A/N: PLEASE READ THIS NOTE, WOULD YOU KINDLY?

Hope you're ready.

You know, I'm getting real tired of the flames. Writing doesn't feel as fun as it used to. Maybe I should take a break. I don't want to, but there it is. There is...so much I want to say here, but I'm going to hold back. Don't want to spoil this chapter and the-oops! Almost said it.

What am I talking about? Well. You'll just have to read and find out, won't you?

But first, time for the good 'ol Q&A! Here we go!

Q: Amber...doesn't seem right in the head; at least not in this story.

A: *zips lips*

Q: Just how strong are Naruto and Emerald in this story?

A: Naruto and Emerald are vicious fighters; they've been partners since they were children. Working together, they've taken down huntsmen and huntresses.

Q: Can it be? Has Salem finally taken notice of Naruto and Emerald?

A: You're about to find out.

As ever, I own no references, themes or memes.

Title is from a song. Huh. I seem to be doing a lot of those lately:

"With this...everything changes."

~?

Last of the Real Ones

Something was amiss.

Ozpin felt it in his bones, a deep and terrible sense of foreboding that he could neither place nor pin down. The feeling hit as suddenly as a summer storm warning; one moment he'd been indulging in a piping hot cup of coffee, the better to steel himself for the long afternoon ahead. In the next, a sudden pang of primal dread burned down his spine. It seared through his being like a great flame, leaving the hairs on the back of his neck standing on end. A flash of bitter pain pushed itself through his forehead, and frowning, the immortal looked down.

There was blood on desk. His nose was bleeding.

"Well." he frowned and wiped it away, then peered at his bloodied fingers. "That's not normal."

An ill wind caressed his cheek and despite being indoors without so much as a single window open, the ancient man felt himself shiver. For with that breeze came the familiar scent of falling leaves. It was a smell he knew well, for it was born from a power that had once been a part of him. Unbidden his neck craned, gazing toward the city.

A frown pursed at his lips. "Amber?"

Wherever she was, she was close. Close enough for him to sense. But that didn't make any sense. Amber loathed the cities. She'd done her best to stay away from Vale, and him. Another one of his many failings. He'd failed to impart the dangers of being a maiden to her until it was too late. She hadn't taken kindly to the truth of Salem. And so she had fled, choosing a life of freedom and anxiety over one of safety and security. She'd not come near civilization for years. So why now?

What could have pushed her back?

A burning need to act rose up in him; towards what, he knew not, only that he must.

With a grim look in his eye, the headmaster stood and snatched up his cane. The Long Memory warmed in his palm like an old friend, ready for the task at hand. His constant companion. Brisk steps carried him toward the elevator, then out of the tower proper. In short order, he commandeered a bullhead and bid its pilot to set course for the city proper

He wasn't certain what was going on...but one way or another, he'd find out.

(.0.0.0.)

"How amusing. He fought well, you say?"

Salem lounged languidly upon her throne and regarded the misty image swimming within the Seer before her. Cinder's battered face stared back at her within its murky depths, a bit dirty, a little bruised perhaps, but still proud. Satisfied, even. Her expression told a tale all its own, one Salem found herself eager to unravel.

"He did." she all but purred the last word. "I believe he has potential."

High praise from Cinder. She never thought she'd see the day. Slipping her apprentice into Beacon had been an easy feat; with but a few words from Leonardo, Ozma was all too happy to "take her off his hands" and welcome her into the fold. The fool. His eye for talent betrayed him. One thought he might have learned his lesson by now, but no. One could not teach an old dog new tricks. In all honesty, Salem was as much disappointed with him as she was Cinder. She'd taught the girl better than this, risking her cover as such. Cinder always did like her power plays...

A small smile plucked at the witch's lips. "And you say he bested you?"

Cinder huffed indignantly. "I allowed him to believe so."

"Oh? a brow rose. "Your eye says otherwise."

She frowned. "It is but a ruse."

"As you say."

Such a prideful pawn. She craved power, but without it, she was nothing. Cinder thought herself special. She wasn't. She was simply a vessel. Salem had invested a great deal of time and training into this girl. It would be...irritating to start anew, but not disastrous. A new minion would require a more delicate touch. She'd lose decades training up someone new, and while time meant nothing to one such as she, her patience was not infinite. Moreover, young Cinder was easy to control. Promise her power, give her a taste of it, and she would follow you to the very ends of Remnant.

But more intriguing still was this...boy.

Anyone who could fight Cinder to a standstill was one to be watched. And that Semblance of his...it bore promise. Or danger. She hadn't decided which. Any semblance involving teleportation was one to be wary of, but a gift that allowed one to mark their target and warp to it as they chose? That was something she could not ignore. A single touch could undo everything. And yet the potential he presented was too much to dismiss. To use such a power against Ozpin...

Judging by her expression, Cinder agreed.

Her girl was ever in search of new talent after all. Poor, poor Mercury was hardly enough to satisfy her needs. Not enough to take the Fall Maiden, certainly. They'd been hunting Amber for years now, harrying her from one outpost to the next. She'd managed to elude them thus far, ever one step ahead of them, always able to escape. In time, Salem had seen the fruitlessness of such pursuit and ended it. Time would take from the Fall Maiden what an ambush could not. How long could one girl run when they were hunted so? How long until they came home to roost?

How long until their mind broke?

Amber would perish, sooner or later. So long as Cinder was near, it mattered not who dealt the killing blow. Be it Tyrian, Hazel, Watts...or even their other, hidden allies. The parasite she'd gifted Cinder would see to that. After all this was Cinder's quarry to chase. Hazel and the rest could be called in as needed. Beacon would fall. Ozma would die. And one way or another, the Relic would be theirs.

"And what of this boy? He could destroy us."

"Hardly. He's an arrogant fool, crippled by sentiment."

"He's well trained." Salem warned. He must not fall under Ozpin's sway."

Her minion bowed her head. "If he could be turned, he would be a powerful ally."

Salem considered the matter for a moment. "Yes. He would be a great asset. Can it be done?"

Cinder lifted her gaze. Golden eyes rose to meet hers, burning with promise and intent. "He will join us, or die, my queen."

(.0.0.0.)

"Here!"

Emerald slammed a fist into Amber's chest, staff in hand.

"Happy? I found you damn weapon," she huffed. "Now get lost already."

"You did?!" Delight flashed across the older girl's face. "I can't thank you enough for this! Where was it?"

"By your damn horse." she scowled bloody red daggers at her back. "You can thank us by buggering off. Go on, scram."

For her part, her fellow huntress looked quietly amused by Emerald's ire. As if she found it familiar somehow. Endearing, even. That coy looked shattered as she cradled her staff. Emerald tried to ignore the sidelong look she sent Naruto's way; she could not, however, shut her eyes to the slow the flush rising in his face.

"I really do appreciate this." Amber smiled at him, clutching her staff tight to one breast. "You don't know what this weapon means to me...

He looked away. "Yeah, sure, its fine...

Blake and Pyrrha were still out in the city searching, but a quick call could remedy that. Even now she saw Naruto pulling out his scroll, eager to distance himself from the strangely forward girl. Unfortunately, that left her with the brunt of Amber's attention. She wasn't much pleased with him for throwing her to this chatterbox. And said chatterbox wouldn't. Stop. Looking at him.

Emerald bit down a hiss through her teeth. So that's how it was.

Amber was older than them, after all. Probably a huntress at that. It made sense that she'd be overt with her affection. The thought lodged a thorn in Emerald's heart. She wasn't accustomed to jealousy; yet twice in as many days she'd found her position threatened time again again. First by that fire bitch, and now this mongrel? Naruto was hers. It wasn't fair.

Coco was...alright, she supposed. Damn brunette drove her crazy, but at least she didn't fawn over him whenever they were in the same room. By contrast, young Blake and Pyrrha weren't competition; they were family. Teammates. Allies. Too young buy half. But Amber...

She moved with a quiet confidence even some of the upper years in Beacon lacked. For all her ditziness, Emerald knew her type. Amber was powerful. Strong enough to take what she wanted, yet mentally fragile as well. Anyone willing to trust complete and utter strangers was clearly cracked in the head. Maybe someone dropped her on hers when she was little. Who could say? Still, she was naive. That sort didn't last long in the streets. The naive ones did stupid shit; the kind that got themselves and those around them killed.

Those vivid eyes swung back to her. "He's a good person, isn't he?"

"Damn straight he is." Emerald folded both arms beneath her bosom. "And he isn't yours."

"Hmm." Amber cocked her head and favored her with a small, knowing smile "You love him, don't you?"

Emerald's world shattered. "Wha...?!"

"And he loves you, too." the huntress bulled on happily, heedless of the landmine she'd just trod upon. "I can see it in his eyes. He loves you more than anyone. Anything. He'd die for you."

"W-W-Where's all this coming from?!" Reeling on the inside, it was all Em could do to backpedal. "What're you on about?!"

"He'll protect you." Amber bobbed her head in a nod, disregarding her protests. "So will your team. I just know it. The four of you are close. Like family. Mine wasn't."

A pit of confusion opened in Emerald's stomach. Her sixth sense shrieked a warning and she listened to it wholeheartedly, regarding the huntress before her with thinly veiled skepticisim. One didn't survive Vacuo without listening to their instincts. They never would've made it out of the desert if they hadn't. Still, it begged the question. What did Amber want? Was she trying to bull her way into their team? No! Not allowed! Absolutely not! Team Nebula was all full up. They didn't need a fifth member.

"We cared about each other, of course." the maiden babbled on int the meantime, "But in the end, we went our separate ways. I'm honestly a little jealous. Maybe that's why I've been running for so long."

There was something off about those words; the way she'd said them just now.

"I'm tired of running, you know? Tired of hunting, too." As she balked, a tiny giggle fled from Amber's lips. "Of being hunted."

Okaaay. Little miss brunette clearly had a few screws loose. "Alright, walking away now-

"WAIT!"

Tan fingers locked around her wrist, skin to skin. Emerald flared her semblance and made the girl see snakes. Amber's grip broke almost immediately, but no attack was forthcoming. Far from being intimidated -as any sane person would!- Amber looked upon her as if she were holy grail. Emerald didn't like it. Not one bit.

"An illusion semblance. It really is you." Golden eyes flickered with a pulse of flame. "I saw you in my dreams. You're the one. The one I've been searching for."

"Lady, whatever you're selling, I ain't buying. Buzz off!"

"For what it's worth, I'm sorry." Amber ignored her and tilted her head to the right, chocolate-colored tresses concealing one eye from view. It gave her a mad, almost crazed air. "You have a powerful Semblance. You'll be able to use the Power better than I ever could."

Emerald drew back, not trusting herself to speak.

"Congratulations." the crazed turned her suddenly shortened staff, cradling the dust crystal within against her blouse. "You passed."

Realization broke like the dawn. The staff. She'd never lost it to begin with. She had always known where it was. This was a ruse. A test of some sort, to see who might help her. Any random passerby could've lent her a hand. None had...until Team Nebula came along. They'd been in the right place at the wrong time. But to what end? What was she blabbering about?

"Look, we don't want any trouble." she raised one hand, carefully slipping the other towards Thief's Respite at her back. "You've got your staff. Just let us go."

"I'm afraid I can't do that."

Amber lashed out quick as lightning and this time there was no escape. Her left hand clamped down on Emerald's shoulder and drew her in for a bruising headbutt. Aura flared. Emerald's world reeled. She struck back in a blind panic, but the older girl held fast and struck again, ramming clenched knuckles into her stomach. The thief folded around her limb, gasping for air that wouldn't come.

"What...the hell...!"

"I'm sorry to place this burden upon you, but it has to be you." Amber whispered in her ear while her vision continued to swim. "You can curse me, if you want." A hand swept down, grabbed her by the hair and yanked up with intent, forcing their eyes to meet. "Call me a coward. A craven. Just...just be better than I was. Listen to Ozpin. Trust in your team. Be braver than me."

"Alright, Em. Blake and Pyrrha are on their-HEY!" Here at last, Naruto's voice rang out behind her. He'd noticed. "Let go of her! What're you doing?!"

In her blurry vision, Emerald had time enough to see Amber's grin.

It was the grin of a madwoman. "Setting myself free."

The staff whirled down at Emerald's face.

"I SAID LET HER GO!"

Naruto struck.

(.0.0.0.)

Even in her final moments, Amber's resolve didn't falter.

Having baited the attack, she lowered her aura.

She fixed her last thoughts on Emerald.

With a smile, she finally let go.

And the world changed.

(.0.0.0.)

Blood spattered Emerald's face. It wasn't her own.

She staggered back, eyes wide.

Amber didn't stagger at all.

Like a drunkard at last call, the huntress swayed on her feet, grinning from ear to ear. One had but to look down to see the source of her euphoria. She'd gotten what she wanted, after all. Her chest remained relatively intact despite the clawed hand protruding from it; it was only Naruto's arm that held her up at all. And not for much longer. As Emerald looked on aghast, her partner ripped his hand free from Amber's chest, leaving a charred, gaping hole where her lungs and heart should've been. By all rights, she should've expired on the spot. And yet somehow she still stood.

"You're insane." Naruto scowled at her as he began to wipe the blood on her hand. "Why did you lower your aura...?"

Emerald agreed. Who did this to themselves? Who provoked an attack, knowing it would kill them?

Amber laughed; rather, she tried to. All that emerged was a soft wheeze.

Golden eyes sought hers, one last time.

"At last...release...

The madwoman slumped forward and despite Naruto's warning, Emerald dove forward to catch her. For one so tall, she was surprisingly light in her arms. Amber didn't fight back. Didn't resist. Didn't last out in some final futile effort to die. She was already dead. Her body just hadn't realized it yet. Her end was but moments away.

"There's no light," Amber rasped. "Ozpin always said there would be light...why isn't there...

The Fall Maiden expired with a soft sigh and went limp in Emerald's arms.

Naruto scowled down at her. "The hell was that about?"

Emerald shrugged. "No idea. Let's get back before-

A spark shot up Amber and into her.

Emerald jerked back too late.

Hot! Hot, hot, hot! Agony burned through her veins like wildfire, knocking the illusionist on her arse and turning her world red. No stranger to pain, Emerald grit her teeth then staggered to her feet, only for her knees to buckle and send her crashing down again. Her forehead kissed the asphalt as she doubled over, clutching at her chest. Her heart began to pound, deafening all else. Naruto shouted something, but he sounded so distant, so far away. Something was wrong. Terribly, horribly wrong. She couldn't think. Couldn't move. Could barely even breathe.

Sparks skittered between her teeth. Flames the color of namesake seared up her arms, coiling about tan skin like snakes.

Stop, stop, stop! Emerald curled in on herself and for a moment, she was a little girl again; weak and powerless, dying of starvation in an alleyway. Thunder rolled overhead and reality snapped back with a lurch. Swirls of fire blazed behind her eyelids even as she squeezed them shut. She groaned and opened them again, only to find ice forming on her fingertips. Her nails dug bloody divots in the earth, cracking the pavement. Rain began to pitter-patter against her back, but even that tiny sensation sent fire ants racing through her veins. And the pain. Oh, the pain. It was everywhere. Everyone. Everything. Make it stop!

Naruto could help. He'd have a plan. He always knew what to do.

Gasping and crying in quiet agony, Emerald turned to face her partner, trusting in him wholeheartedly. He'd not leave her here. He wouldn't abandon her. He would save her. She just knew it. Yet when she met his gaze, he looked just as terrified as she felt. Flaming red eyes gazed up at him, brimming with tears.

Emerald whimpered. "What's happening to me...?!"

He looked stricken. "I don't know!"

The wind began to howl.

"Knock me out!" she sobbed! "Before it gets worse!"

Credit where it was due, Naruto didn't hesitate. He stepped forward. Strong arms closed around Emerald's trembling form, not to drive her under as she demanded, but instead pulling her into a firm embrace. She felt his Semblance tug against her aura, and realized at once what he intended. He was using it to siphon off her power, trying to take the worst of it -and the pain!- from her quivering body and in doing so spare her such suffering. He'd always been like that; too kind for his own good.

The Power didn't take kindly to his intervention. Not one bit. It wanted to be free. No restrained in a useless host.

Heat and fire lashed out in a wave of light, carving across his face. Blood sprayed into the air. Emerald flinched at the grisly wound.

"Let me go!" she struggled in his grip! "I'll hurt you!"

Naruto grit his teeth and shook his head. "Everything's...going to be alright...

"Stop!" she snarled, causing lightning to flash in the skies overhead. "Its too much! You'll die!"

"I'm here." he didn't seem to hear her; his quivering hands stroked the small of her back. "I'm not gonna let go...

And then. Quite suddenly. The storm died.

There was no word or warning for it; as if a giant hand had reached down from the heavens and batted the dark clouds away, so too did the sun shine once more. Emerald looked up, baffled, still gritting her teeth. Where the devil were Blake and Pyrrha? Even with their help -and what could they do?!- they couldn't keep this secret for long. This power...whatever it was...she could barely control it. Already she felt full to bursting again, and Naruto looked sick just from siphoning off her excess energy.

"Too much." her partner released her, turned, and dry-heaved against the road. "It hurts...gotta let it out...way too much...

His hand snapped out and a blistering pulse burst from him, upturning the street. Cars buckled. Alarms wailed.

Emerald's mind balked. In the distance, sirens began to wail. They needed to run, move, FLEE before-

They never had a chance.

A dark green blur crashed down into the street from on high with an almighty crack; their impact kicking up a vicious cloud of dust. Emerald inhaled reflexively and was left hacking and coughing against the sudden surge of smog. Her fear flared and the wind responded, blasting the haze away. Her head whipped around and she struggled upright in Naruto's arms, half-expecting to see an enemy.

Imagine her surprise then, when she found herself face to face with the Headmaster of Beacon.

Ozpin looked absolutely furious. She knew it by the set of his jaw and the hard glint of his eyes. Strange green sparks skittered down the length of his cane. For a moment, she feared he might attack them on sight. Then he saw Amber and his fear became forlorn. He looked between them. Saw the blood on Naruto's hand, the far in Emerald's eyes, the ruined state of Amber's body. A lesser man might have leaped to conclusions; disaster would've sprung from this moment and created chaos.

Ozpin was not such a man. Well, perhaps he was, but eternity had tempered his emotions. It allowed him to step back and see the truth for what it was.

"I feared as much." his shoulders sagged in silent despair as he took in the scene before them. "Amber...what have you done...?"

Together, Naruto and Emerald rounded on Ozpin. He beheld their burning eyes. Both of them.

With a weary sigh, the immortal knelt on one knee and offered them his hand.

"Come with me if you want to live."

A/N: READ THIS LEST YE BE CONFUSED!

Amber...what have you done?

And yes its complicated. Naruto ain't a Maiden. Emerald is.

Didn't see that coming, did you? I wouldn't be a writer if I couldn't pull a twist like this every now and again.

This is an Amber who has been hunted and hounded without end; one who wanted to escape the burden placed upon her at any cost. As said, Naruto and Emerald were simply in the wrong place at the wrong time. Blake and Pyrrha were lucky not to be "chosen" this time around. Lucky indeed.

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?

No previews this time. We've got more surprise in store~!

...well...fine, just one. I want you guys to be happy.

(Preivew)

Ozpin gazed down on Team Nebula. "Well, it seems I owe you some answers."

Pyrrha grit her teeth. Blake said not a word. Emerald watched him like a skittish hawk.

But still more worrying was Naruto's reaction. He stood slowly. Approached the desk. Placed his hands upon it. Leaned forward. "Start talking."

R&R~!