless of their confusion, "Make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way." his piercing gaze seemed to sear into each and every one of them in turn. "Do not hesitate to destroy everything or you will die."

'Sure thing, boss man. No pressure. None at all.'

"You will be monitored and graded for the duration of your initiation. But our instructors will not intervene" Gods, was he still going? She thought he would've finished by now. "You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path, containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. You will guard that item, as well as your standing, upon which you will be graded appropriately. In the meantime, feel free to use your own landing strategy."

There was a collective gulp.

"Finally, there are a limited number of relics." he allowed his bespectacled gaze to sweep over each of them in turn one final time. "I shouldn't have to tell you what that means, but for the sake of any argument, I shall elaborate. Some of you will succeed. Others will fail." a poignant pause followed and with it, that once easy sense of camaraderie evaporated like so much steam. "Any questions?"

Naruto's arm shot up like a piston. Emerald slapped her forehead as all eyes rounded on him.

"Yes?" Ozpin arched an eyebrow.

"How many relics are there, exactly?" he asked.

"Not enough for all of you, certainly." the headmaster retorted with an even air. "Those unable to secure a relic today may make another attempt next year." some of the tension bled away at those words, but not much. If anything, this remark only seemed to make the rest all the more determined, Emerald chief among them. No one wanted to wait twelve months to try again. It also summoned another, less pleasant thought. Failure. What if Naruto passed and she failed, or vice versa? They'd be separated. The thought made her stomach flip. No. Not that. Anything but that.

"Why, though?" to her surprise, the words came from her own lips. "We earned our right to be here." No! Bad mouth! Shut up, damnit! "Haven't we?"

Ozpin turned to face her. "Miss Sustrai, was it?"

Crapbaskets.

Red eyes narrowed intently upon Beacon's headmaster, even as she braced for a sharp rebuke. It never came. "Have a nice flight."

All at once, Emerald felt the springpad tense beneath her and realized he had no intention of answering. "YOU SONUVAAA-

Her withering retort trailed off into a wordless shriek of rage as she rocketed into the air.

(.0.0.0.)

This was going to hurt.

In hindsight Naruto had no one to blame but himself for his plight; because the moment he'd seen Emerald take off, he panicked. He saw her eyes widen in surprise -and fear!- and reacted accordingly. Ozpin's little stunt had made him panic, you see. And in his panic, the reincarnated shinobi did something spectacularly stupid. Rather than await his turn to be launched into the Emerald Forest like any sane individual, he spun around and rammed an armored fist into his pad to activate it early and give it a little extra oomph. Result?

He shot after her like a golden missile.

Perhaps he should have marked her with his Semblance to ensure this didn't happen; but in truth, he'd never thought to do so before. Naruto knew he should have the moment his feet left the ground. There was no word and barely any warning to prepare himself, only the sudden sensation of pressure beneath his boots before his world blurred. Even then he had just enough time and sense to tense his legs and leap of his own volition before the world fell away. It was a very good jump, all things considered; he already knew where he wanted to go and the pad was more than happy to hurl him into the air as it had been programmed to do.

Unfortunately his brief panic attack cost him dearly. Had he simply left well enough alone he likely would've landed relatively near her position.

Instead he overshot her by half a mile. Then came the trees.

"No, no, no! Are you kidding me?!"

Wind lashed angrily at his face, forcing the blond to squint painfully as he got both arms up and deployed his weapons. His entire vision swelled with green and brown. Ordinarily they were welcome colors. Not so now. In a second he'd find himself loathing them. With no other recourse he raised his shields, grit his teeth, and braced for what he was sure would be be an unpleasant experience.

Poor! Landing! Strategy!

A jarring impact shuddered up Naruto's arm as he crashed through the first oak, followed by the second, then the third. Now a fourth. They didn't stop coming and he lost track after the ninth. At this speed, grabbing a tree wouldn't simply be unwise; it would suicide. Dislocating a shoulder would be the least of his worries if he tore an arm off. He'd just have to trust in his ample Aura reserved and ride his momentum down. In that, he was lucky. He could tank hits that would eviscerate others, endure where many couldn't, and keep going.

This was no exception.

Finally he spied a low hanging bough, bounded off it, kicked off another tree to siphon off his momentum, and arced toward the ground.

It was just bad luck that a lone Beowolf happened to be in his landing zone.

Bad luck for the Grimm, that is.

To its credit, the poor Grimm heard Naruto coming a ways off; but by the time it saw him coming at speed, it simply wasn't able to to do anything. Somehow the poor creature managed a lone bark of surprise before he cannoned headlong into it and swiped its head from his shoulders. Grinning he rode its corpse to the ground and landed in a pointed crouch on the packed soil. Aura flexed around the impact as his knee struck the earth, bringing with it a pleasant ache as he rose. Armored arms stretched and struck up a lazy pose.

"Nailed it~!" he laughed softly, flinging a pumped fist into the air. "And the crowd goes wild!"

A lone cricked chirruped in the distance.

"Yeesh, tough crowd."

Sighing he picked a direction that he hoped was North and set out towards it with a jaunty tune. Emerald would find her way to the temple, surely. He just...couldn't make eye contact with anyone until then. Yeah. Totally doable. You got this. Just ignore all the noise and head north. He could do this. Definitely.

A faint rustle behind him caught his attention. Someone shouted. It sounded suspiciously like Cardin.

"Well, well, well. Look who it is!" Definitely Cardin. "Where you going, whiskers?"

...far, far away from you."

Naruto blew out a breath and walked away, determined not to look back, no matter the cost. He didn't have time for this; whatever energy he wasted on him would be better spent seeking out Emerald. That big lummox could find someone else to be his partner. That way lay nothing but misery.

A hand locked around one of his ears and yanked. Hard. Well. Now he knew how Velvet felt.

"C'mon now, don't be like that." the boy's voice oozed. "We're pals, aren't we? Look at me when I'm talking to you."

Naruto squeezed his eyes shut and hissed out a breath when the larger boy yanked again but otherwise, refused to grant him the reaction he sought. Even then pain blazed in the back of his skull and he only narrowly succeeded in stilling himself. Stop. Don't react. If he opened his eyes now he'd wind up working with Cardin; he wouldn't put it past Ozpin to have cameras installed somewhere around here. They were being monitored by the teacher. They had to be. Gods, Cardin was still talking.

"You know, you really made a fool of me yesterday." there was an angry, vindictive glee in the younger boy's voice now, he could just imagine his sneer. "Maybe its time I paid you back for that. Friends don't hold grudges after all...

Idiot. Enough of this. Violence it was, then. Cardin had struck first. "I've got a better idea."

"Oh, really?" the grip on his ear intensified. "And what's that-

Naruto squeezed his eyes shut, wrenched his head to the side, and lashed out with one of his shields. He didn't need his eyes to hit him; his ears told him exactly where to strike. Sure enough, Devil's Retribution struck something metal and the larger boy cried out in surprise as he crashed backward. At least it sounded like he had. Didn't matter. Cardin was no friend of his, he wanted nothing to do with him, and thus, the blond waited just long enough for his weapon to carom back into his waiting palm before he bolted.

"Hey!"

"Nope!" Naruto blazed forward, bounded over a log, and dove into the brush beyond, uncaring of the snags and branches that slapped at his face. In a matter of moments, he'd left the burly boy behind. In the distance he heard a Beowolf howl. Good riddance to bad rubbish on that front. He'd sooner lop off an arm that work with that lug. Let the others have him!

Somewhere behind him, a gunshot went off. Good. At least someone seemed to be helping the big lug. Now he needn't feel guilty about this.

A few paces in, he glimpsed the back of a dark blur that might've been Adam in the trees. He recognized the horns and despite his earlier remark, he clamped a hand over his eyes and turned away. An annoyed cough told him he'd finally been noticed, but he dare not remove his hand for fear of being partnered up.

"Just passing through." he called out to him. "You go your way and I'll go mine."

The former redhead grunted. "Fair enough...fight well."

When next he looked, the swordsman was gone.

"Phew." Naruto blew out a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. "Too close. Gotta be more careful."

Whoever was out there, surely they could look after themselves. Emerald was the only partner he wanted in Beacon. Coco and Velvet were alright he supposed, and he wouldn't be opposed to the idea of being on a team with either of them, but there was only one woman in the world he trusted to watch his back. To be his partner. Perhaps that was petty of him; selfish even. It wouldn't matter if he wound up on the same team as Emerald, but some small childish part of him wanted them to remain partners in name as well as deed.

"Damnit." He hissed as he slammed a fist into a tree. "This just isn't my day. Is fate trying to to screw me over or something?"

Still, the way forward was clear; the way behind more so now that he'd left that first potential hopeful behind.

So focused was he on evading any would-be pursuers that he failed to heed his surroundings; it was only when someone cried out above him that he realized his mistake in striking the tree. He'd punched hard. Perhaps a little too hard. Not once did he think to look up until someone yelped above him. By then it was too late.

"Aaargh?!"

As such, when a light weight crashed down on his shoulders and latched onto him, his first impulse was to buck. Violently. You didn't live long in Vacuo by ignoring your instincts, and his had been honed to a razor's edge in the alleyways of that horrible kingdom long before he and Emerald left that world behind. Really, he couldn't be blamed for what happened next.

Naruto roared in surprise and reached upward, hands flying out to grab whatever he could.

Strong fingers locked around an arm alongside a fistful of hair. He used it as leverage to yank and heave his attacker free from his body, flinging them to the earth.

From there instinct took over and he surged forward, pinning his would-be assailant in place with a lightly armored knee. A yelp greeted his attack a pair of bright yellow eyes flew open to blaze back at him, framed by a young face and dark hair. The poor girl froze beneath him, ebony tresses sprawled beneath her like a black halo to match her dark clothes; but those didn't hold his attention. The ears twitching atop her head did. What, a cat faunus? Unexpected. She glowered furiously up at him, angrier than a kitten caught in the rain. It certainly didn't help that he had her pinned.

He was holding a ribbon in his fist. Blazing amber orbs locked on it. "Give it back." she hissed at him.

They say first impressions last a lifetime; this was certainly a memorable one if nothing else.

Aghast, he realized they'd just made eye contact. Naruto swore softly.

"Well," he gulped, "I'm terribly sorry about this, but...YOINK!"

He who runs away lives to fight another day!

Emerald was going to murder him.

"Get back here you bastard!"

A/N: TIIIIIIIIRED~!

Remember, we're a YEAR out from the events of RWBY here folks, but the timeline has changed drastically.

For anyone who didn't realize, YES, that is a young Blake Belladona. Well, a year younger. I did say canon had changed, did I not? As a result of Naruto and Emerald's shenanigans -and Ozpin being a meddly meddler!- some characters have appeared a little earlier than expected. Some, but not all. Votes have been tallied, but I'm obviously not going to reveal the results yet. Lets just say Naruto's team is going to be...unique.

More Naruto and Emerald bits next chapter, don't you worry. References are references and I own nothing. I'll let you guess where things are headed from here...and you might be surprised. I've done some thinking and I've decided I'm not going to rush things. Feels like it would ruin the story.

This story's got twists and turns for days, so I hope you're prepared!

I've been writing long chapters lately, between this, Killing Monsters, An Untraveled Road, and Remnants of a Shinobi, its been hectic. Don't even get me started on the fluffy goodness that is Embers of Hope and Everybody Loves Cookies! Not to mention the other ones!

Right, then.

Hope this made you smile.

As ever, lack of reviews murder my inspiration. If folks don't review, I tend to think they don't like a story, you know?

So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...

...Revieeew... Would You Kindly?

They keeps an old man alive.

And enjoy the previews!

SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!

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PLOT DETAILS AHOY!

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(Preview)

"That...is a big Beowolf. How did it get so large?!"

"Does it matter?! Kill it! Before it kills us!"

"You have people out there who need you!"

"I am me. Nobody else! Me!"

"Run, Naruto. RUN."

"Ma'am?"

Cinder flicked a lazy palm at Mercury. "Watch them for now. I'm intrigued in that girl's ability. She could be of use to us."

"She could...but she's wrapped around blondie's finger."

"On the contrary, dear Mercury." her smile sent a shiver shooting down his spine. "He's wrapped around hers. Win her to our side, and he'll soon follow."

"You may begin."

"Oh, dear." Pyrrha groaned.

Naruto raised his shield, and Adam his sword in a salute.

Too late, Emerald realized both boys were smiling. No. Grinning. Then they blurred.

Naruto frowned back at his reflection, wondering if he'd imagined it.

"Yo." said reflection waved back of its own accord.

His fist slammed into the mirror.

R&R~!