Welcome back.
Not much to say.
Apologize if I haven't responded, I have a lot happening and have hardly been online to respond.
Not really changing this week, either...
Just know, that I appreciate every review, and I thank you all so much!
Enjoy the chapter.
Should he have done more?
Even with that look in her eye that told him stay back, he wanted to act.
But what could he have done that wouldn't have ended in more tragedy? Fight her? The police?
No… That would have only ended with charges being pressed, and then what would we do? Have to fight the law?
Stay on the run? Live off the land? Go to Menagerie?
Joining a Huntsman academy would be thrown while dealing with these issues. With the crimes they were trying to pin him with for Neo breaking free of her home to come to him, if he threw an actual assault into the mix, it would complicate matters.
It would take some time to clear his name from them, and he knew it. Qrow had left soon after to try and sort things out, and he lamented precisely what Jim was pulling. To keep his name clean, refusing to let anyone associated with his name ruin it. So, he was shifted the blame…
And with his money, it would be a brutal fight and one that he would need solid evidence and certain connections to overcome. The connections ironically seemed to be the easy portion…
So fighting in that position wasn't an option as much as he hated it. If Neo hadn't given herself willingly…
He would have acted the moment they tried to take her forcefully… Even if that were a mistake.
But her look told him to let her handle this, for it was her mistake…
And it was eating him alive that he let her walk out that door…
What more could he have…
Pathetic whelp… Need my assistance, do you?
And everything in his world turned black.
It was dark in here. Damp and cold too.
Pipes that led to nowhere.
The drips that seeped from the pipes into the water sloshing against his ankles trickled and annoyed his eardrums.
Naruto scowled as the last words of the Nine-Tails filled his mind as he was drawn to this place.
No, he wouldn't bow to this creature.
Beg for its assistance.
Nah, this was his fight.
"Been a while since I've been here," Naruto muttered as he scrutinized the dank place before him as he trudged through the shallow waters before him. "Even with meditating, I can barely access this place. Now, after all the stress of last night, I'm suddenly back here. Feels like someone is trying to pick on me at my lowest, ya?"
Glowering as he followed the feeling in his gut, letting it direct him, he couldn't help but feel he would end up lost otherwise. It was a labyrinth in here. Anyone caught in here would surely be unable to find their way through without good directional skills easily.
Didn't help that everything in this place looked identical. If it weren't for the sensation in his stomach, he wouldn't know where to travel and be hopelessly lost in this place…
Finally stepping into a wide opening area, a set of familiar bars appeared before him. He glowered as he could see the form of the demon fox, crimson chakra rolling off him and leaking into the very water flooding around his ankles.
Its muscles twitched and spasmed, but the control of its body was far more under control than he last remembered it. Whatever had occurred when it had so casually caused this series of events to throw them forward in time had no doubt damaged it, but it had adjusted to its cost.
Now Naruto only wished to know what costs he had to pay.
What secrets were withheld from him?
Why did things come to this?
"Oiy looks like your plans to take over my body and get out were thwarted, ya hear!" Naruto loudly announced as he stopped and scowled before the cage, pocketing his hands as he glared at the fox within. "Looks like you'll need to think of a new plan for now, as I'm not giving up control any time soon! Gonna do my best to manage my temper better so you can't get out!"
A snarl and hiss follow. A massive crimson eye opened, and a malevolent pulse of chakra flooded the cage and saturated the ebbing tides of water.
Foolish child. What makes you think I was trying to take over your pathetic body? What a waste of my time that would be.
Not to mention a downgrade in appearance. I quite prefer this majestic body of mine, ya know.
"Did you just mock my appearance and mannerisms in a single shot?" Naruto twitched and gnashed his teeth at the massive fox before. "Yeah, not taking this from a giant fox that looks like its mother got fucked by a rabbit, long ears!"
Oh, so original. Come up with that on your own?
"Eat me!"
Don't want to ruin my diet with a dose of idiocy. Might be contagious.
Fuming silently for what felt like an eternity as scarlet eyes gazed upon him amusingly, Naruto glowered at the demon. "Alright then, what else would you call what just happened out there? Seems pretty straightforward what you were doing. Taking advantage of my emotional state while I was in a heightened state of agitation and then pushing more of your chakra into me to try and break free."
Naruto's eyes scrunched at the sound he heard. Was the fox laughing?
It was!
The demon was laughing at him!
It deigned to laugh!
Oh, how naïve you are. I may have influx some chakra once I noticed a weakness to see what would happen, but you were drawing forth the chakra.
You humans, with your emotional tiffs, always draw forth more chakra when you are upset. It has happened with every vessel that has contained me.
"So there have been others," Naruto muttered upon hearing that information, expecting it as he turned away from the fox. "Great, just what I wanted to hear. Gonna have to temper and train my emotions to keep you in check…"
Oh, you may try, but it is in your blood. Your clan is known to be emotional, every last one of them. You will draw on my power as you are just as she was…
A cruel smile crept on the fox's maw, and it bored straight into Naruto's cerulean eyes with malice intent.
As emotional as your mother was before I was released from her seal and killed her before your father sealed me within you.
Everything stopped as those words hit Naruto.
A slow, trembling shiver went down his spine that shook his very being.
His eyes looked directly into the cruel and malice-filled gaze of the nine-tailed fox as it mercilessly mocked him.
Not only had he learned there were previous vessels to the fox before him…
His mother was one?
And his father…
Yes boy. You are the child of that man and a wretched woman who contained me. And no one ever told you the truth.
"No one knew!" Naruto immediately defended everyone in his past despite being on the verge of tears as he could feel the truth of the fox's words. "I was an orphan because of that night! No one would have…"
Lies. Those you trusted most knew. They always knew yet left you alone to suffer. Not very couth of your so-called precious people.
Tears freely streamed.
Its malevolent presence wrapped around him, coating him in his chakra as he looked terrifyingly into its gaze.
His most precious people…
Knew whose parents were? And never told him?
"No…"
Deceive yourself all you wish. But I speak the truth. Deceiving you is hardly worth my time. You know this to be true. I have neither the time nor patience to lie.
The nine tail's fangs curled into a wicked and gnarled grin as its eyes glimmered in amusement as it broke his vessel's spirit.
It is far more satisfying to watch you toil and suffer from the truth! That all the adults you so cared about knew who you really were and never once told you! Hardly lifted a finger to help you when you were at your lowest!
"Stop it!" Naruto cried as he held his temples, overwhelmed and flooded with the fox's chakra.
The fox's eyes only shimmered, almost wavering momentarily, a sensation catching his attention before it looked down at its vessel and boomed.
Now you know this truth, child, and look at you! You couldn't even handle your mate being taken from you! Do you think you can handle the truth I offer about our sacrifice?
Naruto's eyes flicker, dimming in despair.
Was it right?
Could he handle the truth once he found out? Was he prepared for it if this was too much for him?
If Neo being taken against her will away from his protection was too much?
Begone runt! You are not worthy of my presence! Come back when you are ready to stand before me!
With a shockwave of raw, malicious chakra, Naruto was swept away by it like a roaring wave.
Helpless to fight back as it overwhelmed and overtook him.
"It's happening again!" Tai had rushed straight to his room when he felt it and heard several guttural cries.
The crackle of thunder was an interesting twist he wasn't expecting, either. Maybe something changed between his time and now, so every time the beast's power was actively wielded, it did this.
Whatever it was, something was wrong with Naruto.
Severely wrong as he pulled the door open to the room to find him thrashing wildly in his bed, enveloped in a crimson glow. This time it hadn't taken form like it had in the forest when he was trying to release stress after the incident but only riled himself further.
Without hesitation, Tai rushed to the side of his bed. Reaching out, gripping his shoulders, wincing, and being knocked back several times from his flailing appendages as the beast's energy pulsated through him, he tried to reach him while shaking him awake. "Naruto! Wake up!"
A ripping roar ripped from his throat, and a wave of red aura shook the room, jolting Taiyang back away from Naruto. But he recovered, regaining his balance, and tried again, shaking more viciously as he snapped him forward in the bed and held onto him. "Come on. You got to resist and wake up! I am here for you!"
Seeing his eyes snapped open, with malicious crimson intent for a moment, the eyes scanned the surrounding momentarily before they focused on him. This worried Tai seeing the feral state, but recognition was still found within, and he could see Naruto was in control.
Good. He was fighting.
The thrashing had ceased now that he was awake, and the aura was fading away as he could see his cerulean eyes returning, but now he began to shudder. Tears freely began to flow and stain his cheeks.
Something had affected him while he was asleep.
"Hey, whatever happened, it is okay." Tai softly consoled as he embraced Naruto's shoulders as the fox's presence receded from his body and back into the seal. "I know last night was difficult, and things are not looking the brightest, but we'll get through this. We just got to find a way…"
"I learned who my parents were." Tai went rigid at Naruto's words. "My mother was his previous vessel, and he killed her."
He knew very well that Naruto was an orphan after the events that led to the fox being sealed. So that he now knew, that could only mean that…
The fox knew. But there were so many issues with it. It could be lying…
A shiver went down his spine as Tai remembered the words Naruto had said about the fox since he had come here. It wanted to inflict as much pain on him as it could. And truth…
Was more damaging than any lie when applied in a vulnerable circumstance. And this was most certainly that.
The demon was a cunning bastard. Tai had a newfound hatred for the creature. And while he was already vulnerable with what happened with the girl…
"And that…" Tai snapped back out of his thoughts, hearing Naruto's sobs were not done, and continued. "That nearly every important person that cared for me knew! They knew who they were and never told me! They let me grow up without knowing who they were! That I was the son of the Fourth Hokage and the previous vessel!"
Tai bit his lips. He wasn't sure how to respond. The fact was, there was no way to disprove the demon's words as lies. All it wanted was to induce pain, so whether they were or not wasn't relevant.
Pulling Naruto into him, he fully embraced the young man while rubbing soothing circles on his back. "I can't say if they did or not. But what I know is they did care for you. Think of all the positive impact they had on you. Not on the things we can't change or don't have answers for."
"All I know right now is that you have a family that cares for you in two parts of the world and two loving sisters that adore you." Tai softly spoke as he felt Naruto's sobs rack his body. "And we're all here for you now, with you no matter what."
Feeling his sobs continue to spike, Tai held on as, more importantly, he felt and could see the corrupt aura fading from Naruto. He was reaching through to him.
That was all that mattered. He was calming down as he knew that right now, he had people that cared for him.
No matter what.
He was almost glad that it was in the middle of the night. Odds were low Yang would wake up and be frightened further by this as he had a world of a time getting her to bed. Thankfully Ruby was out cold, but he was worried about her for a completely different reason…
A screeching caught his attention, and a gentle breeze flowed into the room. His eyes narrowed.
No. Why? Of all things…
"Tai," Her voice was stern, devoid of emotion as he and Naruto turned to see crimson eyes gazing upon them before the open window. "I know you don't want to hear this, from me of all people…"
"No." Tai firmly bore his gaze into hers, anger boiling as he knew what she was about to say. "You finally step back in this house after supposedly keeping watch all this time…"
"Tai…" Raven turned her head, ashamed to meet his gaze, as her voice quivered. "There were extraneous circumstances…"
"Enough, Raven, I know at least some of them," Tai responded bitterly, surprising Raven. "So, coming in now and trying to fulfill the role of mother, you are mistaken. You lost that privilege long ago."
A long pause followed his harsh words. Raven found it challenging to meet Tai's fierce demeanor.
But she managed, and her crimson gaze defiantly stared into his blue eyes. "Maybe so, but you needed to hear this. And so does he."
"The power of the beast is getting out of control." Raven's eyes shone as she gazed at Naruto. "It's too dangerous for him to stay here. The power of the Sacred Beast is out of control and put not only you but the girls in danger."
Feeling Naruto wince in his grasp, afraid of that prospect, Tai snapped at his ex. "We are aware of the situation! But if you think…"
"He shall come with me." Raven interrupted, her crimson eyes illuminating the dark room. "It serves all purposes. Keeps the girls safe and allow him the space to hone and tame that monstrosity's powers properly."
Tai kept back a retort as he glared at Raven. He knew she was leaving out something. She knew more than she let on. Almost as if she knew precisely what Qrow and Oz…
"And you would risk the tribe for him? For our family now? When you previously abandoned us for them? What has changed, Raven?"
Closing her eyes so she did not have to meet his distrusting gaze any longer, Raven turned her head. "The strong survive, the weak perish. You know the code tribe has lived by. If Qrow let you in on it, then you know our odds of survival are low. And with this coming storm, I need to know if it is true. If there is real hope."
"I'm well aware of that!" Tai snapped at Raven upon hearing her talk about her tribe, eyeing Naruto warily before his eyes shifted back toward Raven with alarm. "What? What hope? What does that mean? Wait, we can discuss this at…"
"They didn't tell you everything, did they?" Raven's eyes opened and shimmered as she gazed at Tai and then Naruto. "Typical. Oz is notorious for leaving out details as he doesn't want everyone to know everything. He doesn't share everything, not wanting to involve everyone deeper than they already are or show just how much of a monster he truly is. I've seen foolish sacrifices before my eyes because of his lack of information, and the best-laid plans fall through because of them. And all that is left is the fear of knowing there is nothing you can do but watch everything you care for be ripped away…"
These words felt like a dagger to Tai's heart. There was still something Qrow hadn't told him about what they knew about the war with the Grimm and Salem. What else was there? And the shimmering of her eyes. He saw the remorse and…
Regret within.
As if she was reliving a memory.
Then he recalled Summer's anxiousness when she last left…
"Naruto," Raven's voice quivered as she turned her attention to the boy in her husband's grasp. "There are things you need to know, but first and foremost, you must come with me. Together we can safely find a way to tame the power within you away from everyone so it can keep everyone we care for safe. Keep her safe. And then maybe, just, maybe…"
"This nightmare will finally end once and for all." Raven finished with a low thrum as she gripped her temple, gritting her teeth before shaking her head and taking a breath.
Slipping out of Tai's clutches, brushing some of the dried tears from his eyes, Naruto gazed upon the strange woman before him carefully after healing those specific words.
The words he wanted to hear most, yet still giving her a distrusting gaze.
Measuring her like she had done to him when she had first met him. "Do you know how to? Can I trust you?"
Meeting his gaze unflinchingly, Raven did not immediately respond. Instead, she let the wind sweep in the room for a moment before closing her eyes. "No, I do not know of a way to control the beast…"
However, as Naruto started to look away, dejected, a crack of thunder ripped overhead as the wind gusted brutally through the window. Storm clouds gathered in the dark sky as lightning surged and struck behind the window, and the very earth shook.
And Raven's eyes slowly opened, a red, magical aura surging from them as thunder cracked again. "But I've been learning the fundamentals of how to control and master a power that shapes the world around it just like yours does. So if anyone can help you understand and control the beast's power, it would be me."
"What is this?" Tai was caught off guard, seeing the weather change again just like it had when the fox's aura had overwhelmed Naruto, and now somehow, his ex had power comparable to distorting the very fabric of the world around her. "You've never…"
"Something recently changed with me, Tai. That's all you need to know." Raven's eyes sparked with magical energy as she glanced at her husband before focusing on Naruto. "There isn't much time to make a decision. We won't have much time, so don't think too long on this, boy. Your window of opportunity is shrinking if you want my assistance..."
"Make the right decision for their sake." Raven let the magic disperse, and the weather slowly reverted as she turned and faced the window. "Oh, and for her as well. You'll be next to useless to her in the state you are in right now. All that power and training will be for nothing if you can't control it. For getting her back from the clutches of who she has fallen into, getting her back will require a fight."
"What?" Naruto's eyes widened after his head lifted from dejection at being utterly useless and having the thoughts of what he could have done going through his mind before the fox interrupted him and drew him into his mind. "What do you know..."
"I know enough, and I am not willing to disclose that information," Raven stated callously, her eyes glistening as she stared into his. "Not until I deem you safe and worthy of being around my family. Once I see that, then I will let you in on that secret."
Biting his lip as he held his head dejectedly, fearing he had been useless, Naruto refrained from screaming at the woman as she walked to the window. Everything had been his fault…
Neo easily being handed over. Being unable to do anything for her…
Letting his emotions get the better of him, which allowed the fox to exploit him and turn him feral.
Being manipulated by the fox as he was vulnerable…
He was better than that. He would improve! He was Uzumaki Naruto!
"I'm not useless…" Naruto muttered, slowly stepping off the bed, his eyes shining brightly in the darkroom as she started at the back of the woman. "I may be many things, but that ain't one of them! You got yourself a deal, lady! Bring it! I'm not gonna back down from this challenge or any other you lay down before me!"
"Wise decision." Raven closed her eyes before opening her portal. "Grab what you need, but make it quick."
"Naruto," Tai started, and he went to stop him but grimaced as he saw the look of determination in his eyes, knowing there was no way to prevent him seeing Naruto quickly gathered everything he needed. "I can't stop you from going, but please be safe. We don't know what will happen…"
"I know," Naruto stated as he made sure he had everything he needed and sealed it away before facing Tai with a steely resolve. "But I gotta do this. The fox has become more active recently, and it started to make moves. So I needed to learn to control it and be away from Rubes and Yang so something like last night doesn't happen again."
"We were lucky once. We will not be again." Raven stated before motioning for Naruto to come. "Let's go. No time to waste."
"Yeah," Naruto nodded before embracing Tai. "I appreciate everything, Pops. It means more than you know. Tell Rubes and Yang sorry that I could tell them goodbye, but I'll figure something out when I get back."
"You always do." Tai sighed as they broke the embrace and watched Naruto walk toward Raven's portal, repressing his emotions at the sight.
"Ready to go!" Naruto grinned, and Raven only rolled her eyes as she stepped through her portal, showing that was all that needed to be done. "Oh, that is really…"
"Mom!" His eyes widened, and his hair went on end at the shrill voice. "Mom! No! Don't take my brother!"
"Yang, no!"
Feeling a sudden impact on his side, Naruto could feel this was the worst-case scenario as he stumbled through the portal as it closed. His eyes shimmered in and out in terror as he gazed into weeping lilac eyes staring intensely into his.
"Yang, it's not what you…"
"You took too long." Raven sighed regretfully as she refused to look back on the scene, showing another individual out of the tent, not wanting them present for this. "Now I have to deal with this. Lovely."
Sighing as she finally turned her crimson eyes to the situation to see Naruto sprawled out with Yang on top of him. Bawling her eyes out, looking directly at her, she repressed a groan.
"Summer, this is why I left you to care for her…" Raven whispered before taking a deep breath as she gazed down at her daughter. "Yang, you've grown. But you're still not strong enough to be here."
"What…" Tears further built up in Yang's eyes and streamed down her cheeks. "I finally found you, and you are taking my big brother!"
"There is more than you can possibly know, dear child. Hopefully, one day you will understand." Raven stated clearly before exhaling. "Forgive me for this…"
Her world darkened, and Yang slackened on top of Naruto as she collapsed, Raven appearing behind her, sighing regretfully. "You are not ready to see the life I live. It would be too much for you to handle, sweet child."
"The hell?" Naruto looked alarmed at how callously Raven knocked out her daughter before lifting her off him and reopening the portal. "How could…"
"She doesn't need to see how I live, simple enough." Raven shrugged her shoulders and closed her eyes. "Don't leave the tent until I return. Vernal is the only one allowed to enter, so you should be safe. Not that any of the idiots can handle you, but nonetheless, a word of warning. Don't antagonize my tribe until I return."
With a step, Raven entered her portal to return Yang.
Naruto only narrowed his eyes at this. Just what kind of person was this woman?
What kind of situation had he stepped into?
Chapter 31 Preview:
"Yo!" Naruto heatedly glared straight back at the woman, not giving an inch. "You gonna stop giving me that nasty look as it isn't intimidating at all! I've dealt with a whole manner of more intimidating stuff than you! Don't think that's gonna scare me!"
The woman snarled back at him, still clearly not impressed. "Not until you leave this tent and return to where you came from. This place is not for the likes of you!"
"Oh, we're about to go if that means what I think it does!"