(Some volume 9 allusions, you've been warned. Not gonna lie, this Volume has been a rollercoaster, and it is probably the first truly great volume in a while. So, with this minor warning, enjoy the chapter!)

Chapter Seven: Duty.

""To serve is beautiful, but only if it is done with joy and a whole heart and a free mind."
- Pearl S. Buck

{Kuo Kuana Forest.}
[One Week Later. 3:09pm]

CLANG!

Two kunai bounced off each other, impacting two separate targets as they sunk in the near bullseye. Naruto, clad his in his orange achkan. He had several cream-colored pouches along the belt of his red trouser pants, with a yellow sash flowing in the winds running through the coniferous trees. The thick branches swayed under the strain of the winds.

Menagerie had a large forest into the west, and at one point it had just as many Grimm as the barren wastes. Naruto, who found himself becoming more comfortable with this place, began reading books about the continent. He'd ask Kali questions, sometimes Ghira when he wasn't busy.

Menagerie as a whole was one-third habitable. Most of the continent remained truly unexplored. Toward the very south, at the very least, it go bitterly cold. The northern most tip of the continent also had a mountain range, just like Kuo Kuana. Unlike Kuo Kuana, however, it was infested with powerful Grimm.

Strong enough to have pushed out a country called Atlas several times over. Naruto at first thought they were science fiction, but no, they really did have flying airships. It bewildered him, and even downright scared him slightly that these monsters could be that strong. Still, he thought about it more.

So far, from all that he read, and all the things he was told Menagerie's desert were largely unexplored. Scouting data from bullheads, but they were generally only allowed to fly a couple hundred miles out of Kuo Kuana at most. With the continent being largely unexplored as a result.

"So, let me get this right, The White Fang started as a military group?" Naruto asked as he slung another couple of kunai together, both bouncing off each other and impacting near bullseye again. "I've been reading up on it."

Cloud was practicing on another set of targets, taking aim with his machine pistol. He squeezed the trigger, firing three-round bursts of forty-five caliber rounds. It sprayed the Grimm target, placing three bullet holes each at a range fifty yards. Cloud finished his task, setting his gun down before looking over at Naruto.

'Yes, it was during The Faunus Revolutionary War. Do you remember who the combatants were?" The Menagerian guard asked before sitting down on a small camping chair.

"Um, let's see…" The blonde rubbed his chin in thought for a moment. "Wouldn't that be Atlas, and Mistral?"

"Correct, not bad, some people say either or." Cloud complimented him before watching get another two kunai out. "Why don't you use guns?"

"Too much noise." Naruto answered quickly before throwing the kunai together, both impacting and this time hitting the bullseyes. He pumped his arm, smiling victoriously. "Alright, awesome, I'm starting to finally get back in the motions."

"Did they ever leave you?" Cloud offhandedly questioned before reloading his gun. "What are you doing anyway?"

"Besides killing my boredom, um, getting back into the swing of my full training." Naruto answered honestly before walking over, and pulling the kunai out of the handmade targets. "Oof, those bullseyes were sunk in deep."

Cloud frowns a little bit, sighing. "you know those aren't even killing blows to Grimm, right?"

"Oh, I know, I fought that Razor fin about two weeks ago." Naruto reminded him before shoving the kunai back into his pouches. "Still, it's not like I don't have options."

"Options, what? Up close stabbing, or glorified knife throwing?" The Menagerian Guard sneered whilst looking down at Naruto with crossed arms. "It wouldn't kill you to learn a gun."

"Well, can a gun do this?" Naruto questioned before getting a kunai out, and some wire with a piece of paper. "This is called an explosive kunai."

"Explosive, that knife, please it probably only makes poof." Cloud commented before Naruto saw a small river nearby. "Why are you looking over there?"

"Cloud, ever been fishing for fish, but wanted an easy way to do it?" Naruto asked him before reeling back. "I'm starving, ya know."

Cloud's eyes widened when he slung the kunai right into the small river. A few seconds passed, and he was about to make a snide comment when…

KABOOM!

A jet of water sprayed upwards, around thirty feet. It rained water down around them as several large bass flopped onto the ground. Naruto casually walked over, picking them up. Threading wire with a small needlelike instrument. He had a shit eating grin across his face, and Cloud looked over at him. He pointed at him nervously, fidgeting.

"That's what t-those paper thingies do?!" Cloud inquired shakenly, slightly scared at the fact he had been handling them when the blonde had been first passed out. "Holy crap, that would've taken out the entire room you were and then some!"

"Hey, I was passed out at the time. Besides, it only works when you apply chakra to them. Also, you can set them up as traps. Although that was more Sakura's thing. Honestly though, I didn't think it'd work since I made it using just memory on how the seal pattern worked, plus the thickest paper you had." Naruto told him before turning around, picking up another fish. "Do you think that Lady Kali would be mad about making dinner by herself tonight?"

"Why by herself, aren't you going to help again?" Cloud inquired before Naruto blushes a little bit. "Hey, what's wrong, are you feeling alright or- "

"It's nothing, nothing at all!" The shinobi interrupted him with a speech before sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. "I, um, been getting too much energy lately."

"Oh," Cloud's face was confused before his eyes widened, "oh!"

"Yeah, not proud of myself, ya know." Naruto blushed before looking away. "I'm honestly confused on how to feel about that, confused about how I feel…"

"Bout everything?"

"Yeah, about everything, because I've never had anyone be so nice to me since the Ichiraku." The blonde blushed before smiling softly. "However, unlike Teuchi, and Ayame…this feels…right."

"Okay, should I tell Chief Ghira about your little fantasy?" Cloud teased before snickering mischievously.

"Fantasy…what, oh no-no-no, it's not that type of energy. Okay, so I lied, for some reason…" Naruto rubbed his arm before firing out. "Ireallywannagotoamovie!"

"What?"

"I really wanna go to a movie, I wanna try to do something normalish for my age group here…" The blonde told him before pinching his nose slightly. "I know, it's weird, alright but you see I can't ask them because it's an animated movie…and…"

"Fuck it, I'll go with you." Cloud answered with a beaming smile. "I've been meaning to hit up Castor, and Midori for them to go as well."

"O-oh, really, but that's the thing…" Naruto rubbed his arm nervously again. "I…wanted to ask Ghira, and Kali to go with me, but it feels weird…I…"

"I keep forgetting he's never had parents." Cloud realized why Naruto was acting nervously. "Poor guy, you've got no idea just how much Ghira, and Kali like-"

"Hey, Cloud, why are you staring at me?"

"Oh, um, sorry, just got lost in my thoughts. Anyway, what's making it feel weird to you?" Cloud asked before turning to his target, unloading the entire magazine into it without missing a shot. "Sorry, I generally make it a rule of thumb to do burst, and then full auto."

"Right…" Naruto deadpanned before taking a deep breath. "Cloud, I've…never lived with people before. I never had the feeling of someone just being genuinely happy on the sale fact that I exist. Which is why, when I say things that are awkward, or if it seems that I'm not grateful…"

"I wouldn't say that, you continually bring them food. Granted, they told you didn't have too. Naruto, are you scared of something?" Cloud asked with worry laced into his voice, looking deep into Naruto's azure eyes. "Listen, buddy, if you're scared of them kicking you to the curb if you stop…they're not like that. I don't know what kind of fucked up world you came in from, but here, we don't abandon each other."

"I'm not a faunus."

"Did I ever say that you had to be?" The toad faunus held his fist up, smiling. "If you're adamant on joining up with The White Fang, do it because you want to…not that you have to."

The blonde smiles before fist bumping Cloud, a little hard, but it was meant to show love. Naruto, hauling the fish with the wire behind him slightly chuckled. "I'm sorry if I'm ever a…what do you all call it…Debbie downer." He remarked before giggling at that. "Heh, that's a rather funny thing, ya know."

'Pfft, I'll say, The Kingdoms always come up with ridiculous metaphors." Cloud cheekily remarked before smiling at Naruto. "So, why don't I grease the wheels just a little bit? I'll talk to Lady Kali. Seeing as you're more than capable…we can call you the escort."

"Not sure how Blake would feel about that…" Naruto said under his breath.

"Meh, she's not so bad when she opens up." Cloud replied to him, patting his back. "I mean, isn't she eating what you're cooking lately?"

"Actually, yeah, she even said that it tasted good…though it was more under her breath, ya know." The blonde slightly blushed, sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. "I really do want to be friends, even if she has a boyfriend who has a whole tree up his ass."

"Hah!" The Menagerian Guard snorted, slamming the back of his hand on Naruto's back. "Yes, I'm finally corrupting you, my plans are completed!"

"Cloud…" Naruto had a dark look on his face that the man in question noticed. "That hurt…"

'Oh, I'm sorry I got a little carried away-ack!" Cloud screeched out as Naruto formed a clone that proceeded to transform into a dog. "Um, Naruto…what are you…"

"In the words of one of those games Blake plays on her E-Scroll…" Naruto's raises his head up, with a dark smirk on his face. "Fetch me their ankle!"

"Woof-woof-woof!" The dog clone barked whilst charging at a now running Cloud.

"No-no-no! Not the right the ankle, not the right ankle! Naruto, um, clone Naruto, down boy! Hee-holy shit, ahh!"

Naruto watches as Cloud sped across the forest, his transformed clone hot on heels. The blonde stood there, smiling a little bit before dispersing the clone with a mischievous grin. Although Cloud was running to fast to have noticed. The blonde took a moment as the winds blew past him, feeling something as he saw some leaves pass by him.

A mixture of red, and yellow.

It made him feel warm inside, as if someone was telling him it was okay to move forward. For the first time, Naruto reached up, untied his headband from his forehead. He looked at it, seeing his reflection in it. Placing the cold steel to his forehead, he remembered all the journeys from before.

To The Land Of Waves. The Land Of Snow, Taki, and all the people who he had met for better or worse along the way. Naruto was standing alone in the forest now, and he smiled as glistening tears from his slowly trailed their way down.

Iruka sensei, Jiraiya, Teuchi, Ayame, Grandma Tsunade, Sasuke, Sakura, and Kakashi sensei stood as visages in front of him. As the red, and yellow leaves blew away from one of the very few deciduous trees in this forest. He unzipped one of his pouches, and slid the headband in there.

"For I walk this path, it isn't much, but it's mine. This road, less traveled, fully covered in the unknown. I never will forget you all, it's been nearly two, and half months now. I'm alive if you hear this prayer, just know that I'm still here…and there. Everywhere, nowhere, alone, but together." He slowly brought his hand up to his chest, watching as the imaginary visages changed.

Dr. Vista, Ghira, Kali, Castor, Pollux, Cloud, Midori, Tucker, Matilda, and Victoria stood there now. In this thought, Naruto felt something come over him, but leave him as well. Slowly, he his footfall picked back up the pace they needed to make reasonable time to the city markets.

Matilda was going to have to show him how to cut these fish.

"I'll never forget our bonds, even in this whole new world, you will always be a piece of me…ya know."

"What a foolish thought."

Naruto's eyes widened when he heard the demonic grumble. Clenching his fists tightly as he continued walking. A cold chill ran up his spine. He hadn't realized he had nearly fallen into a meditative state. He took a deep breath, and sighed as he heard the cackling of the demon fox inside of him.

"New world, same problem, you're still a Jinchuuriki. They care, and value you now, yes…but what if I came out? You can only hold me back, but tragedy is my freedom."

"You're just trying to rile me up."

"Am I…am I really, or is that the little white lie you're telling yourself to sleep a little bit more comfortable at night?"

"Shut up, furball!"

"Heh, only time can tell, just pray that it doesn't end with your 'precious' people dead at your feet."

"I will never let you hurt them!"

"Who said I'd hurt them?"

Naruto's eyes flickered for only the briefest moments, but then he heard the errant thought in his head.

"They're glad we're gone, and eventually they'll be glad we're gone from here too."

He felt a ringing in his ears as the errant thought passed away, and the memory of his dog clone came flooding in. It nearly got Cloud's right ankle, but the toad faunus had scurried up a tree. Standing there, in the clearing, Naruto felt the bitter chill of a cold wind pass over him. He took a deep breath, and looked at the path ahead of him.

"Gotta keep moving forward."

{Belladonna Estate.}
[Four Hours Later.]

"So…he's wanting to go see a movie?" Kali questioned Cloud again as she watched from the window as Naruto, and Ghira were in the garden. The young shinobi having taken up the habit to walk the garden on sunny days. "That doesn't seem to hard, why doesn't he go see one?"

"He wants to go with you both."

Kali nearly dropped the dish in her hand. Stunned at what he said before smiling softly. "I really don't mind going with him. I just don't understand it, a kid like him, what woman wouldn't snatch him up as a child for themselves?" She chuckled lightly under her breath. "The more I think about his story about his world, and the fact he's viewed as a curse for his whisker marks…perhaps he's not different from us Faunus."

"I agree with you." Cloud stated whilst standing guard at the entrance with hands behind his back. "Naruto Uzumaki is by far one of the most noble people I've met. All the kid ever thinks about is helping people, but I'm not sure if that's a healthy mindset…it feels like Copium."

"We all have different Copiums." The matriarch of the Belladonna family said whilst putting away the nearly dropped dish. "He's been with us nearly three months now, and let me tell you…I've never had it easier."

"I think The White Fang might actually be good for him." Cloud told her before crossing his arms. "Lady Kali, I know that you, and Sienna don't ever see eye to eye because of the past…but…I can tell Naruto wants to do something that makes a difference."

"I'm worried about how they'll treat him. Considering it's no longer a secret that he's not a faunus, I've heard some people whisper in the marker calling him a falsie." Kali balled her fist up, growling lightly under breath. "The utter audacity of some of our people, it's wonder if they weren't born Atlassian."

Cloud snorts before turning around after hearing footsteps. He sees Blake walking in, with her hair tied into a small ponytail. She seemed slightly upset, but it wasn't his place. Kali watched as her daughter sits at the table, facing down as she looked downtrodden by something.

"Baby, is everything?" Her mother walked over to her, taking her rubber pink gloves off. "You look sad, want some tea?"

"I…would love some, and some medicine." She said whilst looking down, slightly blushing.

"Medicine…oh, oh!" Her mother realized before tapping her shoulder. "Follow me!"

"Is everything okay?" Cloud questioned before Kali shot him a look. "Oh, well then, I'll go inform Ghira that Blake isn't feeling well."

Kali nods before smiling at her baby girl. "Okay, honey, I need you to follow me. You've been studying on your biology classes, right so…"

Cloud exited the kitchen before hearing the final tidbit of the conversation. He enters the garden, watching as Naruto was planting something alongside Ghira, a tree sapling it seemed. Ghira had put in a special order for a Mistralian Cherry Blossom Tree. Apparently, this was it, and Naruto was smiling whilst they were talking.

'So, anyway, that wasn't my proudest moment. I was using my rasengan to make noodle batter. I called it, Rasengan: Noodle Edition!" Naruto laughed with Ghira before both noted the presence of Cloud, who looked slightly nervous. "Hey, Cloud, what's up?"

"Oh, um, Chief Ghira. I was talking to your wife when Blake reported that she was ill, I believe she has the red moon." Cloud blushed whilst saying that phrase. "Lady Kali is with her right now."

"Red moon…" Ghira looked confused before his eyes widened. "Oh, dear brother Gods."

"W-what, what's going on, is Blake okay?" Naruto asked nervously before looking around, and noting their looks. "Is she sick, or something?"

"She may be more moody than usual for the next few days." Ghira answered him before sighing, patting his back. "I'm sorry in advance."

"I'd say we'd tell you when you're older, but- "

"Ooh, she's on her womanly thingy!" Naruto breathed out in relief, making both Ghira and Cloud look at him with wide eyes. "So, I guess the movie plan is out…but I can make a run into town for stuff."

"How the fu- "

"Oh, yeah, sorry guys. Back where I'm from, the academy I got my shinobi training from had us do a whole class on health. Plus, well, my closest friend there was a girl who I kind of liked…so…" Naruto blushed a little bit whilst sheepishly rubbing the back of his head, chuckling a little bit. "Not only that, where I'm from, we're not exactly embarrassed by things like that. Heck, it was required for us to know since some of us have a really good sense of smell, and so does some of our enemies."

Ghira and Cloud both stared at him, creaking forward like an old door.

"And, how would you know what stuff to get her?" Ghira questioned, slightly bewildered at the fact that Naruto would even know of these things so keenly.

"Well, I…don't actually know what to get her. All I heard back where I'm from that sweets, and well something like a heating pad." Naruto blushed now, rubbing the back of his head. "Gah, this is so awkward, I'm sorry, ya know! Me, and my big motormouth!"

"Okay, now I'm one hundred percent convinced that the world you come from is just…weird!" Cloud announced before trudging off somewhere with a red face. "Don't ask if I'm mad, I just gotta process!"

"O-oh okay, well, Ghira…I'm sorry for…" Naruto turned to see the man smiling at him. "W-why are you smiling at me like that?"

"Well, it was a rather funny coincidence. See, we noticed the other week that your sense of smell was higher than most. So, we talked about the what if, and we were actually going to talk to you about that if the red moon happened." Ghira blushed a little whilst also sheepishly rubbing the back of his neck. "You just saved us a bunch of explaining."

"Oh, neat, funny how things work out I guess…" Naruto laughed under his breath nervously before smiling.

"Yes, but if you see any blood- "

"Wait, blood, who would be bleeding?!" Naruto yelled out before seeing Ghira's pursed lips. "I'm missing some context, am I?"

"Brother Gods help me…"

(Kuo Kuana Beach.}
[Three Days Later. 7:00pm]

Storm clouds gathered in the distance off the shores of Kuo Kuana. It's rumbling thunder reverberating the air, filling it with static. Birds of different colors, species, and size moved about the sky. Seagulls, albatross, and pelicans moved about the distant waters. Swooping down onto the large school of fish in the distant deep. A big storm was coming, another typhoon, and with it more rain.

Farmers in Kuo Kuana were already happy with the yield potential for the year. It was strangely a boon year, not very many of those happened in Menagerie. The few pastures used for sheep, and sometimes cow, were covered in lush green grass in the southern part of the city.

Her natural barrier, The Gate Mountains, ensured Grimm no passage into the western part of the island continent. That's what he learned, and as he stood at the shore's edge, Naruto felt uneasy about something. Staring out into the ocean waves, Naruto felt the coming storm. His twelve-year old mind working overtime to just process the tinkling in his spine.

Across the vast ocean, just past this large storm, would be Sanus. He allowed his bare feet to soak in the foamy water, imagining them standing upon distant shores across the seemingly endless sea. The stars at night were beautiful, and with the sun hanging low, painting the sea a bloody mix of orange, yellow, and red. He stood shirtless, having been for a swim.

Naruto Uzumaki found that his love this, the waters and ocean, were his medicine. Vista called it Copium, basically it was a way of him coping with the loss of his world. No matter what world he could've stood on, so long as an ocean existed, maybe Naruto could continue forward. Inhaling deeply, he didn't apply chakra to his feet as he trudged the foaming water.

Rip currents didn't matter to him, not only could him swim through them, but he could also just walk if he had to. When the water got up to his chin, he started to float, letting the current carry him. His eyes were affixed to the sky above, the chill in his spine never leaving. The same type of chill he had gotten when he felt the Razor Fin. For some reason, Naruto remembered how sensory shinobi described a similar feeling when they felt others around them.

They described it as feeling a warmth near them.

Naruto didn't exactly feel the warmth off these monsters. He began to meditate whilst floating in the waves, closing his eyes. Trying to picture in his mind's eye where they were exactly. The best he could come up with was that they were in the general direction of the storm. Pretty much anywhere between him, and the endless oceans across the world that was pointed northeast.

How accurate.

He began a small training regime. These mediative actions were encouraged by Vista to help him. Naruto had broken down inside of his office after telling him about the panic attack. The good doctor told Naruto that the boy was suffering from onsets of homesickness. He laughed it off at first, but Vista had explained that this was a legitimate mental health issue.

That's when Naruto had the thought of, "what is mental health?"

They never focused on the mentality in Konoha, only if you were physically able. It made Naruto strong, heck, stronger than most people it seemed on this continent alone. Still, without anyways of venting, Naruto had long learned to bottle up emotions. Push away the pain, compartmentalize it, and the guilt of failure.

Naruto was no saint, by no means. He snuck things out of stores in Konoha, he had stolen to eat, and the occasional reading material. The more he mused on the differences between this world, and his own, the fine line began to form. Children in this world were cuddled, protected, and meant to be taught longer about life in general.

Meanwhile in his world, if you were above the age of eight, and not training in a profession, you were already deemed a failure by your own peers.

There was a set enlistment age it seemed here. Fifteen for the Menagerian Guard, thirteen for The White Fang as a trainee. Naruto's little meeting with Sienna a week, and days ago was unusual to put it mildly, and downright manipulative if one was to ask Kali.

Still, the words hung on his mind. Sienna may have been feeding him what he wanted to hear. However, it wouldn't be truthful of him to say that it didn't seem good. Naruto couldn't turn off the fight in his soul, he couldn't just walk away from a lifetime of training to be something else.

It wasn't that simple.

It'd been like asking Ghira to walk away from being chieftain. Even more so, it'd been like asking anyone whose been in the position most of their life to simply move aside. Still, it didn't mean that he couldn't learn new tricks, new ways of coping, and new ways of living. Books, something he had hated in Konoha, began to fill his nightly times when he couldn't sleep.

"The Rusted Knight."
"The Girl & The Endless Sea."
"Ninjas Of Love."
"Dairy Of A Mad Faunus Woman."
"The Dark Queen."

Naruto balanced these books, marking them via taking a slip of paper and putting it where he had finished for the night. The one book that called to him the most was The Dark Queen. She was tragic character, from a time where magic ruled supposedly. These works fiction, but Naruto felt emotionally empathetic when he read about how her savior died from an illness. How the Gods above didn't heed her pleas, despite honoring, and her fall from grace.

It disturbed him, considering some of his own nightmares. He was hanging on a very fine line indeed. With The Nine Tails inside of him, Naruto was forced to keep him a secret. He didn't know how well The Belladonna Family would react to him. It's not like he can go and say…

"Hey guys, you know those Grimm your scared of? Yeah, imagine something as big as a mountain, and it's sealed within me. So, hey, want me to go fishing, ya know?!" Naruto played in his head, it was exaggerated of course, but it wasn't too far off the mark.

How can anyone here understand the meaning the word Jinchuuriki? What it meant to be a vessel to a being of ultimate power, ultimate rage, and thusly destruction incarnate. Naruto grew up always hearing about The Nine-Tailed Fox. How it's tails broke mountains, raised the seas, raze villages, and burned whole countries to the ground from simply slamming into volcanos.

How does one ever explain that, yes, these legends were true. That also yes, it's still alive, it never died. Oh, and the best part, it's inside of a twelve-year-old boy on the cusp of teenage years, who is emotionally driven. Definitely not a ticking time bomb.

It hurt him to lie, it hurt even more at the fact that no matter how close he felt, he had to keep some distance. He wished that someone, anyone, could understand that. That despite wanting to be fully open, honest, and embracive he just couldn't. It was a fear, not unfounded fear, because he remembered keenly on how he was treated in the village.

An outcast, monster, heathen, and the myriad of other terms.

No one ever openly said the D word, demon. It wasn't farfetched, and Naruto had gotten used to hearing it whispered from time to time. No one openly said it, that's because dear Old Man Hokage made it forbidden. In reality, that probably hurt him the most. It gave him mixed feelings at the funeral, when forced to confront them, and whilst it was freeing to learn the truth…it was shackling as well.

It meant that Naruto didn't exactly have full agency of his own life. That everything happening to him was always the machinations of someone, he was always going to be a shinobi. If he didn't want to even be a Hokage, he was still preordained to be a shinobi. No matter how much he wanted to be the leader, that thought irked him.

Because it left the door closed slightly. What if no one really wanted a Jinchuuriki to be the village leader? That meant no matter his actions, successes, and legend…the door was closed firmly. It was more, or less now, bolted shut.

If Naruto was to move forward, to embrace fully a new life, then what was he willing to give up? It was always going to be take, and take, and take! At some point, somewhere, he was going to give something up. Dreams were infinite, reality finite, and options limited. Naruto could easily just settle into neutrality.

Find a girl, grow up, get married, have children, and fade obscurity.

However, that wasn't Naruto's goal in life. It would be a spit in the face for all those he came to know to just roll over, and accept normality.

Azure eyes stared into the storm clouds. They seemingly sparkled against the water, and then he took deep breath before diving under. Into the world of the undertow. Near the coral, he saw the kingdom under the waters. Life abundant, all forming, and communal.

He swam down, reaching to his backside, a small entrapping net. The more he did this, the more he learned to hold his breath longer. Air bubbles spread from his nose as dipped further down, breaching fifty feet in a mere minute. Arriving at the bottom of the coral, he spotted what was to be his target for tonight's dinner.

Crabs.

He swam over to them, plucking the larger ones. Having learned that the males were larger, and meatier. He scooped the first few up, placing them into the baggy net on his left hip. They squirmed, clawing, and pinching the fine fiber of the net. It didn't matter, there was no escape, a strange parallel to his own experience at the moment.

Unlike him, he wasn't to be buttered and boiled.

A few more crabs, enough to feed him and The Belladonnas. The guards tonight had elected to order pizza amongst themselves. It wasn't out of spite, but one could only last so long on seafood. Naruto was just currently trying to spice of the variety of his hunts. Kicking off the sandy bottom, he began his ascend, kicking at the undertow and giving himself resistance training because of it.

Emerging at the crest of a wave, he breathed deeply, having spent minutes underwater. It only took him around six minutes, and had a bounty of eight crabs. Two for each, unless Adam showed, and then Naruto might actually have to stab him over the extra crab.

It was a jesting thought. The idea that he'd take a fork, and shank the pompous red-haired bastard that was slowly replacing Sasuke, gave him some normality. It wasn't that he hated him, no, if Ghira and Kali accepted him in, then that meant at some value there was good in him. Naruto didn't like the tree up his ass though.

He remembered firmly how he cut off his conversation with Blake nearly a week and half ago. It was weird, it felt controlling, but it wasn't his place to point that out.

The old idiom, "speak of the demon and it shall appear," was made manifest when his eyes focused on the shoreline. There she was, clad in a lavender colored t-shirt, with a bandage over her left arm, and wore baggy black trouser. She had come to her family's house like that after a training session with Adam yesterday. Strangely, it had been a slight cut, and these things happened from time to time.

Naruto distinctively remembered the fist sized scar on his left pectoral muscle. There was also a minor stab scar on his stomach, no bigger than the tip of a pinky, and it was another pinky that had accidentally caused it. She had tripped, Sakura, and accidentally stabbed him with a kunai during a spar.

He had lovingly caught her, and was about to flirt that day when he felt the warm ichor run down his side. One freak out later, a bunch of wraps around his waist. It had been an eventful winter that year. Then spring came, and then crazy Sasuke came with it.

Still, his mind wondered why she was out here.

"You do know that that undercurrent could drown you, idiot." She commented on his rather unique choice to go fishing at the moment.

"Pfft," he rolled his eyes childishly, "I'll transform into a fish then."

"Does it even work like that?" She inquired incredulously with a raised eyebrow.

Naruto sole was to response was to just shrug, "Eh-don't know."

"Wait, so you're saying you don't know the limits of the things you do?" She questioned, surprised by the response.

"Hey, all I know is if I transform into a knife, I'm sharp. If I transform into a bird, I can kind of fly. However, verdicts out on the fish, and if the current isn't exactly swirling like an underwater tornado I think I'm good." Naruto answered her whilst they walked up to where his shirt was hanging on a bench.

Blake watched as he threw on the yellow t-shirt with a band name on it. Another gift from Cloud it seemed. The blonde's usually shaggy hair sat flat on his scalp from the water, he shook it a little like a dog would before stretching. The chittering of crabs behind him the only noise emanating from him.

Naruto took a deep breath, and then asks the question on his mind, "has your opinion of me changed?"

"Little bit, I figured if you were going to harm my parents you'd done so by now…but still, you're hiding something." He went to answer before she put her hand up. "Ah-ta-ta-ta, I don't want to hear the excuse, I know you are because something in my gut is telling me that you are."

"Good instincts." Naruto remarked mentally before rubbing the back of his head nervously, sheepishly smiling. "I'm not really hiding anything, so far I've been an open book about a lot of things you just gotta get to know me, ya know."

"Okay, first off, why do you act uncomfortable when my mother tries to get you to be a kid?" She asked bluntly, crossing her arms in front of her. "I mean, the few times she's tried to get you to open up further, you shut her down despite you seemingly wanting to…why?"

"Because…well…" Naruto sighed before looking away. "I never had someone like your mother worry about me, like that, ya know…"

"Like a mother?" She questioned.

"Is that what that is?" The blonde shinobi replied before seeing the look of surprise on Blake's face. "No, seriously, if that's why she's being nice to me…she doesn't have to."

"Have you ever stopped to think that it's not a has to, but a want to?" Blake stated whilst looking right into his azure eyes, and for the first time they became absent of their usual warmth. "Who are hurt you?"

"Pretty much everyone." Naruto absent mindedly admitted before blushing a little. "Look, where I come from…being born with these whisker marks on my face made me a cursed child in their views."

It wasn't a full lie, but not exactly near the truth either.

"Oh…" Blake frowned before looking at his saddened expression. "If it hurts…"

"I've been stabbed in the chest, and stomach, beaten to a bloody pulp. Listen, Blake, you've got not a single clue of what hurt is until your own best friend is literally sticking their arm through your body." Naruto told her bluntly before crossing his own arms definitely mimicking her pose. "So, where I came from, my people lived and breathed war…it's all I've even known…all I've ever trained for."

"That technique you used, the little ball thingy." She stated whilst gesturing with her hands. "What is that, is that something he used on you?"

"What, no, that's purely mine. It's called the rasengan…but Sasuke…" Naruto took a deep breath. "Got taught his attack, which is called Chidori. It was never meant to be used on allies, but I guess Kakashi sensei skipped that part, ya know."

"Sensei…" She said before looking at him, snapping her fingers. "Hey that's in the ninja of love series, that word."

"And you would know this how?" Naruto questioned with a sly grin on his face.

"Um, I…well…" She blushed, feeling embarrassed at the fact that she just outed herself.

"Pfft, don't worry about it, coming from one fellow reader to another." He laughed before turning toward the sunset, smiling a little bit. "Back where I'm from, I never actually got see the beach too much, every so often I had missions that took me near it…but never like the way I've been able to experience it here."

"Missions huh, I guess it's true what dad said…about you being a soldier of some sort." She sighed before looking toward the sunset. "What was it like?"

"What was what like?" Naruto asked slightly confused at her question.

Blake too a deep breath, and sighs, "to fight…and kill?"

"Well, technically I never killed anyone." Naruto pointed out whilst chuckling slightly. "I hate the idea, honestly, but in a fight where your opponent does care…you have to close that part off, ya know."

"What part?"

"Your…humanity." Naruto said before frowning and then sighs. "I've been in the heat of the moment, where it was either I gave my all, or I went down. I mean there was this one fight, with this guy named Haku and his master Zabuza."

"You almost seem sad about it, you are being right here means you beat them, right?" Blake inquired, and then noted the glaze over his eyes from unshed tears. "Um, are you…"

"Haku was someone who I based my entire way of thinking off of. He never backed down, and went to the grave defending the very person he cared most about in this world, his precious person. I was lucky when I finally understood what he meant. Because Sasuke, Sakura, Kakashi sensei…they were all my precious people." Naruto placed his hand over his chest, grabbing at his shirt as a single tear spilled from his eye. "I'd done anything for them, and Sasuke even after everything. I'm only here alone because I chose to save him from the rift I fell into."

"Why would you do that?" She questioned him with a stunned look on her face. "He supposedly stabbed you through the chest, why would you ever save him?!"

"Because at the end of the day, he was the closest thing I had to a brother. He was so lost in his own darkness that I had to do something. Knowing what I know now, and knowing the results. I'd done it again a thousand more times, ya know!" Naruto answered her passionately before smiling brightly. "Because I vowed to bring him back, hard to do that if he's in some dark hole, ya know…"

She then saw it, for some reason, maybe it was the way the sun caught her eye. There was this golden flame around him from the sunlight, and it felt warm. It flowed through him, around him, and even wisped past his face. Yet, there was no reaction to it, and within the span of a single second she saw the calmness in that energy.

It was if she had stared into the sunlight, finding not a ball of fire, but a ball of warmth.

"I overheard you…the other night, you're wanting to join up with The White Fang?" She asked him whilst watching him beam with a smile.

"Yep, if it's true what they say they do, I want to be help make a difference. After all, well, Sienna Khan herself kind of invited me in." He pointed out, though the little foxlike grin didn't escape her.

"You expect me to be jealous about that?" She asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Just a little, ya know." He teased her before sighing. "Your parents don't like Sienna too much."

"They have history, my mother used to be The White Fang as a medic. Well, Sienna and her didn't ever get along then, and don't know." She sighed before rubbing her arm. "It's why dating Adam has been…an adjustment for them."

"Hehe, well he's a lucky guy!" He stated with a smile, and then rubbed back of his head. "I mean, despite your hostility, you seem nice on the inside ya know!"

She blushed at the compliment, turning her head to where he couldn't see. "Look, as much I don't trust you still, my parents like you." Blake stated with crossed arms, biting her cheek a little bit. "So, I'm willing to slightly bury the hatchet."

"Okay, um, where's the hatchet at?" Naruto questioned whilst blinking, noting her empty hands.

"It's a turn of phrase, it means I'm willing to tolerate you." She emphasized whilst holding her hand out, and tried to force a smile. "I'll even shake on it, Naruto."

Naruto laughs making her recoil her hand slightly, he stops for a minute and smiles. "I think that's the first time you've ever called me by my name." He reached out with his right hand, shaking hers. "Where I'm from it's called let's let bygones be bygones."

"Okay then, so what are you doing now?" Blake questioned him, removing her hand from his, though for some reason it felt extremely warm. "I'm assuming you're heading back to the house."

"You'd be correct, ya know. I also got some crabs for me and Kali to cook!" Naruto declared victoriously whilst holding up the bag. It was an only momentary victory before one of them snapped it's claw on his hand through the back. "Ya-ouch!"

The red bump of where kit snapped him raised up, making him nurse it with rubs whilst dropping the bag down. The bag flopped from the string still attached to his hip. Blake was stifling a laugh, having to turn away from him whilst comedically whined over the bump on his hand.

"Little bastard, I'm definitely gonna butter and boil you!" Naruto declared whilst looking over his shoulder.

She lost it, and began laughing whilst walking away. Naruto seemed confused before slightly smiling whilst slowly falling in line behind her. He wouldn't admit it openly, but for the first time hearing her laugh, it was pleasant.

It made him laugh when she even snorted because of the fact him acting like baby with his hurt hand.

{Belladonna Estate.}
[One Hour Later.]

Kali watched from the balcony as Blake crested hill, the sun nearly down. Naruto had something about going fishing despite the harsh current. That's when she saw the mop of blonde hair, and the orange shirt he usually wore for swimming days coming up over the hill just right behind her daughter. That wouldn't be so strange, until her cat ears picked it up.

"So, you're saying that you actually are reading The Rusted Knight."
"Well yeah, I love it so far, especially when he saved Alyx."
"Okay, so, if you're really reading it what is the monster's name?"
"Um, let's see here…uh…Jackerwalker…Jacklobber…Jabbaclocker…"
"The Jabberwalker."
"Yeah, that's it! Things super creepy, ya know."

"Kali dear, what is it?" Ghira asked whilst walking up next to her.

"They're talking~" She nearly squealed before turning to Ghira, and smiling brightly. "I think they're finally starting to become friendly with one another."

"Oh, thank Gods," Ghira breathes before leaning against the doorframe. "I was afraid that she would maintain her indifference…I'm telling you that boy Adam is having a negative effect on her."

"He's been a sweetheart, still, he's made up his mind on The White Fang." Kali sighed before turning to him. "Ghira, I know he isn't ours, but I worry about him…something is telling me that somewhere deep inside of him there's still pain."

"I know, I feel it too, but he's starting to let go of things. We should give him time, and if he thinks this is the path for him, then who are we to deny him? We don't deny Blake her choices for her path in life. Still, I am starting to think that maybe there's a chance for Blake for her to get rid of her bias.' Ghira smiled whilst he talked to his wife, and then watched as Naruto did a stupid little pose.

"Behold, I am The Rusted Knight Of Old! My sword, broken, my shield torn! Yet, I fight like roses, with thorns abound!" They heard Naruto declare in the distance. "For I am The Rusted Knight, upon my steed, Juniper The Jackrabbit! I stand forth, against all foulness in The Everafter!"

"Yep, that's pretty much my favorite line too. What's weird, not once does the author, Lewis, ever mention the sword's name." Blake commented, although Naruto couldn't see it since his back was turned, Ghira and Kali both saw a small smile.

"Oi!" Naruto yelled up when they got closer. "I got crabs!"

Both Ghira and Kali guffawed in surprise at the bold statement. Then they saw the bag on Naruto's backside, bristling with freshly caught Menagerian Kings. Both chuckled under their breath, for all the street smarts the kid had, he needed a better education book wise. Though, with him reading like he's been, it seemed that wouldn't be too much of a problem from now.

"How many did you catch?!" Kali called back, finding her mouth watering, it's been awhile since she last had crabs. "Wanna learn how to do a boil?!"

"Of course!" Naruto yelled out.

{Kuo Kuana City Hall.}
[Two Days Later.]

"Lady Sienna."

The door opened as the guard pulled it. Walking in, Naruto Uzumaki stood in his orange achkan. Wearing a pair of black trousers, with several cream-colored pouches along the beltline. He entered the room, and took a moment to let the door close behind him.

Sienna sat on her chair, looking at him. "So, have you certainly taken your time to consider my offer." She stated whilst leaning forward on her elbows. "Have you come to a conclusion?"

"I have," Naruto says maintaining the smile, "I've chosen what I want to do."

"Good, very good." Sienna said before getting out a piece of paper. "This is a form; you must fill it out completely. Since you're already trained, combat wise, you'll not need to attend most of the basic combat training classes."

"Okay, so, do I do this right here and now?" Naruto questioned her before walking over to the chair in front of her. Getting a pen out of the little cup on it. He heard the guards behind him tense up, noting the tension in the air. "They expect me to do something?"

"Well, some of my people fear you, I'm not going to lie. However, I view you as an asset to be used for the betterment of Menagerie. I promised to be honest with you, thus I am." She said whilst reaching over with another paper. "I am needing a trump card against the Grimm, and kiddo, if you're able to take down anything like that Razor Fin…well you fit the bill."

"I'm not your tool." Naruto stated with a slight bit of irritation in his voice. "I'm nobody's tool."

"Yet, you are a warrior, aren't you? You are one of many, the protectors of the home of Faunuskind." She retorted with a smirk on her face, and then watched as Naruto tensed up. "As I said, I'm an honest person, why lie? Where's the point in it, there is no honor in it, but at the same time…some people don't like hearing the truth."

"I am inclined to agree with her…"

Naruto heard one of those errant thoughts again. Sighing before taking a deep breath, and then sitting the pen at the desk. "What would you have me do?" He asked her whilst his azure yes stared right into the paper in front of him. "I'm by no means going to be a normal soldier for you."

"Oh, I know, and that's the thing." Sienna chuckled under her breath. "I'm not looking for another solider, I'm looking for someone who can be The White Fang's spear against The Grimm on Menagerie."

Naruto rustled in the chair uncomfortably before taking a deep breath. He began to write his name on the sheet, slowly, and taking a moment to think about it. Writing down his birthdate right after, although he couldn't figure out the year part since their world and his weren't exactly one to one on the timeframe of events.

"By spear, you mean you want me to take on Grimm?" Naruto wanted clarification as he continued writing. "Because, I'll be honest, if you try to have me harm innocent people…it's not happening."

"Hmph, wouldn't think of it. However, I'll need you train on a Bullhead crew for two weeks, starting three days from now. On that Monday, you're no longer a ward of The Belladonna family, but a soldier of The White Fang." She stated before taking a minute to notice his hardened eyes. "You seem to not like me stating that."

"Because…" Naruto took a deep breath, and then placed down his emergency contacts. "I don't view them as my protectors, I view them as my family. So, please stop calling me a ward, I'm not."

"Heh, spunky little guy aren't ya?" She complimented him with a sneer before watching as he finished signing his name at the bottom. "I see that you listed Ghira, and Kali Belladonna as your emergency contacts…and under family. You do realize that I have to inform them, right? It's a legal obligation under our bylaws."

"I understand, I read the little handbook on the way in." Naruto stated before crossing his arms. "So, what exactly is a bullhead?"

"A transport aircraft." She stated whilst reaching over toward a small material's printer that was generating something before, she pulled out the object it made. "These are your tags, if you should ever find these on a dead soldier…pick them up, it's meant to identify critically wounded or dead men."

"Okay." Naruto breathed before taking a moment to watch her. "So, what is really going on, I'm not exactly dumb, ya know?"

"Heh, he's got good insight, I might have to keep an eye on that." She thought to herself before sighing, motioning for the guards to clear the room. They did so, and then she gained a hardened look on her face. "I'm not at true liberty to disclose this, but there is a horde forming past the east wall."

"A horde…"

"Yes, a horde, things you only read in horror novels involving Grimm. I wanted you to join up because I recently lost a squad of elite warriors to them." She told him before taking a deep breath, and then the first lie flowed out. "I sent them there to squash it before it could start, but unfortunately…they weren't enough."

"Any of them- "

"None of them made it back, three of them had families." She answered his question immediately before looking right into his eyes. "I want you to imagine those Grimm suddenly catching whiff of Kuo Kuana, and marching this way…what they might do."

Naruto thought of everyone he's came to be close with over the last couple of months here. He gripped his hands on the chair's armrest, and took a deep shuddering breath. "I'd never let that happen, even if I didn't join The White Fang." He stated with determination.

"That's why we need you. You showcase almost magical abilities. The whole story you've told, about being from another world. I believe it. So, not only do you have a purpose, you'll find that your presence won't be too unwelcomed here with those marks on your face." She told him whilst pointing at his cheeks. "I won't beat around the bush, in the next couple of weeks after your training…you'll be going on a mission that could kill you."

"Wouldn't be the first time." Naruto commented before thinking about all of the A-rank missions he had got shoehorned into. "If it means that Kali, and Ghira are safe along with my friends…I'll take that whole horde down by myself."

"Spunky indeed, but let's not get too ahead of ourselves." She leaned back into her chair before folding her hands together in front of her. "Naruto Uzumaki, I need you to recite this pledge, come Monday you'll recite it amongst a group."

She took a deep breath.

"I, your name, solemnly swear to uphold Menagerie's will. My fangs may break, my body broken, but my spirit shall remain firm. I give my sweat, tears, and blood to Menagerie. To her people, to her chieftain, to her high leader of The White Fang. Death to me, if I should shirk my duty, revoke my promise. My freedom from this duty is death, and may it come honorably. I, do so swear upon my name, and soul." She chanted whilst Naruto observed her, and him whispering the same mantra under his breath.

She watches as he did so, smirking, she had him!

"Did you get all of that?" Sienna questioned.

"I did, thank you, I'll be seeing you all Monday, ya know." Naruto got up from his seat before Sienna stood as well. He turned to her, only for her to smirk at him. "What?"

"Oh, nothing at all, Naruto. Just so you know, you'll be serving as part of an elite unit. A unit that I created myself." She watched as he slightly fidgeted. "Upon completion of your training, you'll be made a specialist. You'll be serving under the outfit called The Black Cats."

"Why is it called that, it's sounds menacing?" Naruto questioned her, only to hear her laugh.

"Oh, because whatever crosses their path Naruto, better scratch itself…otherwise bad luck happens to follow." She said before walking over toward the door, opening it herself. "I'm going to expect to see you Monday, and from there on you'll be walking the line with a band of SIAs, Siblings In Arms."

"Right, See ya…" Naruto tried to sound it out. "Kind of a weird name."

"No, it's S.I.A," she corrects him matter-of-factly. "Report to this location Monday, it's just by The Eastern Wall. It's where all new recruits go."

"Yes mam!" Naruto saluted her before walking of the room.

Sienna smirked before closing the doors. Phase one of her plan completed, and with her name on the document, it meant that any success this kid had would reflect back onto her. She could also spin it to where Adam convinced her, though her adoptive son was lately having issues of his own. One of his best friends didn't return on a raid, and he's been lashing out in anger ever since.

Luckily for him, Blake Belladonna knew how to keep her mouth shut. Sienna had seen the cut happen, and it wasn't fully on purpose, but Adam had gone too hard on Blake after a short break. She had been eating some of the food that Uzumaki had made the night before.

Her biggest, and sole mistake, was telling Adam that he wished he'd cook for her sometimes.

It bothered Sienna, a little bit, but Adam being under a lot of pressure was to be expected. Still, that cut bothered her somewhat, because Adam knew better than to let himself get carried away in a light spar. Especially against someone who hadn't yet unlocked their aura.

"I wonder what Adam will think of Naruto Uzumaki being on his squad?" She sat in her chain, hands under chin as she thought. "Only time can tell, but still…that Grimm leading the horde. It nearly took out the scouting party sent just a couple of weeks ago. We didn't even get to fully see it.

She took the picture out, their Grimm expert couldn't even fully identify it. It's shadow was massive, compared to the Alpha Deathstalkers around it. It had to be at least sixty feet tall, but it was wide and had tails curled like stingers. She fidgeted a little, remember the old children's story of the Girtablilu.

"A monster is The Girtablilu. It's miasma breath chokes you, it's human hands tear upon you, and it's claws rip into you. Children, flee to the waters, forget about mothers and fathers. Run, run, run, the miasma is going to make you come undone." She felt something roll off the top of her head, was it…surely not, it was!

Sienna Khan was sweating, and fear was under her chest, encasing her heart. For she had the expert look up the monster, and all they knew from it is that it was some sort of ancient Grimm. Which were extremely rare, extremely dangerous, and extremely intelligent.

Things you never want Grimm to individually be, let alone possess all three.

Rare Grimm were hard to kill.
Dangerous Grimm could easily kill you.
Smart Grimm are capable of outthinking you.

Reports flowed in about the one transport that was damaged on the way back, Black Cat Four, she saw the marks on it. The monster apparently was accurate enough with those bone launchers to hit Black Cat Four, a modified bullhead built for pure speed, whilst it moved evasively.

She shuddered at what it could've done if it had a more accurate hit.

"God Of Animals protect us because this monster could catch whiff of us if negativity spreads. I'm not sure if Kuo Kuana could withstand it…let alone that Outworlder."

Chapter End.

Trivia.
Black Cats are named after the mission and theme for COD: World At War.
Transformation Jutsu does indeed impart qualities of the transformation upon the user.
The God Of Animals is based on the fairytale in Remnant.
Dairy Of A Mad Faunus Woman is based on the movie by Tyler Perry…you know the one.
Naruto's theme for this story is Fabvl's fire within.