Naruto as Kitsune ran across the rooftops of Vale City again. His contact for Ozpin was supposed to be meeting him tonight. He had just closed the ramen shop down, and told his mother that he'd take the role for the late night. He made sure to wearing anything that would hide his predominant features. Hoodie for covering his arms and head, although it was orange.

His combat boots struck across the rooftops, clacking on them while his arms were covered in a long-sleeve black shirt under the orange hoodie. It was a dual layer, just in case! His navy-blue trousers held several tan pouches on them, filled to the brim with gear befitting his role as a ninja.

His black gloves, which were new additions for him, hid any skin save if his pants rolled up on him somehow. Running up a skyscraper, he flips forward after cresting the ledge, landing on top of the building. The teenager saw a man with jet black hair, and red eyes sitting there. He noted that he was slightly sloshed, which bothered him.

Was this man really Ozpin's most elite agent, and his handler?

"Yo, the youngster finally arrives, bit late there…Fox." The man greeted him while holding up his flask, "Want some?"

"I don't drink while I'm out on a hunt," Naruto stated before crossing his arms. "Ozpin promised me information on The Masked Man I described."

The man purses his lips before taking one more drink, "That he did my little impatient friend, that he did."

"So," Naruto eyed the man, "what's the word?"

"Well aren't you forgetting spy craft one-oh-one, it's always about trade of information." The man stated before taking another drink out of his flask, "What?"

"Must you keep drinking, seriously, you're supposed to be Ozpin's elite agent and my handler during this partnership?" The ninja questioned disbelievingly, "If so, I've been made a fool I guess."

"My name is Qrow by the way," the man offered up before putting away the flask. "Your name?"

"Kitsune."

"Aw c'mon, seriously, you're going to keep that stick up your ass? What we all needed, another James Ironwood." Qrow replied before rolling his eyes from the annoyance of the situation, "Little squirt like you wouldn't last three rounds against me."

Naruto crosses his arms, grinning under his mask, "want to bet?"

"Shit, you know what, I want to see you swing Foxy." Qrow beckoned him with hands outstretched, "I'm going to teach you're the pecking order!"

Naruto smirks under his mask, "Been awhile since I sparred with anyone, Oz won't get into a hissy fit will he?"

"I personally don't give a shit," Qrow stated before pointing a finger at him, motioning him with that same finger to bring it on!

The ninja took out a kunai before slinging it toward the man. He appeared behind him only to suddenly have backwards kick throw his way. His cerulean eyes widened as he turns midair to avoid the kick, catching himself on the edge. Qrow for simply lowers his leg to the front of his body, turning on his heel. He clapped his hands, mockingly so.

"Neat little trick, I heard about it, reminds me of my sister's bullshit ability to teleport. You kind of get used to the sneak attacks from behind," the man told Naruto before wiggling a finger in front of his face. "That wasn't even round one kiddo, anymore tricks?"

Growling, the blonde took a deep breath before assuming a fighting stance that was slightly loose. The man cocked an eyebrow up before sliding toward him with wide steps, his own fist up. Naruto threw three jabs in quick succession, which actually nearly caught the man! Qrow returns with two jabs from his left fist, but then shocks Naruto when the older man gracefully leapt up into a tornado kick. He brought his forearm up, blocking the kick, but the power itself nearly sent him sliding off the roof.

The blonde runs at him, throwing himself into the air before throwing a flying dragon kick! Qrow blocks the kick before his red eyes widened and he was nearly sent flying off the top of the building. He smirks before quickly transforming into a crow and flying around the roof until he landed on the central entrance way.

Whistling down, the man pops his shoulder, "Goddamn kid. Whew, got some power in those legs of yours."

"So, are you done old man?" Naruto called out, crossing his arms, "Because I'm trying my best not to kick your ass!"

To his surprise the man simply gaffes and then bends over clutching his stomach. Laughter filled the air before Qrow's eyes started to glow a brighter red. His aura activating much to Naruto's surprise, because that meant he essentially tanked a chakra enhanced kick without aura. Which normally broke through anyone's guard, Qrow wipes several tears from his eyes.

"I, hang on!" He couldn't stop himself from laughing, standing there before finally composing himself, "You're being cute to even think you have a chance at kicking my ass kiddo."

"Bitch I'm adorable," Naruto retorted with a smirk before suddenly throwing three kunai out!

Qrow's smile broadened as the knives flew out, making him grab for his own weapon. He slung it out slashing the kunai up into the air as they came toward him. The large sword sparking from each impact, he watched as suddenly three of Kitsune appeared from the knives. He backflips to dodge their combined kicks, transforming his sword into a gun that blasted two of them.

He saw specks of blood fly out, but any concern was gone when they burst into smoke! He then heard the whistling of several more kunai knives getting launched by the clone. Preparing for his opponent to teleport, he was shocked when instead he ran straight forwards through the smoke with the clone next to him.

The copy's kunai knives impacted his weapon as he transforms it back into sword mode. Sparks flying before suddenly sidestepped and slashed! The clone threw himself in front of the original as the three kunai from earlier landed behind Qrow! Hearing them impact the concrete, the ravenette jumps forward as a yellow flash appeared behind him, dodging a tornado kick from the ninja!

Both locked eyes, and Qrow noted that he had cerulean blue ones that reminded him of someone close. "Taiyang, you sly dog, who else did you boink?!" He immediately thought before dodging to right as Naruto jumps up toward him, slashing with the kunai in his hands that Qrow was forced to block!

Sparks flew off the mighty sword as he continued blocking the ninja's various slashes. He then watched as opponent twists after the last slash, flipping himself forward to deliver four consecutive bicycle kicks against the sword which made the metal groan! Qrow landed on the ground first, but not before Naruto landed a flying heavy axe kick where he had been. The roof cracking under the force of it!

Naruto follows him near the edge of the building, only for a piece to suddenly break off where he treaded! His eyes widened as he felt himself tilt, with Qrow shooting him a shit eating grin all the while. His first action was to throw a kunai up into the air and teleport to it! In the air, however, Qrow immediately appeared behind him in corvid form. Naruto's eyes widened before he suddenly felt a kick connect against them, sending him sprawling toward the ground.

Activating his jutsu, the blonde teleports to one of the kunai, sliding out of the teleportation from the momentum. His gloves gripping the concrete as they burned from the speed of his slide. He comes to a stop before hearing the air to start ringing. He dodges a large sword slash from Qrow, who had just landed. For such a large sword, and being drunk, the man wielded it with grace.

Grunting he and Qrow circled each other before he charges first. He sidesteps a stab before deflecting the following slash as Qrow spun on his heel. His kunai matching the sword blow for blow, sparks flying everywhere as both locked eyes once again! The ravenette man laughed before suddenly backstepping and then spinning the blade in his hands when Naruto followed. He felt the blade cut into his shoulder a little, drawing first blood!

Qrow finishes the spinning with a sudden forward upper slash that sends a wave of sharpened air toward Naruto! The blonde barely had time to block before the concussive blast knocks him towards the central entrance, and crashing into it. He groaned as he slowly pulled himself from the impression. He watches as the man checked his blade, noting the little red on the edge.

"Oh, shit kid, you really should strengthen that aura of yours!" Qrow then looked directly at him with a cocky smile, "You're pretty weak fledgling. Guess round one goes to yours truly, sorry but you're more cute than adorable."

"Naruto…"
"I want to wipe that smirk off his face!"
"You're letting him get to you, you're stronger than him!"
"Then how the hell did he just tag me?!"
"Because you're not thinking, you're reacting."

"Let's see him deal with this!" Naruto screamed out mentally before forming a hand seal, "Multi-Shadow Clone Jutsu!"

Around two dozens pops of smoke emerged around the roof. Qrow walked in place, turning to see the couple dozen versions of Kitsune around him. Pursing his lips while nodding his head, he turns back to where the original is. He takes his flask out, sipping on it.

"Shit kiddo, daddy's gotta get the belt out I guess?" Qrow joked before spinning his sword, it then suddenly transforms into a large scythe, "Kitsune…meet Harbinger you two are going to get very acquainted if you take a step towards me."

One of his clones charges forward, followed by the others. Each achieving blistering speeds! Qrow took a deep breath as they neared him, and then with his own red eyes glowing he smirks. He suddenly explodes with movement, charging right at the thickest part of the advancing troop of Kitsune clones! Naruto's eyes widened as he forced to dodge several slashes from the reaper's blade as it tears through his clones, taking multiple ones out with each slice.

Except, it wasn't just a separate slice each time! It was all one fluent dance of death, with Qrow constantly spinning his blade around whilst advancing forwards. It wasn't long until the remaining clones backed off, jumping backwards while launching kunai. Naruto ran forward before throwing two of his own. Qrow kept his eye right onto the original's kunai! Smirking as Naruto suddenly warps to where he is in front of him, but immediately backed up!

Jumping backwards, his other clones joined him. Something in his heart told him to move back, like it was instinct. His cerulean eyes were dilated as he felt his heart thumping. Naruto growls before gripping his hands, invoking some of Kurama's chakra. His eyes began to turn red as he looked right at Qrow, the man stops spinning his scythe around. Slamming the butt of the shaft down hard into the roof.

Burping, Qrow gets his flask out before noting that it was empty, "Well shit. I'm out of the only good part of this fight, hey kid! When you're down over there, be a good son and go get daddy some alcohol!"

"Bastard!" Naruto screamed before grabbing six kunai in between his fingers and slinging them forward.

Qrow whistles as slashes the kunai away, only to see red flashes emerging from each of them. His hairs stood up as he smirks, it was finally time! He runs straight into the flashes, slashing with his dance death. Instead of being caught up into it, Naruto grabs two kunai between flashes and began to block and deflect each slash of the scythe. Moving in a similar to Qrow, with his feet never stopping in place.

Both of them entered a dance of blades that sent sparks flying out. The veteran Hunter knew something had changed, his style was even more aggressive than before! His reactionary speeds had gone through the roof, very few people could actually keep to his dance of death! The sparks around them grew in intensity as he saw orange aura come around Kitsune before suddenly backstepping. Instead of following him, Qrow smirks when the young man backstepped as well.

When both landed on their feet, they charge forward. Qrow laughing like a maniac as he slammed his blade into the teen's kunai knives!

"Now this is a fight! The smell of heated metal, the pumping of one's heartbeat! Sweat rolling down your face, wind from your speed cooling you down, whilst your adrenaline pumps!" Qrow screamed between slashes before pivoting himself on the blade and kicking Naruto several times and sending the ninja sprawling across the ground.

Only to watch him immediately get back up, and run full speed toward him! The ninja took a deep breath before his eyes opened wide. Suddenly he threw the two kunai down, completing a circle of knives around Qrow. He smirks under his mask before suddenly erupting into dozens of flashes around the man in rapid succession!

"Flying Thunder God Level Four: Red Halo Dance!" Naruto mentally screamed out before kicking Qrow in the side, only to flash towards his front and kick him in the face.

Teleporting to him each time he was heading toward the edge of the circle. Inside of this jutsu, Qrow was stuck in a small space that Naruto could infinitely loop into as long as his chakra maintained! It ate through his charka reserves rapidly due to maintaining the seals, as well with him flashing!

Qrow had the biggest smirk on his face as he felt his semblance go to work. One of the kunai suddenly fell over, allowing him to catch Naruto's next attack under his joint. The surprised ninja was slung into the ceiling before Qrow nearly smashes through it! A last second roll saved him from that fate, but the sparks from the scythe slinging toward him sobered his movements quickly as he rolls backwards. Getting to his feet, Naruto flashes over to the kunai, picking them rapidly, and storing them.

"Nice little magic attack there, fledgling!" Qrow called out before yawning, "It was just all little misfortunate that your little knife couldn't keep up"

"That was a terrible pun," Naruto stated before taking a deep breath. "Besides, you got lucky!"

"Oh kid, I only wish that it was luck. Besides, my niece does better with the whole pun things. You should meet her, I think you two world click!" Qrow stated before dodging the kunai being launched at him, he expected to dodge a flash.

Instead, when he moves his scythe, he finds it locked down with wires. Humming, he smirks, "Okay now that's using your head!"

Naruto appeared in front of him, throwing a punch that catches him square in the jaw! Qrow tumbled backwards, smacking the ground right near the edge. The ninja rushes over to him, grabbing his hand before he fell off the roof. Only to see Qrow look up with a small smile on his face, his aura still very much active!

"Don't feel too bad about this, but you're a softy under that mask…aren't ya?" Qrow questioned before getting pulled up by Naruto, "I guess round two goes to you…"

Naruto suddenly doubles over from a slamming punch into his gut, clutching it before Qrow walks past him. Slapping his back a couple times before pulling Harbinger out of the wiring. He folds the weapon back up, turning to the teenage ninja.

"Word of advice about our line of work, being soft gets you killed. You won the fight, but in the end of the day…if I had a knife in my hand you'd been dead." The Hunter lectured him before putting both hands behind his head, nursing the bruise on his cheek.

"There's no way…did I just lose to this drunk guy!"
"You lost because you let him get under your skin, it's always been your weakness."
"Fuck, I had him with the Red Halo Dance…what happened all of my kunai were stuck into the concrete."
"About that, I felt something effect the field of energy around us…like negative probability."
"What?"
"In life there's always a chance of that kunai to fall over, for some reason the odds just suddenly increased to absolute when the man stared at it."

Naruto thought of Kurama's words before his eyes widened, "Misfortunate was a very specific choice of a word!"

"That ridged body tells me you figured something out," Qrow realized before leaning against the entrance to the roof access. "I'm guessing it's why several things happened in your fight with me."

"Now that you mentioned it, yeah, because there was several things that went off track. The building crumbling where I stepped, and my kunai not staying up. I felt some sort of pulse of energy come from you during each of those times," Naruto semi lied before looking at him. "Your semblance has something to do with probability manipulation!"

Qrow smiles and scratches his chin, "not a bad observation. Unfortunately, that's half right, I can only effect things negatively to my benefit…or sometimes to what seems my benefit."

"Ooh," Naruto realized what he was talking back, "That is just some type of curse."

He then looked at the teen ninja's shoulder, seeing that the wound had closed up. "I would've offered to stitch that cut up, but it seems you've already healed from it."

"Oh yeah, that's just my thing, I heal fast…" Naruto took a deep breath before crossing his arms, "So…about that Masked Man?"

The veteran Hunter took a moment to compose himself.

"That man you speak of, what Ozpin told me, he's not in Vale at the moment. He was though," Qrow revealed before gauging the ninja's reaction. "Offhand information keeps me in business for working on theories. That Grimm Cult you told us about the other day, well he's involved with it."

"Fuck…" Naruto growled before clenching his fists, "Where is he now?"

Qrow watches as the teen's fists shook, "Heading for Mistral via air transport. Went under the name Minato Namikaze if that rings a bell to you."

"He's baiting the hook, do not go after him."
"I know, I'm not that stupid to react to that…it just pisses me off!"
"It irritates me to no end too, because of how shameful it is to disrespect that man in such a manner!"

"It does ring a bell," Naruto grimaced while saying it like it was just offhand pieces of information. "Asshole needs to die, and it's so tempting for to buy a one way flight ticket to punch him out into the middle of the ocean!"

"Sounds like you two have a very interesting history. That name means something to you, but I'm sure it's an alias meant to lure you…and your mother out." Qrow pointed out, having been very well informed by Ozpin. "My advice to you is to avoid making any moves once so ever…he probably suspects your in the city as well."

"How so?"

"He mentioned to one of my informants that he was looking for fox pelts." The Hunter informed him before crossing his arms, "It's not a hard leap of logic of what he means when it concerns you both."

"Bastard," Naruto growled before clenching his fists even more. "Thank you for this information, I'll keep an eye out for him."

Qrow shook his head before taking a deep breath, "You're way stronger than me…but I defeated you."

"Obviously then I'm not stronger than you…"

"Oh no, you are, anyone of those hits would've taken me out. The issue you have, and the reason I win, is this." He reaches up and points at his head, "It's the mind games kid…sometimes a fight is already won before you throw a punch."

"Jeez, thanks for the psychology lesson!" Naruto grimaced when he felt the man glower at him, "I mean, thank you Mr. Qrow."

Qrow took a deep breath, "You're easy to bait in a fight. All I have to do is just get riled up and your mine."

"Okay, well next time we fight, I'll make sure to let anything you say roll off my back!" Naruto argued before watching the man shake his head, "Is there something I'm not getting from this?"

"A lot actually, because remember that gut punch? It wasn't just a cheap shot, that's what your nemesis will do. It may come in the form of something totally different, but from I'm understanding…he enjoys the chase and knowing he gets under your skin. Imagine if he, for example, goes after a friend? Are you going to get baited right into a trap?" Qrow explained before watching as the ninja pondered his words, "I got that wheelhouse turning a little don't I?"

"I would be listening to that man if I were you."
"I'm trying to get over the fact that bastard is running around using my father as an alias."
"Which is what he is expecting, after all he knows Kushina can't be baited…but you?"
"Yeah, yeah, I know…I'm a young man with hot blooded genes, prime grounds for mind games."
"Now you're catching on, but perhaps this wasn't a bad idea…now we know what he knows somewhat."

"Hello, earth to Kitsune~" Qrow sang while waving his hand in front of Naruto who backed up, "Jeez kid, you almost fry your wheelhouse?"

"N-no, sometimes I overthink things, a lot." Naruto covered before rubbing the back of his head out of habit, "Qrow, do you have family you've never met but love unconditionally?"

"Very specific question," Qrow taps his chin, "I guess I would say that I would love my mother unconditionally…she died after giving birth to me and my sister."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Naruto sympathized before sighing. "That man, The Masked Man, has the same abilities as me minus the whole teleportation thing I do. He's dangerous, but the name he's using is my father's name…"

The man's red eyes widened before he noted something leaking from under the mask, "You okay kid?"

"Fuck no, I'm really pissed that the bastard has the absolute gall to make alias my dead father's name. What would you be like if someone did that someone you loved?" Naruto questioned before clenching his fists again, "I'm going to kill him if we ever meet."

"You better go there with a clear head then, because if he's after the both of you…well…something in my gut is telling me that he's a monster." Qrow admitted before walking over to the kid, patting his shoulder, "and it's okay to cry over these things…whatever gets you to take your mind off immediate actions."

Naruto took a deep breath, "showing emotions in the field is a sign of weakness."

"That's a bullshit rule, you aren't a machine, you're living being. Even wolves cry out in anguish to fallen pack members and even openly mourn them." The older man stated before turning to the broken moon, "Kitsune…what even is that?"

"It's a fox spirit from my homeland. Technically, they're supposedly evil, but there are a few good ones. They mainly protect farmlands, but in some iterations they also hunt livestock as payment. Kind of see the catch twenty-two there, don't ya?" Naruto explained before taking a deep breath, "Hey, the last batch of White Fang I took down mentioned a girl by the last name Belladonna."

Qrow's eyes widen a little bit, "Really now, you got every one of them?"

"I think I did, why, who is this, Belladonna?" Naruto inquired before watching Qrow get his scroll out, bringing up a picture, "What are you doing?"

"Look kid, this is my nieces team, they recently got formed. Belladonna is the girl standing next to my niece Yang, the blonde I was talking about earlier." Qrow stated before holding out his scroll, and then watched as Kitsune's body became ridged

"T-that's her, the girl from a week ago!" Naruto realized before reaching out towards the picture, "Blake?"

"You know her?"

Naruto catches himself before cursing under his breath, "Um no, whatever would give you that idea?"

"You just said her first name," Qrow deadpanned before closing the picture. "Must've made one hell of an impression on you."

"So, who exactly is she, and why would The White Fang be after her?" The ninja inquired before looking away, but still listened intently.

"Former White Fang member, rumored former significant other of a faction leader within the group itself. She's the daughter of Ghira and Kali Belladonna. In layman's terms, she's technically high value to a number of people. A political chip, technically a princess due to her father's status…" Qrow then chuckled before looking at him, "What're the odds she'd get put with a Schnee of all people."

He looks over at the blonde before noting that he was staring off into space again. His eyes were glazed over as he focused on their names, Ghira and Kali. For some reason, he felt that he knew them! Focusing on their names, the ninja closed his eyes.

Trying to remember.

"Let's go play tag!"

Unknown place, eight years ago.

A city with architecture similar to a combination of Vale and Mistral bustled with noises. In the crowds of adults making daily rounds, a large group of faunus children with a couple human ones moved about. Running from each other, a blonde haired, cerulean eyed boy was outpacing them with ease.

His eyes wondered around for a place to climb up! Finding it as he went to a fire exit, sticking out a tongue to a sheep faunus who was running after him. Getting up on top of the roofs of the buildings he quickly made an escape. Intending to stay within the city center, but remain the tag champion!

He slings himself off into an alleyway as the sheep boy passes over him. There he takes his time walking out, only to run into a girl carrying several books! She stumbles to the ground, dropping all of her book into the dirt covered ground. The blonde reaches down, helping her up.

"Oh man, I'm so sorry, I didn't see you there!" The child said to the girl whilst dusting her off, "Aw crap, hang on I got this book, no need to get it!"

She stood there watching as this strange child with whisker marks picked up her books. She was handed the last one, her yellow eyes falling onto the cover of it. Waking Moonlight, and then looked up to see him standing there.

Cerulean blue eyes that matched the ocean waters. Golden hair which ended in spikes swayed in the wind. His white t-shirt fluttered in the wind, and he had a violet sash around his beltline. Both of them stared back at each other, at a loss of words.

Until the sheep boy came by, tagging him!

"You're it, Naruto!"

Naruto turns to protest before, but just blew an errand strand of hair from his face. "Sorry, really I am, I hope your books are okay?"

"I'm sure they are…um…Naruto, wasn't it?" She inquired before holding her hand out.

"Um, yeah, that's my name! Uh, well I should get going! Got to go reclaim my throne as the number one tag champion in Kuo Kuana!" He boasted before turning on his heel and then stopping, "Hey…what's your name?"

"Blake…Blake Belladonna."

Present day.

His eyes snapped opened when he suddenly found himself standing near the edge of the building. Being held back by Qrow, "Holy shit kid, wake up!"

"Oh, what the hell, what happened?!" Naruto yelled out as he stepped back from the ledge, "Oh man, my head…"

"You started mumbling and walking forwards, sheesh if you're falling asleep and sleepwalking maybe it's time for you to hit the hay! Anyway, that information of Blake Belladonna is interesting! So, it means that her team won't be given assignments without a professor escorting them." Qrow told him before patting his shoulder, "and if you ever want to spar…I'm game."

"Oh, wow, well thanks!" Naruto thanked the man before watching him transform, and fly off.

"Naruto…"
"Yeah, maybe I am just tired, who knows…might've just been a dream."
"Could've been, perhaps it's best that we get some rest."
"Still, that felt real, didn't feel like any dream I've ever had before."
"Sometimes it's best not to dwell on these things."
"Yeah…you're right, what is today?"
"I believe it is Thursday."

Naruto made sure he wasn't being seen, and took out his scroll. He had the number in it still, noting that it was too late at night for the text to make sense. Sighing, he puts it up, and sat down on the edge of the building. Looking at the broken moon, for some reason, he felt something was missing off his ring finger.

Looking at it, he imagined some sort of black string tie on there…

Naruto was walking into the apartment, later than usual. He sighed while he flipped on the light, nearly jumping back as he saw his mother sitting there. She was playing with a card in her hand. Apparently, for whatever reason, she had went snooping around his room.

"Oh, hey mom," Naruto greeted her before putting down his mask. "Sorry, I was a little late I had some…uh…thug problems."

"Uh huh, and definitely not going behind my back to work with Ozpin?" Kushina questioned inquisitively, playing with the card in her hands, "You know, Naruto, we're supposed to honest with each other."

"I knew you would hate the idea, so…"

"So, you thought it would be better for you to just lie? For you to just go behind my back? What all does he know, Naruto? Does he know what we look like, how we work, and the fact we own a small eatery in the city?" Kushina grilled him while standing up off the couch, "well, does he?!"

"Mom, he doesn't know anything about us save for what we can do! Trust me on this one," Naruto pleaded while looking at her in the eye, "We can do this!"

His mother shook her head vehemently, "No we can't, Naruto, we're not strong enough."

"Yes, we are mom, between you and I me going full Tailed Beast Mode with both sides of Kurama…"

"Enough!" Kushina interrupted him while getting up, "You've been lying me to for a whole week! You got this, a week ago, I called the number last night…and now you're coming home much later!"

She threw the card at him, making him catch it, "You've been moonlighting as what, a student?"

"No, I never joined Beacon, I've been following up on some leads about a Grimm Cult. That's all, especially involving White Fang activity that coincides with Roman Torchwick's gang. Tell me where that makes any sense because Roman's a racist, who has no Faunus members in his gang!" Naruto argued while walking around the couch, putting the card in his orange jacket's middle pocket.

Kushina growls under her breath, "Do not try to change the subject right now!"

"I'm not trying to chance the subject, mom! I'm just saying that something weird is going on out there! White Fang and local gangs working together, a friggin Grimm Cult?! C'mon, this doesn't just spell out the obvious, crap is getting ready to hit the fan at Mach eight!" Naruto reasoned before yawning, "Besides, Ozpin said that he does haveinformation on our arch nemesis!"

"Oh, yeah, because Ozpin has any idea what kind of monster that thing really is?" Kushina gaffed as she shook her head, "I know I didn't raise you to be this naïve!"

"He's going by an alias, Minato Namikaze! The bastard has an inkling where we are, simply because we're moonlighting as heroes at night! Mom, he doesn't know that we know, we can make this work!" He revealed to her, much to her surprise!

She shook her head, "that's not how this works, it's not that simple!"

"When is it ever simple, mom!" Naruto yelled out before shaking his head, "I'm tired of letting this go walk all over our lives…at least we can make a stand!"

"Naruto…now it would be best to drop it."
"Hello, Yang, mind also telling me why you went along with it?"
"I am pleading ignorance, Yin."
"Yes, of course you are, both of our Jinchuuriki are angry at one another."
"It's not my fault that the brat decided that he knew better, not exactly in the driver seat."
"Neither am I."

"Both of you shut up, I cannot think when you both cross communicate with the mental links!" Naruto and Kushina both screamed at their versions of Kurama before cutting the mental links, she glowered at her son, absolutely livid that he would risk everything they built in Vale!

"I'm sorry, Naruto, but if your father was here, he'd…"

He screams at her, stopping her words, "Stop talking about dad as if he can do anything from the grave while the very bastard that killed parades it around as a tool!"

"W-what did you say?" Kushina asked disbelieving while looking at him, shaking her head, "Are you even my son!"

"I am your son, I'm supposed to be the son of the red headed habanero of Konoha! The woman whose fiery personality made my father, the Hokage of all people fall in line! Kurama and me talk about it all the time, and he tells me stories of how you even stared him down! What happened to you, because you can't be same woman I hear stories about!" Naruto stated roughly while growling under his breath, "Is The Masked Man really that much of a monster, or did he just get lucky and you're just scared!"

A resounding smack filled the room with Kushina backhand red. Naruto's cheek had a nice little red imprint on it, where the mark stung. She even looked stunned where she had slapped him, her hand fidgeted before watching him walk for the door.

"Naruto…"

He didn't listen to her as he grabbed the mask.

"Naruto, wait, please!"

He slings the door open, growling under his breath as he looked at her with red eyes. She stopped her sopping, noting that she felt the same anger raise within her. Her violet eyes turning red and foxlike as well. The two shared a look that bordered on hatred, and as he slammed the door shut the look disappeared off her face as the tears broke through.

"Yin…Oh Gods what have I done!" Kushina mentally wailed through the link, running toward the door and slinging open.

Her son wasn't there, her heart was beating faster and faster.

"Let him go Kushina, let him get it out of his system!"
"I just snapped, I don't know why…I just wish there was someway to tell him how strong that monster really is…"
"You both dealt with it the wrong way, coming at each other."
"I know, I know…"
"He's a young man, let him get his anger out and he'll come back apologizing."

Kushina took a deep, shuddering, breath before feeling the hot tears spill down her face.

Naruto was wondering the streets as he took a deep breath. Tears stinging his eyes before growling. The blonde stops himself short of walking into a thug hideout, taking a deep breath before turning back around. The ninja took a moment to think about things as they stood.

"Kurama…"
"If you are asking if you screwed up, then yes."
"Then why even go along with me?"
"Because, you are becoming a man, in doing so you'll make your own choices…and own them."
"Does it always feel this shitty?"
"It can, but it's what value you assign to it."

Naruto leans up against the brick wall of the building. Slowly the dam broke for him as he sobbed, "I didn't mean to say it that way…I'm just wanting my mother to just trust me in this."

He felt his scroll buzzing, it had been about an hour since he left the apartment. It was his mother calling, he swipes to answer it, "Mom?"

"Naruto, listen son, please. I'm not angry, I shouldn't have smacked you…that…was…" She trailed off before looking at him through the screen, "I just…"

"Forgive her…"

"No mom, I understand, I shouldn't have said those things either. I'm sorry, really, I am, but the intel was worth it. Because we got alias, which means he's traceable now. Qrow, my handler for Ozpin, said that he went to Mistral recently." Naruto revealed to her before taking a moment and hearing his mother quiver a little.

"So, he's not in Vale?" She asked before he noticed her fearful look, "What else was there?"

"Qrow said one of his informants said he was looking for fox pelts. I know for a fact he's referencing us. Like it, or not mom we're invested in what happens here." He stated before looking over his shoulder, noting no one was coming out of the building.

"So he has an inkling that we're here, like you said…okay…" Kushina breathed before staring down, "Perhaps this isn't such a bad idea…son."

"Mom, I just want to say I'm sorry…it's just that I can't be that small child forever. Not anymore, the moment we can get the chance to catch him by surprise, we do this together." Naruto implored her before smiling softly, "I forgive you for smacking, and I apologize for saying what I said…the way I did."

"We all do stupid things out of anger." She admitted before sighing, "Come home, son."

"I am mom, I love you." Naruto told her before hanging up the call, "I guess she's on board…I just feel like a horrible person."

"At least you're owning up to your mistakes."
"Yeah, for now, I guess."
"Sometimes, Naruto, that's all we can do…is owning up to ourselves."

"Yeah, you're right Kurama, but I need to get her in the loop. Hopefully Ozpin doesn't figure out who we really are, something tells me to never ever give him that full amount of rope." Naruto thanked his long time partner before taking a deep breath, "I could use a nap."

"Let's go home then."

Naruto walks back through the apartment doors. Finding his mother standing there. They both looked at each other briefly before embracing in a tight hug. She held him tight, letting him know that she still loved him despite him lying to her. Letting him know that he was forgiven. Kushina felt him letting her know that she was forgiven as well!

They broke the hug, with her wiping a few tears away, "Yin said we both handled it crappy, dattebane."

"Yeah, Kurama said that too…" Naruto admitted before sighing, "Mom, I didn't want to lie to you it's just that…"

"You think I can't trust you enough to make your own decisions when it comes to these things?" She finished for him, noting how nervous he was to continue it.

The blonde nods his head, "yeah, that's about it."

"Well, next time you go to meet your handler for Ozpin…I'm going with you, if you're going to take a chance perhaps I can as well." Kushina supported him before patting his shoulder, noting a cut in the sleeve, "Did you get attacked?"

The blonde blushes a little bit, laughing nervously, "I sort of got into a spar with my handler. Don't let him fool you, I'm stronger but he still beat me."

"H-he beat you?!" She nearly shrieked before looking at her son bug eyed, "Did you even draw on Kurama's power?"

"Yeah, that's the thing, he might be used to punching way above his weight class. Makes me curious to know what else the man could do," Naruto recounted with a beaming smile, "I need to learn to not let my emotions dictate my actions in a fight."

"Oh, so that's how he beat you? Played the mind games," she chuckled before rubbing her chin. "Even back in Konoha, a fight was always more or less down to mental fortitude. You've got to believe that you can, otherwise you can't."

"No, he sort of just kept mocking me and I kept swinging for the fences instead of just working my way up." He elaborated whilst thinking about it, "Plus he's able to transform like we do with our jutsu…but just into a crow."

"Huh, Qrow can transform into a crow, now that's a tongue twister." Kushina laughed slightly, trying o lighten the air.

Naruto took a deep breath before yawning vigorously, "I need some shut eye mom, I open the next two mornings."

"Leave tomorrow morning to me, sleep in. Please, son," she offered up with a soft smile. "You need the rest, I think we're all pushing each other too much."

"Yeah, me too, mom…" Naruto took a few steps towards his bedroom, "Mom, who are the Belladonna family?"

Kushina's violet eyes widened tremendously out of sight Naruto. She composes herself, turning around, "No particular family of interest to us son. I think the main member is some guy named Ghira, who rules as Chieftain in Menagerie…why?"

"Nothing, it's just that White Fang group I took out. They were talking about going after his daughter, and guess what…she was actually in our ramen shop. Ain't that just weird?" Naruto questioned before stretching, "It's the reason why I comp so much sencha…she really likes sencha."

"T-that's good dear, well go on now, get some sleep!" Kushina ordered him lightly before hearing him walk toward the bedroom.

"He's starting to make the sealing jutsu wear off, Kushina."
"I know, Yin, but what do I tell him when it does?"
"The truth, and nothing else, you still have them don't you?"

Kushina walked toward her bedroom, checking the clock to see that it was midnight. Opening the door and closing it when she entered. Her queen sized bed was flank by two nightstands. Walking over to the one on the right side of the bed, she opened it up and removed a small box.

"Our Red Strings" was written on the box, which Kushina nearly whimpered out at she.

She slowly opened the box, revealing two string rings of red and yellow. Both of them connected to each other, it was her and Minato's wedding ritual. It was a traditional way of marrying in the Uzumaki Clan. The bride and groom would take a clipping of their hair, tying them into rings.

During the ceremony they would literally tie the knot before kissing. This alone made start weeping at the memories, but lifting up the cushion, there existed another set under there. Of course, he was a child at the time, so was she. To them it was just a game, pretending to get married.

To her, it was a glimpse of a hopeful future that was dashed away. Picking up the string rings of black and yellow, she took a deep breath. What she had done, she hadn't just did for him, it was for all of their friends. The memories of the weeping girl reaching out to her son, who no longer remembered her.

The childhood sweetheart who at worse would've been his greatest friend in life, and yet now they didn't know a damn thing about each other as teenagers. All because of The Masked Man, and his machinations.

Still, it was mysterious to her that fate put these two within the same city out of an entire planet. She places them back under hers and Minato's. Tucking it safely into the nightstand, where they would remain. She remembered them making that announcement at the dinner table, and how her father Ghira was legitimately anguished over the thought of his baby girl getting married.

Of course, when it came to evaluate it out, Kushina had been the one to confirm that neither had any real indication of what love really was. Kali meanwhile was taking pictures, pictures that Kushina had to hunt down and destroy. Every last one of them, even those of them just going Kuo Kuana together as friends. All because she lost a fight, one single fight, and he had was hot Naruto's trail!

The very act of destroying them, destroyed a piece of not only her soul but his entire childhood.

The Cook Is A Ninja!

Blake Belladonna yawned as she raises up from the top bunk of her dorm room. All of her other teammates were fast asleep. She gets down silently, grabbing her scroll off the shared desk. She walked into the bathroom, getting ready to get her morning started. That's when she noted a message from an unknown number.

Opening it up, she reads it silently.

"Hey there, this is Narutomaki calling to invite you and anyone else back to Ichiraku Saturday at any time. Don't leave me out to cool down! :"') "

She giggles a little bit, it was kind of cute that he tried to recreate his whiskered face. She thought about typing back, but then decided not to. If anything, she'd make it a team gathering with Team JNPR as well. Gods help him if Nora found his cooking as divine as she had. The orangenette might single handedly make them regret every life choice they had.

Getting out her black toothbrush from the drawer after placing her scroll on the sink. She sets about scrubbing any grime from the late night take out from the cafeteria. Port's classes were first today, which meant that it may just be her turn to volunteer and take one for the team.

Stopping for a moment, she thought about the weird dream that she had. It almost felt too real to her, but it couldn't be. It was a blonde-haired boy who was running through the forest back home with her. He had the same whisker marks on his face as the guy she met in the eatery.

They had this weird string around their fingers, which looked like he was made from a piece of his and hers hair. Tied into a knot, the blonde was giggling madly while carrying her as one would a bride. It was something that bewildered her, was it because in a sense he spoke to her inner child? A voice in each of and every person that always held the whimsical things of life to heart?

Perhaps Blake could find out more, but for now she got ready to take a hot shower. Gods knows it was her turn, because last time Yang hogged all the shower time. Turning on her scroll, putting on a playlist for favorite book turned movie, she hummed as "Your Greatest Strength" played in the bathroom before she stepped into the hot shower.

She closes her eyes as she remembered the last part of the dream.

"Hey, Neko, it's raining with the sun out here while the sun is out! Remember what I called that, where I come from?"

"A Fox's wedding?"

"Yeah, well c'mon Mrs. Neko Fox, let's go make you dad cry!"

"I'm not so sure that's how weddings really work, isn't everyone supposed to be happy?"

"He'll cry tears of joys!"

End Note.

The plot thickens! Let know what you all think, and yes this is a more romance focused story than my usual take. You all also apparently like what I'm doing, I mean good lord I only posted two chapter and you're eating it up!

This has been such a fun write, I may just go ahead and start he next chapter if my energy levels hold up!