A/N: PLEASE READ THIS NOTE, WOULD YOU KINDLY? Its got some important info.

EDIT: Blasted trolls in the comments. Can't we all get along? T_T

Just wanted to thank everyone for any feedback they give, large or small.

It really does keep me writing, more than you know. I can't write without it, I kid you not.

The life of a writer is a busy one and reviews are the only payment I'll ever receive. I just don't feel comfortable being paid for this.

That said, the newest episode certainly startled me something fierce. I'll not spoil anything for those of you who haven't seen it, no worries...lets just say it made nope right out. What the actual hell was that?! Folks were demanding that this be updated since the latest episode. So here we are.

Now then, onto your questions!

Q: Naruto still has the Rinnegan in addition to his occasionally burning eyes, yes? When will we learn how he got them?

A: There's a story and heaps of spoilers behind those two, so I'll let the story do the talking down the line.

Q: I'm guessing Mettle will feature in this story?

A: Naruto both knows and is aware of Ironwood's semblance. He's been told by James himself. If the good general steps out of line here...well. I needn't say what fate awaits him if he goes down the same path as volume eight. I'm sure we can think how our boy would react to canon Ironwood.

Thus far, James is stable in this story, thanks in no small part to Naruto.

Q: Oh, dear. That's gonna mess up Winter.

A: She DID just see her old man die right in front of her. But who did the deed...?

Q: So are you going to *SPOILER* with Penny and not to mention *SPOILER* as seen in the latest episode?

A: The latest volume was just a tad bit quicker than my update schedule; I'd planned something similar before they release the episode. Hey, that just makes my plans canon, no?

Q: Well, Cinder's fucked. She can barely handle Penny by herself, but if Naruto's around to back her up...don't suppose you'd be willing to show mercy?

A: After that last episode? Ha. Haha. Hahaha! Yeah...no. I may empathized with her in other stories, and I'll certainly finish them, but after the recent stunt she just pulled...

...well. Cinder, Cinder, Cinder. You've learned nothing at all, have you?

Alright then, I've kept you long enough.

Found a good song for this chapter. "Break Me Down" by Divide Music. You don't have to listen to it of course, but it really resonated with me while I wrote.

As ever, I own no references, themes or memes. Not a wit or a one!

Now, then. Grab some popcorn, because here we go~!

"I will keep moving forward. Until Salem is destroyed. I will sacrifice everything to stop her."

"But you don't have to, James. You have friends. Let us help you. You don't have to bear this burden alone, you know. That's what heroes do, general. They laugh at the odds. Besides, if you do something stupid I'll slap Mettle right out of you. And if I didn't, Penny certainly would! So no bombs! If Salem and her forces come here, I'll deal with them myself. They won't know what hit them. Tyrian certainly didn't.

...might I ask how you intend to deal with Salem herself? If she's truly immortal as those girls say, if she can't be killed...

"Ah, but I've dealt with immortals before! Just trust me, alright? Trust in me as I trusted in you."

"Alright. Sometimes I wonder where I would be without your advice...

"Lets not talk about that, shall we?"

~The Future.

Weight of the World

James knew his limits.

There were some words that shouldn't be said; some lines that shouldn't be crossed, some things that you just shouldn't do. Every action caused an equal and opposite reaction. Every choice held consequences. Even the tiniest pebble flung into a pond could create ripple, one that might become the mightiest of waves. A good general learned to accept them; to live with the ramifications of their decisions, to honor those they had lost, and move on. Such was life.

An excellent general remembered every fallen soldier, every accident, every disaster and learned from them. A truly great general swore to be better.

Mettle was a constant temptation in that regard. His semblance made things easy. Tempting even, to simply switch his emotions off and let cold logic guide him. There had been a moment -a brief one!- in the aftermath of the attack when he'd actually considered turning Atlas upside down in the search for Jacques' killer. The Schnee weren't well-liked among the Faunus community; perhaps the assassin might be lurking there. Perhaps they might be flushed out if one caused enough havoc.

He'd dismissed it of course. Altas and Mantle were his to protect. One could not exist without the other. Nor could they survive without the young man he was about to confront.

Steeling himself, he knocked on the door once more. No one responded. Just as before. James resisted the urge to simply tear the door off its hinges. It made sense that he wouldn't want to be disturbed after the horrors he had seen. He'd cooped himself up in there for the last week, after all. James sighed and keyed in the override code instead. It parted with a soft chime.

A put upon sigh greeted him as he entered the room. "Come to check up on me, have you?"

"...how did you know I was coming?"

"Steel hacked the cameras. She was bored."

Not for the first time, Ironwood found himself intensely grateful she was on their side.

Sprawled across his cot with one leg dangling haphazardly over the edge, Naruto refused to look at him. Listless eyes gazed at a point just below ceiling with manic focus, to the exclusion of everything else. James soon saw why. Chakra swirled through the whiskered warrior's upturned fingers, silently maintaining a small sphere of condensed wind. It hovered just above his chest, bobbing and swaying as he weaved both hands about to manipulate the air currents.

His fingers twitched, pulling the air apart, forcing it into a cohesive shape that mere air couldn't create.

A sword was formed. Now a shield. The shape of a girl, distant and indistinct.

"What is that?"

"An idea." the boy muttered. "Something to pass the time."

A pall of painful silence stretched between shinobi and general alike.

Finally, James could hold his tongue no longer. "How are you holding up?"

Naruto laughed; it was a bitter and rusty sound, a noise that caromed off the confines of his room to slap James across the face. He knew the sound well. It was the sound of a man who had his entire worldview turned on its head. No doubt he was listless. Restless. Devoid of hope. Confined to his quarters, he had been very much alone with his thoughts for quite some time...and dark thoughts they seemed to be.

"How do you think? I watched a man die." he clapped his hands, and his creations vanished. "I keep seeing the scene replay in my mind. Just...pop."

He smacked his lips and shook his head.

"I once watched a man with these very same eyes bring back the dead." he mused, touching one hand to a Rinnegan orb. "Sounds fantastic, doesn't it? Instant respawns." he kept speaking, quashing a see of hope before it could take root in the general's heart. "But I don't know how. I don't think I can." a lone finger tapped his head. "I remember the handseals; I was there when he did it...but when I tried it didn't work." his brow turned stormy. "There's a block. I can't figure out how to get around it."

James didn't know what to say to that. In the end, he settled for silence.

When next Naruto spoke, his voice sounded incredibly small.

"This ain't a dream, is it?"

Despite his best attempts to maintain a stoic facade, Ironwood winced. Beliefs were a fragile thing. He knew that more than most. Naruto's delusion that this was just that -a dream!- had been a crutch, one he'd leaned on heavily...until reality stripped it away. Life was cruel like that. Sometimes it was best to just tear the bandage off and be done with it.

"No." he straightened his back and steeled his heart. "It isn't. Winter has been placed on psychiatric leave. I thought you should know."

Naruto flinched. James knew why.

"She hates me."

Winter wouldn't speak to him. To either of them. She'd refused any all contact and shut herself away in the Schnee manor with her mother. James couldn't blame her. Whatever and whoever Jacques might have been, at the end of the day he was still her father. It wasn't an easy thing to lose a parent; least of all when they were gunned down right in front of you.

Sometimes, James wondered if he should feel bad about the death of Jacques. He didn't.

Oh, he pitied Winter for the pain she was in, and he empathized with the sheer shock Naruto suffered. But beyond that? Nothing. Perhaps that made him cruel. He didn't think so. Remnant was well rid of the bastard. His killer had done the world a service. As far as he was concerned, they deserved a medal for their services...if the investigation produced any results. As things stood, it didn't seem so. His killer had covered their tracks with meticulous care. Pity. He would've liked to recruit them. Skills like that were best used in service to one's kingdom.

Not that he would ever give voice to such thoughts of course.

"Your innocence isn't in question here." he spoke slowly, careful not to upset the young man sprawled out before him. "Penny recorded everything. The courts would be foolish to prosecute you."

Some would try, the fools. Jacques had many friends. Powerful friends. Even dead the man still haunted them. A muscle jumped in his jaw.

"If anyone tries to press charges against you, I'll bury them." his fist slammed against the wall, pounding a vicious dent into the steel. "I will not seen an innocent man clapped in irons for a crime he did not commit! Even if I have to storm the council myself and-

That shocked Naruto out of his stupor. "James!"

"I'm sorry." Ironwood reeled back, realizing what he'd nearly said, what he had honestly contemplated, if only for a moment. "I let my anger get the better of me. It won't happen again."

"Then talk me through it." here at last, Naruto sat up. "Tell me what happens next."

Next? There was still so much to do! So much to-no. Calm. He must remain calm. He couldn't let Mettle consume him. It was so easy to rely on it, to simply become the machine and harden his heart to all else. He'd been better once; a fresh-faced recruit, pure in his dreams and ambitions. Before he'd found his semblance. Before the dual weight of Headmaster and General fell upon his shoulders. Before...so many things.

In the end, soldiers were only as capable as their morale. Naruto was no soldier, he was so much more than that. And he owed him an explanation.

"It certainly doesn't reflect well upon me." he began to pace, keenly aware of the blond's piercing gaze upon him. "Some will say I had a hand in this, of course. Even if I didn't seek to silence Jacques, they will claim I had something to gain from his death."

"Did you?"

"No. He was a nuisance and our kingdom is well rid of him, but I did not kill the man. You have my word."

Naruto frowned at him, those rimmed violet eyes flecked with hints of blue. James wondered if the boy believed him. He hoped so. He'd crossed his fair share of lines in the past, but he liked to believe he was somewhat above murdering a man in cold blood. He was many things, but he wasn't a murderer. He wouldn't let himself fall that far. He refused. He'd sooner take a gun to his head.

"Alright." Naruto leaned back, a bit of life returning to his eyes. "I believe you."

James blinked, briefly taken aback. "Just like that?"

"Course." the boy wrinkled his nose. "You're a good guy, James. Just under a lot of stress."

More than he knew!

"Besides, I've gotten better about sensing lies. You're telling the truth." those eerie eyes regarded him anew, watching him intently. "You had no part in his death." He pushed himself off the cot and stood, wincing only a little at his stiffness. Go on. I'm listening."

"Naturally," Ironwood resumed his pacing, "My enemies -and I have more than I care to admit!- will use this against me. There will be an inquiry."

Naruto frowned. "What does that mean?"

"Its pointless bureaucracy. Nothing you need concern yourself with. You should go out. Get some fresh air. Take some time to recuperate."

Otherworldly eyes flashed. "James. Let me help."

Ironwood pinched the brow of his nose, trying to stifle a strange fusion of a smile and a sigh. So curious, this one. That was good. Maybe he needed someone to question him. He'd grown too used to acting with complete autonomy. Unquestioned, unchallenged, he had made mistakes. Perhaps this was for the best. Checks and balances. That sort of thing.

"You already gave your statement." James reassured him quickly before doubt could creep in. "It mostly paperwork at this point."

Naruto flopped back down to the bed with a groan. "Yeah, can't really help with that."

"I thought not. Would you like to see Penny, then? She's been guarding Freya." With the sudden death of Jacques he'd feared the worse. But now, seven days later, nothing came of it. "I'm sure she's missed you."

Naruto's head rose. Understanding dawned in his eyes as the flickered back into his true blue. "You thought she'd be attacked."

"I did. Clearly I was too cautious." A faint smile creased his bearded visage. "Perhaps its time we relieved her?"

Naruto shot out the door like a heat-seeking missile.

(.0.0.0.)

"Hello~!"

Penny was indeed delighted to be relieved from her lonely vigil at Freya's side.

She was delighted to see Naruto as well. She was not delighted by the sight of the dark circles around his eyes, however.

Naruto looked tired. Worn in a way he had not been before. As if he'd barely eaten or slept at all in the last few days. A quick scan confirmed her suspicions. That would not do. He was her friend, after all. Friends looked after one another and she...she did not like seeing him like this. Naruto was meant to be happy. He was supposed to smile. Not slink into the room looking like a kicked puppy. And if Naruto was unhappy, that meant her sister, Steel, was also unhappy in his head. That distressed Penny even more. It made her angry. Penny did not like being angry.

Well! She knew one way to remedy their woes. Father always told her this method was most effective when it came to relieving stress.

'Code Red! Target acquired!' Green eyes narrowed with intent. 'Taking aim! Prepping thrusters...FIRE AT WILL!'

Naruto grunted in surprise as Penny's head slammed into his chest in a sudden tackle. Anyone else would've been flattened or knocked down. The blond merely stepped back half a pace. Penny pounced, utilizing that brief moment of blank uncertainty to wrap her arms around his chest, all but pinning his arms to his side. There! Now he couldn't wriggle free. Mission accomplished.

He blinked down at her. "...what are you doing?"

"Do you feel better now?" Guileless green eyes looked up at him intently. "Father tells me hugs fix everything." Naruto trembled a little in her arms, but not from fear. "I am prepared to hug you as long as I must." When he opened his mouth to argue, her smile only redoubled. "You may struggle if you wish."

Her ally frowned. "Penny, lemme go already!"

She shook her head, sending her hair swaying. "I will not."

Behind them, Ironwood actually chuckled. "Best do as she says, son. There's no stopping her when she's like this."

"Indeed!" she chirruped, delighted with the general's assessment. "I believe Father has a term for a situation such as this." long lashes fluttered in a brief blink. "Shut up and accept my generosity? Yes! I believe that is the phrase."

"..."

"You are a good person, Naruto." Penny forced herself to speak slowly, trying to make him understand, willing her words to reach him through the mental walls he'd flung up. "A bit silly perhaps, but I like that." her cheeks dimpled in a smile. "I am glad to have met you." she paused, waiting to see if he'd struggle free. When he didn't, she bulled on. "What happened to Jacques is not your fault." his face twitched and she knew she'd struck a chord deep inside of him. "Winter will understand someday."

"He died because of me. If I'd just controlled myself, if I'd been aware...I could have done something!"

"No." Penny shook her head. "The bullet killed him. Not you. Your are innocent."

"She said I'm a monster. That its my fault he got shot."

Winter was consumed by grief. And in her grief she lashed out at those she deemed responsible. Naruto happened to be the closest target. Misguided though it might be, Penny found she could not fault the specialist. She suspected she would be...cross should a disaster befall her own Father. More than cross. She would be devastated. Would she lash out as Winter had? Difficult to say. But she would surely be upset.

"Then she is wrong." she pursed her lips in a scowl. "Pay her words no mind."

...I punched him." His voice warbled. She sensed his resolve falter.

"Good." Penny huffed. "He deserved that."

Naruto muttered something then.

She didn't hear it.

Penny could not feel sensation as humans could. Even with nerve receptors her ability to experience "touch" had ever proven limited. Nevertheless, she was aware when Naruto moved. The whiskered warrior made a noise torn somewhere between a gasp and a sob and collapsed against her. He shifted in her grasp, not to escape as she feared, but rather to wrap his arms around her waist. His chin came down around her shoulder and those arms tightened around her, not simply squeezing, but clinging, afraid she might evaporate at any moment.

So she held him.

Naruto didn't cry. He was too stubborn for that, even now. But he didn't let go either. Penny found she didn't mind. She wasn't sure how long they stood like that. Seconds? Minutes? Hours? Likely the former rather than the latter, but again, that suited her just fine. Hugs always made everyone feel better, sooner or later.

"Thanks," he croaked at last and stood just a bit straighter. "I think I needed that. Steel says the same."

His smile warmed Penny to her core and lifted the burden that had plagued her mainframe as of late. And yet. There was a silence. She couldn't bring herself release him. Why her chest hurt? she found herself spurred on by the sudden urge to cling onto him tighter, to whisper in his ear and tell him everything would be alright. She wanted to make him understand. Spirits, he hadn't done anything wrong...!

Naruto chuckled, sounding more like himself. "Penny, you can let go now. I'm good. Really."

She held tight instead, trying to puzzle out this strange new feeling. Why didn't she want to let him go? She'd not felt this before. Such a strange feeling.

A blond eyebrow arched. "Penny?"

"Just a moment."

"Ahem." Ironwood coughed into the ensuing silence. "I hate to interrupt, but I'm afraid I must ask. How is she...?"

Penny winced but a little and released her best friend. Only then did she risk a glance at her charge. Freya hadn't said a word. Naturally. She was sound asleep. She'd been sleeping for quite some time now. It had begun to worry her. Would she ever wake up?

"Her health has declined, sir. We talked a bit yesterday. I think she recognized me in the beginning, but by the end she was rambling."

"Are you the one?"

Those words birthed a strange pain felt a strange pain in Penny's chest. She should not be the one. That place was meant for friend-Winter.

Naruto scooted past her and moved to inspect Freya. "You said you've given her some of my blood...?"

"We performed a transfusion, yes." James stepped up beside him, and Penny followed. "She stabilized for a time, but as you can see...

"Yeah. Just a minute." he frowned. "Sakura taught me a little, but I'm not very good at it...

Penny watched Naruto intently as closed his eyes. Calloused palms rose, hovering a few inches over her Freya's head. They pulsed green for a moment, the glow faint and flickering. His brow furrowed. A bead of sweat ran down his jawline. Another beaded across his forehead. He made a noise of discontent.

"Steel?"

Penny couldn't hear her sibling in his head, but she must've said something Naruto disliked; for his scowl redoubled.

Her auditory receptors detected the faintest whisper.

"This would be so much easier if I still had that mark! Damn it!" He pulled away and wiped the sweat from his face. "Physically I can't find anything wrong with her beyond old age. It could be her mind. You said she was forgetting things. How old is she?"

Penny told him.

"Really?" Naruto winced. "Then its a miracle she's still alive."

James sighed. "Its as I feared, then. There's nothing you can do?"

"Nothing off the top of my head." The blond demurred with a shrug. "You could give her more of my blood if you're really keen on that, but she might not survive a transfusion. She's no spring chicken."

"She won't last much longer in any case."

"Hey." Naruto frowned. "Don't talk about her like she isn't alive."

And there it was. Penny felt a frown pluck at the corner of her mouth. Freya wasn't long for this world. It seemed cruel to admit aloud, but she'd been in decline for quite some time and faded more with each passing day. How much longer would she last? Weeks? Months? More? Less? From a logical perspective, it might be best to put her out of her misery.

Her soul disagreed. A life was a life. To simply snuff Freya out for the sake of convenience felt wrong.

"Penny, you should know that Winter has threatened to resign from the military." Ironwood continued, confirming her worst fears. "Even assuming she makes a full recovery and returns, she'll almost certainly have obligations in the SDC." here at last his craggy visage pursed in a grimace. "Its a shame, really. I'd like nothing more than to leave it to her mother, but Willow's not crawled out of a bottle in years. I don't see why she would now. That said...

'Here it comes.'

His gaze pinned Penny.

...in the future, we may need you to become the Winter Maiden."

Naruto hissed in surprise. Penny blinked, rather taken aback herself. Once. Twice. Thrice. The strange tugging sensation in her chest returned, but this time a foreign feeling came with it. Fear of the unknown. Uncertainty. She'd rarely experienced such before. She disliked this feeling. Pushing it back, she willed herself to meet her superior's gaze.

"What would be expected of me?"

"Less than you think, really." James temporized with a raised hand. "I have no intention of hiding you away as Ozpin did Amber. You should be out there on the front lines, taking the fight to the enemy."

Penny smiled. "With my boyfriend?"

Naruto palmed his face. "You really need to learn the proper meaning of that word!"

She tilted her head toward him. "Do I? I believe I was using it correctly? After all, you are both a boy and my friend!"

The blond coughed and the tiniest smile plucked at Ironwood's face, like a weary uncle bemused by the antics of a silly niece and nephew.

"Yes," he chortled quietly. "It seems he's amenable to that idea."

Penny bit her lip. "May I have time to consider it?"

"Of course. This is not an easy burden to bear and would not have you make your decision lightly." his hand came down on her shoulder. "But please, don't take too long. We need to be able to access the Relic of Creation if it comes to that. The Staff cannot fall into enemy hands. And if Atlas does fall-

"If it comes to that, I'll catch it."

Penny blinked slowly.

Ironwood joined her. "You can do that?"

"Yup." Naruto's smile held no doubt. "Believe in me."

Penny wanted to, but logic wouldn't allow her. One man could not carry a floating city. It just wasn't possible. And yet Naruto claimed he could. Who was she to doubt him? She'd never seen him truly cut loose before. He might be able to do it. Might. The thought nagged at her like a bad circuit board.

"Which brings me to my next order of business." The good general didn't miss a beat. "Naruto."

The blond looked away from Freya, lost in his own thoughts. "Hmm?"

"I'd like you to head up a squad once the inquiry ends. An elite task force, if you will."

"Is that a good idea? I don't really have all that much experience when it comes to leading troops. No." Comprehension broke like the dawn and his eyes bulged wide. "You want me to form my own team? As in pick and choose people?! Nope!" his arms slammed into an x-shape. "No way! Bad idea!"

James countered instantly. "You can have Penny."

Naruto's neck audibly cracked as he spun around. "Nevermind! Sold!"

Penny lacked the ability to flush as a human might, but she was pleased by the reversal all the same.

Operative Marrow is a reasonable sort." she offered her own input. "As is Agent Clover. Both have expressed contrition for attacking you." So had Elm and the rest, but she chose not to mention that. Her eyes sought out Ironwood instead. "Are you suggesting we disband the ACE ops, sir?"

The general shook his head. "Think of it as...restructuring."

Naruto grimaced. "They attacked me. Why would I want to work with any of them?"

"I know you've had your differences," Ironwood put in, "But would you be willing to put them behind you? For the sake of Atlas?"

"I...will if they do." The shinobi grit his teeth. It sounded rather painful to Penny. "But I want to speak with each of them first. Alone."

"I'll arrange a meeting." James noticed his tension, of course, and was masterful enough to deflect it. "Another time, then. I'll not have anything for until the end of the inquiry at any rate. Why don't the two of you take a bit of shore leave in the meantime?"

"Seriously?!"

Now it was Penny's turn to perk up. "May we?"

"You will have free reign of Atlas and Mantle of course. Enjoy yourselves."

Penny intended to do just that.

Was this a date? She searched her memory banks, acquiring relevant data. It felt like a date. Maybe this time it would be. Father said she should experience one at least once. The thought made her core feel oddly warm, but it was not an unpleasant sensation. Emotions were strange things, Penny found. She wasn't sure what this feeling was; didn't know how to explain the pleasant heat in her chest. But she was nothing if not determined. After all, she had faced worse obstacles in the past. What was this then, if not another?

Thus, she said the first thing that came to her mind. "May we visit my father in Mantle?"

Naruto shrugged. "Sure. Why not?"

Mistakes were made.

(.0.0.0.)

This was Mantle?! How did people live like this?!

Naruto stumbled through the streets and felt his stomach roil with nearly every step. This place was heaving with negativity. Too many individuals packed too tightly together. So much misery. It set his teeth on edge and he had physically fight the urge to grind them again. The cold was bad enough, but with all these buildings wedged in like sardines and so much more...it hurt just to be here.

"Is something wrong?

"No, its nothing." he feigned a smile just for Steel, even if he didn't feel it. "You wanted to show me around, right? Lets keep going."

Penn paused beside him. Green eyes regarded his intently. "Do you require another hug?"

"Penny, no. I'm fine. Really, I don't need a-

"Hugging protocol engaged!"

Her head came to rest under his chin with all the force of an artillery cannon. This time, Naruto was ready. He caught her by the waist and a quick twirl bled off her momentum before he set her down. Honestly, he was beginning to think hugs were her thing. It was...well, adorable didn't even begin to describe it. Just having her around burned the clouds away from his thoughts, if only for a little while.

Penny grinned up at him. "Do hugs always make you feel this warm inside?"

"From you?" He chuckled and patted her head. "Yeah. They do."

Her eyes sparkled. "Wow~!"

"Thanks." This time his smile felt genuine when she let him go. "Sometimes, I don't know what I'd do without you."

They walked in silence for a time, simply enjoying the quiet comfort that came with one another's company.

It was not to last; because this was real. And if this was real, it meant disaster could strike at any moment. The thought hounded Naruto.

At the reminder, he felt his throat go dry. His mouth work wordlessly, but no words would come. It didn't make sense. that didn't make sense. This was a dream. People didn't die in dreams...unless this was real. This felt real. Terribly, horribly real. People didn't die in dreams. And if they "did" they came right back. Jacques wasn't coming back. Winter was still weeping over him back home. Ergo, this place couldn't be a dream. People died when they were killed. The realization nagged at him, a persistent thorn that kept catching at his thoughts.

It proved a sobering thought.

When they found a food-stand, Naruto ordered out of habit more than anything else. He'd not eaten all day and a hot dog sounded like just the thing. Simple, quick, and efficient. He bought one for himself and another for Penny, tipped the elderly faunus behind the card for good measure, and offered his friend their hard-won bounty.

Penny blinked back at him. "I cannot eat."

"Nor I." Steel chirruped.

Naruto winced. "Kinda forgot about that."

Steel murmured, barely a whisper in his head. "..too."

Naruto didn't quite hear her. "I'm sorry, did you say something?"

She spoke again, her voice incredibly small. "I want to be a real girl, too...

"Do not worry, boyfriend." Penny's smile hurt him more than he cared to admit; because it didn't reach her eyes. Even her words sounded a tad hollow. "You did not offend me."

Well, now he really did feel like an arse. Penny and Steel were people to him. It was so easy to forget they weren't flesh and blood. Steel didn't even have a physical body. But like Penny, she existed. They existed. They were real. Each of their lives had meaning. And here he'd gone and reminded them just how different they were. Naruto glanced at the food, still warm in his hands.

"Excuse me." Someone tapped his shoulder, startling him terribly. "You wouldn't happen to be Naruto Uzumaki, would you?"

He rounded on the speaker with a low growl, irritated at having been plucked from his musings.

"What is it? Can't you see we're in the middle of something?!"

He found himself face to face with a white-haired woman clad in worn traveling leathers. Keen violet eyes regarded him, lidded and intent, like a bird of prey. Beneath such an intent gaze, he felt himself stiffen but a little, suddenly made wary by her very presence. He hadn't sensed her coming, suggesting she was either terribly light of foot, she hadn't wanted to be noticed, or there was a semblance of some sort involved. When he dared a glance past her, he realized she hadn't come alone. She was flanked by two women he didn't recognize. But they were armed. That was enough arouse his suspicions. beneath such an intent

"My name is Robyn Hill." Her hand clamped down on his shoulder. "I need to have a word with you. Now."

Naruto frowned at her and shook her palm off. "And I should talk to you because...?

"Oh!" Penny perked up. "Are we making new friends?! I cannot wait!"

The distant wail of a Grimm alarm put paid to those very words. Screams chased it, suggesting the Grimm in question were quite close indeed. Despite the danger, Naruto almost smiled. Almost. Well. It seemed fate had a sick sense of humor; now he had the perfect excuse just chance to turn this "Robyn" person down. After all, he couldn't chat with her while lives were in danger now, could he?

Penny's subtle smile suggested she felt the same. "It seems we will have to wait!"

...what she said." Naruto shrugged, "Sorry, but there's work to be done."

When Penny raced away, he pivoted and bolted after her with a slight smile of his own. Nope. Not sorry. Not all. He didn't want to talk to a stranger right now. Not at all.

Much to his chagrin, Robyn and her entourage followed in their footsteps almost immediately.

Pesky girl. Seemed he wouldn't be rid of her that easily after all...

How little he knew.

A/N: Battle next chapter!

Actions have consequences Naruto. You'd do well to remember that.

That said, its actually kind of fun writing Ironwood as a morally grey character.

Well, looking forward to your reviews! Peace out!

As ever, reviews are the lifeblood that keep me alive. Without them, I'd just go back into hibernation. Simple as that. All this incredible feedback helps keep us inspired and helps us to sustain the crazy updating pace we've been at thus far.

Without them we just wither away in the silence...

So In the Immortal Words of Atlas...

...Review, Would You Kindly?

Have some previews!

And a warning.

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!

SPOILERS FOR VOLUME EIGHT AHEAD!

READ AT YOUR OWN RISK LEST YE BE SPOILED!

(Preview)

"Up and at 'em Schnee. We've got a war to win."

Winter growled. "Go away. This is all your fault! Leave!"

"I will not. Why are you mourning a father who never loved you?"

...there was a time when I thought he did."

"..."

"Alright, then." Naruto plonked down at the foot of her bed. "You think you had a shitty childhood? Let me tell you about my parents...

People can bond over pain.

"James...I need to use the staff for a minute. There's something I want to test."

"That depends. Will you put it back?"

"What do you take me for?!"

Ambrosius boomed a laugh.

"How amusing. A man who is neither alive nor dead."

Naruto told him what he needed. "But I need you to float the city afterward."

...you do realize I can only create one thing at a time."

"Yeah, but I've found a bit of a loophole...

"So. This is what pain feels like. Fascinating. Truly fascinating. But that hurt. That hurt a lot. It HURT like hell."

"No." No, that wasn't possible. Cinder stiffened as the girl's corpse rose began to rise. "What are you?!"

"Greetings!" Cobalt blue orbs rose to regard her. "I am Steel. Pleased to make your acquaintance."

Then those lovely eyes narrowed to vivid, vicious violet slits.

"Activating instant kill mode. Have a nice day."

R&R~!