Okay, I know I'm a little behind here, but...

What was that CRWBY?

What did you do to my mute and make her do?

I need therapy for that!

Then everything this week was...

I don't have words for whelmed I am.

Anyways, thank all my readers for their support.

And onto the show, as I go into the corner and cry for a while...

Note: Last chapter, some may have noted I stated Christmas. That was changed later in the day when I did research later for later event and recognized RWBY doesn't have that day and calls it Nondescript Winter Holiday. Neither does Naruto, for that matter. So I changed it to Winter Solstice as that at least makes far more to say. And obviously, this will come into play later as I was researching it for a later chapter.

"All right, I take everything back about Oobleck being reckless."

"Thank you..."

"Shut up! It doesn't redeem anything you did!" Qrow hissed as he rushed to the door to keep a firm eye on the kid, watching as he sprinted across the snow field and into the forest. "How about you use your speed usefully for once and try to keep up with the kid?"

"On it!" Oobleck shimmied past Qrow and through the doorway, zooming into the snowfield and quickly making up time and distance.

"The fact that he doesn't have a speed Semblance is baffling with how fast the man moves in everything he does…" Qrow muttered under his breath before his crimson eyes snapped to the most recent person to have come into this home.

The faunus woman that had happened to be the one to set off the teen. And he wasn't willing to play nice with her.

"What in Oum's name did you say to set him off?" Qrow uttered in a low thrum as he stared straight into her eyes. "He has still been on edge, depressed even, but he was settling down even with Oobleck's meddling and unhelpful interventions. Which is miraculous given that the man has been analyzing every aspect of him, and I know it's made him uncomfortable! It made me uneasy watching!"

"I introduced myself after hearing our language flow from his tongue so fluently, so naturally," Kali replied, nervously looking on as her ears lowered as eyes darted to the door outside. "He looked surprised that I could speak in our native language, so I explained what I must have assumed was something he must have already come to realize…"

As Qrow's eyes narrowed further and his glare deepened, Tai's soft sigh broke his gaze. "That sounds legitimate. I may not be able to speak his language, but I can read his body language. And when he thinks no one is looking, he has a noticeable hitch in his demeanor. It's been more pronounced since Bartholomew brought him that map and showed him where we are and where he found the scroll."

"Almost detached." Tai grimaced, almost reflecting on his past actions. "Don't think it is anything like I was not too long ago, but a sudden dose of reality could be all that was needed…"

"To possibly break him." Qrow bitterly finished before taking a deep breath, looking straight up at the ceiling. "Oum, help me. First you and now the kid…"

"Is my curse to bring those with depressive issues to me?"

Tai scowled and gave Qrow a shaded look for his comment. That was an unnecessary jab at him...

"I didn't think the situation would escalate to such a degree when I initiated a conversation. Maybe a more controlled environment is necessary." Kali worriedly added as her daughter looked up, seeming uncomfortable with everything around her. "It's just…"

"What he said was curious to me. That I was the first beastkin he had seen since arriving here…"

Tai's head snapped immediately as his eyes rounded, understanding the implications. "Wait, that would mean if he indeed is from the time period the scroll is from…"

"That he is familiar with Faunus. Or, at the very least, people with similar features," Kali stated, her eyes trembling as she looked out the door. "The ramifications…"

She couldn't finish her words as cries echoed from the living room as a door slammed shut. And then Ruby ran into the room, tears streaming down her face as she had her coat and was trying to put on her boots. She ran straight to Tai, gripping his pant leg, and tattled. "Yang mean! Said only she can go outside! I want to go too!"

"Yang!" Tai's expression turned to alarm, suspicious of why his daughter fled the front door. "Oh, no! Is she…"

"Yeah, I'm on it! Take care of Ruby! And call for a new door. I'll pay!" Qrow barked back as he bolted out of the splintered door.

"Shhh," Tai knelt before Ruby, trying to relax her with a forced smile. "There, there, Ruby. Yang didn't mean it like that. She must have heard what happened and decided to search for your new friend."

"I wanna help! Be good like mom!"

"I know, I know, you'll get there. So will she." Tai spoke in an assuring tone as he tenderly planted his hands on her shoulders. "But now isn't the time. You have a lot of growing up to do before you're strong enough to help with the big stuff, okay? So does your sister."

"Your mother always said you were destined for greatness," Tai smiled at the teary-eyed child as she looked up at her father's face. "Give it time, and you'll get there. And you know what? Until then, you will always be our heroine, my sweet little rose. No matter what. Your mother would say the same thing."

"Oh," Tai was almost brought down as Ruby leapt up and latched onto her father's neck, hugging him tightly with all her tiny body could muster.

Embracing his daughter, Tai let out a content sigh feeling her warmth against him and hearing her steady heartbeat against his. It was a stark remembrance of where he was not even a week ago that he could barely function…

And it reminded him how much he needed to express his gratitude to him.

Breaking his embrace, chuckling as Ruby wasn't willing to loosen her grip, Tai had to pry out of her grasp and noted the bowls. "Let's get you some breakfast. Which cereal do you want?"

"Qwokie Qwips!"

"Did I even need to ask?" Tai dejectedly sighed as he should have known better as he stood up.

"I can handle that if you would like." Kali gave a friendly smile as she stepped over. "I believe you probably need to make that call if you want someone to get here quickly to assess the door."

Nodding as he retrieved his scroll from his pocket, Tai gave a slight nod of thanks before motioning over to the pantry. He then made his way outside to check the damage from that perspective. "Pantry is right there. Help yourself."

"Thank you," Kali returned with a slight bow before moving to the pantry. "Blake, darling, would you like a bowl of cereal too?"

"Yes," Blake responded, still feeling awkward as she followed her mother closely before turning.

And Blake received the jump scare of her life as her golden eyes stared directly at a mop of black hair with red tinges. She did not know how to handle the young girl as she jumped excitedly in front of her. "Hi!"

"I'm Ruby Rose! Nice to meet you!"

"I like your ears! They funny looking!"

"Mom!" Blake cried, unsure how to handle the situation while trying not to growl as she placed her hands on her Faunus features. "What do you mean by that?!"

"They're not funny! They're all natural!"

"They fuzzy 'n' cute! I love 'em! I touch 'em?"

"What? No! Mom!"

Kali refrained from giggling at the interaction as she moved to pour the cereal into the bowls, shaking her head. The wonders of a child's innocence when those words didn't mean anything harmful and were endearing to hear.

She sighed regretfully.

Then they grew up and learned the truth.

"Wait!"

"Get away from me!" Naruto screamed back at the man that had limited knowledge of his language.

Only he wasn't there any longer. In fact…

"I understand…"

"Ah," Naruto jumped back and turned in the other direction as the man he kept hearing the strange utterance of Oobleck directed at appeared directly beside him. "How fast are you? That's ridiculous! I swear Lee moves at that speed only when powered up!"

"Never mind that!" Naruto roared as he reached into his pouch and pulled a tag, pulsing a small amount of chakra through it. "Leave me alone! I want nothing from this world! I just want to go home!"

Flicking the tag behind him, Naruto closed his eyes, flowing chakra to his feet as he bent his knees and crouched.

"Believe me, I…"

"Woah!"

Oobleck's world became white as he saw the tag, and instantly a flash of light filled his vision. But instead of being upset, his voice sounded excited as he stumbled, moving his glasses so he could rub at his eyes. "Fascinating! Such an ingenious method of creating a flashbang! I must know how that is accomplished!"

"Why does he sound happy about being flashed?" Naruto exclaimed as he leapt to the treetops and began traveling through the barren trees. "Wish there was some cover up here, so I wasn't such an easy target to spot…"

"Whatever. These guys seemed skilled enough. It doesn't matter. Wear what I want."

"Tell me, what was that you just did?"

"How are you already recovered and below me!" Naruto screamed at the top of his lungs as the one called Oobleck raced below him as he traveled from tree to tree. "I hit you point blank with a flash! Your eyes should be melted, and you should be struggling to see for quite some time!"

"Hard to explain in this language!" Oobleck kept pace while talking much slower as he had to focus with his limited knowledge of translation on how to speak. "But I assure you…"

"I want nothing to do with any of you!" Naruto bellowed as he tried to change directions.

"Then apologize for this…" Oobleck suddenly leapt behind him faster than he could react and, with what seemed to be a syringe, injected it into Naruto's neck. "I just need you to calm…

"Marvelous! Is this the log technique Qrow mentioned before?" Oobleck looked on in wonder as his syringe broke into a cut log, and he couldn't help but be impressed. "The ancient's abilities are magnificent and must be studied! Their Aura is so wild and untamed! There must have been some evolutionary period for it to reach the point it has today!"

"But alas, I needed to relax!" Oobleck suddenly appeared next to a sprinting Naruto as he narrowed his eyes at him.

"What are you?"

"I am a Professor of…"

"Woah!"

"A snare trap!" Oobleck looked on, thoroughly impressed as he hung upside in a tree. "When did you have the time and ability to set this up?"

"Is that what I think it is?" Oobleck's eyes widened as he saw several dozen Narutos running in each direction, leaving prints in the snow. "He knows it!"

"One of the fully translated techniques that survived in the scroll! He is from that time period! My thesis is correct!"

Cutting free, Oobleck landed and glanced at each fleeing boy in orange before frowning. "Oh, I am beginning to see where this becomes an issue."

Pulling out his scroll, he made a quick call. "Qrow, I understand now how you couldn't keep track of him…"

Oobleck jerked his head from the receiver as a shrill shriek pierced his eardrums, and he winced at the ear-piercing noise. He then clicked off the call and picked a blonde to chase, hoping he was correct.

"He didn't have to be so rude about it."

Taking deep, bated breaths, doubling over, lilac eyes scanned the snowy forest.

Where did he take off to? She had to catch up with him. She didn't have her dad's scroll, but she was sure she could communicate well enough without it. Had to apologize to him for the stupid adults. She knew her dad's friend had been making him mad. But more than that…

In his eyes, Yang saw a shimmer she knew. She knew he felt alone. He felt scared and was only putting on an act. She saw him often when he sat alone, quietly with a distant and confused glaze in his blue eyes.

He was hurting, and she wanted to tell him it was okay but didn't know how to.

She knew the feeling too well. Having to try and take care of Ruby so much this last month as her dad was vacant.

Ever since Summer…

Catching her breath, she sprinted forward in hopes of finding him. She wasn't sure what was wrong or what she could do…

Yang just wanted to help! Everyone else just stood there and did nothing!

Stupid adults! Weren't they supposed to do more? That's what Summer always told her! That they were there to be there for them!

"Why aren't you here now when I need you?!" Yang screamed into the snow drift forest as she stopped and looked around desperately. "Why did you have to go?! We were a family, weren't we?"

"I loved you like you were my real mom…"

Tears streamed down her cheeks as her voice softened to a quiet sob that racked her tiny figure. She desperately reached up and tried to wipe them away, but they spread, soaking her hands.

Nothing she did could stop them from falling.

All she wanted was a mother. Her mother…

The mother that loved her unconditionally and combed her hair every night. That told her how beautiful she was. How strong and able she was and would become…

She wanted Summer back!

Summer would have fixed this already!

Suddenly, Yang almost fell over a winter gust that howled through the forest. Shivering at the cold snowflakes billowed in front of her as she clutched her coat closer to her, Yang didn't know what to do. Maybe she should head home and…

"Summer?" Yang looked into the fading wind and saw something she had sworn she had witnessed when she watched the woman she called mother use her Semblance once…

Several small white rose petals dissipated as they landed in the snow.

And what seemed to be an orange smudge was hanging on the horizon, seemingly moving through the trees.

Without thinking twice, Yang rushed toward it. It had to be a sign!

"Just get over this stupid snow pile and…"

The snow pile she tried to climb over suddenly moved and slithered from underneath her feet, knocking her on her backside. And before her, a massive white, serpentine shape stared directly at her and hissed.

A hollow scream echoed through the forest.

Where was he going?

What did he hope to achieve from this?

Frustratingly hopping onto the barren snowy ground, Naruto cried out as the wind drifted around him. "I don't know what to do!"

He kicked the snow aimlessly before him as he pocketed his hands in his jacket. Hanging his head, he wasn't sure what more he could do.

The Nine-Tails refused to speak to him and vowed to make his life hell.

Mission accomplished!

What more could he do with all the strangers around him and no clear path to return home? Add in all the evidence pointing to the fact that his home didn't exist any longer and this world wasn't his…

Bringing his forearm to his eyes and wiping them clear, he exhaled heavily as his eyes dulled. What was the point of running like this? Where was he heading? He saw the map. He didn't know any of these landmarks or anything about this place. Didn't understand anyone or know how to talk to the people around him.

He was lost in an unfamiliar place without a clue how to find his way home. He was trying to escape from people who seemed to be genuinely kind.

Except for the weirdo.

For this was too much for him to bear. He didn't want to be here anymore. He just wanted to wake up, find out he was in a coma, and see Tsunade or Shizune's face looking at him in worry. To see Kakashi again.

Iruka, Teuchi, and Ayame. The pervert Jiraiya. Sakura. Shikamaru, Kiba, Chouji, Lee, Neji, Shino, Hinata, and even Ino, or the bunhead girl. Konohamaru and his gang.

He'd take their stupid tutor Ebisu!

Someone familiar! Anyone…

As the wind faded and the snow flurry around him faded, Naruto looked up at the misty cloud-covered sky that blotted the morning sun, making it quite a gray morning. "Guess I should head back, huh?"

"My best move is to stick around and see if I can see where they found that scroll. See if I can get any answers there that might help me. I have nowhere else to turn if what she said is true." Naruto hung his head, and his eyes misted over. "Am I really here all alone? With no one who speaks…"

A young, shrill scream shattered the frigid cold air.

Naruto's head jerked toward the direction it came from, being quite sure of the direction it came from. "One of the girls! Why are they out here? Did they try to follow me?"

Leaping into a full sprint through the piles of snow and then bounding into the barren trees for extra speed, he could not believe his eyes when he came across the site.

A massive white snake was coiled around Yellow, and its maw was open and ready to strike.

"Shit! Hold on!" Naruto vocalized, knowing the girl couldn't understand him, but it didn't matter.

He needed to act, and now! A kick to the thing's face should do, but with how it was coiled around Yellow…

From the momentum of the blow, she would likely be trampled and crushed if he hit wrong. Too much of a risk to chance that! He needed her out of harm's way first!

But was he fast enough?

The white viper's head struck down with vicious force.

Snow billowed and clouded around.

A piercing scream.

And crimson elixir trickled into clumps of ice beneath blue sneakers.

A snarl escaped Naruto's grasp as one of the multiple rows of fangs pierced into his collarbone…

As he held the massive snake's maw back and away from yellow as it tried to bite down and crush them both. Another snarl escaped his lips as his eyes dilated and constantly alternating from crimson to cerulean. All while an eerie red glow was attempting to overtake his body. "Get out of my system, Fox…"

"If you are intending to make my life hell," With his eyes reverting to pure cerulean and the glow fading, Naurto twisted the massive snake's head and the coiled body from around them. And with a heavy, pained grunt, he tossed the giant serpent away, snapping the fang off in his shoulder and keeping Yellow safe. "Then keep out of my body! This is my fight! Stay out of it!"

Naruto ripped the fang from his collarbone, a slight grimace adorning his features as he stared straight at the snake. His eyes glanced over at a frightened Yellow. Even though he knew she could not understand him, he lowered his tone to a more calming tone in order to comfort her. "Hey, it's going to be alright. I've got this."

Flashing a brilliant, debonair grin and closing his eyes, Naruto held up his thumb to her.

"Believe it."

A sudden movement from the white serpent's head caught his attention. It was moving to strike. And it was quick. Really quick.

But not enough to avoid a boot straight to its snoot!

Planting his right sneaker firmly into the snout of the snake's head, he launched it backwards. "Get out of here! Not letting you get to the girl!"

"Gonna end this with one strike!" Naruto held his right palm open as he clutched a single-hand seal with his left into his chest.

He was so glad Kakashi pushed him to keep practicing with his Shadow Clones! He wouldn't have been able to use the technique so easily if he hadn't. He knew what he was talking about when saying it wasn't the number of techniques you learned…

It was how well you could utilize the few you possessed.

Naruto's head snapped to the left as he caught more movement. Something darker against the white backdrop of the pristine icy forest. And his eyes rounded in horror.

As a black snake head struck toward him, maw agape and ready to snap shut on him.

"Wh…"

There was no time for a Replacement. He was in the preparation of activating another jutsu. All he could do was…

Adjust.

Smacking against the upper jaw of the black snake, Naruto was sent tumbling into the icy powder below until he collided with a tree. Blood slickened the right side of his face as a trail flowed from the contact, whether from the tree or the snake. He wasn't sure.

What he was sure of was that he was ticked off by what he was seeing!

"A two-headed snake!" Naruto barked as he slowly pushed off the ground and stared at the visual before him. "I swear to the Sages…"

"If the snake bastard is somehow here…"

Making his way back to his feet, wiping his right eye's vision clean, Naruto gnashed his teeth and drew a kunai out of his pouch, taking a defensive stance. This would make things trickier to deal with. It could split its attention and attack in a variety of…

"Split its attention..." Naruto muttered before seeing Yellow petrified in place.

And the black head struck toward her, and the white came straight for him. "Oh, make my day, why don't you?"

There was no hesitation. His body moved faster than his mind could comprehend his actions.

Lifting over the white snake's head and using it like a springboard, Naruto burst toward the black head and exploded forward with a chakra boost. With a single motion from his pouch to his kunai, he struck with deadly aim and tossed it straight into the creature's wide mouth.

And he slid right before Yellow, slipping his arm around her waist and pulling her from the snapping jaws of the snake. With a quick hand seal of his free hand, a smirk graced the corner of Naruto's lips as he came to a stop and turned to watch the show.

To see the snake's head erupt into a fiery black of black mist as an explosion ruptured from the inside of it and scattered it amongst the snow.

"What? That's just like those weird wolf things!" Naruto's attention was drawn to the smoke as he set Yellow down, his eyes narrowing. "How can that be? Are they somehow related?"

Before his question could be further pushed, the white head had returned and lunged straight at them. He was too lost in thought to dodge this attack! And he couldn't do that with Yellow in the strike radius.

So he did the next best thing…

In the hope of saving her, he threw her safely into the snow far enough away from him as the snake head struck him and snapped shut.

Her hysterical scream echoed as she looked up and saw the sight.

Only for splintered wooden shards to crumble from the snake's stunned maw.

"I am so done with this!" Naruto roared, standing with his palm held open once more and a single seal held to his chest.

And there was movement once more, but this time he knew what it was.

It was decidedly friendly. And as tardy as his sensei always was.

Was that a theme of his relationships with adult men that were supposedly role models?

Yeah, that tracked.

"Take the girl and get her out of here! This thing is mine!" Naruto called out as two clones appeared behind him and held their hands over his open hand. "I want this thing personally now!"

Despite not understanding the words Naruto spoke, the black-haired man that arrived with a massive scythe in hand recognized the tone. He understood the situation.

He went after his family and rushed to rescue Yellow. He whisked her away by the waist and pulled her out of harm's way.

"Good…"

"Alright, come at me, snake!" Naruto barked, drawing its attention as a blue light sparked in his right hand, quickly drawing forth two shuriken in his left.

"Let's go wild!"

In a simple toss with his left hand, his two shuriken were released. They flew with the correct trajectory, but they were seemingly too high to hit his target. Then the clone on his left gripped his left arm, spun him straight forward at the snake, and tossed him straight at the snake.

Head first.

Like all the other times before, it struck with unyielding aggression as it lunged toward him.

The slimmest smirk quivered on his lips.

Hook, line, and…

Sinker.

Its jaws slammed shut as it bit down but found only a tiny pointed object.

Two Naruto hung above, where premeditative shurikens had been thrown.

All according to plan.

Cocking back his right arm as he turned his body to gain as much thrusting power as possible, the clone grasped his left wrist.

The clouds parted, and the sun glinted through, glinting off the glowing orb. A prismatic hue shimmered in the bright sunlight. Its spinning rays of light scattered and caught the snake's eyes, causing it to flinch and close its eyes.

With a spinning hurl, Naruto was tossed straight into the back of the snake's skull, thrusting the orb forward with a mighty swing.

"RASENGAN!"

The dazzling blue orb made contact, and smoke eviscerated the snake's body. It fractured and severed the head in mere moments, leaving only the black eerier mist hanging in the air and the slithering body writhed momentarily.

And then, it faded into the air as Naruto crouched on the snowy ground beneath him. He then shakily stood to his feet, wiped his lips, and then smirked directly at the stupid annoying one that had just arrived despite the slightly blurred vision he held.

"And that's how we do things, Uzumaki style!"

"Now, was that thing poisonous 'cause I don't feel so good!"

With those final words, Naruto fell to his knees and felt his stomach churn, forcing bile through his throat.

It was.

Chapter 10 Preview:

This was so boring!

She longed for the torment and agony of the morning sessions over this. Her teacher's droning made it painful to listen to her lesson. So she placed her hand over her mouth, covering it, and mimed speaking while tilting her head mockingly and kicking her feet aimlessly in front of her.

Aurelia was a slave driver as a fitness trainer, but she was such a bore as an academic instructor! The History of Remnant hardly intrigued her, and what value was it? Well, she could name a few integral importance of knowing such things would…

But that wasn't the point!

The way she spoke was so…

"Am I boring you, Ms. Vanille?"