Standing solemnly at a vending machine here in the ER waiting room as both Naruto and Ruby were rushing into the back, Weiss looked down at her hands.
What had she even done?
Rushed into the complex and two out maybe two White Fang only now to worry they may have been crushed under rubble as their commander wildly went out of control and tried to kill all of them with that prototype Paladin they had stolen from Atlas.
What had she done?
Nothing!
She did nothing!
Yes, their job was to rescue anyone that was in trouble as they were useless for the recon portion of the mission. They could not pretend they were faunus and only one person could go in with Neo, she understood that.
But there had to have been something more! Anything!
Yang was right!
…But just what?
Both Naruto and Neo were experts in this kind of mission it seemed and all they had for them was a recovery team. And recon missions were a naturally dangerous mission for that specific reason that discovery often meant…
Weiss swallowed hard as she trembled. Despite how horrible even felt it was amazing it was only this bad. Ruby's face was only going to be scarred for life and Crescent Rose could be repaired, possibly even made better than ever.
Naruto… Despite his wounds and how worried she was and even how pitiful she could see Blake looked in the corner… Was in stable condition and due to his medical records stating he had a powerful healing aura was expected to make a full recovery within a few days with no drawbacks.
What was he? He challenged her belief even further as the rumors of faunus being created in the lab just sounded plausible because of everything he was able to do. Yet at the same point, everything he was able to do was just so foreign it didn't make sense…
Her eyes snapped open and she made two quick purchases, ignoring Yang talking on her phone and trying to calm someone down on her the other side of the scroll…
It seemed she called her father and he was extremely worried on the way.
She brushed past the blonde dragoness that was trying to calm him down, and someone else on the other line was also doing the same thing before she sat beside a crestfallen Blake. She curled up in the fetal position in her seat, both knees brought to her face as a dark aura overshadowed her and it was understandable after everything had happened.
They ran into the person they were looking for and it was apparently who she had been running from specifically in the White Fang… Her ex-Mate as she refused to call the animal anything but. She didn't like using the slur, especially since she started hanging out with Naruto and became closer to Blake, but in this case, as she looked at her friend's destroyed and shivering form…
Weiss would make an exception.
Adam Taurus was deserving of that slur.
Sitting beside Blake, she put the caffeine-free soda into her friend's chest pocket while being careful not the invade her personal space. "Here, seems like you need it."
It took a moment but Blake took the offer from Weiss and she opened and took a drink of it. As fearful as she was of everything that had happened there was something more that bothered her and now she didn't know how to approach it. "Blake… What… Just what is… What is he?"
Blake's bow twitched but she said nothing. She knew what Weiss speaking of and she couldn't be surprised as the doctor while utterly shocked by the wounds and were ready to amputate the arm were instructed not specifically by Ironwood and to read his chart as he went under.
Accelerated regenerative healing factor. It was probably one of the factors that had every top brass looking into Naruto and wanting him to work for them as one of their Huntsmen.
And it wasn't even at its best if the stories of his world were true! He regenerated in real time when he and his fox were one!
"It's not something I can tell you, Weiss," Blake spoke as she cracked up the can and took a shaky sip as some of the soda spilled out. "I can tell you he is nothing that you or I or anyone else have seen before… And we knew that from initiation day… But he keeps surprising us with something new and it keeps scaring me…"
"And I'm frightened that the next thing may kill him as he doesn't know his limits anymore and then I…" Blake choked on her own words she relived everything that happened and remembered his words before they left days prior. How they would take him together
And the fact she told him she would let him take him in her stead and she blindly charged in and nearly cost him his life!
"Blake?" Weiss tried to reach her faunus partner, recognizing something was very wrong with the way she was shuttering and the tears streaming down her face. "It's okay… You can talk…"
"I nearly killed him!" Blake angrily snapped her head towards Weiss, startling the heiress and even breaking Yang out of her call with her father, as her sorrow broke her. "I knew what Adam was capable of, knew he was charging his semblance power and I recklessly took the bait he dangled out for me, knowing I couldn't ignore it!"
"It was never meant for me!" Blake screamed as she grabbed her head and cried out, her body convulsing as the sobs wracked her body. "He should have just finished Adam and let me die instead!"
"Blake…" Yang put down her scroll as even her father stopped speaking on the other end, realizing there was turmoil on the other end, before moving to calm her partner down. "No…"
"And what would that have accomplished?" Ironwood's voice sternly spoke out as he heard the scene and decided to intervene. "He acted accordingly and did what he believed was the right call and still would have accomplished the mission without outside interference."
"Girl, do you not see what happened today?" Ironwood spoke before the TV was clicked on and the news broadcast the damage that Adam had caused but was contained thanks to Ironwood and… Their efforts. "Today we protected the entirety of Vale and kept the situation contained quickly and there were only two casualties."
Blake's eyes widened as she remembered seeing all the clones suddenly pop into existence as they were fleeing from Adam and Paladin and she looked up into Ironwood's eyes. "He acted in an exemplary manner despite the situation and very few humans or faunus could ever say they would do the same. He reduced all risks possible and gave us the best possible outcome."
"And for that, he deserves praise, not your pitiful crying girl." Ironwood looked down upon Blake's pitiful form his gaze still stern but with a small ounce of remorse despite his cruel words.
"Hey! Watch it…" Yang began when Blake gripped her jacket from her position to stop her.
"Your right… Thank you... For helping me see that." Blake sniffled before swallowing and slowly sitting on her chair regularly. "I was lost… I was too lost in grief to see that.
Ironwood nodded in understanding before looking over at the operating rooms. "We all have our own battles. Sometimes they last longer than others to conquer… When he has recovered, have him call me. I would wish to thank him personally. Today was only successful as it was because of our cooperation. I would have hated to have seen the damage done if one of my weapons got out further into the city."
"They are meant for protection against the Grimm, not tools for slaughtering the living… Though I suppose in the end all weapons are used for that." Ironwood started strongly before finishing with a sad sigh to himself and gave a small bow to three. "I've done all I can do here, I shall take care of the media front you can rest for now… They'll most likely be at your doors soon enough."
"Lovely…" Yang stated sarcastically as despite being on TV she didn't like the few times she had to deal with the paparazzi when she tried going to the club recently and felt it now might get worse.
What the hell was the jerk trying to get a picture of breasts in the bathroom for?!
He ate a fist full of Ember Celica for that.
With Ironwood leaving, Blake sighed as she put her hands on her face. It was embarrassing when a stranger, someone she had only met once before came in and told her to calm down and put her in her place. But in a sense he was right.
Naruto would never have made another decision. He was always going to jump in front of that attack.
And that meant she needed to be better. She needed to make better decisions. She needed to work on herself. "I have a lot to talk about at therapy this week…"
"I need therapy now from dealing with you and my sister!" Yang cried as she hugged Blake, surprising the faunus. "If you need to talk, talk okay! I'm here! I'll listen! I might not be as good as Naruto but dammit I don't want to see my friends hurt all the time!"
"I stop running all over the place and trying to drag you along all the time as I know you don't like it I won't be as loud… as much… I can't completely promise that but I'll try!" Yang cried as she embraced Blake who slowly returned the embrace
"Yang… I'm sorry… I never meant to cut any of you out… I… There was just…" Blake tried to explain everything wrong, that she was being chased by the Fang and Adam but the words could come forth.
And now there strangle individuals that had walked into the ER and were looking at the scene oddly themselves.
Weiss noticed both of them and tried to get Yang's attention. "Yang… I think someone is here for you."
"I get it… Trust me I know there is a lot to unpack there. Just, please… I want all my friends and even my sister to stop breaking down in front of me and there being nothing I can do about it…" Yang pleaded as she released her and looked Blake in the eyes. "So let's find a time and…"
"YANG!" Weiss shouted before point.
Yang was about to scream what was before her and Blake's eyes followed toward an older blonde hair man and a man with black-colored hair with some grey streaks.
"DAD?! UNCLE QROW?! WHEN DID YOU GET HERE?!" Yang jumped up and back from her dad, shocked that he was her before looking down at her scroll realizing at some point he must have hung up.
"Sometime during the emotional breakdown that everyone has been having… So Beacon hasn't changed much it seems on that front." Her father spoke, trying to keep his spirits up but failing as the worry shone through. "How is she?"
"Since she was unconscious it was really easy to put the stitches in but they noticed the slash went into the cranium itself…" Yang stood out in front of the room they were keeping Ruby in as she checked in on her vital stats and everything was solid. "Ruby is going to have a scar for life but she is lucky… If it wasn't for an ally saving her…"
Yang walked over and retrieved the severed head of Crescent Rose and its staff. "Ruby wouldn't be here right now."
Her father felt faint at those words. The other man…
"Shit! Cut right through like it was nothing!" Qrow growled as he took the pieces of Crescent Rose and cursed. "Fuck me! Ruby put her heart and soul into this and I inspected it and I know what this is capable of taking and we tested it together! This should have been able to take…"
"Moonslice…" Blake muttered before looking at both of the men. "Take something similar to Yang's semblance and amplify it specifically to a blade. Every hit it absorbs it can multiply with his aura and send It back with greater results depending on the amount of time given. The stronger an attack absorbed the stronger the reflection."
"And since it's a blade…" Qrow spoke with understanding and his teeth gritted. "She was in way over her head… I'm glad she doesn't have my luck or she would be without her head."
Blake lowered her head in shame hearing that as it was her and Naruto's fault for ever allowing Ruby to be put in that situation. If they had only forced her to stay back in the rescue team and it would have only been her, Neo and Naruto everything would have been so much different!
Maybe things wouldn't have turned out this way!
"Don't blame yourself." Ruby's father spoke, catching Blake's attention as her eyes snapped forward and he gave her a light but sedated smile. "I know my daughters well enough… Once they make up their mind and put it to something there isn't anything you can do to dissuade them differently. They are very headstrong individuals. For better or worse, is a trait they both share."
"Hey! I feel insulted here!" Yang twitched at her father's comment and glared at him.
"You should, I was insulting you and praising Ruby in this instance." Her father responded as he gave his daughter a flat stare before he gave a light grin as he tried to lighten the mood as he could feel everything was still dour. "If I was ever able to dissuade you of anything do you think I'd ever let you leave the house in that outfit you lady? Your breasts are hardly covered and the shorts you are wearing barely do enough to cover your behind."
"Dad! Enough of this! I like how I look! It accentuates my figure and makes me pop! Summer would have been fine with how I dressed!" Yang started before she immediately covered her mouth as she got riled up and looked extremely apologetic. "I'm sorry I didn't mean…"
"It's fine… It's been years Yang… Let it go." He smiled at his daughter and ruffled her hair. "Seems you are still quick to anger as always… Need to work on that still I see."
"So…" Qrow tried to bring it back down as he looked at the operating room, seeing they were still closed and most likely finishing the last of the stitching or so he hoped. "I have a question for anyone that can answer it for me… Just what were all of you doing infiltrating a White Fang hideout? That's not a normal mission even for a Huntsmen?"
"Don't get me wrong we do go after wanted criminal as it is on our job description… We just usually go through the boards first and take our job." He continued as he pondered the situation. "It is almost as if he is just used to infiltration and this kind of lifestyle… And no trainee is prepared for this lifestyle…"
His eyes at the end passed over by Blake and his eyes cut through her as he looked at all three present. "So? Care to explain it…"
"Qrow, enough." Ruby and Yang's father spoke, he looked around and saw all three and the condition each was in.
The sorrow from Yang at what had happened to Ruby and Naruto. The helplessness of what she was unable to do for everyone from Weiss. And the absolute hatred that was rolling from Blake as her golden eyes pierced into Qrow making him believe she very well had a lot of answers he was searching for but he was not going to dig with the father of his niece.
"Fine, Taiyang… I just want answers as to why this happened… Why Ruby is going to be scarred for life?" Qrow growled as it seemed it was him the one that needed to be calmed on the other end of the scroll.
Not Taiyang.
"But… I think she's going to come out of this stronger than ever before." Yang perked back up as she looked back up at her father and uncle. "When… Icy… Brought Ruby to us, wounded and distraught with Crescent Rose in two it looked like she was going to break right then and there."
"But when those alarms sound something changed inside of Ruby… She found something deeper within." Yang continued and Taiyang couldn't help but smile as he heard those words. "Without hesitation, she took control of the situation and we back in the action and she had us back in, going to pull everyone out… She didn't care that she almost died."
"She just wanted to save the day." Qrow finished as he knew Ruby well and looked back into her room. "Kid has far more spunk than most grown men and women. Tougher than most too. She'll grow to be stronger than either of us, that's for sure."
Taiyang nodded in agreement as he looked proudly at his daughter but suddenly Yang's voice pulled his attention once more. "Dad… There is something else… Something I've never seen before about Ruby. She did something that stopped that mech suit in its tracks that was not her semblance and I've never seen anything like it before."
Both Taiyang and Qrow froze before looking at one another back at Ruby and Qrow cursed. "It's awakening now! She's nowhere near ready for training to control its powers! She still learning how to be a huntress for fuck sake! This is my luck, fuck I'm sorry Ruby!"
"Wait, guys, what's going on?" Yang questioned as she heard her uncle's outburst and now was confused.
"Well, it was just an accidental activation." Taiyang was trying to be hopeful as he gritted his teeth a rubbed his forehead. "Maybe she won't realize it happened and another activation won't happen for a while so we won't have to worry about it until she's ready to take the time and learn to control those powers."
"What powers!" Yang was getting fed up with her dad and uncle who both looked over at Yang as she slammed her fist into the wall and made them grimace. "What kind of bullshit powers does my sister have? I already have to deal with Naruto who is the god of bullshit powers but now my sister has some sort of power that just petrifies an entire mech suit instantly! What the fuck? Explain!"
Blake and Weiss just sat curiously in their corner, glancing at each other now and then, and drank their sodas.
They weren't sure what was going on anymore.
"It isn't exactly easy to explain as we don't have all the answers" Qrow responded as he scratched the back of his head and looked at his niece. "What we do know is that your sister has an ancient power within her that comes from her mother's bloodline and ancient race of warriors."
"The rest is very vague." Taiyang summed up and groaned as he looked at his daughter. "If only she was here still here this would be an issue… But that ship sailed long ago and now we have to deal with finding someone else that can train her in using these powers…"
"What about Naruto?" Yang said simply as both her uncle and father looked at her as if she grew a second head. "It's not the craziest thing. As I said he was the most bullshit power set I've seen and he can decipher everyone's abilities in battle like it is nothing and he can read aura and emotions…"
"Wait he can read aura and emotions?" Qrow questioned as soon as he heard this information. "As in he can tell what someone's aura is doing and what someone is feeling?"
"Well, he can sense one's aura and…" Yang started when she was cut off as Blake stood up.
"Yang, enough!" Blake hissed as she stepped toward her partner with her golden eyes fiercely gazing into her purple. "If you are just going to keep spouting everyone's secrets, how about I start talking about all of yours that you wouldn't want random strangers to know about?"
"Okay, I think I may have pushed too far… Easy girls." Qrow decided to step between his niece and her partner knowing there was care between them having seen the scene when they walked in. "Didn't mean to start anything."
"I'm sorry!" Yang realized she was in the wrong. "I just got comfortable as they're family…"
Blake took a deep breath and turned away. "It's fine. Just think about the way you would want others to talk about you to others without you present. Would you want them spilling absolutely everything about them?"
"She's got a point… But now I am curious." Taiyang spoke as he looked back over and saw the surgery light come to an end. "I would like to meet the boy that stole my baby girl's heart."
"Woah, Woah, Woah!" Yang started as Blake's eyes widened and she hissed while Weiss choked on his soda. "That ship has sailed dad. She has been screaming how much she hates Naruto for the last month."
"Huh, that's not what she's been writing me but I might be out of the loop so who knows." Taiyang shrugged as he looked at Naruto being stretchered out and Blake immediately rushed to his side as they took him to his room to rest. "I did just get this letter a few days ago expressing her deep frustration with the entire situation but…"
"Recognizing he wasn't the root of the cause, shouldn't be blaming him for and wanting to move on… And seeing that he was actively trying to separate himself from the issue as well and trying to let her flourish… Sounds like she had already begun to forgive him but just wasn't ready to get rid of her frustrations quite yet." Taiyang spoke as he held out the letter and Yang took it and read it herself.
And she growled in frustration.
"Dammit, my team needs a group session! Why couldn't she tell me any of this?!" Yang roared and grabbed her temples and Weiss took the letter and read herself, stumped as well.
"Yep, Beacon is like it was in the old days." Taiyang nodded his head as Qrow rolled his eyes.
"You're only saying that because we had my sister on our team," Qrow commented blandly.
"Wouldn't you? You lived with her for most of your life." Taiyang grinned as he watched Yang stomp into her sister's room and sister in front of her, staring at her and daring her to wake up.
Challenging her as they needed to talk.
Qrow simply looked at Yang. Then back at Taiyang in accusation.
Taiyang was immediately defensive and put up his hands. "I admit I lost myself in those… Dominant, red eyes several times for a very, long time…" He trailed off with a bit of lust as Qrow looked ready to backhand him before snapping back to reality and was defensive once more. "But I never meant for it to go that far!"
"And it most certainly did… As much as still have love for her... You knew she was never going to stay. She was always a roamer and then... Everything else." Qrow responded with a low growl as he followed Yang into the room, taking a seat beside his niece.
Taiyang defeatedly followed in after his family.
Weiss was left alone in the waiting room and felt the chill in the air after everything went deafly silent.
Was this how a family was supposed to act? Everyone was so… Happy despite the situation. Yes, there was anger at what had happened and worry that was justified for what had occurred…
But was this what it was supposed to be like? To support and comfort one another in trying times even if the situation was uncomfortable...
Because they knew that was what Ruby would have wanted and what she would want to wake up to. To see her family there acting normal and caring for her?
All alone as Ruby and Yang were with their family. Blake was with Naruto as they set him up for recovery. And here she was…
The loneliest one of all.
Something awful was soon to happen, she was sure of it.
"Shit!" Jaune fumbled with his scroll as he trying close the door, all of team JNPR exited the door and he dropped it. "All the time for me the be a clutz! We need to go!"
"Jaune, take your time." Pyrrha calmly reminded their leader with a worried look but still comforting smile. "As bad as everything is… Naruto and Ruby are in stable condition and Ruby should be waking up soon so we'll be able to talk to her shortly. There is no rush."
Picking Jaune's scroll off the floor for him, Ren patted him on the shoulder and Jaune closed the door. "Relax… We only have to fight through all the reporters."
"LET ME AT THEM!" Nora pulled Magnhild out as ready to smash but Ren put his hand on the handle and gave her a silent 'No.' which made her pout. "Oh come on Ren."
Jaune only nodded at Ren's and Pyrrha's assertions, having learned to start ignoring Nora unless she was actively participating in a normal conversation, and sighed. "Yeah, got to get my head in the game. Getting the call from Weiss was a bit alarming though. Didn't think much could hurt him."
"Anything can happen when you're risking your life to save everyone Jaune… And that was what he was doing." Pyrrha responded as they started to move down the hallway before she was suddenly bumped. "Sorry, excuse me!"
"No, excuse me." A black-haired woman grinned followed by a tall black-haired man and a girl with shorter green hair, and dark skin trailed. "We were a little lost and trying to find our room… You see we are here for the Vytal festival and particularly the tournament…"
"You have the wrong building," Ren commented as he looked at the, his eyes gauging all three as he could sense something not quite right but wasn't able to accurately describe it as something was throwing off his detection.
And it bothered him he could not sense their approach or read their aura.
"Guest building is next door. If you give us your room number I give you the floor and you can be on your way…"
"Fall. Ashley Fall." Cinder introduced herself with a small curtsy as a small red medallion glinted on her neck with Emerald and Mercury giving a happy clap and small bow in response. "And I thank you very much for your hospitality."
While Jaune chuckled and showed them the directions and Pyrrha and Nora greeted them, Ren felt a cold shiver go down his spine and his eyes locked directly with 'Ashley' for a brief second before turning away.
"I'm going… Enjoy the Vytal festival and all its festivities."
"Ren…" Nora looked at her lifelong friend worriedly as this was not how he normally acted and went to join him. "Ren wait up!"
"Oh right! Got to go! Nice meeting you three!" Jaune rushed to catch up with Pyrrha giving a wave and walking after, moderately worried as this was not a normal action from Ren.
Cinder only pursed her lips for a moment as they slowly faded in the distance. "Seems the boy can sense aura as well and be put off at our lack of presence."
"Should I… Take care of him?" Mercury cracked his neck and gave a vicious smile.
"No, it does not matter. Even if they figure out who we are there isn't anything for them to move on us out in the open." Cinder smirked as she looked at the redhead's figure as she faded from view. "I got what I intended from this encounter anyways…"
"She is most definitely Ozma's choice…"
Something felt wrong with her head. She had headaches before and this felt like one exploded and everything was spinning so rapidly. The world was violently shaking and reverberating and her brain now felt like it was on fire. She tried opening her eyes but the light was too bright, its intensity caused so much pain she could bare it and it intensified all the other sensations.
She just couldn't handle it.
Ruby turned on her side and everything lurched out of her stomach, spilling onto the bed and on the floor.
"What the fuck sis?!" Ruby vaguely could hear Yang's voice and the sounds of her jumping away before she could hear the sound of her uncle.
"Nurse! We could use a look here!' Ruby heard Qrow as the whole world still shook violently and she felt several presences come around, she felt something being pushed into her IV after a few moments while she was slowly moved around and cleaned up and bedding changed.
White rose petals began to flutter around her in the blackness of her spinning and rumbling world… And it took time but everything began to calm down. The spinning slowly went away. The world stopped trembling nearly as much. They both were still there and her head was still throbbing with pain but…
Everything wasn't quite as bad.
The white rose petals slowly faded, their job done but their comforting spirit spread throughout Ruby as her eyes slowly began to open and the light was not as intense anymore.
"Feeling a little better now, Ruby?" Ruby heard her father's voice and looked gingerly to the left to see Taiyang gently smiling at his daughter. "Must have been some nasty aftereffects…"
"Yeah…" Ruby reached out and her father clasped her hand. "I'm sorry… I didn't mean to…"
"Ruby… It's okay." Taiyang smiled as he looked at his daughter's form. "This is the lifestyle you choose… And this is something we all have to deal with, Qrow and myself."
"Sometimes… We don't win." Qrow as he moved beside his true brother and smiled at he looked down at Ruby. "And we have to be thankful… That for those times we have… And this time we are thankful you had one hell of a team to get you back home… Wish the one that brought you back was here so we could thank her properly…"
"Yeah… Best she isn't." Yang grimaced as it was best Neo wasn't here as she was a wanted criminal and being in a hospital, even if she was in one of her illusions, with all the media around was not a good idea.
Although now that she thought about it she swore when she saw Naruto be carted into his room with Blake there was a very short nurse with pink and brown hair… Her eyes widened in horror. "No… No, no, no. I think I'm going crazy. That cannot be what I saw."
Both Taiyang and Qrow exchanged worried looks and back at Yang for a moment before returning to Ruby. Her existential crisis could wait.
It seemed Ruby was having one too as she shook momentarily at that thought. "It's weird… I hated her… She beat me so badly when we were enemies and I couldn't even touch her… And now… She… Is the reason I'm still here…"
Again, Taiyang and Qrow exchanged a glance as they knew something more was going on, especially since they kept up with the news and the former had been trading letters with his daughter weekly, Qrow spoke. "Ruby… It seems like twice in a row you were soundly defeated by a superior person…"
"All you have ever done is train to fight Grimm," Qrow spoke softly but tried to emphasize his point. "I know some things recently have shifted your views on life and made you see things differently and that it isn't just the Grimm that is wrong with this world… But if that is the case…"
"You have to learn to fight people as well otherwise this going to happen again and again… And I don't think Taiyang and I can handle that." Qrow honestly finished looking down at his baby niece, even if she wasn't truly related by blood.
She was in his heart. He helped raise her when he wasn't purposely keeping his distance.
Didn't want his luck to harm his family. It already seemed like it was possibly transferring and he dreaded if that was possible.
That only meant his semblance was getting more powerful.
Looking depressed, Taiyang hugged his younger daughter before kissing her bandaged forehead. "We love you but we care about everything you do and want you to do your best and this worried us so we were talking about it as we came over."
"We have been training… I let my frustration get the better of me and walked on practice several times." Ruby mentioned as she looked down in shame. "And Naruto stated he wanted to start hand to hand with everyone after tree walking…"
"Tree walking?!" Both Taiyang and Qrow questioned.
Ruby and Yang looked surprised before they looked at each other and laughed a little. "Yeah… It's an aura control exercise where he comes from where he controls his aura in a specialized way that allows on to climb up vertical surfaces and gives massive buff to one's speed if properly utilized on level surfaces."
"It's pretty awesome and it's physically hard work out too," Yang commented as she pumped her fist. "Think I've almost got it down as run up and down the entire time… But now he's trying to get me to walk it… Ugh."
"That… Is a really interesting exercise but sounds useful." Taiyang commented as it was something he would like to learn as scaling buildings by running instead of having to find other ways around just sounded more useful. "And it seems it makes focus a little bit on aura control… Something you never had ever done before Yang. I'm so proud of you! Progress!"
Yang flipped her father off as her right eye twitched.
Ruby bit her lip as she tried not to laugh. She failed horribly as she knew it was true.
"Ruby! You are supposed to be on my side!" Yang was horrified at her sister's laughter as even Qrow chuckled at his niece's plight.
As Ruby's laughter died down, Qrow flicked his hand through his hair. "So it seems like there is some sort of training started… This just happened all too quickly…"
"It did." Blake's voice came as she entered the room with Weiss beside her, feeling Naruto was fine enough with who he had in his room and had heard some of the conversations as her bow twitched. "Naruto and I discussed that hand-to-hand was the next step as most of us were too reliant on our weapons… And Ruby was next once we got together as a team and took care of our issues as it was clear it was causing her to lag behind."
Seeing Blake and Weiss, Ruby smiled as the faunus came over and the two embraced and Weiss followed. She then sighed. "So I kind of screwed everything up…"
"No, we all did… Our communication has been terrible and we need to work on it. I am definitely at fault and will take the fall for that. I started the trend and it only got worse." Blake sadly commented as she looked at Ruby, seeing the state of her bandaged face.
"It has been! I've been the rock in this thing pulling you and Ruby back! And let's not even get into the whole you and Weiss issue!" Yang growled before started rubbing her temples. "I need a drink…"
"Remember what Naruto said." Weiss grinned as Yang's growl intensified and her eyes briefly burned red, starting to realize why everyone picked on the blonde dragoness.
It was fun and it was stress relieving.
Taiyang could only smile at everything he saw here between the small interaction and he took a glance a Qrow before both nodded. "As much as we are both still worried… At least it somewhat alleviated. There was a plan in place, life just happened… And it went worse than it anticipated."
"Not as bad all considering," Qrow commented as the news was still being flickered on the big TV outside. "Only two lives lost in that mess and entire sect of the White Fang now subdued… That is any Huntsmen and a small team can ever say has been accomplished before."
"Two lives…" Blake turned her attention to the TV, a little shaken as the news had sunk in before but hearing it again only reconfirmed her thoughts and her golden eyes glowed. "Those lives should not have been lost…"
"We made mistakes at the end and we need to fix them… Both Naruto and myself." Blake turned with her eyes still glowing before whispering at the end. "Forgive me, former comrades… I failed you."
"But Adam will pay!" Blake hissed as she walked out of the room, determination filled her being as she made her way back to Naruto's room to wait on her boyfriend to recover knowing Ruby was now okay and with family and friends.
He needed someone with him anyways.
Besides the false nurse pretending to care for him in the room.
Everyone else was left in stunned silence at what they witnessed. However, Qrow got the exact answers he was seeking earlier as he heard her whispers and everything fell into place. It explained a lot and Ruby would do anything for a friend in need…
But was this necessary?
There was certain noise he do not like waking up to and this was it. Those damn beeps. He had heard them a few times in his past and they never signified a fun time in his life. This time was no different as the pain of what he did was catching back to him despite the medication they had him on.
Adam had a gnarly slash, he had to give the bull credit for that. And the Rasenshuriken power was strong as he remembered even if it was only the shockwave that got him.
Not to mention chakra reserves feeling the drain. Wasn't near exhaustion levels but the fact he still wasn't fully recovered was alarming. It was probably due to the fact he has so much chakra to begin with and it was still actively being used to recover injuries naturally.
Pushing his senses around the room as the light was still too sensitive to try and see who was around him, Naruto gave a mental sigh of relief.
"Someone get the number of that bull, call it and tell him to fuck himself." Naruto groaned as he reached out his hand.
Both of Blake's hands slid into his hands and there was a mixture of a sad laugh and cry as she tried to respond. "Already on it…"
"How long I've been out?" Naruto asked as he brushed his thumb against her hands, trying to comfort her and let her know he was doing alright despite he was feeling a little worse for the wear.
He would be better soon enough.
"Only a day and a half… Just about midnight though." Blake commented as her eyes looked into Naruto's. "I only had the lights on as I was reading… Haven't been sleeping…"
"I can see that," Naruto commented as his eyes slowly cracked open and saw the rings under her eyes, slowly reminding him of Gaara. "Can't say I wouldn't be in the same position though… But get some rest here shortly, okay? I am okay. Now that I'm awake my recovery will be even faster."
Blake frowned and knew that meant that he was going to tax his chakra to heal himself and didn't want him to do such a thing. But at the same time seeing him in this state was also extremely painful so she was at a loss at what to do.
And despite everything, a weight was still on her shoulders. This was all because…
"Blake… It'll be okay… We did everything we could." Naruto snapped her attention back to him and he looked into her eyes. "Despite everything that happened… We did the best we could and in the end… We chose to blow that Bullhead and take those mean with Adam."
"I… I…" Blake looked down at her own hands in Naruto's, remembering that moment she hit the trigger and knowing that it cost the lives of two brethren just to try and take Adam out. "It still didn't matter though… I took someone else life… I can't forgive myself for that action… I did something that…"
Naruto only listened as these were the same feelings that crushed him when he took Sill's life. "Blake… I can't tell you how to feel… It hurts and should never be the answer… But what we did was right… Look at what Adam was doing?"
"If he was doing that to his very own comrades what would have done if gotten out? What would have he done if his plans for a revolution started to go through? Nothing good I can imagine." Naruto finished as he shivered at the thought of a faunus revolt here in Vale.
There was a slight silence as everything he said settled in and she could breathe once more.
"Your right and I've accepted that multiple times in this time you have been unconscious," Blake admitted as she listened to Naruto as she held his hand, before locking her golden eyes with his and her eyes shone. "I think I just wanted to hear your voice… I wanted to hear your comforting words… To make me believe that what I did was the right call."
"And now… At the very least…" Blake shed a tear as she pulled her chair closer and laid her head by his. "I can accept what I did… Even if… It will hurt knowing that blood will forever be stained on my hands."
Moving his hand to her head, Naruto slowly combed his hand through her hair. He softly sighed as it was truly something he didn't want to have to put her through. He would have willingly pulled the trigger himself but at that moment his strength was temporarily failing him and he couldn't let Adam get away.
…So he asked the only person he could trust that happened to be colliding with and hanging onto him.
It just pissed him off still that he managed to get away…
And then there was that developing issue.
That was something he was going to need Ozpin for as only someone with his knowledge might have something to tell him about it. Otherwise, he wasn't sure what to do about it other than tracking down…
Salem herself.
"Naruto…" Blake's voice caught his attention and thankfully knocked him out of his thoughts as he didn't want to go down the road of having to figure out how to work with the witch.
"You okay, Blake?" Naruto asked as he could sense something bothering her still and she was wanting to address it with him. "I'm always willing to listen…"
"I don't want Ruby and the others to join us anymore…" Blake spoke as tears began to build in her eyes. "I am so afraid of what happened here is just going to keep happening and I don't want my friends to be hurt because of our actions and especially because of my history. And then there seem to be people even behind Adam too and just keeps getting deeper! …And I don't want them to get hurt… And watch their family suffer."
"Blake…" Naruto softly spoke as he tried to comfort her.
Blake shook her head and wiped her head as she looked at him in his blue eyes. "Take Ironwood's request and work with him. Go to Atlas. I will transfer with you."
Naruto's eyes snapped completely open as her golden gaze bored into his. "I don't know what we can do to make things work for Neo to keep her on board but maybe we can think of something… And Atlas isn't the best to faunus but it is worlds better than Mistral and with your transformation…"
"No." Naruto firmly stated as he gave her his answer as he began to see this as what this for what this was.
Blake was started by Naruto and he looked back into her eyes he confronted her with a stern but caring voice. "Blake, you're running scared. You're focusing on what can go wrong instead of what you're capable of doing! Stop running and work on what you can do and have faith everything will fall into place! That's what we are all here for!"
Her eyes opened as he took her hand from her hair before he slid it and cupped her cheek. "All of us can work this out… Yeah, this sucked. But it could have been worse. We should have been better prepared. I should have never allowed Ruby to force her way onto the mission but I did as I saw my younger self and …"
"It made me make a mistake. This was not a mission for her, for any of them and I let them join in." Naruto sighed and took it upon himself. "So next time they will be ready… And I'm sorry Blake…"
"It's time to ramp things up again and I'm not going to get the rest I needed… Your team needs to be caught up to a level I deem acceptable… You included" Naruto finished and at the end, he spoke with a whisper as he knew he was returning to his heavy workload but that was what needed to be done.
He was going to miss relaxing and hanging out with everyone.
It had become… Fun.
"Naruto… I…" Blake choked as the tears welled up, further before she reached around carefully to make sure she didn't touch his recovering wounds and embraced. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to! I just didn't want to hurt anyone anymore! And now… I'm hurting you!"
"No, this is my decision as I told you before… There would come a time I had to ramp my regimen back up. It is now." Naruto stroked Blake's hair and the back of her head. "Nothing you did caused this, so perish the thought. I've got some work to cover with all over you…"
"And I think I know where to start as each of you needs to work on… But we'll get there later…" Naruto yawned as he was still recovering he really wanted Blake to get some rest as he broke away from Blake. "Please get some sleep for me… You are stronger than all of this, you know that right?"
"Right." Blake gave a soft smile as tried to confirm it herself but it was still a little lacking.
"Better… Getting better at least." Naruto sighed before he leaned over and Blake met him, their lips softly touching for a moment for a soft kiss. "Get some sleep."
"As long as I can rest next to you…" Blake purred as she laid her head beside his.
"Neo isn't going to give a shit when she gets back from wherever she went… Aura sensor, remember?" Naruto stated before he noticed Blake's raised eyebrow and responded. "Think she probably went to grab something to eat…"
"Wonder what's good, eh?" Naruto said out to no one in particular as Blake snuggled on the other side of his head.
But the question was loaded and a sigh was heard as a person slowly began to walk away.
Qrow had heard enough.
"How the hell do you look that good in just three days? What are your bullshit powers?!" Yang was just in awe at seeing Naruto already looking extremely healthy, his wound mostly healed with barely any scabbing at that point and even then as the nurse was changing the dressing it was almost not necessary. "My sister is going to have a scar for life from just something relatively minor looking in comparison and we literally could see your bone and lung from your wounds! The fuck are you?!"
"For the longest time in my life I was called a demon and it stands to reason in some aspects… I see some of their points." Naruto responded to his comment as he watched in interest as the wound was finished being padded. "Thank you, nurse."
Yang instantly shut up and her eyes widened as the nurse left, unsure how to even follow a statement like that up. Like how? He was the friendliest person around and to call Naruto a demon? Sure his powers were absurd but that didn't mean…
Ruby, who was just released and had her bandage taken off to reveal her still stitched scar that stretched from an inch above the left corner of her left brow to her right cheek, was horrified that anyone call someone as heroic as Naruto a demon. She had seen firsthand what he was capable of and sure he could be a jerk with his altruism but that was the worst he ever was…
A demon? Why would anyone say something of someone who was so genuinely good?
Velvet, who had arrived shortly after hearing Naruto awaken from Blake, turned to say faunus and they exchanged glances. They knew the meaning as they were the only two to know that Naruto was from another world and happened to hold a fox spirit from before and consider a demon for it and treated like a pariah for it. Living a life similar to some faunus and worse than quite a few others…
And his life was still on the easier end of Jinchuuriki from what Blake was told…
Weiss simply dropped and looked at the floor below. Everything was just so… Ugly. Why did everything in this world have to be treated as such? There was such good out there and Naruto was proof of that as he made sure so many people… Even if they were faunus being radicalized by a faction of the White Fang that wanted to eradicate all humans… were spared from the rampage that… Animal went on!
"But enough of that… That was in the past and I'm way above that now!" Naruto chirped as padded the new dressing. "I should be out here soon too so where should we go celebrity… After I give the paparazzi the slip and reporters the actual news I guess… Shit, that's going to take a while."
"Being a celebrity has its drawbacks." Weiss sighed as being an heiress, when she was home at least, was very demanding and she was recognized everywhere she went. "I'm amazed you have been able to keep them off you as well as you have."
Annoyed tapping brought everyone's attention to Neo as she twitched in the corner, now wearing a bodyguard suit and cracking her knuckles. There was also a bigger than normal sign next to her saying…
IT WAS ME!
Everyone blinked as they looked at Neo before a few events began to click in their minds, especially for Naruto and Blake. "Oh… That makes way more sense now… It wasn't always my clones and transformations."
Neo silently screamed as pulled her hair before picking up her giant sign, snapping it, and threw it in the hallway to alarm all of the nurses before stomping outside.
Several screams were heard and bangs against various were heard outside and reporters began to run for their lives.
Neo was not in a good mood.
"Maybe I should get her a few more outfits…" Naruto commented at seeing the rage of Neo as she violently chased away the media from the outside. "She always seems to be in a much better mood after that."
"Did she just suplex that guy through the park table? Does she watch wrestling?" Yang commented watching the violence in fascination. "Yeah, I think she does! Leg dropped him and everything! …Oh… That guy is going to need new teeth… Curb stomped."
"Do not need a play-by-play, thank you, Yang!" Weiss grumbled at her teammate as she hung her head before her eyes widen. "Ruby no!"
"Oh, oh! Here it comes! She's climbing to the top!" Ruby stated as Neo climbed to the top of something outside and most likely jumped. "FROM THE HEAVENS!"
"Is that what it is from?!" Blake looked slacked-jawed at the two sisters watching a sociopath bodyguard destroy the reporters outside with wrestling moves.
"YES!" Naruto, Ruby, and Yang answered all the same time as if it was obvious.
"Why is everyone I'm close to like this…" Weiss covered her face in embarrassment and couldn't believe it.
But it was better than the alternative… At the very least.
Then her blood chilled as a voice she didn't expect to hear here of all places. "This is an interesting team that you have been paired with here at Beacon, my child."
"Father?!" Weiss suddenly got up, shocked at his appearance but despite that she almost robotically gave a formal curtsy and bow and held it before him. "I was not expecting you… What business brings you to Vale this early before the Vytal festival?"
As Weiss gave a curtsy everyone quickly changed what they were doing and were paying attention to the scene at hand. Ruby was nervously fidgeting in her chair while Yang stood beside her, arms crossed, and glared as she knew something was off and simply didn't like the guy. His look screamed fake, what she knew of Blake's and Weiss' issues were solely focused around this man and…
Then the way Weiss acted bothered her.
Velvet was extremely worried as she knew this man and the troubled past he had with faunus and her eyes bouncing between Naruto and Blake. Why was it every time she was around it something like this seemed to happen… Was she cursed?
Blake was holding in her rage at seeing the man. This man tore down the White Fang time and time again even back in the days when her father was at the helm. He tore faunus rights down and made them slaves… What he did was apprehensible! Even Adam…
She shook that thought out of her head, there was no redeeming the fallen.
Naruto had his hair standing on the back of his neck. He did not like the scent of what was coming off the man. There was too much complexity of emotion but the thing that bothered him was that he knew something was afoot as that smile underneath his stash said it all.
And the spite and hatred from within only grew alongside the sensation of power and control.
Everything made him sick to his stomach.
"Nothing important my dear." Jacques ruffled his daughter's hair before putting his hand back on the chain he had brought with him. "I just happened to be meeting with Ironwood and thought I stop by to see my daughter. Now, why don't you introduce me to your new friends? The ones I've been seeing on TV?"
"Oh, ah yes!" Weiss stood up and gave a short bow to her father and was about to move over to Ruby and the others when her father spoke again.
"Ah, ah Weiss. Time is money and I have places to be… I'm here to meet the one that matters. The Huntsmen." Jacques spoke with his smile still brimming under his mustaches but his words were cold and thoughtless to everyone else around him.
Naruto's eyes went feral for a brief second and his blood boiled as he saw Weiss stumble and lose her composure. He saw Ruby tremble at being called insignificant once more and Blake stood up ready for a fight as was Yang, one of the few times both were on the same page.
"You want to say that one more time!" Yang cracked her knuckles as her eyes bled red as her aura slowly activated, scarring Velvet as she could feel the anger building in a frightening amount in the blonde dragoness.
Weiss simply put her hand before Yang, a single tear dropping from her face for all to see but her very own father, before it dried up as her eyes turned ice cold and she turned back to him and bowed once more and moved to Naruto's side and addressed him. "Sorry, yes. Let me introduce you to our trainer… Huntsman Naruto Uzumaki."
"Ah, yes, very good to meet you!" Jacques gave the smallest of bows as he barely put any true effort into it. "I must say I have heard some things about you and I am quite interested in you my boy! Taking down my corrupt business associate that was willing to settle with the vermin, catching that pesky fly nicking all my dust, and even just now taking care of that vermin base! The fact that you've taken interest in my daughter is just the icing on the cake! It is so wonderful to finally make your acquaintance!"
"Well, I wouldn't call it interest…" Weiss flushed in embarrassment before she looked worriedly over at a furious Blake as her hands clenched, her eyes feral and her teeth clinched and even a still semblance activated Yang began to put herself between the head of Schnee Dust Company and her partner.
Weiss simply tried to handle the situation as diplomatically as possible with a gentle smile aimed at her father knowing he expected nothing less. "We just happened to be good friends."
"The honor is mine, councilman." Naruto kept everything in check as he gave a mild bow even as his heart raced and he felt everything wrong about this, watching Blake react and seeing Velvet cower. "What do I owe the honor of meeting you, sir?"
"As I said, I just wanted to check in on the young Huntsman that was guiding my daughter's training and so far I have to say I'm impressed," Jacques said as he looked over at Weiss and gave her a once over. "She is by far more physically fit than when she left and I dare say that is a vast improvement from when I last saw her on the news."
"They were dubbed my team by the media, sir, I did not have a choice in the matter and were brought into my world," Naruto responded honestly and cordially even if everything about the situation had his nerves frying he was still going to stay in control as he held Jacques gaze without blinking. "It just happenstance that we were already all building trust and friendships with one another after a series of events that built from a few misunderstandings."
"Interesting," Jacques spoke as he watched his daughter's reaction and listened to Naruto's words, not caring about the interaction of anyone else in the room. "Well as I said my time is limited and I must go… But I would like a longer chat so… Weiss, my dear."
"Yes?" Weiss looked a little startled as this was an entire change of pace from her father and something she had never seen from her before.
"Make sure he something to wear for Stellaris for this Friday at Seven PM, would you? You can never be too sure with…" Jacques gave his daughter the command before giving a glance for insinuation to settle in. "Well, you know."
Blake was done. She was ready for a fight and Yang was the one holding her back. "I get it, I get it!"
"We'll be there." Naruto kept himself from growling but accepted the invitation nonetheless as it was not in his favor to refuse an invitation from someone in such a higher position of power in this world than he was.
And someone that had a connection to one of his friends and was using it against him was pissing him off!
"Very good." Jacques put on a hat he had been holding before tipping it. "Weiss, Huntsman… It has been a pleasure. …Oh, and your friends are… Adequate I guess."
With that Jacques made his leave, walking past both Taiyang and Qrow as they returned from getting Ruby's discharge papers.
"Qrow… Is that…?" Taiyang started with genuine dislike in his voice.
"The one person I never want to see around my nieces despite knowing a Schnee is on their team… Yeah." Qrow growled as they watched his retreating back leaving the waiting room. "My bad luck just brought this about I know it… I'm going to need something to drink…"
"I'M NOT WORTHLESS!" Ruby cried from within the room before she burst out of the room with her semblance and rushed away at top speed as both Qrow and Taiyang's eyes widened.
"I'M GOING TO BREAK EVERYTHING!" Yang stormed out, flipping a desk in anger with her aura flaring and nurses started fleeing at the sight of a blonde dragoness who was looking for a fight. "WHO WANTS TO GO?!"
"I think I'm joining you tonight," Taiyang spoke honestly as he looked at the scene before him in horror at what the man created. "I'll take Yang, you've got Ruby?"
"Sounds good." Qrow turned and vanished in the direction Ruby sprinted.
Taiyang just jumped in front of his daughter. "I guess I'm up to bat here baby girl! Let's do this outside though so we don't break anything expensive!"
Breathing heavily and despite the haze of anger she was in, Yang only nodded and was willing to follow. Taiyang only looked in surprise as that wouldn't have happened before she left for Beacon.
Progress.
"Blake!" Naruto growled as he was frustrated and frazzled with the entire situation but as he watched Blake, standing there with anger dousing everyone in the room in waves that it was pliable for everyone to feel. "I know that was rough but I need you to try and calm down... Don't forget there is a second empath in the room, look at Velvet!"
"I'm sorry, but that man is just the worst! How did my father deal with that man peacefully!" Blake roared as her father's faunus heritage shone through as she took several deep breaths before she sat down, anger rolling off her in waves but beginning to lessen. "Velvet... I apologize but somehow our bad luck is rubbing off on you now too."
Velvet was sitting in the corner, tears in her eyes and frightened at the outburst nodded as the man had purposely come in her with the intent to upset everyone.
She sensed that much.
"It's okay... I'm just worried... About..." Velvet pointed and everyone's attention was brought to the other person standing silently in the room.
Sadness and the pain was deafening, Naruto could feel it from Weiss. He knew Velvet could as well. The way she was clutching her chest and looking straight at the floor, ignoring everyone's existence...
It was as if she was the only one in the room in her mind.
"Why does he do this…" Weiss trembled, not even recognizing that Naruto and Blake were still in the room with her. "He always does this… He just… Uses everything for his image… Grandpa… Mom, Winter… Me… And if we don't measure up…"
"Weiss…" Naruto began and tried to give the voice compassion as even Blake's anger began to fade seeing the condition she was in.
"Don't you dare!" Weiss heard Naruto, acknowledge his presence and it only infuriated her as she angrily turned on him with tears trailing down her eyes. "You understand nothing! How can anyone?! Our family comes from a position of wealth and power that no one can comprehend! What is there to understand when you come from a position of power that no one else has a concept of?! ...It's why I left... I wanted to be normal... To try and understand but every time I get dragged back in."
Naruto only smiled as he turned and sat on the bed facing Weiss as Blake moved to help Velvet up and comfort the girl, recognizing Naruto had this covered. "Your right about that… But what I do understand… Is that you have been manipulated and abused for a long, long time… And I'm here to listen."
"So go ahead and let it out… We're here for you." Naruto finished as looked into Weiss' ice-cold stare despite the tears that bursting all around it.
And his gaze melt right through and she broke down into his embrace, crying.
And he let her cry for as long as she needed.