Disclaimer: See first chapter.
Chapter 6:
A breeze rustled the grass and sent slight waves across the field of green. Teams RWBY, JNPR, and CRDL were all in attendance after Professor Port's class but instead of taking in the peaceful and beautiful sight of nature...they were all huddled in groups and glued to the screens of their Scrolls. Cardin and his squad were commenting and being all around noisy as most men were wont to do when they were with their buddies. Add in the video they were watching and it only exacerbated the situation. It had violence, action, and enough rough treatment to make the men groan, wince, and then laugh uproariously every time a Grimm met its untimely end.
Jaune sat on the ground with his legs crossed, Scroll open and held between his hands as he watched the clip proceed in stunned silence. Pyrrha stood behind the young knight, bent over his shoulder with her ponytail dangling down her front. Ren and Nora were off to the side doing the same thing...although the lively Valkyrie kept bouncing between them all so as to try and watch both recordings at the same time.
Ruby and her cohorts were no different as they waited on the bit of area claimed for their own, although Weiss was the only one of her team who refused to sit down on the grass because of what it could do to her skirt. That, and she was currently ignoring her partner no matter how much the youngest girl attempted to speak with her. While the standoff continued they too had invested themselves in Beacon's most viewed uploads despite being only a day old. Ruby was amazed whenever she wasn't pouting at her partner, Blake was intrigued, Weiss pretended she didn't care but had her Scroll out regardless, and Yang was impressed. The red and white duo, since there were four viewpoints to choose from, were curious to see what everything looked like from a third-person view. Especially since one of the videos branched off at one point and focused on their own mishap against the few Grimm not running to their deaths against Naruto.
It was a fancy bit of teamwork Weiss and Ruby used to kill the snake. It proved that opposites really could come together to fight for a common goal.
But while there had been positive comments concerning the heiress and the hooded one, the most common conversational piece buzzing around the campus pertained to Naruto and how in the hell he did those things. The set of recordings first appeared on Beacon's forums not too long after Team CFVY returned to the school themselves and from there is simply exploded. They were the obvious culprits since students had to log in to use it which meant the second-years had been subjected to near constant questions involving what it had been like to see it with their own eyes.
It had been awesome in case you were wondering.
From there many debates had persisted throughout the night regarding the blond's powers. It had to be a Semblance of some sort...but it could only be one of the many abilities he revealed. So what were the others? Crazy, judicial amounts of Dust? But there had been no sign of any elements in use unless those were tightly controlled orbs of wind. It was driving some of the more logical teens crazy in their attempts to understand this new predicament.
"...-so Iruka-sensei spits out the salmon slapping him in the face and yells, 'The Cha-cha isn't a substitute for laxatives!' I had detention for a whole month straight but it was totally worth it!"
"Must all your stories involve...delinquency?"
"Well, yeah. Those are the fun ones."
Glynda released a soft grunt of annoyance as she, Naruto, and Ozpin finally appeared at the edge of the field. The headmaster at least was amused by the ninja's stories. The strict schoolteacher, however, just couldn't understand why the boy had to act out in, apparently, everything he did. Like the footage Coco's team had mailed her. While vastly impressive, the mature blonde felt as if he could have gotten the same results with half the effort...but that was just her. Plus Ozpin said for her to just ignore the fact two other students were there and not do anything about it? She liked to see the two freshman working together as they did, but to not bring up their travels outside the bounds of the test rankled her.
...All heads snapped up in their direction as the trio walked onto the field. While the pair of adults looked the same, Naruto was wearing a black shirt instead of his regular gear. Ozpin was nice enough to repair the battered orange jacket but that left the ninja in his mesh undershirt. He wasn't Anko. The fishnet was extra protection, not something to casually wear about. The problem was easily remedied though and now it was time to start the reason they were all here.
Ozpin raised an eyebrow and casually nodded his head towards the three groups while his subordinate pulled out her larger Scroll. Despite everyone already looking at him he merely raised his ever present mug while the Huntress was the one to begin speaking. "Students, I bet you're wondering why I requested you all to come here after your classes finished for the day?"
Twelve heads nodded, as well as a few vocal agreements. It was pretty much right after the last bell rang. Weiss was in her normal snowy attire but the rest had yet to change out of their uniforms. The boys wore white dress shirts underneath blue vests. A red tie, black pants, and black suit top trimmed in gold finished up the look. The girls were somewhat similar, only sharing the jacket portion with everything else tailored to their gender. Instead of slacks they owned a red plaid pleated skirt, red ribbon at the throat, white lined shirt, and a brown vest that...seemed to draw attention to their busts. Maybe it was just Naruto but it was a bit noticeable the way their chests were lifted up due to the tighter clothing. They'd added their own flair to the mix as well, with Ruby and Pyrrha wearing dark nylon, Yang in thighhighs, and the rest with socks of varying length.
"I'm pleased to inform you of an extra edition to your curriculum," the gray-haired male took over as some, mostly Team CRDL, groaned, "I assure you it's not as bad as you may believe. In fact, since this had been a rather last minute decision on my part you may decline the offer if you wish. This is entirely voluntary, and your grades will not suffer for it if it seems like too much. Think of it as an...experiment for your own personal acceleration and the school as a whole, which is why I have chosen freshman new to the campus as our guinea pigs."
"What is it?" Ruby asked quickly, before shrinking slightly as Glynda turned her sharp eyes on her. The young fighter was still a bit put off by the older woman's presence ever since her first run in with that criminal Roman Torchwick. Her riding crop was a scary thing.
"Extra training," Naruto cut in. He would be putting these kids through their paces and then some, in a bid to power them up in a pinch. "Since I'm pretty sure by now you've all seen what I'm capable of, Ozpin's had it in his head that I can whip you all into much better shape than you already are. I'm not technically a teacher so you don't have to listen to me, but if you show up to my class and not work then don't bother coming. Yes, Ruby?"
The girl in question lowered her arm, looking further embarrassed as most of those in attendance turned to look at her when the blond called her name. "Um...so what would we be doing exactly?"
"Exercise. Lots and lots of exercise. You can all throw a punch but I'll make you hit harder. You can all run but I'll make you faster. This won't be about teamwork or fighting styles or anything like that. That's something to do on your own time."
"Okay, wait. There's something I don't understand," Weiss said as she held up her hands, "I get that this is an idea by the headmaster, as a limited basis to test whether or not the students involved show any improvement through an increased workload, but why does it involve you?"
"Because," Naruto responded simply to the heiress' utter displeasure. Damn she really caught on quick to things, "Now is there anyone who doesn't want to stick around?" No one, not even the frowning Schnee, rose. "Good. Then...since we're gonna be working together I guess I'll tell you a bit about myself. My name's Naruto Uzumaki, a ninja. I like ramen noodles and pranks."
"..."
"...that's it?" Dove Bronzewing had to sweep some of his light brown hair out of his eyes so he could stare at the blond. He and his teammates looked like kicked puppies.
Russel Thrush's jaw fell open as he began pointing. "But what about the glowy thing you did! What's that about?!"
The Uzumaki grinned in a way that made Ren shudder; the look reminded him far too much of Nora. "Stick around and you might find out. But I'll warn ya, it's going to be really tough. Super tough. If the first session ends and you don't hate me then I messed up somehow."
Team CRDL was less than pleased by Naruto's evasiveness but a few of those in attendance, such as Blake, could see what he was trying to do. The shinobi was piquing everyone's curiosity whether or not he eventually made good on his explanations. To tell you the truth, the young woman with a bow was just as interested, if not more so, as the others. Blame her specific animal traits for that one. The power he exhibited was such a sight to behold and if there was any way to mimic or learn just a fraction of it to use against the Grimm then sign her up.
"Soooo that's pretty much it. Show up here again two days from now, and wear something easy to move in that you don't mind getting dirty or sweaty."
With his piece said, there wasn't really much else to do. The three teams had their information and they would either follow it or not. Since Naruto wasn't going to show off or reveal anything more that they wanted to know and no matter of needling would apparently work there wasn't much of a point in further sticking around. Cardin and his cronies were the first to leave, miffed that they'd have to wait longer than any of them wanted. Weiss had jogged after Ozpin and Ruby was only seconds behind, intent on finally speaking with the other girl after their little snafu in Professor Port's lecture earlier in the day.
That left Team JNPR, Yang and Blake who had nothing better to do at the moment.
"Seriously though, how'd you do it?" Yang questioned with her hands on her hips. "Dust? Semblance? Freaky ninja powers?"
Naruto just sat down before flopping backwards, running his hands across the cool grass while he gazed at the sky. "Technically the third one but I'm not going to say anymore. It's more fun that way."
"What about the toad thing?! Oh! Or the spinning balls?!" Nora looked ready to jump on the boy but her friend's hand on her shoulder kept the bouncy warrior in her spot (mostly).
"Ninja stuff. Now stop asking." As the boy sat back up, his blonde counterpart grinned as her violet eyes narrowed.
"Hmmm...I could always beat it out of you...but it seems like you'd actually put up a challenge."
Naruto's lips stretched and the Nora-esque look returned, stronger than ever. "I actually have something relevant to ask," Ren said before the two could continue and the jinchuriki's expression could further worry him, "Do you happen to know why the Headmaster created this course? There was never any hint towards its addition to the curriculum, or none that I noticed. It seems incredibly last minute like he said, and it's nothing more than extra training which we already do on our own time. Professor Ozpin is the type to have a plan for everything but this...I'm not sure."
Naruto shrugged. As far as he was concerned, it was a job that simply suited him rather well. "I don't know. But if the Grimm are such a danger, I think he wants you all at the top of your game. I wasn't kidding when I said you're all probably going to hate me. The exercise is going to be Naruto-style; that means pushing yourself to the edge, and then going even far beyond that. You might cry. You'll probably puke. But embarrassment only lasts for so long when that extra stamina or strength on the battlefield keeps you alive."
"Do you really think we'll need such a thing?" Pyrrha asked, arms resting behind her back as she examined the shinobi. Jaune nodded slowly, being the one who would be most affected by such an increase in his physical exertion. While the blond was by no means 'weak' (he did have some muscles underneath his armor after all) this wasn't the sort of thing he did normally. But if it could help him in the long run...
Naruto's blue eyes flickered towards the circlet-wearing woman and he nodded as well. "Everyone has to work for it if they want something. Even geniuses-" he stuck out his tongue distastefully at the word, "-have to practice. They just pick up on how to do things a lot quicker. I was the worst in my class and my friend Sasuke was the best. Yet both of us trained and trained and trained to reach our goals. Now we're a couple of the strongest people ever, barring a few...who don't count because we beat them anyways."
The six teens looked intrigued but the jinchuriki failed to elaborate any further. Nora blew a raspberry, Yang rolled her eyes, and the rest sighed at his lack of forthcoming information. They were still getting to know the blond but he was making it difficult. His comment about being at the top of the hierarchy rang clearly though; Naruto thought he was hot shit.
Leaping to his feet the ninja brushed off his pants before rubbing his hands together devilishly. "Ohh this is gonna be so fun! I get to mess with people and get paid for it!"
"...that doesn't exactly speak well for your teaching skills."
"Oh yeah?" He spun, pointing a finger inches from the buxom fist-fighter's dainty nose. "I'll have you know I've taught one other person a few of my techniques and it helped him take down an S-rank shinobi!" Or technically a fraction of an S-rank, since it had only been a body of Pein's defeated by Konohamaru's subterfuge and the Rasengan, and even then it was revived later to square off against Sage Naruto.
"So does that mean...you'll be teaching us how to glow? Or the toad thing? Or the spheres?"
As Yang pushed his hand away, Naruto looked over his shoulder at Jaune. "I could try but it wouldn't work. Your aura stuff is powerful but it's not chakra, like I use. There's something missing...but I haven't figured it out yet. But if you keep at it I might find something to teach you anyways. My job is to make you the most powerful first-years ever and there's gotta be something useful I know that you can learn."
Blake leaned over slightly and whispered into Pyrrha's ear. "What's chakra?"
The redhead shrugged. "I don't know, but anything that is S-rank sounds intimidating."
The veiled Faunus silently agreed. Naruto went to tug at his fuzzy collar only to pause, frown, look down at his plain shirt, and then squinted off into the distance. "Um...does anyone happen to know where The Dusty Thread is in Vale? They're working on my jacket right now and I'm supposed to pick it up tomorrow, but I've never been in that city before."
"Yo," Yang said with a small wave of her hand, "I can show you after class. I guess I can use the opportunity to grab some extra workout clothes while we're out."
She wouldn't be the only one though. If things were going to be as rough as he said then it was a good idea to keep a few sets around. They'd have to let the missing members of Team RWBY know as well since both white and red had scampered off. Those two...hopefully they'd sort out their differences soon or else the whole gang would suffer.
Silver stared into narrowed blue while Professor Ozpin took a drink from his cup, turned towards the school, and shuffled away without another word. Honestly, he'd been at this for years. Did they truly think he made decisions with so little thought, especially when it long affected the lives of those who were involved?
Lately, so many of his choices were being put into question. Their distrust hurt him. It truly did. Just look at his watery eyes.
With the slight click of Ozpin's cane against the ground fading away, Weiss was the first to break eye contact and try to leave without saying anything. Only Ruby's hand wrapping around the heiress' wrist kept the more sophisticated Huntress-in-training from vanishing again. "Wait!" she half ordered/half pleaded, "Weiss! Would you please just talk to me?!"
Instead of ripping herself free from the hold, Weiss softly and surprisingly pulled the younger girl's fingers free without damaging her lacy sleeve before sighing and rubbing her forehead. "Look...when I said before that you had potential, I wasn't referring to leading a team. I thought it would be someone else, someone like...me. You still act like a child most of the time and it's incredibly difficult to accept." Finally looking Ruby in the face, the fencer's lips thinned as she recalled Ozpin's genial but blunt opinions from moments before, even after she essentially just called him out on making a huge mistake. "I just need some time to think."
Weiss then turned on her heel and walked away.
Taken aback by the normally snarky female's subdued tone, Ruby wasn't sure what to do with the aggravation bottled up inside from the day's sour attempts at bonding with her teammate. Working to fix up their new room didn't work as well as she planned, cheering for Weiss while she fought a Boarbatusk in Grimm Studies fell flat, and even trying to give some advice for victory got her comrade to yell angrily back at her just for being helpful. And now she fully understood her partner had no faith in the hooded one's leadership capabilities. Even after their bit of bonding yesterday. So she did what she thought any other fifteen-year-old in her position would do...and stomped her foot accompanied by a small shout of frustration.
It was only the first day of class! Why was this already so hard?!
A hand squeezed her shoulder before gently guiding her back towards the campus, Yang smiling sadly at her sibling when she inevitably 'overheard' the conversation after making plans with Naruto. The R and W of RWBY had still been relatively close by and you couldn't blame the blonde (or the rest of the loiterers) from sneaking closer to hear what already ailed the team. "Come on little sister."
"...she said before that she doesn't hate me, Yang. But I'm so confused."
"The Schnee heiress, lauded as a genius and welcome addition to the field, was overlooked for someone her junior. She's having difficulties accepting that, especially with the way you've already attempted to use your position," Blake said analytically as the Faunus drew up quietly next to the rest of her squad, "Though surprisingly it seems like she's both rejecting the notion and acting tolerant of it at the same time. Both sides are warring against each other and so Weiss seems to drop back towards doing what she is accustomed to: becoming irritated."
Ruby looked at the dark-haired girl before nodding slowly. "I guess I'll just have to let her think about it like she said."
And think about it the silvernette did. Even more so when her aimless journey across Beacon ironically brought her to Professor Port, who she tried to use as a way to momentarily get her mind off things and get some support of her own. But that only brought forth harsh truths that Weiss normally overlooked, but the bushy-lipped teacher had no qualms in speaking about. She did NOT always get what she wanted! But like Ozpin, Port had worked as a Huntsmen for quite some time. He highly trusted the other man and, if his friend felt content with making Ms. Rose the captain, then Peter Port would not question his judgment.
Weiss didn't like hearing about her shortcomings though and was deeply offended by how readily the man brought them up...but damn it all, the rotund professor understood things much more than his boisterous personality seemed to let on. She didn't like what she heard but apparently, as Port -and to a lesser extent Ozpin- decided, she needed to hear them.
It was dark by the time the final member of Team RWBY tiptoed back into her dorm and looked to the delicately snoring figure in the bed hanging above hers. The scythe-user had fallen asleep with her mattress covered in stray papers and writing utensils, evidence of a heavy study session despite it now technically being only the second day of classes. Homework didn't take a backseat to feuding teenagers after all.
As she looked away from Ruby (and the slight line of drool traveling down her chin) the icy gal took in the sight of a discarded coffee cup drained completely dry. She'd done a lot of thinking today, on matters that Weiss Schnee really was not expecting at all. If she couldn't be the best leader then she'd take her teacher's advice and try to be the best partner. And here was proof that once again despite how Weiss felt about the matter, her younger 'friend' was trying. Exhaling silently through her nose the female placed her pale palm against Ruby's exposed forearm and gave it a small but firm shake.
"Ruby...wake up."
The next day, Yang was annoyed.
Not because she was hanging out with a cute guy after another lovely day of classes (one of which involved more story time by a certain noisy teacher, and another who must have injected sugar straight into his bloodstream), not because her sister was finally making nice with the resident snob again, and not because she got to pull her beloved motorcycle out of its storage spot at the school and take it out for another sweet ride.
The outgoing blonde was annoyed because even though she was cranking her Bumblebee's speed far past the legal limit on the drive between Beacon and Vale, it wasn't getting any sort of reaction out of her passenger!
After changing into her normal outfit, the fist-fighter grabbed her keys, helmet, and aviators from her bedside before striding confidently towards the front of the school where Naruto was already waiting. She said no words, merely leading the boy along to the garage where she looked him in the eyes and winked before ripping the tarp off the top of her baby to expose it in all its glory. The streamlined curves. The wicked yellow paint job that slowly morphed into a sunset orange. The black hydraulics and darkened metal inner workings...oh, she shivered just thinking about the thrills involving her customized ride!
Yang was kind enough to try and share that excitement with the ninja. Even with all the craziness his videos showed him doing, she thought she could get a rise out of her equally yellow-haired companion by zooming down the concrete highway at breakneck speed and hairpin turns (because of said momentum). But no matter how much she twisted the throttle...there was nothing. No screaming. No cursing. No hugging up against her as close as he could out of fear, which she wouldn't have minded so long as his hands never wandered from her waist. Not even any sort of positive noises to mark that he enjoyed the ride in some way.
You want to know what the bastard was doing? Even snuggled up close against a smoking specimen of the female gender (as Yang said so herself) Naruto spent more time fiddling with his new Scroll than anything else. Oh sure, he had to lean forward to lower the amount of wind and drag pressing against him but other than that he was entirely unperturbed. It was like he was anchored to the seat and not even the few times the Xiao Long would 'accidentally' veer to try and shake him up did nothing. It was infuriating.
But when you were able to move as fast as he could, the speed of her custom two-wheeler just wasn't very exciting. No offense to her or her 'baby' but the handheld super-tech in his hands was far more interesting at the moment.
As they eventually rolled into town and parked on one of the side streets Yang slipped off the bike with practiced ease, purposefully bumping him roughly with her hips and glared at her escort from behind her shades. Thanks to a bit of aligning Dust technology in its center, Bumblebee had no need of a kickstand to remain upright, instead automatically centering itself whenever it was turned off. So as the otherworldly jinchuriki continued to press holographic buttons with an impressed look, the seconds ticked by before he finally noticed they were no longer moving and that he was still on the machine despite the other person no longer using her body to keep it under control.
He then hopped off and stuck his nose right back in the glowing rectangle.
Until Yang pulled it out of his hands, receiving a look that made her feel like she just took a toy from a little baby. "Hey, why'd you do that?!" he whined, before the girl collected herself and whapped him on the head with the Scroll.
"It's rude for a guest to ignore someone when you're out together. Plus you spent the whole time looking at this thing instead of reacting to how awesome my motorcycle is! What the hell's so important that you had to..." Lilac eyes read the words after opening the item when its notification light once again started to silently flash. It was a sheer invasion of privacy but Yang didn't really care; blame her stubborn and strong-will nature for doing what she wanted, when she wanted. Her lips formed into a grimace though as her vision rose from the Scroll to a still pouting Naruto.
"You've been texting Blake this whole time?"
"Well yeah. You really think I'd know how to use this thing? She was nice enough to give me advice on what it's capable of, and in turn I just have to tell her what it's like to be a ninja."
"But aren't you breaking your word about not talking about yourself?"
Naruto gasped and looked as though the developed boxer just insulted his mother, his headband, and his ramen all at once. "NEVER! I'm just speaking about ninja in general, not me!"
Yang snorted, knowing damn well why her partner was so interested in the shinobi lifestyle since Naruto first claimed to be one. Like she was really being sneaky with her intentions. The pretty blonde knew all about Blake's Ninjas of Love story no matter how well the other female hid it in her bookshelf...Yang was a curious little thing after all, and Blake's reaction when she first pulled the risque novel out of storage hadn't been as smoothly covered as first thought. So a bit of snooping later, and the most developed member of Team RWBY now knew about the Belladonna's dirty little secret. Was she bad? Yes. Did she care? No, because her partner could read whatever the hell she wanted to. "I could've helped with that. Well, whatever. We're here, and now you're buying dinner too."
"What? Why? I just got an advance on my first paycheck and we can eat back at Beacon."
Taking a step forward, the Remnant native adopted a wounded expression while setting one hand on her hip, the other coming to lightly rest against the exposed skin above her cleavage as she made herself look softer in appearance. "But isn't that the gentlemanly thing to do when out on the town with a lady?" she asked in mock confusion.
Naruto looked conflicted, before he suddenly grinned in a way that disarmed Yang's attempts at influencing him with her womanly wiles. "I guess it is, but you're forgetting something. I just needed to find my way to the shop. Once I have my jacket I could simply head back to the school. It's much easier to find than a single store."
Yang raised a finger to refute him but she stopped and her forehead creased while the seconds ticked by. Naruto was fast enough to do so, faster than even Ruby. "Damn. You're right," she added begrudgingly before grabbing the boy's arm and dragging him inside The Dusty Thread without a second thought, "But that would be quite rude of you, eh? Now come on, I've got some shopping to do and the more time we waste, the less I have finding what I want."
The order was already good to go on the rush order but the manager of the tailoring establishment was still putting some finishing touches on his beloved coat. None of the employees actually had any comments to say about the article of clothing as the two blonds waited for it to be finished, besides the fact they never dealt with something so...orange before despite all the work they got from Hunters and their need for mending fabrics. That color was always a subsidiary and never the main shade. Just look at Yang. It didn't stop them from repairing the sleeve, zipper, and frayed edges though as best as they could. "Oh man, I missed you." Naruto claimed as he slipped the garment on after shucking the shirt.
Yang just whistled in teasing appreciation while he exposed his chest and the body netting, getting a dry glare from her new friend. But it didn't matter because he finally had all his proper gear back, and he felt like he was at 100% again. It was so good Naruto didn't even care when he was eventually pulled into a discount store and forced to bear the burden of carrying the pile of reduced-price clothing picked out by the other blonde. Spandex and tight shirts for her, pants and looser tops for Blake and Ruby based off what they already wore, a few old sneakers already broken in, some extra sports bras, and...Weiss was on her own. Not because she didn't want to exclude the heiress but because Yang had no idea if the other woman would even wear anything besides a skirt. Literally all the outfits the blonde had seen of hers were without leggings. School uniform, regular uniform, pajamas...
If not then she could just borrow from one of them.
Ringing up the purchases cost a nice chunk of the Lien in her pocket but it was a sound investment for the apparent rough and tumble lifestyle Naruto was looking to put them through. Oh, and then Yang Xiao Long was grinning like a fool as her companion did something incredibly awesome he called 'sealing' with all the bags. "Okay. I'm totally keeping you," she claimed in all seriousness.
"Really? Only because I make shopping easier? Not because I'm super awesome?"
Tapping a finger against her cheek as her eyes screwed up towards the ceiling, before relaxing and answering in a cheerful way that made her bounce lightly on her heels. "Nope!" she claimed, popping the 'P', "That's like, number five on the list."
"What list?" the blond Uzumaki asked before narrowing his eyes, "Excuse me? Number five?"
The girl giggled at his ire before walking out the door, crooking a finger over her shoulder as she left to signify they were leaving. Huffing at the slightly taller girl, the reincarnated sage eventually followed after and mounted Bumblebee for the next ride. His cohort revved the engine and quickly spun the entire bike around after lifting the front wheel off the ground. Not actually expecting that, Naruto reflexively grabbed the thing nearest to him: Yang. She laughed again as he steadied himself and looked over her shoulder, violet irises sparkling with accomplishment from behind yellow-tinted shades. "I finally got you!"
"You got lucky. That won't happen again."
"Wanna bet? 10 Lien says I can make jump like that again before we reach the diner."
"Oh you're so on."
The roar of Bumblebee's engine filled the street as Yang leaned forward and shot them both into traffic. It was going to get a bit dangerous...but there was no way in hell she was going to lose, Naruto mirroring her thoughts as he cycled chakra to the lower portion of his body just as he did on the ride into Vale. Over such a wider area wasn't as effective as, say, the bottom of his feet, but it kept him steady enough.
Suffice to say, the Y of RWBY wouldn't stop glaring at him as the two sat across from each other in a booth at the small restaurant she drove to. A couple of hamburgers were being grilled up at the moment, and there was a tense silence between one staring teen and another who wouldn't stop smirking. Yang suddenly slammed the side of her fist against the table with enough force to cause the condiments to jump before she shoved a finger towards Naruto's face. "I don't know how but you totally cheated."
"If you have no proof then obviously I didn't."
The irritated teen pounded her hand again on the surface, though this time a small smile had wormed its way across her pale features. "I stand by what I said, but I also like the way you think."
Ah, no wonder it was easy to get along with the cheerful blonde female. They were similar in ways, and Yang had no problem at all speaking her mind. She'd probably try to get to know him even if he refused. But at least he wouldn't exactly be lonely here in Remnant, and have a few people to talk to.
Even if he was actively running them into the ground from tomorrow onward.
The food finally arrived and, despite her clearly feminine appearance, Yang dug into her fries and burger like someone who didn't care for manners unless they were necessary. Naruto looked suspiciously at the food but it smelled tasty, so after a bit of nitpicking he finally buckled down and ate the fried and greasy meal. It wasn't bad, but not something he felt he could get used to.
The pair talked for a time whenever their mouths weren't full and the Uzumaki male learned from idle chitchat that Yang and her sibling were actually half-sisters with different mothers. Such a thing never bothered them though and they still loved each other very much. There hadn't been any adultery or anything from their father; she didn't go much into it after that. But Ruby took on her mother's maiden name while Yang kept their dad's.
'Ruby Xiao Long' just didn't have the same ring to it as 'Ruby Rose' anyways.
"Watch my food, would you? I need to use the restroom...and don't eat anything, 'kay?" Rising from her seat, the gal shuffled off down the hall leading to the bathrooms, Naruto leaning back in the booth and stretching out while inadvertently being drawn to Yang's hips as she walked away. That was something he'd (inevitably) noticed about nearly all the women in this world, or at least those who could fight: they were very secure in themselves and self-assured. It really showed in the way they moved.
Shaking his head as the blonde's waist cape vanished around the corner, Naruto took to looking around the diner and the few other people inside the establishment after popping a few more fries in his mouth. The lone waitress was running a rag along the counter while she chatted with the fry cook, and there was a rowdy group of teens over in the corner laughing at whatever was amusing them. There were two couples being all lovey-dovey too, sending a small pang through his emotions. He was in an entirely different world away from his friends and loved ones, and the people he cared for. Sakura-chan was one in spite of the lessening love he felt for her as of late, and Hinata...
He didn't know what was really going on between them. She'd worked so hard to stand at his side, and then speaking to his heart and acting as a raft to keep him afloat during Neji's death. He'd been so ready to fall into grief right then and there but she, being so much closer to the genius Hyuuga than he had been, still found the strength to inspire him to finish the fight. And now whatever had been between them was on permanent hiatus. They'd never be able to explore the feelings Hinata had for him and the fledgling interest he held for her.
The jinchuriki didn't know whether to lament over such a thing or feel relief considering he had no idea how to go about the concept of 'actual love'.
A flash of pink caught his attention and he nearly choked; wishful thinking playing tricks on his mind?
Smacking his torso the ninja took a big gulp of his soda and sighed as the obstruction slipped down his esophagus. There's no way Sakura could be here, and upon taking a second look he was correct. It wasn't the actual pinkette but the person in question still had plenty of the rosy color on her person anyways.
It was a young woman with pale skin similar to a large number of people in Remnant, rather short in height in spite of her modestly developed figure. Her hair was long and wavy, with half being a muted pink with white highlights while the other was dark brown. She possessed heterochromia, with the right eye underneath the pinkish fringe being a chocolaty brown while the left was a soft salmon.
Her jacket was white with large pink cuffs and pink interior that ended abruptly at her stomach (though in the back it flowed down to the back of her thighs) and was left open to show cleavage. Underneath that was some kind of lined black corset that tapered down near the bottom to expose her hips. Her tight brown pants with a thick belt were worn somewhat low, tucked into white boots that rose up to her knees. They had black soles with rather high heels and a bevy up buttons up the side. The girl had on a pair of dark gloves and multiple necklaces hanging around her neck, and there was a lacy pink parasol hanging from her arm by its curved handle.
The stranger was casually sitting on a stool at the counter with one thin leg crossed over the other and her back against the bar counter, drinking something frosty out of a glass malt mug. As his blue eyes wandered over in her direction, the otherworlder noticed she had been already staring right at him with her dual-colored irises. When his sight met hers she daringly held his gaze before suddenly smirked around her straw and winking at Naruto; the action was so sudden and unexpected he actually felt his face heat up and was the first to break their silent connection by looking away.
"What're you blushing for?" Yang asked with a slight laugh upon her sudden return, "Thinking about somebody? Was it me?"
"N-no, just...that girl at the counter over there winked at me randomly."
The busty Hunter immediately grew interested and looked over his shoulder. "Oh? Was she hot? I guess she had to be if you're so red...uh, Naruto? There's no one there."
"Of course there is! She's right- oh."
The spot was empty as he turned back around. No sign of the mysterious person was seen, save for the empty glass now sitting innocently on the table where she supposedly sat. Scratching his head in confusion, the blond ignored Yang's teasing remark about him being so lonely without her he dreamed up a replacement, instead calling upon a second opinion he knew he could trust.
'I'm not going crazy am I? A girl was totally there moments ago.'
'No. Through your eyes I saw her as well,' Kurama said through their connection, 'Though she must have used some sort of power to escape so quickly.'
'Probably. At this point in my life it doesn't surprise me anymore.' The fox snorted from deep within the Uzumaki's mindscape but said no more as Naruto stopped looking inward. He rolled his eyes at Yang though to show he was paying attention only to grab a pink-gloved hand from stealing the last of his food. Following the arm up to its owner he was met with feathered orange, before using his free hand to push his plate further away from Nora's hungry grasp and her unexpected appearance at their seats.
"Hello you two," Pyrrha said politely as she walked up behind the hyper Valkyrie with a couple bags of her own denoting she too had gone shopping. The pair had changed out of their uniforms before leaving the school, "Is it alright if we join you?"
"Why not?" Yang slid over to give the redhead space while Naruto quickly scarfed down the last few fries and stuck his tongue out at the last of their group to sit, getting one in turn before both started chuckling. Nora plopped down next to him and waved at the waitress for her to come over. In the meantime Pyrrha brushed some of her vibrant hair behind an ear and flicked her emerald orbs between the blond pair.
"Did you two not go look at the stores as well? I recall you mentioning it yesterday and that is why Nora and I followed suite but I don't see any purchases. Did you not find anything?"
"Nah. Naruto just used some of his ninja mumbo jumbo and made the packages disappear."
"It's called fuinjutsu. Sealing arts. I don't have much training with it but I seem to just understand the stuff pretty damn well anyways. Plus sealing away items isn't really that hard."
"So where are they then?" Nora asked after ordering an ice cream sundae. Pyrrha simply wanted a nice cup of tea and nodded along to the question. The boy in bright orange continued to pique her interest ever since she first laid eyes on him/overheard his conversation with Jaune. She herself still didn't fully understand what stood out to her but the young Nikos figured that was simply another part of life: the discovery of new and exciting things.
Naruto reached into his pouch and pulled out the only non-mechanical scroll he had on his person. "In here." Stretching it open, he pointed to the kanji he'd created sometime during his flight to Atlas to pass the time. "With the right symbol and a bit of chakra..." A small cloud brought forth one of Yang's bags before he sealed it right away again. Nora clapped in delight at the magic trick before placing her palm on the same area and focusing.
"Let me try!" she exclaimed before screwing up her face. Nothing happened, as expected by the shinobi, or at least nothing big. But to his surprise there was a faint pop and the tiniest wisps of smoke curling up from the parchment. Pyrrha and Yang looked at the sight before rising the extra inches to glance at Naruto's face.
"What's wrong?" the gorgeous gladiator asked in worry. His face was blank but his eyes kept moving around in their sockets as though he was deep in thought, searching through his memories.
Naruto eventually blinked before slowly shaking his head. "Nothing's wrong, it's just...I have no idea what that means."
"Aw shoot! My aura didn't do anything!"
"No...it did. But it shouldn't have," the sage mumbled before sighing and scratching his head over the odd sight, "But nothing really makes sense as of late."
Yang crossed her eyes and spun a finger around near her temple, causing Nora to laugh and even make the respectful Pyrrha giggle quietly. As if answering some unseen call the waitress appeared to deliver the two newcomers' orders before the boy could retort to his teasing, thankfully drawing attention away from the things they didn't understand. The whole sealing concept was one thing but chakra was a still wholly unknown notion by a guy who literally showed up one day. Maybe Naruto had a few screws loose but the teachers trusted him and he seemed to know how to have a fun time.
Nora trapped her spoonful of ice cream in her mouth and wiggled it around with her tongue while she tapped her cheek. Drawing the utensil out with a slight 'pop' of suction, the happy gal then proceeded to drop it back into the remains caking her bowl. She'd finished it rather quickly. Probably not a good thing when she was already energetic enough, but Ren wasn't there to stop her from eating more sugar so HAH!
"This is nice," she said only somewhat loudly while looking between the other three, "I always spend time with Ren but I like this too. Oh! We should totally have girl time together, like on a regular basis! We could tell the others and then when we all hang out Ren and Jaune could just do whatever!" Nora then looked at Naruto with an expression of minor guilt. "Ah, I'm not calling you a girl or anything..."
Chuckling, the blond waved a hand. "I get what you mean Nora. Don't worry about it. In fact, you can start right now if you want. I'll leave you three to it and go drop off Yang's stuff with the others. Do you want me to take your things too?" A small decision later and Pyrrha handed over their bags. Naruto pulled out three 10 Lien cards to pay for everyone's tab and set them on the table while Nora scooted off to allow him up. He waved one of the cards before dropping it, making Yang scowl humorously at his back as he walked out the door.
"Um, what was that about?"
"That smooth bastard won a bet. That one he shook was my 10 Lien, and he goes and uses it to help pay for all our food."
The armored teen smiled at the gesture. "It is still rather kind of him."
"Cool! Girl time starts now!" Nora cheered, "And that means talking about boys!" The pretty warrior stopped suddenly before rubbing her chin. "At least I think it does. And cute clothes. And guilty pleasures. I don't really know."
"Oh if that's what you want I think I know how to start things off." Yang said mischievously while she cradled her cheeks with her hands and leaned forward on the table. "So what's up between you and Ren? Best friends, always together, and now partners who'll be sleeping in the same room for four years? Something's gotta be going on there."
To her surprise Nora didn't blush or stammer out some form of denial. She actually looked contrite, and perhaps even amused. "You're reading into it too much. We're not together together, even though we're together. We've just been friends for a long time and...it just happened that we always do things with each other."
"Huh," the slender long-haired blonde proclaimed, "I didn't see that one coming."
"But now it's my turn! Both of you will have to bare your soul as truthfully as I did! Prepare yourself and quiver in fear Pyrrha because Yang will suffer first!" Nora declared as her smile returned. The Xiao Long rose to the challenge and puffed out her ample chest, hearing the blatant dare in the orangette's voice. Nora then copied the action with her own modest bust, and the two continued stretching out until they both looked ridiculous. Pyrrha's mouth quirked at the two stared each other down like a couple of goofs and felt a tickle of mirth from being included in all the excitement. This was what the famous Huntress-in-training had hoped for when she signed up for public training outside Mistral. Camaraderie with people who wouldn't consider her like she was above them, when in reality the tall redhead simply wanted to be treated like anyone else. It had already started with Jaune and Naruto not even knowing who she was. And now Yang and Nora were including her in, as Nora claimed, the beginnings of their 'girl time'.
Nora Valkyrie wasn't the only one who never experienced it before.
Though the pair were getting rather dramatic as they began discussing some more...intimate topics. Still, Pyrrha was enjoying herself and hoped the fun would continue far into the future. Friends, graduating, and helping protect the world from the threat of the Grimm. Yes, Pyrrha Nikos was growing quite happy with her current lot in life.
Brushing off his refurbished jacket and studying the faint crease marks where the new piece of sleeve was attached to the old one, Naruto knocked on one of many identical doors within the first-years' dorm building. It could have been guesswork on his part but considering he could sense Ren and Jaune inside the room, he was quite certain he had chosen right. "Oi. It's me."
The portal cracked open to reveal a magenta iris before it opened completely to reveal Lie Ren. He seemed mildly surprised to see the blond. Jaune, from where he was resting on his bed, gave a short wave to the ninja. "Hello Naruto. Is there something you need?"
"Nah. Just here to drop off Pyrrha and Nora's stuff." He lifted the bags, then handed them over to the easygoing male as he stretched out his arm. "They're still out with Yang right now after we met up. I just volunteered to bring it back since I was on my way."
"I see. Thank you. I hope Nora didn't cause too much trouble."
"Nope, but she had a bunch of sugar." The Eastern-oriented male cringed at the thought.
"Thankfully it doesn't affect her as much as one would think."
"That's good. I don't want her crashing tomorrow before we even begin."
The final boy rolled to his feet, walking across the room to stop next to his teammate and join the conversation. The shinobi's words had reminded him of something. "H-hey, Naruto...is it really going to be as bad as you say?"
"I won't be going easy on you if that's what you mean. I suppose I could scale it down a bit, but I'll still be pushing you all pretty hard. As long as you keep at it, in a month or so you'll get used to it and you'll be amazed at how much stronger you've become."
Jaune gulped before nodding jerkily. "Cool..."
"You'll be fine Jaune, I keep telling you that. Get plenty of rest and be ready to sweat."
Bidding them farewell, Naruto turned around and then proceeded to knock on the door across the hall. Even through the thick walls he could hear raised voices. Someone yelled something, and there was a response, before finally the door opened to reveal Blake while Weiss and Ruby were arguing in the background. The black-haired beauty quirked an eyebrow at his arrival but brushed it off all the same. There wasn't any sign of Yang either.
"Having any more trouble with your Scroll?" The blond shook his head negatively before looking over her figure at the two remaining girls.
"They're fighting again?"
"Well...technically. They were actually getting along rather well this morning, but Ruby tried to convince Weiss that wearing heels to your class tomorrow wasn't very practical. I agree, but Weiss figures that since she's trained and fought in them for years now it's second nature and she can handle it."
"Can I come in?" he asked, getting a nod from Blake. Walking inside his presence brought the ongoing argument to a halt. "Listen to her Weiss. I don't need you breaking your ankle because you were stubborn."
"Says the boy who jumped out of an airship in mid-transcontinental flight!"
"You did WHAT?!"
Ignoring the youngest girl as she screeched in his ear, he wiggled a pinky in there to try and be rid of the ringing. "Don't change the subject and raise Ruby's blood pressure. I don't want you hurting yourself over something easily avoidable."
Weiss Schnee sulked and crossed her arms over her chest before jerking her chin away with a 'hmph'. His worry was unnecessary and unfounded but still roughly sincere, bringing the barest hint of warmth to her cheeks out of the embarrassment it caused her. She was still growing used to the idea of people outside her family circle caring for her as more than just the inheritor of the world's biggest conglomerate. "I can handle myself just fine."
"I know you can. But listen to your friends." The silvernette scoffed again but Naruto was already removing his paper scroll from his bag. "Anyways I'm here to deliver Yang's goodies."
"Now that you mention it, where is she?"
"Still back in Vale. Nora and Pyrrha found us and I volunteered to bring the bags while they hung out for awhile." With an application of chakra, the small pile of bags popped out of the ink and thudded to the carpet. Blake and Weiss didn't say a word as they stared at the sudden emergence but Ruby jumped up and pointed at the blond with wide gray eyes.
"You're a witch!" She then blinked and contemplated her outburst for a second before making an adjustment. "You're a wizard!"
"I'm a ninja. Anyways, she bought a bunch of extra clothes for everyone so look through it all, I guess. I'll leave you to it. Oh! And remember, get as much sleep as you can," Naruto grinned so hard you could see a fair amount of his teeth, "You're really going to need it."
"Please," Weiss responded with her upper-class smirk, "I truly doubt it'll be as bad as you say."
"Don't jinx it Weiss!"
"You can believe that if you want. But you'll be sorry~. See you all tomorrow, when the fun begins." Naruto began to laugh as he exited the room, making it as villainous as he could (which wasn't very evil but he still made the effort). Ruby mirrored Jaune's action from a few minutes ago and swallowed heavily, her partner rolled her eyes at his theatrics, and Blake closed the door behind him before crouching down to start sorting the clothing.
"Your sister made some good choices. Different sizes and styles in tops, bottoms, and even shoes. Sports bras too...though most of them look as though they're meant for her."
Ruby soon followed and began digging through the items for anything of interest, with a reluctant Weiss joining the search two minutes later after an internal debate. If Yang was kind enough to buy a surplus for everyone then who was she to turn it down? She hoped there was at least something cute in there to wear, unlike what the brutish brawler usually wore. Seriously? Spandex hotpants and thick-soled boots? Weiss wouldn't say it to her face but it seemed as though Yang was trying to be some kind of slutty cowgirl out on a ranch posing for one of those naughty calendars.
...then again if the Atlas native had her figure, she'd want to show if off as well.
Lifting up one of the athletic supports the blonde purchased, Weiss couldn't stop the pang of jealousy from shooting through her petite frame. Look at how much room these damn things had! Why was life so unfair?!
On the motorcycle ride home with two extra passengers, Yang felt the need to laugh victoriously over something she didn't understand. She merely chalked it up towards the excitement over Naruto's training tomorrow and the fun she had with Nora and Pyrrha...which had gotten so uproarious between herself and the Valkyrie that the trio was asked to leave the diner. But the girls had a good time and started to bond over their chat and all the silliness it contained.
Nora was right; they needed to do this more often. Blake, Ruby, and Weiss needed this much more than she did though to break out of their shells. One was antisocial, one was socially awkward, and one was Weiss.
Enough said.
Far across the ocean, in an entirely separate kingdom:
It took two days. Two days since the Grimm massacre. So many of the beasts were slaughtered, returning to whence they came. But it was not a loss; their deaths were just another part of the equation. A pity they failed to complete their other objective but there were so many other creatures living in Remnant to pick up the slack. Although, because of humanity advancing and hiding like rats behind the walls of their kingdoms...the plan had become tougher to enact. But it was only a mild nuisance.
The sequence had been in place since humans and Grimm first started killing each other. Time meant little to disrupt such a far-reaching tradition.
White eyes mistaken for blindness at first glance stared down at the town, suddenly flickering to a shade of frigid sapphire the moment he blinked. The man they belonged to watched the people far below scurrying about their pointless lives. They were ants, fodder for something much greater than any individual could ever hope to live up to or achieve. He hated them, despised them, was jealous of, feared, and any other darker emotion that constituted the rainbow of negativity.
Two days. The trip could have been finished and then some if he completed the journey himself but that was something the male simply could not do. He had...responsibilities which meant this city was his home for this current cycle. It also meant reliance on the airships that traveled over oceans and continents, and any influences that increased or decreased the speed at which they traveled.
Two days.
The doors at his back hissed open but the individual knew they coming long before they even got on the elevator. A perk of his own ability, as well as presence of the power he had bestowed upon them all for their service. He didn't deign to turn around as the three young adults entered the vast room, one leading the other two as it had always been. The women were slender and beautiful, and the man a dashing rogue, but this person had no care for such things.
"I may have all the time in the world...but you know I hate waiting."
"Yes, well, blame the speed of the transportation. You did call for us after all and we were all the way over in Vytal." The leader spoke with sultry undertones, amber-orange eyes silently dancing with joyful cruelty while she continued to walk forward. Her shoes clicked like tinkling glass knocking together with every step. But still the man did not turn. He merely pressed on with the conversation.
"I witnessed it all through the eyes of my Grimm as they were destroyed. There is another here in Remnant with the power of chakra. A vast, unbelievable amount...that reminds me far too much of him." His voice nor inflection ever changed but in that moment, that single word could have frozen even flames.
The second female, darker-skinned than the rest, reached into her pouch and removed the Scroll settled within. The click of a button brought forth one of CFVY's recordings paused partway through; it hadn't been hard to get a hold of even though Beacon had topnotch security and watching the golden child zip around like that was highly impressive. "They seem to be attracted to the guy like flies to honey."
"The flies got too greedy though. Getting stuck in the honey only makes it easier for the toad to eat, right?"
Red eyes rolled but the male only continued to smirk. He thought he was so smooth sometimes but after working together for so long, it was only natural to hear him quip something whenever he felt like it. The fact of the matter was he just liked to be annoying.
"You weren't very forthcoming over the phone," the first woman began, cutting off anymore conversation between her subordinates, "We're here now, so what is it you require of us?"
Finally the man turned, and his presence was like ice. A side effect of his current form and its particular...elemental leaning. The sapphire of his irises were flickering between blue, white, and even pure ruby before settling back on the familiar tint. "First, send word to continue managing the Dust procurements in Vale. For now, now that you're here I expect those two back there to take care of someone for me. Be discreet, and leave no trace of yourselves. The information is on that slip of paper."
Twin sets of eyes, one red and one gray, zeroed in on the innocent post-it note before the gray ones snatched it up. The man jerked, startled at the name stenciled on the paper before slowly shrugging in acceptance. Holding it between two fingers he gave a small salute before the two partners vacated the room, leaving the remaining pair to themselves.
"And myself?"
"The child in those videos: the amount of chakra he possesses, I could actually feel it the moment he appeared in this world. I must have it...the energy will speed up production immensely. I do not care how, I do not care what it takes, but I need to get my hands on his power." He twisted back around, drawn to the sight of the fragile fragmented moon hanging so very far above the world. "I leave that to you. Be cautious, for I believe he too can sense energy."
She slowly raised red-painted nails and rubbed her cheek in thought. "It won't be easy then. Roman currently has a handle on the Dust issue, which gives me time to fulfill your wish. However the target is in Vale currently surrounded by Hunters."
"He has to leave the school at some point."
"True," she said airily before turning to leave, "But you'll be happy to know I already put someone to tail him whenever the chance arises. I'll have to make a few extra calls though to solidify the order."
"Wait. A present before you go."
"For me? How thoughtful!" The woman purred in faux playfulness as her boss raised a hand, suddenly holding onto a thick red Dust crystal. It was a few shades darker than normal and...looked sickly, if that was possible for a such a thing. His fingers twitched and the opaque gem shattered into pieces before continuing to vaporize. The new cloud of crimson powder moved without input before it began swirling around her, a fair portion breaking off and melding itself seamlessly to the cut of her dress. While normally Dust had to be 'sewn' into the fabrics, all this one had to do was something odd with his hands and voila. Plus it lasted longer than regular and was much easier to deal with than trying to refill the reserves within the material herself.
The rest hovered near her face and, belatedly realizing what was about to happen, she tried to back away. But the granules whipped forward like a horde of bees to force their way past her full lips and down her throat no matter how much she tried to fight against the obstruction. For a few fleeting moments she couldn't breathe, and the reflexive fear caused by lack of air made the female choke and tear up, but just as quickly as it started the discomfort was gone and her lungs thankfully filled themselves once more with precious life. She pushed herself up on shaken legs having fallen against the table during her fit and coughed violently.
While she wasn't the first to consume Dust and take it within the body, it was...incredibly different. It was a small wonder the Dust never detonated from the rough treatment...but that was just another small miracle. He was the only one to ever see her in such a vulnerable and helpless state, and she always vowed that would never change.
"I infused this piece with extra Yin. Your body will be forced to compensate for the disrupted ratio and generate its missing balance but you'll come out stronger for it. If you survive." he stated calmly, voice muffled by the pounding in her ears.
Her eyes glowed like fire as the power of the Dust began bonding itself to the tissues inside her body. Like he just said, the addition of the negatively-centered energy was increasing what she already held thanks to prior meddling while what remained of her aura worked to stabilize the surplus. That meant her body had to generate more of the lacking energy...and that's where the endurance came in.
Aura networks were just like tenketsu, except aura was not a mixture of two separate forms. Unused to handling anything other than the positive-charged power, it had taken awhile for the change not to hurt every single inch of her figure so terribly that she passed out. The pain was immense and a few times she simply wanted to die just to be free of the sting. But perhaps that was just due to the roughness and callousness of her master's methods. If there was any other less painful way, she wouldn't know it. Her higher tolerance was all earned.
The man remained passively uncaring as Cinder Fall's screams continued to rise in tone and severity until they nearly rattled the windows of the luxurious high rise. If she couldn't handle this upgrade then he would simply find another who could. But if she lived, like she usually did...well, he was correct in saying she'd come out stronger for it.
Pain was the key to greater things, after all.
Sad news, everyone.
As you may or may not have heard, on Monday tragedy struck the RWBY community: Monty Oum passed away. I only discovered this yesterday due to Master Attlon updating his RWBY/Naruto crossover, which sent me scrambling for news. He has more information in the most recent chapter of Hunting Or Bust, so look there if need be or turn to the internet.
It turns out he suffered an extreme allergic reaction and fell into a coma during routine surgery. He was sadly unable to recover. It came out of nowhere and rocked the community. I...don't really know what else to say. What will happen to RWBY and anything else he's had a hand in? He's probably cursing himself in the afterlife for not being able to finish his visions. But despite the fact I should have read stuff for my classes, I felt the need to finish the rest of this chapter.
Did you know RWBY is what inspired me to start writing my own book? I've always been the creative sort despite what I'm going to school for, daydreaming and drawing since I was a child and, for the last few years, writing random bits of whatever before turning to fanfiction as you lovely readers have come to know. Coming up with amazing worlds and characters, plot lines and relationships/interactions, fight scenes...the sort of things RT has accomplished and those who partner with them is what I one day hope to aim for. Hell, one of my friends and I even started our own Let's Play channel on Youtube...though we're still working on it. Two basic videos to get our feet wet and trouble syncing audio...but hey, we're trying.
On an unrelated/final note while I have your attention, check my FF page for some new additions like some basic info on my stories.
RIP Monty Oum, and thanks for inspiring me.