Chapter One: Leaving


Was she a bad person?

Looking down at him she felt like it.

The 15 year old girl was sitting on a small bed, hand-carved by her own father for a little boy who was likely as close to a grandson as he was ever going to get. Despite her own efforts to change the small boy's behavior, he refused to call her parents mother or father; it was only her that he called mother. They had even shared a room for the past year before she had forced him into his own. He was so attached to her and sometimes it frightened her.

Everything seemed to frighten her lately though. Mostly though it was the world shattering decision to soon leave that haunted her the most; she hadn't gotten a good night's sleep in over a week now.

Just sneaking out into the night, running away, and leaving behind her home and family. A family that was both blood and found. That loved and cared for her. What kind of person just abandoned all that?

She could still go back to her room, just climb back into bed, and forget leaving. Or even just snuggle up next to him while he slept. It would be nice to just forget everything. Accept the losses and accept defeat. Besides, didn't she have a responsibility to him now? Was it worst to leave someone who had become her little brother, possibly even her son? Or worst to abandon her people's fight? To abandon the Cause?

Abandon her people and race? Her parents' dream of a brighter future for them? Accept subjugation and the very acts of hatred that had led the sleeping boy to her in the first place? His future and her own, forever weighed down by the human's all-encompassing oppression and discrimination. Could she accept being forever treated like a lesser? Like an animal? Could she accept seeing him treated like that?

Blake Belladonna stood up from the six-year-old's bed. Her answer and resolution found.

She let herself look down at him one last time. Faunus ears lowered in sadness and regret, Blake struggled to maintain her silence and composer. Even if all this would make things harder for her; she needed to look at him and burn his imagine into her memory.

His happy, sky-blue eyes were closed in slumber unfortunately, but his mess of blonde almost seemed to glow in the darkness of the room. His hair almost hid his Faunus ears, two pointy fox ears that were a light orange and red. They reminded her of a sunset.

Lastly his chubby cheeks with his whisker marks; near always pulled up into an excited and innocent smile when he was awake. He was so much unlike her. Energy-filled, extroverted, forward, open, and honest, but most of all happy.

She wondered if she would ever get to see him smile again.

Most likely not.

She would probably die for the Cause like so many had already. Shot by some snarling human or emotionless Schnee robot was likely her life's end. Even if she did survive, win, and come back; he would probably hate her. How could he possibly see this as anything less than abandonment? After in the end, despite her reasons and excuses, that was exactly what this was. He would never forgive her and she would deserve never to be.

Blake rubbed her amber eyes furiously. Wiping away the tears before they could fall.

She took a silent step back away from his bed. Then another and another, until she was at the bedroom's threshold. One more step, the hardest, and she would be gone.

"I'm so sorry little fox." Blake whispered.

She left his room, her home, and was soon cloaked by the darkness of the cold streets.

Going to the White Fang recruitment center, her heart ached. It would for several more years…


"Get back here Naruto! You better apologize to the garden keeper!"

This scream was a common one in the early mornings in Menagerie's markets. As was the case of seeing a certain blonde eight-year-old running through the streets being chased by guards, shop owners, and servants of the Belladonna's. It was near a morning ritual now for the earlier shoppers, shop owners, and gamblers to watch and bet on who would catch the errant child and who would be the one to do it. Fortunes had been won and lost from the bets and would determine whether some started off their day a far richer or poorer person. It was even rumored that there had once been a noticeable shift in the island's economy when one day no one had caught the boy, ruining near everyone's bets.

Luckily the days when he successfully got away were few and far between. Especially when the matriarch of the Belladonna was hot on his tail.

Short black hair, cat ears pointed back in anger, and petite form sprinting after the pranking troublemaker.

"I was just improving the hedge Grandma! You should thank me! Hahahaha!" The running eight-year-old laughed at the chasing Faunus woman behind him.

"Don't. Call. Me… Grandma!" The only thing faster and sharper than Kali Belladonna's voice was her sudden influx of speed.

With the force and fury of a typhoon the woman swept forward and grabbed the Faunus boy by the ear. Twisting and pulling, she swung a leg low and knocked the boy right off his feet.

Landing hard on his butt and with a captured ear, he could only cry out.

"Ahhhh! Ok! Ok! I'm sorry! Let go! Not the ear! Anything but the ear!"

"You're lucky I can't ground you for a month! Did you pack your things last night? I told you to be ready this morning, so you better have!" Kali scolded Naruto loudly, despite displaying speed that only a Hunter or Huntress would normally be able to accomplish, she had plenty of air left in her lungs for discipline.

"Uuuummmm… no?"

Kali felt her eyebrow twitch. She responded to the fox boy's answer by cranking his ear in another twist.

"Ahhhhhh!"


"You all packed and ready to go son?" Ghira Belladonna did his best to keep the sadness and nervousness out of his voice. His wife was having more difficulty than he was right now, it wouldn't do to have them both be on the verge of tears in the middle of an airship port.

It was hard for both though, sending Naruto off. Old scars and memories from two years ago were rising to the surface. The situations were completely different, but still their child was leaving. Only for the summer this time and scheduled to return in three short months. Thank dust.

He wasn't disappearing into the night suddenly. A completely different situation compared to their daughter. No word, no warning, no goodbye. Two years of nothing. Not even a letter or a call simply saying "I'm alive. I'm ok."

That was truly all he really wanted from his daughter. Just to know that she was ok. She would be seventeen years old now…

"Yeah, yeah I did… Old Man? You, ok?" Ghira came to his senses at the blonde Faunus' voice and forced a laugh.

"Hahaha! Just got lost in thought! How the time flies! Hahahaha!" He turned away from the boy and gazed out on the airship landing port. Kali took over for a moment, her eyes having dried from her own moment and rechecked Naruto's luggage.

"I should have packed for you. Why did you bring this frog thing? I hope this is enough underwear."

"Grandma!" Naruto whined before being silenced by an ear twist.

Ghira meanwhile sighed deeply and took in the fresh island air. The airship port was in many ways the most interesting part of Menagerie. Full of unique people, travelers, and often new Faunus seeking a safe home away from the mainlands. It was also one of the only places on the island (or Remnant itself for that matter) where it wasn't strange to see a human and a Faunus talking together peacefully.

It was abuzz with people of all kinds, some having the same emotional breakdowns he and his wife were having. Parents saying goodbye to their children. He had learned though that being able to say goodbye was a blessing you didn't always get. It was important to be thankful for what you were able to do. Many things were simply impossible no matter how much you hoped and wished for them.

Ghira often came to the port and simply sat and watch the disembarking passengers. Hoping and wishing that one day… maybe one of them might be…

"Don't worry Old Man and Grandma! I'll find her! I'll find my mom and bring her home! I promise!" Naruto declared with a confidence and a volume of purpose that an eight-year-old shouldn't have possessed.

Turning in shock, Ghira could only stare in amazement at the smiling face of the fox boy. Kali frozen in shock as well, hand halfway finished zipping up Naruto's luggage.

It wasn't the first time the blonde Faunus boy had declared this, but it still caught the darker haired Faunus off guard every time.

He was a strong kid. Too strong and too talented. What had started out as simple exercises and self-defense lessons had spiraled out of control. Unlocking his aura, discovering a semblance, and becoming obsessed with weapons and training drills that were meant for Hunter Academy students far older. The boy was a destined Hunter, much as Ghira had once thought Blake would be.

Both Blake and Naruto shared a passionate heart and a fire inside their souls. For Blake the fire had been her idealism. Her dream of a fair and just world for all. For Naruto the fire was far simpler. Finding Blake, finding his surrogate mother who had left one night without a word. Becoming a Hunter was simply a means to that end, few people traveled more or had access to more resources than a Hunter or Huntress.

Ghira also thought that the boy had something to prove as well. To both Blake and himself. What that was though he wasn't sure. Naruto wanted to be strong though. Ghira and the combat tutors he had hired could only get the fox boy so far however.

When the invitation and letter had arrived from Ozpin about a summer program at Beacon for young aspiring kids with dreams of becoming a Hunter or Huntress; Ghira's first instinct had been to throw the letter into a fire. He didn't want to lose another child. Of course, the ever-curious fox boy had found the invitation and there was nothing he nor Kali could say to dissuade Naruto.

"I know you will find Blake, son. Just make sure you get back home safety, make calls home, listen to the teachers, don't break any rules, and stay safe. Also-"

"I get it, I get it! I'll show them how great the Belladonna are! Believe it!" Naruto gave a thumbs up with shining sapphire eyes and a bright grin that likely would have been able to burn away a Grimm.

Ghira could only laugh heartily while his wife gave a sad smile.

A few minutes later the airship to Vale was landing.

Ghira and Kali were thankful that they got to say goodbye this time.


"What a truly glorious opportunity to help guide future Academy students! To think we would be given such an honor!" Pyrrha Nikos practically sang as she practically hopped and danced in excited anticipation.

"This is your fault isn't it!? Isn't it!? My summer… gone! I had so many plans! Me and Ren were gonna go skydiving." Nora yelled pointing a finger at Jaune before collapsing melodramatically into Ren's chest.

"Ummm… no we were not, and I believe Pyrrha is most likely the one who forced Jaune into accepting Professor Ozpin's volunteer request." Ren stated calmly tolerating his clingy childhood friend.

Jaune could only nod and sigh. He had not wanted to accept this volunteering assignment, but when asked directly by the headmaster and seeing Pyrrha's face light up when the white-haired man had explained what they would be doing (for an entire three months…) he hadn't been able to refuse.

Now team JNPR was waiting in the blistering heat of a Vale summer for an airship filled with kids to land on Beacon ground.

As far as Jaune understood it they were basically glorified summer camp counselors. Most of the kids arriving weren't even in a combat or weapons school yet. He had no idea how he was going to manage them without everything turning into a disaster that would get them all expelled. Thank dust Pyrrha seemed more than happy to be the lead on this.

"There's the airship! I'm so excited!" The spartan woman danced in her steps as the airship landed. She came to a sudden stop though, made her back rampart straight, and stood with her arms behind her back in parade rest.

"Get ready everyone!" Pyrrha said with an excited girly squeak to her voice that Jaune had never heard her make before.

The doors opened and the kids began disembarking.

They were a far stranger bunch than what he had honestly been expecting. Some carried weapons, others only normal luggage. Some were in pristine school and military uniforms, other in casual wear from other Kingdoms. Most were human but a few were Faunus. It was a diverse group that the boy knight instantly knew he couldn't handle.

"Welcome to Beacon Academy. Please stand in formation so we can get a headcount."

Jaune was shocked when it wasn't Pyrrha's voice but Ren's giving the order.

The kids did as told. Expect for one.

"Hey which of you is good at tracking and finding people?! Eeeehhh… none of you look good at that. The name is Naruto Belladonna! I'm gonna go wander around this place! See ya!" One of the few Faunus of the group suddenly shouted at them before running off.

Having something already go wrong in less than a minute; Jaune instantly felt a headache pound in his head as his stomach churned in a nauseous swirl of anxiety.

He knew this whole thing was a terrible mistake. Why the hell would the academy even allow it students to manage something like this!? They didn't even have a teacher to help them!

Jaune's mouth dropped open in shock when he saw how fast the Faunus boy was going; his small form rapidly disappearing down Beacon's outdoor trail paths. He was fast.

Jaune only knew of one girl that was faster.

Maybe he could ask Ruby and the rest of team RWBY to help them out with this? They were going to need all the help they could get…


Greetings all. This story idea was actually commissioned and I liked it so much that I decided to put it up on here. There will be more chapters coming out although I have no idea how long the story might go. Hope you all are doing well.