A/N: PLEASE READ THIS NOTE, WOULD YOU KINDLY?
EDIT: I don't even know why I bother updating on a holiday. Pretty sure no one's around to read this, and that makes me sad. T_T
Still...I promised daily updates...so tired...
As ever, reviews are my fuel. Without them, I can't find any inspiration; no inspiration, no writing. So by all means, speak up!
Alright enough about me! time for the good 'ol Q&A! Here we go:
Q: MORE TIMESKIPS! I need some plot! And action! And...and things!
A: Well, I can't certainly provide the former...
Q: Alright, we know this is a reincarnated Faunus!Naruto, but that Semblance is wicked OP! And when the heck will we see Kurama?!
A: It still has a crippling weakness. Yes, it allows him to steal life force, and even the semblances of others once they're near death even give them to others like All For One, but...well. It helps if you think of Naruto's Semblance as a battery. He needs to charge it regularly, or it simply won't be as powerful.
And if he gets too low...
...well. You don't want to see that happen.
And yes, you'll see Kurama provided our boy gets his memories back. He's already piped up more than once.
Imagine it for a moment; a Naruto with all his old powers, but a more realistic outlook on life, and his new gifts. He might well become a hero or a villain if that happens.
Q: Don't make James the villain! Have mercy!
A: Oh? You thought that was my plan? I admit, I do tend to go that route in some stories. But here? Well...
...why don't you read this chapter and see for yourselves? I promise you won't be dissapointed.
Q: Sooo...what's the goal for Naruto and Emerald here?
A: As stated, they just want to live a normal life. They already had a crime spree across Remnant, but you can't sustain a life like that without even MORE crime. Things got too hot, they wanted out, and so they came to Beacon At this point they're something of a legend in the criminal underworld, but few know who they are thanks to Emerald's semblance.
Naruto and Em are quite content to keep things that way.
Q: Cinder really is blind, isn't she?
A: Blinded by arrogance? Very much so. She believes herself so sure in her position that she doesn't think anything can threaten her. When in reality, Beacon's a LOT more dangerous for her this time around. Nevermind the fact that Blake and Pyrrha are here a full year early, but we've got Adam and Illia wandering about as well. To say nothing of Emerald and Naruto themselves, the latter of whom appears to have caught Cinder's eye.
Emerald doesn't like to share.
Poor, poor, Cindy. You don't wanna press that button.
Alright, then. I think I've kept you all waiting long enough, no?
As ever, I own no references, themes or memes. Not a wit or a one!
Now get ready for some humor, some chaos, and...more than a few surprises.
"Coco...I need your help."
"Sure thing, sugar lips. Whaddya need?"
...how do I get a boy to ask me out on a date?"
"Ha! You've come to the right place! Right this way, my apprentice! Where's your boy at?"
"He's got an appointment to keep."
~A Month Later.
Stirring Shadows
Some said Ironwood was more machine now than man.
They weren't wrong, in a technical sense. Over half his body was pure metal; the legacy of a reckless, misspent youth. Even his semblance reflected this; what some called a "superpower" the very gift of his soul. Mettle strengthened his resolve, which in turn allowed him to carry through with his decisions, helping him hyper-focus. In the past it helped him to do what must be done. To not hesitate. To show no mercy. To ever act in the name of the greater good above all, careful to prioritize that which was most important.
The needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few...or the one.
Sometimes one must sacrifice one soldier to save the battalion. Sometimes a violent criminal must be made an example of to prevent crime in the lower districts. Sometimes diseased flesh must be cut away so that the rest of the body might yet live.
Some claimed that made him twisted. Monstrous. Evil. But he wasn't.
You see, James loathed his semblance. He despised it, hated it almost as much as he hated himself. In the brief moments when he was at peace, he wanted nothing more than to tear it from his body, cast it aside, and grind it to dust under his heel. It was passive, and always active in some form or another. When he was calm, he barely felt its effects at all. But when he was angry? When he was stressed? When he felt overwhelmed?
Then he became the Machine.
...
...
...
Or at least, he had.
Now, as he gazed down at his hands, metal and flesh alike, James felt more human than he had in a long time.
"There." Naruto backed away, lowering his still-glowing hands. "I did as you asked. You might be sore for a day or two...
"No." James pushed himself upright, wobbling only a little before he steadied himself. "I'm...alright." he stood with a grunt. "Thank you...for granting my request."
"No problem." the blond regarded him warily, ears twitching atop his head. "Still, I don't get why you wanted me to do this."
...its complicated." the General braced himself against a wall and rose to his full, towering height. "I'll gladly explain it to you once I've recovered."
"As you like." The ex-criminal shrugged. "Not like I'm going anywhere. We done here? I've got classes in the morning."
"Yes." James pulled himself into a chair and collapsed there. "I am in your debt. I will repay you for this. You have my word."
"You want to repay me?" Matchless blue eyes met his and for a moment, they shimmered with a hint of red. "Make sure no one comes after me and Emerald. Do that, and we'll call it even."
...I shall."
Naruto snapped off a lazy salute and left the way he'd come, leaving him with his thoughts.
James released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding.
Only then did he allow himself to smile. To laugh openly.
"Finally." he all but croaked the word. "I'm free...
He'd asked the young man to meet him in his office and use his Semblance to drain him; effectively bring him to the brink of death, then yang him back at the last instant. His theory had proven correct. There had been a moment there, a nanosecond in which he thought he genuinely would die here, fall to the floor and never rise again. But in that moment? That sliver of a second?
Mettle had screamed.
James hadn't thought it was possible for a Semblance to scream. But shriek it had. He'd felt something break in his mind as he hung between life and death; then with it, the steel trap of his pscyhe.
Naruto wasn't even aware of what he'd done; not truly. He'd...not taken his Semblance, for James could still feel Mettle simmering in the back of his mind, but he'd drastically weakened it. What had once been an overpowering presence that he had no hope of resisting was now little more than a nagging sensation in the back of his mind. He could fight that. He could resist it. His aura remained, his soul persisted, but that cold specter that haunted his every thought was not merely a shadow of its former self. Heh. Oh gods, he was making jokes now.
Perhaps that was a good thing. Even if it felt like someone took sandpaper to his soul. It would subside, given time.
Leather creaked beneath him as he leaned back in his chair to regard the ceiling.
His mind unspooled, contemplating the possibilities.
This went beyond the pale. It was remarkable. Impossible. Downright miraculous. To restore the youth of an experienced soldier was one thing, to bring them back to the prime of their life with but a touch...but what he had just done opened yet more possibilities. He still didn't have the words for what he'd endured. He'd already given that young man his thanks and them some, even gone so far as to apologize for his earlier rudeness.
If he could weaken semblances, could he not also enhance them? Perhaps even give them to others?
Naruto Uzumaki could change the world.
Best they play ball to keep him and his happy. If he took it into his head that he was being taken advantage of, or worse, actively used...they wouldn't be able to stop him. Not with that Semblance and the powers of a Maiden at his beck and call. He had but to grab someone, and in minutes, they would be dead. He'd seen the footage. He'd felt the pain that came with having your very life drained away then shoved back into you like a broken sieve. Sustained contact with that Semblance had dropped a Greater Ursa. He'd nearly died in five minutes.
Gods above, what would happen to Ozpin? To a man who was denied death, he might simply die again...or cease to exit entirely.
Did Naruto's semblance devour the soul as well as lifeforce itself? The fact that he wielded two Semblances -that they knew of!- suggested as much. Aura was the soul and the soul was what defined you, your semblance, everything. Naruto had taken the ability to teleport to any given marked location from another. Meaning he'd killed someone. Killed them and taken their semblance, their soul, for his own. Just the thought of it made him shiver. He understood now. The boy ate souls. That went beyond death. No peaceful passing. No afterlife. Just...gone.
You couldn't fight something like that. No if you wanted to survive the encounter.
If they sought to entrap him somehow? They would die.
If they attempted to blackmail him? They would die.
If they made him a weapon? They. Would. Die.
Naruto was only one man and might well fall under sheer weight of numbers, but how many would he take with him? Dozens? Hundreds? Thousands? Who knew what others gifts he was hiding? After the boon he'd given him, James was content to let him keep his secrets. With his mind unburdened for the first time in decades, he could finally relax.
A more wicked man might have used such a gift in the service of evil. Did such an ability make Naruto wicked? No.
Any weapon was only as dangerous as a wielder. Swords didn't swing themselves. He could have slain him just now, but instead he'd held to their agreement. That implied honor. Integrity at the very least. He could work with a man like that.
James tried to rise, only to grimace as his aching muscles protested viciously.
One did not simply "die" and recover in the blink of an eye, it seemed.
"Well." he sighed ruefully. "It seems I'm sleeping here tonight."
While his body recovered, his mind continue to whirl.
He couldn't think of the boy as an asset now; only an ally. To do so otherwise would bring about ruin.
If he established a rapport with Freya, that would link him to Atlas. If he was linked to Atlas, he would defend it. A gift like this could beat back Salem herself. Possibly even destroy her once and for...no, that was the shadow of Mettle talking again. He was being hasty. Not this time. Ironwood braced his mind and quelled the impulse. His semblance receded with a sullen snarl. A triumphant laugh burst from Victory over ones self came before victory over your enemies.
So long as he lived. And he must live. To that effect they must protect him; he and his team both. Whatever it took. No matter the cost.
With trembling fingers, James fetched his Scroll from his coat pocket and made a call.
"Winter. Yes, its me. Mobilize the Ace ops. I have a mission for them...and you."
Naruto wanted protection? He'd have the most elite guard Atlas could offer. Silent shadows, unseen protectors ready to swoop down on whomever harmed him. They could be discreet when pressed. Winter was certainly known outside of Atlas, but Harriett and the rest weren't. Unbidden, an idea began to form in the back of his mind. Yes. This could work. He would mak eit work.
No one would touch Naruto Uzumaki. He would gladly take a bullet to ensure his survival.
For all his flaws, James was also a man who paid his debts.
He'd be repaying this one for the rest of his life.
(.0.0.0.)
The month passed much as any other month would.
Team Nebula seamlessly integrated themselves into their new life and lessons alike,
Gradually, they began to settle down into some semblance of normalcy.
Of course, that wasn't to say it was a "quiet" month.
Life in Beacon seldom was.
(.0.0.0.)
Adam quirked a brow.
"What is this?"
He blinked once. Twice. Thrice now, for good measure. This was undoubtedly Port's classroom. Of that much he was certain. No amount of squinting on his part seemed to change that. Yet no matter how much he blinked, he still found it empty. When it should be occupied.
"Right on time." Naruto gestured to an empty chair. "Please, sit."
Adam didn't budge. "This isn't what you called me for. What're you up to?"
"Master thief, remember?" Naruto slapped his back and sent him stumbling forward. "I lied. I do that."
Not three steps in he spied Blake in one of the seats. She looked as angry as he felt.
"This is pointless." she crossed one leg over the other and pointedly looked away from him. "We have nothing to discuss."
"Agreed." the redhead all but bit out. "She's clearly made her choice."
"No?" Naruto tilted his head. "I happen to think the three of you have a great deal to talk about."
"Three...?"
Emerald slipped in behind them, a sullen Ilia slung over her shoulder. She didn't so much walk as she did stalk; bodily storming over to Blake and all but slamming the little chameleon Faunus into the seat beside her. Just like Blake, she too looked fit to protest. She subsided only
Adam struggled only a little, but the blond's grip was ironclad. He let himself be wrestled toward a chair.
Blake burst to her feet. "You're supposed to be on my side!"
"We are." Pyrrha materialized behind her and pushed her back into her seat. "But we need to hear them out as well." An arm came down on Illia's shoulder, guiding the subdued girl into the fourth and final chair. "None of us are leaving this room until we settle things.
"And if we don't want to-
Naruto frowned and air grew oppressive, choking the words in his throat. Was it just his imagination, or were those blue orbs glowing? No. Surely not. Was it warm in here? No, surely not. Emerald's definitely weren't on fire as well, the wind certainly wasn't picking up, and those certainly weren't sparks shooting from their fingers...right?
...
...
...oh, hell. Something told him he wouldn't be leaving alive if he resisted.
"You don't seem to understand." Naruto spoke slowly, the words a low growl. "This isn't a game. I'm tired of dancing around this." his palm rose, cradling an azure sphere, of light or flame he knew not, only that he didn't want to be hit by it. "Now be a good boy and sit. The fuck. Down. Oh. And if you breathe a word of this to anyone...
...we'll have to kill you." Emerald's smile was all teeth. "Wouldn't want that now, would we?"
...yessir!
Adam sat right the hell down like the good little boy he was. Blake all but wilted. Illia whimpered and clung onto her. Traitor! For once, Blake didn't try to fight her off. Emerald hummed and leaned back against the door, effectively trapping them in the room. Those bloody red flames still burned from her eyes, promising violence if any of them decided to abstain.
"See?" Naruto took his own seat and steeped his fingers. "Isn't it nice when we all get along? Now, lets talk...
Illia's voice warbled as she broke first.
Blake lasted nearly thirty seconds.
Adam managed a full minute.
He still gave in.
(...And So Passes A Month...)
Maria Calavera was no stranger to controversy.
She was the one who often caused it, after all. Be it with that nattering nag Cordovin or anyone else, she delighted in causing chaos. Why, you ask? Because it warmed her old bones and made her feel young again. That, and she was basically a chaotic neutral these days. Really, when you were her age you had to live a little.
Life was boring otherwise.
Still, when she received a curious call from a dear friend -because all old people knew each other, don't you know? It's a thing!- she didn't exactly hurry over. It took the better part of a month merely to make her way to Vale, and another week besides to hobble her way to Beacon.
She wasn't exactly impressed by the welcome she received at that.
Its hallowed halls were abustle with people, students and teachers alike; none of which seemed keen to make way for an old woman with a cane. Well, said cane was technically part-scythe, but still! It was the principle of the matter! Bunch of young whippersnappers. Didn't know how good they had it. Must be nice being able to spring around without popping a hip. Finally, after someone nearly bowled her over and slammed her into a wall without so much as an apology, she decided enough was enough.
"Hold it right there, missy!" She rounded on the next individual she saw and hooked their ankle with her cane. "I want a word with you!"
Credit where it was due, they didn't simply fall over; they narrowly managed to catch themselves on the wall and pivot at the last instant. Good reflexes, this one.
"Excuse me?" A girl with striking red hair and lovely green eyes stooped short -sure author, make fun of the elderly again, why don't you?!- to balk at her. "Did you need something?"
Her unfaltering manners caught the ex-huntresses flatfooted! How polite!
"Ahem!" Shaking off her stupor, Maria blinked once with her false eyes, leaned on her cane, and straightened as much as her hunched spine would allow. "What I need are directions to Beacon Tower. I don't suppose you know the way...?"
"The tower? Oh!" those keen eyes lit up. "You must be miss Freya's friend."
"In the flesh! Well, most of it." she tapped a finger to her false eyes. "Bit of a bad joke, that."
"I'm so sorry!" At least the poor girl had the good grace to appear chagrined. "I thought you were wearing sunglasses!"
Maria snorted. "You're a polite little thing, aren't you? What's your name?"
...Pyrrha?"
Maria beamed up at her.
"Well then, miss Nikos. By all means, lead the way...
(.0.0.0.)
Naruto removed his gloves with a put upon sigh. "You owe me for this...
"I know." Freya threw her arms around his neck and kissed his cheek. "Thank youuu~!"
"No, really." A slow heat crept up his cheeks as he did his best not to look down, "You absolutely owe me for this." piercing blue eyes fixed on Ozpin behind his desk. "I don't appreciate being dragged out of classes just to satisfy your curiosity."
"Quite alright." the headmaster indulged him with a patient smile. "I'll see your team pass the year with flying colors for this."
Well, that was outright bribery. Not that he was against it...
"And, sold!" he capitulated with a grin. Freya released him at last, allowing him to pivot and turn his gaze back toward the elevator doors. "Now, where's this friend of yours? She should've found her way here by now...? I thought you said she made it here-"
The vault doors swept open with a low ding. Pyrrha waved cheerfully from within. "Hello~!"
"Miss Nikos." Ozpin hummed but a little. "Thank you for guiding her here. You may return to your classes."
Naruto flicked Pyrrha a commiserating glance. "I'll only be a few minutes, don't worry. Tell Emerald I'm sorry for keeping her."
For a moment it looked as though the redhead would protest -she was growing increasingly willful as of late- but in the end she capitulated with a bow. Unfortunately that left the three of them alone with a a rather...well, lets just say an "interesting" individual and be done with it, shall we?
"I'm here, hold your horses." An old woman in dark navy robes shuffled out as the doors closed, leaving heavily upon a cane. "Well?! What in blazes is so important that you had to drag me half way across Remnant?"
Naruto's brow shot straight into his hairline.
"This is the one? She's a defenseless old woman! At least you could swing a staff before!"
"Ah, I know. I age like a fine wine. Would've been here sooner if I hadn't run into a little old sphinx up in Argus-wait a minute!" The woman's brow furrowed as the rest of his words caught up to her. "I'm not defenseless! Just a little hard of hearing. And blind without my eyes, that are in desperate need of repair.
Naruto quirked a brow.
"Okay," she grimaced. "I'm starting to see your point. Maria Calavera at your service. Now, would somebody tell me where Freya is?"
Freya stifled a smile behind her hand. "Why don't you see for yourself?"
"Fine, fine, twist my leg why don't you." Maria sighed, straightened her aching back and squinted up with her mechanical eyes. "Alright, I'll bite. Where the heck is Freyyyyyyyyoulookdifferent!"
Her words warped into a startled bleat as she beheld the maiden herself, no longer lurking in the shadows.
The revived maiden preened with a smirk. "Notice that yourself, did you?"
Maria looked left. Maria looked right. Maria blinked.
...I feel like I'm missing something here."
The explanation that followed proved a brief one, and not without questions.
"So let me get this straight." the wizened woman straightened her back with an audible pop, "You," she flicked a gnarled finger at Naruto, "Used your semblance to make her," the trembling digit flicked back to a grinning Freya, "Young again." she hooked her thumb and stabbed it toward her chest. "And now you want to do the same to me"
Naruto grimaced.
...please don't say it like that."
"Quite." Ozpin finished with a sigh of his own. "I'd forgotten how incredibly crass she could be."
"Well, sign me up!" Maria grinned. "I can't wait to do rub this in Cordovin's face! Ha! Oh, it'll be priceless...
Naruto squinted. "Cordovin?"
Freya sighed. "Best you don't know."
"I'll take your word for it. So...are we doing this?"
In a sense, this was just as much an experiment for him as it was her. He'd fed his Semblance on not just Grimm, but condemned criminals at Ozpin's request. Real scum of the earth, and only in small amounts, never enough to kill, but enough to swell his resolved all the same. Lifeforce was still life regardless of what or whom you took it from, but who knew how it worked?
Not he!
And so he'd glut himself on life energy until he felt fist to burst. His new powers fed off it, becoming stronger still. Eve now his hands were all but trembling from the excess energy. If this was a process he could repeat safely without expending his life force, well, sure that was worth looking into. Even if it that entailed having Ironwood and Ozopin looking over his shoulder at the moment.
He caught them staring and shrugged.
If he was going to have a fresh start, might as well make it a secure one.
In hindsight, he wasn't sure whether this would work; after all, Maria was so much older than Freya, and weaker for it. Her body was stooped and stunted, shrunken by age and time alike. Her eyes were another matter, one that felt...oddly familiar. He could've sworn he'd grown back someone's eye before. Hadn't he?
Almost as if he'd done so in another life.
Still, could he heal that which wasn't there anymore? It might not even be possible. Ozpin had mentioned something about Silver Eyes at the time, but he didn't really grasp the finer points of it.
Regardless of the outcome, it was something to see.
If this worked...if he could repeat this...the possibilities were endless. He and Emerald could live forever. Nothing short of death in battle would stop them, and not even that if they were careful. But now was not the time for such thoughts, as he well knew. To work, then. For lack of anything else to say, he gave Maria one last warning when she didn't pull away.
"Brace yourself."
"Alright, but if I wake up with a tattoo on my forehead, I'm blaming you!"
With a mild laugh, Naruto knelt reverently and reached one hand out for her to grasp.
(.0.0.0.)
Time to get this show on the road.
Truth be told, Maria didn't hold much stock in myths or magic. Make no mistake, she understood that those of the Silver eyes were inherently something more than the common Semblance, but that was as far as her knowledge went. After all, it wasn't like she'd been granted a mystical vision out of a lamp to explain anything. No, certainly not. But this...well...she'd never believed in miracles either, but beggars couldn't be choosers.
After all, you only lived once!
Long ago, she'd let her cowardice lead her about by the nose. Not this time.
"You may experience some mild discomfort." Naruto's words sounded distant. Distorted somehow. Stilted even, as he reached for her. As if another were speaking through him. "I'm sorry."
Maria reached out and clasped his forearm.
"My, that's a strong grip you've got theeeeeeeere!"
Her words piqued into a startled yelp as liquid fire filled her veins.
Well, now! That felt good! Really good. Her heart hammered in her ears, a sharp staccato beat that burned her world. There was no pain. Only a strange rush of heat that she couldn't quite quantify. Like she'd spent too much time out in the sun and got a bad tan. Not painful at all. It was..odd to be sure, but she wasn't sure why they were acting as if she'd wind up dead or worse-
And then she felt it.
"Yeow!"
Scarlet sparks raced down his arm and into hers. Her body didn't simply change. It jolted. Maria shot back as if she'd been struck by lightning. Heat and steam burst into the air, eliciting a gasp from everyone presence. Her back struck a wall and left a decidedly Maria-shaped impression behind. Muted laughter greeted her ears.
"Well, now." Freya giggled. "So that's what it looks like from the outside."
Ozpin swore softly. "Remarkable...
"Ah, hell." she heard Naruto groan. "I think you took too much, might've sent you back further than I intended...
Maria coughed into the smoke. "How far?!"
Oh, dear. Her voice!
She looked down blinked. Her vision was blurry and it took a bit of squinting before she realized something. She could see. Gone was the faint blue haze that had come with her artificial eyes -even now she could see the brilliant device sprawled at her feet!- in its place the the world was bright. So bright.
She fumbled for her cane and deployed its blade. A startled reflection gazed back at her within the polished metal.
This...was not quite her prime, but it wasn't far from it either.
Her once loose robes had been stretched to their limit; beneath them her once wrinkled skin was soft as satin. She ran a hand over it, marveling at her limbs. Nor were they the only changes. Her long grey hair had flown free from its braid, now a rich shade of chestnut brown cascading down her back. Not to mention other things were...well, everything was in their right places.
"Bloody hell." the young girl blinked back at her as she cupped her chest, stark silver eyes blinking back at her. "I feel...good. Really good. Just how hard did you hit me?"
Naruto scratched the back of this head as the haze faded. "Maybe a little too hard by he look of you...
Cordovin was going to be green with envy, insufferable little midget that she was. Ha! She'd never believe this. Maria pivoted anew, considering herself. Maybe she had gone back a bit too far. She'd peg herself in her late teens at best, and while that both rankled her pride, it also brought relief. No one would recognize her like this. No one to know her, no one to recognize her...or hunt her. She stood to her full height, mildly annoyed when her head barely came up to his chin.
In the end, she could only complain of one thing. "Blast it, you're still taller than me!"
Naruto threw his head back with a peal of wild laughter. "That's what you're worried about-mmph?!"
Maria didn't give him a chance to embarrass her any further than that. In a single seamless movement she grabbed his face and dragged his mouth to hers.
A/N: Well, hopefully folks see this. Pretty sure everyone's away on holiday right now, but...
Emerald gets to shine next chapter, and it's gonna be glorious.
Pretty sure most of you saw that coming. I can be blunt as a hammer when I want to be.
As ever, lack of reviews murder my inspiration. Without inspiration, I can't write. If folks don't review, I tend to think they don't like a story, you know?
Don't worry, we'll get to see more of Adam and Ilia next chapter, their time is coming...
So in the Immortal Words of Atlas... ...Revieeew... Would You Kindly?
As ever, enjoy the previews! And of course!
SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!
(Preview)
...Emerald? Are you mad?"
"No." she tossed her hair. "Why would I be mad?"
Naruto winced. "Because you look mad. Really, REALLY mad.
"Coco...I need your help."
"Sure thing, sugar lips. Whaddya need?"
...how do I get a boy to ask me out on a date?"
"Ha! You've come to the right place! Right this way, my apprentice! Where's your boy at?"
"He's got an appointment to keep."
Emerald was not best pleased at the moment.
Naturally, her displeasure stemmed from many things. For one she had another challenger.
Coco clapped slowly. "You came to the right person. Ain't nobody better than me when it comes to fashion."
Emerald twitched. "I'm already regretting this...
"Nonsense!" the brunette sang and spun her around. "Now lets get you ready for your date~!"
The closet swung opened, revealing an array of dresses.
...what are those?"
"Uh, your outfits? You didn't think you were going out in that, did you?"
Thief's Respite came out in a whirl of green.
"Velvet, grab her!"
"Huh." Maria did a little twirl, admiring herself in uniform. "Always did want to try my luck at a huntsman academy...
Emerald balked. "We can't have a fifth member!
"Whyever not?" Ozpin quirked a brow. "We can always give her a false surname. It wouldn't due for the world to know who she is..
"Its a pleasure to finally meet you, Roman. You can leave now. We'll let you live."
"Nah, I don't think so." Melodic Cudgel came up, ready to fire at the slightest provocation. "Turn out your wallets. Valuables first."
Emerald looked left. Emerald looked right. Emerald set her menu down. "Is he threatening us?"
Naruto grinned. "I think he is. Been awhile since someone did that."
...I'm not letting him ruin our date."
"No, no, I get that, but he might be useful-
CRACK!
Roman sailed back, spitting death. Emerald stormed after him.
Naruto sighed and called for his locker. "Guess we're doing this now."
He heard glass shatter behind him and flipped the table. A thin blade pierced through it. It was the only warning he received before he heard the sound of shattering glass. A sharp heel crashed into the side of his head, all but snapping his neck to one side. He rode the blow, caught them by the thigh, and slammed them into the floor.
"Vicious little thing, aren't you."
Neopolitan blinked up at him with wide eyes.
Then he smashed her through the floor.
R&R~!