AN: Chapter 16 is here. I really wish I could have gotten it out on time, but I hurt myself last month at work. It caused my work schedule to be changed heavily and I lost quite a bit of time, not to mention I was tired all the time because of the change. But hey, you guys get two chapers this month because of it now, yeah? I don't want to screw up my schedule heavily because of this. I hope you enjoy.
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The Calm Before
Ruby awoke to the sound of rattling windows. The wind outside was strong and the rain relentless. Sunlight could not penetrate the clouds and the chill wind managed to creep into the house despite their best efforts. Her bed was colder than she ever remembered it to be, even on days like this. She didn't even share her bed with Yang, but that didn't matter. The family home just wasn't the same without the warmth her dad and Yang brought to it.
Ruby sat up in her bed, glancing toward the window and briefly wondering what time it was. She'd been exhausted when Qrow finally brought her and her friends to Patch. They'd all had their emotions high, and their endeavors had been little more than failures. The frustration of searching aimlessly for Ozpin's reincarnation was draining—too draining on top of everything else they'd been through. Ruby wouldn't be surprised if she slept for a day or two.
She huffed and got out of bed. At one time not long ago at all, Ruby would have animatedly pulled her feet away from the wooden floor due to the cold. But that was then. Ruby stepped toward her closet, her mind elsewhere as she searched for something to wear.
"Ruby?" Ruby turned and silver eyes met emerald. Pyrrha sat up in her own bed; Yang's bed. Her eyes seemed wide and aware as she stared at Ruby, but Ruby asked her question regardless.
"Did I wake you?"
"No… I woke up about an hour ago. I've just been… thinking." That wasn't surprising. Who in their group wasn't? There was just too much happening. Ruby nodded and turned back to her wardrobe.
"How long have I been asleep for?"
"Half a day I believe?"
"And where's everyone else?" Ruby asked.
"Nora and Blake are still in the spare room, I think. Ren and Jaune slept on the couch. I don't know where Qrow and Raven are." Pyrrha watched Ruby more closely, but the younger girl never turned to her. She just kept rummaging through her closet. She frowned. "Ruby?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you… want to talk about it?"
Ruby stilled. Her fingers flexed on the fabric of an outfit before she turned and looked at Pyrrha. It was only for a moment, and then her eyes fell upon the window in the room, her gaze on the forest.
"No. I don't."
Yang took a deep breath as they walked through the forest, appreciating the freshness of the air. The trees were taller than anything she'd ever seen before and up ahead one of them had roots so large and thick, Yang almost mistook them for fallen trees. The shadows the plentiful leaves on the branches cast made her think of her childhood, falling asleep under the shady tree at the back of her home with Ruby and her dad. As the breeze caressed her skin, it pained her to know she would never have another day like that. Her father was gone.
Yang exhaled shakily as she tried to steady her emotions. She didn't have time to mourn right now, despite so desperately wanting to. Instead of letting her thoughts wander, Yang bumped her shoulder against Naruto's. "Thanks for bringing me out here, Naruto. You won't get in trouble for this will you?"
Naruto scratched his cheek. "Don't think so. Not much anyway."
"That's good. Hinata was telling us you have a pretty close relationship with the Hokage, so I didn't think you would. Wanted to make sure though," Yang said.
"Oh… did she? So, you two are getting along…?" Naruto didn't really anticipate that. Hinata hadn't spoken to him since she found out Yang was his girlfriend. The last thing he'd expected was for her to speak with Yang herself.
"I think we're becoming friends. Which is definitely necessary."
"What? Why?"
Yang took quick steps to get ahead of Naruto and spun about to face him as she pointed behind her. "Help me onto that root? I wanna sit," she said.
"Uh… okay," he said. Lifting Yang into a bridal carry, Naruto jumped onto the root and set her down. She smiled at him and pecked him on the cheek after he'd sat next to her.
"Hey, Naruto?"
"Yeah?"
"It's okay for you to be with Hinata," said Yang. Naruto's neck almost cracked from how quickly he looked to her.
"…What?"
"She and I got to have a conversation. We've agreed to share you."
Now this, I did not foresee, Matatabi said.
"I… what?" Naruto repeated, his face scrunching in confusion. He didn't know what to say here. Share him? Those two? Why? Naruto couldn't fathom it.
"I know how you feel about her. I'm not entirely sure if I can compete if I can be honest. I don't want to give you up though, so I told her as much and offered to let her be with you as well."
"I don't understand…"
"Naruto, are you going to stay here after you figure out how to get us home?" Yang asked.
"Well, yeah… I mean, I plan to find a way to visit. Grimm or no Grimm."
"Right. Hinata was telling me about some of the clan politics heirs must endure here. While she said you likely wouldn't be forced or anything like that, a revival of the Uzumaki clan would be advantageous to the village and seen as a great boon." Yang's cheeks reddened ever so slowly, and she looked off to the side. "Say we stayed together long enough to consider children… I don't think anyone here would be alright with your kids being born in another dimension."
Naruto blushed from his neck up, the thought of kids with Yang proving to be a bit much for him. "I didn't know you were thinking about anything like that."
"I mean… I wasn't. I'm not, I guess. Something like marriage is still so far away… but Hinata pointed something out to me, and I can't help but agree. You don't seem the type of person who would be in a short-term relationship. I mean, you've been willing to find a way to still visits Remnant for me despite the threat of Grimm. And we just started going out. A future with you… well, not impossible with a boyfriend that dedicated, is it?"
"I just can't believe this…"
"If it helps, Naruto… I'm also attracted to women. I could see myself with Hinata. She's nice and very attractive." Yang looked to her boyfriend after thirty seconds of pure silence passed between them. His jaw was hanging open as he stared at her, and some of the biju in his head were no less astonished.
Kit, how your luck gets you through any and all situations I will never understand. How could this have possibly happened? Kurama asked. Naruto doubted he really expected an answer though. He couldn't give him one. And his brain had ground to a halt.
"You'll catch flies, whiskers." Yang gently took hold of his chin and shut the boys mouth.
"Why would you want to share?" Naruto asked.
"I think Weiss is hot. And she wants to be with you too. I felt bad when I told her we were dating. Watching her expression fall bothered me. Since then I figured that, since I found Weiss attractive in mind and body that the three of us would be able to make this work. I thought this would be worth it and since I already felt that way, considering Hinata for such a relationship too didn't bother me a much."
You've got to be kidding me, Chomei said. Naruto's mind was blown.
"Weiss likes me too!?"
Salem sat upon her throne in the Deadlands, her eyes unfocused. The room was a shell of its former self. The floors were cracked and the carpet torn. One of the walls had a large hole in it, as did the ceiling.
Hazel was before her, kneeling as he always had. Arthur was at his right, doing the same. Salem's gaze slid to Hazel's left and she grimaced. Leonardo kneeled there, in a space he did not truly belong. Tyrian belonged there. But he could no longer serve her. His death would be a hefty setback, yet not nearly as large as the loss of Cinder.
Though clearly not nearly as loyal as Tyrian had been, a maiden was indispensable to her Cinder, there was one less relic she could acquire. Now she had to wait for one of the other maidens to make a play, something that likely wouldn't happen until Ozpin's reincarnation was found again.
Salem closed her eyes and exhaled inaudibly. Her servants remained quiet despite her silence. They knew better than to speak before being addressed. Though her throne room was in shambles, Salem at least felt good to be back in control of Remnant. Now she just needed to devise a plan to remain in power. And for that, she must prepare.
"A status report, Arthur." Salem's eyes opened as she trained her stare upon the man. His head rose and he looked his mistress in the eyes.
"With the failed destruction of Beacon, I've accelerated our plans in Atlas. The unrest in mantle is rising and Ironwood is so preoccupied with Ozpin's death and his missing Schnees that he is overlooking what is right in front of him. I imagine that in a month's time I'll have a clear chance at getting our hands on the winter maiden. I merely need someone to have the power transferred to."
"I shall take care of that personally, Arthur. Worry not over candidates," Salem replied. Her eyes moved to Leo now, ignoring Arthur's nod as he once again bowed his head. "Leo."
"M-Mistress, the Mistralian huntsman are dwindling in number every day. They will cause you no trouble. The spring maiden has not made an appearance and the relic remains in its vault," Leo said. Salem smiled at the man's stutter. She had always found humor in a coward being named Lionheart.
"Continue on as planned, Leo. And you, Hazel?"
"My recovery is complete. I am ready to be dispatched at your earliest need." Hazel said nothing else. Salem nodded and closed her eyes once more, letting silence reign over the room again. Her thoughts kept her focus for nearly five minutes before she next spoke.
"I want you to find Ozpin's Roman's old companion, Hazel. Bring her to me. Continue your work Arthur, but I want you to offer Jacques Schnee a deal he simply can't refuse. As for you, Leo… you already have your orders. Begone." Salem watched the coward hurry out of the room without another word. She wished to scoff. The man had no spine and it disgusted her.
"Is there anything further I can assist you with, mistress?" Arthur asked. He did not flinch when Salem's eyes narrowed upon him.
"No. I have my own work to do…" Salem let her thoughts take her again as she pondered upon what she would need to do to create a Grimm capable of killing divinity.
Qrow and Raven sat across from each other at a hole in the wall in Patch. The tables were sticky, and the seats were uncomfortable. The air was thick with smoke he could hardly see through, and it stank of sweat, drink, and tobacco. Qrow thought the alcohol was shit, but he never came here with Tai. As far as he was concerned this was the best place for some conversation with Raven without being interrupted by anyone trying to give their condolences. He didn't need that right now. And neither did Raven.
His sister's eyes were red and puffy. Qrow hadn't seen Raven so distraught in a long time. In fact, now that he thought about it, he hadn't seen her like this since Summer passed. Having her links severed must be more devastating than he could really imagine.
"What are you going to do now, Qrow?"
"Gotta find Oz. James is already tapping into his contacts to help."
"What about Yang?"
Qrow took a long swig of his drink and sighed. "Nothing we can do until she gets back. Unless you can get to her with your semblance?"
"I haven't tried. I can still feel the link, but it's muddled. I'm not sure I could make it to her," said Raven.
"Are you going to try?"
"I don't know, Qrow. What if I fail? Will I be stuck between worlds? I've never tried something like this before."
"I won't force you. You're right. It's a risky move. But what if you succeed?" Qrow asked.
XXX
That's the chapter. It's a real short one, but that was part of the plan. I'm gearing up for the next couple of chapters. This one was more of an interlude I suppose. It's also more Remnant focused, so there's that too.
If there are any questions you all have, feel free to leave a review. If you want some sort of more in-depth discussion, then go ahead join the discord. Peace out.
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