~NRK~
He focused on those negative emotions before nodding.
"Time to protect!" The Grimm declared as he shot out 30 copies into multiple portals of darkness.
~NRK~
"D-Dammit," he cursed as he could barely turn in his bed, shivering at a new bruise, at a new mark, at a new scratch.
A new punishment for thinking.
'I just want to leave!' The boy hissed into his covers, shivering as he gripped his sides. 'Every day… day in, day out. There's no end!' He'd die here.
A horrid pathetic death by a man with no sense of true resolution or feeling.
A place that'd make him as horrible as that bastard!
The young boy chuckled humorlessly. 'Become like him and let the world rot, huh?' It was becoming more and more acceptable.
What emotions did he have left after this? His father's painful ones seemed like all that existed… things like familial love didn't-
There was a sound that had him blinking. 'Huh? W-What's that?' He sat up only to shoot back down, holding his sides as he scrunched in on himself. "A-Ahhh, ahhh!"
"Shhhh, shhh, I got you," a voice said at his side, the boy blinking as he turned his head to see a familiar Grimm… maybe? "How's it going, kid?"
The boy's eyes widened as he lay there, in pain and stunned. "... Y-Y-You're… I-Is there another talking Grimm?"
The Naruto shade blinked before his eyes widened. "Oh, hold on."
A shift of darkness swirled around the Grimm shade before Mercury's mouth fell as he the big alpha winced at the crunch of the ceiling sheetrock.
"Sorry."
"I-It's really you?!" The boy hyperventilated before his body shuddered as he gripped his sides. "A-Ahhhhhh!"
Naruto frowned as he shifted back and touched the boy's shoulder, looking at his quaking body. "... Hold on, alright? Magna-Lux."
The light that filled Mercury's room had the boy blinking before he shivered at the warmth in his body, the aches and pains brimming about his flesh slowly beginning to fall away before he was left there gasping in disbelief.
The Grimm helped him sit up and he gawked at his body's much lighter pain, likely the healing of the Grimm relieved him of his wounds and had left just bare minimum phantom pains.
"... Take me away from here, please!" The boy pleaded quietly as Naruto's eyes widened in shock. "Please! I can't stay here! M-My dad will kill me!"
The Grimm shade's eyes narrowed at that as he looked at the door to the room, feeling no one else in the house.
"H-He's not here."
"... Kid, be honest with me, is he actually-" Naruto began to ask but the rapid nodding from the boy had him grimacing. 'Crap, what do I do?' He didn't know how the shades managed the travel distance between wherever here was and the island.
Everyone he knew was on the island, too, so he couldn't just drop him off, right?
"Okay, kid, I'm going to get you out of here, alright?" The way the boy's eyes watered had him embraced in seconds. "I have the perfect place for you to go to, I really do, but the thing is… Okay, so, the 'me' here isn't the real me, and is."
The face the boy threw his way told Naruto that he, the Grimm, was as dumb as usual.
"Let's go and make a small boat. Come on, grab whatever you care about here, alright? No clothes, we're gonna go and buy you some."
The boy hurried around, moving about the room and picking up… knives, small blades, a pouch of metal bits Naruto could hear, and many other things a boy his age probably shouldn't have had if he wasn't going to be a Hunter…
With a small duffle bag packed, the boy hurried over to him and Naruto chuckled.
"Hold on."
~NRK~
Slipping in and out of darkness left the boy shocked but full of hope and light in his chest.
Then the Naruto guy shifted back into his animal form and had him riding to the nearest city… the city of Vale.
As they reached the outpost, Naruto nodded to the guards, the boy hidden in a bone pack on his back, his idea not the former blonde's.
As they hurried in, Naruto took them to the most important place.
The 24-hour Vale Megaplex.
Ignoring the attention he received, Naruto released the boy out and they walked in, the Grimm still in animal form.
"Please tell me I can shrink," the Grimm said as he focused, the boy blinking at him.
Darkness swirled for a bit before he was shorter, much to the store attendant's surprise and slight relief.
"Good. Um, ma'am, can you take us to the clothing section?" He asked her and she perked up, looking from him to the boy before paling at the rather short teen's old patched-up attire.
"Come this way, please," she said seriously as Naruto nodded.
They spent an entire hour shopping for the boy, the kid looking shocked at all the colors and different styles, much to the concern of the adults.
When all was said and done, Naruto punched in a virtual card into a private reader.
The woman blinked at the amount that had been paid. "S-Sir, that's not…"
"Please, it's a tip. Thanks," Naruto said with a nod as the boy stayed near him, nodding uncomfortably. "Take it easy, this whole night's been… odd," the Grimm shrugged as the woman nodded.
"Take care," she said to them before bending to the boy's level, the kid looking away, much to her sadness. "Here," she smiled as she handed him something.
Looking at it, the boy tilted his head as he took it carefully, checking out the small steel bracelet that had windmill designs on the side.
"It's not enough to make up for what happened to you but I hope our resident odd one can."
The boy looked at it before blushing and nodding.
"Come on… Oh, carp, I don't know your name," the Grimm began to say before stopping and looking at the boy along with the attendant.
"... Mercury…" The boy said slowly. "Mercury…" His eyes narrowed. "Just Mercury."
"Alright, Merc, I hope you like the place we can head to for now."
Mercury nodded.
~NRK~
They immediately went to a nearby hotel, the pair of males blinking as they entered the pair of sliding doors, shocking those in the hotel lobby.
"Um, oh, hi," Naruto said as Mercury sat on his neck, looking nervous. "Can I get a room for two, please?"
The receptionist choked before rushing over. "Y-Yes, sir, we'll have your room ready in a flash, the highest suite."
"W-Whoa, hold on, I didn't say that. I just need a room for the night," Naruto said immediately, the man's look of concern getting a sigh out of the Grimm. "... it's fine, I get it. Come on, Merc."
They exited the establishment before walking down the street.
"What happened?" Mercury asked with a frown, head of gray hair scratched at. "Why did we leave?"
"I guess I've had it good for so long, I sometimes forget that not everyone's gonna be so open to the idea of me," Naruto said with a shrug. "I'm still a Grimm, Merc."
"Why didn't we just beat them up?"
"W-Whoa, I don't know how you were really raised but you can't do that."
"W-We can't?" The boy looked concerned. "I don't get it. If you're being treated without the same respect, you've gotta make them understand, right?"
"... No, that's not kind, that's not nice, that'll only breed fear. I don't know what your dad told you but he's wrong. The world's not just some doom and gloom place, it can have light within it," Naruto said as they stopped by a park, looking up at the broken moon. "You'd want that, right? A world where people are nice to you because they're just that, nice."
"... Yeah."
"Then you also have to be that person. Not saying that's how the world works, not in full, but it's a big help. Come on."
They spent the next hour getting out of Vale and rushed towards the nearest place Naruto knew that Mercury could rest easy.
Patch.
~NRK~
Getting to the island, they hurried past the port, industrial sector, and long-distanced packs of homes before reaching the Xiao-Long-Rose home.
"We'll set up here," Naruto said as he went to the back of the house where a smaller structure was. "... Summer-kaa-chan has way too much time on her hands," he sweatdropped as Mercury blinked.
Going into the small home, Naruto set Mercury up and nodded as the boy sat on a bed of straw and leaves.
"Alright, so, I'll be back later in the day, so you can just… Oh," Naruto had begun to say, turning around and setting things up before hearing the sounds of soft snores. "Man, you've had it rough."
The shade chuckled before going to the boy and enlarging a bit.
He curled around him and Mercury let out softer snores.
~NRK~
The release of the information had come with more interesting results the following morning.
Sitting in Naruto's home, Glynda hummed as she considered the many emails she'd received.
"They want to meet you," she said to Naruto, she, him, and Penny awake in his cabin the following morning. "So many of these individuals, Councils, media, random people, Mistral officials," Glynda emphasized as Naruto hummed, drinking some tea.
"Like, no offense to them but why would I? I know it'd be good for my rep but… yeah. I do want to meet with the Mistral reps, maybe I can meet Jiraiya-sensei again," Naruto chuckled, wearing some teal pajamas. "Honestly, I think I might also meet the Mistral council as well. If they've got more info we don't know, I might be able to get it while working alongside Jiraiya-sensei."
"You'll have to be careful of favoritism, too," Penny said, her large green sweater and fluffy slippers shifting as she sat down, drinking some hot water. "Though, being honest, the only place he hasn't gone to is Vacuo. Naruto has been all over Mistral, Mantle, not a lot of Atlas, a good bit of Vale, and then the Vale countryside," she listed off. "Hmm," the former android drank some hot water with a look of relief.
"Favoritism… that's crazy," the Grimm said as Penny nodded while Glynda tapped her chin, her fluffy purple robes and slippers shifting as she leaned on the sink. "What are you thinking about, Glynda-nee?"
"All things considered? Just how to do this, honestly," the teacher said. "Well, this, the situation from last night, the boarding, and more."
"... One of these days, nee-chan, I'm sending you on a vacation, you seriously need one."
"Hmm, I like coming to your island, relaxing, wi-fi, calming nature, there's little more I could ask for."
"Then how about we pay for a massage!" Penny realized with a grin as Glynda perked up, Naruto chuckling at that fact. "A-Actually, I always wanted to try a full attempt at a salon."
"Then we can plan, Penny," Glynda grinned at the idea. "Oh, yes, that sounds amazing."
"Then it's settled. For now, let's enjoy that good old sunshine," Naruto said before they heard the sounds of steps. "You up, Nora?"
"Yes!" Came Nora's voice from deeper in the home.
"Brush your teeth?"
"... Y-Yes?"
"Nora."
"Awwwwwww."
Naruto nodded to that as Glynda smirked behind a cup of coffee. "I'll go and make sure she does brush her teeth," he rolled his eyes as he walked past Penny with a pat on her shoulder. "Hopefully, Ren's up there getting her to enjoy brushing her teeth."
"Mrs. Sloth! We need to brush our teeth!"
"It seems so," Penny giggled as Naruto walked off. "Honestly," she said as Glynda watched Naruto leave.
She waited while his signature got farther away before coming over to Penny and sitting in front of her.
"What are you thinking about, Ms. Goodwitch?" Penny asked.
"Come now, Penny, you can call me as Naruto does," Glynda said with a sisterly smile as Penny perked up.
"T-Then, Glynda-nee-chan."
"Hmm, just a lot of things, honestly, as you know," she said as Penny nodded. "... But, another thing is, well, tell me, Penny, what would you say the 'status quo' between you and Naruto is?"
Penny blinked before smiling calmly, cheeks a bit red. "In what way?"
Well, there might have been hidden developments. "I guess in a lot of ways. You and Naruto have spent so much time together, you were friends from a quote-unquote 'young age' and have helped one another time and time again. I just wonder, has that changed anything? Some things you might not fully accept yet? Some that you don't understand? Feel weird about?"
Penny considered her answer, long and thoroughly, before smiling again. "I love him, a lot," the other tall woman admitted as Glynda blinked before her eyes widened in shock. "A-And…" Her cheeks grew rosy. "Naruto and I… we know we like each other and just enjoyed each other's company," she said with a bigger blush.
Well, well, well! Glynda liked this a lot! "I'm glad for you two," she chuckled. "Honestly, following your example would be nice," she admitted with a small blush of her own.
"You mean with General Ironwood?" Penny asked and Glynda looked surprised for a moment before chuckling.
"Yes, well, James and I have been sharing a lot of… interesting times together," she said. "Drinking on the boat, planning things together, we talked a lot more since coming here, and helping one another, it makes one want to recontextualize their relationship," the sound of giggling and chuckling within the home had her chuckling some more. "Honestly, having someone in my corner like that would be great."
"Then perhaps you should ask," Penny considered. "... I think you have a good chance."
"Hahahahah! Penny, I know. James is a charmer but he's rather lost on romantic feelings sometimes that I'm left wondering if it's an actual signal or not, it's why it was hard to tell what he was thinking before you all came. No, it's not that I don't think my intentions won't be reciprocated, it's the concept of how things might change. Then, I just start thinking in a spiral and I feel like it all gets complicated."
Penny nodded.
Life was complicated as she slowly learned it. Her view on things was different from the basis of both her creation and how she grew up around everyone.
Accepted even as an android, having a best friend, given love by that same man, working, learning, and applying without issue. She had a very gifted life she couldn't thank those around her more for.
So, she knew her view wasn't as realistic, in the sense of having similar upbringings… but she understood a few things.
"It seems that way but I think 'complicated' is only something that happens in ones' mind before outside factors actually present themselves," she said, nursing on her mug. "Romance is so… powerful, I never thought I'd have it but I got it. I never thought I'd be normal but I was. I learned from everyone and everything I was presented and more and more, I learned I want to value it all bar none. Yet, romance… it's so different. The emotions, the blood in my cheeks, the touches, the small things, it's like a whole new dimension of reality."
Glynda giggled a bit at the lovestruck woman. "Yes?"
Penny blushed. "O-Oh! U-Um," she fumbled a bit. "What I mean is, I think it's not as complicated and the other side is far more comfortable than even I understand sometimes."
"Hm, hm, I suppose…" Glynda said with a nod. "I guess we'll give it a shot," she said with a shaky smile as Penny grinned. "Hmph… so, be a bit more honest with me," she smirked. "Have you gone on a few dates already?"
Penny chuckled a bit. "Well, none that we could say was a 'date', we just spent time together when we went places on occasion… t-though," she blushed a bit more. "We haven't… kissed."
Glynda was surprised by THAT. "Really?"
"Yes."
"... I'm just a bit surprised, Penny. Two young, romantically-involved, individuals on an island, alone… would have… led to more than just… kisses."
Penny processed what she said before blushing bright red as Glynda raised a brow.
"... G-Glynda-nee, um, okay, so… nothing we say here gets out…right?"
"... Yes," the woman looked a bit red. "Penny… you both haven't… gone all the way, right?" There was no way… that was actually a bit premature, wasn't it?
How could she say 'there was no way' when Penny had revealed they'd been this way for a while.
Before Naruto had a humanoid form… oh gods.
"N-No! Not that!" Penny squeaked as Glynda cleared her throat, her own red cheeks cooling a bit. "Um, oh, well…" The ginger burned brighter. "We've not done sex in full…"
Glynda's eyes slowly widened as her mouth fell at the glowing Penny.
"W-What do you mean by… that?"
"... Mouth stuff?"
Oh, goodness! Glynda blushed as Penny nodded shakily.
"Oh! W-Well, ummm…" The professor cleared her throat a bit more. "R-Right! Well, you both are young… curious and romantically involved, s-so I should have…" This was so awkward! "... I-I hope you both were happy and consenting?" She said it like it was a question.
"W-We were… I-I'm the one who initiated."
By the Brothers, that boy was in for it, huh? "... I see," Glynda huffed. "I'm surprised, now, I suppose, since I know now. How have you two not… W-When we weren't here and looking…"
Penny blushed a bit more. "W-Well, I don't know if Naruto's thinking about it like that, I haven't considered it yet. It's just, there are so many things we've been taking care of. Nora, the magical situation, the Black Gates, the ship creation, me getting used to my body, and more. There's been no time to think like this," she considered, drinking some more hot water. "B-But now that we're talking about it… I-I know I'm going to be weird and odd and Naruto-kun's going to be weird and odd if I say something. A-And condoms and a time a-and more things!"
Glynda blinked before her eyes widened as she reached out and pat one of Penny's hands, the other woman blinking before she blushed, head down.
"It's a lot to think about."
"I understand, I know that feeling," Glynda said softly. "Sorry for making you think about such a thing so suddenly, I probably should have approached this more tactfully," she sighed. "But, well, now you're thinking about it, it's my fault but it's passed, and now you can prepare more," they felt Naruto coming closer with a giggling pair of teens in tow. "We'll talk about this later, alright?"
Penny nodded with a smile. "Though… I-I do like the idea of kissing," she got in as Glynda smirked.
"I bet."
"Alright, I'm back with two kiddies in tow," Naruto said as Nora and Ren followed him, smelling like mint. "So, uh, right, there's one more thing that I never told you guys," he said as the group perked up. "There's a kid I currently have a clone going to pick up. He's had it rough and I helped him as much as I could with a Grimm Shade last night but I'm gonna bring him here so he could heal properly."
"Another child? What happened to him?" Penny asked with a frown as Naruto sighed, Glynda raising a brow at him.
"... I think… I think he was getting meaned on by his dad," Naruto said vaguely and yet clearly as Nora and Ren balked.
"His dad was mean?!" The boy choked as Nora huffed.
"Meanies are everywhere, Ren-Ren!" She declared as Naruto rubbed the back of his head with a nod. "Alright, I've got a big bro to welcome!" Nora declared as she ran back into the home. "I'm calling Slothy!"
"H-Huh? I guess?" Ren blinked as Glynda smirked while Naruto and Penny blinked.
"Brother?" They said in confusion, looking at one another with shrugs. "I guess."
The blonde woman facepalmed.
Oh yeah, these two were clueless.
~NRK~
Naruto waited by the shore of his island in a pair of orange swim trunks and a similarly colored vest, the distant sound of explosions, shouts, yelps, and clanging all in the background.
As he waited, he looked at his ax, bringing the weapon out and holding it in his hand. "I haven't used you lately, gotta make sure to focus," Naruto chuckled at his weapon as it vibrated. "Yea, yea-Okay, here he is."
The sound of splashing and the vision of a black being got a nod out of the Grimm as his Beast Mode clone arrived on land, the backpack extension on its back opening up so that Mercury could peek out.
And when he did, his eyes widened as he saw the trees and the 'main' Naruto, the boy's pale skin brushed by the sun as his gray eyes took it all in.
He was truly away from his father!
The boy stepped out onto the sand and wiggled his feet in wonder at it, the sound of water making him look at the shore and then the ocean.
"W-We really ran from Patch to an island?! This is crazy!" He shouted and yet the grin on his face was unmistakable.
"Hehe, take it from here, boss man," the clone said as he opened up a bone 'compartment' on his arm to deposit Mercury's duffle bag.
He burst into a black haze that slipped back into Naruto's skin before the man came forward and grinned at Mercury.
"So, how's it feel?" He asked the teen who breathed in and out, the salty air and yet refreshing water having the boy touching it all. "Hehe, I'm glad. There's a lot for you to get used to."
Sitting down next to the kneeling boy, they just watched the water, felt the sand, and chuckled at the sun before Mercury balked at a yellow bird landing next to him.
"Oh, that's Kachi, he's a shoe-bill stork."
"A-A stork?!"
The 'stork' warbled and the boy just stared at it in disbelief.
"You're… a bird, right?"
Naruto cackled.
~NRK~
Penny hummed as she and Nora raised their hands, electricity crackling around their fingers before they aimed at the waterfall.
Balls of electricity shot out and Nora whined at the small hole she'd made in the water compared to Penny.
"So, this is a training idea?" Ren asked as he and his father placed their feet onto the lake's surface, the appendages glowing randomly as they tried to keep them afloat.
"Yep!" Penny grinned. "The idea was to try and stop the waterfall entirely. Naruto can cut it off with just four clones and some wind energy."
"No way!" Yang said in disbelief. "How! That thing's super-humongous!"
"Training," Taiyang considered as he walked on the water. "... I wonder if I can do it."
"Hehehe, I bet you couldn't," Qrow said as he fell off the side of the tree. "Ow."
"Right, I'm gonna take that from you."
The Bad Luck Birdman, as Nora called him, threw double thumbs-ups.
Ruby worked with her wooden scythe as Summer hummed curiously.
"Hmm, Rubaby?" The girl turned to her. "Do you feel like it's too heavy?"
"Hmm? No? It's just got a heavy head part," the young girl said as she held her scythe up. "It's hard to run with it," Ruby pouted as Summer cupped her chin.
"... I've got an idea," she said with a grin as she came over before taking Ruby's weapon.
She raised her glowing hand and chopped the scythe's shaft in half, much to Ruby's shock.
"M-Mom?!"
"Here, try this," Summer cut a bit of the scythe's blade before handing it back to Ruby. "You're a really big speedster, baby, you might just need a smaller weapon."
"B-But I want to be like you," Ruby whined and Summer grinned.
"I know but you also have to be you," the mother said and Ruby whined. "Come on, try it out, maybe you'll like it."
Ruby pouted and held her weapon up. "What do I do?"
"Oh! Try and copy Naruto," Yang said from up in a tree as Ruby blinked. "It's a bit like a tiny ax but it cuts instead of chops!"
"... Mmm," Ruby tried.
She swung it around before spinning a bit. The short girl squealed a bit more but sliced up and down constantly.
By the end of it, Ruby's cheeks puffed out like a bird as Summer and Yang giggled.
"Hmph… it's okay."
Winter blinked as Whitley caught a bird with a glyph.
No, she wasn't seeing things, the boy cheered as Weiss blinked at the black glyph rotating around a small bird, freezing it in place mid-air.
"I-I did it!" He said as his mother smiled.
"You did. How did you know you could do that, Whitley?" Willow asked him as the boy tilted his head.
"W-Well, I-I accidentally caught a squirrel once," he admitted as blinked while his mother hummed. "I used the slow-down one, the Slow glyph, like Naruto said. Then I made a box," Whitley admitted and Weiss blinked.
"What do you mean? A box?" The second oldest asked as he nodded.
The bird was released and the boy held his hands apart before forming a glyph on each palm. They stayed there as he rotated his palms vertically and made another pair.
One more rotation but sideways left him with a six-sided box of glyphs, much to his female family members' curiosity.
"I was wondering if I could carry things with my glyphs and Naruto said that you can stand on them," he said to Weiss who blushed before nodding.
"Y-Yes, you can, I just… a box?"
"Yes."
Winter focused on the glyph 'capsule' and touched one side, the solid nature of glyphs not unknown to her but this was a bit different.
"I didn't think you could conjure up more than one glyph at your age," she said and Whitley blushed in embarrassment. "... N-No, it's fine, it's good," Winter tried to assuage the boy.
Her brother. Her little brother, her youngest sibling.
She might have made a bit of a mistake in the past, she realized.
"R-Really?"
"Yes, it's actually quite adept of you to do this," Willow said with a smile as the boy beamed and Weiss pouted, much to her amusement. "Now, what about you, Weiss? I know you've been trying something with your glyphs."
The short girl blushed and mumbled before raising her hand.
A pair of glyphs formed over it before moving in the air independently of one another, the girl huffing.
"It's not that much."
"You can move them?" Whitley asked her and she blinked. "I-I can't do that," he said with interest as Weiss balked before huffing in pride.
"O-Of course! As your older sister, this is child's play."
"I see!"
Willow chuckled a bit as Winter blinked. "I see. Weiss has more general control over our Semblance while Whitley is good at using the spatial elements."
"... Mother, I fully understand that word… spatial," the boy admitted.
"It will come up. For now, it's just the concept of space and positions, Whitley."
"Oh."
"W-What can Winter do?" Weiss asked excitedly as her sister blushed, looking away a bit as she crossed her arms. "Sister probably has a more defined control over it than both of us!"
"... I-I think so," Whitley said as Winter slumped a bit while Willow laughed. "What about mother?"
Weiss stopped, blinked, and turned her head to the smiling Willow. "M-Mother? You do have our Semblance, right?"
"Yes, I do," Willow chuckled as she looked at a tree.
The three Schnee siblings jumped as glyphs appeared all over its trunk's midsection. The glyphs slowly shift between black and shining white in different parts.
"I-I haven't really used it in a long time or for good usage," Willow blushed, remembering how she'd use it with her drinks. "But that's one way I use it."
"Y-You didn't do the hand thing?" Whitley asked as Willow blinked.
"Oh, well, I never needed to. For me, I suppose my Semblance was always so simple in execution," Willow considered it. "Your grandfather, when I was young, taught me a bit to defend myself," she said as a glyph appeared by Whitley's feet.
The three siblings watched as a Boarbatusk began to form only for the animal to continue growing before it towered over even Willow's height by a few feet.
"S-Summoning? But I can't make a Summon change its size," Winter swallowed as Willow blinked.
"You can't? But you seem to specialize in the summoning portion of our Semblance, Winter."
Winter blushed, looking… inadequate in front of her mother.
"Oh, Winter," Willow cooed as the teen blushed harder. "Come now, I'm sure you all can develop in your own ways. I know it."
This mothering thing seemed to come to her more easily as time went on.
Now, she had her oldest as an effort!
~NRK~
Blake hummed as she hopped around the trees with her father watching with a worried smile, Kali grinning right next to him.
"There are more of them," they both realized in silent horror. "Blake can make copies."
What a worrying concept.
Pietro hummed as Jacques described an idea to him.
"Well, it's not impossible. You've seen the reports, Mr. Schnee," the scientist said as the CEO nodded.
"Interconnecting Dust with different values, it's outright genius," Jacques said with a hand cupping his chin. "When I saw the information, I was utterly astounded. First Dust Fission and now this? I told our R&D to begin work immediately. I don't think they've been more eager than they were when I informed them."
"I can imagine. The others are going to flip when news spreads today."
~NRK~
Walking in the depths of the Water Temple once more, Ozpin, James, Glynda, and Leonardo hummed.
"This place is beyond spectacle," the woman said as James nodded. "And to think there's such a… large creature beneath us is rather terrifying, honestly," she and the men shivered.
The idea of a Spirit being beneath their feet was concerning in a lot of horrid ways. What would happen if they offended it? Would it sink the island? Leave? Attack?
So many worrying situations… and there were more.
"On the topic of Spirits, James, Leonardo, have you both found anything?" Ozpin asked his fellow headmasters who shook their heads.
"I can't really send anyone out there knowing this," the Faunus said with a sigh. "Being honest, I think it's for the best."
"Any drones we've sent haven't come back with anything," James added. "It's an empty space of such vast oceans we wouldn't know where to look."
"Fire, Water, Lightning, and Wind, correct?" Glynda counted off. "With those in consideration and the whereabouts of the Water Spirit somewhere below us, that means they'd be in high concentrations of their elements, no?"
"So, for the Fire Spirit…" Leonardo began to sweat. "I-It'd likely be in a volcano, no?"
The group of four stopped and stared at the horrified man.
"... If that's true…" James grinned nervously. "Then the Wind Spirit… wouldn't it be in the sky?"
"..."
"..."
"..."
"... Perhaps?" Ozpin said shakily. "We don't know but if that's true, it'd be so far into the atmosphere, we'd need better ships."
"... Does anyone believe there might be a Black Gate covering such a discovery?" Glynda offered and the three men considered it.
"Perhaps but so far the Gates have only ever covered human intuition and hints on their main island discoveries. Would they hide the Spirits' existences?" James pondered. "We know that the Lightning Spirit is covered by storms somewhere so the one in Vacuo would be the Wind Spirit, right?"
"If that's the case then where is the Fire Spirit situated?" Ozpin offered. "... One above Vacuo… If the Lightning Spirit is covered by storms, the most notable location for that is near Mistral, is it not?"
"I see where you're heading," Glynda nodded. "And this island is more towards Vale than it is Atlas so that would mean…"
"A volcano in Solitas?" James didn't believe that for a moment. "It's one thing to say it'd be more like the Water Spirit but the Fire Spirit?"
"I mean, we're working with speculation, friend," Leonardo shrugged. "We're not saying it's there but if this train of thought does lead to the truth about their locations…"
"It'd mean it's in Solitas, I understand… I think we know Naruto's next mission," James said. "Well, him and the Toad Sage if he could convince him."
"I think that'd be rather easy," Glynda smirked as Ozpin hummed.
"Two other reincarnates, it's rather baffling sometimes," he said. "One who's almost twice the age of the other… would that mean there were others? Or will another show up in the future?"
"It's a mystery to us all."
~NRK~
They went through forms again, Jaune wiping his brow as his father nodded.
"Alright, all of you, take your time," Nicholas said with a clap of his hands. "Rest, we're done for the morning."
"Whew!" Charles chuckled a bit as the twins groaned. "Never knew dad was a slave-driver outside of Cera."
"Hey!" Cera huffed from the sideline, drinking some coffee in a fluffy robe with their mother at an outside table. "I can't wait for you guys to go through it!"
"You'll help us, r-right?"
"Of course!"
Jun smirked. "Spoken like the big sis she is," the woman chuckled as Cera huffed.
"As if I could let them go through that alone. I don't think I ever fully recovered," the oldest of eight said, her youngest sibling sitting in a toddler seat next to her mother. "Still, they're really striking it big. Naruto was one of the best things to come into their lives."
"We can tell," Nicholas said as he stretched, the sounds of pops and cricks reaching their ears. "He's opened up quite the opportunities for your brother and sisters. Possibly even you, Cera."
"Hmm, I don't think there's much he could do for me in this case."
"But he's probably good on your portfolio," Jun grinned as her daughter sweatdropped. "Think about it, you could say you've been around the man who's traveled the world, gone to dangerous locations, and seen him bring back treasure, vague enough to interest people and not a lie in the least!"
Nicholas raised a brow at that. "... Ya know? I kind of have been getting more clientele as of late."
"Heheheh, see! Even your father is getting something out of this!"
"M-Mom, you're starting to sound like a supervillain."
Still, Cera could see what would come. It's not like she was wrong.
Maybe she would get something out of all this.
~NRK~
Walking through the forest, after giving Oichi the turtle a good petting, Mercury enjoyed the sights, smells, sounds, and just the idea of this place.
"So, you train people?" He asked Naruto who chuckled nervously.
"Well, it sort of just… happened," he admitted. "Next year, Merc, we're gonna be teaching in Vale, though," the boy flinched. "I know, I didn't think this would happen."
"Y-Yeah, sounds… rough," the boy said. "But I could just stay here. It's not like I had friends in Vale, the old bastard made sure of that," Mercury grumbled as Naruto sighed before ruffling his hair. "?"
"I can tell you, you'll probably make quite a few friends here, that's for sure," the Grimm said. "Honestly. We have kids of all sorts of ages here, some older than you, a few younger, and many within your age range."
"... R-Really?" Mercury looked very intrigued. "I hope I'm good at this."
"Just be the 'you' you want to be, things might get rocky but I'm sure you'll learn and grow well."
As they traveled past more foliage, Mercury heard the sounds of more and more people.
The sight of vines and trees began to clear and he could see all sorts of folks here ranging from… No fucking way.
"Is that Jacques Schnee over there?" Mercury asked in disbelief as Naruto chuckled a bit.
"Yeah," Naruto shrugged. "Him, his wife, his kids, the whole main Schnee family is here."
"..." Mercury stared at him like he was some kind of unicorn. "T-This is crazy," he swallowed as they walked out of the treeline. "... There are so many of them."
Naruto smirked as they walked over to the lake and waterfall. "Yep. How are things going, Penny-chan?" The Grimm asked as Nora and Penny saw him.
"You're back!" The sloth-lover declared as she ran at him before slamming into his stomach, Naruto chuckling as he ruffled her hair. "Hehe~" Nora grinned before her head turned to the stoic/nervous Mercury. "... Sup, brosef."
"H-Huh?" The boy blinked thrice before tilting his head at her. "I don't get it."
"Hmm, I see, I see," Nora said sagely as Naruto chuckled.
"She's a bit energetic but Nora's probably the best 'starter best friend' you'll ever have," the man chuckled as Penny smiled. "I'm sure you don't want too much attention so how about we just start here, no announcements but people will be curious, Merc."
"Merc?" Nora asked as Mercury rubbed the back of his neck.
"Mercury, no last name," he admitted. "So, you're Nora, nice to meet you," Mercury said slowly as she grinned, the sight confusing him a bit.
"Sup! Come on, we were trainin'!"
"On what?"
"Actually, Mercury, do you have your Aura unlocked?" Penny asked him and the boy shivered.
"N-No, I didn't yet," the boy said before Naruto crouched down.
"You want it?" He asked him and Mercury balked. "It'd probably help when you're training with the others, if you want to, obviously."
"... Isn't that dangerous?" Mercury grimaced, looking down as the three blinked.
"How? I mean, you get superpowers!" Nora said as he blinked before sighing.
"Yeah but…" He worked through his thoughts. "Aura takes away a lot, I think."
"... Is that what you think it is?" Penny asked him and Mercury rubbed the back of his head. "Hmm… then you don't want your Aura yet, right?" She asked patiently with a smile as the boy looked down.
"... what'll it do?"
"Just make you a bit stronger. It's not some life-changing event, honestly," Naruto said kindly as the teen looked more nervous, getting a nod out of the Grimm. "When you want to, just let me know, alright?"
The boy looked shocked. "You're not… mad?"
Penny frowned. "Why would we be?" She asked him, softly, surprising the boy some more.
"... I'm not doing what you said."
"It's not like you're being a meanie," Nora said as the boy crossed his arms. "You don't like Aura, that's fine! Though it gives ya superpowers," she stage-whispered as Mercury's face went flat.
"I heard you, the first time."
"Just making sure."
"Alright then what do you think of training?" Naruto asked him with a chuckle and Mercury scuffed the ground.
"We can stop when I say so?"
"Sure."
"... A-Alright," he said and the three nodded.
"Then you'll be trainin' with me. Come on, Merc, let's get some gains!"
"Gains?" Mercury blinked as the two of them walked off. "How does working out get you these 'gains' things?"
"... we'll work on it."
Penny smiled sadly as Nora tilted her head.
"He's weird."
"A bit but he's also really hurt."
Nora blinked before gasping. "H-He is! We need a medical box!"
"Hm, hm, well, not that kind. Mercury probably was hurt, emotionally," Penny considered as Nora blinked.
"... Is there a box for that?"
"Probably not, I'm not the greatest at helping those kinds of people but I think Naruto is."
"Naru-pops does kinda get it."
"Yes, he does."
~NRK~
Push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, Naruto noted how Mercury struggled the more they went on.
"You sure you want to keep going, Merc? You can rest, you know," he said to the boy who blinked at him, his flat-against-the-floor position causing no end to his issues.
"I-I'm fine!" Mercury said as he sat up with ragged breaths. "I-I'm good! No need for that!"
"... For what?"
"For…!" Mercury looked at the Grimm like he was an idiot before he froze and looked down. "N-Nothing, it's fine, I spoke out of turn."
"Mercury, it's not wrong to want to speak about your feelings."
"I wasn't, sir."
"Merc, it's fine… come on," Naruto let go of the branch he'd been doing pull-ups on before going over and picking up the flinching Mercury. "It's fine, it's fine, let's do something a bit more calming, alright?" He pat him on the back before walking ahead.
Mercury stood there, waiting, before swallowing and following the Grimm man. 'What the hell is he doing?'
This whole situation, surely he wanted to make sure he understood where he stood here, right?
As he followed, Mercury blinked at the next clearing they found themselves in, a wide field-like area with a large amount of large flat stones within it.
"This is our meditating area," Naruto explained as the boy blinked at it before seeing a set of storks at one end, resting in the grass. "Come on, let's get on a few."
They did, the boy blinking at how warm the stones were before noting Naruto's cross-legged form in front of him on another stone.
"... Meditating?" Mercury asked cautiously as Naruto nodded. "Why? How does this help?"
"You need moments where you can rest, moments where you can think, and then places where you can dive deep inside yourself."
"I don't get it. Do you get, like, super spirit powers?"
"Well, you could but it's not everything."
Mercury frowned at that. "Why'd you bring me here? I could keep up?"
"Mercury, you're young. You don't need to hurt yourself to try and make me happy," the boy flinched. "I don't fully know your situation, I just knew you needed help and I think you know that as well."
The boy looked down, head turning to the side. "..."
"Come on, let us meditate, my boy," Naruto chuckled. "Always wanted to say that. Old Man Nick says it so much I always wanted to."
"Aren't you an adult?"
"Merc, I'm like 20," the boy's mouth fell as Naruto chuckled nervously. "I'm just big, like Penny. Me and her, we're around the same mental age."
"No way! You guys are giants!" Mercury exclaimed as the Grimm chuckled. "D-Do most people get that big?"
"Nope but if you believe hard enough, and have the right genes, you can be big. Old Man Nick is like eight feet tall, it's ridiculous."
The boy couldn't believe him, there was no way such people existed!
"Now, copy me. Yep, like that," Naruto smiled as the boy sat cross-legged before adopting his full Sage Meditation Stance, name pending thanks to Nora. "Focus. Just let your mind focus on the world around you, the wind, the sounds, the stone, and the sun. Collect information on all the bits and pieces of life around you, Mercury. Just accept it all."
Mercury frowned as he closed his eyes and tried to do as he was told.
The sound of crunching grass from those weird birds.
The warmth of the rock from the sun, the feeling of the stone on his exposed shins.
The wind moving past his body, his clothes flapping a bit in it.
He thought about it all and… just focused on them. 'How long should I do this?' He opened one eye to look at Naruto and blinked at the oddity of his stance.
The Grimm's stillness, the small bird that had perched on his shoulder, the feeling… the feeling of the wind that felt like it kicked up a bit.
What was it about this picture that felt so… oddly powerful? It was weird to think about but Mercury was willing to be superstitious and knew there was something around the Grimm man that he couldn't see but felt.
He sighed before going back to his meditation.
Somehow, someway, they'd stayed there for an hour.
"Hm, alright, and stop," Naruto said as Mercury blinked drowsily, yawning behind his arm. "Come on, I bet you're hungry."
Right then, Mercury's stomach growled and he huffed. "I am."
"Come on, let's go and get some fruit!"
~NRK~
He stared in wonder at all the trees full of fruit. Now that he thought about it, there had been fruit trees before but it felt like he was really seeing them all now.
Mercury marveled at all the different kinds before Naruto raised his finger and sliced it across several places in the air.
His form then vanished from sight, leaving Mercury shocked before he returned with fruit in his arm, all sorts that didn't match up to his shock at Naruto's speed.
"Y-You're so fast."
"Yep."
Sitting underneath a tree, the man handed the boy some fruit before eating without hesitation, leaving Mercury staring before he followed his example.
Sweet, tangy, juicy, and delicious!
"H-Haa?!" He gasped before eating more, finishing the first fruit before moving on to the next.
Naruto chuckled as he handed the boy most of his fruit and watched him go, finishing his own fruit.
Ten minutes of eating, and amused watching, later, Naruto chuckled as Mercury sat there, full and satisfied.
"Enjoy yourself?"
"... Yeah…"
~NRK~
They spent the rest of the day relaxing.
Mercury had traveled around a bit of the island by copying Naruto's 'tree-hopping', he'd been shown a few of the Grimm man's vegetable patches, went swimming for a bit and met some more birds.
Come the end, the teen was piggybacked by Naruto as he yawned, the moon in the sky a gentle backdrop that had his eyes fluttering.
"Hmm?" Mercury groaned a bit as he nuzzled further into Naruto's back.
"I can tell, you really enjoyed today," Naruto chuckled as the teen huffed even with how sleepy he was.
"... I don't know… maybe."
"Nothing wrong with that," the Grimm said as they walked past a large waterfall on a big strip of stone that worked as a bridge. "You'll get to enjoy more days like this, you know? You're safe here, I won't let someone hurt you. You can enjoy life, Mercury."
The teen's eyes clenched shut even as he grew sleepier. "... I hope so."
"You will, I promise."
By the time he'd made it to his personal home on his island, Naruto chuckled as Mercury slept soundly on his back.
Going into his house, he found Summer, Glynda, Taiyang, and Penny at the dinner table.
"Welcome back," Taiyang said softly as Summer smiled. "I guess you had your hands full."
"A bit but it's all about doing good," Naruto chuckled as he walked in, Penny looking at him intently. "I've got it, be right back."
Navigating into his home, Naruto passed Nora's room, the girl, Ren, Jaune, and Yang all playing some kind of game within. Passing by quickly, not wanting to bother them, he made it to another guest room and slipped inside.
"... Hmm," he hummed a bit as he went to the bed within and slowly lowered Mercury into it. "You're safe," Naruto whispered as he tucked the boy in, placing his bag down by the bed.
As he prepared to leave, he blinked at the feel of a hand on his forearm, turning his head to see Mercury's barely cracked open eyes looking at him with a look of slight guilt.
"... I'm sorry, for today," the boy said with a frown as Naruto smiled softly.
He ruffled his hair. "No offense taken, I know, you're hurting but I stick by my words, Mercury," Naruto chuckled as he got up. "Get some rest, apology accepted," he grinned and the boy nodded slowly.
His snores quickly followed, leaving the man to close the door softly before heading to the kitchen.
Making it back, he chuckled before sitting next to Penny. "I'm back."
"Welcome," his best friend said. "So, how is he?"
"He's hurt, that's the truth but I'm making headway. I know he'll open up and really accept everything."
"You're doing a kind thing, Lil Naru," Summer grinned as the Grimm chuckled. "Though, now you've got another kiddie to look after," she said teasingly as the two chuckled.
"I don't mind. Besides, Nora could definitely use someone else to play with," Penny said with a smile.
"Yep. Mercury can definitely relax around Nora, I'm sure. It'll just take a bit," Naruto said even as the others, sans Penny, sweatdropped.
'Are you two sure you're not parents?' Because wow that kind of chatter was very father and mother-like. 'It's like they don't even notice,' which was hilarious in its own way.
Glynda mostly wondered how long it'd take the two to realize they'd adopted the parent role.
Taiyang just waited for the day Naruto decided Penny was his girlfriend.
And Summer just counted down the days before the two had another kid and she'd be able to spoil them and Garnet and be a grandmother.
So, yeah, all around, they were excited.
"Hmph, so with how things are going, you all know we'll be starting our program in January," Glynda chuckled a bit. "In that time, we'll be coming up with ideas, structure, and more."
"Anything you're having issues with?" Summer asked.
"Well, outside of feeding them," Naruto chuckled at that. "Do remember, Weiss and Whitley are going to be here. The Schnees are around and we'll be housing not just those two but Winter as well. Add on that we'll have the White Fang chief's daughter with us and we're getting weirdly close to an international set of important figures. The only thing we're missing is from Vacuo seeing as Mistral can constitute of Menagerie at times."
"Well, that just sounds like you need more security," Taiyang said. "And while there are basically Hunter-to-bes all over Beacon, having the teachers work double-time wouldn't be a good idea… so I guess you'll need personal guards for them."
"Yes, and we'll likely employ Qrow and Summer, if you don't mind," Glynda said to the mother of two who grinned.
"It sounds like the perfect situation. Besides, we can't leave Garny alone when Tai's working."
"Thank you. Still, I'd like to get a few more, at least, one or two more people. Do you know anyone, Naruto?"
"Hmm…" The Grimm considered it. "I can't think of anyone. Well… I don't know if Jiraiya-sensei would want to come on over, don't know if the world would hate that," he chuckled nervously. "Correction, I'm sure he's not gonna be paid to be a teacher, he'll probably drop by, though."
"Hmm," Glynda considered the ideas. "Let's see… We'll have to work with it for now. Hopefully, with how many people we actually have, this should be simple."
The adults nodded before getting up. "Alright, take it easy, Naruto," Summer said as she stretched, Taiyang nodding as they left.
"You don't mind Yang staying over, do you?" He asked.
"Of course not, I'm fine with her staying over," Naruto chuckled. "Take care, see you guys in the morning."
They left with smiles and waves, Glynda chuckling as she got up.
"Take care, both of you," she said to Naruto and then to Penny. "Don't forget, give it a shot," Glynda said specifically as Penny nodded with a blush and grin. "I'll see you both in the morning."
With that, she took her leave, leaving the two in their home.
"Alright, Penny-chan," Naruto said as Penny nodded. "Let's hit the hay."
As they began to leave the kitchen, Penny blushed before holding onto his forearm.
"Hmm?"
"Naruto, can we kiss?" Penny asked him straightforwardly.
The Grimm blinked before blushing as his… as his girl asked that so up-front.
"U-Uh, yeah, sure, I don't mind," he said with a grin as Penny smiled back.
He turned to her before holding Penny close, an arm around her waist while the other held her cheek.
Their eyes closed and they pressed their lips together.
The jolt that followed was addictive. Their lips pressed harder against one another as it did.
Penny's arms around themselves around Naruto's neck as his hands raised on her waist, embracing her close as they kept going.
A minute of kissing later, they separated, gasping, as they blushed at the event they'd been utterly missing out on this entire time.
"We waited too long," they said in unison as they blinked away the haze in their minds.
Damn.
Penny giggled drunkenly as they remained embracing, Naruto chuckling as he also understood.
Kissing was now more on the table than ever before, good God.
And, of course, they'd just tasted the act… might as well do it again!
Their lips met and Penny moaned a bit into his embrace, hands running through Naruto's hair without a thought as the man growled a bit.
The kissing got heavy, what with Penny's moaning and Naruto's aggressive body pressing, they were against the wall when they separated again, cheeks red but chuckling all the same.
"Alright, I think we need to hurry before we end up doing this when the kids are looking."
"Yep."
Walking into their home, arms around one another's waist, they grinned.
The romance was definitely enlightening!
~NRK~
The following morning, Mercury, now in a gray shirt and black shorts, sat at the breakfast table with a growl in his stomach and a curious look at the humming Nora, the other kids long since gone.
"So, uh, what do we eat for breakfast?" He asked her and she grinned, the ginger in pink pajamas.
"Penny knows how to make pancakes," Nora said with such a look of awe, Mercury had to assume these pancake things he usually saw on billboards were pretty cool.
"Alright," he shrugged as Naruto and Penny came into the kitchen with red cheeks but bright grins. "... Welcome," Mercury said with a huff as Naruto chuckled.
"Morning," the man said as he and Penny separated, Naruto coming over and ruffling both Nora and Mercury's hair. "So, how'd ya like your sleep, Merc?"
"H-Hmph," the male teen huffed with slightly red cheeks. "It was alright."
"Nora?"
"Awesome like always!" She said with a grin.
"Hmph, good. Whatcha got going, Penny-chan?"
"Well, pancakes sound good," the orange-haired woman chuckled as Naruto nodded.
"Come on, you two, let's help," the Grimm said as Nora nodded while Mercury blinked before shrugging.
"Alright."
It hadn't been too bad, Mercury had simply helped the man with setting the table before they went to grab fruit as Nora helped Penny.
"Blueberries?" He blinked as Naruto nodded.
"I've got some berry bushes nearby," he said as they went towards them only to find a squealing Ruby moving about, eating them without hesitation. "... good morning, Rubes."
"Mm? Mmrning!" The girl waved as Mercury's eyebrow twitched.
"Classy," he said with crossed arms. "Please don't tell me you ate all the blueberries, too."
"Glp!" Ruby swallowed her haul. "Nope! Only strawberries!" She cheered as Naruto chuckled.
"Is it just you out here?"
"Nope, Uncle Qrow!"
"H-Huh?" Came a voice from above, the three looking up to see the man in question resting in a nearby tree. "Sup, new kid?"
"... He's an alcoholic, isn't he?" Mercury scoffed.
"Close but not outright, he's what he likes to call himself, a connoisseur," Naruto said with a snort.
"That's a bad influence around kids," the boy said with a huff as Naruto nodded while the bird man nodded.
"I know, I don't drink around them, they just know I drink," Qrow said with a chuckle as Naruto nodded.
"Come on, let's go get those blueberries."
"Penny's making pancakes?" Ruby asked and Naruto nodded. "CAN I COME?!"
"Hey, those are our pancakes," Mercury said even as Naruto chuckled, ruffling his hair. "Hmph."
"I don't mind but you need your mom's permission. The last thing we need is for her to make breakfast and you're missing," Naruto said as Ruby nodded, rushing out of the bushes and forest with a basket in tow. "Honestly, she's like a little teddy bear with eye power action."
"She is," Qrow said as he dropped down. "Alright, gonna go and play some more nanny duty."
"You're doing God's work."
"Oh please, I bet I'd be amazing in a skirt."
Naruto laughed at that, waving the man off.
Getting their berries, the two hurried back just in time for Penny to have finished.
"Everything's ready," Penny said with a smile as she set down the last pancake, the smells of the breakfast gaining Mercury's nose's attention.
"..." The boy's stomach growled and he huffed before nodding. "Alright, let's do this."
Naruto sweatdropped. 'What is this? A mission?' He chuckled before they brought in the berries.
Getting seated, food in front of them, Mercury blinked at two hand-sized containers of liquid.
"That's some syrup I made," Naruto said as he used one of them to pour it on his pancakes, showing Mercury how to use it.
The boy nodded with focus, doing the same to his pancakes with a precision that bordered on comical.
"Hm, hm," Penny giggled a bit as he blushed in equal measure, putting the dispenser down as Nora nearly drowned her pancakes in blue syrup. "Alright, let's eat!" She smiled.
They did, Mercury taking the first bite of their food.
And his mind exploded at the tastes on his tongue. "... oh my god," he realized as Naruto laughed.
They ate in companionable silence, Mercury finishing first with Nora second.
"Mmmmm," Nora smiled happily as she pat her stomach. "Great as always, Pen-Ma!"
"Thank you, Nora," Penny said as Naruto washed the dishes. "Now, what's the first thing we should do today?"
"Hm, maybe go swimming?" Naruto suggested as he finished up. "It's been a while and doing some of it with Merc yesterday really made me feel for it!" He fistpumped as Penny nodded while Nora gasped.
"We need Osiji!"
"Who?" Mercury asked.
~NRK~
His mouth fell as he stood there in his black shorts, the giant sloth Grimm causing him to stumble as Naruto stood next to him in some blue swim trunks.
"I-It's a giant Grimm! How are you so calm about this?!" The boy wigged out before the sloth reached them, Nora riding atop it in a pink full-body swimsuit. "H-Huh? She's riding it?"
"I have slight summoning powers," Naruto explained to him and Mercury gaped as he chuckled, Penny coming up behind them in a black and green full-body swimsuit, not unlike Nora's. "Yup, I can make them in any shape but I don't really know the limits to it yet."
That was insane. "I guess you didn't tell everyone yet?"
"Yes, we're not sure what public opinion would be yet," Penny admitted as she pulled her hair into a ponytail before donning a green swim cap. "For now, there are two of them. Gamakuro, a toad, and Osojiai, the female sloth Grimm."
"Wait, female? Since when do Grimm have genders?" Mercury asked before looking at Naruto. "Is this a 'you' thing?"
"Seems like it. Now, come on! Let's get some swimming in!" Naruto grinned as Penny nodded. "Kage Bunshin no Jutsu!" He made his favored jutsu handsign.
And Mercury blinked at the copy that led him to the waters. "Is this like the one that originally found me?"
"Yes, but no," the copy said with a chuckle. "This skill and that one are fundamentally different."
The real Naruto nodded before he and Penny walked towards the water, hand-in-hand. "Alright, how are you feeling on this?"
"I'm not sinking!" She declared proudly as he smirked.
"Nice."
As they enjoyed themselves, the group was quickly joined by the Belladonna and Lie families.
An giggled as she swam around with a sense of joy that everyone could feel. "It's not so complicated, Penny," the Mistral woman said with a smile. "When you stay afloat," she flipped onto her back and floated there like a natural. "You just get a feel for it and then you can start kicking your legs."
Penny nodded as she floated on her back, Naruto bobbing up and down by her.
"It's all about courage, Penny-chan. Now, let's try kicking," Naruto said as she nodded, turning onto her front and holding onto his hands. "And… kick. Kick. Kick. Kick."
Kali chuckled as she floated by with Ghira, the man breast-stroking like a champion as Blake sat on his back.
"Hmm," she sat on his back with a Shadow Clone, the two leaning on both his shoulders as he went up and down. "Dad's always so good at this, other me."
"I know, real me, it's weird."
Ghira smirked as he kept going.
"So, how's Penny doing?" Kali asked Naruto who nodded.
"I think she's better than the doggy paddle but she's not comfortable with that yet," he said as Penny nodded.
"S-Swimming is so scary!" The former robot said in surprise to this day. "I know, logically, it's not as worrisome but my body says otherwise!"
"Yeah, it can be like that from the beginning," the Faunus woman said as she swam by them slowly. "It's all in the motions, Penny."
At the side, Li sat atop the water with focus as Ren and Nora rode on Osojiai, the two teens grinning all the while.
~NRK~
At noon, the group ate with the others, Mercury doing his best to stay by Naruto's… group as much as he could.
"Hmm, so who is this child?" Jacques asked Taiyang who hummed.
"A boy who called for help from afar yesterday morning," the man said as Jacques raised a brow.
"Is he trying to start an orphanage?"
"I… don't know, he might, Naruto's like that."
Willow chuckled. "I think he's essentially adopted him by this point," she said as Winter perked up, raising a brow at the new boy who just got his hair ruffled by the Grimm man.
The way he grumbled but didn't look annoyed was cute.
"Hmph, is he going to go as well?" Weiss considered as Whitley hummed.
"Maybe?" He offered and she shrugged.
"He doesn't have Aura, though," Ren informed them, surprising Yang. "I don't think he wants it."
"The young man seems hesitant," Li said. "And, Ren, that's not our business, Mercury needs time and understanding before we go and speak about his situation."
The boy winced. "Sorry, father."
"It's fine, just be a bit more tactful in the future."
Jaune hummed at that while Saphron tilted her head.
"I wonder if people who do that often?" She considered as Jun chuckled.
"Probably not," she said. "I mean, ignoring the obvious, Naruto's not like other people in a lot of ways."
"Yeah, I figured," her daughter shrugged.
"It's certainly not usual," Nicholas said as he drank some water. "Not just any man can handle constant children."
"Why did that feel like a jab?"
"Not a bit, honey."
Charlie snickered as the twins tilted in unison.
"Hmmmmm."
As the group ate, Mercury observed the entirety of them.
'Headmasters, Schnees, White Fang, that's that medical guy that dad heard about,' Mercury counted off, looking at Nicholas. 'Man, he's ridiculous!' Who in the world grew that big?!
"Hmm, so, I'd like to make sure we're all in agreement," Ozpin spoke up as they mostly finished. "Maybe you all might have changed your minds but are you all fine with us taking care of your children the following year?"
"Huh? What's he talking about?" Mercury asked Penny.
"Naruto might have told you but we're going to be holding a year-long abroad program of sorts," she said with a hum. "For an entire year, those who are coming will be going to Beacon and boarding there while I, Naruto, some of the teachers, Ozpin, and a few others will basically be handling their Aura tutelage."
His eyes widened at that. "That's what you meant?" He turned to Naruto who nodded.
"It's Vale but Beacon. Giving a little teaching is gonna be the main reason we're there," he told him and Mercury considered it. "This doesn't mean you have to, ya know? It's just what's happening, I have more than enough clones to tend to everyone."
That was true, seemingly. Still… he didn't know if the man could even tend to him-that is! He meant, he was his only real big trustee here!
Sure, Penny was beyond nice, awesome-That is, she seemed harmless and Nora was… Nora, he'd learned, but Naruto was the biggest detractor of anything bad, yeah?
'Gods, my brain hurts,' Mercury huffed.
"We're gonna be doing super-training~" Nora tried to say ominously but only got a scoff from the boy. "H-Hey! It's totally true!"
"Right and I'm the Queen Vacuo."
"You are?!"
"... save me," he said to Naruto who chuckled.
"Nora knows, she's just messing with you," the Grimm smirked as Mercury's eyebrows lowered before he looked back at the, grinning innocently, Nora.
"Hmph, as long as they learn properly, I see no issue," Jacques said.
"I'm of the same mind," Willow said with a smile. "We'll be nearby, regardless."
"Ren has a chance to learn well and expand his horizons," Li said with a chuckle as An smiled.
"We'd be honored," she said.
"It's the safest for Blake, that is what I believe," Ghira said as he pat his child on the head.
"I'm getting better with this," Kali said as she raised her splint-covered arm. "Slowly but surely, it's coming back. So, I'll also work as a deterrent."
"We're a bit of a ride away," Jun said as Nicholas nodded.
"You all need to be on your best behavior, alright?" He said to his children who all nodded.
"Yeah!" Jaune said.
"I worry about them, Naruto, I really."
"I'm noticing," Naruto chuckled. "But there won't be any problems while we're there, count on it."
"Thanks."
"Hm, hm, well, we're all for it," Summer said with a chuckle as Ruby hummed. "We've got me and Qrow so we can also bring Garnet while Tai can visit."
"I have no problem with this," Taiyang said with a chuckle as Yang grinned. "We've got a stacked roster of defense, geez."
"We're glad you can trust us," Leonardo chuckled. "Well, I should set some things up but this will be interesting."
"I'll handle your papers, Schnee," James said to Winter who nodded.
"Thank you, sir," she said.
"With this, we have your permission, we're thankful," Ozpin said. "And if there's anything you might want to suggest for them, please let us know. Hopefully, we can create a powerful curriculum for them."
The gathered group looked intrigued by the prospect.
~NRK~
Naruto blocked each one of Mercury's kicks, the boy jumping after one more block to kick at the man's head only for him to lean back with ease.
"Not bad!" Naruto grinned as he threw a palm strike for Mercury's face only for the boy to grab the forearm and swing back with his legs, the swiping feet missing the man's face. "Hmph!"
He grabbed Mercury's arm before throwing the boy into a spin that he couldn't recover from, hitting the ground with a ground a moment later.
"You're good, Merc, not bad," Naruto said as he crouched to his level. "You good?"
"Only my body," Mercury said as he sat up with a sigh while the man chuckled, ruffling his hair again. "Hmph."
Getting up, the two of them walked over to the waterfall group and watched Penny's form flash across the water before slamming her lightning-covered hand into the falling water.
The hole that formed in it was easily the size of a small car, the orange-haired woman jumping back from the blow as it remained for a bit before having the water crashing back over it.
"Whoa…" Mercury marveled at the power. "T-That was amazing."
"Yep, Penny's a real amazing woman," Naruto said with a grin as the boy nodded before looking conflicted. "You change your mind?"
"... I don't want to become a monster," Mercury said softly as Naruto understood.
"Let me give you a small lesson, Mercury," he began as he crouched down. "Power doesn't make you a monster, what you do with it does."
Mercury's expression, for but a moment, shifted into one of obscene heartbreak before shifting into apathy. "Y-Yeah? That so?" The boy's voice broke a bit and Naruto sighed.
He turned his crouching into a kneel before embracing him, tucking the boy's head into his shoulder.
"You've been through a lot," he said softly as Mercury's head fell. "But you're stronger than that, you're not a monster, you won't become one, you'll learn to be a better man than your father could ever be… alright?"
The teen nodded for a bit before patting the Grimm on the back, much to his amusement, Naruto chuckling as he let go while Mercury cleared his face, sniffling a bit before spitting off to the side.
"Y-Yeah, I'm… I'm good," he said, looking embarrassed beyond words. "... thanks I… I-I think I needed that."
"Any time," Naruto grinned before standing up. "Now, Merc, do you want to get your Aura woken up?"
The boy looked down in thought before looking at him with determined eyes.
"Please make me a better man than my old one."
"Merc, you already are."
The boy smiled for the first time. A truly happy smile.
A good deed could never reward Naruto more than that.
~NRK~
With this, Merc is a part of the crew for good. Now the second child of Naruto and Penny with Nora as a little sis. He'll grow better here than he ever could in canon and this now leaves Marcus Black alive to roam the earth.
He'll be an interesting opponent in the future.
Now, onto the Omake.
~NRK~
~Omake: Grimm Light Academy I~
Walking in the halls of Grimm Light Academy, Naruto huffed a bit as he walked side-by-side with Neon, the Faunus girl blinking at the small black scarf around her neck, the feline-like skull mask atop her head filling her with a bit of confidence that helped.
Jaune and the girls, meanwhile, balked at the sight. "W-What did you? You make clones? She's wearing your clone? What?" He babbled incoherently as the girls nodded or agreed with similar dumbstruck expressions.
Grimm Blake, meanwhile, sniffed around Neon with confusion in her eyes. "... Hmm?" What a curious thing.
It was like the Faunus scent had all but vanished, leaving behind the sharp power that came with the new Grimm-like stench on the girl.
"Curious," she slithered up to Naruto, resting her head on his shoulder as they walked in perfect synchronicity. "You make Grimm?"
Naruto wanted to laugh and smirk but knew better than that… even if the urge was strong.
"Maybe if I did, I'd have overrun this entire place by now," he huffed as they reached that large source of lives he'd felt. "Something tells me this is that cafeteria of yours."
"How'd he know?" Yang asked Jaune who shrugged.
"Maybe he has Grimm-sensing powers?" He offered as Naruto snorted. "Wrong answer?"
"No, the right one," he smirked as Jaune balked.
"You keep guessing right!" Grimm Ruby said with awe. "Jaune's been getting everyone's powers right! It's an advantage," she hissed out as she grinned with sharp teeth. "No one can mess with us."
"Y-Yeah, w-w-woohoo," Jaune said weakly as Naruto snorted.
"I get the feeling you're the brains of this operation."
"I wish that was true."
The bigger blonde's arms raised and he pushed on the doors without a hint of effort, both sides of the entrance shooting back to bounce against the walls.
"Geez," he huffed at his hands, ignoring the purr of Grimm Blake while Jaune choked. "That's gonna be annoying for a bit," Naruto said before his stomach growled. "Where's the food?" He asked her and she grinned that semi-Glasgow grin before a tentacle came around and pointed to the side. "Classy."
With the group of 'Grimm' following, they ignored the rather shocked silent lunchroom but one individual who stood up and strutted on over without a hint of hesitation.
Naruto had been looking at the 'food' with a sort of shock as some of it looked edible before feeling a tap on his shoulder.
He turned his head to see long vibrant red hair, white skin like the rest of these 'hybrids', and a normal-sized mouth with sharp teeth within that grinned at him.
"You looking for a hoe?" She asked him with the smile of a prostitute as Jaune's face exploded into the color red while Grimm Ruby and Weiss blushed a bit.
"Octavia," they said in unison as Yang huffed at her fellow bright-haired hybrid.
Naruto, meanwhile, felt his eyebrow twitch as his head mechanically turned to her. "Excuse me?"
"A hoe? A cock sleeve? A fleshlight? A pleasure hole? A glory hole? A warm embrace? A toasty cavern? A Lovely Coating?" Octavia kept going as the man's eyebrow began to twitch.
"Stop, for the love of God, stop," he facepalmed as Grimm Blake hissed at her while Neon's face had gotten so red, she looked woozy. "I'm not buying any of what you're selling so, shoo, go on, I don't want anything to do with you."
The hybrid pouted like the most innocent puppy at him and Naruto's eyebrow twitched more. Blake's hissing reached an all-time high and Naruto sighed as Octavia smirked a bit.
"Still just a no-nothing whore, hmm?" The red-haired hybrid said with a smile. "Honestly, you must have been quite stubborn as a changee, Blakey. Your stubbornness is what left you with little to speak," Octavia said with growing viciousness.
Grimm Blake's form removed itself from Naruto's back, the man frowning at the two.
'Of course, something would happen here with the people I know,' he grimaced as Jaune frowned.
"Octavia, what's all this about?" The blonde young man slid between the two, Blake at his back. "I thought we were over this?"
"No, Jaunie-poo, this ends when I say it does," the redhead said as her form enlarged a bit, a truly feminine monster with vine-like attributes that came from the base of her tailbone. "That's how this school works!"
Jaune's eyes widened as the vines formed a powerful coiling tip before launching at his chest-.
The attack landed against a chest, a powerful broad chest, and did little. It struggled and moved but to no avail, it didn't so much as mar the skin it'd touched.
The crack of the floor tiles had her looking down at clawed feet and their small troughs in the ground.
"Huh?" She blinked before blinking again at the chest she'd hit, eyes narrowed. "Oh, finally transformed for us?"
"Probably not what you wanted," Naruto said as her eyes widened, yellow orbs looking up to see disappointed blue eyes whose pupils began to dilate. "That's enough."
A burst of darkness sent the girl shooting back and through one of the pillars in the cafeteria, leaving her sitting beneath a small pile of rubble from the wall by Neo's original crater.
"Hmph," Naruto brushed at his chest before sighing, hands on his hips. "Jaune, please tell me this doesn't happen often."
"... I can give you a soft 'maybe' on that," his fellow blonde said as he leaned around him. "Uh, you alright?"
"Hmm? Nah, I'm fine, she was weaker than me even before I came here," the spiky-haired man said as Yang cackled.
"Awesome!" She pat him on the back with a grin. "Never thought seeing Octavia getting piled on would be so satisfying."
"..." Naruto's eyes went flat before he turned to the blushing Jaune. "Is she always like this?"
"... Yes."
Fantastic.
"Oh, heads-up," Yang said to him with a snicker as Naruto looked at her. "Pretty sure Blakey got a real dosage of musk."
"Of what-?" Naruto began to ask only to be tackled by a ravenous Blake who looked at him the way he only needed one woman to! "Blake, don't you even-Ack!"
He saw tentacles going in places they weren't supposed to and beat a hasty retreat with Neon in tow.
"Not hungry anymore!" He declared as Grimm Blake was left there with a shakily grinning clone that dispersed, leaving her with nothing.
"... MMMMMMM!" She gave chase without hesitation, eyes full of hungry lust that couldn't easily be satiated. "COME BACK TO ME!"
Seeing as the entire cafeteria was quiet, again, Jaune made the expert decision to go after them.
"Uhhh, later!" He ran.
"... Wait, does Jaune have a thing for…?" Grimm Ruby blushed at the imagery while Grimm Weiss coughed into her raised fist, cheeks rosy as well. "... W-We should watch!" She declared before running after the group.
"... Y-Yes, well, male-to-male copulation is a fascinating subject," Grimm Weiss gave a more dainty but no less lecherous chase. "I want to be in the middle!"
Grimm Yang let out a tear of pride. "I knew they were my people."
And with that, the last of that group gave wicked chase.
~NRK~
And that's a wrap. Hope you all enjoy it.
Words: 13.5k+
~NRK Out~