I should clarify that though the story is in third person, it is told from the perspective of a single character between line breaks. I think it leads to more natural characterisations while not sacrificing detail or poetry.


A week passed, and the professors at Beacon had little luck prying information out of the man. Everyday, he would wake late afternoon only to continue staring at the moon, ignoring whoever approached him, be it the doctors, therapists or professors; his eyes seldom wandered, only providing occasional glances that were filled with suspicion. Each night, he would lay awake and mutter incoherent phrases, occasionally stretching his arms to test his injuries. The doctors remarked that the injuries were healing incredibly quickly, given that when he was admitted, the individual damage to each organ alone was enough to kill a normal man, let alone the sum total. They joked that he was the best patient they'd ever had, with the lack of questions or pestering, and the uncaring cooperation that he had provided. Before retiring each day, Ozpin and Glynda would discuss any little findings they had, primarily obtained through the camera recordings that would evidence his quiet murmurs.

Kurama. Konoha. Sakura. Kakashi-sensei and Iruka-sensei. Pervy Sage and Granny. The last two terms certainly amused Ozpin, but the two saw the tears that escaped his eyes whenever he mentioned them. Sore topics for him, it seemed.

But one term was repeated more than the rest. Kaguya. It was said with such hatred, such passion, that so heavily contrasted the otherwise mellow character of the blonde. It began unexpectedly, the day Port first introduced himself to the boy; Ozpin wondered why he had allowed him to visit, given that the man's already low probability of listening would sink to zero. Indeed, introductions were met with nothing, and Port's unique ability to transform any conversation into a boasting session came into effect- he narrated his tales of slaying cities full of Grimm, and yet when he compared himself to a God on the battlefield, the blonde's head snapped towards him, his eyes flashing an electric blue. He said nothing, only levelling Port with a furious gaze, daring him to speak more about Gods. In return, Port gave him an inquisitive look, a look not often seen on the old huntsman's face, before rushing into his speech once more, removing any mentions of a God. Since then, the mutterings of this Kaguya had begun, dominating his night habits.

"Do you think it could be her? It seems like too much of a coincidence to me."

Glynda stood in front of him, figure poised and elegant. Behind her, Qrow Branwen supported himself on the pillar, fidgeting with his flask.

"No, I don't believe so. I've never heard of Salem being referred to as Kaguya. Even then, it's quite apparent that he finds this figure disagreeable at least,"

He sipped his morning coffee, and his eyes turned to the man behind her.

"Did you manage to find anything out? Anything on a man similar to this?"

"Nothin'. If anything, I would've thought it was Tai, that asshat. Only problem is, he's twice the kid's age and happens to be in Signal right now," Qrow cracked a cheeky smile, drawing Glynda's ire. Ozpin smiled in turn, but remained focused.

"It's important that we understand him. It's not any normal person that denounces Gods with such passion."

"He might be from a cult, y'know? Those guys always have some weird shit going on. Wouldn't be surprised if they called aura God's curse and found a way to get rid of it."

"Qrow! Be serious, this is no joking matter! Might I add that your niece will soon be attending this academy-"

"Yeah, yeah, alright Glynda, sheesh, I get it! But this kid hasn't done anything. He's just depressed. Teenage angst, all that. You know, he might actually appreciate a drink,"

"Qrow-"

"Glynda. It's okay, you shouldn't stress over it so much. I think he's proven himself to be harmless for the time being. And for what it's worth, I think it would do some good if Qrow met with him."

Glynda shot Qrow an accusing look as he grinned back. Qrow took another swig of his flask, and continued.

"There hasn't been much else going on - no clue on the ones who attacked Amber, and Raven's been quiet recently. Though, you think the kid's arrival had something to do with Amber? Only reason to be suspicious, I think,"

"We considered it. But his lack of aura would've been too much for the maiden powers; if he was hit, he would certainly have died. And I doubt that he is in league with the culprits; it would be strange for them to disappear only for him to walk into the lion's den. Glynda also inserted 'maiden' into her chat to him earlier, and there's no visible reaction at all." Ozpin replied, standing as he did so. He waved his cane at the sight of Beacon. "While I am disappointed at the lack of progress, I am contented by the fact that nothing bad has happened."

"Yet." Glynda added, walking up to Ozpin and picking up a folder as she did so. She frowned at the single page in the folder, that revealed the scantest of information. "I'm sorry, Ozpin. It's just hard not to worry when we don't even know his name."

"Just wait for me to work my magic," Qrow laughed at his own joke, and grabbed a glass from the side. Pouring some of the flask into it, he placed it in front of her disapproving eyes. "Relax! You need some juice, dear," he teased. She promptly slid it away, but let out a small smile at his efforts. Her expression softened, but her words did not. "If he shows murderous tendencies, you will be the first thing I throw at him."

Qrow sported a sheepish grin, scratching his head. "Hehe, you don't really mean that do ya?"

She opted not to reply, instead pushing up her glasses towards her noticeably baggy eyes, and pushed the folder into his chest.

"The information we have on him so far. Do not let him see it, and try not to act suspicious."

"Hey, why would I be acting suspicious? I'm just showing the kid the beautiful world of booze," He turned as he said it, and Ozpin was sure that eyes were stabbing into his back. "Just relax, your uncle Qrow'll fix your mess. Just remember to buy him some of the good stuff later," he hummed whilst waving the folder and exiting the office.

"He is insufferable."

Ozpin smiled at her expense, quite used to the banter that they provided.

"He is effective, and just what we need right now. A more relaxed approach might be required, and Qrow is just the right man for that. The faculty has enough on their hands, there's little need for them to spend an hour being ignored." He looked directly at her. "You have enough work on your hands, take some rest. You can't keep this up for long."

"It's the same every year. I would be more relaxed if you did your own paperwork." Ozpin avoided the comment, only cementing his own guilt.

"Leave the issue to me for now. I will trust you to handle the admissions as usual."

She sighed, nodding and producing another folder for him to look at.

"And I will trust you to handle this. I just want the students to be safe here," Ozpin hummed in response and sipped as his glasses steamed. "Applications seem to have more special cases this year. I've approved these cases, but you might want to look at them anyway." He opened the folder, and amusingly, another blonde stared back at him, sporting a confident smile juxtaposed with a tepid impression in the eyes. Perhaps a less problematic one, he thought, though he did not hold out hope. His fingers traced over the family name, borne from sacrifice and war from a fading age. Jaune Arc. Snapping the folder shut, he looked up to see Glynda leaving.

"I have faith in you and your abilities, Glynda. I would not be doing this otherwise."

She looked back curiously, the tired gaze now gone. As her eyes met Ozpin's she softened their emerald green, before a grateful smile adorned her face.

"I know. Thank you."


Cursed eyes snapped open, revealing a cold crimson choked by darkness. They smoldered, levelling all that appeared before them and scrunching up as they entrenched themselves in deep focus. The bloody strands, sat on an ashen pallor, pulsated from the eyes to the woman's cheeks, decorating her sour mien. It was difficult for Salem to call herself that; eons spent in this realm had reduced her to all but a shadow of the earth, feeling nothing but contempt. The feeling coated her piercing gaze that settled itself on the subservient woman by her side. Her pallid hands slowly, yet ominously, reached towards her, the figure that faintly curled in on herself. The scarred fingers that promised blizzards wrapped itself around her warm forearm, palms gentle yet the nails threatening to pierce the rapidly paling skin. To her credit, Cinder Fall did not willingly react to the touch, but Salem could feel the honest goosebumps and raised hairs. In the periphery, she spied the attentive gazes of her subjects that judged the amber eyed girl in all manner of forms, but paid them no heed, instead waiting expectantly for her respect.

"…Yes, Master?"

"There have been new… developments. We must add contingencies. Do not fail me, Cinder."

She breathed, and dared to look up to the superior eyes.

"Of course, Master."


Qrow's entrance could only be described as accidental; he stumbled through the door, sporting a surprised look, quickly being replaced by terror, as his hands gained the ability to push through a locked door. Wait, it was locked, right? No excuse spared his face from the cold hard floor, and his already dizzy vision was knocked even further. He groaned as his hands searched for something to push himself up, cursing Ozpin and his 'old man's cane' as he did so. Brushing himself off as he stood, he took notice of his charge, who peered at him, his body leaning away and lone arm curling to close himself off from him. Qrow spotted a brief glimmer of curiosity, before it was quickly quashed by the dull blue that he had heard all too much about.

Heh, can't blame him being nervous in front of big ol' Qrow.

Instead, the blonde promptly looked away, refocusing on the moon as Qrow quickly dispelled those thoughts.

Or, maybe he's just a dickhead.

Shaking his head, he grabbed the stool and landed at the kid's side, and waved at point-blank range, to receive nothing. His raspy tone amplified his grumbling, as he muttered under his breath about kids who didn't know what they were getting into. He still dismissively stared outward, refusing to acknowledge him further. One of those types. Qrow groaned, and looked up as if to ask the Gods why he was here. Of course, he knew why, but he simply cursed his decision to not spend an extra day at the bar, reminding himself that five drinks a day keeps the doctor away. Taking a swig of his third for the day, he steeled his gaze as he recollected Ozpin's words.

A meaty slap echoed through the infirmary, and the boy's arm had moved to guard his face almost instantaneously, something Qrow barely perceived through his ringing vision. On Qrow's cheeks were two distinct red handprints, mirrored by his now focusing eyes and thinned lips. He looked down to the blonde, again spotting that inquisitive look, now coated with confusion; but past that was a hardened stare which seemed misplaced on the youth. He jolted up, inadvertently knocking over the stool, and grinned at the boy.

"Right!"

If Ozpin's good cop, Glynda's bad cop, then…

Grabbing the abused stool and throwing himself to the other side of the bed, Qrow hammered the stool down and planted himself firmly between the kid and the window, said boy's stare following him all the while. His grin disappeared, as if it were a meticulously constructed mask, making way for the serious frown that complemented the focused red in his eyes. The air around him instantly shifted to the polar opposite, turning into an oppressive overtone, and he bored through the stare of the blonde, their locked stared warning each other of what was to come. The blonde visibly stiffened, and every muscle tensed with seemingly veteran experience, ready to pounce at any sign; his face expressing more than Qrow had ever seen him, shifting from something resembling resignation - resignation? - to a chilly fury, daring to challenge him. Not being one to back down, Qrow's lips parted, ready to shout, as his arm suddenly raised towards the blonde, who immediately brought up his arm in helpless defence to his attack,

"Hey! I've slept with a nurse on this bed, y'know!"

His hand pointed at the very same bed the blonde sat up on, and cold disposition quickly shattered to reveal the truthful grin behind his words. The boy's cool exterior quickly deteriorated into a gobsmacked look - Qrow took pride in it - and he could do nothing to stop the seemingly instinctual words that escaped.

"What the hell, bastard?!"

He quickly regretted his words, cheeks flushing as his eyes snapped away, and began to scratch his whiskered - whiskers? - cheeks, exposing the innocent adolescence within. Qrow's grin grew cheshire-like.

"Yeah, the sheets might be different but this bed's innocence is mine, kiddo. No nasty business from you on my bed."

His eyes could not hide his raw discomfort and disgust, as he visibly cringed at the thought. Qrow laughed internally, his age and experience in irritating closeted teens checkmating the final boss in front of him. Maybe dealing with Raven and Tai had actually given him some useful skills, rather than the trauma of hearing your best friend pine after your psycho sister.

"…leave me alone…" he whispered as his skin tone returned, amusing Qrow further as he watched his words act out the burn effect on him, thinking about the ten hit points per turn it would earn him. The blonde was quickly reverting to his shell, and Qrow grimaced, cursing himself for forgetting the passive ability held by all teenage enemies: the try-to-act-cool-and-mysterious technique. Unwilling to give up on his combo, he reached into his mental inventory and dished out the finishing hit, sure to counter his opponent's ability:

"What, so you can jerk one off? This is my bed, kid."

"What the fuck?"

Fatality. Now to reap his rewards.

"Exactly as I said it. Actually, how am I supposed to take your word for it? You're at that age. I bet you stare at Glynda as she's leaving right? Not that I blame ya, but the purity of the bed is with me, kid, and it's been weeks since you've busted one. I can't trust you, so I'm gonna charge you instead. How does a bottle a week sound?"

Qrow did all he could to stop himself from guffawing at the look of incredulity on the boy's face; it was plain as day, and so adorably honest. It was a complete 180 from the expression just a few minutes ago, and one surely more true to his soul. Poor kid probably hadn't ever been around someone so experienced in the arts of the finer sex.

"Go away, you pervert!" he shouted, with his face tinged pink and sweat beginning to run down his temple. Qrow would've thought he looked like a tomato, if not for the afternoon sun bathing the boy in orange. It seemed natural on him, the orange, the flustered face and the youthful innocence that had seemed to escape him for the last few weeks.

"Oho, so the kid's got spunk? A welcome surprise, so long as it isn't on the bed."

No reply. Qrow sighed, disappointed in the reception of his punchline. He jumped on the opportunity as soon as he thought of it, but hell, the kid didn't know what spunk was? Where was he from, a bloody secluded village? He refused to look into Qrow's eyes, almost desperately staying still and waiting for it to be over. Did he think he wouldn't be able to see him if he did that? Qrow's mind stumbled through the thoughts as the slap's effect began to wear off and give way to the constant buzz in the back of his mind.

In what seemed like a mere minute - though, Qrow couldn't tell - the blonde's usual melancholy returned, poisoning his face and posture, leaving behind its symptoms. He wiped the sweat from his brow and almost meditatively normalised his breathing, and his skin returned to its dull golden tone. It was almost militaristic, the regimented manner in which he rebuilt his castle walls; Qrow thought he could've been James' son, if the man wasn't such a bastard.

What the hell, a revive?

Despite that, though he couldn't clearly see it between the ever so small sways in his vision, he thought he still saw the electric blue remain on his eyes, again misplaced on the depressing appearance that was itself misplaced on the youth. He'd made some progress, at least. Or so, he hoped. Even then, he couldn't let this opportunity go to waste. He sighed, and began again.

"Meh, it's fine as long as you get me a-"

"It's not enough to keep me here, is it, Kaguya? You want to piss on my grave too? And on those who I love?" he snapped back, breaking through Qrow's building monologue. The fury in his eyes had returned, as that name was was mentioned once more. Kaguya. The strange name bore no resemblance to anything he had heard, and it acted as a trigger. He'd seen the recording of his lashing out to Port, and it was scary to see the level of hatred that was condensed into his age, something that should not have been seen in any human, let alone one so young. The supposed heretic, and his hatred for the God, Kaguya.

"Well, I am trying to take the piss out of you - but my name ain't Kaguya, kid. It's Qrow. You won't forget it. Qrow Branwen. Q-R-O-"

"I don't care. You're a pretender. Just a part of her sick imagination, bastard."

"Wouldn't be the first time I lived rent-free in someone's head. Tell you what, kid, how's about you actually tell me who the fuck this Kaguya is? I'd actually wanna know if I'm living in some sort of simulation or not. Y'know, those theories?"

He appeared mistrustful, unwilling to believe the truth of Qrow Branwen. Snorting, he snarked back and the harsh eyes did not fade.

"I don't care about what you think, the Goddess you're part of, whatever stupid world this is. You don't fool me." The venom somehow intensified with the last words.

"I'm part of a Goddess? Hell, news to me. Does it come with benefits? Where does my unlimited booze come in?"

He grunted again, not pleased at the mind games that he pinned on Qrow Branwen. The new information did nothing but confuse the older man, and his concern turned to the mental fragility of the man in front of him rather than the task he had been given. Qrow was lost to whatever subtext the blonde had deemed him guilty of creating.

"I seriously don't know what you're talking about. I think I'd know if I was part God. I'm probably more booze than I am a God."

"The word, stop saying it."

"Fine, but you're seriously worrying me here, kid. I'm just Qrow. Uncle to two beautiful nieces, brothers with a psycho, and dear friends to Ozpin and Glynda. I don't know who you are, I'm only here to talk to you. It's been weeks since you got here, and it's just been zip! It ain't healthy."

Silence ensued, and the suspicion-seeking gaze examined him once more.

"I can guess you've been hurt. I guess it's cause of this crazy lady you're muttering about, but we ain't got any clue who she is. There's pain in your eyes, but don't think I didn't see the hope either."

His stare began to shine, and Qrow almost yelled in success, before his vision focused to see that behind the shine was the same dim navy, only hidden by watering eyes. Calming himself, he pushed further.

"I'm not here to hurt you. I've felt pain like yours, and it's that exactly that which makes me want to help you."

His eyes widened, and the atmosphere around him completely changed once more; he leered at him, as if he recognised Qrow, and a tear traversed down his face, and with it, Qrow's granted time.

"Please, leave me alone. Just… I just want to be alone."

It wasn't a demand. There was no despair, no soldier-like reprimand, no hate in his tone. It was just… sadness.

Qrow knew this was no time to push further. The look on his face was sobering, and with that, Qrow promptly left his seat and began to walk away.

"If you're going to try to act like him, at least do it well."

His head swivelled and tilted in confusion. The boy did not look at him, only tending to the stump on his other side.

"Naruto. My name is Naruto Uzumaki."


As the drunkard placidly left the room, Naruto let out a deep breath he didn't realise he had been holding. He watched the serene breeze carry a feather through the window, illuminated by the fading daylight, out into the beautiful green that painted the surroundings. It elegantly danced through the sky, gracefully sidestepping the turbulent leaves that neighboured the building, and continued to meander across the plain, not settling for any ordinary path. As it faded into the distance, never descending to the darkening grass below, Naruto wondered if even the feather was a part of her will. The feather that held hope of staying afloat, reaching the sky; the feather that climbed back up from any gust that sought to blow it down; the feather that glimmered in a dull white, shining through the light it let through, than any reflection of itself. The light that was not its own - the light that Naruto used to hold, the cumulative efforts of all his precious people. Naruto Uzumaki was nothing without his comrades, and, in the world of her creation, Naruto was alone.

His missing palm seemed to pulsate, beating its own heart, agonisingly calling out for something, but his mind failed it. Imagining what was once there, he saw the distinct circular mark at the very centre of the palm, boasting the clearest black he had ever seen. It almost seemed like a dream, the events leading up to this, and the weeks had blurred into one, long unending day. His nails began to draw blood from his palm as his other fist clenched, and he bit his lip. Even as he remembered everything in frustrating, unfortunate detail, it felt more and more distant with time, and the dream felt more and more material. The sun, moon, and sky. The bandages that wrapped his arm, blinds that parted the light, and air that he breathed. The ageing headmaster, his scrupulous assistant and the dandy drunkard. Clacking geta resonated.

Qrow's words chanted in his ear, simultaneously teasing and berating, and he cursed each time he recalled himself rise to his taunts.

"Knowing what it feels to be in pain, is exactly why we try to be kind to others."

His lip bled under furious canines.

"All you do need, is the guts to never give up."

His teacher's words rang through his mind, echoing endlessly as the memoir tore down his defences. Naruto Uzumaki wept.


"No need to cry," she purred, stroking the piece as she did so. The usually rough hands placed it on the board with care, with an artistic precision, and as soon as it landed, she suddenly bellowed in laughter, slapping her knees and producing finger guns pointing towards her two family members. "You just got Yanged!"

"Yaaaaaang!" Ruby Rose complained, huffing and sitting upright indignantly. She levelled a glare at her sister and growled, "That's unfair! You cheated!"

"House rules, sis! Not my fault you can't remember where you are!"

"It's not in the rules of the game!"

"Well, me being a badass isn't in the rules of the game, but some things just work in life, yanno?"

"Yaaaaang!"

"Girls, calm down, it's just a game, no need to get worked up over it." Taiyang looked at them fondly, chucking as he reminisced on the old times. It had been a while since they had played Remnant, but he could see that their antics hadn't changed one bit.

"Yeah, just cause you're last, dad. You sure you've been playing? I don't think you're any better than where you started." Yang ribbed, and Ruby could tell that the fondness was being tested. Her glare parted, replaced by a giggle. "Yeah, dad, at least I'm not that bad."

Taiyang's benevolence received two debilitating kicks. "Ouch, guys, no love for your old man?"

"The game has no love for you, old man."

"Yeah, what Yang said!"

Yang shot an amused look at her sister, and she pouted in return. Their father chuckled once more, willing to take their hits for what would be one of the last times for a while. He wore a faraway look, and Ruby quickly took notice. He'd been like this recently, occasionally staring at the two without saying anything, only contentedly smiling in a manner and for a reason they could not discern. "Remnant to Daaad! Are you there?"

"He's just doing old man stuff, Ruby, you're too young to understand. Oh, my sweet sister of fifteen," Yang laughed, dragging her sister to her side and enveloping her in a soft hug, beginning to coddle her as she had done so many times before. Putting on her finest impression of nobility, she puffed her chest as if beginning her formal address. "My darling sister, please do not ever change; My lovely sister, when I return, I- ah, to hell with it. C'mere, Ruby, you're just too cute!"

Ruby stuck her tongue out at her, but returned the hug, just a little tighter, leaning in as her sister played with her hair. There was only a week left, she knew, but tried her hardest to ignore it. She'd avoided any calendars for the past month, but the back of her mind proved treacherous, counting down the days unfailingly. Her grip tightened once more, and she wished that she wouldn't have to let go; as if her mind was read, Yang returned it with twice the vigour, and soon the sisters were hugging the dear life out of each other. Ruby wouldn't change the moment for the world, and wished deeply for one, two more days with her sister.

Taiyang Xiao-Long smiled, and walked over to his two daughters, and wrapped his arms around the both of them. The family sat and pooled their warmth, taking in the precious moment as much as they could. "You girls haven't changed one bit. Fighting, hugging, we've only got crying left, you know,"

The expected "Dad!" did not come, and instead his daughters leaned into him. Ruby's eyes, as predicted, started to shine, but she stubbornly fought it down.

Yang wouldn't cry. She's strong.

She felt no wetness on her shoulder, only hearing and feeling the inconsistently deep breaths of her sister. Zwei had awoken from his nap, and quickly homed into the trio, barreling in, showering himself in their mellow smiles. Ruby looked up to see her father diligently pick him up and put him between the three, and the bundle of chaos quickly made his presence felt, licking his face clean. Her father smiled at them all, and once again sported that faraway smile, the smile of knowing more than she did, experiencing more than she had, losing more than she ever had. Seeing his eyes, Ruby felt her father's bittersweet mood. He looked out once more, and she followed, both their gazes landing on the picture of her dear mother clutching Yang's hand and carrying her. Supermom. She was still felt around the entire house, in every conversation, every funny, sad or proud time that they had. Oh how she wished she could be here, to feel this moment - she was much too young to remember her words, her lessons, her voice, but even then she could not forget her motherly touch.


Sweet aromas filled the Xiao-Long kitchen as Taiyang stirred through his famous stew, occasionally stopping to smell the incredible mixture, his nose accurately diagnosing the mixture. He grabbed a star anise and a cinnamon stick from the side, and dipped them in, before covering the mixture. He wasn't going to pull any stops for the last few days, knowing his daughter wouldn't be able to taste his cooking for the next few months. Maybe he should send her some meals? Ruby's heart would jump out of her chest if she got the opportunity to visit her sister, and Taiyang supposed that sending a meal with her would be the least he could give to Yang. Zwei interrupted his thoughts, jumping up to reach his waist while yipping and salivating at the smell of the famed dish. The strangely aware dog knew that the stew was not for him to eat, but somehow though the years, Taiyang had ended up below him in the household pecking order, a fact that the corgi seemed to know all too well. Exhaling, he grabbed a spoonful of the meat in the simmering stew, walking over to the dog that had zoomed into the other room, and dropped it over Zwei's huffing mouth; the meat disappeared into the vacuum, and the only evidence it was ever there laid in the heightened wagging of this tail.

"Hey! How come Zwei gets first taste?" Yang asked impatiently. The girl sometimes scarily resembled her mother, but Taiyang knew better than to comment on that. He shrugged in response, content with leaving himself to his own thoughts. Ruby was laying on the opposite end of the sofa to Yang, their legs knotted together in a battle for the middle seat, seemingly unawares to her surroundings while going in and out of sleep. She continued to blink rapidly before finally closed her eyes and sighing, before suddenly jumping as a blaring sound pierced her left ear. Yang couldn't stop the giggle escaping her mouth, and almost automatically commented, "The ringtone is as bad as ever, Dad."

She looked ticked, and as she reached under Ruby to open his scroll and see who was calling, she faux-groaned as if in resignation. A click and a beep.

"Hey, Tai- oh, if it isn't my favourite nieces!"

"We're your only nieces, Uncle Qrow," Yang hit back, already fluent in her uncle's banter. Her smile morphed into a charming grin, and she stood up proudly, ready to counter the next rebuttal.

"Uncle Qrow! We've missed you so much! Have you missed us? Are you in Patch? Did you buy some cookies? What-" Ruby's fatigue had quickly faded; she jumped out of her seat, and her thousand-watt smile outshone the scroll in front of her.

"No, Ruby, I'm just here to update Tai,"

Ruby pouted in return as Taiyang smiled at their interaction - she was unwilling to let her uncle's sarky humour dampen her mood.

"Are you coming back soon? Yang's leaving soon, you need to come back so we can all spend the day together!"

"I know, pipsqueak. I'll come soon, but some stuff came up. I'll need to stay in Vale for a few days." The scroll did little to enhance his best friend's already raspy voice, and though Taiyang knew that the gruff tone usually masked his humour, but his last words told him that this was not such a time. He sped across the lounge as Yang handed him the scroll.

"What's up? I thought you'd get here tomorrow?"

"It's… school stuff. I'll be a day or two late. It's a hopeful school funder, but he's on the fence. Well, maybe on the other side of it. But we're waiting." Qrow was stone sober, his words clear cut, leaving little ambiguity to their meaning. Ozpin. Potential ally. Negotiating. Taiyang turned so that only Qrow could see him, and fixed him with a glare.

"You heard, right? We'll move the outing, but he should still be here in time." Yang acknowledged his words absentmindedly, and Ruby pouted once more.

"You said you'd be here tomorrow! Yang and Dad are busy at Signal, and I'll have nothing to do,"

"Suck it up, kiddo. Do some work on Crescent Rose and time'll fly by. Maybe get your dad to leave some booze too," Taiyang opened his mouth, only for Ruby to beat him to it. "But being at home is gonna be so boring! Just let me tag along, I like school funding!"

"What?"

"Really?"

"Yeah! So pretty please, Uncle Qrow, let me come to Vale with you? I'll balance out your old man talk with Crescent Rose."

"Ruby-"

"Rubes-"

"-Uh, kid, I don't like the sound of that."

"I mean my young woman talk! Yeah, my young talk. Totally. Girl power. Balance." she stuttered out, sounding more uncertain by the second. Taiyang looked at her, dumbfounded, and coughed for attention. Ozpin's business was far too dangerous for his daughter, and he cursed Qrow for even mentioning it. He peered at his daughter, and she beamed back, the smile begging for the opportunity. He knew she was just itching to get out, but this wasn't the best of terms.

"I think you'll be fine staying here. Didn't you say you needed to work on Crescent Rose anyway?" Taiyang asked, hiding his mental plea. Ruby was stubborn, but if he could just-

"But I've got to get some materials for it! Please Dad, I really want to go see Uncle Qrow, and I can get stuff from Mr. Oliver's shop!"

Trying to change either of his daughters' decision was a mountain of a task, and it didn't seem like it was going to be any easier today. He looked to Yang for support, but she shrugged, not seeing any problem with it.

"Ruby, he's going to be busy. Trust me, you won't get much time with him anyway."

She pouted once again, but quickly hummed and looked to the side.

"Fine. But you owe me cookies!"

Taiyang looked quizzically at his daughter again, before begrudgingly agreeing. As he walked back to the kitchen to continue the conversation in private, in the back of his mind, the look he saw on her face began to unsettle him.


"-attracted to negative emotions. They-"

As if she were the textbook itself, Glynda glided through the facts with no pause and impossible precision. She wasted no effort, a result of years of experience that had crafted her conciseness. Though her mouth ran automatic, she focused on Naruto, virtually shackling him with her stern stare, an amusing complement to her almost bored tone. The boy had claimed memory loss, with there only being names he could recall. Glynda had to rip off every habit and inch of discipline in her in order to ignore the blatant lie, deciding it better that he recover without stress. Her stance had softened slightly since Qrow's visit through the boy's reply to him, which had struck her with its brutal honesty and trauma that lay within. Even then, recounting the profile of the Grimm and Remnant to a boy who she was sure already knew them took its toll on her focus. His facial expression projected everything; the distant expression, slight fidgeting and stare at the floor was an amusingly pathetic attempt at deception. For now though, she would just have to endure.

"-hunted. Did you get that all, Naruto?"

An absent nod. She exhaled, expecting the response. At least he hadn't the gall to fall asleep in front of her. Maintaining her posture, she stepped towards him and began to remove his IV drip.

"The headmaster has asked for you to be given a tour of Beacon. He hopes the fresh air will help you in recovering your memories, and he believes it is best you know the area of your residency."

"Okay,"

"I need more than that. You are in a school, Mr. Uzumaki, and I need your reassurance that you won't be causing any trouble whilst you're here. While I understand that your circumstances are not ideal, the sentiment need not extend to the student population."

His face contorted into an expression she couldn't identify, and her hand twitched towards her crop.

"The hell? Can you speak English?"

…of course. She huffed, and repeated,

"Don't hurt the students, or I'll hurt you."

"As long as they don't do anything to me." She ripped off another plaster, and he did not flinch.

"They will not. Regardless, there are no ifs or buts here, Mr. Uzumaki. Otherwise you may find a limit to our hospitality."

"…not like any of it matters anyway…" Naruto scoffed, batting away her hand to take off the last plaster himself. She ignored his quip, and instead began to observed as he carelessly tidied himself up, barely straightening out the scrubs given to him by the doctors and doing nothing to neaten his unruly hair.

"Mr. Uzumaki. I really must make sure that you understand the rules here. We are taking a risk by putting you near our students, and so we must impose some restrictions."

"I'll just leave then."

"And you are free to. But you may find that Remnant may not be as kind to you as we have been thus far." Glynda bit the inside of her lip, willing her bluff to work. Ozpin's words to her had been clear as day, and she was playing a mighty gamble here.

"I know that he must be of importance in some way. Glynda, it is imperative that we do not let Mr. Uzumaki go."

He had not clarified why, or how he would fit into their plans against Salem, but Glynda had not questioned him after seeing the absolute expression he had held. Thus, Glynda shoved all-in with her pocket pair.

She refused to let her nerves show, not breaking eye contact and refusing to let her heartbeat be heard. He studied her entire appearance, searching for any sign he could. Their difference in life experience had been thrown in the gutter; she felt like a child lying to their parents in some reckless dare, while his stare dug into her statement. His probing lasted for the longest minute, and when he closed his eyes and frowned, Glynda's eyes fractionally widened.

He huffed. She did not let the smile come to, despite having doubled up and cracked her opponent's aces.

"So, as I was saying. You must remain within the infirmary block for now, and you are to be escorted any time you wish to leave. You will soon be moved to your own quarters, but we must wait for the last evaluation from the doctor."

She did not look at him whilst speaking, only rearranging the flowers that Ozpin had left the boy while he digested her words. They bathed in the afternoon sun, entertained by the sounds of nature that entered the window. Glynda had noted that the animals around Beacon seemed to prosper since his arrival, but paid little mind to it.

He mumbled in return, and she made no effort to understand it, having already known what he would say. She proceeded to wipe the dust off her skirt as she exhaled, and began the next step. Passing the awkwardness, Glynda waved her crop to guide some slippers out of the cabinet, to the side of the bed. His face once again betrayed his confusion. The childlike curiosity had returned, leaving no evidence of the beast that had previously inhabited the body; each change was so painfully apparent that Glynda considered his transparency to be a delightfully useful quality in an otherwise reticent figure.

"What was that?"

"My semblance, Mr. Uzumaki. Were you not listening at all?"


The woman's words half registered throughout the tour, while his ears opted to listen to the sounds of the swaying trees and the gusts that played their sweet music. His eyes instead wandered around the complexes that comprised Beacon; they were completely unlike anything he had ever seen, and anything he could ever imagine. Though, he supposed, someone in the world must have in order for him to see it. The various administrative staff that littered the school always stopped to stare at him, and he refused to entertain their curiosity, choosing those times to listen to his companion.

They marched around the perimeter, stopping frequently as she pointed out the various landmarks and memorials littered across the site. Her automated voice recited the brochure facts of the school, again refusing to slow down to let him register anything.

As they circled the site, the woman would occasionally use her 'semblance' to help the staff that were sweeping around the school, guiding multiple objects with a deft flick of her wrist. Several objects had flown past his face, and her underlying message was not unheard. Despite this, she had no qualms with opening up to him at several locations, her lectures turning more enthusiastic at what seemed to be her favourite parts of the school, even with her best efforts to keep a neutral tone.

"And this is the hall. It is one of the oldest parts of our school, standing tall ever since its creation, which was not long after Beacon's inception. The windows were made by an old student of ours, whose semblance…" Her bored voice had suddenly turned proud as she mentioned the old student, almost wanting to pause in reminiscence. Naruto studied Glynda as she almost glazed in nostalgia and pride; her focused was affixed to the shining glass that surrounded the hall, as his mind poked around her display of sincerity. Looking down, he reached towards his neck, grasping at the memory of the emerald necklace and the feelings alongside it. Naruto had seen that expression countless times, each married to his soul, becoming a part of him. He resonated with that smile, the faith and fierce loya-

No. He quickly shook himself out of the thoughts, unwilling to let them dig further under his walls.

"Mr. Uzumaki, are you quite alright? We can take a break if necessary."

"N-No, it's alright." She raised her brow, but said nothing of it.

"Well then. Let us walk to the arena. It is where I teach most often."

The walk to the arena had been muted; they walked through areas they had already covered, and were left in an awkward silence while they headed into the complex. Yet, he could see that her uninterested manner had disappeared, replaced by an amusingly professional giddiness. The woman was far too easy to read. Her pace had increased, but the inhuman uniformity to her steps remained. As they reached the gate, a light akin to when he first opened his eyes introduced itself, and he raised his hand to cover his face. Quickly readjusting, he was unprepared for the technological marvel that appeared around him.

His mouth slightly parted in awe as he saw the brilliantly lit screens border the viewing area that surrounded the platform. They appeared to float in thin air, and illuminated the entire room with an electronic glow; though the pillars held their place, carrying the colossal ceiling, and the architecture suavely called for his attention, he could only see the bright blue glow of the things, the things he couldn't hope to describe.

"Impressive isn't it? Our arenas are specifically designed for safe sparring between students, which we enforce using our aura gauges; they were actually constructed by one of our students at the time. The same students grew up to invent the first functioning scroll, which have become a necessity in this growing world."

She had returned to the monotonous drawl that had hammered his ears for the past hour, but his interest was quickly piqued as she brought out a strange device and held it high, to her face.

"It operates through a touch-interactive hologram-"

"A what? Hologram? What's that?"

It suddenly burst into life, producing a visible energy as the cyan filled his vision, humming warmly. It was the same light, same object - material? - as what surrounded the seats. His hand extended, but the phenomenon was quickly taken out of his reach. He was stumped as he saw the backwards text flood the blue, decorating the blue-tinged midriff of his companion. He squinted and slowly tried to read the text.

"…illusions are crafted by the knowledge of the maker and the victim; Infinite Tsukuyomi goes further to play to the desires…"

Naruto blinked.

"Name: Glynda Goodwitch. General settings. Network…"

His stare was interrupted as Glynda made the light disappear, and he found himself instead looking directly at her perplexed face.

"Are you sure you are okay, Mr. Uzumaki?"

"Yes. What is that? When was it made?" Glynda clicked her tongue in irritation.

"If you were listening, you would not need to ask. It is a scroll, which are our communications devices that can also tap into the network to act as information searching devices. They have been in use for decades."


As the pair made their way through the foliage, they said nothing, reserving their ears for the sounds of the crickets and whistling birds. Naruto had been especially spaced out; he had a distant air about him, which only served to amplify the awkward tension between them. He led her through to the clearing with little direction - they practically meandered between the trees; indeed, the tour of the Emerald forest had long ended, but his curiosity had finally been visible, so she grudgingly let him guide her. Naruto's hands wandered, stroking the trees and plants as he passed as if they sang to him. It was as strange as it was poetic; she felt almost embarrassed as if she were intruding on his moment.

She continued her silence, knowing very well that speech would do little to the awkwardness that had taken the hole left by understanding. Glynda wondered where he was leading them, after having seen nothing but the same filler trees for the past half hour; with her mind on autopilot, she had half the conscience to wonder if this was how students felt in Port's class.

As the time passed, her senses came back to her. It had been half an hour. They had made their way into the forest, without any resistance. Where were the Grimm? It had only been a few weeks ago that she had come here to check, in preparation for the upcoming initiation. An uneasy feeling began to arise as her palms began to sweat. Again. Once again, it was the unknown that plagued her, and she cursed.

Mentally rewinding, Glynda rushed through her memories, trying to find any sign, anything indicating that the Grimm were present. Moulded by the veteran in her, she did not let her thoughts become sloppy and uncoordinated. The marks on the mud had been few and far between, and they were not fresh; the birds had returned. She almost cursed again in frustration as the dots began to connect. The animals had returned.

She turned her gaze to her companion, who had visibly relaxed; his breathing was immaculately controlled and his walk had become even smoother. It was as if he was trying to sink into the grass and the trees, as if he felt one with the forest- even without feeling it, she could see the calm desperation with which his hands brushed the trees and ran through the greenery. But Glynda was not deceived, for this was the stance of a fighter, something that she was all too familiar with. His long breaths. The fluidity in his motion. The poise in his step. For the second time that day, she doubted herself and Ozpin as the signs became clearer and clearer. Bile began to rise up her throat as her fears seemed to realise; gripping her crop with whitened knuckles, she readied herself. For the second time that day, her nerves were breached as her face began to feel hot with rushing, adrenaline filled blood. She slowed down to increase the distance between them as her entire body stiffened; her throat dried quickly, and she found herself unable to swallow. Clutching at any semblance of order, her eyes jumped around, searching for the Grimm as she tried to recollect herself.

"Think of something you hate." Naruto broke the silence in the rudest fashion; he had his back to her and was crouched as he fingered the grass. Her first feeling had actually been surprise, not realising that he had actually listened to some of her lectures, something she had assumed from his absentmindedness. She was almost sick with the stewing pot of emotions boiling her mind.

Glynda opened her mouth in nervous rebuttal, but was shot down before she could say anything.

"Never mind, I think they're here already."

They?

Grimm were not sentient.

Turning towards the blonde once more, she instead saw that he was not looking at her, and so followed his eyes to the rustling shrubbery.

Glowing red eyes stared back at her, stalking back and forth across the greenery; it paced back and forth, teasing even more fear out of her. Was it trying to attract other Grimm here?

Her breath shortened further as she saw the calm of Naruto's posture; it was of almost absolute zen, yet his eyes were a brilliant cerulean blue that held an ocean of ferocity. Glynda's heart began to beat out of her chest as she finally understood.

Naruto walked forward.

The Beowulf emerged, mirroring his steps with a subdued growl.

He stared. She breathed.

"So this is where you're hiding, witch."


Thank you all for your support following the prologue. I'll begin to reply to reviews via PM. Understandably, people are hesitant to follow/review the first story on an author account, but it would really help if you did! Each chapter is part of my learning. It would be especially helpful if anyone had any comments about the pacing within a scene (rather than plot pacing, which is too large-scale to talk about this early).

If you have any advice at all, feel free to PM as well.

esshei