Underneath the Underneath

by no169

Naruto finds himself in an unfamiliar land, facing unfamiliar monsters. Stripped of most of his power, he'll need to adapt to not only survive but to flourish. Can hard work and skill make up the difference? This is a story about recovering from disaster, overcoming great challenges, and adapting to incredible circumstances. Weiss x Naruto medium-burn. Mature Naruto.

9. What Did I Miss?

A/N: So here's chapter 9. First of all, I'd like to thank everyone for how overwhelmingly positive they were regarding the last chapter. I'm happy to say I no longer feel iffy about how it came out. It's not perfect by any means, but I'm a lot happier with it knowing you guys enjoyed it. I'll try to be more positive regarding my work from here on out. The last thing I want is to fish for compliments. At the same time, we are our own worst critics, aren't we? Regarding this chapter, it's time for some overdue exposition. In this, we're going to explore a lot about Naruto's condition, how he got here, and what's happening next.

The poll for Naruto's semblance is now closed. We'll talk more about it at the end of chapter Author's Note. The results were pretty hype.

xXx

'Well, what about -'

'- No.'

Naruto paused. The dumb brute wasn't even pretending to listen. The least he could do would be to hear him out.

'Mind your thoughts, Naruto,' Kurama growled into his mindscape. 'You have no idea what you're talking about. It's honestly embarrassing.'

'But it makes sense!' Naruto urged.

'No. It literally does not make sense. That's why I'm not hearing you out.'

'But -"

'For the last time. Parallel dimensions are different from alternate realities.' The powerful chakra construct stressed.

'Obito's Kamui. Kaguya's realms. The homelands of the summons. Those are parallel dimensions. They are dependent on their home reality. This world is, without a doubt, its own separate reality. It's completely independent from back home. It's a self-contained plane of existence.'

Naruto remained silent.

'The fact that you can't summon any toads is more than enough evidence.'

Naruto frowned. That... kind of did make sense.

'Of course it makes sense. It's also how I know that your cursed Uchiha teammate won't be showing up any time soon to save you.'

Kurama had made it abundantly clear that nothing, not even the Rinnegan, could breach the barriers between realities. Dimensions, sure. Realities? No. At least, there was no evidence to support that it could.

Naruto had been initially surprised at how deeply Kurama's knowledge ran regarding space-time.

'Just the surface of my knowledge, I assure you.' The fox added dismissively.

Naruto metaphorically scratched his chin. 'How'd you ever get so smart, fuzzball?' He asked in amusement.

The fox chuckled. If Naruto was physically present in his mindscape, he imagined a multi-storied wall of grinning teeth would stand before him.

'I'm beyond ancient, in case you forgot. The vastness of my knowledge is beyond your understanding,' his tenant boasted. 'I have forgotten more than you will ever learn throughout your life.'

That sounded about right. The fox always was just a little bit prideful.

'You know, that doesn't sound nearly as cool as you think.'

'It doesn't?' Kurama asked in surprise. 'Explain.'

'Yeah, I don't know. It kinda just makes you sound like a senile old man.'

The fox remained silent at this. A deep rumble sounded within Naruto's mind.

'It's a turn of phrase. I don't actually forget things. I'm not capable of it. But alright, I see your point.' Another pause. 'How about this?'

The fox cleared his throat. Naruto shook his head. So dramatic. He didn't even have a throat.

'Every piece of knowledge that has ever been spoken in my vicinity is at my beck and call. The library that is my mind has neither a beginning nor an end. In addition to my primordial knowledge, I outshine any modern shinobi. I've been bonded to two of the most impressive shinobi of their generations. And also you,'

Naruto frowned.

'Mito and Kushina Uzumaki were prodigies without equals. Every technique, every trick, every scrap of information they may have thought they heard in passing is mine to use as I wish.'

Naruto grinned. 'Damn, that's way better! Put that one in your character profile and call it a day!'

Satisfaction flooded through their mental link. 'Does that mean...?'

Naruto hummed. 'What? No. I was kidding. I'm not selling my life story to SDC Entertainment,' Naruto replied with an amused frown.

'Come on, kid. Just change some names around, and no one's going to know. Plus, it's easy money!'

'I don't care about money.'

'Right,' the fox drawled. 'I forgot your girlfriend is basically the richest person on the planet. Why would you need to worry about money?'

Naruto scowled. 'How many times do I have to tell you? Weiss isn't my girlfriend!'

'Not yet, perhaps.'

Before Naruto could continue the argument, a new, much more human voice broke him from his train of thought.

"Are you okay?" Ruby's concerned voice rang through Naruto's ears. Immediately, his senses sharpened, and he was brought back to reality.

"Are you having a medical emergency?"

What?

"Oh brothers... is this... is this a seizure? Oh my gosh!" Panic flooded Ruby's usually carefree voice.

Naruto finally managed to choke out a response; all the while a deep, echoing laugh reverberated from the back of his mind.

"N-No, I'm good, Ruby! Totally fine!" The blond reassured his teammate.

The scythe-wielder immediately slackened. "Oh, thank brothers. I bluffed my way through my first aid course."

Well, that was reassuring. Naruto decided to ignore that.

Ruby continued after gaining control of her breathing. "Sorry, it's just... you were making some pretty strange faces there. It was like you were having a whole conversation with yourself."

Naruto laughed uncomfortably. "Right. Sorry. I was just running some scenarios in my head."

Ruby immediately brightened. "I gotcha," she practically purred. "You were thinking of these babies, weren't you?" She said with a pseudo-romantic gaze. It would have been weird enough if the girl was looking at him as she said those words. The fact that her eyes were locked lovingly with his chakra blades made it even weirder.

"R-right. Totally," Naruto mumbled.

The two of them were seated at a workbench within Beacon's forge. Given that the school was one of the four premier Huntsman Academies, Naruto had expected something a little more grandiose.

Yet the forge they were in was somewhat modest, all things considered. Naruto supposed that most students would have built and mastered their weapons earlier in life, at their primary combat schools, for example.

Looking down at the bench, Naruto noted a significant amount of electronics, thin wiring, and Dust crystal fragments. This was a lot more than he remembered seeing when they started. He had finally made good on Ruby's offer to help solve his lack of ranged combat options.

Perhaps the best solution was the most obvious one. Incorporating Dust. Elemental manipulation was a significant advantage over any enemy, whether human or Grimm. Ruby had been adamant they include the feature. Naruto had questioned how this was supposed to solve his range issue, but his team leader insisted that she had a different solution ready to go.

So for the first couple of hours, they spent the afternoon applying, testing, and adjusting different Dust types to his blades. It had been fun at first but had slowly moved into the realm of monotony. There were only so many types of dust they could use until most of their time was spent making micro-adjustments to the weapon system itself.

"Well," Ruby began, a cheshire smile still on her face, "We're about done with the Dust modifications. The receivers are calibrated, so that's good."

Naruto nodded but remained patient. He was sure the girl had more to add.

"As for the types of Dust..." The black and red-themed girl puffed out her cheeks. "You'll have to pick a couple to start with. You'll need to keep some other crystals on your person and swap them out when the situation demands it." Ruby crossed her arms in annoyance. "I'm sorry I can't do more; there isn't much room left to work with. Especially once I add your ranged solution."

Naruto reached out and patted the girl on her shoulder. He knew she prided herself on weapon craftsmanship. To have to settle in its design must have been a blow to her pride.

"It's alright, but do you mind telling me what you plan on doing?" Naruto asked. "Remember, I said no guns," he added quickly.

Ruby laughed. "I know, I know. No guns. Gotcha." She turned and shot him a bubbly grin. "Don't worry about what I've got planned. It's totally worth the mystery. And it's super cool."

Ruby picked up one of his blades. "It shall be," she held it to the light, "My magnum opus!"

Right.

"You can go," Ruby added distractedly.

Naruto hummed. "You sure? I don't mind staying."

"Nah," Ruby waved him off. "What comes next is just a whole lot of technical mumbo jumbo. There isn't really anything you could do to help. It's a one-person job."

Naruto nodded slowly. "If you're sure," he said with hesitation.

"I'm sure!" Ruby replied, her conviction strong. "Plus," she added. "I want this to be a surprise. It's the best part!"

Naruto smiled at the girl. "Thanks, Ruby. You have no idea how much I appreciate this. This could very well save my life one day."

Ruby blushed cutely. "It's no trouble. What are teammates for?"

Naruto bopped her on the shoulder as he stood. "What are friends for?" He corrected her.

Ruby smiled as she looked down. She nodded lightly to herself. "Right," she whispered. "Get going. I want to get started." The girl's mood seemed even more elevated than usual. She was restraining much of her smile.

Naruto shuffled out of the bench and made his way to the door. "Alright. I'll leave you to it."

As he approached the door's threshold, Ruby called out one last time. "I'll be done later this evening. I'll swing by to drop it off if it's not too late."

Naruto gave one final nod, then turned the corner into the hall. He was excited to see what she could come up with.

xXx

Several minutes later, Naruto was traversing through the halls on his way to one of Beacon's many parks. It was about time he started working on his meditations again. Plus, aside from their initial greetings, Kurama had been delaying this inevitable conversation while he caught up on the last two months. Now it was time to have that conversation 'in person.'

The old fox probably had a lot to say. Naruto certainly did.

'I like her.'

Naruto almost missed his next step. 'Wait, really?' He asked his partner in shock.

'Why do you sound surprised?'

Naruto struggled to find the right words. Why wouldn't he sound surprised?

'Well, you don't exactly like a lot of people in general.'

The chakra construct hummed. 'True, I don't. Humans are disgusting. But this one's different. She's helping you improve your combat capabilities, something you're sorely lacking in, mind you.'

Naruto grimaced. He definitely didn't need to be reminded. Aside from that, the fox's words left a smile on his face. His friend could be terribly transparent.

'You're going to need to work on your excuses. You're not fooling me.'

Naruto could feel the confusion and outrage bleed through their connection. Surprisingly, the fox remained quiet, awaiting his explanation.

'Come on, buddy. You like Blake because she's quiet and keeps to herself. You like Ruby because she's helping me with my weapons. You like Yang because she reminds you of me. And you -'

'- Hold up. I do not like Yang because she reminds me of you. That thought alone is making me sick. I tolerate the girl because she appreciates a good fight.'

The fox paused.

'And because she managed to clock you in the face.'

Naruto frowned. 'It was a glancing blow!'

'Well, hopefully, she'll be a little more on-center next time!'

Naruto growled. In reality, felt no offence. After a moment, he grinned. He'd missed this. Trading jabs with his partner. Bouncing ideas between the two of them. Even if the tailed beast had a habit of insulting everything and everyone with a pulse.

'What about Weiss?'

Naruto could sense Kurama's intent before he answered. He groaned. He shouldn't have said anything.

'Ah, the regal looking one.'

Naruto sighed internally.

'I like her because seeing you fumble around her has been entertaining. She's got you wrapped around her little finger.'

...

Naruto growled. 'I am not wrapped around her finger! Last week she -'

'- No!' Immediately, a hot wave of killing intent washed throughout Naruto's system. If he didn't have experience tapping into the fox's raw, unfiltered chakra throughout his youth, he might have collapsed on the spot.

'Don't say another word! I haven't caught up yet! I'm just about to watch your argument with that armoured bully in the cafeteria!'

Oh, come on. Seriously?

'Would you stop treating my memories like a damn soap opera?' Naruto shouted back.

'I refuse.' Came the fox's calm reply.

It had been several days since Kurama had made his lacklustre return, and most of his time spent back was directed toward combing through Naruto's memories to catch up on recent events.

At first, the fox had suggested that he might be able to discern what exactly had happened to send them here. When that turned out to be a dead end, it became about learning about this new world. Recently, however, Naruto had the impression that his partner was simply watching things for entertainment.

How insulting.

'I'm not some vessel for your entertainment,' Naruto complained. Try as he might, he couldn't disguise the naked disappointment at the thought that he might be.

Kurama paused at the emotions woven into Naruto's words.

The mental link between the two of them was a strange thing. There was no body language to be read. No visual cues to give or receive. Instead, tone, inflection, and emotion were the only way to convey their true meaning.

And Naruto's emotions indicated genuine hurt.

'I'm sorry, Naruto,' the fox grumbled.

Naruto paused his sulking in genuine surprise. It wasn't often that his tenant offered an apology. For him to provide one so quickly was unexpected.

'I know things have been difficult the last couple of months. And I know you've been alone.'

Naruto sighed. He thought of his team. Of Team JNPR and Amber. 'Not completely alone,' he breathed.

'Yes. The friends you've made along the way. How very... you.'

There was no condescension in his voice. No judgment. It almost sounded like pride. Just like that, Naruto's emotions settled.

Naruto continued walking in silence. Each step felt lighter. Less burdened. Eventually, he found a familiar grove tucked slightly away from the main walkways of the campus. It was one of many such areas, likely designed to provide the students with small amounts of privacy away from the busy crowds.

Naruto gazed around the area. Lush foliage greeted him back. Soft, well-maintained grass kissed his feet, and his sense of smell was dominated by a cacophony of various floral scents. Several bushes and trees shielded him from the vision of those passing by, and it had the added benefit of blocking out a large portion of ambient noise. Not that there was much noise to begin with. Classes were long over, and most of the student body was winding down for the evening.

'Hey, Kurama?'

His partner didn't respond, but Naruto knew he was listening.

'Do you think it's possible?'

At the tailed beast's confused grunt, Naruto explained. 'For Sasuke to make it here?'

Naruto could feel his tenant's surprise, which then shifted into a shrug of exasperation.

'No. Not really. Maybe. Technically yes, if he's able to harness more chakra than he could ever generate in his life. So we're back to no.'

'Well, considering it's just you and me here, maybe the others can help him?'

Naruto was referring to the fact that, as of now, Kurama was the only tailed beast that remained sealed inside him. The other eight were... missing, the connection to them severed.

'Assuming they're still back home. And they don't kill him when he asks.'

Naruto nodded to himself. The odds were low. But they weren't zero. He'd take it.

The blond could feel the disapproval bleed through his and Kurama's mental link.

'That's also assuming Kaguya hasn't killed him by now.'

Naruto frowned.

'Also, assuming he even knows where to look. I'm pretty sure we got here randomly. I doubt your friend has a 'dumb blond' locating device on hand.'

Despite appreciating Kurama's return, Naruto certainly didn't appreciate his friend's negativity.

When Kurama had awoken a few days ago, Naruto was ecstatic. So much so that he completely disregarded sleep the night it happened. The next day, the rest of his team assumed he was still abusing the library. It was only his overwhelming positivity and elevated mood that had convinced them otherwise.

From there, the former jailer and prisoner had spent hours simply talking. Naruto had gone into as much detail as he could, describing the series of events that landed him in this world's most prestigious Huntsman Academy. This ultimately proved useless as Kurama decided to simply watch everything that had transpired.

After that, the fox had been scarce. Today was the longest conversation they'd had since their reunion. And it was only going to get longer. The tailed beast had made it clear they were in for a serious talk.

Without fanfare, Naruto made himself comfortable on the ground and entered his well-practiced meditation pose. Legs crossed. Shoulders loose. Elbows half an inch from his knees. Both hands curled into loose fists, palms upwards.

It was the position taught to him by the toads at Mount Myōboku. It had served him well in his sage training, and it continued to serve him well during his Aura exercises. The position wasn't necessary to enter his mindscape, but it was familiar and comfortable. Plus, the conversation was supposed to be a long one. No point in returning to a stiff and sore body.

Naruto focused on his breathing. He thought of his destination. When it became clear, he reached out and grabbed onto the vision, then willed it into existence. When he opened his eyes again, he was in the familiar darkness has was expecting. After Kurama returned, he'd been nervous when he tried to enter his mindscape. Memories of his first attempt after landing in this world were still fresh. They were of panic, confusion, and failure. Not now. Now, he was rewarded with results.

Across from Naruto, separated by a large area of shallow, murky water, was his lifelong partner. The fox was lounging comfortably, curled into a semi-circular ball. His large snout rested upon one large paw, the other tucked beneath his massive body.

Two large crimson orbs stared at him in amusement, slitted pupils dilating marginally. As Naruto approached, his friend donned a lazy half-grin and shifted into a more comfortable position.

Upon closing the distance, the great Kyūbi no Yōko reflexively reached out an uncannily human-like paw in the universal gesture of a fistbump. Naruto met the massive fist with his own, sealing the greeting.

'Okay,' Naruto began. 'Let's do this.' He paused for several seconds. 'Where do we even start?'

The giant fox grumbled in amusement. 'Let's start at how we got here,' he replied evenly.

Naruto nodded in agreement.

'Kaguya?'

The fox nodded. 'Totally that bitch.'

Well, at least they agreed on that.

'I'll be honest with you, Naruto. I have no idea how she did it. A lot of your memories at that point are a jumbled mess. I don't know how or why she sent us here.'

Naruto rested his hand on his hips. 'You said that the Rinnegan doesn't have the power to send someone across realities, right?'

Kurama nodded in agreement. 'It doesn't. Well, it shouldn't. The old man revealed the secrets of his eyes to me and my siblings in case they ever resurfaced after his death. Technically, we know more about them than anyone ever has.'

'Okay,' Naruto began to pace. 'So maybe that means Kaguya knows more about them than you do, and she found a way.'

'If so, then to what end? If she was planning to separate you and the Uchiha to finish you off individually, then where is she now? Surely your traitorous teammate should be dead by now.'

Naruto frowned. He'd already spent weeks wondering the same thing.

'Sasuke's not stupid. He knows the only way to beat her is together. Maybe he's running from her. Trying to find a way to get to me.'

The fox chewed on the thought. 'It's possible. It's also possible that whatever sent you here was an accident. I won't even begin to speculate what kind of accident; that's not important. What matters is the outcome.' Kurama paused. 'That outcome is us being here.'

'If that's the case, it could explain why Kaguya's not around. She has no idea where we are.'

'That, or she's somewhere here with us. If we're lucky, she's as fucked up as you are.'

Naruto nodded with a small smile. 'Weiss and I already talked about that. I think -'

Kurama coughed in surprise. 'You already told her everything? I didn't see that coming.' The fox frowned. 'Also, no spoilers!' He growled in annoyance.

Naruto growled back. 'I'm not a soap opera! And no, I didn't tell her every detail. I left out the otherworldly crap. She's got the basic rundown of what happened. Everything's just scaled down significantly, and she thinks it all took place in the uncharted lands of this world.'

The fox nodded in understanding.

Naruto sighed. 'Honestly, I think that might be the best-case scenario. If Kaguya is here, then the Elemental Nations are safe. And if she's as messed up as us, then there's only so much damage she can do.'

'She'd still be strong enough to take us out, though. And no one in this world would be able to match her.'

'Maybe. Maybe not. My training's coming along. I might be able to stand against her depending on how well she fared during the journey here.'

They both remained silent for several minutes to process the various possibilities.

'Worrying about how we got here or where she currently is, is pointless right now. We have no proof, and everything is speculative.'

Naruto nodded reluctantly. There was truth to that. All they could do now was work on regaining their lost strength and finding a way home.

Speaking of strength...

'Okay,' Naruto began. 'Next topic. What the fuck happened to me, and what happened to all my strength?'

This particular topic had been driving him insane for the past two months. In terms of severity, it may even eclipse their lack of a way home. After all, what was the point of returning if he wasn't strong enough to continue the fight? Naruto had already suffered several nightmares about this topic. Maybe he and Kurama could lay the groundwork for figuring out what happened and how to fix him.

Upon glancing at his partner, Naruto was caught off guard by the troubled look he was receiving.

'Kurama?' The blond questioned cautiously. 'You know something.' It wasn't a question but a statement.

The titanic fox sighed, then nodded. An uneasy feeling settled in Naruto's stomach.

'I know what happened,' his friend nodded reluctantly.

Naruto remained silent at the beast's admission. He wanted to say something. He wanted to question the fox. Instead, he found his throat suddenly dry. It refused to move. Was a dry throat even possible in his mindscape? He figured it was probably good that the fox knew what had happened. On the other hand, he was afraid of what he might hear.

"We touched on it briefly earlier. I'm surprised you didn't mention it then.'

Naruto was drawing a blank.

'Your connection to my siblings has been severed.' The fox stated plainly. 'Tell me, what happens to a Jinchuriki when their tailed beast is extracted?'

'They die.'

'They die. You should know best,' Kurama nodded sadly.

Naruto's stomach pulsed painfully. It may have been months ago, but the pain he had felt when Kurama was extracted had been the most painful experience of his life by a wide margin. And he was intimately familiar with pain.

'Wait,' Naruto paused in confusion. 'The others were never actually sealed inside me. They just gave me portions of their power.'

Kurama nodded in confirmation. 'Which is why you didn't immediately die when their fragments were ripped away.'

'So it was still enough to do some damage?'

The tailed beast hummed. 'If only one of my siblings' chakra was ripped away, you might have been fine. I could have healed you easily.'

'But it wasn't just one.'

Kurama shook his head. 'No. It was eight. And each one was worse than the last.'

Naruto shot his partner with a curious look.

'You probably don't remember it, but I do. I was there as each of my siblings' essences were torn away. One by one. Each successive extraction did more and more damage to your body. An exponential increase in damage.'

Naruto unconsciously grabbed at his stomach. That sounded bad. Really bad. Why didn't he remember anything? Was it a survival mechanism? His mind automatically repressing the pain? He certainly remembered the soreness of his body after arriving in Remnant.

'That's where I've been the last two months. Working non-stop to prevent your body from shutting down.'

Naruto was almost speechless.

'Was the damage really that bad?'

A booming laugh emanated from the fox. 'It was worse than you could ever have imagined. I don't think things could have been worse for you. Aside from, you know, being dead.'

That bad, huh?

'Do you remember when you first learned the Rasenshuriken?'

Naruto nodded.

'The damage was a lot like that. Only more widespread. And worse. And it was your insides.'

Naruto remembered that injury all too well. It was an injury born of pride, desperation, and arrogance. But damn, if it didn't result in one awesome jutsu. It was, unfortunately, one of the more painful wounds he'd experienced.

'Okay, so that's where you've been. And it explains why I hurt like hell after getting here. It also explains why I can't access any of the other bijū's chakra. But what's wrong with me? What happened to my reserves?

That truly was the most significant detriment to him right now. Almost all of Naruto's signature techniques relied on a large chakra capacity. Even his legendary stamina and durability were derived from it.

'It's your chakra network, kid. It's fucked. Ever wonder why Jinchuriki die when their bijū is extracted? It's because the process annihilates the chakra network. Imagine someone ripping out your entire circulatory system. There's no surviving that.'

Naruto remained silent for a moment.

Shit.

'So because it wasn't a complete extraction, but several partial extractions, you were able to hold me together, then slowly heal me over the course of two months? Is that right?'

The fox nodded. Expressive crimson eyes look at him with concern.

'A bit simplified, but more or less. Honestly, you were basically held together with duct tape and rubber bands.'

Naruto chuckled sardonically. 'Funny, I felt alright after a few hours. In fact, I've felt mostly fine up until now.'

'You're welcome for that.' At Naruto's raised brow, Kurama continued. 'I put a lot of effort into keeping you mobile. What was I supposed to do? Leave you functionally crippled for two months? You'd have been killed by a Grimm in a matter of hours. And that's if you were lucky.'

Naruto collapsed onto his backside. Despite being unable to feel fatigued in his mindscape, he really needed to sit down. This was a lot of information to process.

'So why weren't you ripped away when we came here?' The blond asked his partner.

Kurama shifted onto his side and reached a tentative tail outwards. Burnt orange fur pressed lightly against Naruto's lower back. When the boy didn't move away, the fox wrapped his tail around his partner in a show of comfort. Naruto leaned back comfortably, treating the appendage as a pseudo-chair.

'Hard to say. Maybe whatever forces were at work weren't strong enough to sever a complete connection. Maybe it's because our bond is both powerful and mutual. Or maybe it's because I held on tightly.'

Naruto squeezed a fistful of fur at the idea.

'Whatever happened, it kept us both alive. Which is good because I don't like the idea of dying in the space between worlds. Resurrecting in an empty void sounds terrible.'

More silence passed between the two of them. There was still so much more to discuss, yet Naruto could already feel the emotional toll piling up. Perhaps just one more topic, and they could call it a night.

'Kurama.'

The fox released a low rumble from his chest.

'I need to get stronger. Whenever we figure out a way back home, I need to be ready for what we might find. Whether that's a world without Kaguya, some sort of resistance fighting her, or a barren, lifeless world, I need to be able to face it.'

Kurama nodded slowly. 'Yet your chakra network...'

'Is fucked. I didn't miss that part of your explanation.'

Naruto could practically hear his friend swallow nervously.

'What do you plan to do? This isn't something you can come back from, Naruto. Frankly, I'm amazed you're even able to use chakra.'

'I know. But you can't deny that my training is showing results. Maybe with time, I can -'

'- No, you can't.'

Naruto bit his tongue in irritation. He suspected he would have tasted blood if he were in the physical world.

Before Naruto could form a rebuttal, the fox pressed the attack. 'Yes, you're slowly increasing your chakra capacity. And granted, your control is significantly better than before. But you'll never be able to bring yourself back to where you were, not in this world. At best, you might be able to match that scarecrow sensei of yours. If you push hard, then maybe one of those pompous Kage.'

Naruto clicked his tongue in disappointment. The Kage... Kakashi... They were remarkably strong. To the average shinobi. But Kaguya was a different beast. It wouldn't be enough. It wouldn't even be close. Upon reviewing his tenant's words, something jumped out.

'You said 'not in this world.' What do you mean? Is there a solution back home?'

Kurama's eyes widened slightly, and he released a groan of regret.

'Kami damnit, Naruto. Forget I said that. It was careless of me.'

Naruto was certainly not going to forget that. He needed to hear if there was a way, no matter how difficult or outlandish the method.

Upon remembering who he was dealing with, Kurama dipped his head in defeat. Some battles weren't worth fighting.

'There is...' The titanic entity hesitated. 'The slight possibility that reuniting with my siblings could help repair your body. Alternatively, there's a chance your Hokage might be able to do something. But that's only If we can break the Infinite Tsukuyomi, which, mind you, we don't have a solution for.'

Tsunade? She was the world's finest medic. Naruto grinned at the title. Medic was closer to a moniker at this point. There was no doubt the woman was a doctor through and through. The best doctor, really.

'My chakra may have healing properties, but the damage to your system requires a delicate hand. Precision. I was able to stabilize you, but If I try to do more, I could completely shred apart what little of a chakra network you have left.'

The thought was a little bit troubling. But it was easy for Naruto to push the idea away. Right now, he was far too happy to worry about that.

Now, he had a solution. Sure, it was riddled with flaws, uncertainty, and risks, but it was the most he'd had in the past two months. Plus, it was one thing to brainstorm on your own, but when ideas started flowing from another source, it felt so much better. Validating, almost.

'Naruto.'

The blond's attention snapped back to his partner.

'I need you to understand something.'

Naruto nodded slowly.

'This isn't a solution. Not really.'

Naruto frowned. Why not?

'At best, it'll be next to impossible for this to work out in your favour. At worst, it's a pipe dream that will only feed you false hope. In reality, this will likely amount to nothing.'

Naruto's face twisted. He experienced several emotions at his friend's words. Anger. Doubt. Anxiety.

'You need to acknowledge the possibility that you'll never regain your full strength. You also need to accept that we may never find a way home.'

Naruto was silent for several long minutes. Kurama watched the boy intently, allowing him to sift through his jumbled emotions.

Finally, the blond shinobi answered.

'If I do that, how is it any different from giving up?'

The fox remained silent at the question. Naruto stared back evenly. Kurama should know better than anyone that he held an unyielding tenacity. The results of which spoke for themselves.

The fox chuckled. Naruto sensed the desire to argue. But there was also approval emanating from his friend.

Surprisingly, Kurama chose to abstain from debating. Perhaps he was getting as tired as Naruto was. Perhaps he recognized the futility in it. At the very least, the fox had done his part. He'd warned him.

'So you're resolved in this?'

Naruto nodded.

'It will be difficult. You won't have access to any of my chakra.'

Naruto nodded. He'd make it work. Besides, from what he'd seen so far, he probably wouldn't need the fox's chakra in this new world.

'It might be a long time before we can find a way home. Possibly never.'

Naruto nodded again. They'd find a way. And he'd be patient until then.

'Our 'solution' may not be a solution, and we may end up dying immediately upon returning home.'

Naruto grinned. Admittedly, that one was a real bitch. But they'd be fine. They had to be. Plus, maybe there were other possibilities to explore. Kurama did say his knowledge was vast.

Upon noticing the glint in Naruto's eyes, the fox tilted his head.

'I know that look. You're planning something, aren't you?'

Naruto smiled widely.

'Well, I was thinking. I know Aura isn't exactly on par with chakra -'

'- It sucks by comparison.'

Naruto suppressed his chuckle.

'You just don't respect an energy source that isn't chakra. You're kind of biased.'

The bijū was, after all, one giant chakra entity.

'But I was thinking. There's no downside to using the two in tandem, right?'

Kurama hummed in contemplation. 'Aside from the time commitment when it comes to training, no.'

Naruto nodded, smiling widely.

'In fact, the concept of semblances sounds incredibly useful.'

'That's what I thought! It's like having a kekkei genkai! How badass would that be?'

A booming laugh reverberated throughout the area.

'That's assuming you don't get something lame or useless. According to what you've read, a semblance could encompass literally anything!'

Yeah, there was no way someone like Naruto Uzumaki would get a lame semblance.

'You know, kid.' Naruto looked up. 'It sounds like you'll need every advantage you can get if you hope to survive Kaguya.'

Naruto nodded. Was the fox offering something here, or was he just stating the obvious?

'How about I help you unlock that semblance?'

Naruto's eyes widened.

'Can you do that? You've never really worked with Aura before.'

The fox scoffed and narrowed his eyes.

'Oh, please. Remember who you're talking to. I know everything you know, only better. I'll look into some of the books you read regarding semblances.'

Naruto nodded. That would be helpful.

'Other than that, consider what a semblance is. It's the manifestation of your soul.' Kurama paused for effect. 'Well, I'm a chakra construct that doesn't technically have a living body. I'm basically one big soul.'

Naruto nodded in understanding. His partner had an excellent point.

'It's like you were made for this!'

Kurama frowned. 'Don't flatter yourself. I was made for so much more. Regardless, this should be relatively simple to figure out. I'll just need some time.'

Naruto rolled onto his back, breaking eye contact with his friend. He enjoyed the brief feeling of warmth in his chest. So much had gone wrong lately. So much had been lost. So much had changed.

Having Kurama, his partner, back felt good. It felt really good. And now, he finally, finally felt like he was getting back on track. Like he was making real strides to strengthen himself. He felt like he could take on anything now that his partner was back in the game. Speaking of which...

'Hey, buddy.'

Another subtle shift and low rumble.

'Think you can help me get sage mode working? I've wanted to start training in it again, but I haven't made any serious attempts.'

'Why not?' The fox questioned with a raised brow. 'And why would you need to retrain? You know how to do it, don't you?'

Naruto realized that his partner wasn't as familiar with how sage mode was achieved, only the results. It was okay; that wasn't what he needed him for.

'Since my chakra network and capacity are all screwed up, I need to make some adjustments before I can enter sage mode. First, I need to increase my capacity. As of now, I'm pretty damn close to an acceptable level.'

Naruto paused to organize his thoughts.

'Now I need to retrain myself to find the proper balance between natural energy and my own chakra. Otherwise...'

The bijū nodded in understanding.

'Stone.'

'Stone,' Naruto confirmed. 'Since I don't have any spare toad oil or the fancy stick Pa used to knock out any excess natural energy...

'You want me to help control the amount of natural energy you absorb so you don't turn into a statue?'

Naruto nodded. 'Can you do it?'

To Kurama's credit, he didn't immediately start boasting that he could. It seemed that since this actually concerned Naruto's life, the fox was putting some thought into his answer.

Finally, the bijū nodded. 'I can do that,' he stated simply.

'Are you sure? This is my body we're talking about. Maybe even my life.'

'Relax,' the fox laughed. 'As entertaining as it would be to see you turned into a paperweight, I have no intention of putting your life on the line.'

That was reassuring.

'Besides, I filter out most toxins from your body on reflex. Natural energy should be simple with a little concentration.'

Good. That was good. It was another fragment of his lost power drifting within reach. Sage Mode was an incredible boon on the battlefield. In fact, in the latter half of the war, it was practically required to fight powerful enemies such as Obito, Madara, and Kaguya.

Naruto sighed. And yet...

'What is it? I thought you'd be more excited about the prospect of regaining your power?'

Naruto shrugged. He should, shouldn't he? Then why wasn't he?

...

It didn't take much to figure out why.

'I think... I think that's the problem. Regaining my old power.'

Kurama grunted in confusion. 'I don't understand. It's what we need. What you need.'

'But is it enough?'

Kurama shifted awkwardly.

'It didn't feel like enough when Sasuke and I fought Kaguya together. Even if I do regain everything from before - and that's a big if, will it be enough?'

A large orange paw cupped an equally large snout.

'I see your point.'

The fox frowned at Naruto's silence.

'Look, I'm not really much for motivational speeches, you know that.'

Naruto did indeed know that.

'But there's no sense in worrying about that. Just like there's no sense in worrying about whether or not we'll even be able to make it home. Just do what you always do, but apply it here. Work under the assumption it will be enough. Work under the assumption we will get home.'

The words were attractive. Tantalizing. They offered a means to remain focused without thinking about the bad.

'Plus, once we unlock your semblance, you'll have more than you started with.'

That was true.

'And...'

And? There was more?

'I may or may not have been holding out on you.'

What the hell did that mean? As Kurama noted the intense look Naruto shot his way, the bijū quickly elaborated.

'I never brought it up in the Elemental Nations because we were always so damn busy. And by the time the end of the war kicked in, it seemed somewhat redundant, but I do have a technique I could teach you that you may find useful.'

Naruto raised an eyebrow. That was certainly interesting. He offered a 'get on with it' gesture, urging his partner to continue.

'This should also help in terms of holding down your opponents.'

Naruto nodded.

'Remember how I mentioned that I retain all the knowledge of my previous Jinchūriki?'

Naruto nodded harder.

'Are you familiar with the Adamantine Sealing Chains?'

xXx

"So," Weiss began, "Does he usually just sit there like that?"

The ashen-haired girl glanced at her teammate. Blake sat adjacent to her on a separate bench, eyes still focused on the subject in question. The ravenette stared at their blond teammate with a look of concentration.

"Kind of?" Blake answered, lacking any pretenses of confidence. "He's usually more responsive than this." Her point was accentuated as she tossed a ball of bunched-up grass in the shinobi's direction. The bundle of green bounced harmlessly off the teen's face and fell into his lap.

Weiss frowned. "Would you knock that off?"

Around the blond were similar balls of grass and earthy foliage that had been used as makeshift projectiles.

Blake simply smiled in response.

Prior to this moment, Weiss had been wandering the campus aimlessly for the past 30 minutes, searching for some sort of stimulation. She'd never admit it, but she was bored. While it was true she could have easily spent the evening to herself, studying or working on assignments, the fact of the matter was that she was simply in the mood for human interaction.

The heiress had scoffed at that realization. It never used to be that way. But ever since coming to Beacon, it was as if her social battery had been upgraded. She blamed her team.

Unfortunately, finding that human interaction today had been surprisingly challenging. Weiss still disliked most people, so her options were somewhat limited.

Ruby had locked herself away in the school's forge, working on some weapon-related project. The girl was rather tight-lipped about it. Yang was training relentlessly in the gym, hoping to 'catch up' to Naruto. Weiss appreciated the brawler's dedication, but she didn't have any particular interest in spending time with the girl while she worked herself into a frenzy. The entirety of Team JNPR had gone into Vale for a team outing. Finally, Blake and Naruto had both been impossible to locate.

Until now, that was.

Weiss had located the two by sheer luck. Well, technically, she'd located Blake. At the time, she'd been wandering the exterior of the campus, reluctantly accepting that she wouldn't be finding any of her teammates. That mindset changed when she spotted an ever-familiar black bow sticking out from behind a large bush.

After finding Blake, Weiss made her way into the secluded garden and was surprised to find Naruto present as well. The boy appeared to be meditating, which was confirmed by her book-loving teammate when the question was brought up.

Weiss didn't even bother hiding her surprise. Meditation was such an esoteric concept to her, she didn't know what to think about it. Winter had suggested meditation as a means to help develop her semblance, and she was aware that some huntsmen were adamant that meditating was an excellent way to strengthen one's Aura in general.

But Weiss had long since discovered that meditation wasn't her forte. So to see Naruto neck deep in the process came as a surprise. He didn't seem the type. But then again, he was full of surprises.

With little else to do, Weiss simply sat and enjoyed the company of her two teammates. Blake had always been the quietest of their team, and there were no exceptions to that now. From what little Weiss knew of the girl, they didn't have much in common. That fact didn't bother the heiress much.

In reality, Weiss felt she didn't have much in common with any of her teammates, and yet she'd never felt alienated. They were all so different from each other. Even Ruby and Yang. But that was the whole point of being on a team, wasn't it? To be able to work together. Besides, Naruto had said it best.

"We share the same time and space in this world; that counts for more than you might think."

It was an offhanded comment. A throwaway sentence used to justify why their team could still work, despite their differences. But it had made an impression at the time. It still did. At the end of the day, no matter where they came from or where they ended up, at that moment, they were together.

Weiss smiled at the memory. It helped put things into perspective.

The heiress took a deep breath as she leaned back on the bench. She was rewarded with the earthy scent of nature, which she still found to be a novel experience. Lush greenery and a varying palate of colours were not something she was used to. She'd gone over this before, but the sheer amount of colour Vale offered was incredible. In Atlas, it was as if the entire city had collectively agreed to only use three colours. White, grey, and blue. She'd never admit it to anyone, but the small amounts of red in her outfit were a form of silent protest.

The slight crinkle of paper broke the silence. Weiss glanced at the black-haired girl adjacent to her. Blake had sprawled out on her bench and had begun reading again, similar to how she was when Weiss had initially found the pair. Thankfully, the book was unfamiliar to her, which meant it wasn't one of the ravenette's more questionable reads.

Weiss weighed the pros and cons of starting a conversation with her teammate. She did originally intend to engage in some human interaction. Hopefully.

Meh. Blake read often enough. It was time to socialize the girl.

"Does he meditate often?" Weiss asked, eyes flicking to the statue-still blond.

Blake paused her reading and raised two lazy eyes toward the white-clad girl. She nodded succinctly. "Yes, I'd say so."

Weiss nodded. That was... very surprising.

"I usually join him when he does. Sometimes it's nice to be around people without being expected to participate in a conversation, you know?"

'Especially with a partner like Yang,' went unsaid.

Weiss tilted her head. "Is that you trying to be subtle?"

Blakes's eyes widened in surprise, and a grin spread across her face. "No," she chuckled. "No, it's not. I didn't mean it like that." The black-clad girl's smile was genuine, and Weiss instantly knew her words were true. "I don't mind chatting," she added for good measure.

Weiss laughed softly in response. After a moment, curiosity began to bubble anew.

"You said he's usually more responsive when he meditates." Blake nodded at her words. "Have you ever seen him this focused?"

Weiss felt it was a fair question. She would have thought the blond was asleep if it weren't for his rigid posture.

Blake hummed in thought. "Actually, no. Not really. I don't think I've ever seen him this withdrawn."

Weiss nodded idly. "I wonder what his end goal is," she mused.

A moment of silence passed. "Training his Aura," came Blake's simple response.

Weiss tilted her head at the answer. Well, she had just been considering the possibility... And if Blake's claims of joining Naruto during his meditation sessions were true, then there was no reason to believe he wasn't working on his Aura.

Weiss wanted to laugh. A part of her, a petty part, felt the need to ask him why he even bothered. It wasn't like he ever let himself get hit in a fight. Throughout every training session or spar, Naruto had been unreasonably nimble. Either he learned a damn good lesson from being stabbed, or he had developed some sort of clairvoyance semblance, because it certainly seemed like he could see incoming attacks before they were launched.

Banishing the petty thoughts from her mind, Weiss had the decency to feel regret for even thinking of them. She knew she was envious of Naruto's combat skills. The blond was nothing short of phenomenal in the ring. It was to the point that people were wondering why he and Pyrrha hadn't yet fought. When they did, it would be one for the books.

In reality, Weiss knew exactly why Naruto was training his Aura. And why he was training it so frequently, if Blake was to be believed.

He didn't have a lot.

No one had said anything at the time, but during his spar with Yang, Weiss had taken note of how much Aura the boy had lost from Yang's single glancing hit. It didn't take a lot of mental math to realize that the boy was comparatively fragile. One or two solid hits from Yang would have been more than enough to end the fight in her favour.

...

Perhaps calling Naruto fragile wasn't entirely appropriate. On the day they first met, he'd been stabbed in the side, and he'd barely flinched the entire walk to the hospital. That wasn't what Weiss would call fragile. It was actually pretty tough. Stupid as all hell, but tough. Yet, in regards to tournament regulations, Naruto was fragile. As Ruby had painstakingly explained her video game terminology, Naruto was a glass canon.

Weiss wasn't entirely sure if the rest of the team had realized this, but it wasn't something she had mentioned to anyone. Not even Naruto. The boy seemed to be familiar with his shortcomings and was actively working on them. Bringing it up now would only serve to damage his pride. Not that he was a prideful person, but at this point, it just seemed rude.

Weiss thought for a moment. Would it have been rude? It would have been true. Was it rude to point out the truth? Brothers, when did Weiss Schnee ever start caring about such things?

Weiss sighed deeply. It had only been a month, and already she felt like such a different person. Was a month really enough time to change?

"You okay?" Came Blake's borderline monotone voice. It was tinted with slight concern.

Weiss snapped away from her musings. Great, now there was no doubt she was being rude. She had all but asked to spend time with Blake. To intrude on the girl's quiet time and have a conversation with the girl, and she'd already zoned out before they could even start talking.

Weiss instinctively rubbed one of her wrists. It was a nervous habit she'd picked up some time ago. She should answer her teammate while she was at it.

The heiress nodded. "Yes. I'm sorry, I was just lost in thought."

A dull thud signified that Blake had closed her book. Weiss looked at her in surprise. The ravenette turned to face her and said, "You know, Naruto isn't the only good listener around." The girl paused. "If you want to talk about it, I don't mind," she added softly.

Weiss flushed in embarrassment. She wasn't sure why. Was it because her teammate had read her so easily? Maybe books weren't the only thing Blake was good at reading.

Despite the embarrassment, it felt nice knowing Blake was there to talk to if she needed her. It made her realize now more than ever, the same applied to the rest of her teammates.

She appreciated the offer, but... "I think," she began, "I'll take you up on your offer. But not today."

Blake slowly nodded.

Weiss wasn't sure if what she had on her mind needed to be psychoanalyzed by anyone. They weren't overly unpleasant or troubling thoughts; they were simply a little bit of self-reflection.

Weiss met Blake's amber eyes. "If it's alright with you," she started slowly, "I think I'd just like to spend the next little while talking about..."

Blake raised her brows in curiosity but otherwise remained patient.

"... about nothing of importance."

Weiss immediately flushed a deeper shade of red. The words tasted incredibly awkward in her mouth. The only times she'd ever 'talked about nothing of importance' was when she was forcefully dragged into menial conversations with Ruby or Yang, or when she was spending time with Naruto. And in the latter's case, neither of them would outright ask for such a conversation. It was just something they found themselves in naturally. Comfortably.

To ask Blake for such a conversation must have come off as exceedingly strange. It was the furthest thing from comfortable. She must have sounded like quite the fool. Weiss was already starting to regret it. Before she could recant her request, she was met with an airy laugh. It was a strange sound. Not something she was familiar with.

It took a moment for Weiss to realize it was Blake's laughter. Not the chuckling or huffs of amusement the girl often did, but legitimate laughter. Weiss would have felt insulted if not for the fact that she couldn't detect a shred of mockery in the laugh.

Blake's laughter died down quickly. It seemed to be as fleeting as it was rare.

"Okay," the black-clad girl smiled. "What's something unimportant you want to talk about?"

It took another moment for Weiss to realize that Blake had accepted the request for what it was, and had not made any mention of how awkwardly it was phrased.

"Well..." Weiss searched for something to focus on. Her eyes drifted to the green hardcover in her teammate's hand. "What's your book about?"

Blake looked down at the text in her hands. She looked back at Weiss and smiled.

xXx

As Naruto slowly withdrew from his mindscape, he was greeted by the steady rhythm of conversation. Whoever was speaking, they were close. Clearly, he wasn't as alone as he started out. It took him a few seconds to make out what was being said. It was surprisingly domestic.

Naruto recognized the voice immediately. Blake.

"- isn't a huntress, which I never understood why. She's definitely tough enough to be one. Right now, she and my dad are sort of in charge of my home village."

It looked like his reclusive teammate had found him meditating. Again. It wasn't too surprising. Aside from his room, he only ever sat down to do it in this specific garden. And between the two, he definitely preferred the outdoors.

But who was his teammate talking to? And was she actually talking about her personal life? Even Naruto only knew a few sparse details.

Naruto got his answer moments later.

"It seems that strong mothers are something everyone on the team has in common."

That would be Weiss. Naruto noted tension in the girl's voice, bordering on bitterness. It contrasted with Blake's relatively lighthearted tone. Blake probably noticed it as well. The girl was perceptive. Maybe he tuned in at a bad time?

Regardless, the blond took full advantage of the brief silence that settled between the two women. He focused on what to do now that his and Kurama's long conversation had ended.

And what a terribly long conversation it was. After what had felt like hours of talking about what led to their current situation and where to go from it, the damn fox had offered to teach him his mother's signature jutsu.

Which for the record, Naruto wanted to punch the massive chakra entity as much as he wanted to kiss him.

That entire line of conversation had spiralled out of control, propelling the two into an ever deeper rabbit hole that felt like it lasted almost as long as the first. It was hard to tell. It had all started to blend together. In fact, considering all that, Naruto was now beginning to worry about the current time. He still had an important conversation with Ozpin scheduled for later in the day.

He frowned internally. As if he couldn't catch a break, his one-month trial run at Beacon would be over this upcoming Monday. Which meant he had two days to talk with Ozpin about his plans.

The shinobi had already scheduled a meeting with the headmaster the previous day. Before he knew he'd be having a multi-hour meeting with Kurama.

Honestly, Naruto wanted to cancel the appointment and just sleep for the next 24 hours. While the conversation with his partner had been enlightening. Productive even. It had also been extremely draining.

After another moment, Weiss began to speak once more.

Crap. Naruto still hadn't decided what to do regarding his awkward position. Was he supposed to just stand up? Pretend he'd just awoken from a nap?

"Actually," Weiss began, "My mother was-"

"- hold that thought." Blake interrupted. Weiss paused appropriately. "Were you planning to say something, Naruto? Or were you just going to awkwardly eavesdrop for who knows how long?"

Uh oh. Busted.

The only thing that kept Naruto's embarrassment in check was the fact that Blake didn't seem overly offended.

The shinobi cracked open his eyes and was met by matching pairs of icy blue and burning amber. He grinned awkwardly.

"What gave me away?" The blond laughed uncomfortably.

Weiss looked to their black-clad teammate, no doubt wondering the same.

"I could hear your breathing," Blake answered with a small smile. "It went from slow and rhythmic to normal and deliberate."

Wow.

Weiss' look of surprise mirrored how he felt.

"That's..." Naruto paused. "That's some really good hearing you've got there."

Blake's smile receded slightly at the praise. Strange.

...

Before Blake could speak, Weiss cut in, "Yes, anyway," she turned to fully face the blond. "Did you have a pleasant nap?" She asked with a teasing grin.

Blake's lips quirked upwards in amusement.

Naruto scratched the back of his head while frowning. If only it had been a nap. Maybe then he wouldn't be as tired as he was. After a moment, he rolled his eyes. "I'm sure you know I was meditating. Especially since you're with Blake."

Weiss released a slight huff. "So you say. But aren't people who meditate supposed to be somewhat conscious of their surroundings?"

Well, she kind of had a point.

Naruto shrugged. "Normally, I guess so. But today was different." He received two blank looks for the vague answer. "It's kind of hard to explain."

Weiss shook her head. "Of course it is. When it comes to you, when aren't things hard to explain?"

There was no venom in her tone, which was important to note, as oftentimes, the heiress had a wickedly sharp tongue. If someone unfamiliar with her had heard that comment, it would have seemed rather mean-spirited.

Weiss cupped her chin in thought. After a moment, she asked the question on her mind. "How long have you been here, anyway?"

It was a good question. One that Naruto would like the answer to as well.

As he began fishing through his pocket for his scroll, Weiss continued. "Blake and I have been here for almost an hour."

Damn.

Suddenly, the aforementioned girl chimed in. "And I was here alone for almost an hour before Weiss found us," Blake added.

Damn.

The unsaid question was how long had he been meditating before Blake found him?

Glancing at his scroll... yup. Two and a half hours. that meant four and a half in total. That Kami damn fox. Was it really necessary to go through absolutely every topic? He couldn't have saved some for later?

Naruto released a deep groan as he slowly pulled himself to his feet. He supposed his timing was fairly fortunate. As it was now, if he set a leisurely pace towards Ozpin's office, he'd arrive right on time. It was good, as he was in no rush to get there.

"Something wrong?" Weiss questioned as Naruto found his balance. There was a lot of stiffness to work out in his joints.

Naruto sighed. "No." He paused. He should probably be more open with his team. "Maybe." He thought about it for a moment. Weiss would probably want a little more than that. "I don't know."

At seeing his two teammate's patient looks, he elaborated. "Got a meeting with Ozpin in 15 minutes. I'm not really in the mood, but it's important, so I can't put it off."

Blake tilted her head curiously. "What's it about?" She asked.

Naruto hesitated. Was now really the best time to explain the situation? He settled for something honest, if not a little ambiguous.

"It's a lot to explain, and I don't think I have enough time."

Blake nodded in resigned acceptance.

Weiss was giving him one of her looks. She seemed conflicted. Given everything she knew, it would have been easy to figure out what the meeting was about.

As Naruto began to slowly leave the grove, he called out. "I'll tell the team about it tonight."

It was probably best not to leave them in total uncertainty. Sometimes small reassurances like that were enough. And besides, regardless of how the conversation with Ozpin went, it'd also be best to rip off the bandaid that was informing his team as soon as possible. It could affect them.

Without another word, Naruto separated from the two girls and slowly oriented himself toward Beacon Tower.

'Why do you insist on continuing this charade?'

Naruto continued walking without missing a beat.

'I actually don't know what you're talking about,' the blond communicated to his partner.

'You know what I'm talking about. Pretending that you're undecided. As if you're not going to stay here.'

'I am undecided,' Naruto replied evenly.

'There it is again, the weak lie that's fooling no one.'

'Seriously, Kurama, I'm undecided. There are pros and cons to leaving.'

'Just stop. It's exhausting.' Naruto raised a mental eyebrow. 'I'm pretty much caught up on your memories. I've seen your conversation with Weiss after your field trip.'

Naruto's nose scrunched in confusion. 'And how the hell is that possible? You said you were at the fight with Cardin, like, five hours ago. And we've been talking nonstop since then!'

A bellowing laughter erupted from the recess of his mind. 'You humans are so sad. Perhaps your kind is unable to multitask, but for a being such as myself, reviewing your memories while holding a conversation is a simple task.'

'So what? You're saying that the whole time we were having one of the most important conversations of our lives, you were watching your equivalent of a soap opera?'

Naruto could feel the confirmation through their link.

'I particularly enjoyed your entire week of being a reclusive grouch.' Naruto frowned. 'You were such a little bitch.'

The blond grimaced. What a jackass.

'Of course, it helps that I wasn't watching every waking moment of your memories and that I can skim through the boring stuff, but the point remains. Based on your conversation with that teammate of yours, you'd be an idiot to leave this place.'

Naruto continued walking through the intricately carved stone pathways. He eyed the expertly placed patches of decoration in the form of flowers, trees, and stone masonry. The school certainly spared no expense.

'Nothing to say?'

What could he say?

'Look, kid,' the fox began. 'I know you're stubborn. It's why we're still alive. But I also know you're not stupid, not really.'

All lightheartedness had dropped from his partner's tone.

'Not only is it in our best interest to stay here, we need to stay here.'

Oh?

'What do you mean?'

'Well, aside from the rich one's incredibly generous offer, there are still resources here that you can use.'

Beacon Tower was now within sight. It wouldn't be too much longer until he arrived.

'What did you have in mind?'

Kurama remained silent for a moment. 'Well, aside from the obvious room, board, education opportunities, and safety, there's still Ozpin himself.'

Naruto hummed internally. 'Care to explain?'

'Ozpin wants you to remain here, obviously. Continue using that to your advantage. He seems like a fairly well-respected man. He probably has a lot of resources. Information. Connections. I doubt you'll find what he already has out in the world. And besides, you want to stay here.'

Naruto didn't even bother disputing the fox's claim. What was the point?

'And for the first time in your life, you can live a somewhat normal life. A life without someone hunting you.'

That's what his partner was choosing to focus on? Naruto shook his head. He didn't have time for such niceties.

A moment later, Naruto realized he was standing in the lobby of Beacon Tower. He approached the reception area, immediately grabbing the attention of the receptionist. The woman smiled at him. Pretty turquoise eyes, ocean blue hair cut in a bob, and tidy white and green businesswear painted the perfect picture of someone in her position.

Naruto smiled back politely. "I have a meeting with the Headmaster in," he paused to look at the analogue clock on the wall. "Three minutes."

The receptionist smiled while nodding. "Of course. You're expected, Mr. Uzumaki. Please have a seat nearby; someone will be by shortly to collect you."

Well, that was different from last time. Whatever.

'Look, Kurama, I appreciate -'

'- Just wait, Naruto. Your whole life has been one shitshow after another. Your entire childhood was shit.'

That was true.

'The academy was shit.'

That was an understatement.

'You had what? A few months of D-rank missions that could maybe be considered normal?'

Something like that.

'Mission to wave. That was traumatizing for a twelve-year-old.'

Boy, was it ever.

'Another few months of 'normalcy' until the Chūnin Exams, then things got really bad.'

Yeah, bad was one way to phrase it.

'The Uchiha left, and you almost died bringing him back.'

Naruto's chest pulsed with phantom pain.

'Then you went on that training trip with your perverted sensei. I don't think I need to explain how not normal that was.'

No, the fox certainly did not.

'Then you come back, and it's nothing but Akatsuki and war.'

Yeah, that all sucked.

'And now we're here.'

Naruto nodded. And now they're here.

'Thank you, Kurama, for summing up my shit life. But in case you don't realize, the war isn't over. Kaguya's out there.'

The tailed beast sighed. 'I'm well aware. But what I'm trying to say is that the way home isn't going to be found through your own hands. It'll be through people like Weiss, Ozpin, and maybe some of the professors at this school. People with resources and connections. We have nothing here, no foundation, no legendary figures you've endeared to yourself, and no village to back you up.'

Naruto bit his cheek in annoyance. Not at his tenant but at the fact he agreed with a lot of what was being said. It made him feel like he was flopping on his previous convictions.

'You're not flopping. It just means you're wise enough to see reason and smart enough to change your mind when presented with better options.'

The tension in Naruto's shoulders eased somewhat.

'The important thing is that you've already laid some solid groundwork. Bonding with Weiss was one thing; now you just need to work out a deal with Ozpin. Have him look into finding you a way home in exchange for your continued enrollment. It's a win for him and a double win for you.'

Honestly, Ozpin set off alarm bells for Naruto. He would have preferred not to deal with him more than necessary. But, in the end, he supposed it was better to do business with the devil you know than the devil you don't know.

'And, while you're here, work on getting stronger and just...' the chakra construct paused, looking for the right words. 'Enjoy yourself a little bit. Let Ozpin and Weiss' investigators do the heavy lifting.'

'What, you want me to treat this as a vacation?' Naruto's tone was neutral. He really didn't know how to feel about that.

'If you prefer that terminology, then sure. If not, think of it as preparing for the trip home in the most efficient way possible.'

That sounded a lot better.

'No matter what you may think, the mind is an important part of oneself to take care of. I should know; I've seen the inside of yours.' Kurama made a retching noise for emphasis. 'And despite changes you've been through and the stress when thinking of home, this world has been very good for your mental health.'

Naruto began to fidget in his seat. He could see the counter above the elevator slowly descend. It wouldn't be long now.

'I think it's a combination of your team and the past month of normalcy.'

'Interesting theory. Got any more than that?'

'Well, the routine is relatively peaceful, aside from your constant trips to the library. I imagine that things will get even better since I'm back.'

Naruto rolled his eyes.

'But your team has been something else.'

The teen waited for his partner to elaborate.

'You care about them.'

Of course, he did.

'And they care about you. And I think you know that. There isn't a lot more to it than that.'

Simple reasoning. Did it really have to be anything more?

'Between the two of us, I prefer this team over your last.'

Before Naruo could protest, Kurama continued his monologue.

'I know you and Team 7 have history. But a lot of that history is bad.'

'Some of the best memories of my life are with Team 7,' Naruto thought while frowning.

'Also some of the worst. They've caused you as much pain as they have joy. These are only my own thoughts and observations. A lot of your time boding with Team 7 was spent during training and battles. Team RYBWN has been all about the smaller things in life. Routines, hobbies, and just hanging out. It's not something to discount.'

'Since when were you a social interactions expert?'

Naruto could feel the grin on his friend.

'Just because I don't like something doesn't mean I don't know anything about it. In fact, I'd argue that to properly hate something, one requires a complete understanding of the topic.'

Yet it was often the opposite in practice.

Suddenly, a loud ding sounded from the elevator, signifying its arrival. Naruto stood in preparation.

Out of the elevator stepped the Deputy Headmistress, Glynda Goodwitch. In her hands was her ever-familiar tablet, which she was in the process of tucking under her arm. The older woman locked eyes with Naruto immediately and took several measured steps in his direction.

"Mr. Uzumaki," the bespectacled woman greeted him. "I apologize for the delay. The headmaster's previous meeting ran longer than expected."

Naruto glanced at the clock. It read five minutes past their scheduled appointment. Huh.

"It's alright," the teen shrugged. "I wasn't waiting long."

The woman nodded once, then, surprisingly, offered a small smile. "I appreciate your understanding." The blonde stepped aside and indicated to the elevator. "If you'll please enter the elevator, the Headmaster is waiting for you."

Naruto followed the direction, entering the cab without hesitation. Upon realizing the woman hadn't moved from her spot, he raised a brow. "Are you not joining us?" He asked in surprise.

Goodwitch shook her head. "No, I'm afraid I have some business to attend to. Besides, it is my understanding that this is between you and the Headmaster."

There was something in the way she said that, something Naruto couldn't quite decipher. Concern perhaps? For him? Naruto would have scoffed at the prospect if this was the beginning of the school year. Now, however, the possibility existed.

While the two had started off on rocky footing, the combat instructor seemed to have warmed up to him at some point. Naruto wasn't sure when this happened exactly, but he was glad for it. She may be no-nonsense, but the woman was certainly reliable. And she clearly cared about her students.

The ride to the top of the tower was spent in silence.

'One last thing, Naruto.'

It was spent in silence.

'Incorporate a little deception. Don't make it obvious you're already planning on staying.'

Naruto frowned. 'Everyone says I'm terrible at lying, and Ozpin seems pretty attentive. How am I supposed to pull one over on him?'

'Everyone's right. You're a terrible liar. But I'm not. I'll walk you through it.'

Naruto sighed. This was a horrible idea.

After several more minutes, the doors to the elevator opened, and Naruto was once again greeted by the intricate clockwork that was Ozpin's office. The man himself was seated in his chair, drinking peacefully from his cup of coffee.

The headmaster eyed his blond student, took a moment longer to enjoy his drink, then beckoned for Naruto to join him at the only desk in the room. Naruto crossed the room evenly, eyes wandering between the many gears embedded within the walls, the headmaster, and the view behind the man.

"Mr. Uzumaki, welcome."

Naruto nodded and returned the greeting.

'Okay, Kurama. What's the plan?'

Silence greeted him.

'Kurama? Buddy?'

Still, more silence.

'What the hell, you lazy fox? Did you fall asleep?'

"Is everything alright, Mr. Uzumaki?" Came the curious voice of the Headmaster.

Good question. Was everything alright?

Naruto forced a smile onto his features. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm good. There's just a lot on my mind right now."

The grey-haired man nodded. "I can imagine. I take it this meeting is about your enrollment in Beacon Academy?"

It was a pointless question used to fill the gap in conversation. They both knew this was the case.

'Kurama, seriously, what the hell? I don't do well at improv.'

Naruto nodded slowly. He breathed out a simple confirmation. Suddenly, unease flooded the connection between him and the fox, and it took everything he had to suppress a shudder.

'Naruto...'

'Kurama, seriously, what the fuck are you doing? What's wrong?'

Ozpin seemed to take the lull in conversation as an invitation to talk. "Before we get into that, I'd like to ask you a question if it wouldn't trouble you."

Naruto just barely managed to nod in response.

Ozpin stood slowly and turned his back to Naruto. He looked out the large window, gazing across the school campus and into Vale. The sun had begun to set, and Naruto could faintly see the glow of the city, even from his lower field of vision.

"What do you see out there, young man?"

Naruto blinked at the question. Between processing it and trying to figure out what had made Kurama go silent, he didn't have much of an answer.

Still, the blond managed to force out, "A... city?"

Ozpin took a sip from his mug. It was rare to find the man without it in his hands.

Naruto tried again. "A... really big city. With a lot of people?"

'Kurama, I think I need you.'

'I'm here. Pay attention. I want to see where he's going with this.'

At the very least, his partner seemed calm. Though based on his tone, he was clearly still on edge.

'Tell me what's up soon, okay? You're freaking me out.'

Naruto felt acknowledgement flare throughout their mental link. What the hell did Kurama know that he didn't?

Ozpin chuckled at the relatively lame answer. "You're not wrong about that. Tell me, with so many people, different ideologies are bound to clash. So how do you think they've managed to keep the peace?"

Naruto remained silent. He definitely wasn't prepared for this line of questioning.

"It's compromise," the headmaster answered. "With so many warring ideologies, no one will get everything they want. So they compromise so that everyone gets something."

Naruto quirked a brow. Wasn't that the basic theory behind any functioning society?

Ozpin turned to face him and chuckled at what he saw. "I apologize. That's not the point I was trying to make." A pause. "No, if there's anything I've learned over my long years..."

The man didn't look that old.

"Is that every school of thought and government has failed this world," the man took another pull from his coffee. When his mug lowered, he continued. "But I love it nonetheless. It belongs to me as much as it belongs to you."

That was... pretty grim, wasn't it? Plus, the man was wrong. This world didn't belong to Naruto.

'It could, if you allow it.'

Naruto paused. Where the hell did that come from?

'Remember, kid. There's always the chance we never make it back. If that's the case, this will be your home. It might not be a bad thing to keep an open mind.

Fuck yes it would. That was quitter talk. What happened to their earlier conversation about going forward under the assumption they would make it home?

Naruto met Ozpin's eyes. The headmaster stared patiently as if he was waiting. Only now did Naruto notice how tired the man looked. Those were some very worn-down eyes. What he saw was a lot of regret, and a lot of pain. Despite being right in front of him, the man appeared to be so far away.

At that moment, Naruto realized that this was a man with a lot of past but little present. And almost no future.

Naruto felt a shudder pass through the connection to his partner. Before he could ask, the fox surprised him by offering an answer preemptively.

'This man stinks of something familiar.'

What?

'An old friend of yours, perhaps? I didn't think Ozpin was that old.'

Naruto frowned at the lack of response. He felt no amusement in their link. Kurama refusing to quip back was one thing, but to not even feel a shred of amusement was another. His friend was definitely focused.

'No. Familiar isn't the right word. It would be more appropriate to say it's similar to something we're both familiar with.'

Naruto was definitely curious now. 'What is it?'

The tailed beast hummed in thought. Naruto could almost feel the beast's focus solely on the man before them.

'Remember how it was said the Uchiha clan was cursed? The curse of hatred, they called it?

Naruto nodded internally. 'Yeah, sort of. I remember Jiraiya mentioned it a few times. Kakashi-sensei too.'

'He smells like that.'

'What, an Uchiha?'

The fox paused. 'No. A curse. This man smells cursed.'

Naruto laughed nervously to himself. 'That's not actually a thing, right? Curses, I mean.

'I'm surprised you have to ask. What is the cycle of hatred if not a curse?"

Naruto swallowed heavily. As serious as the conversation was, he had never done well in the face of anything supernatural.

'Right... so what now? Does the plan change?'

'The plan remains the same.'

'What? Seriously? You want to hang around a cursed guy?'

'First of all, we don't know if he's actually cursed. What I'm sensing could be one of many things. Second of all, a curse is a very esoteric concept. There's no real definition for what it means. Finally, there's something else about this man that I just can't place my finger on. We need to keep him in our crosshairs.'

'But -'

'- just shut up and pay attention. We've been talking for too long.'

"I suppose," the headmaster began, "you didn't come here for a philosophical conversation. Nor do you care to hear my motivations for protecting the world."

Right, the man was talking about how he loved the world despite its imperfections. Naruto could respect that. He felt very much the same about the Elemental Nations.

The blond dipped his head. "I'm sorry. I was -"

"-Distracted?" The bespectacled man interrupted with a knowing look.

The blond nodded. Right. Distracted.

"Well then," the headmaster began. He moved to retake his seat. "Shall we begin?"

Naruto nodded and shifted in his seat awkwardly.

Ozpin folded his hands in front of himself. "Have you decided on whether you'll be staying or leaving?"

'Alright, kid, remember. Use some deception to get a better deal. Say exactly what I tell you to.'

Naruto ignored the fox. Instead, he nodded to the man across the desk. "I'll stay on one condition."

Ozpin gestured with an open hand for him to continue.

'You're such a bitch.'

xXx

Ozpin remained as still as a statue as Naruto turned and left the room. The blond's strides were even. Confident. Unburdened. He wondered if the blond knew it himself. The moment the elevator closed, sealing his student away, he released a deep pent-up breath. He hadn't been sure if his words would reach the young man. He was still unsure if they did. There were downsides to being as cryptic as he was.

The headmaster glanced down at his desk, admiring the ostentatiousness of it. Running a hand down the smooth glass top, his eyes once again became enamoured with the intricate clockwork beneath. Whoever it was he'd merged with that held an obsession with clocks definitely had style, at least. He smiled at the small ping he felt in the depths of his soul.

Ozpin's eyes trailed further downward and stopped at the bottom drawer. He contemplated reaching inside and withdrawing the valuable antique within. What was once a painful reminder, was now a warm comfort. Especially in recent days. The man stayed his hand. No. He better not. Glynda would be returning any moment. If the woman caught him with that, she'd be quite cross with him. After Naruto had broken into his office the first week, he'd told Glynda he would move it. Honestly, it was pure luck that the boy hadn't found the secret compartment it had been stashed in.

As if the woman in question could read his thoughts, the elevator across the room lit up, and a pleasant 'ding' filled the air. The tall blonde Deputy Headmistress disembarked from the elevator cab and looked curiously at him.

"You didn't tell him?" She questioned flatly.

Ozpin shrugged while smiling. "How could you tell?"

Glynda eyed him up and down intently. "Well, you seem to still be alive."

The headmaster chuckled lowly. "Yes. Yes, I suppose that would give it away, wouldn't it?"

"And I take it he'll be staying with us for the time being?"

Ozpin nodded at the question while taking a drink from his mug. He'd need a refill soon.

"How did you convince him?" The blonde questioned.

The headmaster smiled. "I didn't need to. He was already decided. But I did promise to help him find a way home," he answered simply.

Surprise and disapproval overtook the school's combat instructor. "He told you about his home?"

A shake of the head was her answer. "No," Ozpin replied. "Though it was interesting to see him try to be vague about it while making the request."

Ozpin chuckled. The boy really was a terrible liar.

The woman before him did not share his humour. Instead, she frowned. "The longer you wait to tell him and the more you hide behind this facade, the more he'll resent you. Keep making impossible promises, and he may very well kill you."

Ozpin nodded, then took a deep pull from his coffee mug. That was the last of it. "Perhaps," the silver-haired man mused. "But it's what he needed to hear. He's not ready."

Glynda sighed in defeat. "I suppose you, of all people, would know best, wouldn't you?"

Ozpin hummed in thought. "Sometimes, I wonder."

Glynda crossed her arms under her bust. "So, how do you plan to tell him?" She asked in unabashed curiosity.

Ozpin smiled into his mug. "Undoubtedly, the only real way to convince him will be to show him."

"Are you sure that's a good idea?" The blonde instructor asked with concern.

Ozpin smiled. This was what he liked best about the woman before him. Even after everything she now knew, Naruto was still her student. It was her duty to protect and nurture him. It was her duty to care. And care she did. Quite profoundly, in fact.

"He'll have his team," The Headmaster stated simply. "And he's strong."

Ozpin turned his gaze towards the window. He looked out over the campus. He looked towards the dormitories.

So very strong, indeed.

He'd need to be strong, now that she had him in her sights.

xXx

A/N: And there we have it. A whole crap ton of exposition. As a disclaimer, I'm no science guy. I know alternate realities and alternate dimensions are sometimes used interchangeably. I tweaked things a bit for the narrative's sake. This is fantasy, guys. Theories on how Naruto arrived in remnant. A loose explanation for why he's so underpowered. Again, this is a work of fiction. Maybe things don't make absolute sense, but it's close enough.

Also, Aura Chains won in the poll, but they weren't my personal favourite (though they're still fuckig awesome). As the results became clearer over time, I realized more and more that I really just wanted to write my vision of what his semblance would be. So I'm compromising here. Since Aura Chains won, I've adjusted them to the Adamantine Sealing Chains, meaning at some point, Naruto is going to have his semblance on top of the chains. His actual semblance will remain a secret until it's time to reveal it. Hopefully, the explanation of how Naruto will learn the jutsu makes sense. I figure Kurama would be intimately familiar with it.

I'd like to think Naruto's reasons for staying make sense. In the end, he really wants to, and Weiss' offer, as well as the deal he's struck with Ozpin provide the perfect excuse.

Kurama and Naruto's interactions are so damn fun to write. I always imagined they had a cross between a buddy-cop relationship and a sibling relationship.

Anyway, that's all I've got. The next chapter is going to be pretty rad. I spent an entire day writing out a 7,000-word fight scene that I think a lot of people have been waiting for. So there's going to be a decent amount of action there to make up for the lack of action in this chapter.

Until next time!