Why was this taking so long?
Tapping his foot and crossing his arms as he stood before the school, Qrow dawned his usual scowl. He had volunteered to pick up the girls after school. Tai had enough to deal with back home. Naruto had come home but was currently unconscious and lying in bed. Raven had yet to return to the tribe and was far more trepid than he had ever seen of her. The light in her eyes was dull… Unlike her.
Encountering Salem once more was almost the least of her concerns. Vernal's death at her hands left her as a shell of her former self. Add in witnessing what the Nine-Tails was capable of within Naruto… She was still trying to sort herself out…
So Tai needed some time to deal with those issues and take care of the storm known as Ruby and Yang. It was the least he could do.
Until Naruto awoke, this was the calm before the storm. The moment he was awake again, not only would many questions need to be resolved… Qrow was sure he would pursue her. Thankfully, he prepared and had leads.
What was taking the kids so long? They resisted heavily this morning, nearly refusing to go to school until Raven convinced them. He thought they would have been amongst the first to exit the school. He had heard Ruby had been leaving late every day, but supposedly, it had been getting better the last few weeks.
From what he had gathered, Neo had something to do with it, but she wouldn't say how…
"This doesn't feel right," Qrow muttered, eyes sharp as the gaggle of kids leaving school thinned. Ruby and Yang still had yet to exit. He knew Yang would wait for Ruby or retrieve her, but he was growing impatient. He hadn't seen a trace of the girls, and they both stuck out like sore thumbs…
They were both a little too unique and bright…
Qrow sighed with a faint smile crossing his features. He ran through his hair and sighed as he walked through the thin crowd toward the main doors, preparing to go in himself. "Yeah… Gotta blame the kid on that one."
Stepping through the front entrance to the school, his smile had long since faded into a scowl. There was hardly anyone left in the building besides teachers. Most of the students had left or were outside hanging out with their peers, waiting for their parents or guardians to pick them up.
Being an instructor at Signal, he knew he wouldn't draw much attention, so he wasn't surprised the teachers around didn't stop him. And even if they didn't recognize him as an instructor, he came to pick up Ruby and Yang occasionally and was listed as one of their guardians…
But what he did find peculiar was the nervous gathering of teachers as they ushered any stragglers out of the school while others hastily rushed down the hallways. That was unusual.
The anxious energy they exuded as he turned to one of the teachers ushering students out was evident. Something happened.
"Ah, excuse me," Qrow spoke out, scratching the back of his head as the flummoxed teacher nearly jumped at his voice. "I came by to pick up my nieces, Ruby Rose and Yang Xiao Long, for my brother-in-law today as he had some business to attend to…"
"Ms. Xiao Long isn't outside already?" The middle-aged teacher, who Qrow recognized as Yang's homeroom teacher, fidgeted. She glanced back down the wide splitting hallway down the school and grimaced. "Oh dear… I am almost positive Yang rushed straight to the doors, waiting for her little sister. …She seemed so much more excited than normal to head home… Are you sure they were not outside? Maybe by chance, playing with friends?"
"I would have noticed them, and I'm sure, if by chance I didn't, they would have been looking for me, their father, or their brother." Qrow shook his head, his frown deepening as his worry increased at the teacher's distress as she glanced around jitterily. His eyes sharpened as he looked down the hallway. And in the distance… Was that a group of teachers gathered around a single room? "It was a challenge to get them to come into school today. Their brother returned last night, and they wanted to spend the day with him…"
"I believe you. Yang was terribly distracted in class today… More so than usual… She was quite combative, honestly." Yang's homeroom teacher pursed her lips into a deep frown, glancing at her fellow instructors who were gathered before exhaling. "I apologize for my lack of attentiveness. The children come first. We just have a serious issue as we found one of our colleagues unconscious in their room…"
"Unconscious?" A knot built in Qrow's stomach. It was just a feeling… With Ruby and Yang nowhere in sight… His gut instinct was typically on point…
And his luck was even worse. He had a bad feeling about this…
Taking out his Huntsman license on his scroll and displaying it, Qrow's features sternly straightened. "I may be able to help, but…"
"I need you to explain precisely what happened?"
Since he arrived in this era and learned he was far in the future, part of him had given up hope of finding any connection to his past. Even with trips to ruins, nothing felt connected. There were no other ninjas in this time besides a few that called themselves shinobi… Before he promptly humiliated them and showed them what a real shinobi was.
He was the last of his people, with only a scant connection to Kali and Blake. The era of the ninja had long since passed, and it was now the age of the Huntsman. He was utterly alone…
Outside of his family.
They kept the darkness from consuming him. They kept the fire burning in his belly well stock. Gave him a purpose.
Ruby and Yang… The two sisters who would become his little sisters. Who kept his flame lit when he was at his lowest. Who gave him a joy he had never experienced before in his young life… And a stronger desire to protect than he ever possessed before. They had become his fuel. He strived to improve for their sake, preserve and make them proud, and promote their growth. They wanted to become Huntresses and to protect them for the future, they needed to learn from his example. They were his fuel, and he strived to get better to keep them safe and help them grow so they could defend themselves and, in time, become fine Huntresses.
Taiyang… He became a father he never had before despite his understandable hesitation. The man had just lost his wife, and to accept another child into his family? One who didn't know anything about this world? It was a burden, but one he took head-on with courage and a personal strength very few possessed. He was strong in more than one way and a man he had complete respect for.
Qrow… A man dedicated to protecting his family from the shadows. He starkly reminded him of Kakashi in more than a few ways. Aloof and distant but cared more deeply than they let on. Who would take on the grimier, darker side of the world just to give his family a moment's more comfort. Another man he held a deep respect for and one he owed quite a lot to. For it wasn't for Qrow tracking him down… He may not have his family now.
Kali and Blake… Descendants from people of his era. Family in their own right as they tried to keep those traditions alive. Kali, who taught him to adjust to this world, was like a mother who constantly worried about his well-being. Blake, who was like another sister, was now his pupil in the ninja arts… It was almost odd being a sensei despite not feeling like he should be!
Raven… The estranged mother of Yang. He was honestly not sure how to feel about her. She always seemed to observe and wait in the shadows, prepared to step in if necessary but confident in their skills. And when she did step in, she had a cold edge that she didn't know how to blunt. She had her problems, a ton, but he knew she cared deeply for his family in her own way. So while he didn't have the most to go one with her, a part of him thought of her as a member of this family… If only distantly.
And finally… Neo…
The crazy girl who complicated his life tremendously the moment he met her… Even if he didn't speak her language at the time! Everything involving her was sheer chaos. From their first meeting until she walked out his door and to that school. In any circumstance, she would inject an energy that would boost the situation, whether good or bad. It was almost like a drug…
Was this what love felt like? Ugh… Why was it so complicated and tricky for him to explain? He didn't understand at all!
But now before him… He was left utterly perplexed. A family he thought he had long forgotten now stood before him. A connection he thought was gone, only to learn the fox hid them for this game he was playing. He didn't like it, but he trusted the toads. So, did that mean he should trust the fox?
"Mah, I don't have time for this…" Naruto grunted, massaging his temple as he slowly sat up from his bed, attempting to roll out. He snarled as a rod nearly smacked him in his head, but he aptly shifted his body to avoid it. "Enough! You can stop me… Mah, what's your name anyway? Can't just be Gama-chan?"
"Gamago." The toad expressed what Naruto thought was a frown as he introduced himself. "You need your rest. I can feel it. Your body has not yet recovered from using the Sacred Beast's chakra…"
"I'm not just gonna sit here when there is something I need to do." Naruto scoffed, his body aching at every moment but refusing to stay still any longer. "I can't…"
"And why is that?" Gamago brought the cane he had smacked Naruto with earlier to his side, holding it like a staff. "What is so important that you need to leave now? Is it the girl?"
Naruto sent a sharp glare at Gama-chan, almost questioning how he knew. But Gama-chan had been around all this time. Of course, he knew of Neo. He was around him all the time! Why wouldn't he know the situation? He saw it happen.
But what he didn't see was what he saw when wielding the Nine-Tails' chakra. That negative energy that she emitted so strongly that he could see her clearly. Neo was in distress… And he refused to sit by any longer.
"Yeah, it is." Naruto pushed himself to stand with a hiss. With a hitch in his breath, he turned, faced Gama-chan, and met his stare. "When the fox gave me its chakra, I could feel the negative energy throughout the world… And with that sight, I saw her negative aura clearly through that fog. She is in some kind of trouble. And as long as I draw breath… I'm gonna help her even if that means I have to fight the world."
The toads simply stared back. His eyes unblinking. Naruto could even gauge his reaction. It was so different from Gamakichi or Gamabunta… He couldn't read him at all…
Until his throat swelled, and a croaking chuckle resonated. What looked like a smile stretched across its lips, and his eyes twinkled. "I've gotten to know you very well, boy. I understand you, and your resolve is admirable. Very well, then. Shall we get going then? I shall accompany you. We have been waiting for you all this time to fulfill our contract, but I cannot pass this opportunity."
"I, too, wish to see why our ancestors held such fondness for you."
This room was cold.
Despite the comfort and treatment she had received so far, it was freezing in here. It was damp and run down. This place was a dump.
She stuck out her tongue in disgust and mouthed her displeasure. If she had a choice, she would have already left. But that poison had a lingering effect on her, and she was still recovering from it.
Flexing her hand, wincing at the pain that was still present, Neo marveled that her hand had mainly recovered from the wound. There was a circular scar where the knitting needle had penetrated it, but it was functional besides the ache that resonated from it. That was good enough. It was time to make her way out of this place and find Naruto.
The twins were up to something. No, the entire staff of Lady Brown's Preparatory School were up to something foul. She had long assumed that there was something more behind the school. She had heard murmurings, but it was only a guess until now. With all the courses the school had for regular students, it felt off. She knew why…
Her mother sent her to a school that trained assassins and double agents for Spider. Sitting in the bed she had been recovering in, a scantily dressed woman stood before her, their ensignia brazenly displayed on the nape of her neck. She, too, was a member of Spider…
Or was.
Neo warily kept her gaze on her. She trusted no one. No matter what was said or the context of how she ended up here, anything could happen. She wasn't fully recovered, but she was confident enough in her skills to escape if need be. She was too fixated on her escape to gauge her surroundings properly, which led to her being here…
She wouldn't make that mistake twice.
"You recognize this tattoo… You are very observant, aren't you? You know what this means then, I take it." Cammie exhaled, crossing her arms across her barely covered bosom. "Yes, I was once part of Spider. You may find it hard to trust me, but I think you and I are in a similar position…"
Neo squinted at the woman. She knew nothing about her! To insinuate such…
"Trivia Vanille, heiress to the Vanille estate. One count of reckless endangerment, grand theft auto, and several counts of assault and battery. …All pled down to a non-contest and a lightly mandated sentence of completing her tenure at Lady Browning's Preparatory School to clear her record," Cammie rattled off the top of her head. Neo's eyes flickered wide. She was aware of the deal, but for others to have dug it up…
She snarled. What did they want of her?
"What I find interesting is where the police record states you were found… A house in the middle of nowhere on Patch… A boyfriend's house, perhaps?" Cammie insinuated, a faint smirk crossing her features as Neo's eyes sharpened to a death glare. "Thought so… Add in that look I saw on your face when you were desperately trying to escape with that poison flowing through you… Yeah, I say I know you all too well…"
"We chase someone who we love in the hope of garnering their recognition… Their love back." Cammie slumped over, eyes trailing over to the door as she spoke.
Neo jerked and leaned away from Cammie. Her eyes quivered at the dim gaze she held as she turned her head from the door as it clicked open. But that content smile, despite her demure stature as a man in a lime green overcoat, stepped into the room they were in… She knew it well.
It felt so similar to the one she had when she was Naruto.
"Ah, good, she's up and ready!" Roman clasped his hands together and rubbed them eagerly. "We can make haste on our plan! Cammie, have you filled her in yet?"
"She has been recovering from that Spider assassin's poison. You're lucky she has a robust Aura; otherwise, she wouldn't even be moving." Cammie snapped, the adoration in her eyes still present despite rolling them in annoyance. "Your plans, like usual, are reckless. It's a wonder they ever work."
"You have to gamble if you want the biggest payout. I survived this far by risking everything; I'm not about to stop now. Not until I've made it and all know my name!" Roman grinned as he pocketed his hands into his jacket and looked down at Neo. "And you, my little princess, have fallen right into my lap at the perfect time. It's time for the show to begin, and I need every advantage I can get."
Neo narrowed her gaze. If he thought he could just use her just as everyone else had, he had another thing coming. She was done with being held under other people's thumbs! She was earning her freedom, once and for all!
"Now, now… I can see it in your eyes. I am not your enemy. In fact, if anything, I'm an ally." Roman held out his hands before offering one to Neo. "Your record tells me everything I need to know. There is resentment toward your family, and that is something I understand. …My mother was a bitch too. It's why I struck out on my own."
"Together, maybe we can work together and get back at them. For you see, I have a plan that, in one fell swoop, take out a massive benefactor to both Spider and the Xiong Clan and leave them crippled!"
It had been a long day.
He still wasn't precisely sure how it came to this, but he was sitting in his living room, attempting to get what little rest he could before his children came home—with his former wife vacantly sitting by herself.
There was a complex series of emotions that he just couldn't express at her being there. Anger was high on the list due to what she had just put his son through. For leaving him all those years ago to raise Yang. For going along with Summer on her insane escapade that led to Summer's death…
He also felt pity and sorrow for her. He usually could see through her cold and aloof nature, but he didn't need to this time. She openly expressed her distress and was troubled by what had happened. This last encounter with Salem and losing someone else she cared for left her in a miserable state.
It was why she hadn't left. She couldn't show this weakness to the tribe. Her ego wouldn't stand for it.
And here, she knew it was safe to show this side. He wouldn't judge. He wasn't able to judge. After he lost Summer, he shut down…
Tai exhaled. They were all broken in one way…
The sound of footsteps above broke his thoughts. There was no one else here that was awake. Qrow went to pick up the girls, and Raven was…
"You are too stubborn, boy," Raven scowled, glancing toward the stairs as Naruto descended from his room, moving considerably slower than expected. "You are in no state to go anywhere. You can barely move right now."
"I don't have time to be sitting on my thumbs, waiting for something to happen, ya hear," Naruto grunted, moving his way down the stairs. Tai frowned but didn't act as there was a glint in Naruto's eye as he made it to the bottom of the stairs. A glint he knew well… "You might not believe me, but when I used the fox's chakra… I saw Neo and how miserable she is. A negative aura that encompasses her… I know I can do something, and I'm gonna do it. I've let her wait long enough… "
Seeing the determined expression on Naruto's face, a thin smile crossed Tai's features. He knew that look. There wasn't anything he could do to stop him. That determined expression… No, there was something more to it than that.
It seemed Naruto was starting to understand his feelings even if he couldn't put them into words.
"I believe you…" Tai exhaled, glancing over at the door momentarily before back at Naruto. He then smiled and gestured to the seat beside him. "But you know, if two certain somebodies don't see you when they return home, there's gonna be hell to pay. Perhaps we can talk and think of a way to help her before you go while we wait for them?"
"Ahk… Yang's been a terror, hasn't she?" Naruto grimaced before chuckling to himself. He always felt an odd kinship with her. They were just so alike. He then frowned, remembering he felt Ruby while he sensed all the negative energy from around the world. And that worried him, too. "Ruby, too, I can imagine. …In her own way. Ah, I can't just leave without seeing them, can I?"
"No. They waited for you all this time." Gamago spoke in a sage tone before what appeared to be a smile graced his features. "Little Moon has been quite worried about you just as much as Little Sun has."
"Ah, she's been confiding in ya, hasn't she?" Naruto grimaced, knowing Ruby liked to talk to Gama-chan when she thought she was alone. That was going to be very awkward when she learned he could speak…
"Did that frog just talk?" Raven stared widely at Gamago, leaning back in her seat.
"I am a wise and powerful toad sage, vile wretch! Watch your tongue and respect your elders!" Gamago croaked venomously.
Naruto winced before nervously scratching the back of the head. "Ah, well, you see… Long story short…"
A gust of wind from outside fluttered in with a crack. The window opened as a crow flew in and, with mild light, shifted into Qrow with a crazed glint in his eyes. "Raven! We need to move now!"
"Ruby and Yang have been kidnapped!"
She had never once in her life been this furious.
Carmel stormed to the basement her husband rarely used any longer. It was still stocked to the brim with Dust he had stolen throughout the years. His attempt to win one over the Xiong Clan and have a stockpile for himself in case the worst happened. Have a failsafe to fall back on before he made waves in the market, keeping the Schnee Dust Corporation and the Mistral Trading Company from dominating the market thoroughly.
So it was safe to assume he hadn't come down here in years to see this horrid site before her as she used the secret entrance to enter a room he wasn't aware of. One she had built unbeknownst to him. And now she dreaded every one of them, making this hideout for her fellow Spiders to see it used in such a manner.
Her boss' two young daughters stood at the entrance, acting as guards. Yet they grimaced upon her entrance, flinching away from her. They had every right to fear her for bringing in these girls here, blindfolding them, and keeping them captive here of all places! She wouldn't be able to hide this for long! Her husband and staff weren't deaf! Someone would eventually hear the children crying!
Her eyes fell upon their superior… Their instructor who had led them here. And coldly spoke to her. "What is the meaning of this? I am aware that Lil' Miss put the hit out on a child. But this is a step too far, and I will not have this in my house!"
"I do apologize for this inconvenience," Tealle placidly held out her hand before exhaling. "There has been a change in plans, and I received this order from Lady Beatrix herself to keep them here for the time being."
"She's being forced to evacuate her school as the Xiong have found out about Spider encroaching onto their territory and have started a turf war."
Apologies for this chapter taking so long. Posting her was a nightmare. Had to find a work around as an error is going around keeping me from uploading and copying and pasting new chapters. So many damn glitches here...
Got hit with inspiration with many other stories and writer's block on this one. The chapter was a nightmare to get through and had to be rewritten several times so I hope you found it enjoyable.
Like always, I love to hear from ya as it makes continuing long stories, any any stories for that matter, easier to keep on chugging away. So if you gotta a moment, it would mean the world to me (even if takes forever for me to respond. Gotta lot going on with work and the rest of life, ya know?)
So until next time my friends, Peace.