A/N: EDIT: Flames in the reviews can sod right off. Criticism is all well and good, but when its just vitriol like this...

*sigh*

As ever, the Embers rule persists. If folks don't like this? Poof! Gone! To the void it goes.

So by all means, speak up! Raise your voice! Make yourself heard!

Your reviews matter! Really, they do!

Sorry if this seems short, I'm getting worked to the bone these days and I'm just so sleepy...These daily updates are wearing me out...but...must...continue...

Now, lets have your questions!

Q: What's your update schedule?

A: RWBY stuff gets updated monthly. More frequently if I can, but work and real life come first.

Q: Oi! Is Naruto going to have a harem with all the moms?!

A: Read on and see for yourself.

Q: So, this is obviously Prime!Naruto. And he's raising a Maiden!Yang. Good lord, this is going to be chaotic.

A: What can I say? I enjoy chaos.

Q: This is a harem, yeah? You're not going to hold back, are ya?

A: I prefer to keep things tasteful, but yes, this harem's going to be...an interesting one.

Finally, I'm working on "Hearts of Stone" and "Don't Judge a Book By its Cover" concurrently at the moment. The former should be updated tomorrow,

Alright, I've kept you long enough.

Hope you're all ready for one wild riiiide~!

Henceforth, the chapter titles are going to involve the words, "The Girl"

"That man will never give up. Once he gives his word, he doesn't stop until he fulfills his promise."

Do you understand, now? This is the man you've made an enemy of.

That. Is. Her. Father."

~Future.

Raise the Girl

Raven was alive.

The realization brought Naruto no end of relief as he traveled.

Only just, her chest barely rising and falling every few seconds where she lay on the gurney, but alive nonetheless. He wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth. Not after the day he'd had. For a moment, she really did perish back there in that clearing. He'd felt her heart stop...until it restarted under his ministrations. Against all odds, he'd managed to pull her back from the abyss.

Yet despite that, Raven would not wake.

Her eye might yet be restored, given enough time and attention, but her left arm was gone, severed at the elbow. Sage chakra or not, he wasn't able to regrow that. She would have to adapt when she woke up.

If she woke up.

Thankfully, he'd learned her name from a tattered journal he'd found among he few meager belongings. The contents were...not exactly illuminating, but some knowledge was better than none. The few pages that weren't burned or caked in blood offered little in the way of information; mere pieces of the greater whole. References to a man named Ozpin, and a woman named Salem. Oblique mentions of doom and gloom. That, and running, running, and running again. Little more.

In the end, he'd been left with no choice but to fashion a stretcher and have two clones carry her as they made their way to the next town.

At least, he hoped there was a town in this direction.

Because if it wasn't...well.

Naruto didn't know the first thing about raising a child. Of course, he wouldn't be giving up. That simply wasn't his way. Not now, not ever. He was going to give it his best shot, consequences be damned. There were just so many obstacles to deal with. For starters he needed food. Supplies. Resources. He couldn't very well feed a baby normal food. And he'd be needing money to pay for said food now that his meager supplies had run dry. Yup. Important supplies, like baby formula, diapers, fresh clothes...

Which, again, he didn't have!

"Welcome to fatherhood, kid." Kurama's voice chortled in the back of his mind. "This is your life, now."

Apparently so! He risked a glance down at the infant cradled against his chest.

"Yang, huh?"

She actually looked up at him, then. Saw him.

"Not a bad name. Better than "Ying" by far, at any rate."

"So, kiddo!" he cast a weather eye at the little bundle in his arms. "Think we're close to a village?" a lone finger touched the baby's forehead, drawing a merry sound from her. "Because I don't really have anything to feed you with, and I have no idea how to change a diaper...

A pudgy hand reached up, got a good handful of his hair, and yanked with startling strength. "Bah!"

"Hey!" He laughed and tugged himself free despite her antics. "Don't suppose you can say anything else, yet?"

He little brow furrowed. "Abwah."

"Ha! She got you there!"

"What, do you speak baby or something?!" His brow furrowed further upon Yang. "You're not even a year old. No way you can talk, let alone understand me."

"Bwuh!" she disagreed!

Naruto sighed. "You're mocking me, aren't you?"

Guileless lilac orbs stared up at him. They blinked once. And then.

...dah?"

Naruto's heart skipped a beat. Did she just...? No, no, no! Don't think about that! He was just taking care of her until her mother recovered; that was all. He certainly wasn't her father. Nope. Nuh-uh. There was just no way he could be a parent. He could take care of a kid, sure, but he didn't know the first thing about raising one!"

"Dah!" Yang cooed anew. "Dah!"

Kurama absolutely howled with laughter.

"No!" Naruto cried! "Bad baby! Don't go callin' me that!"

Yang didn't listen of course. Why would she? She was just a baby, and she'd discovered a new word. Naruto wasn't sure why he was surprised. Kurama was no help whatsoever; furry bastard was all but beside himself and wouldn't stop cackling. Between the two of them, he soon came undone.

"I'm arguing with a baby." he clapped a hand to his forehead. "I must be losing my mind."

As luck would have it, he found a village just over the next rise.

It was there that his luck took a turn for the...strange.

(.0.0.0.)

"That's Raven Branwen!"

Naruto felt a migraine coming on. Wait. He told a lie. He'd started to get a headache five minutes ago when someone had hallooed him at the entrance. Raven's unconscious form had been recognized. One thing led to yet another, and soon enough he found himself all but staring down a host of weapons. He couldn't even be asked to remember the man's name, much less the village. Kuro-something or other.

Meh. Probably not important.

Apparently Raven's identity was, judging by the village's reaction. She must've been known around these parts, and his association with her damned him from the start. Really, he just needed supplies! He'd even offered to work for them thanks to his lack ofmoey! What kind of reception was this?!

"Look. We've established this." Naruto jerked a thumb over his shoulder. "She's also in desperate need of medical attention, so if you'd just let us in, we'll get out of your hair-

The guard -or was he a hunter?- did not lower his bow. Nor did his men. "Begone from this place! We do not treat with bandits!"

Naruto frowned at that. Was she a bandit? Journal hadn't been terribly clear on that.

...can I step on him?"

'Kurama, no! We are not squishing the locals!'

"See, you say that, but this one's annoying you, too."

Truer words had never been spoken, but he attempted diplomacy once more.

"I would leave," he hazarded with a raised hand, "But I've got a little one to look after and no way to feed her." he shifted Yang in his free arm. "Do you want her to starve to death?" when the man's bow still held firm in the face of his words, he pressed the attack. "Because that's what will happen if you drive us out."

...you may leave the child here. She will be looked after. Take the woman and begone!"

"I think we got off on the wrong foot." he tactfully ignored him and bulled on. "Lets start over, yeah? I'm Naruto Uzumaki. And you are...?"

"Li Ren." the man's bow did not waver, though his bearded face drew down in a scowl. "This is your final warning, outlander. Leave or you will be shot! You shall not enter Kuroyuri!"

Kurama growled. "I'd like to see you try, little man."

A flash of irritation sparked through Naruto's head and something ugly reared its head in his heart. It felt oddly like...anger. How strange. He couldn't remember the last time he'd felt like this. Pale gold eyes met sapphire across the way and he knew at once that he and Li would never get along. Maybe he was on the wrong side of this. Perhaps this man was simply protecting his people. He might actually be a good person. But did he have to be so damned stubborn?!

Must. Not. Hit. Him.

It would be so easy to just bull past Li and storm in; but that would mean leaving Raven behind with his clones. And then what? Reality yanked at him. The entire village would turn against him. He'd have to fight for every inch. He didn't want to break anyone here, and this people looked...flimsy. Yet what other choice did he have but to defend himself?

Yang whimpered in his arms, sensing his distress

Right. To hell with this. He was cold, he was tired, and now the kid was crying. He wasn't a violent sort. Never had been. Never would be. But even he had his limits. His patience was already shot to hell, Raven needed to have her wounds treated by a proper doctor, and Yang was hungry. Moreover, the sun was going down.

And at the end of the day, for all his principles, Li was in his way.

'Right. Just gotta be gentle with them. Veeeery gentle...

Naruto raised a hand and snapped his fingers.

One of his clones responded immediately, lowering Raven's gurney to the ground. His copy stepped up and took Yang from his arms, then began rocking her back and forth. Within a matter of moments she began to calm, if only just. From there the doppelganger stepped back giving the original plenty of room.

Blue eyes shimmered red. His body began to glow. "This is your last chance, Li. Let me in and I'll be on my way by tomorrow."

...and if i refuse?" If nothing else, he had bravery in spades, he'd give him that.

Naruto's body began to glow. "Then I walk right over you."

The hunter's bow snapped taut. "Take aim!"

The shinobi sighed. "Kurama."

"Shock and awe?"

Naruto smacked his lips. "Yup."

Li loosed an arrow. His fellow hunters followed suit.

Naruto clapped his hands, summoning a swell of golden chakra. It engulfed him in an instant. A storm of feathered shafts caromed harmlessly off Kurama's hide; in a matter of moments his old friend loomed over him and Kuroyuri alike, towering over everything for miles in every direction. Behind him, he heard little Yang coo and babble happily at the wondrous sight.

Well, at least someone was enjoying the show.

Li and archers...did not.

Shrieks and wails went up as the man clamored backward. Some whimpered in fear; others fainted dead away and slumped bonelessly to the floor. Li alone stood tall, but his once pensive expression had gone positively ashen. A look of hopelessness swept away his bravery, his fingers gone white-knuckled around his pow.

"Let. Me. Pass." Naruto modulated his voice, sending it booming over the village. "You had your chance.

"What's all this now?!"

Someone came storming out and all but shouldered Li aside.

"Oi!" they stabbed a finger up at him. "You there! Knock that off and come down here! I want a word with you!"

Naruto blinked.

Once.

Twice.

Thrice, now.

Well. He hadn't expected that.

"Well?!" the newcomer tapped a foot. "What's keeping you?!"

Reluctantly, he did as she'd asked. Kurama shimmered away as he dropped back to the earth.

"Much better." She, for this was certainly a member of the fairer sex, granted him a worn smile. "I'd rather talk this out, wouldn't you?"

"And you are...?"

In short order he found himself face to face with a rather striking young woman, her dusky rose hair held in a loose braid over her shoulder, with pink eyes to match. She wore a long green dress with dark green around the shoulders, bearing long flared sleeves cut-outs on the shoulders with a large band of plum purple on the cuffs. A pink sash around her waist completed the ensemble, contrasting the black flats she wore. Really, her eyes were the strangest shade of pink he'd ever seen. It bore repeating a second time.

"My name is Ann." she planted one hand on her hip. "I'll ask again, are you a bandit?"

Naruto flung up his arms. "No! I'm just a traveler, ya know!"

"And that trick just now...can you do it again?"

Keen eyes met his. "Yes."

She grinned.

Kurama mirrored it in his head. "I like this one. She respects power."

"See, Li?" An turned a smile on the grizzled hunter. "He's not a bandit. Let him in."

"But...!

"Anyone from that tribe would've fought their way through by now." she jerked her chin at him. "This one hasn't. I daresay he only pulled that stunt because you pissed him off." her eyes swept over him to Raven's prone form. "We can sort things out with her come morning." that same gaze narrowed as Naruto's clone passed Yang back to him. "Or did you really intend to deny a father and his daughter shelter for the night?"

Naruto could've kissed Ann. Finally! Someone who understood! Waitaminute. Father?! No!

The bowman lowered his weapon and ignored him wholeheartedly. "...on your head be the consequences."

"They always are," she patted his arm with warm affection, "We wouldn't be able to keep him out if we tried. Bravery can only do so much. Alright, stranger." those bright eyes pivoted to regard him in turn. "Come with me and we'll see our way to getting you settled for the night." her gaze settled on Yang and softened. "There's a spare room in the tavern you can use. How old is she?"

He shrugged. "Couple of months...?"

"Hmm. You know, I always did want a child." Ann touched a hand to Yang's face, preening as the girl cooed. "Not yours of course, but she's so cute, and oh dear, I'm babbling, aren't I? Right this way." she grabbed him by the hand and tugged him away. "Lets get her fed and cleaned for the night, eh?"

Naruto trailed after her with a sigh. Well, this was a start.

Yes, it was certainly the start of something.

How very little he knew.

A/N: READ THIS NOTE, WOULD YO KINDLY?

No, Ren has not been born yet. Haven't rightly

Remember! Embers Rule! If folks don't like this, it'll be deleted and consigned to the plot bin.

So by all means, speak up! Raise your voice! Make yourself heard! Your reviews matter!

Time, and of course, the reviews, will tell if Raven lives.

So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...

...Review Would You Kindly?

And enjoy the previews!

Potential ones at that.

(Previews)

An's hand trailed across his arm.

"You've done so much good here; are you sure you can't stay?"

...when's mommy gonna wake up?"

Yang tilted her little head.

"Can I has a brother?" her lisp only made her request all the more adorable.

Naruto fell out of his chair. "My heart!"

"A husband shouldn't treat his wife like that." firm fingers tightened around his wrist. "Apologize."

Jacques bridled. "How dare you!? Do you have any idea who I am?!"

"Nope." Naruto smacked his lips. "Now apologize."

"And if I refuse?!"

"I'll rearrange your face.

Yang grinned.

Best daddy ever."

"You have my attention, now." Naruto growled. "I hope it was what you wanted."

It was not.

R&R~!