A/N: As promised, I've returned now that September has come.
So here we are now, a longer chapter, and I aim to make the next longer still.
As ever, we're following the tried and true Ember's Rule here. That's no joke. Really, it isn't. If folks don't like this, it won't be continue. Poof! Gone! Every bit of feedback helps. Reviews are the fuel which keeps me writing in these crazy times. With my tight schedule, I simply don't have time to write a story folks don't like. Without them, my inspiration cannot take wing and I can't write a word. So by all means, speak up!
Only questions this time. Back to the madness we go!
Q: What will Adam's team name be? Still think its crazy for him to enter the Vytal festival...but it oughta be good~!
A: I suppose I've kept you in suspense long enough. Adam, Roman, Neo, and a fourth member I've not yet revealed.
You'll be surprised. Poor Blake, she's not getting away that easily. Adam's determined to prove himself.
Q: Why is this Naruto so laid back? When will we truly see him cut loose?!
A: You already have, albeit in small, restrained doses. Unlike the bloke in Practice Makes Perfect, this iteration of Naruto has learned to relax; mostly in part because he went out of his way kick ass and take names early on, and because, bit by bit, he evolved as a person. Raven, Sapphire, Vanessa, each helped him grow as a person.
End result! Lots of kids, none of which he knew about at first, do to constantly moving on.
In no particular order, Roman, Adam, Pyyrha, Nora, Yang, so on and so forth. Only the very foolish *cough*Watts*cough*Hazel*cough* don't realize the danger of facing him. Practice!Naruto still needs to learn that lesson; you gotta let your kids leave the nest, learn to fly, that sorta thing. I find it makes for an interesting dynamic; in that he's learning alongside Jaune. The next chapter's going to be a right doozy on that front.
Q: How many chapters are left?
A: Not many; as stated, this, and several other stories are reaching their natural conclusions. Its been a wild ride.
Alright then, I've kept you long enough. Lets get into the meat of the matter and have some fun!
Once more, I own no quotes, references, or memes. Not a wit or a one. NOT! A! THING!
They've only ever been tributes to bloody legends, and that's all they will ever be.
Papa!Naruto is still best Naruto, and woe betide anyone who hurts his kids.
"If we're nearing an end, let it be a good one. Hmm? What's that? Of course I trust my kids.
In a sense, they're still baby birds, learning to fly.
Falls to me ta teach 'em, ya know."
~?
Time to Fly
"Naruto's doing what with the kids?!"
"Training." Raven dug a finger in her ear. "Why do you think we're out here in the first place?"
Sapphire nearly throttled the woman where she stood. "Are you mad?! The Emerald Forest is full of Grimm! They'll die!"
"Nah." The Spring Maiden grinned. "And not so loud. You wanna blow our cover?" she jerked a thumb over her shoulder to the treeline below the cliffs. "We're supposed to be keeping a low profile here. He'll hear us if you squawk like that."
"This from the pregnant woman?! All you do is squawk these days!"
"Maybe so," the Maiden allowed, "But at least I understand why he's doing this." much to the killer's chagrin, she turned her back on her, fixating solely upon the forest below. "He'll make them strong for the battles that are to come. Nothing else matters."
Sapphire bit her lip; wincing a little now as another tree hurtled through the air. Not a moment later, a body joined it. She caught a flash of red hair -a startled yelp!- before they fell back beneath the canopy. A dull crash resounded through the Emerald below, echoing all the way up to the cliffs where they waited.
"Old maaaaaaaaan!" A furious shout ripped through the canopy below. "Hold still! Lemme hit you!"
"See~!" Vanessa hummed. "If she can shout after a fall like that, she's just fine."
Sapphire flicked a baleful look her way. "And Pyrrha...?"
A string of profanities had Nevermore fleeing from the trees.
"Angry, but alive. See?" Vanessa sat down beside her, one leg dangling over the abyss while she watched daughter fight. "They're fine. He won't let anything happen to them."
On a certain level Sapphire knew she ought to feel proud. It wasn't every day he took it upon himself to train Nora's team. But on the other...well. She was a mother. Watching teenagers be tossed about like that, knowing one of them was her own; she might be cold, but she wasn't that cold.
At least her Roman wasn't foolish enough to get involved in that mess. He and Neo already knew how to fight properly. So did that Adam boy...
.
..
...maybe they were right.
Honor got you killed. These kids needed to learn that.
"Are you really satisfied with this?" she fought down a flinch as something -or someone!- hurtled through the Emerald Forest below. "There are more dangers out there...
Vanessa didn't look up from her blade, stoically sharpening it over one knee. "Name one that could kill him. Watts? Hazel? Please. He'd eat them for breakfast."
"She has a point." Raven leaned over, idly popping her back. "Tyrian's ruined. Cinder's dead. We butchered that Mercury brat. Emerald's living a second life as a kid again. Really, the only danger is Salem herself, but she's hardly going to leave her tower now, is she?
"She could."
"She could." Ravent bent over, languidly stretching with a vicious grin. "But we've prepared for that eventuality. There's a reason that dolt retired, you know." Raven didn't pause in her stretches. "If he ever took it into his head to seriously fight again...she'd have a bad time."
...and why is that?"
"Immortality. Eternal punching bag." Vanessa continued to sharpen her sword. "He hasn't had a challenge in decades. He's starved for a real fight."
Sapphire pursed her lips. "I don't understand. I know I was...out of it for awhile, but surely...?
Vanessa and Raven exchanged a long, lingering look.
"Pray you never find out."
(.0.0.0.)
Nora crashed into a tree.
Said tree crashed into another tree, before that tree was ripped out from under her and used to bludgeon her into another. In short? Many trees. Much pain. Her aura plummeted with each collision; she didn't need her scroll to know she'd gone from green to yellow, not when she could feel her muscles aching. Absentee father or not, Dad hit hard. Harder than anybody had any right to aaaaaand she'd lost sight of him again. Shouldn't have done that. Last time he'd attacked from underground and made her pay for it by burying her for the better part of a day. Where had he gone this time?!
"Eyes on the ball, sweetheart! Look out below~!"
A shadow fell over her. Nora looked up.
Gulped, now. "Crapbaskets."
Naruto struck like a falling star. Well, a laughing star. Old man definitely cackled his head off when he fell out the sky. Nora barely had time to bring Magnhild up for all the good it did her; he crashed through her guard like it wasn't even there, caught her by the face, and planted her in the ground like a turnip. Picked her like one too. She felt him snatch her up by the leg and whip her into Ren. Poor Rennie. He tried his best, he really did, but best or not, he just didn't have chakra like she did. Down they went.
"Better." He thumbed his chin, leering down at them. "But you can do better than better, can't you, kids?
Ren groaned. "...Nora."
She winced a little. "Yeah?"
"You're dad's some kind of asshole."
"I heard that, rookie! You wanna win the Vytal Festival or not?!"
Nora did. More than anything. They'd asked for this training, all of them...and his feet were well within reach.
Nora latched onto his left ankle for dear life, even as Ren grabbed the right. "Got you!"
"So you do." a blond brow quirked down at themin mild amusement. "But what you fail to realize...
Jaune and Pyrrha leaped at his exposed flank. They didn't see his smile.
...is that applies both ways."
He jumped, planted his hands on the ground, and swung his legs up with them still attached. Nora saw stars. Her teammates saw much more than that. He smashed her into them like a bludgeon. She lost her grip in the chaos; the moment she did, she heard Ren and Jaune cry out. Leave it to the old man to target the weakest links first; aka not her and Pyrrha. Damnit, she couldn't see straight...
Without warning, her vision cleared.
A massive Beowolf leaped at her from the undergrowth. Massive jaws gaped wide.
"C'mon!" Nora rolled her eyes at it. "Can you not? Kinda in the middle of something right now...
Dad caught it by the tail and hauled it backward like a naughty puppy. The beast rounded on him in turn with a snarl. Said snarl became a whimper as the scarred blond casually reached up, crushed its windpipe, flung it over his shoulder. On a whim, he uprooted a nearby tree and brought it down on the creature, crushing it to a black pulp. Once. Twice. Thrice.
On the fourth, he finally paused to consider his handiwork.
"Remember kids, stay positive." he threw the towering oak aside as one might a twig. "This is the Emerald Forest after all. If you start feeling down, we'll have the Grimm on us."
Nora dragged herself upright. There wasn't going to BE a forest left if he kept throwing around trees like that. Still, she couldn't help but smile. Her legs ached. Her arms were heavy, her aura in the red. But she'd never been happier. After years of not having anything in the way of a parental figure it felt...kinda nice having them again. Even if he and Mom were batshit crazy.
"Alright, then!" Naruto clapped his hands, startling her. "In the spirit of fairness, I'll give you a sixty second break."
Jaune gurgled into the ground.
"Oi! I know you're not done." Bemused blue eyes slid his way. "You've got Aura for days and your semblance. You unlocked it yesterday, didn't you?"
Another gurgle, this one affirmative. Nora winced in sympathy. Poor Jaunie. He'd only unlocked his semblance after having the tar beaten out of him. The rest of them hadn't been quite so fortunate. If the Old Man was trying to push their semblances to evolve, it was working. She knew Pyrrha's wasn't polarity -Magnet Release was so unfair!- but whatever it was, it had yet to show itself.
Which meant he'd be pushing them harder still.
"Then use it to heal your team." Dad's voice was a whip, spurring Jaune into action. "You're their leader, aren't you? Act like it, boy! Time's up!"
Jaune dragged himself toward Ren. Naruto stalked toward them with intent.
Nora spied Magnhild only a yard away. She dove on her hammer, snatched it up, and lunged at him. He pivoted to face her, looking so damn proud that she actually missed her first swing. The second smacked home in a scarred palm, followed by her knee crashing against his. Then there was no more time for thought, only battle.
"This is hell! Is this what you put Yang and Ruby through?!"
"Hmm? No, no, no." Naruto -Dad!- shook his head as he swayed between her swings. "Team RWBY went through something much worse than this." his grin gained an edge. "They didn't have a healer." he headbutted her away then craned his neck to where Jaune and Ren lay; wasted and gasping for air, but steadily recovering under the former's semblance. "Hmm. Seems they're done for now. But you aren't. And neither is your sister." he wagged a finger her way. "Pyrrha! I can hear you playing dead over there, young lady! Don't make me tell your mother!"
A trembling finger rose his way. Nora laughed and paid for it dearly; he took the chance to trip her and send her rolling into the mud.
"Now, now, don't flip me off." their father chided at her one-finger-salute. "Tell you what; land a hit on me and I'll teach you that technique you've been hounding me for."
She creaked a bruised eye open to glower at him; and it was a sure sign of exhaustion that she did so at all. "I can already walk up trees."
"No, not that." He mimed a motion with his palms, forming a sphere between his hands. "This one."
Green orbs flashed with a second wind. "You will...?"
"I'm a man of my word. Just ask your mother."
Nora didn't see Pyrrha move.
Naruto did.
They didn't fight, they danced. She could see where Pyrrha had gotten it from; even if he'd never trained her before, that natural grace was still there. Back and forth they went; raging a wild waltz of steel and fists. They whaled on another for all of three seconds; then the older Uzumaki reached around, yanked her shield down, and slammed an open palm into her chest. She skidded back and rushed in, only for him to vault off it, snap a merry salute her way, skipping back in retreat once more.
"You have your mother's skill." he bounded on the balls of his feet, taking on a boxing stance. "Now lets see some of that Uzumaki grit."
Nora wanted that kind of skill. No, she needed it.
She rushed in, braying a challenge.
Pyrrha moved before her.
Naruto's right hand swung over his shoulder, catching her half-sister's blade.
She wasn't there.
A flicker of surprise flashed across his whiskered visage as he realized he held her weapon, yet no hand held its hilt. She'd used her Magnet Release as a distraction; time enough she dive into his guard and bash her shield at his face. A fist swung down to intercept it.
Nora saw her moment and rushed in, whirling herself into a full body swing that sent Magnhild screaming into his ribs. Off balance as he was, one hand gripping her blade and another her shield, Naruto had nowhere to go. He took the blow full on. She heard his ribs creak. He didn't fall, but his grip on Pyrrha's shield faltered for a moment. In that instant, she surged up and struck. Polished metal bashed him in the face. His head snapped back. Blood splashed through the air.
He grunted in surprise...and Pyrrha hesitated. "I'm sorry!"
"Don't be!" his head swung down, revealing a bloody nose. "Remember that feeling!" his hands came down on both their shoulders, giving them an encouraging squeeze. That's what your chakra feels like. Control it! Mold it! Bend it to your will...and move!
He whirled and threw her.
Pyrrha flew. Struck a tree, slid down it and landed facefirst in the muck, aura crackling dully.
Nora joined her a heartbeat later, landing facefirst in the mud beside her. "Owww...
She stumbled up, rubbing her jaw. "You hit like a truck!"
"And so will you lot when I'm done with you." Naruto raised his arms, took up his stance, and beckoned them on. "Vytal festival's right around Up and at 'em, kids! I expect you to win this thing!"
Nora and Pyrrha shared a glance.
Then they waded in.
(.0.0.0.)
Some days, Hazel Rainart questioned his life choices.
Today was such a day. He'd been having an awful lot of those as of late.
It had begun when he'd first learned of Raven Branwen's presence in Vale. Her arrival hadn't been a bother; rather, it was the man she'd chosen to visit. He'd been the spark. Everything went downhill from there. Perhaps had they acted in that moment, they could have prevented all this. Such was the curse of hindsight, it seemed. They could have done many things. Should have done. Now Cinder was dead, her pawns vanished to parts unknown, Tyrian nowhere to be seen, the White Fang routed, and the criminals they'd counted on turned against them.
Stranger still, Salem had been...silent.
It all boded poorly. But they were committed now, and it was too late to turn back.
Even if Ozpin wasn't in Vale anymore!. Where was the justice in it all? Vengeance for his sister demanded such, but he wasn't even certain where the parasite had gone. Their spies suggested Mistral -there were rumors of a tribe on the move and an assault on Haven- but such details were scarce at best. They would have to seek him later, once Beacon lay in ruins. But for now...
.
..
...
Now, Hazel considered the vial in his hand like the viper it was. He was wise to be wary of it. "You're certain this will work?"
"Dear Hazel, Watts clapped him on the shoulder with a jovial laugh. "When have I ever steered you wrong?"
Many times. He chose not to say such. This was the only way forward now.
...and the girl? She's untested. We can't be certain of her loyalty."
"Leave that to me, my friend. You do what you do best."
He knew what Watts meant. Break things. People.
Time would tell if this broke him.
A/N: Aaaaand scene.
About three chapters left now, more or less, and they're going to be far longer than the last two.
Feels strange to have this story wrapping up soon. I almost don't want to see it end...
As ever, reviews are my lifeblood. Without them, I cannot write.
So In the Immortal Words of Atlas...
...Revieeeeew, Would You Kindly?
They keeps an old man alive.
And enjoy the previews.
As ever:
SPOILER! SPOILER! SPOILER!
PLOT DETAILS AHOY!
YE BE WARNED!
Get ready to smile~!
Obvious references are obvious~!
(POTENTIAL!) Previews! What can I say? I've been busy.
Leonardo Lionheart did not die well.
Ozpin looked left.
Ozpin looked right, now.
Ozpin sighed. "Whatever did I miss...?"
Naruto loomed over Jauen. "So you're sweet on my little girl, are you?"
Pyrrha buried her face in her hands. "Daddy, no!"
"Daddy yes! I just wanna talk to him."
Watts raised the remote. "Wait for it...any moment now...!"
"Ladies and Gentlemen! Let the Vytal Festival begin! For our first round we have-
Nora clasped her hands and prayd. "Not Adam's team, not Adam's team, not Adam's team!"
Jaune clapped a hand to his forehead."Nora!"
"What?! I don't wanna fight him! Brother or not, he'll shishkabob me!
"Sorry, but this is as far as you go." he stepped out the shadows, blocking their path. "I wanna let the kids enjoy their first tournament in peace, ya know. So unless you found someone willing to take Cinder's place...?"
The silence was their answer. He cast a glance back.
"You did, didn't you?" his lips thinned. "Who was it, then? Sienna? Ilia? Trifa? Some other White Fang fool? None of the above? C'mon, give an old baker a hint."
"..."
"Tell me their name and I'll spare you."
"You overestimate yourself. You're just one man. All men die sooner or later. Even someone like you."
"Alright." he stepped forward and spread his arms wide. "I'll play. YOU HAVE NINE SECONDS."
Credit where it was due, they acted quickly. He'd give them full marks for that.
A whip cracked out, obliterating his right eye. He allowed it.
One second.
Clenched knuckles slammed into his face, obliterating half his skull. Two seconds. His head snapped backward. Five. In the same instant that fist closed around it and smashed him down. Once. Twice. Thrice. He was still reeling when his would be killer leaped away; when the rest unloaded on him, filling his body with holes. Six. Explosive rounds. They'd done their homework. Seven. He slumped where he lay. Eight. Blood slid down the concrete. A sword slammed into his back and severed his spine. Nine. Crimson pooled beneath him as his ruined body slumped to the street.
Silence pervaded the night...followed by low laughter.
...excellent." His head rose, the wounds in his body already regenerating. "I haven't had this much fun in ages...!"
With an awful pop, his broken bones realigned themselves. His eyes sought their leader.
"What did you say your name was...?"
R&R~!