Hola.
Just to let everyone know, there are some issues with the site, and stories aren't always appearing and are disappearing occasionally.
Still gonna update, but be careful with my editing, as that is what seems to cause stories to disappear.
Probably gonna be my last daily update in a row, might get one tomorrow, we shall see.
Had time to get this story up and running, but now back to life.
Hope you are enjoying it.
Small chance of a ship change, but it isn't directly connecting Fen/Naruto.
It would be Ruby and Blake's ship, as I'm always tempted into Ladybug.
So as the story develops, we'll see if Monochrome or Ladybug is the better fit for the story.
Again, even with the site issues, thank you for the support for the story, and sorry I haven't been able to get to review.
Quickly updating makes that kind of difficult.
Onto the show.
"I guess this makes sense," Blake murmured, stepping off the motorcycle named Bumblebee, gazing at the driver unpleasantly before looking upon the scene of the low-end district with a solemn droop to her bow as she held a hand to her chest. "It can't be easy making a living while living on the run and hiding. I shouldn't have expected anything else, especially after hearing about your mother…."
"So, you two do know each other," Ruby stated, sweating profusely as roses faded around her before she began to stumble and wobble with her step.
"Ruby?" Yang called, worried as she took off her helmet, looking at her sister and never seeing her like this. "You look exhausted! Are you okay?"
"Her aura is nearly spent." Fen caught Ruby on the rebound as she stumbled back on him before, without her consent, lifting her with a loud 'Eep' into the bridal position. "She needs to stop moving and rest. Even getting on that bike is probably not a wise idea in this state. Probably should call your Dad and tell him your sister isn't coming home for the night."
"That's for sure. Not with her driving." Blake commented, frowning as she saw the young girl's exhausted state before squinting her eyes at the blonde, who looked irritated at her dig at her driving. "What? Got something to say?"
Sliding off her bike, Yang scowled as she bore her gaze back into the bow-headed young woman. She did not like the look she was receiving and called her on it immediately as Fen headed inside with her sister. "You have a problem with me?"
"Yes, as a matter of fact, I do." Blake flatly stated and then glanced at her sister as Fen carried her to his house. "You allowed her to come to a White Fang base. That's all the excuse I need not to like you. Then from what I saw inside, it only further proved my point. You're reckless and put your sister's life in danger when you should have taken her home."
"That's, that's not…" Yang stammered, furious as she clenched her fist together, trembling as she looked away, a mixture of guilt washed over her.
"She clearly wasn't ready for that caliber of a fight. She's quite impressive for her age, better than I was, for sure. But against that guy and that girl who were there to kill," Blake turned and walked towards the door as she watched Fen enter his household, stopping to look back at Yang's form. "Well, I don't need to tell you what would have happened as you were too busy letting your emotions run amok."
Inhaling deeply, Blake turned around and walked through the door. For the first time in years, she was prepared to see Fen's family and knew it would be difficult.
Yang stood behind, her fists balling and unclenching them, tears welling in her eyes. Biting her lips, she grabbed her helmet and threw it into the ground, shattering it before falling to her knees. "I know, alright, I know! I screwed up! In so many ways…"
"I was about to die and put my sister's life in jeopardy again!" Tears spilled down her cheeks as light sobs racked her body while she clenched her thighs before hearing the caw of a bird, looking up and seeing a black feathered bird perched on her motorcycle.
A raven.
Yang sniffled and looked down and away, shuddering. "I am the worst kind of sister, aren't I? The harder I try to take care of my sister, the more harm I do. And yet, she remains so bright and optimistic. Always satisfied with whatever I do even when I fail her right before her face…"
"Why are you always here when I'm at my saddest, you stupid bird?" Yang muttered as she felt the flutter brush against her hair and its talons perch upon her shoulder, glancing at the strange bird in sad annoyance. "And why is your presence so comforting…"
"Mom, why aren't you here… Why isn't Summer here?" Yang sobbed as she scratched the bottom of the bird's beak, finding comfort in it. "Maybe I should keep you around… Probably better than watching over me than my mother ever was…"
"Ow! Why'd you peck me? Traitor!"
"Fen?" He heard his father's voice echo as he walked in with Ruby carried in his arms, quickly met by his father. "What happened? What's wrong? Shit, something bad happened! I knew it…"
"Job is done. They're on the run for now. They'll be back, though, so we need to keep our eyes open." Fen calmed his father, annoyed at his anxiety, before gesturing his head toward Ruby. "She's mostly exhausted after she slipped out and followed us. Took a few serious hits from someone far stronger than expected, so she needs some time to recover."
"Got the couch cleared off for now." Ze carefully spaced the couch, taking her time with her movements, and smiled as she watched her son gingerly bring and set the young girl down. "I'm so glad everything turned out mostly okay then and didn't go too awry. I was fearful when I heard the news of a fire breaking out downtown."
"We really need to get back on the same page, darling." Ben's face soured as his ears flattened on his head. "You could have let me know that's what you were feeling and what you thought it was…"
It wasn't my intention to worry you. You were already anxious enough as it was, and adding more would only have made it worse." Ze softly retorted, closing her eyes before smiling, seeing the door push open, expecting it to be her sister. "It's an excellent thing I prepared a larger meal than normal. It seems we'll have a few extra… Oh, another guest…"
Ze's face fell as her eyes saw who it was, and her tail fell limp. Ben scowled as he recognized who it was before sighing. His wife hoarsely whispered her name, knowing precisely who walked in. "Blake Belladonna. You, I did not expect."
Blake failed to meet Ze's gaze as she held an arm in front of her, looking away in shame as the bow on her head lay flat. She grimaced as the look was intense as it ever was. And it was unbearable as it felt similar to what she would undoubtedly receive from her mother.
A look of disappointment.
"I apologize for disappointing you, Aunty Ze…" Blake uncomfortably muttered, unable to meet Ze's eyes and her eyes shifting in every direction but towards her.
A deep exhale was her response. Followed by several footsteps.
Blake froze. What was she going to do?
Strike her? She deserved it. She had…
"Idiot girl, get rid of that. Where is your pride?" Ze softly picked the bow out of Blake's hair, letting her ears flourish and tossing it to the side before combing her hand through her hair, between her cat ears. "You are no disappointment. I made the same mistake as you and didn't leave until it was too late. Be proud that you recognized your mistake and corrected it."
"You weren't the only one, dear. Took a lot of convincing to get me to leave." Ben grumbled before taking a deep breath and shook his head. "Man, I wouldn't hear the end of it if we didn't bring you in. Damn, now I have to figure out how to get into contact…"
"No! Wait, I…" Blake's eyes lit up, shaking her head and pulling away from Ze's hand. "No, no, no! I can't impose! All of us together would paint a target…"
"You aren't going out on your own either, Blake!" Fen snapped at her, looking over at his room and frowning. "Now give me a minute so I can clean up my area. You're taking my bunk."
"How 'bout you share like old times? You two always looked so cute sleeping together when you were younger." Ze grinned, and both Blake and Fen turned rigid before shouting simultaneously.
"No!"
As Ze giggled at their reaction, Vix happily jumped and ran to the room. "Oh, I'll help! I'll clean my bunk so rose girl can sleep there tonight! You can have a big slumber party with crying girl outside!"
"Crying girl?" Fen frowned, noting that Yang hadn't come inside yet. "Wait, where is Yang? Is she still outside?"
"Didn't think my words would drive her to tears. She needed to hear that, but damn, could she not take it?" Blake muttered, and Fen's ears twitched, and he scowled at hearing that.
Blake reprimanded Yang outside before coming in?
He did have a few things he wanted to tell Yang about what had happened. But they were for him to say, no one else. And if Blake had done so for him…
It was very agitating.
Hearing the creak of the door, his attention was drawn to it. And his ears twitched again as a voice followed it.
"Yeah, I know, Dad. I apologize for not coming home tonight. …I'm sorry we got into a fight, and Ruby's really exhausted and can't make it home. …Staying at a friend's place. Yes, it is a guy's place, but don't worry. Another girl is spending the night here, and his mom knows we are all here…"
"Hand me the scroll, dear." Ze outstretched her hand asking for Yang's scroll so she could put the man's mind at ease.
"Here, I'm putting his mom on the scroll so you can talk to her." Yang wiped her eyes and handed the scroll over in relief. "Thank you. He can be…"
"Overprotective. I understand all too well." Ze smiled as her eyes glanced over Vix and Fen before pulling the scroll up to her ear. "This is Ze Aryl. I'm unsure what your daughter has told you thus far, but I assure you they'll be safe here for the night. They got into a harsh scrap tonight. It wasn't good. It involved the White Fang, and our oldest interjected themselves into the situation. Thankfully, they are both heading to Beacon, so they were more than capable of handling it…"
"Beacon?" Blake's eyes snapped to Fen, her golden eyes widening before a sliver of a smile crossed her lips, and her ears perked at that news. "That's wonderful news to hear!"
"Huh?" Fen and Yang glanced quizzically over at Blake, the latter wincing at how Fen's mother told the story to her father.
She was going to be in so much trouble when she returned home…
Blake only beamed, specifically at Fen, as her eyes closed and she tilted her head. "I was hoping to get accepted, so I sent my credentials and a letter explaining my situation to the headmaster."
"And I was accepted because I just received my letter!"
"How was I convinced to be in a room full of girls?" Fen scowled, lying on the floor of his room, ignoring the occasional brush of what felt to be a hand on his ears. "Blake, get your hand away from my ears."
"My fluffers…"
"They are not your playthings anymore! You are not six. Unless you want me to grab your ears, stop." Fen snarled while Blake snapped her fingers, much to his annoyance, as she rolled back fully onto his bed.
"Can I play with the fluffers?" Ruby's voice echoed from above, her silver eyes gazing down with curiosity as she watched the scene play out.
Fen's scowl doubled, and his gaze pierced through the darkness as he glared at the giggling Blake. "This is your doing! You corrupted her!"
"That's my sister you are talking about," Yang muttered, lying on the other end of the floor and rolled her eyes. "If you hadn't already figured it out, she is a beast of pure corruption incarnate. Runs on nothing but chocolate chip cookies and milk."
"Ah, thanks, Yang!" Ruby chirped with a bright smile despite her sister being unable to see it in the dim room. "Love you too!"
"So easy to feed, is what you're saying?" Blake grinned, and Yang bit back a curse as the two girls with black hair giggled on their respective beds, having a blast taunting the two blondes on the floor. "Good to know…"
"Yo, what's that supposed to mean?" Yang sat up and glared at the bottom bunk. "Are you trying to hit on my sister? I swear to Oum. I'll break you!"
"Relax, firecracker. You need to control that bark of yours. I was mostly joking." Blake rolled her eyes, kicking her left leg over her right while fluffing the pillow beneath her head. "Not like I'm interested in anyone currently, anyways. Got enough problems as is…"
"Adam?" Fen said, leaving it as if it were a question even though they both knew the answer.
Blake nodded as her ears flattened against her head at the thought of him, looking outside the small window with trepidation. She combed her hand around them nervously, wishing she still had her bow. However, Ze had discarded it, and she felt naked, not covering up with two non-Faunus within the room. She would have liked it if she needed…
"He's not outside. He's got too much to take care of then to be searching for us in the slums." Fen's voice echoed, and she felt him gently press down on the bed, alerting her to his presence. "You are safe here. We've been here for quite some time, and they haven't discovered us. And if by chance they find us, I'll take care of it. Not going to let them hurt you or my family, okay?"
Rolling away from the window, a sullen expression crossing her features, Blake quietly nodded as she faced Fen. Suddenly, she closed her eyes and shivered, noticing his proximity. "Can you, back up a little? Too close…"
Frowning as he noticed the shudder and her tenseness, Fen did as Blake requested. He repressed a snarl as she mildly relaxed as he returned to where he was lying. He knew they were together as much as he disliked. It would explain why she stated she wasn't interested in anyone. Her emotions were probably all over the place currently due to the…
"So you two have known each other for a long time?" Ruby asked from above, breaking the tension, glancing down and squinting from the top bunk to see Fen's image. "Like a really long time, it seems. Your families knew each other before coming here or something like that?"
"Hell, they were going out before they came here, from what he said to me," Yang commented, lying back on her side of the floor, twirling her hair in her fingers absently.
Blake shot up from the bed, her eyes glowing in the dark as she glared directly at Fen. "What did you tell her about me, Uzumaki?"
"Shit, I'm in trouble…" Fen flinched upon hearing his old life's last name and leaned away from the furious Faunus on his bed before attempting to soothe her. "Nothing to be upset about, I promise you that. You were brought up due to Adam being around and our shared history."
"Okay, that's fine…" Blake calmed before her ears became rigid again, and Fen cursed as Yang spoke up.
"Don't forget about the musk incident, as I sure as hell can't. Brought up that you had a girlfriend because your mom has been trying to set you up. For years apparently!" Yang gnashed her teeth, still upset about what happened earlier. "Still don't have that scent off me!"
Blake's face twisted in a snarl, her golden eyes gleaming directly at Fen, and then shifted straight at the blonde. His worry was when the shift to where Gambol Shroud was being stored and he knew her thought process…
"Blake…"
"You musked her?" Blake snapped at Fen, her eyes glowing with fury. "I think I have every right! She's not good enough for you!"
"Yo, what?" Yang sat up, her aura visibly brightening the room as it illuminated her in a fiery display. "You want to say that again? I've had enough of people saying I'm not good enough! I'll prove them all wrong!"
"Blake, we didn't have sex!" Fen defended what had happened and attempted to escalate the situation. "I was only transferring my musk to her so she could infiltrate the base with me since she was keen on coming with me."
"That's all?" Blake scowled unpleasantly, glaring at Fen momentarily, side-eyeing a furious Yang still glowing and fueled by her aura. "Good, because you can do way better than her. We can find someone at Beacon…"
"That is it!" Yang stood up from her bedding, staring directly at the Faunus girl. "I've had it up to here with you! First, you come at me about the mistakes I know I made about putting my sister and us in jeopardy. I know I screwed up, but you continue to mock me like this? Saying I'm not worthy? Fuck you! I'll prove to you that I am!"
"Yang!" Ruby exhaustedly tried to climb out of the top bunk to stop her sister. "Please don't start a fight here! I know you are upset and deservedly so…"
"She is bringing it on herself, so let's go!" Yang snapped and glared at the Faunus, who stared directly back into her gaze unflinchingly.
Blake matched Yang's intense gaze. But unlike the girl blazing with aura, she remained calm and aloof, watching the flickering flames of her aura curiously for a moment. She then flicked her hair to the side and shook her head. "We shall, but not here and now. You need to be able to take your sister home tomorrow. I would rather not leave you in a state where you are unable to do so and have to deal with you any longer."
Biting back a snarl as she wanted to take care of this at this moment, Yang scowled, seeing the look she received from Ruby and the glare both she and Blake received from Fen. He would stop this if they tried to fight here and now, so…
"When and where?" Yang gnashed through gritted teeth, her eyes glowing with hatred as her gaze bore into Blake's.
"One week from now, a few days before we head to Beacon," Blake responded in a collected tone. "I don't know the area well enough for a place, but I'm sure we can find one. I'll have Fen call you…"
"I don't have a scroll." Fen retorted, disapproving of this situation, but as long as it coming to a resolution, he wouldn't press it.
Sometimes a fight needed to happen to solve a difference. He knew that better than anyone considering how many people he had to beat down in order to talk to…
"How do you, never mind. That's a dumb question." Blake started as she turned to Fen and gazed back at the still-glowing dragon. "Fine, I'll take your number and call you when we find a suitable venue. Is that alright with you?"
"Rather not have your number in my scroll…" Yang bitterly responded, her aura fading as she took measured breaths to relax and control her Burn.
"The feeling is quite mutual." Blake spat with venom, her eyes squinting at the blonde in front of her. "But if we have an accord, let's call this for a night. I'm done upsetting everyone for the night, no?"
Yang bit back a snarl. It felt like she was baiting her into firing back up! Why was she so irritating? She just wanted to pound her face in!
"Fine," Yang let the last of her aura fade as she turned her back and slipped back into her bedding with a heavy thud, not caring if the floor was hard. "But I will prove you wrong! I'll prove to everyone that they've always been wrong about me. I'm more than what you think, dammit!"
"Heh, looking forward to it." Blake flicked her hair almost arrogantly, eyes gleaming pridefully. "Maybe you will, but I doubt so. Perhaps if I'm so inclined, I will permit you to seek a partnership with my Naruto."
"Huh?" Came from Fen and Ruby with varying inflections before Fen scowled at the cat in his room. "You and I need to discuss some things, but as long as you two aren't going to fight again tonight, fine. Let's call this a night."
"Right…" Ruby nodded in agreement, sadly hanging her head off the top bunk. "That sucked the air out of the room. I was having fun teasing. You're most likely gonna have to get used to girls at Beacon when you form teams and have to live with them for four years…"
"What?" Blake and Fen looked alarmed at this prospect, eyes widening as Fen looked directly up at Ruby, and Blake's ears twitched, carefully listening.
"You didn't know?" Yang commented, her tone still agitated as she looked at the wall facing away from them, rolling her eyes. "I guess they don't say anything. We only know that our parents were on the same team and from all the stories we were told. But yeah, you spend four years in a dorm with your team."
"It's infrequent for a team to be all one gender, but it depends on the initiation test, I guess," Ruby added, puckering her lips as she thought about it. "Changes year to year from what I hear from Uncle Qrow and Dad's friends, but the teams are mostly mixed. So yeah…"
"You are gonna have at least a girl on your team, I'm sure of it! So you better get used to living with one for four years." Ruby grinned, giggling at Fen's expression. "Oh, what if it was both Blake and Yang?"
"That would not be funny!" Blake and Yang roared simultaneously at Ruby before their eyes locked with one another, gritting their teeth before turning away and huffing.
Softly sighing and dropping his head, his ears drooping with him, Fen could only whine. He was more than comfortable living with a woman, having done it for years. He had Hinata. He spent many trips in the same room with Sakura on travels and missions.
That wasn't the issue. It was more interesting if it was someone he knew, particularly one of these two, as he could see the problems cropping up already.
"Joy this is gonna be as that's exactly how it will happen. I guarantee it." Fen muttered, laying down in his bedding and looking up at the ceiling, praying beyond hope that wasn't the case. "Oum, if you could give me one break."
"Give me someone that isn't them?"
"Uzumaki!"
"I take offense to that!"
"You did what?" A woman shrouded in the shadows, her amber eyes glowing furiously as she stared at the two before her.
"We intervened." Emerald bowed, begging for forgiveness to the shadowed woman as she bore her wrathful gaze upon them. "With how close our plans are to fruition, we thought it was in our immediate interest to act and take care of a possible threat…"
"I'm aware of who Kitsune no Ogami is, Emerald." The woman's voice sneered as she looked down at the ebony young lady in disgust. "He has made himself quite a name—a very feared individual in the Xiong clan. One Roman has recently caught up with but stayed clear from of his presence once he dug into his history. And I must say, it is quite a history. So much so that I have been searching for him myself to recruit him for our mistress's services."
"Say what?" Mercury scowled, adjusting his jaw as it was still sore despite having plenty of time to recover from the fight. "Are you serious? He seemed small time as he was only located in a single area and the slums at that. Who wants control of the slums?"
"Someone whose goal isn't to be a crime boss or lord." The woman elegantly responded with a rasp in her voice, tapping a single finger on her thigh. "Someone that aims to protect something precious to them. Something dear to their heart."
"He's protecting his family, most likely." Emerald quickly caught the shadow women's track and formulated a plan. "He has a vulnerability to exploit. We can…"
"You will do no such thing." The woman stood up from her seat, leaving the shadows, and her pale, delicate face and long black hair swept to the left side, taking swaying steps forward as she moved toward Emerald. "I would like to obtain his services and recruit him, so let's not upset him further. I believe he will be a very crucial asset to our success moving forward."
Stopping in front of Emerald, the exotic woman embraced and cupped her cheeks and lifted them so she was directly gazing into her eyes. "Do we have an understanding, Emerald?"
"Yes, my lady Cinder," Emerald spoke, attempting to coax the alarm out of her voice as she responded, knowing the woman in front of her was irate if she approached her affectionately.
"Good," Cinder rescinded her hands from Emerald's face, closing her eyes with a gentle smile before turning to Mercury. "Now go. Follow the plans, and do not expose yourself again. This time I believe it will be of hardly any consequence. They may know who you are, but not what our goal is or what we are up to. But next time…"
"I will personally hold you accountable for making that mistake again." Cinder's eyes opened, and a burning rage hotter than the pits of hell stirred within.
"Are we clear?"