Happy 1st Year Anniversary everyone!
Hushed Dreams has been going on a full year and still you all keep reading!
I can't thank you all enough!
I would want to name everyone that has helped keeping pushing this story forward, but there is too many to name.
Over 850 favorites and 1050 follows on FFN and closing in on 200 kudos, with just about a 100 Bookmarks and 150 subscriptions on Ao3 in that time!
You are all why this story keeps going and I can't thank you enough!
Now, let's get onto the chapter, shall we!
Everything was different here… Without being behind bars and still being here.
It was strange.
I think I understand why she put that false prison in here… It wasn't for his sake, was it?
"Still in the habit of talking to yourself, Kurama."
Kurama's muzzle turned into a scowl. A silver light flickered in the room.
When had she…
He gruffly scoffed and glared at the glowing figure.
Even after all this time, you still remain. I would say I'm impressed, but I worry that it is a hindrance.
A simple nod was his response, the glowing figure showing worry. "I have yet to fade away and fully merge with him. He is still incomplete, but I cannot tell you why…"
With a deep laugh aimed at her, she scowled. "Why is that funny?
It is because he knows you. Keeps a spot in his heart for you… Because you are so important to them. To you, you are a second mother figure he never got to experience… Once again, in a way, because of me.
Tipping her head, the already ethereal glow of her eyes shone sorrowfully, and she softly sighed. "Perhaps I am why he feels so drawn to them? To protect them in my stead… Again?"
The giant fox chuckled deeply, his tails swishing behind him, glancing down upon the woman made of lustrous light.
Kid has always been like that. You may have affected him to an extent …But he always longed for his own family. He just happened to fit right in with your family when they needed someone like him in their lives.
"I suppose you know him better than I…" Summer weakly exhaled, nodding at the Nine-Tails' assertion before light bowing to him, leaving the fox unnerved. "Thank you for fulfilling your end of the deal."
Your thanks is unnecessary. I had always intended to bring him to the Moon. Without his presence, she can never awaken her full potential.
"Nonetheless, thank you…" Summer gave a kind smile. "For giving me an opportunity to continue and watch their growth when I should have perished. …For allowing me to be a part of my family in some capacity after my mortal coil seized."
Shrinking his massive head and his ears laying flat on his head, Kurama looked away uneasily, his eyes shifting.
…No, it is I who should be thankful for your willingness to accept such a selfless burden and allow me to fix my mistake… To bring the world of peace my father so once cherished.
"There was never a choice to be made." Summer responded, her eyes closed as she shook her head. She then gazed up and into Kurama's eyes. "If I can play a part in saving the world to leave a better life for my children, I would gladly sacrifice myself. It's why I left them in the first place… I thought I was making a difference."
He was unable to refrain from a scoff of laughter, causing Summer to frown once again.
…Hehe, if I didn't know any better, I would think I'm talking to a more fluent and intelligent version of him. If only I didn't need one meant to be the Sun to repair this Sun…
Hearing the dour tone, Summer somberly tucked her head as her form flickered. She, too, had quite a few regrets.
But instead, she smiled, her eyes drifting into the darkness. "He is as much my child as Ruby and Yang. I love him as I love them… It is a shame it has to be this way… I will take my leave."
Feeling the shift of the realm, her body shimmered, and he knew she could no longer hold her form, sparkles glistening all around her. His fur bristled, and he growled, his scarlet gaze piercing into the darkness; a lone figure began to make his way through it.
Yeah, brat is coming… Gotta have to revert to my old self so he doesn't suspect anything.
As the last of Summer's sparkles dispersed, her tender voice echoed all around him. "You know, you should be more honest to him… Just a thought."
Kurama jeered at the assessment, his head dropping only for a moment. But first, he whispered before his voice turned gruff
I have been honest… But in time, he will come to understand my full intentions. For now, I cannot. …But for what it is worth, you have made a difference. …Why are you here, brat?
With a lower expression, Naruto squinted at the morose Nine-Tails that sneered at him. "You said you know how to unlock my full potential. A way to protect my family. Hell, the whole world. …To get Neo back… Ya think I'm gonna sit back and not seek that out!"
His eyes glistened as he looked down at that teenage boy. With a growl, an aura impressed upon the boy, along with his intimidating stature.
You are far from ready to learn anything I can teach you. What makes you think I would teach you without earning a modicum of my respect?
"Cause, dammit, I have to do something!" Naruto shouted as he stared down the Nine-Tails, unflinching determination glinting in his eyes. "You are the only other person that knows anything about my world! There is no other option!"
The slightest of smirks graced his muzzle. He repressed the urge to chuckle… There was that fighting spirit. It was slower than anticipated, but he was slowly returning to himself.
It seemed it was time.
What if I were to tell you… There is another?
"What…" Naruto tripped and stumbled away, caught off guard by the fox's statement. He shook his head in disbelief. "What do you mean? Someone else… I thought…"
There is someone who remains… I've hidden them for a long time… There's a reason a toad has made it by your side. Your inability to summon wasn't because the contract was void or they weren't around…
It was because I interfered and kept you from Summoning them until you were ready.
Two golden eyes with white block iris glanced down upon the sleeping form of the children below.
It croaked loudly, leaping onto the bed, slowly hoping until it was beside the eldest head. Gazing at his unconscious form before glancing at the two young children sobbing tearfully in their sleep, it reached out its arm and gently patted the locks of his hair, croaking happily at his return.
Sometime soon, it would be time. They had been waiting for far too long, and they would honor the contract with the Nine-Tails… But at last, their long-lost summoner had returned to them.
It was time to fulfill their part in the prophecy.
It had been a long time since he had a rough night…
Since Vacuo, now that he thought about it…
At least his daughters were calmer now. Both were in their brother's room, refusing to leave his side. Likely having fallen asleep beside him…
"Exactly what happened," Taiyang spoke with his teeth, jaw clenched tightly.
Laser focused on the woman that was his first true love.
Raven withered under his intense glare. He had a rough exterior, a genuine air about him, and a caring and loving soul. Although, sometimes, that later didn't exactly translate in the best manner, but again… He was rough.
She had liked that roughness to him…
But when his limit was reached…
"I…" Raven stuttered, swallowing a lump in her throat before looking away from him in shame. "I made a mistake…"
"That's fucking apparent." Qrow bitterly growled, tapping his finger on the side of the couch, glaring at his sister. "What we're asking is what led to this? How the hell did Salem get involved?!"
"Salem!" Raven slouched further on the couch; her head hung lower as Tai's voice raised. "You got him involved with her?! Dammit, Raven! You were only supposed to be helping him control that creature's power! Now, you're dragging Naruto into the mess you created with Summer! He may be choosing the path of a Huntsman, but dammit, he is still a child!"
"And he's the only hope we have to stop her!" Raven's volume rose as she snapped her head toward Tai, trying to refrain from shouting so as not to wake Ruby or Yang.
"And that is his choice when and if he wants to make that choice." Tai countered, his voice lowering to a deep growl. "You need to understand this… Both of you."
With Tai's eyes darted towards Qrow accusingly, who wilted under his stare, knowing what it meant.
"Naruto lost everything when he came to this time. To our time where almost no one knew what he was saying." Tai clearly spoke with a calm fury. "All his friends. What little people he could call a family. He lost his dream and goals in life."
"And my son has only started to genuinely recover from that," Tai emphasized the point, his gaze switching between the two siblings. "And I'll be damned if I'm going to let others decide his path in life. Only he has the right to choose what he does, and the last thing he needs to be dragged into is this secret war! He still has problems in his love life, for Oum's sake! You think he needs to be dealing with the sake of the world!"
"That is our job to finish, not his!"
As Qrow's head, which had been depressing further from each debilitating word Tai had been speaking, snapped up, and his gaze locked with his friends. "Tai, we talked about this…"
"And I've changed my mind," Tai grunted, clenching his fists to the point blood began to drip from his palms. "I'll do whatever it takes to protect my children. Keep them out of situations like this, and no one is stopping me."
"It wouldn't matter… She can't be stopped." Raven muttered, her head slowly lifting, and even as she winced at the intense glare from her husband, she sighed. "Nothing we can do is enough to stop here… Summer found that out the hard way… Only he has the power to stop her once and for all."
"I don't give a damn about the fox!" Tai snapped, causing Raven to flinch in her seat. "It may have the power to stop her…"
"No, it doesn't…" Qrow solemnly pronounced, shaking his head. "When Naruto was using its power to stall Salem… Apparently, it admitted that to him. …Yet told him that he and he alone is the one that possessed that strength."
"And we're supposed to trust what it says?" Tai retorted, flashing a dark glare at his brother-in-law. "You've seen what it has done, what it does to him. We can't trust its words…"
"You've been trusting it the entire time," Raven whispered, glancing upstairs toward the room the three children were in. "It's… Been free all this time… And it chooses to stay within Naruto."
"What?" Qrow straightened in his seat, his body tense, while Tai stumbled back. "Raven, you need to elaborate more. How do you know that?"
"Salem." Raven grimaced before gnashing her teeth. "She said something… About Summer and a fox taking her body from her… There's only one possibility."
"It took Summer from Salem." Raven gravely spoke, her attention returning to the room. "And then shortly after, Naruto arrived…"
"And I felt her bond return, but instead, it led me to watching him save Ruby and Yang."
She missed her opportunity last night…
Melanie and Militia had slipped out of their shared dormitory when she was distracted. Neo snarled, intent on stalking them regardless of the situation. For some reason, they were skipping Lady Beat's Art of the Smile lecture, and she wouldn't stand for it.
What she felt… She knew something was wrong.
This building would not contain her any longer. She may have still wanted to solve the mystery of this place. Find its dark secret and expose it. Leave them with no way to come and retrieve her.
But that wasn't important right now.
She needed to see him… Know that the sinking feeling in her stomach was nothing more than her imagination.
Trailing far enough back, she kept a steady focus on them. She was aware of the glaring weakness of her stealth and how light reflected off her body. Stick to the shadows. They haven't noticed her before.
Her eyes narrowed at the path they were traveling down. The door in this direction would always sound the alarm. They couldn't leave in this direction without alerting everyone. What were they up to?
Neo scowled. She knew something was off about this entire situation. There was no other way. Risking getting closer was the only option to hear what they were whispering about.
"...lly don't feel comfortable about this. Could we report that there wasn't an opportunity?"
"I agree… I don't want to do this, but Lady Beat gave us this mission, which means Mother approved. We have no choice in the matter… Remember what happened the last time Mother was upset with us?"
Squinting her eyes, wincing as her shoulder shimmered the light and huddled lower against the walls to avoid it, Neo was confused by this conversation. They were given a job to do by Lady Beat? Was that why they weren't in class?
It raised further questions in her mind, but Melanie's retort cut off her thoughts.
"I would rather that than do this!" Melanie hissed through her teeth, holding her palm to her temple. "I would have rathered Roman as our assignment… At least then, I could go through it as I know the bastard well enough and know he has familial connections… Not have to do something like this to draw our target out."
Neo glared dagger at the two, seeing Militia stopping in front of the door, withdrawing her scroll from her blouse, her head drooping as she exhaled. "Neither do I… I can only hope he shows back up so such a drastic measure won't have to be taken. But, given how frustrated they seem to be with his family in general…"
Frustrated? Family?
Neo gnashed her teeth. Were they talking about…
She silently snarled. Neo's eyes gleamed before they shot over to Militia's scroll as she pulled up something on it before holding it up to the system alarm. With a snap, the door opened, and she seethed.
They were given the access codes? That was how they were getting out every night?! Why were they skipping classes?!
All to…
"Ladies," Her rage bubbled over, knowing who the voice belonged to, and her gaze darted upward to see her lavender gaze wearily gazing upon her before they shifted to the twins. "You needn't talk about things we discuss in private out in the open… You never know who is listening in."
Glass shards shattered around Neo as she rushed the door. The two were utterly bewildered by Lady Beat's arrival and could hardly react as she approached them.
Although they tried.
She easily evaded and ducked under Melaine's kick, using her more diminutive stature to her advantage. Militia could only feebly reach for the door handle to close it shut.
She wasn't nearly fast enough.
Neo was already there, her hand outstretched to bust out of this place. But the moment she touched the door, she hissed as a large darner needle penetrated her hand and into the door.
A pained breath escaped her, her eyes darting back toward Lady Beat…
Only to see Mrs. Tealle striding beside the headmistress, her hand lowering back to her side. A soft sigh left her lips, and her azure eyes shimmered toward Neo. "Do forgive me, but I did what was necessary, Lady Beatrix."
Neo's expression twisted into a snarl, her eyes lingering on her teacher's wrist.
The hint of spider tattoo covered by the hem of her blouse.
Her eyes burned with seething hatred. She trusted her! She was the only teacher she could hold a conversation with! Yet she too was just like Lady Beat…
With a pained scream, she ripped her hand off the door and through the darners needle and burst out of the door. It would heal here shortly. Aura's regenerative properties were strong enough to recover minor flesh wounds…
Found that out the hard way when she first started training with him… He had an issue with holding back his punches. If he could just be that forceful now…
No, focus! Neo reminded herself, sprinting through the school's yard, leaping up and over the fence before dashing into the streets of Vale.
She needed to be careful. They would undoubtedly send someone after. The police would likely be involved again… So she would have to shake them. Couldn't go straight back to Patch…
Confirm he was okay.
There were plenty of alleys and streets to run through. She could easily sneak through and use her illusionary constructs to cloak herself in the darkness. As long as she kept out of the light, she could get back…
Perhaps catch a ride…
Flexing her hand, grimacing as she felt how numb her hand was, she gnashed her teeth. Oh, she would get her back later…
Rubbing her eyes as dark spots began to form, she shook her head as her form shimmered and the light around her reflected, glass shards hanging in the air briefly while they condensed around her. She could deal with a lack of sleep.
She needed to see him now!
This place… It had been a while since he had been called here.
He never felt comfortable here. These people, the way they worked…What would they do if he didn't acquiesce to their demands.
But they were useful. He had become the man he was because of this man and his lackeys. All due to his position and power before he created his Dust company…
With all the Dust they procured for him.
"It's a lovely night, isn't it, Jim?" The man's voice received his presence, causing Jim to repress his scowl
He knew better than anyone he would have been summoned here without a reason.
"Hei, I understand that your finances are taking a hit with this new criminal running around claiming Vale," Jim began, his face hard as stone as he stood before the head of the Xiong clan. "I know I'm indebted to you in every way possible. If you need more funds, I can make it happen. I can use my connections and flush the rat out…"
"Good to hear. I'll take you up on that offer, Mr. Mayor." Hei grinned at seeing Jimmy cringe before him and wither from his gaze.
He knew his place.
Under his boot.
"But, there is something else that needs to be addressed." Hei scowled, gesturing to his right-hand man, who handed a folder full of documents to Jim. "Are you aware of the connections of Lady Browning's Preparatory School to Spider?"
"What?!" Jim snarled, his eyes flickering fearfully, opening the document and gleaning what he could from within. "No, no, no… There were rumors… But this…"
"Oh, I've figured them out, and we're about to have a turf war if Lil' Miss thinks she can take what is mine. I will make her regret thinking she could ever step foot here!" Hei glowered, his jaw clenching before he spat to the side.
He then followed with a deep, calming breath, his eyes looking over a frightened Jim, pausing for a moment to collect himself. "You and I… We have had a longstanding relationship. Even back to your days as Mayor, with your assistance, my clan has thrived. Now, with the Dust we have procured, you have made an excellent business partner for selling our merchandise, allowing us to both profit and succeed from the endeavor. …Your knowledge of Vale laws and business understanding was far beyond what I had envisioned when I first approached you."
"It is because of this I wanted to inform you of my intentions." Hei's cold gaze bored into Jim's horrified expression. "I know your daughter is enrolled there. I know you care for her safety despite recent events… I thought I would let you know…"
"I will burn that place to the ground to ensure Lil' Miss understands my position."
Something was wrong.
Her breath was heavy. Each breath was a struggle. Her sight was blurrier than before. She couldn't shake away the sensation. Even stealing a poor fool's coffee wasn't enough…
And above all else… A harsh, electric tingle numbed her entire body.
The wound on her hand had long since healed. It was but a scar now… She might need to have it checked and see if there was any misalignment with her bones, but for now, it was fine.
But she felt worse…
No… Neo's eyes slitted as she struggled through the darkly lit streets, pushing forward, determined to arrive at the bus station. She realized what was wrong now… Why they didn't give chase before.
The darner needle had been laced with a poison of some kind.
"You are truly a stubborn girl, aren't you, Neo."
Neo bit her lip. She knew that voice… She had been so kind to her until today…
Turning back, struggling not to drag her feet, heavy, bated breaths rasped from her as she watched Mrs. Tealle slowly stride toward her, wearing a far different outfit than she had ever seen her before.
It was some kind of form-fitting suit, pitch black in color, with a mechanical device just underneath her chest. And it shimmered with light around as she flicked a knob from the device.
"But it's time to bring you back, dear. There is no use fighting."
"My paralysis agent is quite effective once it kicks..."
Her words died on her tongue as a red, concussive Dust shot exploded at her feet as she tried to leap back.
The explosion rocked her back, knocking her off her weary feet. She tried to stagger back to her feet, but her muscles felt like jelly. Nothing was working… But she had to get out of here…
"Ah-haha! Take that, Spider Bitch! Ain't gonna just let you have what you want!"
"Pick her up, Cammie! I don't know why they want here, but we're taking her instead!"
Seriously, again, I cannot thank you all enough.
This story, while it means the world for me to tell, would not have gotten to this state without all of you!
You guys rock!
Your voices keep this story moving and it ain't stopping any time soon!
So until I see you next time,
Peace Out!