So, another Wednesday update.

Might just keep that the update day if I decide to stay weekly as it's when my work week starts currently, but that might change...

I'm still very mixed on the whole update schedule as a whole...

Good views to both, stress on both sides...

A lot more of just voting to update when ready with no opinions, which honestly was expected...

Still fun to write, just looking for ways to mitigate stress, especially after this last month.

Appreciate all the support given for both the story and overall.

Got to most of the reviews this week, but there was one guest review I did want to address...

seph1r0th400 ...This car chase is giving me flashes of the Blues Brothers car chases...

It did its job. It was an homage to that scene, as that movie is a classic, and the entire skit was meant to draw up a likeness to the Blues Brothers' chase scene.

Now with that out of the way,

Onto the story!

This was beyond words.

He could not describe what was before him. Just what travesty transpired?

He understood! Naruto candidly knew what despair lay within Trivia's heart—the suffering she was undergoing due to everything in her life.

But this?

She was before him with the broadest grin, spinning the parasol he bought her for one of her birthdays on her shoulders and giving a bowing curtesy.

Trivia did this standing before a dented and scuffed sports car belonging to her father. That she stole after breaking out of her room and beating down his guard!

Naruto could support that! Understood that she couldn't take it anymore and rebelled! He even could get behind her running and escaping!

That he supported! He would have contributed and assisted in some way! Yes, there would be consequences, but he was already planning to do something similar in the future, so was it any different if it happened now?

But to this extent?

Breaking out of her home?

Accidentally setting the mansion on fire somehow in the process!

Stealing her father's prized car and taking it out for a joy ride!

Leading the police on a chase throughout Vale and eluding them!

Driving like a lunatic, swerving in and parking in the center of the peaceful town of Patch like she owned the place, to strut out and meet him like a queen!

Okay, that last one felt like it was within rational bounds, but still!

He was left speechless as his eyes quivered as he gazed at the bouncy figure before him, who was all too happy to greet him here. What words could even begin to…

Trivia poked his chest, beaming at him, trying to snap him out of his horrified shock. She giggled at his wide-mouthed expression as he looked down at her. It was all too amusing for her.

His eyes lit crimson for the briefest of moments as he snarled.

"You!" Naruto growled before suddenly dropping a balled fist on Trivia's head and smacking her, catching her off guard and causing her to scowl at him. "Idiot!"

Trivia popped back up, swearing wordlessly before signing in frustration about what that was for. She thought he'd be happy to see her out here and greet her with the warmest embrace. Possibly receive her first...

This wasn't how it happened in the books!

"Happy!" Naruto snapped back, biting his tongue as he glared at Trivia below him. "Given the circumstances of what just happened, there is far more than just being happy to see you out of your house finally! Look at what you did to get here, and tell me any of this is good Trivia! Did you even read my message? Or did ya just stop after hearing things didn't go as expected!"

Glaring at her partner for a moment, Trivia pursed her lips. Wait, there was more to the message?

Um... Best to act like she read it all...

Looking back at the sports car, she tilted her head and smiled at the shoddy shape it was in, nodding.

Served her father right after all those years of anguish! Oh, Naruto had those tags that could explode! Add a few of those, make a grand fireball out of it, and make him woe over his precious automobile!

She manically grinned at the thought!

It was perfect!

"Trivia Vanille!" Trivia tripped over her feet as Naruto's voice boomed behind her, forcing her attention back to him. "No! You aren't getting it, are you? This isn't about your freedom! We could have done it another way if you were that desperate! Did you read the rest of my message?"

Trivia lour hearing Naruto's words. He lectured her after all this! She enjoyed her time with her friend and…

Her eyes trailed his frame, her shoulders dropped, and her face fell, regret filling her being.

She had never seen him this upset before—the angry twitches in his brow. The scratch marks on his cheeks lengthened and thickened. His eyes…

Were dilated, and she could see the tiniest hint of crimson within.

She had seen her father's rage many times. Her mother's displeased expression. But somehow…

This was the worst of all of them.

Trivia slumped into a more demure posture, holding her hands together as she shook her head, hearing his question. She had fixated on the portion of the message stating their plan would not work and that they would have to wait until November to get her license.

That tidbit of information had snapped something in her…

"Dammit…" Naruto exhaled in exasperation before taking a breath to calm down as he dragged his palm over his face. "For someone far more intelligent than I am and able to come up with brilliant plans when you put your mind to it, I can't understand how you are so obsessive and impulsive when you get lost in your thoughts."

Trivia hung her head, hearing her friend's voice. The disappointment was immeasurable. She had somehow spurned the trust of the person who stood by her this entire time…

"I don't even know where to start, as this almost seems out of my hands." Naruto ran his hand through his golden locks before adjusting his goggles and staring at the sports car Trivia had parked in the middle of the road. "Not even sure what we can do to assist you at the moment, but I know one thing, and that must be dealt with. Can't leave evidence behind! An old sensei taught me to do that."

Snapping her head back to her friend as his tone, while still somber, had a little more of the energy she was used to in it, Trivia's eyes shimmered. Despite this situation…

Naruto still wanted to help her.

Trivia gleamed as she closed her eyes, looking up at the big lug beside her. Then she grinned as she pointed to the car and played charades. She danced around, throwing many bizarre gestures before ending with her hands extended after forming a massive circle.

Somehow Naruto understood all of this perfectly.

"We're not blowing it up in town." Naruto rolled his eyes as he approached the car to look at it. "Although that's not a terrible idea in a different location. Maybe if we get it next to the ocean and pitch it in after we explode it…"

Grinning at the line of thought, Trivia stepped in stride with Naruto before holding out the keys and shook them.

His eyes narrowed. "Oh, no! You aren't implicating me here! You drive! You stole the damn thing! I'm already gonna hear no end of it for helping you dispose of the evidence! Oum, help me if I'm caught!"

Trivia smirked, shaking her head as she pointed at Naruto and shook her head. She then motioned to him again and acted like he was driving before gesturing with her hand, stroking it in a very certain manner toward her open mouth…

"You have been reading that book too much!" Naruto furiously blushed as he stepped away from the petite girl, alarmed at her gestures. "No! Not happening! Not right now! After what just happened, you think... You little harlequin, this isn't funny!"

Covering laughing at his dismay with a hand over her mouth, Trivia grinned as she sensually swayed her hips while brushing past him. However, she felt his eyes fall upon her, causing her grin to widen. He may say one thing, but…

She knew it was working. There was interest, after all. She had been watching his eyes for the past few years. And as she began to develop, despite her petite stature...

She knew what she had!

He may be upset right now and not wanting to say it at the moment, but the want was there. So when was the time he would want that? She would have to find that answer...

She was intrigued!

"Why are you here?" Tai narrowed his eyes as he came down the stairs and into his living room to see a particular person taking a swig of something he knew all too well what it was. "Of all the places to be, I thought you would be out trailing them given the circumstances. ...Or out at a bar, but that's beside the point."

"Hey, what is in my hand at this exact moment? No reason to hit a bar if I have a drink on me... As for them, not really needed. We know where they're heading." Qrow flatly responded as he wiped the liquor trail down his chin. "It's kind of obvious. He's got nowhere else to go with her. He's not gonna drop her off at my place. Let's be real. It would also be the first place to check, considering they know she's been having contact with Naruto, and I'm his legal guardian."

"Oh, he's not intending to bring her here, is he?" Tai refrained from palming his face in frustration and groaned out. "This is still one of the first places Jim will have the police come out and sweep looking for her! There is no way he will let something like this slide. Not after a scene like that on the news."

"Or he could pay everyone off to sweep it under the rug so his name isn't attached and discreetly ship his daughter out. That's a move I can see the bastardmaking." Qrow bitterly responded, and Tai exhaled, knowing that was a possibility. "But we have to look at it like this. For Naruto, this is the only plan of action available to his name besides the abandoned cabin. And that's nowhere near adequate to help someone unfamiliar with living off the grid. That girl could not handle it right now, given the life of luxury she was still afforded despite the crap she was dealt. She's not cut out for it, and it would take quite some time before she could ever handle living such a lifestyle."

Tai sighed as he ran his hand through his hand as he took a seat with his brother-in-law and, for once, stretched his arm out. Qrow offered the flask, and Tai accepted it, taking a drink and feeling the burn down his throat. "This isn't going to turn out well, is it?"

"No, it's not." Qrow grimaced and shook his head. "Girl's reckless impulsiveness puts the kid's to shame. She may be even more single-minded than him when focused on a task, and that is somehow more impressive and frightening. The moment she heard their plan fell through, she must have lost it. Think there was some miscommunication or something, as I knew he was gonna explain it to her in full during their usual meeting time, and he sent that to her. There were other options, and she could have made other plans, but we're here now. Now Jim is going to come for her with unrelenting force and put us in an awkward spot that I'm afraid will leave her more isolated than ever before…"

"Naruto doesn't give up on people. The lengths he will go for people he deems his friends..." Tai's head lowered, his eyes glistening with worry as he looked at the drink in his hand. "You know the story of what happened to him before he suddenly arrived here. What those wounds were when we first found him?"

Qrow stared at the wall before him as a dark shadow loomed over his eyes. "Fatal wounds inflicted by someone he considered his best friend that he tried to bring him home... To keep him from making a foolish mistake… Wounds forcibly healed by the damnable creature within him to keep him alive."

Silence followed as the two men shared drinks from the flask until it was empty, staring blankly at the wall and floor beneath them. It reigned for quite some time.

"You know what's going to happen next," Tai broke the silence as he kept his gaze steadily on the ground, his voice low and solemn. "He won't give up on her even after they come here and take her. He will keep going after her. What will we do? How can we do anything?"

Staying silent, letting an answer percolate for a moment, a loud ripping roar ignited in the distance. Tai jumped in his seat while Qrow stayed perfectly still, knowing precisely what it was. "Heh, wondered what took them so long? The first thing you need to do is get rid of the evidence…"

"Qrow! You..." Tai bit his tongue as he recognized the sound, and his eyes bulged. "They're just out at the beach, and you said nothing! That they drove past here, and I failed to notice the headlights! Oum, I'm ensuring Yang has the noisiest vehicle in the world when she's older! Gonna make that priority..."

"Didn't think you needed any more hints of why I was here. You knew what I was out doing." Qrow honestly answered as he shrugged his shoulders, hiding his grin seeing the disgruntled expression from Tai. "They'll be here shortly after pushing the thing into the water to hide the evidence. Hope they remember about the tides..."

Tai groaned and palmed his forehead. He shouldn't have expected anything less…

"But, getting back to more pertinent manners," Qrow's voice took a more serious tone, and his crimson gaze settled into Tai's blue ones. "We offer whatever support we can. Kid is family, and we're going to be there for him. He believes in what he is doing, and it is the right thing despite her asinine decision. This is gonna be challenging, so we have to figure out best how to help him through it."

"Even if it means giving a fugitive a place to stay for a while." Tai inhaled and leaned back into the couch, but a sliver of a smile crept on the corner of his lips. "This will be a wild ride. I can feel it. Almost feel my blood racing again."

"Getting the itch to get out and defy the authorities once more?" Qrow grinned as he looked at his partner before shrugging his shoulders. "Well, can't blame you for how often they screw things up, and those in charge are in the wrong. Just make sure it doesn't go like last time in Vacuo…"

"Will you stop bringing that up? That was one time! How was I supposed to know what was going to happen there?"

"By paying attention and no. I am always gonna bring that up. Raven and I had to bail your ass out while Summer laughed her ass off before getting us all out of dodge! The fact that we all failed miserably, and she was the one who pulled us out of the fire and the only one that got banned from Vacuo is a true mystery..."

"I still can't figure that out! Did they get her mixed up with Raven? I mean, outside of possibly punching the richest man in Vacuo square in the face for coming onto her..."

"That might have done it! All I know is they still haven't fixed the oasis after Raven and I were done with it! Still died a crimson red because of her and called the Blood Fountain!"

A chorus of laughter followed as the two men remembered the incident fondly before Qrow sighed, and Tai held back the rest of his laughter. "I miss those days…"

"I do too, brother." Qrow quipped before glowering as another memory came to mind. "Although I don't like what followed as I had to walk in on that and find out nine months later I was an uncle to Yang."

"What can I say?" Tai gleamed brilliantly at the memory, and Qrow glared at him. "When she gives those eyes…"

"Enough…" Qrow visibly paled and looked queasy before refocusing as he heard footsteps approaching. "Well, guess the kids are done with the disposal."

"Yeah, time to deal with this…" Tai mumbled and shook his head. "Really not ready for this..."

"Neither is Jim or that wench once they realize what he is about to awaken." Qrow gazed out the window and caught a glimpse of sun-kissed blonde hair passing by. "I don't even think we're ready for what is about to be unleashed, and we've done our part to prepare for it. I think we're finally about to see what truly lies beneath after all the glimpses we've been given…"

"And be shown that indomitable spirit that lays within."

"What do you mean one man did this?" A gruff voice held a dangerous edge, their eyes livid at everything that lay before him in this disgraceful place he allowed to exist. "I expect nothing less from you, Junior, but from my men! How could something like this happen?"

"Forgive me, Father!" Junior bowed, pleading with the domineering man before him to be merciful. "We weren't prepared for someone like him! He came in and knew exactly how to hit us and where everything was down to the last guard! And I've hardly seen anyone so strong! It was as if he was as strong as a Hunts…"

"Did he use a Semblance?" Hei Xiong responded, his voice rigid as his eyes held contempt within as he looked at his pathetic excuse of a son behind him after gauging the situation in the bar around him.

"N-no!" Junior stood straight up and shook his head. "He never once used anything other than his weapon and the men's against…"

"Then he was toying with us." Hei turned away from Junior, no longer listening to his words as he made his own judgment. "He is exceptionally skilled and had a plan for what he wanted to do. While this place is not the most defended, his statement troubles me…"

"Sir," One of his white tuxedo henchmen standing to his left with red hair spoke. "Shall we use our contact within the force to call for an APB for him? Pressure him out into the open and make his life miserable?"

"Put it through." Hei agreed as he picked up the card left on the bar and scowled at it. "Roman Torchwich, huh? Do we have any information on this scum or where he came from?"

"Not yet." A similarly dressed white tuxedo man with his head shaved bald stated from his right side. "We're currently searching through our sources for any leads. We'll find something on him here shortly. If he has anything that can be exploited, we will draw him out with it."

"Put as many assets as possible into the search. I want any information on this lowlife found!" Hei snarled as his eyes bore into the card he held in his hand before crumbling it. "He dares to challenge me for my empire?"

"He has another thing coming!"

Sitting in a small dark room, slowly pulling off a headset, cackling laughter filled the air. "Oh, poor Hei! You are one step too slow, old man!"

"There won't be anything useful about me, I'm afraid! I'm just a nobody from Mistral that rose out of the ashes to claim what is rightfully mine!" Roman grinned as he stood up from his chair, his eyes glimmering with glee as he reached for his coat and pulled it off his coat rack. "Though it'd be some trouble if they got in contact with Spider, so it's imperative I make them painfully aware another is also encroaching upon their turf..."

With a debonair grin, his door swung open. "Time to stir the pot some more and see what comes up! Let's see if he is ready for this!"

"You are making it too easy to take over this festering shithole!"

"She made quite a marvelous exit, I see." A woman's voice resonated as she looked upon the scorched outside before whistling as many bodies surveyed the scene, many of whom appeared to be emergency construction workers. "A blazing style, I should say."

"That was more because of Jim's hired buffoons' incompetence." Carmel's voice echoed quietly as she looked on, visibly annoyed at the scene before her. "She had nothing on her that could cause a fire, and they had live ammunition and tasers. And they used both on my daughter, and she took full advantage of their inadequacies…"

"I must say she did so exquisitely." A tall, thin woman with graying blonde hair swept up into a beehive and looked on, amused by the scene before her. "Quite an excellent performance, I should say. I will drop the age requirement entirely once Jim wraps up this issue and she has returned, considering I will be doing so because she's requested it for her own brood. Unlike them, even if there is talent there, I am to be told, Trivia will be is a once in a lifetime asset once harnessed properly. "

"Yes. Yes, she will, Lady Beat." Carmel's voice quivered, and she drew a breath before her face turned placid, gazing toward her livid husband as he talked with the police director before the mansion.

"Carmel," A calm tone echoed across Beatrix's voice as she drew Carmel's brown eyes towards her lavenders. "I understand, my dear. We can only do what we can with what we are given. Do not despair. Your daughter will be in better hands than she ever was here. You have my word. And when everything is finished, she'll thrive and make us all proud."

"I know," Carmel responded, still despondent. "She has always been special, but…"

"You worry about the boy's presence?" Beatrix asked, and Carmel grimaced as she was easily read. "He will be dealt with appropriately. As talented as he is, if he cannot be corralled and brought under control, as a prospective Huntsman, he is a threat. We will have to take action."

"The assignment will be posted shortly, I'm afraid," Beatrix concluded after a short pause and caught Carmel unaware before her eyes narrowed.

"You can't…" Carmel sputtered, her eyes flickering as Beatrix looked confidently back at her. "Think of the value he could…"

"Do not forget who is in charge, Carmel. Her orders are law, and it is better to abide by her rule, especially at this time." Beatrix focused her unnerving gaze into Carmel's wavering eyes. "She is in an unfavorable mood as something happened close to her, so this development has only sparked her ire further. She's given the order, and I must follow. But I dare say that's a job for our new ladies when they come in. For when Trivia is ready, she'll be given another target."

"A new player is in town, and when Trivia is ready, it will be her job to snuff him out."

Chapter 27 Preview (Short and Sweet, all that I'm willing to share):

But it was time. There was no looking back.

From this moment onward, she was no longer Trivia Vanille.