A/N: Sorry for the delay~!

As ever, the Embers rule remains.

If folks don't like this story? Poof! Gone! Deleted for keeps! That's no joke, folks. I'm so busy these days; basically, I don't have time off. Not anymore. My free time is limited and as such, I can't afford to focus on something folks don't like. Reviews keep me writing in these times, and keep the daily updates flowing. Silence...silence only hurts. I hate having to beg for feedback, but without it...well, it feels like I'm not making an impact.

Now then, lets answers some quick questions. A handful should do this time.

In any case, this is genuinely the one way I can answer anonymous questions, but its always nice to chat with everyone:

Q: What happened to your team?

A: We went our separate ways. Some of us keep in contact with one another, others have moved on in real life, more have passed away. Its a little sad really. But I won't let the dream die. Case in point, I DO have a few beta readers, but I only contact them when I absolutely need them. Which isn't often I admit, I tend to go it alone more often than not...

Suppose that's the loner in me. I was born alone. Someday, I'll probably die alone.

And you know what? I think...I'm alright with that.

Q: Please, please, PLEASE don't do kill her.

A: ...Eh? Kill who? You'll need to be more specific, because make no mistake, deaths are coming.

I'll not say who, but...be ready. This story doesn't pull its punches. I've killed cha

Q: Has everything changed...? Ain't no way Watts and Tyrian are getting away this time...right? RIGHT?!

A: *zips lips*

Q: Arcane references?

A: Here and there...if you squint.

Alright, I've kept you long enough.

As ever, I own no references, quotes, themes or memes!

Now, then. Are you ready? Yes? No? Maybe so? Because! Here. We. Go.

"You thought you could save everyone? That no one would die? Now...that's...madness!

"Those were your last words. Hope you enjoyed them."

"Ha! Its too late now! Nothing can stop HER!"

~?

A Shot in the Dark

"Paranoid little fox, aren't you?"

...don't you have an election to win?"

"Maybe," Robyn allowed, "But its more fun to tease you while I wait for the results."

Naruto didn't rise to the bait; he knew Robyn well enough by now to recognize a joke when she made one, even if said joke was in poor taste. She was just as nervous as he. Still he kept his eyes forward and refused to falter ever vigilant, scanning the wild throng of people below them for any sign of danger. They were tense. Eager. Ready to celebrate their victory. As was their right. They could drink themselves into oblivion once she won for all he cared.

But until then...?

Naruto touched two fingers to his headset. "Team one. Are you in position?"

"Roger!" Ciel's cheery voice came through loud and clear.

"I though it was affirmative?" Penny posited.

"I'm certain that's something else...?"

Naruto sighed. "Focus, girls. Secure the zone."

Harriet grumbled over the comlink. "Is this what we've been reduced to? Running errands?"

His brow furrowed. "Want me to beat your ass again, Hare?"

"Yes, daddy."

Naruto coughed. A pregnant pause ensued. And then?

Everyone lost their minds.

"What?"

"How lewd!"

"Heh. Kinky."

"For the love of...!"

"Damnit, Hare! Keep your kinds out of the calls!"

"I do not understand. Naruto and Agent hare are not related. Why did she call him-

"Nope, nope! Not explaining it!"

"Moving on." he groaned and touched two fingers to his earpiece. "Penny? How's it looking up there?"

"Affirmative!" her voice came through with a quick crackle of static, nearly swept away by the cold wind of Solitas. "No bogeys in the sky, nor snipers on the rooftops."

"Good." he nodded once, satisfied with her report. "Make sure it stays that way."

"Roger, roger!" she giggled back. "I will be combat ready!"

"Thatta girl." a faint smile creased his whiskered cheeks. "Let me know if you see anything."

"Will do! Love you!"

Say what you would about Penny, but she really was too pure. Heat hit Naruto's face in a fierce flush that burned all the way down to his bones. Wolf whistles rang in his ears from the others as he froze up. Oomph. Was it hot in here, or was it just him?

He coughed into a fist to hide it.

"I, ah...love you, too."

Must remain calm!

Jokes and jabs aside, the night was shaping up quite nicely so far. But he wasn't about to lower his guard. Not here. Not now. Not until Robyn had won and they had her safely away from here. Her victory tonight would be good for Mantle, and what was good for Mantle was good for Ironwood. Which meant tonight was the perfect night to try and tear the General down. If handled poorly, it could spark a disaster or worse, trigger a Grimm incursion. Should they fail, the people would be shaken and the kingdom thrown into disarray.

Not on his watch.

"Isn't this a little much?" Robyn stifled a sigh behind her palm, drawing him forth from his reverie. "You're acting like its the end of the world."

Across the warehouse, Jaune caught his eye and flashed him a thumbs up. Still all clear. Good. He found Ren and Nora near the doors, conversing quietly with one another...at least they were, until the latter yanked the former into a crushing kiss. A small part of him wanted to interrupt, to remind them that they had a job to do. But his heart wasn't made of stone. Let them have their moment.

Naruto stifled a smile instead. "Not the end of the world. Just being...cautious. "No one's going to lay a finger on you."

"Lemme guess!" the former huntress folded both arms beneath her bosom. "If they try the finger comes off?"

"Don't say that." He swatted her shoulder. "You'll jinx it."

"Not with my guardian angel around."

Naruto deigned to roll his eyes. "Don't you have a general to seduce?"

"Maybe." Robyn considered the setup with a keen eye as she planted a fist on her hip. "In all honesty, do you tink there's gonna be trouble?"

"This is Atlas." he waved another line of clones toward the stage, throwing a second line of defense up, just in case. "There's always trouble. Now get on stage. "You've got a victory speech to give."

"Maybe not." she quirked a brow toward the poll numbers displayed on screen. "It isn't over yet. There could be an upset."

"There's only one person competing against me for crying out loud!"

"Yeah, some guy named Silco." she rolled her shoulders in a shrug as they both considered the stern, hawlike visage displayed on the screen beside her. "Never heard of him. Some dark horse candidate that came out of nowhere."

"And I should be worried about him because...?"

Now it was Robyn's turn to scowl. "Because he wants us to break away from Atlas. Make Mantle its own independent kingdom."

Naruto felt his jaw click open. He snapped it shut with a scowl. That wasn't just madness; it was lunacy. Mantle couldn't survive without Atlas; but the reverse was also true. The idea of creating two separate nations that weren't even a mile apart...it just couldn't work. Maybe if Ironwood agreed to move Atlas, but even then-no, it just wasn't possible.

"He can dream all he likes." He flicked glance to the tally above and his faith was rewarded. "You've got a comfortable lead."

Robyn worried her lower lip with her teeth. "But he's gaining."

...he was. Whoever this fellow might be, his numbers were inching closer to hers.

"If I lose," Robyn paused, frowned, and marshaled her courage again to speak. "This will all be for nothing."

"Hey." He took her by the chin and steered her gaze back to him. "Don't look at those numbers. Look at me." her eyes widened at that, just a little. "You're going to win this." when she didn't respond her gave her a quick shake. "You're meant for this."

She dithered.

"Oi!" he butted his head against hers. You're going to win this thing, Robyn. You've got good plans for Mantle. Together, you and James can change this place. Make it better."

He wasn't prepared for her sudden smile.

"Well aren't you the smooth talker?" she turned her head just so, wriggling free from his grasp. "Shame we didn't meet a little earlier." her lips pursed as she considered him anew. "At this rate, I'm going to find myself hard-pressed to make a decision."

Decision-what-now?

Naruto blinked as the words sailed right over his head. "Now you're not making any sense."

She laughed. "Perhaps I should be a bit more clear, then."

Warm lips alighted upon his cheek.

His world ground to a halt.

"How's that?" an almost impish smile touched the older woman's mouth as she pulled away. "Get the gist of what I was saying now?"

"Bwuh?" he managed less than eloquently.

Her smile became a grin. "Keep trying."

"Eh?" His tongue failed him anew.

That grin turned sly. "Well, you're certainly making a very strong case for yourself."

His mouth committed mutiny on a murderous scale. "Ha?"

Ciel swooped in to save the day by stepping up beside him. Her hip brushed as she took hold of his arm and tugged it into her chest.

"I'm sorry," she said in a sweet, saccharine voice, "Am I interrupting?" She leaned in and delivered a swift peck to his cheek, lips lingering there. "You know what they say. Two's company, three's a crowd."

Naruto stiffened.

"Easy there." Robyn chortled. "I was just teasing him. I'm not trying to steal him from you."

Ciel puffed out her cheeks and made angry Ciel noises. "Then get on stage!"

"Oho! She's got a spine after all."

Ciel huffed a little.

(.0.0.0.)

"What do you want, mother?"

"Can I not ask to see my own daughter?"

"You can," Winter allowed as lowered herself -gingerly!- into a chair, "But why now? I've work to do."

"Work, you say?' Willow tilted her head just so, long braid falling over one shoulder. "And what work might be? I was under the impression that you were on leave."

Winter squeaked. "You always see right through me...

She received a sad, knowing smile in return. "You're easy to read, dear."

Willow Schnee was many things. A fool was not one of them. Winter knew this to be an ironclad truth; she'd known Mother well before Father had...ruined her. She might act detached these days, even be a bit of a lush at times, but beneath all that, Mother certainly wasn't stupid.

Which begged the question. Why ask for her now, of all times?

Receiving an invitation via letter was one thing; this had been all but a summons. Mother had insisted on seeing her tonight in the manor at this ghastly hour. Honestly, the fate of Mantle was about to be decided and she wanted to swap stories? She wasn't even sure why she'd agreed to this. She wouldn't have come for anyone else; indeed, she wouldn't have agreed at all, if it weren't for Klein's continued presence.

True to form, her butler offered Winter a glass of wine and she waved him down. "Water, please.

"Yes, of course." His bright eyes blinked, first in confusion, then realization. "Oh, my! Miss Schnee?! Are you...?"

Winter coughed into a fist and squeaked out an affirmative.

"Wonderful!" he all but flung his tray aside to embrace her. "I am simply delighted for you!" Just as quickly, he recovered and drew back half a pace. "I suppose congratulations are in order!"

"They are indeed." True to form, Mother smiled. "How far along are you?"

Winter winced and touched a hand to her stomach. "...far enough." she grumbled.

Had she felt a kick just now? No. Surely not. It was too soon. Time had passed to be sure, but she felt further along than the doctors said she was. Did it have something to do with the half of Maiden power she'd received, perhaps? Or was some other force at work here? She didn't know, and the lack of knowledge killed her inside.

"Grandchildren." Mother raised a flute of wine to her lips and sipped slowly, savoring the word. "I never thought I'd see the day. He was gentle with you, I trust?"

Winter sputtered. They were not going there. Not, not, not!

Her silence must've been telling, because Willow barreled onward.

"Good, good. Its important to know one's partner." She sighed as Klein bent to refill her glass. "Jacques would've made an awful grandfather, you know." Willow drank deeply now, no longer bothering to savor the fruity aroma of her drink. "I'm so glad that was nippe in the bud."

One could have heard a pin drop in the silence that followed.

The words struck Winter like a slap in the face, no, not just the words, but the way they'd been said. "...I beg your pardon?"

Mother blinked once. "Did I stutter?"

Dread rose in the pit of her stomach. No. Surely not. She'd never once considered it, but with all other options exhausted, she felt that she must. Willow Schnee had been a cunning politician in her youth...despite that, she couldn't stomach the sight of blood, much less murder. Morseo, her once superior skill with the sword had atrophied over the years. Whatever her hatred for Jacques, surely she couldn't countenance such. And yet there was a hint of steel in her eyes now, a glimpse of the woman she'd been before Jacques had broken her. Winter wasn't sure she liked it.

"How long?"

Willow graced her with a languid smile.

"How long what, my dear? Do be more precise."

Winter burst to her feet. "How long did you intend to leave me in the dark?! How long were you planning this?"

"Since when?" Willow lifted the glass to her lips. "Since your father tried to have that poor boy in the ice killed. I'd planned Jacques' demise for quite some time."

"Then it was you?! You hired that sniper?! Who are they?

Willow paused. Smiled.

...a mutual friend."

(.0.0.0.)

"I don't trust him."

Ruby hummed noncommittally, but didn't dare look away from her scope. She had a job to do. Paranoia could come later, once everyone was safe. Crescent Rose swept left, Crescent Rose swept right, and not so much as a single foe in sight. Good. She released a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Everything was clear up here.

Now if only everyone would stop whinging!

"I mean it." she heard Blake shift restlessly behind her. "He's trying to kill us."

"She might have a point...

"Yang, no." Ruby groaned into an arm as she made another sweep. "Bad Yang. Go sit in the corner."

"I'm serious!" She heard the anger in her sister's voice. "Ever since we got our licenses, he's been putting us through the wringer! And now this? We should be where the action is! Not guarding some...!" a low growl as her hands flailed in anger, "Some floozy!"

"You really don't trust anyone these days, do you?"

"What's that supposed to be mean?!"

...nothin', sis."

So. Huntresess now. Yay. Everything she'd ever wanted. Much joy. Much wow. Much sarcasm. There was a time when she had wanted nothing more than that; when the world was black and white. Now it was grey. Ruby didn't know what to do with grey. Arguments like this had become increasingly commonplace between the four of them as of late. She just wanted to help people, not argue over who was right and wrong!

They were doing good up here...weren't they?

In desperation, she finally took her gaze from the scope. "Weiss?"

"Hmm?" Their resident Schnee was silent for a long moment where she sat. When she looked up her eyes were distant. "You really don't want to hear what I have to say, Ruby."

She huffed. "You're my partner. Of course I do!"

Weiss shifted restlessly. "You won't like it."

Ruby glared. "Weiss."

"Alright, but you asked for it." Her partner took a deep breath to center herself, clenched her hands, and looked up at the shattered moon. "I don't know about this Naruto fellow, but I suspect General Ironwood had my father killed. There." her gaze snapped down, icy eyes damp with unshed tears. "I said it. Happy now?"

A gasp. "Do you have any proof?"

"W-Well, no," she faltered. "But the signs are all there! Ironwood's not the only one to benefit from his death. So does Robyn. Its a conspiracy I tell you!"

"See?" Yang chirped. "She's making sense."

Ruby buried her gaze back in the scope and tuned out Blake's response.

When had everything fallen apart?

Try as she might, Ruby couldn't see it. Blake she might've expected this from -bad kitty!- and even Yang to a lesser extent, but Weiss? She was supposed to be the reasonable one! Ugh, this was giving her a headache!

Why am I the only sane one here?!

At this point she'd kill for a distraction. Anything, really!

Her headset crackled to life. "Jaune's out of position. Ruby, report!"

(.0.0.0.)

There was movement in the crowd.

Jaune saw it first; a flicker of motion dancing in his peripherals, a shade half-imagined.

He shook his head Then he saw.

He spied a flash of red hair in the crowd, bright among the rest.

Green eyes caught is, framed by a ghostly pale face behind a curtain of flowing red hair.

She was just...standing there. Looking at him.

His eyes widened. It couldn't be. Could it...?

Wordlessly, she turned and walked away.

He bulled after her.

"Wait!"

(.0.0.0.)

"The polls are closed in three...two...one...!"

Naruto counted down with the rest.

Then the lights went out.

All the world plunged into darkness even as his sixth sense shrieked a warning. Cries of confusion and panic went up. Not him. Even while the world slowed to an absolute crawl around him. The nanites in his bloodstream responded accordingly and adjusted his vision, allowing him to see in the murk.

As such, he had a prime view of what happened next.

He heard the window shatter just as the screams began. Naruto saw it all unfold in his mind's eye, watched a window shatter as something struck it from within. His thoughts centered on a single person. Robyn! His body moved; blurred toward the stage. Reached up, frantically flinging a hand toward what he knew would be there-

"Owwww!"

A rumbling snarl tore out of him as a high-powered round smashed through his aura, into his chakra, through his hand and drilled into his chest. It was a good shot. Whoever fired that round knew what they were doing; not only did the sheer impact send him sliding back, but it knocked him away from the second.

Ciel interposed herself swatted it down, her hand glowing a vivid blue.

"On your left!"

A mad whirl caught his eye in the dark.

Laughter chased it, followed by the low and exultant cackle of a madman.

Forcing his aching body to move proved a feat in and of itself, but with a whimper of pain he managed.

Someone was moving among the people, hacking and cackling. Three bodies fell before he reached him in time, seized them by the shoulder and hauled back. A knife flashed out and cut into his wound; he grit his teeth against it and fought back, bloodying the man's nose.

Hideously bright eyes met his, framed by a twisted smile.

He recognized the lunatic at a glance.

Tyrian Callows.

Salem's agents were here.

"Just where do you think you're going?"

"I?" a merry little titter filled the air. "So nice of you to be concerned for me." His grin as nothing short of euphoric. "But I'd be more worried for yourself."

His tail flicked out in a vicious arch, carving toward his face. It bounced off hardened skin.

...well, that's not fair at all-ack?!"

Breath wheezed out of him as he rammed a fist into his stomach. Tyrian folded over his limp with a weak wheeze.

"This...won't stop me!" he thrashed upright and fought back, forcing him to do the same. ""My goddess shields me!"

Naruto absolutely twitched. Something snapped in him. "Goddess?"

He bulled in and slammed his forehead against Tyrian's. The lunatic snarled at him.

All the anger he'd felt for the last few months welled up at once. All the stress, all the fury, all the rage, every bit of it. Ever since he'd realized this wasn't a dream, he'd done his best to maintain order. Peace, for the most part. And yet at every turn...!

"You wanna talk about gods!" He caught his foe by the scruff of his neck and flung him back. "I fought a monster that would make your so-called Goddess piss herself! Kaguya was a goddess! She ain't!"

Sure enough, it set Tyrian off.

"Blasphemer?! You dare?!"

He lunged at him.

Just as planned. Naruto swayed aside, caught him by his throat, hoisted him up, and slammed him down. His hand clenched into a claw, bearing a Rasengan within. He smashed down. Tyrian shrieked. Aura broke, but still he fought on without regard for his safety. a blade came up at him and he tore the offending appendage clean off well below the elbow. Tyrian shrieked in pain. Blood flew through the air, spattering his and the killer's face alike in vicious viscera

"Unfair, unfair!" Tyrian's voice rose in a wail. "You've ruined everything! You weren't supposed to be here!"

"Neither are you!"

Everything went red. Naruto's fist slammed down.

Ironwood's voice squawked in his ear. "Hold! We need him alive!"

Naruto changed his swing at the last instant; his fist thundered into the side of Tyrian's head and laid him out cold.

As if a spell had been broken, the lights flashed back on. High above them, the screen heralded Robyn's victory. It did nothing for the dead and dying. Cries of pain and whimpers of agony filled the air.

Naruto looked upon the bodies.

One question came to mind. Just one.

"Where the hell did Jaune go?! I'll have his hide!"

A/N: The plot thickens!

As ever, the Embers rule remains. If folks don't like this story? Poof! Gone! Deleted for keeps! That's no joke, folks. I'm so busy these days with virtually no days off. That makes my free time terribly limited and as such, I can't afford to focus on something folks don't like.

Reviews are my fuel. I can't write without them~! Not a wit or a word!

So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...

...Review, Would You Kindly?

And enjoy the previews!

And as ever:

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!

SPOILERS AHEAD!

BEWARE~!

(Previews!)

"I'm telling you, I saw her!"

"So nice of you to meet with me."

Naruto took a seat opposite Willow.

"I hear you knocked up my daughter."

Her lips brushed his ear.

"Tonight?"

"Run! RUN! Run to your master and give her this message.

"I come for her."

"She's mine!"

R&R~!