A/N: Bloody doctors and bloody blasted stress! Got another short chapter today, sorry.
Yesterday was already stressful enough, but they called me bright and early this morning to say I need ANOTHER appointment today; something about which they need to talk to me about AND they want my doctor to be there when I do it. Ominous, ain't it? I'll be going into the clinic once more by the time this be posted. In summary, if get the news I think I'm going to get and...well. I'll probably be drinking. A lot.
Comes with getting older, I suppose. Here's hoping its something they can fix. And speaking of fixes...
I'll say it plain, if this email opt-in business with the site doesn't get resolved soon, I'm probably going to retire.
It HURTS to say that, but with this new system, reviews and readers have dropped to an all time low, many authors are leaving the site in droves.
If you're not already aware, ever since the 16th of November, you now have to turn ON your email alerts in account settings-MAKE SURE YOU CLICK SAVE SETTINGS!-else you won't be notified when anyone updates. No alerts, no email, no nothing. Apparently that's a thing we all have to do every ninety days or so, now. Alas, not many are aware of it...which is a problem. As things stand this new "fix" as it were, has cut everyone's viewership/reviewers in half because most folks don't know about it. Authors are leaving/quitting in droves because of this.
Sometimes opting in works. Sometimes it doesn't. Really depends. Hopefully the devs can fix tweak/update this system.
As ever the Embers rule persists, reviews are my fuel, my fire, my life. Without them, I lose all inspiration, all hope, all ability to write. That's no joke. I have so little time to write these days with two jobs, and silence hurts. So by all means, speak up! Make yourselves heard! Every bit of feedback, no matter how small or large, matters! Really, it helps a lot. Its a joy to talk with you all and bandy ideas back and forth; it really is. Sorry if this seems shorter than usual, working on a tight schedule here.
Only a few questions this time:
Q: Update schedule?!
A: Every damn day as always. If I'm still alive and sober enough to think, Blood Upon the Snow Thursday. Doctor of Demons should be sometime after that. Bear in mind that the second half of every month is usually reserved for Elden Ring Updates, though I'm going to try and sprinkle in some double update days as well to shorten that.
Really trying to vary the update catalog here...
Q: Is Minato really gone?
A: Hmm. Is he? Or is that what he wants folks to think? There's a reason we haven't heard from Kakashi, Obito, Rin or Jiraiya, either.
Makes one wonder if Ozpin's up to something, too...
Q: Naruto needs to snap out of his funk. Chop chop!
A: Oi, oi! Patience...
One again, a refresher for the team names:
Remember, WPYN (Weapon) =Weiss, Pyrrha, Yang and Naruto.
RVRB (Reverb) = Ruby, Nora, Ren and Blake.
Then we have Team JMMN (Jasmine) otherwise know as Jaune, Miltia, Melanie, and Neo. Lucky bastard.
No questions this time around I'll let the chapter to the talking for me. Alright, I've kept you long enough.
I'll let the chapter do the talking for me. Hopefully everyone enjoys the return to RWBY
As ever, I own no references, quotes, memes or themes. Not a wit or a one~!
"Denial is a powerful thing. When you think about it, everyone deals with it sooner or later.
We deny ourselves pain. Her deny ourselves hatred.
Sometimes we even deny love."
~?
Denying Death
Pyrrha didn't know what to do.
She simply. Did not. Know. Her mind was all ajumble, her thoughts hopelessly tangled, her feelings coiled into tight red knots. Things had been bad enough when Naruto was saddened over Minato's death, then angry, but this went well beyond the pale. He wasn't raging or shouting or drinking, or even depressed by the news anymore.
He'd gone into full denial.
It hurt to see him like this, but it hurt even more to know that a part of her almost preferred it; because at least he was smiling now.
"Dad's not dead." he kept saying whenever she-or anyone!- tried to broach the subject with him. "He can't be. He'll come back. This is all part of his plan. You'll see."
It was driving her mad!
How could she calm him? How could she soothe the fiery flames of his heart? Pyrrha knew there must be a way, but to find it, ah, to find it! She had to. She must. He wouldn't listen to anyone else. Not Yang, and certainly not Weiss, nor Ruby or even the Malachites. There had be a way to crack that outer shell of his...
.
..
...if there was, she'd yet to find it.
Nearly a week had passed since he'd descended into this phase of his, with no end in sight.
She flung herself down onto her bed with a pensive sigh.
Someone answered. "For the love-of just bang him again or something!"
Pyrrha's head snapped up. "Yang, no!
"Yang, yes!" A familiar pair of lively lilac eyes glared at her from opposite bunk, framed by an impish grin. "Look, the two of you are clearly overthinking things here. Bonk him, bang him, whatever floats your boat. Helps get the bad stuff right out. Works like a charm for me and-
Her hands flew up seemingly of their own volition and sealed over her mouth.
Weiss poked her head down from the bunk above and glared her way. "You and whom?"
Yang's visage went paler than snowfall. "Nothing! You didn't hear shit!"
Pyrrha hid the ghost of a smile one hand. "You clearly said-
"Nope! I didn't say nuthin'!"
...stubborn girl." Weiss sighed before fixing her with a pensive look. "Xialong's not-so-secret paramour aside, the two of you have been together for quite some time, no?"
A glum nod on her part. "We have. Naruto and I knew one another long before his father founded the Leaf Gym."
Yang dove on the topic like a drowning woman would a life raft. "Best damn gym ever. Maybe we could head down their again this weekend-
Weiss glared icy daggers her way. "Xialong."
"Yeah, Weissicle?"
"Hush."
"Hushing~!"
Pyrrha couldn't quite strangle the grinning giggle that escaped her lips at their antics. It was so easy to forget that she wasn't alone in this; not anymore. Yang and Weiss were her teammates too, after all. They might've rubbed off on one another, but they were just as concerned for Naruto's wellbeing as she.
It humbled her.
Weiss pushed the proverbial envelope an extra inch. "Had you tried talking to him?"
"I've already did that."
"You clearly haven't done it properly, if he's still being this pigheaded." she huffed and tossed her ponytail over one shoulder. "Corner him somewhere, fight him if you have to, wear him down until he can't get away, then have it out with him."
Fight Naruto? Pyrrha's blood sang at the thought; an explosive little thrill that had quickened her pulse and her rubbing her thighs together atop the bed. It had been sometime since they'd gone at one another for real. Perhaps...where was the harm? Leave it to Weiss to attack the situation with overwhelming logic. Maybe that was what she needed here. Logic. Beat him down with cold logic, then turn on the passion to burn his anger away. It sounded, silly, cliche even, but it was the only idea she had. Even a bad plan was better than no plan at all.
"Alright. I'll talk to him."
"Good." Weiss nodded sagely, "Then bang him."
Yang hooted and fell clear off her bed, legs kicking in the air.
Pyrrha choked on her own air, gagged, managed to swallow somehow. Only then did she squeak. "Weiss?
"But not here in the dorm," the Schnee continued unabated, heedless to her increasingly red face and Yang's howls of laughter. "Preferably someplace quiet. Its rather late after all, and we need our beauty sleep.
Pyrrha leaped to her feet. "Weiss?!
"Maybe the rooftop? I believe he's up there now.
"WEISS!"
Pyrrha's retreat became a full blown rout.
Her team's laughter chased her out their dorm and down the hall.
(.0.0.0.)
Naruto's world had dropped out from under him.
In the span of a few short weeks it felt like he'd come undone at the seams; been torn asunder then stitch back together the wrong way. He knew he hadn't lost everything-hell, he still had plenty to live for. Pyrrha, Yang, Weiss, Ruby and the rest, to say nothing of his uncles and aunt. One mustn't forget Jiraiya, either. Hope was not yet lost.
But dad...!
The idea -the very notion!- that he'd just throw his life away out of the blue...it didn't sit right with him. Minato wouldn't run off and die like that. He wasn't stupid. Dad was strong. Invincible. Unbeatable. Sure, his health wasn't the best these days with that illness of his, and maybe he wasn't as lively as he used to be, but still!
Silence was his only solace.
So long as he denied it, so long as he refused to believe, there was hope. No matter what others might think.
He'd come up here to the rooftops to get away from it all, from his own thoughts and doubts. The night air was cool against his skin; the wind a gentle lull through his ragged hair. It didn't bring him much peace, but he'd take what he could get these days, while he could get it.
His sixth sense perked up.
A door opened behind him. Footsteps echoed therein, shoes crunching across gravel.
He needn't look to know who it was. Their presence was appreciated, but not unexpected. "...did you need something, Ren?"
Ruby's teammate didn't approach. They'd never been close enough for that. It didn't stop them from trying, bless their simple soul. "I know what its like to lose a father.. If you want to talk...
"I appreciate the gestured, but," He shook his head. "...not now, Ren. He's fine. Has to be."
"Perhaps you should consider the possibility that-
"NO!" He bit out the word, then calmed himself. "No." a shake of the head. "You don't know my dad. He's probably gone undercover somewhere. Trust me, he wouldn't go out like this...
Behind them, the door opened anew. More footsteps.
Ren chortled softly. "It seems you have company. I'll let you be."
He heard Ruby's teammate walk away, but his sixth sense still insisted someone was there. Who? He could only think of three person who would willingly seek him out at this hour. One was Ruby, and she was absolutely, utterly incapable of standing still for this long. The other was Yang, and she would've said something by now. Which left... Against his better judgement he turned to face the newcomer.
Errors were made.
"Pyrrha?" She had a strange look on her face. Why was she wearing her weapons? And her armor? "What're you doing up here?
She didn't answer. He climbed to his feet, not liking the look in her eyes.
"Oi, say something-
Glove dhands grabbed his jacket, dragged him forward into her. Her lips met his and she kissed him roughly; ruthlessly plundering his mouth with her own. Harsher than usual, an almost frantic desperation to it that had her tangling her hands in his hair. It concerned and excited him in equal measure. He yielded to her happily-only for her to dance backward when he tried to grab her hips.
She slipped through his fingers with a shake of the head, plucked up her sword and shield from her back, and took up a stance.
"Fight me."
"Ha?" Laughter burst out of him. She didn't budge. Naruto balked. "Wait, you're serious?" Pyr, I don't think that's a good idea-
His face hurt.
Why the hell did his face hurt...?
Blinking, he touched a hand to his aching nose. It came away bloody red. "Wha...?"
Her shield had blood on it. His blood. He hadn't even seen her move. Was he that unfocused?
"Sorry, not sorry. His partner lowered her shield, wearing a fierce smile. "Wasn't asking. Fight me, or I'll beat you into the ground."
He twitched. "...leave."
"Nope." Damnit, now she was mimicking Ruby again. "You'll have to beat me for that to happen."
"Now wait just a-aaargh?!" She clocked him again, turning his words to an irritated growl. His head snapped to the side. "Stop." Blue eyes flashed red. "You don't want this fight.
"Ohhh, I do." she slid her shield down over her wrist and struck again, folding him over a strong fist. "And so do you. Get up. I'm not stopping until I see the real you. We're going to get this, all of this," she grabbed a thim when he tried to pull away, "out of your system. Here and now. Tonight."
...no." Naruto growled and clutched at his stomach. Another blow, rocking him on his heels. "Pyr, I said no! We're not doing this. I'm not going to fight you; or take my anger out on-
THUNK!
His head snapped back.
She laughed at him, sparking his temper. "Wrong answer~!"
One punch. Two. Three. He caught the fourth, twisting her fist in his hand. "I warned you."
Green eyes sparkled with mirth. Had he just walked into her trap?
Too late to do anything about it now.
Pyrrha lunged at him.
"Finally!"
A/N: GOW vibes at the end?
Ah, young love. Ain't nothing like play fightin' and f*****g with your crush in the same night.
Feels good to get back to this. Now off to the doctor's I go, for better or for worse, I don't know...hey, that rhymed. Wow, this stress has me out of my gourd..
As ever, we're going by the Embers rule. This'll won't be continued if folks don't like it. So speak up! Make yourselves heard! Every bit of feedback counts! Seriously! Strange at it may seem, I can't write without reviews. That's no joke. Aaaand there we go. As ever, reviews keep me alive. Without them, I cannot write.
So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas... ...Review...Would You Kindly?
No special previews this time. Nobody likes 'em.
Makes me proper sad, it does. T_T
Case in point, lets see if anyone likes this one:
(Preview)
"If you take this power miss Nikos, you could better protect him."
Her eyes flashed. "Do I look like I need your power?"
"Yes." Ozpin's reply floored her. "You do."
"I don't want it.
"All I ask is that you hear me out...
R&R~!