Been meaning to get to this one for a while and now we're finally here!

On Hushed Dreams 1st anniversary no less!

Apologizes for the chapter being a little shorter than I anticipated.

But hits everything I wanted to cover.

So, let's get to it shall we?

Ugh, he hated mornings.

He tried to roll but found himself unable to do so. Something weighed heavily upon him. He did feel sluggish, so he thought nothing of it.

He wasn't sure why he did, but he felt he didn't want to wake up so early. This bed was really comfortable, and he was still so tired.

Why was he so exhausted? Something didn't feel entirely correct, but even after almost a week of recovery in the hospital, he had recovered enough to be released.

Something they were adamantly against, given his condition coming in. They didn't have much choice in the matter as they were struggling to contain him, and besides his amnesia, he was physically healthy enough to pass their parameters. He just had to come back for physical therapy to help him adjust to life without an arm.

They were looking into getting him a prosthetic, but that would take therapy as well. Wasn't looking forward to any of that…

He did not like being in a hospital for some reason. A sentiment Pyrrha had shared was perfectly normal, so nothing special to him. There was just a gut feeling he really didn't like being in them.

So now the question was, 'Why was he so exhausted?'

And what was this pressure on his chest?

A deep yip snapped Naruto's eyes open, and peered directly into a scarlet gaze peering down upon him.

An orange fox with the strangest set of ears pawed his chest.

How did it get in here? Why was it perched on his chest? Why was it staring at him?!

Yet despite this strange circumstance, he felt there was no malicious intent. He wasn't sure how he felt that, but it was something in his gut telling him that was the truth. It simply stared down at him, what looked like a worried frown on its muzzle.

And there was just this feeling about the fox… He wasn't sure… But it felt… He knew this creature.

"Uh, hi?" Naruto nervously responded, unsure how to even react to the fox that was just staring down at him. "Do I know you?"

The fox's large ears laid flat on its head, and it growled. Naruto was alarmed by the reaction, but the fox only hung its head and nodded. It then leapt off his chest and the bed with a single leap, landing on the window seal, and nodded to the world outside.

As if it was trying to show him something.

Sitting up from his bed, scowling as his muscle memory took over, he tried to pick himself up with both arms. His mornings were always a trial he had to conquer…

But he left the bed and stood at the window seal beside the fox, his gaze falling onto a figure in the yard. "Huh? Is Pyrrha training at this time in the morning? Dawn just broke, didn't it?"

The fox yipped and nodded in confirmation as if again understanding his question. Glancing down at the orange-furred fox, Naruto pursed his lips. "Is this what you wanted to show me?

The fox yipped and nudged him, directing him toward the outside.

A light frown formed on his features at this gesture. Why would he want to go outside and interrupt her training… And why did something feel… Right about going outside?

"Huh, something tells me I should go out, too." Naruto squinted, unsure of the sensation, before clenching his hand several times, feeling how tense his muscles felt. "Seeing her, just kind of…Makes me want to do the same."

The fox loudly yipped and hopped off the window seal, briefly sprinting toward the small wooden dresser and clamped its teeth on one of the drawers. Looking back in confusion as it pulled it open and dove its head inside to retrieve something, Naruto tilted his head owlishly.

Only to see the fox retrieve a thigh pouch that was found on him and that he had been investigating since he arrived. It brought it to him, plopping it back on the window seal before tilting his head toward Pyrrha again and yipped. Did it want him…

To train with her?

"Are you sure about this, darling? We don't know anything about him. He could just be from the Branwen clan…"

Taking a puff from his rustic cane, softly gazing over at his wife, a middle-aged man exhaled the smoke. "If he were a bandit, he would have shown his true nature. All I can see is an upstanding young man who is very talented but confused and trying to remember who he is. He took care of the paparazzi for Pyrrha without a second thought so they could enjoy lunch."

"Pyrrha has taken a shine to him." Pyrrha's mother longingly looked out the window to see her daughter outside for the first time in almost a week, running through her training regime. "I just worry…"

"I won't lie, I worry as well," His husband gently wrapped his arm around her waist, watching his waist. "But she wants to assist him in recovering as well. I trust her judgment and wish to assist her… And if the boy is a Huntsman or in training, he'll need that help to get back on his feet."

"Is that why you inquired about a prosthetic from Atlas?" His wife mused, furrowing her brow, noticing the subject of their talk approaching their daughter.

"He's going to need one to adjust back into daily routines, much less if he's going to go back out and continue defending the Kingdoms against the Grimm. So why not have the best around? We have the lien to splurge and have the connections." Her husband responded, observing their chat before seeing that glint in his daughter's eyes. "Oh, hold on a second…"

"Are they going to spar in his condition?"

For nearly the past week, her routine had dramatically changed—no workouts. No practice. No Aura training. No spars with her trainers.

So, getting back into routine was a little more difficult than usual. Some normalcy after finding him was appreciated.

But there was still so much more that needed to be done…

Taking a breath, she carried through her motions. From the outside, it would almost be considered an elegant dance. To her, she was envisioning her opposition, taking careful, measured swings.

Holding her shield and positioning it properly. Any misalignment or miscalculation could cost her against a Grimm… Against a person, she did not worry. But she was a perfectionist and refused to leave an opening.

She would dominate her opposition, regardless of who or what it was.

The exercises were still second nature to her once she got into them. She felt a little off after several days of inactivity. But it was something she would have to get used to in a few months… The class schedule was a ten-hour day, the only breaks being an hour lunch and the short periods between classes.

Or was it because of…

Pyrrha shook the thought out of her head, coming to a stop. He and his condition had been the thought that permeated her mind.

Wondering where he was from. Exactly who he was. How he ended up in the condition she found him. There were no answers, and they didn't seem likely to come any time soon. Not with his amnesia.

And why did she ask him that question? Pyrrha flushed before putting her intent back into her training, attempting to ignore the embarrassment.

Those words slipped out! And, of course, he wouldn't know! He was in a state of confusion about himself?! How could he know…

"Mind if I join ya!"

Pyrrha came to a complete stop. Her heart raced and thumped in her chest. He was already up, and he came to find her?

And join her?!

Turning to greet him, forcing a faux smile, Pyrrha shook her head before politely bowing. "Good morning. I didn't think you would be up so soon. …And I don't think that is wise. You were only just released from the hospital and are still recovering."

"Mah, I gotta do something!" Naruto complained, stretching his left arm behind his head while leaning back, scowling as he lowered his right. "Everything is just so stiff! All their exercises aren't helping! If I'm gonna work through this, it's gotta be on my terms!"

Softly exhaling, Pyrrha tucked her head and grimaced. She understood his frustration. The feeling of wanting to adjust to his current condition in his own way. It was natural. But while she was curious about his strength and would love nothing more than to spar, she knew he was still in recovery. Many things could still go wrong.

"Perhaps just a modest hand-to-hand spar? Get your muscles flowing but without over-exerting yourself. Go slow so you can adjust to life without it." Pyrrha suggested, trying to be amicable before sheathing her sword and setting her shield aside.

"Yeah, that sounds good to me." Naruto flexed his left hand before rolling his shoulder, frowning at seeing his right arm going through the motions, the long sleeve gently flopping against his side. "Gonna need to relearn how to fight without it. …Don't know how much I count on that new arm they are crafting for me."

Her expression faltered, and Pyrrha winced. She couldn't even begin to imagine the experience…

And then there was someone like her who could take advantage of people who had prosthetic arms in combat. Again, someone like her… He would be better without one.

"Well, I'm ready." Naruto interrupted her thoughts, holding out his left arm bent in front of him, his palm open as if he was ready to beckon her.

"Should you… Stretch more?" Pyrrha blinked, pursing her lips into a frown.

"Nah, I'm good." Naruto chirped in response. "This just feels right!"

Pyrrha frowned at his rather peculiar stance as she settled into her own, carefully observing him. It seemed passive. Almost as if he was just naturally standing before her.

The only indication he was prepared was the light bent in his knees and a shift in his hips to stagger his feet while keeping firmly grounded. It was definitely a defensive stance so he could let the fight come to…

Pyrrha's eyes shimmered. He was gone! No, that couldn't be…

Her eyes shifted to her right, the slightest brush of wind alerting her to his presence. He was coming out of the gates with an enzuigiri? So quickly!

He was on her too quickly, so she was only able to bring her arms and fists up to absorb the blow. But, he left himself vulnerable. A flying kick would leave his right side open to a counter strike as he came down, even with his body rolling.

Easy to take advantage…

"Umf…" Pyrrha stumbled back from the sheer force of the kick, losing hope of countering to keep her footing.

He, meanwhile, rolled through his kick, landing on a single leg, and spun through it again, flipping in mid-air to try and deliver a dropping kick down onto her before she was ready.

Again, she could only use her arms to block and bend her knees to absorb the shock of the strike. After feeling the last one, she knew a lot of power went into it…

And she still buckled to a knee!

Pyrrha grit her teeth as Naruto flipped and rolled through, landing behind her. She swiftly retaliated, rolling through a sweeping leg kick to knock his feet out from under him. But he flipped over it and…

"Dammit!" Naruto's head bounced into the ground awkwardly before his left carried him through the motion, landing on his feet and rubbing the top of his head with his left. "Ah, this is so annoying!"

"Well, going that quickly will do that to you. It didn't seem like you were holding back at all." Pyrrha mentioned, slowly stood, placing her hand on her hip.

"Huh?" Naruto frowned, squinting his eyes as he glanced back at Pyrrha. "I didn't really feel like I was putting too much effort into it… Felt like I could go a lot harder."

The color flushed from Pyrrha's face. Her jaw slackened before she furrowed her brow. "You… were… going slow?"

"Slow as I feel I could…" Naruto frowned, tilting his head owlishly. "I mean, maybe I could, but my body… Just kind of went with the flow. …Which had me landing on my head."

Furrowing her brow further, Pyrrha was at a loss. By no means was she attempting to put everything in this friendly spar to help him, but she couldn't match his strength and keep up with his speed.

She was further confident that Naruto wasn't just a trainee getting ready for a Huntsman Academy despite roughly being her age. No, if he was holding back for that brief moment…

He had to be a Huntsman. So why wasn't there a record of him?

"Naruto," A thought came to Pyrrha as she frowned. "How do you know that is your name?"

"Huh, why are you asking that?" Naruto scowled before wearily attempting to think about it. "I mean, it feels right… But I dunno."

Seeing the confusion expressed on Naruto's face, Pyrrha pressed further. "When I first brought you to the hospital, it seemed like you recalled something, and that's when you told me your name? …But how do you know that is your name and not someone else's in your past?"

Naruto squinted at the question at first. Of course, it was his name. It felt right… But the more he pondered, that expression faded. Was he really sure that was his name, though? Pyrrha could be…

Flinching and reaching for his temple, he shuddered. Voices… So many voices.

Yet there was one thing in common… They were saying one name.

"Why are you such a bother, Naruto."

"Naruto… No, I don't have any missions for you."

"You saved me when I was at my darkest and made me realize who I wanted to be, Naruto. One day, I hope to do the same for you, my friend."

"Am I late, Naruto? I apologize. …Guess I got lost on the road to life again."

"Ah-ha! Later, Naruto! I've got research to do!"

"Naruto… You baka. Let's go home."

"You are the only person who I can call my friend… Naruto."

"Naruto!" He was snapped away from the voices and into the concerned emerald gaze of Pyrrha. "I'm so sorry! I didn't think that would trigger anything. You don't have to…"

"It's okay… I have an answer now." Naruto winced as his head still ached. "I could hear so many voices… But every single one of them was saying the same name over and over. And it's just a feeling, but I could tell each voice was talking to me. Calling me Naruto."

Glancing over Naruto and rechecking him, Pyrrha repressed a sigh. Instead, she put on a faux smile. "That's a positive at least… But we have to find a healthier way to recall your memories than that. You looked like you had an anxiety attack. You had me worried."

"Was it that bad?" Naruto grimaced before glancing down at his left and noticed how it was trembling. "Okay… It was… My bad for worrying ya."

"It's okay." Pyrrha's fake smile slowly turned genuine as she politely laughed. "But I think you should call it a day for now. You don't look so good."

Noticing he was paler than before, Naruto refrained from grimacing again. Instead, he glowered as he glanced at the stub of his right arm and shook his head. "Ain't happening! I need to work on a way to deal with this! I don't quit! That isn't who I am! …Huh? Where did that come from?"

Smiling brightly, closing her eyes, she shook her head. Opening her eyes once more, they gleamed in amusement. "I can only assume you can lose all your memories of who you are…"

"But never forget who you are deep inside."

A thin veil of sweat layered on his skin, dripping into his new clothing.

But he didn't stop. Couldn't stop practicing.

It was getting more natural to move without his arm, but he still occasionally slipped up. His body naturally wanted to lean to the right. Most have been his dominant hand.

But he needed to burn this steam. His muscles were finally starting to loosen and feel right.

Pyrrha joined him, deciding to work with only one hand with every exercise. He had expressed she didn't need to do that, but she put the burden on herself. Said she wanted to experience what he was to help understand.

It wasn't easy, that was for sure. Worse of all…

He still felt that his arm was there. Could clench his right fist. Felt like he was lifting his arm from the elbow. But worst of all…

Every motion, he felt pain.

A loud yip resonated. It drew his attention as he looked up from his one-armed push-ups.

The weird, long-eared fox sat before him, carefully observing his motions.

Naruto squinted as he, with measured practice, pushed himself up with his left hand and sat cross-legged in front of the fox. Their eyes met, and he staunchly stared back at the creature.

If it was challenging him to a staring contest, he'd show him who the boss was.

"Mah, you again?" Naruto muttered, watching the fox's ears twitch before it yawned. "What do ya want? I'm busy working out after ya gave me a heart attack this morning!"

What he could only describe as a long, curled grin spread on the fox's muzzle. Its scarlet eyes danced with amusement, its gaze boring into his.

It only nodded before its eyes shifted to the side, focusing on something else.

"Naruto?" Pyrrha's voice carried a genuine sense of concern.

"Huh, what's up?" Naruto turned and glanced back to see a deeply perturbed Pyrrha as she looked in his direction.

This only caused further confusion. What was she distressed about? Did she have an irrational fear of foxes?

…For some reason that he couldn't fathom why, he could see that being the case. Something told him a fear of foxes was a normal fear…

Swallowing hard, Pyrrha slowly and carefully approached. "What… Whom are you talking to?"

Scrunching his face further, Naruto's confusion grew. "Huh? I'm just talking to the fox that woke me up this morning and came out with me. It was staring me down, so I decided to stare it back down."

His eyes slitted as her form went ghostly pale. Why did she seem more terrified than before? Was she that afraid of…

"Naruto… You didn't come out here with a fox."

All sense of color washed from his face, his skin's appearance closely resembling Pyrrha's. A sense of dread washed over him as he slowly turned his head back towards the fox once more.

Only to see it had vanished without a trace.

I hope you enjoyed a return to this tale!

If you got a minute, I would appreciate hearing from ya and seeing what you got to say!

And if you got more time, check out Hushed Dreams if you haven't!

Until next time my friends,

Peace!