"She is utterly unruly! She doesn't listen to a word in my class! She is not a fit for this prestigious Academy despite her exquisite lineage."
"She's a menace! She distracts those here willing to learn with her bothersome abilities! She should have been taken to juvenile hall for her actions, not sanctioned here!"
Beatrix internally groaned.
This meeting was running long. The focus, of course, had to be about the newest arrival into her academy.
It had only been two weeks, and she was causing quite a stir. She was public enemy number one in the school.
Her fellow students did not get along with her, finding her personality too bizarre or her appearance strange. None dared belittle or attempt to criticize her for it, however.
Beatrix had to hold back a wicked smile. The girl was something else. Breaking those weak little girls…
Once she learned the school's secret, her life would be changed forever!
Now, the teachers were a problem. Trivia had an authority issue, she disobeyed every rule put in front of her, would trick her teachers constantly with her illusions to wander the halls aimlessly, and even she could not corral her. Now this typically wasn't an issue as they searched for those students, but…
She was really irritating a certain subsect of her teachers.
Then, after all these things, the young Vanille would absent-mindedly ignore every attempt of communication, and even now, a week into bringing a therapist in…
No progress in communication had been made, even with an electronic communication board being given to her.
"I don't have any issues with her outside of her refusal to answer to her name. She does well and even excels in my class…"
"That's because you barely have what can be classified as a class! Gymnastics! Honestly! You and the Ballet instructor…"
"Excuse me! I take offense to that!"
"Ladies," Beatrix interjected with a calm, authoritative manner that instantly drew the teachers out of their quarrel and gazed upon the headmistress fearfully. "Remember your poise and dignity at all times. We are to represent what we are teaching to our young ladies. If we fail, we are no better than the riff-raff on the streets."
"Now, as for your issues with her, if you are having issues with her, perhaps it's your instructions? She has caused no issues in my etiquette lessons." Lady Beat continued with vitriol lace in her voice. "I am hearing no complaints from our gymnastics or fencing educators. So perhaps it lies in your approach?"
As the teachers flinched and lowered their heads, Beatrix tapped her fingers before noting a particular teacher fidget in her seat—the home-ec instructor.
Frowning as she had been like that during the entire meeting, being relatively new herself, Beatrix addressed it. "Mrs. Tealle, is there perhaps something you would like to share? You seemed quite uncomfortable and have not shared the floor yet. Please, take your opportunity to do so."
"Well, I, uh," Mrs. Tealle meekly fidgeted as all attention was upon her, swallowing the lump in her throat in an uncomfortable manner. "Regarding the current issue, I don't think she is that much of an issue, Ms. Vanille… I mean Neo."
Beatrix's eyes lit up, almost furiously, as her gaze bore into Mrs. Tealle's. "How did you come about that name for young Ms. Vanille?"
Receding into her chair from the intense pressure placed on her, feeling the cold eyes of Lady Beat looking down upon her, Mrs. Tealle nervously shrunk into herself and could barely stutter a response. "She wasn't responding to her name or anyone… And I noticed how she seemed interested in sewing… So I spent time with her after class."
"She was receptive to you?" Beatrix raised an interested eyebrow before motioning to her instructor to continue and silencing the murmur from the rest of the teachers.
"Not at first, no." Mrs. Tealle shook her head, still trepid at the intimidating presence the headmistress exuded about her. "But I persisted and paid attention to small details I noticed about her and how she seemed interested in certain aspects of the class. So I presented those to her and showed her how to sew and saw she had an interest in design. With that breakthrough, she finally communicated, and I came to learn we've been dead naming her."
"Deadnaming? Seriously, she's casting a prestigious name of the Vanille's away? What a foolish child?" One of the teachers mocked haughtily, crossing her arms over her ample chest while holding back a laugh. "Just another reason why she's a disgrace on our…"
"Enough." Lady Beat silenced her with a simple glance of her eyes before returning her full attention to her Home Ec. Instructor. "So, you talked to her and were able to have a conversation?"
"More like she listened to instruction during each lesson. Any time I called her by name, she would get up and leave. I thought, maybe to get her to stay, I could get her to tell me the name she wanted to be called by. So today, before this meeting, I managed to get her to stay after class more and asked her and learned she desires the name Neopolitan or Neo for short." Mrs. Tealle spoke uncomfortably about her time with the newest student at the Preparatory Academy.
"I see," Lady Beat paused after her affirmation before nodding. "Very well. Do what you need if you feel it produces results with young Ms. Vanille. That goes the same for every other instructor in this Academy."
"Trivia Vanille is not only the heiress to Vanille Dust Cooperation, her mother just happens to be one of the finest graduates that have ever graced these halls, and she and any child she bears will always be welcomed." Lady Beat announced to all gathered, her tone firm and authoritative. "I did not take a charity case into my Academy. Through all of her troubles lies a diamond that needs to be polished. It is our job to see that every young lady that walks through these halls reaches her pinnacle so they may excel in life after they leave."
"And I expect you to remember these words when our two newest young arrive shortly. Every lady that enters needs work, regardless of who they are and where they come from." Lady Beatrix's words were cold as ice, almost threatening, as all the teachers froze in fear. "One of biggest supporters is sending her daughters here, and if I hear any trouble, you can mark my words… your job is the least of your concern."
"Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, Lady Beat!" Echoed in unison and pleasant upon the headmistress' ears.
Finally, some professionalism around here…
"But what about the Vanille girl… What if she…"
Lady Beat, for the first time, broke her composure, and a wicked snarl left her lips. She immediately recognized herself and apologized. "Forgive me, that was unbecoming of myself. As for Ms. Vanille…"
"She will fall in line if she knows what's good for her."
His time out here had been…
Enlightening.
To say the very least.
Yang's mother was a bandit. There was no sugarcoating it. That was what she was. She was the leader of a tribe of bandits.
And that made things very interesting for him as he wasn't necessarily into many of the things they did to survive and thrive. The things that Raven approved of or sent her family to accomplish, often members that had been brought into the clan throughout the years to keep the Branwen strong.
It wasn't valid for every single person, as Naruto found out as some were…
Pathetic, and Raven knew it. Despite how much she gave them, they naturally did not have the talent to rise and become stronger than they already were. They were good enough to survive, but if push came to shove…
They wouldn't last.
At least his training…
Training had gone, alright?
She was primarily focused on figuring out how it triggered and harnessing and controlling it. Knowing it was from overwhelming emotions, they extrapolated they had learned to control his emotions under duress…
So he was put under a lot of duress and expected to keep his control.
Naruto learned Raven lacked tact and often sought a straightforward and blunt solution to a problem. She didn't seem to understand more complex solutions to problems…
Which he knew was untrue as he saw her devise more complex plans to rob a freight, but still! He had an issue with how bullheaded she was when she believed her method was correct!
"Focus, boy." Raven's voice brought him out of his thoughts before a searing hot blade scalded the flesh of his arm, crimson eyes focused intently as she sheathed Omen once more.
"You have no chill!" Naruto roared, gripping his right arm at the burning sensation across his forearm, his eyes flickering.
"And you lack control." Raven retorted, crossing her arms across her bosom, shrugging her shoulders uncaringly at the harm she caused. "If you cannot contain your feelings, how do you expect to harness the beast's power? To protect those precious to you with it when inevitably the dark day comes?"
Naruto scowled, throwing a shaded glare at her knowing it was a direct blow to his ego and motivations.
It was something else he wanted to confront the drunk about knowing but keeping him in the dark. But this one he kind of understood in a sense the more he thought about it.
Knowing about Salem and what was happening around him was alarming. That there was this threat working in the shadows, preparing for something devastating upon the world as they had done it before.
It was a kindness not to tell him; Naruto could see. At least not until he was ready to take care of himself and those around him.
And he wasn't, so he understood waiting but…
It annoyed him nonetheless due to all the other information Raven had given him!
That he was a pivotal piece in this war now that he appeared! He most likely was made aware of it after some time, so he obviously did know early, but he knew now, that was for sure. And it irked him knowing someone he cared for held something vital from him after the revelations that he had already had dropped on him by a certain prick fox…
"Ow! Oum, you are bitch!" Naruto bit back a scream as he felt Omen's searing edge brand his other arm.
"And you zone out too frequently." Raven narrowed her eyes before she made him holler as the blade caught his cheek. "And watch the names, kid. I am not as lenient as the rest of the family."
"That's fucking apparent! Fuck!" Naruto lashed out before he yelped and stumbled back, feeling the sear once more on his collarbone before giving a seething glare with crimson-tinted eyes. "What was that for? I didn't even…"
"You've spent too much time around Qrow and his vulgar tongue and have quite the vocabulary yourself." Raven bore her gaze back into his unflinchingly. "I find that unacceptable. Ruby and Yang need not pick up on our bad habits. They model after you, so keep the language in check."
"Parenting advice, really?" Naruto angrily retorted as he spat back and pushed back the surge of the fox's chakra he felt pushing into his system. "From you? Can't help but see the irony in that!"
Naruto expected an upset retort—a retaliation of some sort. But that isn't what he received.
Instead, he stared into her merciless crimson eyes, and her words came with such frigidity he shivered. "You could never understand my choices, boy. Ultimately, I made the correct one for four years and cannot go back on it now. But a fool had to go and think she was indomitable… And we all suffered for it."
"I will have to live with that mistake for the rest of my life."
With those words, Raven turned to leave without another word, her bangs covering her eyes as she stiffly moved away.
Naruto wasn't sure what it was, but as the shiver of her words left him, he felt…
Further agitated.
"And so what?" Naruto snapped at her retreating back, his eyes shimmering but now crystal blue as the fox's chakra had left his system.
This anger was entirely his, and he was in control of it.
"I don't know what you got going on in that thick head of yours, but everyone is suffering too, ya know?"
This stopped Raven's march in her tracks. She froze, and he knew she was listening.
Good.
He had a few things to get off his chest!
"I don't think you quite get it! You sit there, watching and now giving me advice on how to help my sisters when I get back, but that isn't gonna fly! Where were you when they needed you? Yang's been looking for you since she saw your pictures and knew who you were! It's why I came across them in the first place! She was fucking looking for you and brought Ruby to the damn cabin, just trying to find her mom! Oh, don't get me started on how much she cries, wanting to know why her mom isn't there with her!"
"Enough," Raven spoke, a solemn threat hanging in the air as a roar of thunder cracked overhead, and he could feel that magical energy pulsing from within her.
He was stirring a reaction within her, and he didn't give a damn.
She needed to hear this, and Naruto wasn't done yet! Not by a long shot!
"Then let's move on to Little Red, shall we? Having just lost her mother and role model, she is still so lost and confused despite her infectious upbeatness! I don't know how she does it, but she's more positive than me on the best of days, and that's saying something! Pops being home alleviates a lot of her stress, but you still can see she misses her mother and knows how much her sister misses hers, wanting to help her too!"
The building storm cracked, and Raven turned and faced Naruto. "I said…"
"Nah, I'm not finished!" Naruto heatedly retorted, staring straight back into her gaze unflinchingly. "You got your brother, who has trust issues all over the place and is a complete mess! Is the biggest drunk I know, and I can only imagine it has gotten worse since he has practically had to step in as a second parent for his sister after one of his best friends died to help his other! And finally…"
"I said enough!" A lightning bolt crashed into the ground against Naruto, alarming him as Raven slowly stepped toward him menacingly.
But with tears welling in her eyes and her shoulders trembling.
And he recognized she was struggling, her anger and sadness swelling. But it was mixed with something more. An emotion he knew all too well.
Fear.
And he knew he couldn't stop.
"You need to hear this!" Naruto matched her gaze's intensity and refused to back down. "You may as well think you are doing what you believe is the right thing, and maybe it was for a time! I don't know. I don't have answers for that! What I do know is that all this time, what have you been doing? Watching? When your family needed you, you weren't present, and still, they miss you! What does that say about you?"
"And what would you know?" Raven snapped, her voice piercing as she looked down at Naruto, her body wracked with tremors, and her eyes misted. "You know nothing of what I've been through! You haven't seen what I've seen! Understand what I feel!"
"Yeah, I don't understand that because I wasn't there! And I don't need to because I know what it feels like to be lonely and broken, and I know what that feels like, so I can relate! I know that pain and how much it hurts inside! I lived it most of my life!"
The storm abruptly stuttered and began to recede and disperse. Raven's expression was overwhelmingly engulfed with fear as she stumbled, eyes brimming wide with tears threatening to escape.
"You act so damn tough, and hell if I don't know that as I did it for so long too! Majority of my life as I was alone, and barely anyone would acknowledge me, let alone talk to me. The pain is unbearable, and while I can't say I know whatever yours is, I understand it. It's not something to take for granted as we all have our journeys." Naruto kept going, but his voice and face softened as he went, his eyes shimmering brilliantly. "The life I had just barely started going for me was suddenly ripped away. Now I'm here, and somehow, for the first time, I know the meaning of family…"
"And I understand you have some weird ideas in your head and that something horrible happened to you, but…" Naruto continued, breaking his eye contact with her momentarily before looking back into Raven's eyes. "You have people that still care and love you. And that feeling is something I can hardly describe as it filled the void I've experienced all my life, so I know if you just let it…"
"It can do the same for you."
She broke.
He could see a tear beginning to trail down her cheek. She was uncontrollably spasm. It wasn't his intent. He just wanted her to listen…
To know her family was still waiting for her all this time.
"Hey, what the…" Naruto cursed as feathers obscured his vision and knew Raven had suddenly transformed before seeing a closing portal. "Yo, where are you going? You just gonna leave me out here in the middle of the swamp? Oum, thankfully the camp isn't too far from here, and I should be able to take on any Grimm if I encounter any."
"Well, I deserve it, I guess." Naruto sighed as he rubbed the singed burns on his arms and winced. "At least the fox is useful for something."
"But I wonder where she went off to. There's only a few choices she has to go, and that makes me wonder."
This was one of the few classes she liked.
The rest were so dull and pointless. Then again…
Neo disliked boring lectures about academics. She always had. There wasn't anything fun about them! Maybe a few things in history here and there, but overall there wasn't anything fun about it!
She couldn't believe it, but she was starting to miss being home!
The bland meals she had to swallow down every day.
A strict dress code that they enforced, a uniform that had to be worn. She didn't mind as the uniform was quite stylish and looked good on her. The moment they attempted to force her to change her hair…
This was her look now. They would respect it, or they would fold, and most of these puny teachers and students could not match her.
They left it alone as they were still repairing the damages throughout the building, and Lady Beat reprimanded each of the teachers, reminding them there were no strict guidelines on how to wear her uniform.
She began to respect Lady Beat after that moment, as there was something more to her. There was a presence about her. Something dangerous. Something that made her curious about the woman and wanted to learn more.
But Neo would not yield. She would make her voice be heard. And once she was…
Then she would move on to the next phase.
Gah, Neo hated plans. It was necessary, but…
The voices of the girls in the class complaining about this class irritated her. About how such violent acts should be left to Huntsman while ladies themselves should preserve their integrity and aura. All the while talking about how cute some of the boys at Beacon were…
Oh, there were the annoying roommates that gossiped about trivial desires that she had no care for. She heard them all as she was an excellent listener.
Knew who had boyfriends in Beacon. Who was the daughter of a wealthy politician in Vale. Who snuggled with stuffed animals in their bed, which she did not understand why it was such a demoralizing rumor for the poor girl. Who was here because they stole their dad's car for a joy ride.
Apparently, she wasn't the only one! Solidarity!
…If that girl wasn't an insufferable ingrate that was on her list, Neo was an excellent listener and knew every single person who talked about her.
Talking about her size. Her inability to speak. Her heterochromia. Their annoyance with why she kept her hair coloring. Of why she was here.
That one irked her the most. Someone knew about Naruto and fed them information. Talking about how some thug boy corrupted her…
And she couldn't stop them despite several of her fellow students that spoke of this rumor being mysteriously sent to the infirmary. It infuriated her.
Naruto was the kindest and most supportive person in her life! If anything…
She was the one that corrupted him…
Neo snarled, her eyes twinkling as she looked at her opponent standing across her.
Oh, they shouldn't have paired her against her! She was on her list! One of the ones that spread that rumor!
The class was always paired by ranking. Her opponent was formerly the best in class.
Neo was better and now ranked first in fencing.
She didn't quite apprehend the form and technique of fencing, but she had plenty of weapon practice thanks to sparring and training with Naruto. She even practiced with Un (Fortune) and knew how to wield an Eastern-style sword. A lot was translated, and it was easy to grasp. She may not like the instructor, but…
She'd pay attention to any training she received. She may be faster and stronger than every girl in this place, but that wouldn't always be the case.
And she saw just how she couldn't always rely on her abilities and raw talent…
"Allez." She heard the call for the start of the matches.
Neo did not hesitate, lunging forward with the intent to puncture her opponent with the feeble épée. The girl still had some moderate skill, she would admit, as she could somewhat react to her movements. It was a marvel to see, and the first time she was paired with her, she was almost hit by the girl but only avoided due to her…
Size advantage.
Her opponent was six foot, and she stood barely over four foot six, so it was a massive adjustment of aim for her to be sure. But she apparently was one of the few girls that seemed adequate and didn't seem to take this class lightly.
She enjoyed it, in fact. Was good at it. Almost as if she was training…
But her training with Naruto was superior. She had to react to someone faster and stronger for over two years. It built muscle and speed that she inherently couldn't match.
With a simple flick of her wrist, she deflected and parried her opponent's strike with her guard with blunt force she could not match. A shift of her feet allowing her to stay perfectly balanced and to follow through as her opponent stumbled and lost her footing.
A stab to her bosom was all that was needed as she fell to the floor.
Oh, she wished the blades weren't tipped to keep from penetrating! But the girl most decidedly felt her thrust as she tumbled down nonetheless, coughing as their gear practically did nothing to protect her from her thrust otherwise.
Neo knew she hit hard. She had seen the bruises.
"Halt!" Neo heard, and she slid off her mask, grinning sadistically as she gazed down at her opponent.
She wanted to do so much more! But alas, now wasn't the time!
Maybe later…
"You are truly skilled. To think you are only learning the techniques of fencing swordplay." The instructor marveled as she glanced at the scene, her eyes sparkling as she turned her attention to Neo. "Such rare skill is hardly seen, even from Huntresses. It is most impressive, I must say! You are very much your mother's child."
Neo went rigid at those words. Her eyes darted at the instructor, a venom-piercing stare as she gripped the épée in her hand tightly.
Like her mother? Did she dare compare her to her mother? After having her sent here? To cause her this suffering?
And act so oblivious about it and act like nothing was the matter?
"That would be quite enough, Mrs. Scarlet." Lady Beat's voice echoed and drew all attention as she sultry strutted toward the pair as if recognizing the situation and interrupting it before anything could happen. "It is obvious she doesn't know. Her mother was never one to divulge into such details as it was unbecoming of her."
Seeing Lady Beat's gaze fixed upon her as she strolled toward her, Neo scowled. She hated this conversation. She wanted nothing to do with her mother. But with the headmistress here, the wisest course of action was to leave.
"My dear," Lady Beat announced as she pristinely carried herself without turning as Neo brushed by her, almost smiling as she did. "Have you looked at the photos on the wall in this room? I think you may want to. There is something important up there for you to see."
Gnashing her teeth, Neo continued to storm away. But her wandering eyes got the better of her. She had noticed the photos many times before but never cared for the students on the walls. They never meant anything to her.
All those that graduated from this Preparatory Academy. And those in certain classes were held with distinguished honor as they had done something…
Neo stopped on a dime. Her eyes sharpened on one single photo.
Her mother's.
Was she top in fencing? So what did she do to earn her photo here? With all her talk about how she loved ballet and gymnastics, why was fencing never mentioned?
Wait, her name…
Carmel Browning. (*)
"I see you've finally noticed it." Beatrix's voice came from behind as she slowly stepped behind Neo, almost sounding pleasant as she did. "You were never sent here for a punishment. Far from it, even though you may think otherwise."
Watching Lady Beat walk past her gracefully, Neo carefully observed the woman before letting her eyes dart to the photo again. So many questions rattled through her head…
Nothing made sense. Everything seemed wrong. Off.
What is it you want me to see? What are you hiding?
"Oh, you speak to me?" Beatrix sounded amused hearing the communication device for the first time before motioning Neo to follow. "Come, let us speak elsewhere. We have much to discuss."
"It's time to show you why you belong here, Neopolitan."
Grunts filled the air, followed by several loud cracks.
More grunts, more cracks.
Then a guttural scream followed.
"I hate you! I hate you! I hate you!"
Crimson eyes stared at this scene, watching from above as a lithe frame repeatedly punched a fixed wooden training dummy. Watching a young blond girl with wraps on her hand, bleeding through them as she struck the log with as much force as she could with each punch.
And scream at the top of her lungs.
The raven tilted its head, watching the scene, solemnly lowering it and fluffing its body as it did nothing more than listen. Letting the scene play out. Hearing the pained grunts and screams as the young girl worked out her stress.
Until she over-extended herself, slipping and falling over into the grass on her knees, tears streaming down her eyes.
"Why? Why did you come back only to go away again and take big brother with you? I've waited to see you for so long…"
The girl froze as a gentle brush of fingers combed through her hair. Those fingers weren't her father's. Weren't her brothers? Too big to be her sister's…
But they were comforting all the same as another hand gently was placed on her shoulder, rubbing it. And in the corner of her eyes…
Black strands of hair like hers fluttered in the wind…
"Raven…" Her father's voice echoed, and suddenly the sensation ended.
And as Yang looked up to see her father looking upon the scene, frozen at the sight, she saw the black feathers of a large bird scattering around her.
"Mom, it was you…" Yang's tears welled in her eyes as she clutched in her chest. "But why can't you…"
"Why can't you just stay?!"
"She still hasn't come back yet?" Naruto scratched his head, frowning as he slipped out of the camp. "I wouldn't worry so much, but the last place I want to be is in a bandit camp where no one likes me, ya know?"
"Well, it gives me the excuse to do what I've been doing anyways," Naruto muttered as he found a small clearing that was battered, cut, and burnt before checking on his inventory. "Running low on Dust. That's not good. Gonna need to get a resupply soon. Pops and Qrow know I run through the stuff, but she might question how I'm running out so quickly…"
"Better get started before she shows up." Naruto cracked his neck and stretched his arms, preparing for some late-night training with a wide grin before scowling as a thought popped into his head. "Really hope she returns to Vernal. Don't understand why I'm a target with her portal. Don't understand how that works…"
Taking a deep breath, shaking his mind of those thoughts, Naruto calmed his mind. Slowly flowing his chakra and hearing the distinct sound of poofs after performing a signature hand seal, he placed his hand on his Un's sword hilt. Clicking the trigger, he took another deep breath as he kept his chakra flow steady and looked at his clones at his side. "Alright, let's get started. See if we can make some progress on this. Want to move on from this so I can start seeing if I can replicate that feeling the other day."
"Yeah, boss. But let's not do what you did last time."
"Do not remind me of that! That was an accident!"
"Setting the forest on fire? Or nearly blowing off…"
"Gah shut up, both of you, and get into position!" Naruto roared, attempting to return to a more tranquil peace of mind, holding one hand out, and the clones responded. "Gotta be just right for this. No mistakes."
"Fūjin…" (*)
* - This notation is simply to inform those that want to know the difference between canon and the story and have not read A Roman Holiday. There is no family relation between Lady Beatrix and Carmel, and minimal backstory is given for either. Felt it was justified, given the story direction I had been planning.
* - Wind Dust Style. Technically just Wind Dust, but it looked better this way. Trying to emulate Naruto's jutsus with Dust.
So, this will be my last update for some time.
I'm taking a break from Naruto stories for a while to give myself a break, focusing on Descenders of Remnant as it's the only thing I've managed to write in the last month.
Everything else has been mostly complete, and I've managed to finish it.
I've been struggling with writing as of late, and when it comes to writing anything for Naruto, it is not coming to me right now.
Even with other non-Naruto stories, writing is slow and short, so it is something more.
It's more of a mental fatigue due to all the issues going on in my life.
With age, I've realized not forcing anything is the correct move.
It will come in time, so thank you for all the support.
The next chapter is mostly done, and when Hushed Dreams comes back I want it to return as strong as ever with several chapters prepared and buffered.
So, until the next chapter, thank you, my friends!