Path to the Future
Chapter 9: What Needs to be Done
Menma woke up first in the morning as he got up and stretched a little. The first thing he noticed was that Naruto wasn't on his bed, so Menma got up and went to the living room where the kitchen was right next to.
Once he arrived he saw that Naruto and Yang, in their pajamas, sleeping on the couch holding each other close. "Good morning Menma," He looked around to Ruby, now up as well and motion to the couch and Ruby had to hold in a squeal as she took a picture of them.
"They look so cute together," Menma nodded in agreement and went to the kitchen to cook breakfast for everyone. Usually Naruto would cook as he was an excellent cook but he taught Menma how a little because of him going out to do missions and to get food as sometimes he wouldn't come back till the next day. "I'm so happy that Yang found someone to tame her wildness, still living heart," Menma agreed again with her as he felt the same with Naruto. "Anyways What are you cooking?"
Menma before he could answer heard a voice from the couch, "Nothing because I will be cooking." They turned to see Naruto and Yang were fully awake and up, "And we heard everything. Thank you for that, now let me do my brotherly duties."
Menma however tried to deny Naruto, "No please Naruto I insist let me-" Menma was however cut off by Naruto who ruffled his hair.
"Sorry Menma maybe next time, I promise," Naruto gave Menma a smile. Menma looked in Naruto's eyes and saw something that he hadn't seen for a long time. True happiness.
"Okay but you promised and you know how sacred those are," Naruto laughed and nodded as he began making breakfast for them all. And not long after everyone started piling up in the living room as they enjoyed their meal like some sort of family.
Once done they all looked at the clock to see they had some time before they had to get ready for the day. Ruby remembered a topic that she wanted to cover with Naruto, "Hey Naruto, I always wondered why your blade is stronger than any of the weapons I've seen. I mean it with stood Nora's hammer from so high up, what's it made out of?"
Naruto looked to her, "Oh I never explained that did I? Well… to put it simply. It's made out of my dragon scales."
"Wait what?! Really?! How did you do it? Why is the blade black instead of red and blue? How did you-"
"Whoa, whoa slow down there tiger. Now yes they really are but they are mixed with the strongest metal there is. By using adding my scales to it, it gained the property of being semi-sentient."
The others besides his team looked at him, "Semi-sentient?"
Naruto nodded, "Yes. It kind only is able to be wielded by someone who has my aura as my aura is very specific," He summoned his sword with it in its scabbard, "Yang if you would. Try and hold the sword and take it from its scabbard."
Yang picked the sword from his hands to find that it was incredibly heavy as she struggled to keep it in her hands. She then tried to pull the sword out only to find that it didn't budge. She tried hard only to end it with the same result. Before she could drop it however Naruto took and showed them that it was weightless to him as he twirled it around and threw it to his other hand and then drew the blade with ease.
"What-but-I-that thing weighed a ton!" Yang exclaimed.
"Yes for you, however since it had my scales and my aura it's attuned specifically to me, so for me it makes it almost as light as a feather. Which is why I could draw and sheath it so quickly." Naruto now started to walk to his room, "Now then let's get dressed and head out."
Everyone now was gathered in the middle of the village, while packing light. Kakashi was leaning against a wall with his favorite orange book and Sakura sitting on a bench in front of him. They looked up to see their comrades for approximately the next two days. "Great we're all here," Kakashi put his book away, "Now then I will be taking Sakura and another team with me as team IMSN will be taking another set. We are the ones who know how to deal with things out here so they know the way." Sakura was upset for obvious reasons but decided not to voice her opinion, "Now then as for the team we will be taking Sakura, is team JNPR which means team RWBY is with IMSN, which will have Naruto and Itachi in charge. We will be taking the east camps while you deal with the west. Any questions?" There however was no response, "Good. We'll see you when we get back. Now Naruto, Menma, Sasuke and Itachi,"
The boys looked at Kakashi in interest, "I have a gift from your fathers. They felt that one day you would be at an academy to become Huntsman so they left a gift with me. One I had to get myself from Fugaku the other was given to me by Minato," Kakashi then brought out two tri-pronged kunai with a seal on the handle of them. And a scroll for both Itachi and Sasuke. "The two kunais are your father's Flying Thunder God Kunais, you guys know what that is for." They nodded, "Sasuke and Itachi your gift is not to be opened until the time is right as Fugaku said that you will know when the time was right," Sasuke and Itachi nodded to this and put it in their bags.
Team JNPR said their goodbyes and left with Kakashi leading the way. Naruto turned to everyone as they moved to the western gate. Once they arrived there Naruto address them, "We will be speed walking with some jogging in between. We should reach the last camp on the second day. If you have spotted a camp call it out discreetly. Now then, let's move out!"
"Yeah!" they all yelled.
Kakashi, Sakura, and JNPR were also speed walking when with Kakashi lazily reading his book. Juane and the others were behind him and Sakura as they walked in silence. However Nora decided to break said silence, "Soooo… Sakura was it? What is your semblance? I mean isn't it good to know the semblance of others your working with?"
"My semblance is Aura enhancements. I could strengthen what an aura does for a person. I could amplify an Aura's healing capabilities but nothing else when it comes to another person. While with my own I could strength it and consentract it with my fists. The gloves on my hands are the weapons that amplify that as I can shoot projectiles from the ground with them. What about all of yours?"
"Well, I can use lightning/electricity to strengthen myself, Pyrrha's is polarity, and Ren can mask his and other people's emotions."
"What about Jaune?"
Juane looked down, "I don't have one."
Pyrrha grabbed Jaune by the shoulder, "Jaune, I told you, it just takes time you will get it down eventually. I promise."
Sakura when she looked at him saw a liability, "Are you sure you should be on this mission."
Kakashi who was ahead of them was listening to the whole conversation but played like he wasn't, as he knew that Juane wasn't as skilled as the others, which was the main reason why he chose Juane. To him Juane reminded him of Naruto, a lot actually. So he believed that a push in the right direction could help Jaune drastically improve.
"Excuse me?" Pyrrha asked offended that someone would say something like that to her team leader (and secret crush).
"I mean, let's be honest here. This is the wilds, it is not fun and dandy here. We get down and dirty here. Kill, incapacitate, and lie to other people. I just have a major cause for concern to have someone like him watching my back."
"Now, now Sakura in retrospect, Naruto was also like this. I believe Jaune is a late bloomer like our friend Naruto," Kakashi defended.
"With all due respect Kakashi sensei, Naruto had a much rougher life than any one of us here on this mission. Not only that he may have bloomed late but he did so much quicker than anyone I've ever seen. To think that Jaune, could hold a candle to Naruto is an outrageous claim." Kakashi tried to find something to prove her wrong, but realized that she was spot on.
Not only did Naruto evolve quicker than most but his background caused him to mature quicker as well as the village wasn't always nice to him or his brother. Naruto when talking about skill was in a whole different ball park. Hell even Hiruzen said that if Naruto and the others were born and fought in the Great War, the war would have ended 3 quarters of the time it took. That's two and a half years early. It may not be seen as much but Hiruzen knew that it would have been a major milestone achievement.
Pyrrha however wasn't having it. Who was she to just show up and criticize her leader, her friend. "Well I believe Jaune will do great things with the right help around him," Jaune looked to Pyrrha with awe. What they said was right about him. He didn't belong here, hell he told Naruto that before they got on the carrier, but Naruto still let him and his team go. Naruto had faith in him, and now Pyrrha is also putting that faith in him as well.
"I…"Jaune began, "I may not be the best fighter. I may not be the best strategist. But what I can say is that I will give this my best shot. I will show you that I belong here, that the faith that Naruto, Pyrrha, and Ruby have in me is not misplaced. I promise you that."
Kakashi smiled under his mask, 'Yep just like him.' Sakura smiled, "That's all I needed to here. I'll be counting on you Jaune."
Later that day they found their first camp. The camp itself was in a circular position, so it was basic, but they had no watchers, so they assumed to believe that nobody would attack them in broad daylight. They were hidden in some trees watching the camp, "So…" Kakashi turned to them, "Any ideas?" JNPR face faulted comically while Sakura just face palmed herself. 'Yep good old Kakashi.'
Jaune got up and looked at the camp, "Mr. Hatake, what is your semblance?"
"Well first off just Kakashi kid, second I could manipulate lightning with dust assisting me and converge it to me allowing me to wield the element."
Jaune was surprised at how perfect this would be, he took the microscope from Kakashi as he counted, 13 people. "Okay here what I was thinking..."
After being explained the plan Pyrrha stealthily moved to the other side of the camp from their original spot and Ren and Sakura was at the gate hidden. The strategy was a classic pincer with a little twist. They all had communicators on but Ren's and Sakura's was hidden. "All right let's start… Now!" Kakashi in his hand was lightning dust which sunk in his arm and blue lightning erupted from his hands.
"Lightning Blade," he then placed his hand on Nora's shoulder as it electrocuted her filling her with power as well as her weapon. After about 35 seconds of it, Kakashi let go and ran to the camp. Before Kakashi got there however Nora shot five lightning empowered rockets towards the center. The blast from the contact was massive as it blew away of the tents incapacitating half of the camp. Pyrrha when the bandits tried to exit there tents, shot multiple from long range. Kakashi who just made it over from the back arrived as multiple tried to take him out only for them to get stabbed through the heart by him. Pyrrha saw this and almost threw up her lunch but kept firing knocking the others out. The bandits seeing Kakashi from the back went to the front to the gate, only for when it opened they were met with the ground splitting apart and rising. They looked to see the cause to see Sakura with her fist in the ground and Ren pointing his weapons at them. They then did the only thing they could and gave up. Juane's plan was a success and once they surrendered, Pyrrha unloaded her stomach as she puked to the ground.
Once they were all rounded up and the dead corpses burned, Pyrrha asked about the elephant in the room, "Why… why did you kill them?"
Kakashi looked at her and sighed as he faced all of the rest of JNPR, "Life outside of the kingdoms while being a Huntsman isn't full of sunshine and rainbows. While yes we mostly help people and fight grimm, there are jobs that you will take that will make you have to kill others. Slave traders, warmongers, and bandits. These are only the main type of people you will have to kill. This in my opinion should be the first thing that they teach when you go to smaller academies like Signal. As the profession is not a pretty. This is the first lesson, I taught my students."
"S-so have they… you know… killed." Juane asked as all of JNPR, hoped it wasn't true for one reason.
However that hope was stomped on, "Yes, especially Naruto as he had his first kill before I even met them." Team JNPR looked horrified at this. To have to kill at such a young age and come out like they did… was frightening to them.
Sakura decided it was her turn to step in, "We've all had been trained to become Huntsman and Huntress, and Kakashi made sure of that." JNPR looked at Kakashi in disbelief. He had made the other guys and Sakura kill. "Call it cruel if you wish but in this profession you will have to get your hands dirty once in a while. And whoever thinks that they won't have to kill is a fool."
Kakashi then pooped a flare for some of them to be picked up and taken away, "Alright let's keep moving. Someone will come and pick these guys up so let's get moving." They all nodded and walked out of the camp in silence.
It was now night and team IMSN and JNPR decided to move a little further before setting up camp. Secretly, team IMSN was hoping that they didn't have to show a side of them that the girls wouldn't like (except Naruto since he told Yang) and since they hadn't have to. The last camp went so smoothly that they just knocked them unconscious. However that ended when Itachi spotted a camp. "Hey guys… there's a camp ahead."
Yang was excited as she thought of the other camp as an appetizer. This camp was much larger, "Alright then let's take care of them. They won't even know what hit them."
Naruto was however having different thoughts and shook his head, "No… we're going to do this different… more stealthily."
Ruby was confused but excited and interested by what they meant, "Oh oh like ninjas."
Menma was the most nervous as he had feelings for Ruby but she was so innocent that he didn't want to find out how she would react, "Yes but this part we will be doing alone."
Weiss looked in confusion, sure she knew full well that they could handle themselves but something seem off like they were nervous about something, "Why?'
Itachi responded with, "Well while it is a bit safer to do this quietly, it is also more dangerous to do so as well, as the enemy can get the drop on you and it's best for us if we knew you were safe," Itachi half answered, sure it was true but it wasn't the whole truth.
Blake narrowed her eyes and accepted the answer as it was true, but felt that there was something more to it as she felt their nervousness as well, "Why are all of you nervous?" Sasuke looked at the guys and they all nodded.
Sasuke and the others started walking until they were in some trees on the left side of the camp. With this height they could see all of the camp, Sasuke looked to the guys as they nodded and from his bag he took out two kunais for him and Itachi while Naruto and Menma took out their father's gifted kunais. "Just stay up here and you'll see. I'm sorry in advance."
Sasuke then jumped down with the others as team RWBY looked on in interest and confusion.
Naruto decide that they split up, Naruto would take the front, Itachi the back, Menma the left, and Sasuke the right.
After about 5 minutes to make sure everyone was in position the operation begun, 'Please don't hate me Ruby,' and with that he jumped down from the trees into the camp.
Team RWBY watched as IMSN was hidden so well that they didn't even know where they were, Ruby then spotted Menma as he was behind a tent, "Hey guys there's Menma," she whispered and looked to him. They also saw a guard coming to him from the corner, "Oh no Menma is going to get caught."
Menma however knew where the enemy was, and hoped beyond hope that Ruby wouldn't hate him as he felt them watching, 'Forgive us.' And just as the bandit was about to turn Menma grabbed him put his hand over his mouth and struck him in the head with his kunai, stabbing him, along with killing him, as blood gushed out of his head and onto Menma's shirt. Menma now focused on the task at hand steeled his heart and went into the tent and quickly slaughtered the two men inside with their blood staining him, as he ran out and moved to the next tent.
RWBY saw the whole thing and gasped when he killed the first with Ruby especially strucken, as tears enveloped her, "D-did M-menma j-just…"
Yang and the others then heard a scream from the front and saw Naruto slashed someone's neck and then hid, when a guard came by seconds later, Naruto stabbed him in the chest with Ascalon. Team RWBY then looked frantically at the center as a man screamed, only to be struck in the head by a arrow that obviously came from Sasuke. Then from the back they saw Itachi stabbed one in the throat, slashed another in the neck, and incinerated another that was getting away. And this continued throughout the night as a massacre took place right before team RWBY's eyes, as screams from multiple people filled the night. And team RWBY saw it all. All of the kills outside the tents they saw, and all of the kills inside of the tents they heard.
It got so bad to the point that they were scared shitless and tried to cut the screams as they covered their ears and eyes. They were absolutely disgusted with the actions taking place that, once it was over, after everyone in the camp was thoroughly killed and dealt with, IMSN went to the center and signaled RWBY to meet them at the gate.
RWBY did what they were told when they saw their eyes from afar. Once there, the guys came from inside with blood all over them as it covered them and even some of their face, not only that but the smell of it was the nauseating. They all thoroughly vomited, and when they were done they looked at their eyes, to see that they were cold like a stone cold killer. "We're sorry you had to see this but sadly we're training to be huntsman, better to see this now then later."
All of the girls had different reactions, Ruby was out right crying, Weiss was shocked and disgusted, Blake had her eyes widened and a hand over her mouth, and Yang however the least effect because of what Naruto told her last night, was still feeling similar effects as she had tears in her eyes and a hand over her mouth as well as hearing it be told and seeing it were two different things. 'This is what he had to go through since his childhood? Oh Naruto…'
They all couldn't get the images out of their minds as they replayed all of the gruesome kills and screams in their minds. Hearts being stabbed, heads being decapitated, limbs being cut off, and… various other things.
All though there was one reaction they all had and it was fear. The young men saw this and held their own tears as they never wanted them to have that face especially towards them. Naruto then moved to the forest to change and throw away their bloodied clothes. However when he moved all of the girls jump back he looked at all of them and then lastly Yang and saw that she was absolutely terrified like the rest of them. Naruto finally couldn't take it and ran into the forest with the others and when they got back they walked past as it was the most silent it has ever been for the two teams.
When they set up camp Naruto took the first watch, but the guys knew that he would be the only watch. The girls couldn't get any sleep individually, so they decided to group in a big tent. After 30 minutes of silence, Blake got up and was headed out of the tent. "Blake where are you going?" Weiss asked worriedly.
"I... " Blake stopped. She should have been the least affected since she was partnered with Adam who did kill. But what got to her was how cold Sasuke's eyes were, they were like looking at Adam and into his mask, and that frightened her. But for the past 30 minutes she thought about all of things she and Sasuke done together. He said no matter what he would never hurt her and that was enough for her, "I'm going to Sasuke."
"But what they did was-"
"I know. It's cruel, but think about it we're huntresses and this is what huntsmen and huntresses have to sometimes do, but that doesn't make them a monster. The saddest thing is that we treated them like they were monsters, when in actuality they aren't. They kept this secret from us to protect us and I'm not going to abandon Sasuke because of it," Blake then exited the tent after that.
However when she left Yang realized something. She just abandoned and looked at Naruto as if he was a wild animal, the same Naruto who kissed her under the fireworks, the same Naruto who kissed her under the moonlight, the same Naruto who said he would protect her, the same Naruto who said he loved her the night before. After the memories flashed, Yang cried her eyes out.
Ruby also was hit with a wake up call as she began to relive her moments with Menma. The fox he won for her, the kiss, the rose he left her mother. Ruby abruptly got up and was running to Menma's tent.
"Their right Weiss," Weiss looked to Yang, "And honestly we are the real monsters for abandoning them." It was now Weiss' turn to be hit with a truck, as she remembered Itachi protecting her when they first met, him changing her, and them watching the fireworks together. Yang and Weiss nodded to each other and left for their respective love interest.
With Blake
When she got to the tent she looked in to see Sasuke was just sitting down with his back towards the entrance and him holding his legs with his head in them. Blake walked in and to him with Sasuke taking notice but said nothing. Blake then sat next to him and took his left hand into hers and leaned her head on his shoulder, "No words can describe how sorry I am."
Sasuke shook his head, "It brought back memories of him. I understand." They sat there for a while but Blake was not content with just this so she decided, to pull Sasuke to lay down and he did without protest. Blake then crawled in his sleeping bag and cuddled to his chest. Sasuke wrapped his arms around her, "I'm sorry you had to see that side of me."
Blake however shook her head, and clutched Sasuke's chest as if it was her lifeline. "No. You don't need to be. I will never abandon you ever again. But please promise to only show that side when it's absolutely necessary. To kill to protect and nothing more."
"I promise."
With Ruby
She ran until she made it to Menma's tent, and once she arrived she quickly open it. Menma heard the noise and turned and that was when Ruby's heart broke inside. Menma has a face that has been crying as his eyes were red from his crying as a tears were coming down, "R-Ruby? W-What are y-you doing here?"
Ruby said nothing and sat in front of him as her hand cupped his cheek, "Fixing a mistake that I've made." She then kissed Menma and his eyes widened in shock but slowly mended to Ruby and put out as much passion as he could. Ruby leaned into Menma more as he tumbled to the ground with her on top and them ending the kiss, "I should have never looked at you that way, and I'm also sorry for not telling you my feelings earlier. Just because you did all those things today doesn't mean that your any less than the Menma I met at initiation. I'm sorry."
Menma however shook his head, "No, I'm sorry. I should have never made you watch. I should have did something different. I… I really like you Ruby and I'm sorry for what I put you through. For now on I'll protect you, no matter what. I promise."
Ruby honestly didn't know what to say. Here she was apologizing for her mistake but Menma not only confessed but was apologizing for it and promised to protect her. Ruby started to cry as Menma looked at her with concern, "Just shut up and kiss me, my fox." They both kissed again with more passion as all of their emotions weld up inside came out which made Menma cry as well.
With Weiss
Weiss had just arrived at Itachi's tent, and looked in to see Itachi was laying down but saw that he was awake. "Weiss? What do you need?" He asked as he sat up.
Weiss walked in and sat in front of him and took his hands in hers, "Itachi… I'm sorry that I judged you. I judged you for what you've done. You were only protecting us and I only made you feel terrible for it. That's twice now. Instead of looking at you for what you've done. I should be looking at the you who I've grown to know."
Weiss then mustered up her courage and kissed Itachi on the cheek, "I'm sorry." Itachi just sat there shocked but once he got over it, he enveloped her in a hug. Weiss smiled slightly as she laid her head on his shoulder. They both descended to the pillow Itachi was using and fell asleep in each others comforting arms.
With Yang
Yang was looking frantically around camp, but she couldn't find him. She looked in his tent, the trees, and by the her tent, but she couldn't find him. Yang at this broke down, she undoubtedly was the worst of them all. She not only knew about the things their profession had to do at times, but was told by Naruto himself what he has done, and Naruto told her that he loved her and as long as he was with her, he would protect her. And here she was, as she backstabbed him like the others that did in his life. The worst thing however was that she abandoned Naruto like her mother did her and the prospect of her being like her mother tore her.
"Yang?" Naruto voice rung to Yang, and she looked up to see that Naruto like Menma had tears in his eyes.
Yang then lunged at Naruto and clutched him as she cried, "I-I'm sorry! I-I'm so sorry! I looked at you like a monster, like you were a disease. I abandoned you, just like my mother. I… I…I don't deserve someone like you. Your kind, caring, and noble. You told us not to come to protect us and I took that for granted. I love you but I hurt you. I hurt you badly and I don't ever want to do that again. I can't ask for forgiveness for what I-" Yang was cut off from her ramble when Naruto kissed her.
Naruto pulled back, "Yang, it's okay. Everyone makes mistakes. You are nothing like your mother because unlike her, you came back to me and apologized. You even still love me after what I did. You got it backwards Yang. I don't deserve you. Your beautiful, caring, kind, and fun. I wouldn't want anyone else to be with."
Yang just cried more at how sweet Naruto was being even after she hurt him, "I love you and I promise I will never abandon you again. I will never hurt you again. I swear it."
"As do I." They then kissed. This kiss to Yang had a lot more emotion to it than the last ones. It was sweet and welcoming and it only deepened when Naruto pulled Yang closer to him.
Yes that night was a night of emotions.