Starting the focus a little early here.
But I was struggling with Chapter 33 with Hushed Dreams yesterday and decided to work on this instead.
Wrote the entire chapter in a single day...
Yeah, this story is just on the brain and stress reliever for me to work on.
Also, addressing anything with Neo here...
Yeah, the ship is staying Naruto and Blake.
Just because Naruto gave her speech...
Doesn't trump what Roman is to her in her heart.
Roman would have to FUCK UP for that to change.
Just look at what she does in Volumes 6 to 9 for that proof of seeking revenge for his death.
Enough said.
Fixed a massive continuity error thanks to Otsutsuki no Yami! Appreciate it! Pointed out something I screwed up and didn't recognize immediately that Naruto could not have done with one hand.
The problem with writing multiple stories...
For such an unassuming establishment…
The club was bouncing, and the translucent dance floor was packed.
But the esthetic and color were a bit drab, to be honest. The primarily white light flashing with an occasional switch to red was an odd choice. Considering all workers wore black and white or red suits or red and white dresses, it started to make sense.
"Place seems to have an audience." Naruto mused, pursing his lips as he switched in with his clone and quickly took in the scene. "Ya know, it makes sense to run an operation under a business like this. Ero-sennin… My master had a series of spy networks established through… Less than reputable places."
"People will always seek pleasure and be less on guard in such establishments." Blake glanced around the area in disgust, crossing her arms over her chest before her eyes snapped open wide. "Ero… Nevermind. You stated your master was an open pervert before."
"Yeah, got to stop calling him that, though." Naruto chuckled and scratched his head before profoundly exhaling. "Might have been what he was, but he was honorable… when he chose to be… And ever since he passed away, I've been trying to show my master more respect in memoriam, ya know. Gotta show him some respect in what way I can."
Blake smiled and nodded in understanding before her ears perked as they made their way to the bar, seeing a certain blonde over there and whispering curiously. "Do I dare ask what he did to deserve a nickname like that?"
"A worthless teacher I was assigned to caught him peeping on women in the bathhouse the very first time I met him while I was training to walk on water." Naruto closed his eyes and grinned, and Blake's eyes widened in horror and then burned with righteous fury. "He called him out on it, got his ass kicked. Decided to make him my teacher then and there as he was just better, but he refused me. Couldn't let him get away with it, so I followed him around, continuously calling him that until he relented and took a brat like me under his wing. Name stuck, though."
Blake blinked at the quick story told as they arrived at the bar and slowly took a seat. She then dropped her head and sighed. "Why is that not surprising considering what little I know of you… Please tell me you weren't planning on giving me a name?"
"Mah, I had a name picked out and then learned more about your people, and now I know a little better… So not using that! Gotta come up with something else more fitting!" Naruto nervously laughed and rubbed the back of his head, and Blake stared at him before rolling her eyes.
"Why am I not… At least you are learning."
"See! Improvement!" Naruto grinned before looking over at the bar with a twinkle in the eye. "Now… Is there a legal age of drinking here or…"
"Yo, what?" Yang, sitting a few seats away from them, overheard that comment and butted into their conversation. "You are joking, right? There ain't no way you are the legal age to drink as you look younger than me. You gotta be twenty-one to drink, and even Huntsman can't skirt around that."
"You serious!" Naruto looked legitimately shocked by this revelation. "Ya know, that kind of sucks! I'm so used to not having to worry about that, even though I never really touch the stuff all that often. Always used to grab a drink when I was with Baa-chan or Master when we stopped in bars."
Blake's bow stiffened upon hearing this as Yang's eyes bulged before her eyes squinted. Before she could say anything, as Blake did not want others to get suspicious about Naruto's whereabouts, Blake quickly covered. "Ah, so you had supervision then. That's different as some parents allow that…"
As Naruto was about to question what Blake was talking about, even though her eyes were clearly shifting to Yang and trying to point out the obvious to the oblivious one, Naruto tilted his head. Something else had caught his eye.
While he knew they were there looking for information on Malachites, he had yet to see the twin sisters, who supposedly worked in this bar, and they had information on what they looked like and even photos…
There was a man talking to the bartender.
To the owner of the establishment, Junior himself.
He had on a slick, popped-collar white tailcoat suit with red lining with a gray scarf tied symmetrically around his neck. Stylish black pants that were pressed and delicately taken care of. Shined black shoes and strapped black gloves that nearly went to his elbows.
And the most essential feature, auburn hair with long bangs swept to the right side that nearly covered the wicked gleam in his dark green eyes.
Oh, he also had a black bowler hat with a feather tucked into its red band, but that was the least noticeable feature he possessed…
Everyone had to have some headgear to look stylish. Was everyone trying to copy him?
The nerve! How dare he be more stylish than him? And do it without wearing orange! Having orange hair didn't count!
That was cheating!
Wait, hold on…
Pulling out his paper scroll, a frown on his face, Naruto's eyes darted to the names and descriptions he listed. "Oh… That's why that description sounded familiar. Um… Blake."
"I see them." Blake's eyes were drawn to a different spot of the club, making Naruto frown when he followed his gaze and cursed under his breath.
There were both the sisters, carrying drinks in their hands, conversing with one another, stepping off the dance floor while dragging a limp man behind them…
Probably someone that stepped too far out of line and paid the price.
These sisters were deadly, and he knew it. At least he could feel he was alive…
Just unconscious.
Naruto chuckled. Hopefully, his ego would be in check when he woke up as he looked like one of those lady's men that were full of themselves. He had seen the type before. Unfortunately, the act was compelling enough that most men could get away with it, but when pushed on the wrong women…
Results like what he most likely experienced followed.
"Oh, well, that complicates things." Naruto tilted his head and grinned before jerking his thumb where he was looking. "Because, um… Look over there. We have multiple sightings."
Blake's eyes dilated, and her attention drew to where Naruto was looking to see the man walking away from Junior and hissed under her breath. "Are you serious? He's here right now! Okay, I wasn't expecting that! I knew this place was a hot spot thanks to Tukson's information… Gah, this is a problem. He's known for giving Huntsman the slip. One wrong move and…"
"I'm full of wrong moves, so what's the worst that can happen?" Naruto grinned, and Blake deadpanned and facepalmed at his response.
"I partnered with an idiot…"
"Hey, I'm not that bad, ya know. I've made improvements over the years." Naruto pouted, making Blake glare at him before he cheekily grinned and gently pointed over just past them. "Could be worse, though. Could be partnered with a different blonde idiot."
Blake's eyes squinted, and he turned around immediately to find Yang beside Junior, her hand right between his legs, her eyes burning fiercely… "Oum no… Is she…"
"Literally squeezing his balls and making him beg for mercy for information." Naruto blinked at the scene he witnessed as several suited guards ran to guard. "No, subtly. No tact. Straight to the point. I don't even think I'm that bold! Like start with the fingers or something! Ya have to escalate to that point, ya hear? Start small, blondie! Also, not in front of the man's cronies! You're just asking for a fight!"
Blake awkwardly glanced over at Naruto, questioning his loud advice to the no-tact blonde about to start a brawl in this club. She wanted to say something, but seeing the twinkle in his eye, she recognized something was brewing in his mind.
"Naruto…" Blake growled as several of the henchmen heard his comments and made their way to her. "What are you doing? This isn't helping…"
"Do you trust me?"
"Not at the moment!"
"Mah, you worry too much!" Naruto grinned, and Blake seethed at his response before she blanched back at what he said next. "Your worries are holding you back, ya know? Not one to tell ya how to do something, but if it's eating, maybe you should find some way of working on it that's best for you?"
"What?" Blake's eyes shimmered as she bit her lip, tripping over her seat and barely able to catch on to the bar behind her. "Dammit, don't you use your abilities on me! That's a breach of my privacy!"
"I didn't need to. I've been able to see it in your eyes for a while since you came to find me after the hospital." Naruto calmly responded as his face slid into a more cool and relaxed demeanor as they were surrounded. "I could see you were afraid and unsure of yourself… Can't blame ya on that. I'm in a similar situation, ya know."
"Hey! You two!" One of the goons, each carrying modified fire axes, which Naruto felt was an inappropriate weapon to wield in a club, confronted them. "If you are with that girl, I suggest you hit the road…"
"Nah!" Naruto grinned, his cerulean eyes glinting as his eyes trailed over to the retreating back of an individual who could care less, making sure his voice was loud enough to carry. "She's just here for fun and a fight, so you might want to go take care of her… As there goes your boss."
"Boss!" Several goons cried and quickly rushed out to the dance floor as screams echoed and people started rushing the dance floor.
"And I thought you made scenes…" Blake muttered, her bow flattening as she watched what unfolded on the dance floor.
Naruto only grinned as a few goons remained on the bar level with them before two particular individuals stepped toward them. Their cold, mineral eyes stared directly at him as he smirked. "Oh, and just what is it you are here for? It seems like you are here to stir up trouble as well, and we don't take kindly to that, do we, dear sister?"
"I dare so we do not, Militia." The sister in white responded, her eyes glinting with ill intent as she stepped forward.
"I'm here for business, actually." Naruto's grin was wide as could be as the twins scowled, ready to make a move, while Blake's hand slowly made her way to the hilt of Gambol Shroud as she hunched into a battle stance. "A bounty, you may say. The name Roman Torchwick ring any bells? Over six feet? Sauve gentlemen with the best color of hair in the world."
"You… Must be joking." Militia scoffed and rolled her eyes as she relaxed and almost laughed. "You are after Roman?"
"You are hardly worth his time." Melanie laughed as the man stopped in his tracks, having amusingly turned to look upon this called bounty hunter that was trailing after him with a gleam in his eye. "A child like you should know their place. You are hardly worth our time, little boy, but we will show your place…"
"Narcissistic as ever…" A quiet, melodic whisper filled the bar despite the chaos of what was happening below.
A cold sweat dripped from auburn hair past dark green eyes as the voice filled his ears as he watched a single figure stroll forward. His entire body was rigid at the impossibility of what just occurred.
"And who thinks they can…" Melanie turned behind her before eyes wavered, and Militia looked slacked on with mouth agape.
And the two were forcefully parted by a much smaller individual, nearly sent stumbling as a heterochromatic-eyed and multi-toned-haired girl looked up into the cerulean eyes of Naruto as she stopped in front of them.
His face fell at the sight of her, and grimaced.
"Oh, this makes more sense now…" Naruto closed his eyes and refrained from face-palming. "I thought you were following us because I almost ran you over earlier, and you were curious about us, and that's why I couldn't get a clear read of your feelings. Not because you overheard what we were saying. Me and my loud mouth. Sensei did tell me I had to work on that…"
"What do you mean by that!" Blake shouted, turning on Naruto with daggers before looking at this more petite woman standing before them, clearly, someone who stood higher in the chain of command if both of the Malachites stepped back and cringed at her arrival. "After this day is over…"
"Yeah, gonna have some words, I know! Gotta work on our communication, my bad!" Naruto admitted his fault while staying focused on the woman who was giving him an odd stare and gave a nervous grin. "Alright, wasn't expecting this… But, given what happened…"
"No." Was her simple response, her voice strained, sounding rough and pained yet somehow melodic, and her gaze cold and flat before she looked back at the two sisters and then down at the dance floor and pointing with her parasol.
"Yeah, not happening!" Melaine's eyes shone, and a snarl adorned her face. "You aren't our boss, first off…"
"And secondly, we are now curious as to what this is." Militia scowled as her eyes shifted between these intruders to their club and the formerly mute…
Her eyes shimmered fearfully.
And just millimeters from her right eye was the tip of Hush, seconds from jamming into her socket, held back by its owner.
And her cold eyes stared heartlessly into her and without remorse.
Then with a cruel smile, she flicked her parasol open, smacking Melanie directly in the face with it as she turned from her and turned her attention back to Naruto and Blake. Her eyes shimmering as she took two steps forward, shaking her hips along the way.
But the message was clear to two twins who stepped away and gazed at her, one covering her bruised face and then at one another. And they two unwillingly backed away and moved to the dance floor as the goons below had been thinned and nearly wiped out.
She was simply above them, and they must adhere to her commands.
"I don't like this…" Blake muttered, her eyes narrowed as she hitched her breath and focused her intent on the multi-haired woman.
This was not someone to take lightly. She was confident in her skills, enough to believe she could, in theory, apply to a Huntsman Academy… Because of his training. And because of it… She knew he could be a Huntsman if he had chose that path.
And he would have likely been stronger…
And in just one movement, she saw something that frightened her. She saw an equivalent movement speed to his with a parasol, a harmless object. And that put fear into two criminals enough that they obeyed her simple nonverbal instruction and went downstairs to deal with the blonde-haired girl messing up the club.
If she wasn't standing by someone who flat-out embarrassed Adam and seen fly to the moon with speed she couldn't comprehend…
"Okay, while I felt some negative spikes in my short time with this ability…That was a malicious spike…" Naruto blinked and slowly dropped his hands to a more ready and guard position as he became more alert while noticing her reach for her waistband. "Really, though? Despite what happened? You know most people… A card."
"Take it." She offered and simply held out a card between two fingers that she pulled from her pocket, her eyes sharply gazed upon the blonde in her eyes. "Leave. Never return."
"Woah, ho-ho-ho!" A voice rang out, taking several steps toward what he was seeing as he reached up for his bowler hat while holding out a single hand to her. "Okay, let's not be hasty… That's the card to your personal account and funds that we don't touch, remember? And while I have many, many… Many questions as to why you are speaking, my dear. Let's not be giving him access to…"
"Necessary." Her eyes never left Naruto, a sparkle in her eyes and a noticeable uptick in her tone upon hearing his voice. "Dangerous… More than her."
"Are you serious?" His voice quivered before measuring the young man before him, notably tensing. "Gotta say, not seeing it, Neo…"
"Felt it… As he did this to me…" Neo gestured to her throat, struggling with her words as never having spoken before, and while knowing the terms, never having to express them before was quite exhausting. "And then… I stabbed him. …And I failed to penetrate him."
"I would not consider a half-an-inch failed penetration!" Naruto barked in annoyance as he gripped his stomach and twitched.
"Maybe you don't… That's a failure on all levels." Roman suddenly gave a debonair smile before tilting his head toward Blake. "My dear, dare I ask about his performance? I dare say I am afraid to hear about it if he thinks half an inch is penetration."
As Blake stood straight, her eyes darted in and out wildly and flushing madly at the insinuation. She immediately shook her head, her tongue getting caught in her throat and causing her to make weird clicking noises while choking. "No, no, no! You have our relationship all wrong!"
This widened his dashing smirk as Roman's eye twinkled, leaning back as he crossed his arms. With a quick catch of Neo's eyes and a giggle from her, he knew, and it only encouraged her further. "Oh, I don't think I have, my dear. You'll see soon enough."
Blake turned a full scarlet while gnashing her teeth, her eyes looking at the two. If the situation weren't what it was, she would have…
Why was Naruto silent?
Why didn't he have anything to say about any of this?
Turning to Naruto, her bow faded into a drop seeing his mixture of what started as a shocked look morphed into a deep, steely expression. "Did I just get… My… Manhood insulted?"
"My boy? Did it take you that long to figure that out?" Roman stated mockingly as he flipped his hand toward him before glancing over Neo. "Really not seeing the threat here. Maybe a physical threat and has some sort of miracle power to restore your ability of speech… Um… What are you doing?"
"Naruto… What are you doing?" Blake blinked as a table was suddenly hefted up, faster than any of them could react, and then slammed between all four of them. "Wait, why is your shirt coming off? What are you doing? Talk to me! Explain!"
All Naruto did was suddenly pose, making a masculine pose, flexing his muscles, making Blake gawk in further before her eyes were drawn straight to his abs…
"No… Focus… Bad brain… Naruto, please stop!"
"Yes." Was all Neo said, poking her card at Naruto's abs as he stood on the table while looking up at the display with a grin on her face.
"Stop that!" Roman snatched the card away from Neo with narrowed eyes as she only grinned back at him. "Gonna have many, many words with you after this! …Mostly for long lost catching up, but also this!"
"Now hear me!" Naruto suddenly spoke with a deeper, virile tone to his voice that only made sparkles sheen from Neo's eyes as she took back her card from Roman, who struggled at the sight before him while Blake shivered and her bow flattened. "No one dares question my masculinity! Look upon me and witness the glory! Do you question it now!"
"No…"
"Please stop!"
"What is wrong with you?"
"Woop! Woop! Take more of it off!"
"I don't think I should be seeing this, sis…"
"Ah!" Naruto jumped and flipped off the table at the introduction of the fourth and fifth voices, his cerulean eyes expanded as they met lilac eyes. "When did you get here? Who is this? And where did she come from?"
"After I got finished pounding those two girls that were up here with you guys flat that, you know, you didn't take care of yourselves to strip instead! I took out the boss of the place and then noticed my sister was just outside for some reason…" Yang grinned before placing her hands on her hips in frustration. "And then you stop the show? Come on! Give a girl a break here!"
"I mean… It was kind of…" The new, slightly younger girl with black hair and red highlights flushed, unsure how to handle what she was watching. "Um, Dad really wouldn't want either of us to be seeing this…"
"That's why we're not gonna tell him 'bout it, Rubes." Yang rolled her eyes. "Gotta lie to him some time. I know ya like guys, so I know you were enjoying it…"
Ruby flushed a bright cherry and said nothing.
She wanted to admit nothing…
"Thought it got really noisy down there." Roman looked down to the dance floor before whistling. "Given what was going on up here, I kind of stopped paying attention as this was more important, but damn, that's a lot of damage! I'm almost impressed!"
"What do you mean almost?" Yang crossed her arms and pouted at the man.
Roman confidently grinned as he turned back and grinned at her, tapping his cane on the ground. "Oh, I would have done more before walking out of here with what I wanted. Did you get the information you were asking for or did you forget in your blind fit of rage? Was losing that chunk out of your locks too much for you, dear? I do say it does mess with the look, for what it is worth. One should never mess with another's beauty… Even if it is second rate."
As Yang's eyes narrowed as a spark of burning red nearly flared around her, a loud squeak came from her sister before she covered her mouth. She simply side-glared at her sister while gnashing her teeth before that last comment burned her eyes a furious red. "Oh, you are asking for it!"
"Wait, he's baiting you!" Naruto flipped on his shirt as Yang leapt forward, fist locked back, seeing Neo slip her card into her pocket, feeling a malicious intent coming from her while eyes glinted as she slipped her parasol off the hidden blade of her weapon.
"Yang, don't do it!" Her sister called, strangely rose petals building behind her, catching the same thing and trying to intercept as parts of her flesh seemingly dematerialized into them which for some reason accelerated her speed.
It was curious, but he could tell she wasn't quite fast enough and would be a step slow.
He would not be.
What was this…
What was pressing against her throat?
Was that…
A blade?
Was it pressing against her throat?
Drawing blood?
But her aura should have absorbed that…
Was her aura cracking around where the blade was striking?
There was that much force in the blow?
But why was the blade shattering?
Wait, what was holding her back?
There was something substantial gripping her wrist and holding her in place after she stepped in front of the auburn-haired man. Strong enough to hold her back while mid-Burn after sustaining as many hits as she had already?
What was this?
Who was this?
Red eyes glimmered in horror as her fist was held back by the blonde that was stripping before. But not only that, with the same hand, he had reached over so fast that she hadn't seen it drop his grip on her around her the collar of her white coat and lifted her off the ground as her shattered blade fell to the ground.
What? He was holding her with the same hand? How fast was he could move that quickly?
And she hadn't even seen her move! And her aura had crackled around where the blade was focused!
That blow was going to kill her, and she couldn't have done anything about it!
And his cerulean eyes were not the color they were before.
They were not a peculiar orange.
"Ya know…" Naruto took a deep breath, glad the other girl had stopped directly behind him, almost relieved at what she saw, before glancing at Neo with a foul glance. "I'm starting to regret giving you your voice back if this is who you are…"
Her eyes widened as before she knew it, Neo felt her body lifted in the air with a simple pull, nausea like any other taking over as she moved faster than she had ever traveled before as she crashed through what felt like wood and then into laminate flooring and the concrete beneath it…
At least, she hoped that was what it was she went through. The impact was far more significant than anything she experienced before. In an attempt to move, her eyes opened, and her melodic voice echoed for the first time in a pained groan as her aura crackled from the deep crater she found herself in.
She wasn't going to be moving any time soon.
And why was she so tightly compact?
What was she stuck in?
"But that's just not who I am." Naruto softly exhaled and slicked his hand through his hair. "I think there is something more to ya, and I ain't finished with ya just yet. Nah, there is something there in ya wanting to change. I can feel it."
"Did she just make a human hole from just that throw?" The sister blinked at what just happened, her eyes wide while shimmering before clasping her hands together as she looked back at Naruto with stars in her eyes. "That was awesome! How'd you do that? I've only seen a few people faster than me when I use Petal Burst! Who are you? What is your Semblance? What…"
"Later! Now is not the time!" Naruto snapped at the young girl, internally flinching as that would entirely be a reaction his old self would have after seeing something like that, and wished he didn't appear so volatile to the girl.
But the situation was what it was as he turned and looked into the still burning eyes of Yang, who looked at him with shock.
"And you!" Naruto held out his hand and pointed directly at the blonde, sighing as his bangs fell over his eyes. "You fell right for his trap! He watched you and bait your anger! He wasn't playing dumb, ya know! We could see and hear what was happening! Got learn to harness that frustration ya got! Trust me! As someone with a short temper myself, I feel your pain, but it's something ya got to manage!"
"Got it!" Naruto flicked Yang in the forehead before balking back as he watched the girl flying back and stumble onto her butt, gripping her forehead as it welted and her aura cracked. "Oh… Sorry! Didn't mean to put that much force into that!"
"What do you mean put that much force into?" Yang cried as tears rolled down her cheeks, gripping her forehead as she rocked back and forth on the ground. "That hurt more than any punch my dad has ever thrown in training me! What are you? How can you flick someone that hard?"
"I'm still getting used to the strength of this form!" Naruto immediately placed his hand on Yang's head, and after a gasp, the welt disappeared. "There, all…"
"What are you? How can you do that as well?" Yang screeched as she started flailing her arms wildly in confusion. "That's not how aura works!"
"Wow! Two Semblances! Accelerated physical traits and aura healing! How is that possible?" The girl in black and red giddily bounced around Naruto as he tried to focus on what was happening around him.
"Oh, not this again! This is not the time!"
"I'm just gonna…"
"Don't move." Blake pressed Gambol Shroud against the back of Roman's neck, making him stiffen from the contact made.
"Ah, young lady." Roman gently rubbed as he looked back into her golden eyes, and his eyes twinkled. "I dare say I would try to charm my way out of this, but I can already see your heart belongs elsewhere… Oh, that's a nice growl, so I am right."
"Shut up. You won't get me to bite like her." Blake snarled, knowing what the man was trying to do, and kept her poise.
"I suppose you are correct." Roman gently placed a finger on Melodic Cudgel's trigger. "But you must know how this will go, my dear. How many people have failed to capture me before…"
"Yes," Blake calmly retorted, her eyes piercing into his. "And you must know the moment you pull that trigger…"
"You won't just be fighting me. Don't think a little trick like that will hit me as all I've done these past two years for my life is find ways to survive."
"Oh, well, that's a pickle." Roman scowled as he looked up to the guest's box to notice something and gnashed his teeth. "How reliable… Fine. You have me today."
Dropping his cane, Roman held his hands behind his back, his eyes shimmering at a guest shrouded in darkness. "Can we hurry this up? Got places to be after this…"
Narrowing her eyes at how calmly he was responding to his apprehension, Blake had quickly drawn ropes and tied his wrists tightly. "Naruto! Stop playing around! I don't feel good about this!"
"You think I'm playing! I don't want to be dealing with this, ya know! I'm not used to this kind of attention or how to get rid of it!"
"You tell me right now what is going on! What are you?"
"This is amazing!"
Amber eyes burned curiously.
This was…
Something new.
Something bold.
"Just who are you?" Lips gently locked around a martini glass, taking a long drink before placing the drink down as she tilted her head and placed her chin against her relaxed fist. "My, my, my. I've never seen something quite so unique before."
Her lips only quivered as she watched everything unfold, and her eyes blistered inquisitively. With her recent successes, this was something new, and everything intrigued her.
This must be investigated.
"Everything is slowly coming together, and now you appear." A voice filled with scorching desire chuckled as her fingers softly tapped against her cheek. "Friend or foe, it matters not. In the end…"
"All will burn to cinders before her vision."