Chapter - 18


Naruto finds himself inside the school's pantry once again, he glances at the window showing the outside view. He saw the world turning into the night before proceeding inside. His tails sway in unison as if moving to a rhythm to show he was in a good mood.

"…"

The boy paused; he could see why the staff tried to stop him earlier. The pantry was a mess, the start of the new terms wasn't easy on the kitchen staff. Pulling up his sleeves the boy taking action.

"This is fine. I can still make them."

The boy did not stand around much longer as he quickly grabbed one of the clean kitchen garbs and put them on before starting to clean.

His hands alone did not clean the mess, his fluffy golden tails work in sync with the boy's intention. Even though he could wait for others to clean, he believed 'a help in hand' was sometimes good, even if no one knew or acknowledged his work or intention. He simply did things because he knew and felt it was right.

"I don't think I'm missing any ingredients. Miss Glynda always says to list things out. Let's see… flour, butter, brown sugar, eggs…" As Naruto trails off in his focus to make something in the pantry, someone was outside sitting on a chair while sipping his cup of coffee.

"One stick of butter." He placed the ingredient of the delicacy he was about to make in a bowl. He learned from his employer Mr. Shopkeeper how to get good butter and since he only makes for the occasional treats, the old man told him to just buy from a local farm friend he had.

"Ordinary and brown sugar."

"Vanilla and salt." Two of his tails reacted and pour the right amount into the bowl while the boy was looking at a recipe some nice lady customer gave him. Usually, he would just make the delicacy with his gut feeling and they weren't half bad but he wanted to do it better and thus, he read the recipe.

"Flour and stir till mix well. Okay."

He then uses a ladle to stir the ingredients with good strength and consistency. The little one pretty much achieving good results.

"Mr Shopkeeper also did mention, I have to focus hard and not get distracted."

*inhale*

The boy closes his eyes and inhales a good breath of air while still stirring, before exhaling. He didn't notice the small trace of dark lines starting to form under his eyelids as well as an invisible aura enveloping him. His stirs were getting precise every second and the aura enveloping him seems to be entering the bowl unbeknownst to the focused boy.

*exhale*

"That should be good enough." The moment he opens his eyes, the aura left him, and the shade under his eyes was also gone. His eyes for a short second had a different shape pupil before turning back to normal. Unaware, the boy continues with a focused expression.

"…"

His hands moulded the dough into perfectly round balls, each identical to the other, and for some reason, they had a golden glow. The boy nods in acceptance of his work and slowly moves them toward the oven with one of his golden tails.

The boy pulls out a chair and sat there for a few seconds as properly as he could before he pulls up both of his hands. He had something in his mind.

"Mr. Ozpin said I should only use this…" Naruto while waiting for the oven to finish, made his hands lit a faded golden glow, his ability to heal but at a much smaller scale, "And to call it my semblance."

*ting!*

Hearing the sound of the oven's timer, the boy proceeds to take the baked goods out of the oven with some mittens. Usually, a batch of freshly baked cookies does smell good and radiate heat but the ones in the boy's tray were on a whole other level.

"Hm?"

Naruto caught himself off guard as he stared at the spotless surface of the large fridge. He could see his reflection, and this somewhat made him feel a little absent-minded.

A young man of average height with blond hair and baby-blue eyes. His golden fox ears as well as the eight fluffy tails follow his command like a limb. It was not to be forgotten that the young teenager was drop-dead gorgeous, he had handsome facial features with a cute button nose even with the kitchen garb. But the thing that made him pause was the strange feeling that comes from time to time, the feeling of others standing beside him and the amount of happiness they gave him.

"Is something wrong, Naruto?"

"…" The boy blinks, waking up from the pause, and turns to the tall grey hair man holding on to a cup of coffee before returning to look at the surface of the fridge and his reflection.

"I don't know." He looks around before looking back at his reflection, "I feel like so many were standing behind me."

"Oh?"

The boy then turns his gaze away and turns back to the man before raising the tray of cookies to the man, "But I think it's all right. You want one, Mr. Ozpin?"

"…" Taking two cookies, the man looked at the always calm and kind boy, "Are they friendly? The ones standing behind you."

"I'm not sure," The boy's tails pull out a paper bag and place it in front of him. Without looking at the man, the boy places each cookie into the bag after they cool down, "But I do trust them."

"…" The man's eyes showed sad hearing such words. He was not sure but the young man to him was the hope itself and it saddens him that he was like this but did not say further, he could not say any.

"Truly." Putting his hand on the little one's golden hair, the man made a small smile, "You are truly the better one."

"Mr. Ozpin?" The little one didn't know why the man was always sad with the occasional strange remarks he gave him but something in him always prevent him from asking or even doing something about it.

"And I hope, you enjoy the new semester as a student, and experience as much as you can."

The man leaves the kitchen and after taking one bite of the cookies he was surprised but moved on. He enjoys the delectable and the blessing the little one gave them.

"Professor Ozpin?" Glynda, one of his few trusted aids was outside, and seeing the paper that shows the little one's name, the man figured she was still acting as his guardian despite his sudden change.

"Here, try one. There special."

Leaving the woman behind, the man already predicted the new school year was about to be even more unpredictable than he had thought but he could only prepare what he can.

Night time quickly came for the new freshmen in Beacon. Though due to some issues and unknown reasons, the new students were to sleep the night in the academy's hall, both male and female students.

Some weren't too keen while others just shook off the issue since it was only one night and fortunately some teachers were there to make sure nothing stupid happens.

Though despite the supervision from a few staff, teenagers are still teenagers and just couldn't stop themselves from showing off. Examples would be some boys staying shirtless while others catcalling each other, thankfully for the other introverts, this was the line the majority has drawn and no one was going to break it.

"…"

Ruby, a student that was younger than her peers was currently writing letters to all her friends back in her old school. She was only 15 years old and right now she considers herself a grade skipper. Yes, she was happy to be able to enter Beacon Academy this early but it came with the cost of being the youngest in her batch.

"*sigh*" She was also feeling a little anxious after calming down from the exciting tour of her new school. She made a friend but at the same time she also made an enemy making her a little down but there was also someone special she knew going here just like her. It wasn't her sister, but glad she was there. All in all, she was overwhelmed and it was bothering her.

*thud*

"Hey, what's you doing?" Her sister, Yang. A blond hair girl just appeared out of nowhere on her, lying down beside her sleeping bag without a care in the world. In short, she thinks of her sister as the popular gal who does what she wants and thinks about it later.

"…"

"….."

A short pause came between them.

*!* Ruby throws a pillow at her sister's face.

"Where were you?!"

Yang was about to laugh it off since she was sometimes a jerk to her sister.

"Do you have any idea what it's like to be alone when everyone is a stranger and the only person you could talk to just left you not once but twice without any explanation!"

"Ruby?"

Yang did indeed leave her sister during the entrance to the school and after the opening ceremony. Her reasons were a little different on her second attempt but she couldn't tell her. But the mad expression on her little sister's face showed she did mess it up.

"Eating alone in the cafeteria wouldn't be so bad if I weren't eating on the floor by the dumpster! You should know how those guys who sit beside the dumpster in Signal became?!"

"Ah…. They became dumpster guys?"

"No! They sit by that dumpster until graduation!"

"…" Yang forgot; her little sister wasn't like her. She was a socially awkward person and doing something new was sometimes a little challenging. Not to mention the many changes the younger girl was facing the past few days made the older girl guilty for leaving her on her own.

Her reasons for suddenly leaving were a little difficult to explain and she didn't want to say it either.

*hug*

"…."

"….."

"I'm sorry. I won't do it again."

Yang embraces the younger girl in a loving hug, the kind someone who was facing something difficult would. Her tone and her gesture all show how much she was sorry.

"mu~ That's no fair…" Under the embrace, Ruby who felt should still be mad started to lose that feeling to say more to her older sister.

Releasing herself from the hug, Ruby looks up to her sister. She couldn't stay mad. She knows her older sister can be brash and active as the next person, sometimes she was a little jealous of that quirk but right now her sister was different. Her sister at times was a little different from her usual self, it only happens when something was wrong or when she was feeling down but in turn, she was very apologetic and calmed down the entire day until she gets back her energy.

"Yang, I'm still mad at you." Ruby lied; she just didn't want to admit it.

"Haha…" Yang awkwardly scratches the back of her head. She could see her hug did the trick but she felt she could do better.

"Here, I got you some cookies"

*swipe*

It didn't take one second for the paper bag filled with cookies to be swiped off her hands by her little sister. Yang already predicted this to happen, her sister was always fast as ever.

"I'm still mad." Ruby while munching on the cookies still didn't let her guard down, "And it's cold."

Despite her complaint, the girl continues to eat with a sour expression at her sister.

"Sorry Ruby, I'll get you some milk." Instead of talking back like their usual banter, the older girl just accepted defeat and try to own it up to her.

"…"

"No, wait." Ruby finally stops, her sister was in trouble more than usual and she didn't want to say anything more to make it worse, "It's fine…. I forgive you."

"Really?" Yang was a little surprised.

"Really."

*hug*

"Oh, you!" The older girl just felt a little glad and happily pulls her little sister into an embrace forgetting her strength.

"Too… tight…" Ruby muffles, suffocating a little under her sister's hug while trying to get out of it, also forgetting her own measles strength compare to the older girl.

"Ok, stop." Fortunately, using her semblance Ruby got out of her sister's stronghold, "I'll get the milk myself."

The girl left, leaving an awkward blond hair girl watching her go head in the wrong direction.

"I guess, you're still mad. Haha…"

"No, I'm not!" Ruby shouts out from afar making Yang sweat dropped.

"You're heading the wrong way!"

"…" A flustered Ruby turns around to the other direction upon hearing her sister calling out.

Yang at the moment couldn't help but be glad her sister was adjusting to the new world they were about to enter since she knows her sister well to make her a little concerned.

"Was that your sister? She's cute."

*bam!*

She liked the eye candies she was seeing tonight but her sister was not one and her fists were going to make sure it stays that way.

"Hm?"

Meanwhile, while waiting for her sister, Yang decided to get some new acquaintances. Her goal wasn't that extreme but maybe she was thinking of finding one for her sister. Someone that might be as awkward as her sister.

"Hello!" Yang greets a girl with a book in hand, reading alone in the corner.


The annoyed Ruby on her way to the bathroom suddenly stopped. An aroma, a scent she was very familiar with suddenly protrude her nostril. This momentarily made her forget about her annoyance with her sister because right now that scent was heavenly to her.

"*sniff* Cookies…"

Like a fish, she was hooked as she just moves and follow the direction of the scent of her favorite midnight snack or any other time of the day snack. Her light steps and focused demeanor made it possible to pass through the staff that were around the area. Her semblance also played a part in her movement.

"Oh? Jackpot."

She found herself on the balcony of some part of the building. Her eyes were now set on the plate of freshly baked cookies on the edge of the balcony, she could tell due to her years of taste testing various batches and batches of the snack.

With a happy expression, the girl skips to the snack not thinking or having any thought or idea for what reason such a plate of delicious delicacy was there in the first place. Usually, she wasn't like this but the aroma of the cookies was so different and out of this world to her and another reason was that she was still hungry, lunch today was not satisfying for her.

"Wait, I can't."

Her hands almost touch the plate of cookies. She realized something and it was her common sense talking to her. The cookies could be someone's late midnight snack and she didn't want to make her first day in Beacon to be even more awkward than it is.

"…" Rubbing her arm with a conflicted expression, the girl sighs and wonders a little.

'I'm really hungry'

*munch*

*munch*

"Ah~ this is so good."

*munch*

"I can't stop."

Not holding back, the girl ate the snacks to her heart's content and if her judgment was right.

"This is the best cookies I've ever had!"

Ignoring her mouthful cheeks, the girl didn't hesitate to show her thoughts on how much she enjoyed it. Some might even see stars in the girl's eyes.

The smell, the unique aroma was too much for the girl and after her tongue had the experience of a heavenly pleasure, she sure won't be able to go on living without such delicacy.

"Oh my gosh!"

While munching on the cookies, the girl felt her mouth was a little dry. Something was missing and she had to say it out loud.

"All that's missing is a glass of warm milk."

"Here."

"Oh, thanks."

Luckily, someone handed her exactly what she asked for. A glass of warm milk and she drank it immediately without even turning to see who it was.

"Ha~ this beats any cookies I had ever taken a bite off."

The girl then takes another smaller sip of the milk until her common sense finally got back to her.

'Wait'

Ruby finally turns to the person who handed her the milk.

"Hey, Ruby."

He was there, Naruto. The cute guy and new friend she met the day before she was admitted in Beacon, the guy that was most likely her first crush but she wasn't going to blurt it out to anyone. He was there with the most natural smile she had ever seen, wearing an apron that somehow made Ruby think 'It matches him'.

"….."

"….."

A few seconds of silence.

*Pfft!*

The silence ended with her spitting out the milk at his face. She then coughs and coughs with a red face while shaking a little at the sudden entrance of her new friend while said person was cleaning his face with his apron.

Spilling quite an amount of milk she had just drank, the girl was in dismay and want nothing more than to run away or hide herself from this embarrassment.

'NO! NO! What is happening?!'

Though her mouth was preoccupied, her mind was a wreck. She keeps running into bad luck today and this might be the worst one up till now.

Still coughing, and even some milk came out of her nose. The girl push herself to get out of there and completely ignored the guy who was trying to help her from her predicament.

'I need to-!'

*!?*

Ruby felt the world suddenly slow down, and on her way to run away, she slips. She slipped on the spilled milk on the floor and her mind was so preoccupied with her embarrassment that her instinct to use her semblance or reflexes to save herself from a painful fall was nowhere around when she needed it.

"…."

"…"

"Huh?" Ruby was confused, she did slip and fell. Her view of the sky was proof of it but the pain that should've come was instead replaced by something soft and warm.

"Fur?" She blinks a few times and touch the soft sensation that caught her fall.

"Ruby, are you all right?"

There he was and just as she always imagine, drop-dead gorgeous or it could just be her mind filtering him to appear as such. After a moment, she realized she was laying down on his tail and also the fact that she was in her pajama.

Despite all that had happened in such a short moment, she was strangely calm. Even the stinging pain from her nose that shot milk out was all gone.

"Ah-yeah… I think." Ruby got up from the soft landing with his help and she just felt a little daze.

"Hi." Naruto could see she was a little disoriented and called out to her again.

"Hey, Naruto." Ruby now a little better replied but her cheeks were a little red too.

"So…" Ruby after getting up from the soft landing felt a little shyer but not enough to run off like she planned to after her hilarious slip-up. She kicks her feet lightly

"Did you like the cookies?" Naruto asked.

"Cookies?" Ruby thinks.

"Cookies!?" She figured and now her mind was once more clear. She also accidentally kick a bucket that was obviously used for mopping due to her surprise reflex.

*!* Hearing a painful sound, the girl to her horror made an embarrassment of herself once more.

Once again, today was not her day.

….

After a few minutes and calming down. Both teens now relax and look off the balcony they were on.

"I'm so sorry."

"It's okay, you didn't mean it."

"I know but.. but…"

"It's okay Ruby, you said they were tasty right? I'm glad you think so."

He wasn't even thinking about the recent event and was only wondering about something else entirely. She was a little glad but still felt guilty.

"And also…" Ruby twiddles her fingers, still incredibly embarrassed. Her eyes glance at the bucket stuck on his head. She didn't only eat his cookies but caused a situation for him.

"Oh…" He got her point, and the boy turns to her like any other day, "It's fine, accidents happen."

His answer made her feel even worse.

"Huu…." Ruby still felt bad for what she had accidentally done. They tried to pull the bucket off but it was not going anywhere and in the end, they had to give up, fortunately, he knows who could help him.

"Don't you think this view is amazing?" He added. Leaning a little forward on the balcony.

Ruby in all her misfortune today finally stops to look around and as he mention, the view was amazing. She could see a lot more, she's a girl that has the heart of an adventurous person and this kind of thing sometimes leaves an impression on her.

"But you can't see it. You know that right?"

"Yeah, but you can see it right?"

"Ah… hehe, yeah, I can see it." The girl was a little surprised, he didn't sound the least bit annoyed or bothered by his situation. She couldn't help but laugh a little and agreed, the sight she was seeing was amazing.

"Here, Ruby."

On her hand, neatly folded, is a paper bag that contains the very same cookies she ate earlier. The smell of such newly baked cookies was hard for her to decline.

"But… why?" Ruby again, wasn't sure how to respond. Yes, she can eat more but after what she's done. She can't find herself to take anymore.

"It's better to eat tasty food with others right? And I already told you. It's all right." The boy happily told her. He wasn't the least bit mad or anything, he was just happy to meet a friend again and the chance to share a moment.

"It was delicious."

"Thank you," Naruto then pulls out a napkin from the pocket of his apron and lightly cleans the crumbs on his friend's cheeks.

"I know, it's almost past curfew but you wanna hang out here with me?"

"Yes!" Ruby leans quickly in acceptance a little too quickly before retracting back. Her cheeks are still a little red, "I mean, ok. I guess, I could hang."

She hasn't realized that he could only hear her and couldn't notice the kind of weird gestures and clumsy posture she was making.

"Great, then, how was your first day in Beacon?"

The answer to his question was a groaning start and lengthy details with a pinch of events that seem like a series of unfortunates you won't normally encounter.

"And now… I think I fought with my sister. The first day in Beacon wasn't as magical as I thought it would be."

The girl slumps on the railing of the balcony with a tired expression. She was wondering what her sister would say after storming off like that.

"But you get to move further in your carrier, like the heroes you just told me. See a whole new world and have the opportunity to experience more. Right?"

Ruby heard him but it was hard for her to take it as a soothing moment due to the bucket still stuck on his head. She chuckles at the unusually calm boy before her.

"Don't you think it would be fun and amazing to experience those things with someone you love and cherish?"

"Like Yang…" Ruby now had a thought, a future in Beacon, side by side with her sister. That, to her, was the best outcome.

"Yang? Is that her name?"

"Yeah, she's my older sister."

*grab* Naruto then held the girl's hand, heading somewhere with a goal like he usually does.

"…" Ruby was a little shocked and flustered, she didn't realize she was letting him pull her without resistance.

"Let's go meet her and apologize! It's always better to act fast!"

*!*
"Wait! Stop!" Ruby snapped out of her stupor when he heard his reason for guiding her somewhere, "I can't let her see you!"

"…"

Letting go of her hand, Naruto stops and blinks, a little confused.

"Why?" He turns to her.

"Ah-!" She paused. She began to think of a reason.

It's because… It's because…" Ruby stops mid-sentence, she couldn't come up with a good reason and this somehow frustrated her. She wasn't sure why things suddenly escalated and she didn't want it to go any further.

'Why did I say that!?'

Having an inner thought crisis, the girl's heart beats faster and sweats trying to think of a reason but it would just make her sound like an idiot.

"Ruby, why can't I meet her?"

"It's because…" Still thinking, the girl's eyes kept looking around in desperation before her eyes set on a poster with a picture of shampoo.

"She's having a bad hair day!"

"…"

"…."

"…"

"Bad hair?"

Naruto was still confused while Ruby was crying inside at her stupid excuse for a reason.

"That's right, she'll explode and beats up anyone if you even get so much as an inch close to her. She can be moody. That's why I don't think it's a good idea for you to meet her now. Hehe."

She wanted to slap herself so bad for such a bad lie but she couldn't stop now. She has gone too far into the hole she dug herself into.

"Girls do that?"

"Yeah…?" Ruby wasn't sure either since she always had short hair and the lack of friends didn't help.

"Okay," By the expression his friend was making, the little one knew what he shouldn't do. "I don't want to make things worse for you."

The boy died down his enthusiasm and thought a little disappointed.

"Here."

"?"

Ruby stared at another neatly paper wrap bag and could smell it was the same one he gave her.

"I'm sorry, I can't come but maybe giving her a gift might help."

She was touched. Even though, she did him bad just moments ago. He was being very supportive, unlike the typical boy she thought would do, "Ah, thanks Naruto."

"phew…"

"Ruby?"

"N-Nothing! I'm gonna go!" With a bucket still on his head, he didn't catch the short daze stare at him she gave him, the girl was just not good at containing her embarrassment.

Ruby dashes away using her semblance, leaving a trail of rose petals. Naruto just wave goodbye unaffected by his situation.


And done!