A/N: EDIT: Flames are persistent as ever, I see. Die, should I? Too kind, am I?

The hell am I doing this for then...?

Sorry if this seems short, In other news, I've got Root canal today and I'm having horrible anxiety over that...

Once more, we're sticking with the "Embers" rule.

If folks don't like this, it'll be deleted. Meaning that if the story itself ain't popular? POOF! Gone. Completely.

As ever, reviews are the fuel that sustain me. Without them I cannot write a word. Simple as that.

Everyone's been asking after my update schedule; I'd rather not speak to that, because I want to surprise you all. After all, I'm updating daily and finishing stories left and right. Case in point, I'd say "All Things Must Die" could end in three chapters at this point.

Now lets move onto your questions. We've got some...interesting ones this time.

Q: How would you describe Naruto's parenting style?

A: Ever seen Invincible? Think Nolan, a.k.a. Omni-man, just a little less...arrogant and bloody.

They're even similar in some respects; both came from different worlds and fell in love with a wonderful woman. Each had children.

Well, many children in Naruto's case.

Case in point?

Even with a few missing memories, Naruto could conquer Remnant on his own at this point. Mind you, he doesn't want to, but if someone pushed him...well. Superpowered children are one thing, but kids with chakra would be more than a novelty in Remnant.

You touch the kids? YOU DIE.

Q: Will each chapter feature a timeskip?

A: Of a sort...

Q: How many kids will Naruto and Juniper have?!

A: Um...I already said that? Still, if its names you're after, worry not. You'll get them...and see some familiar blondes.

Q: Wait, will we get a Jaune P.O.V. here? I simply must know!

A: Ayup, Jaune features heavily in this story.

Amazing what someone can do when they're actually competent in a fight! Shocking, I know!

Q: On a scale of one to ten, how strong is Juniper?

A: Solid Eight. Miss Arc isn't a slouch by any means. She can wield a sword and her Semblance allows her to fight with the best of them, if only for a short time. Anyone who can wrangle Naruto AND a horde of superpowered children is someone to be reckoned with.

Alright them, I think I've kept you long enough. Hope you're ready; because from this point on? Well.

As ever, I own no references, quotes, themes or memes. Now off we go.

I think...we'll go with "Just" for the titles from here on out.

Naruto is best papa in this story. That is all.

Sounds, right, I think.

"Dad, dad! I finally know what I wanna be when I grow up!"

"Really, now? And what's that, Jaune?"

"I wanna be a huntsman!"

"Oh, dear...

~Arc.

Just a Little Bravado

Juniper's children were strong.

No, stronger than strong. They were powerful.

Little Saphronhad taught her that lesson when she lifted a boulder at the tender age of six. Six! Who could do that?! She could leap tall building in a single bound and run like the wind; so much so that it fell to Naruto just to catch her when she ran off. And she did. Often. Honestly! It wasn't even her semblance!

On a certain level that should have made Juniper worry.

She didn't.

Left to raise such children alone, she might have. But she wasn't alone. So why worry? Every mother wanted their babies to live happy, healthy lives. And they would.

Saphron had been but the first.

After her came Sabrina, born with piercing violet orbs and whiskered cheeks.

Then same Sable, a girl with striking silver eyes.

Really, even she was starting to see a theme there. The letter "S" seemed all too prominent.

Even now she watched the three of them play; though their definition of the word was somewhat stilted. They were still trying to get those bells from their Father's belt. Even now they chimed softly as he evaded them, clinking in the air as grasping hands tried -and failed!- to tear the silver ornaments from their crimson strings. Naruto weaved among them with supernatural ease. It was a wild waltz that could only be conceived by an utter madman; a series of sharp twists and turns that ended as quickly as they began.

Stranger still, the girls were laughing.

"Get him!"

"I've got his arm!"

"Somebody get his legs!"

Naruto slapped down a smoke bomb, throwing off their vision and sending them shrieking for cover.

"Remember," he called into the haze, "Its only natural that the strongest should lead, but the goal should be strength, not necessarily leadership." she heard a yelp as he caught one of the girls. "If one is truly strong, leadership comes inevitably As such,." Sable went sprawling out of the cloud and sprawled flat on the ground, "You need to work together to catch me. Nothing less will do.

Naruto was a gentle Father; he could've beaten them down and taught them a lesson, but instead chose a softer touch.

"Aha!"

Sapphron clapped her hands and banished the fog with a wind jutsu; only to find Naruto right in her face.

A single tap served as a reminder of "Death" painless, but sharp enough to teach them a lesson all the same.

"Dead." his finger tapped Saphron between the shoulders, unbalancing their eldest.

"Aargh!" she rounded on him. with a hiss.

"Dead." Naruto sang. "Dead."

Sabrina jerked back, massaging her head with a whine.

"Dead. Dead. Dead."

Sable slammed a fist into the ground, splintering the earth; the near miss sent her sister stumbling.

"Girls!" Juniper raised her voice and flared her semblance, claiming their attention. "Be careful! Don't hurt each other.

A faint kick low in her torso claimed her attention.

"Again?"

Juniper touched a hand to her round belly with a small smile. The child within stirred at her touch and kicked anew.

This next one would finally a boy. She knew it in her heart of hearts.

She wasn't quite sure how she knew, only that she did.

She had a feeling about him...


(.0.0.0.)


Sometimes Naruto wondered how it all happened.

Sometimes it felt like fate was mocking him.

And other times? He just found it funny.

He'd never thought he would fall in love. And yet he had undoubtedly fallen for Juniper. Hook line and sinker. He hadn't meant to be a Father. Fate had other plans; little Saphron was born only a year after their marriage. He definitely didn't plan to have many after her, but he loved the little buggers and everyone that followed her. He certainly didn't expect their children to be so powerful let alone give him a run for his money, and yet here they were, putting him through the wringer.

With familiar techniques, no less!

"Rasengan!"

A quick sidestep took him out of harms way as a tiny body swiped past. It snapped snapping him back to reality, and he whistled a little as his daughter missed. Her hand slammed down into the space he'd occupied, her jutsu grinding the ground to fine powder. His girls were good. Very good He'd seen more than enough jutsu in his lifetime to impart the basics to them; from they'd taken his each and every lesson, then run with 'd lapped up all the techniques he'd taught them and made them their own. Their reaction speed was on point.

Rather scary, considering they weren't even adults yet.

"Very good!" he applauded Saphron's attempt. "You've almost got the hang of it. Again."

His eldest straightened with a huff, burshed down her blue jeans, and pushed a strand of blond hair out of her eye.

"Hold still and let me hit you!"

Whiskered cheeks twitched into a smile. "Wouldn't be much of a lesson if I did that now, would it?"

As the eldest of his merry little brood, Sapphron was the eldest and by far the strongest. Her punches left bruises. In terms of sheer strength, she might have given Tsunade herself a run for her money someday. But for now, she was a just a child. And children made far too many mistakes. Case in point.

"Raaargh!"

When she dove at him, he caught her by the wrist and flung her over the shoulder. She sailed away into the trees with an outraged yelp and a crackle of aura. They both knew she'd be back. A little tussle through a tree or three wasn't enough to keep an Arc down.

"Next!" he called.

Not a beat later, Sable slammed into his left arm and latched on like a limpet.

"Ha!" she crowed, preening up at him in her triumph. "I got you!"

"So you do." Naruto lifted his arm but she clung on with surprising tenacity - like the child she was. His daughter grinned back at him, legs dangling in the air. "But now what?" he cocked a brow at her. "You trapped one of my arms, but I still have another. See?" he wiggled the fingers of his right hand. "What do you plan to do now that you've caught me? What's your brilliant scheme? I'm sure you have one."

Violet-blue eyes narrowed as her tan face grew pale. "I...didn't really think I'd get this far."

The other brow rose. "Well, you know what comes next."

Sable whimpered. "Daddy, noooo!"

"Daddy, yes!" his arm shot up. "Have a nice flight!"

"Daaaaad!"

She shot into the clouds with a shriek. Naruto watched her go with a grin.

"Alright, now where's your twin-

His ears twitched; for the keening sound of one thousand chirping birds was his only warning. Blue eyes bulged. Honed instinct shifted his center mass to the right, allowing a wild blur of red and orange to hurtle pass. A glowing length of chakra chains hooked around his ankle and yanked as she flew by, trying to reel him for a second strike. He caught it and yanked, hauling them forward instead. His reward was a startled yelp, followed by a shock of red hair as his attacker tumbled to the floor.

"Sabrina," he clicked his tongue in admonishment, "What have I told you about using Chidori in family spars?"

She struggled up to a knee. "To not to...? But its the only way I can hit you anymore!"

"And most people can't recover from a hole in their torso. Drop it."

Her arm lowered. The sparks fell.

"Okay, papa...

Honestly, Sasuke would be rolling in his grave if he knew he'd passed down this technique. He took some bitter pleasure in that. He might not be able to use it himself, but he'd watched Kakashi train often enough to understand the basics. And his girls were oh-so-clever- A jutsu like this was...not quite as safe for someone without the Sharingan as he would've liked, but he trusted in their genes; anyone who knew this trick would have a very nasty surprise for their enemies. And with Sabrina's chains, she could reel her enemy in with ease.

Somehow, he had the feeling Kakashi would approve.

"C'mon, don't sulk. Here." he reached down and pulled the sullen girl to her feet. "Let's wait for your sisters, then we can continue."

Sabrina was the odd girl out among the trio; unlike her blonde siblings, she'd been blessed with flowing red hair and striking silver eyes unlike any other. Moreover, the pale pallor of her skin was a striking contrast to that of her twin. A more paranoid man might've thought Juniper had an affair. Nope. Not him. Red hair ran in the Uzumaki bloodline, after all. So did chakra chains. And whiskered cheeks. She was their daughter, through and through. Anyone who said otherwise would be spitting teeth.

Kushina would've loved her.

Juniper liked name her girls with the letter "S" it seemed. Thus far, he hadn't fought her on it. Far be it from him to argue with a pregnant woman. So long as she didn't go naming anyone "Sasuke" or "Sakura" he didn't much mine. Still, there were some lines -painful lines!- that he wasn't willing to cross. Assuming they ever had a boy, he was leaning toward the name...Jaune.

Speaking of which!

"Eeeeeee!"

"Got you!" Naruto looked up and snagged Sable out of the air as she came crashing down, spun to bleed off her momentum, then swung her onto his shoulders.

"That! Was! Awesome!" Her grin outshone the sun itself. Lithe legs kicked against his shoulders with thinly veiled glee. "Again, again!"

"Maybe when we visit the beach." he grinned as an exhausted Saphron stumbled back into the clearing, covered in mud and dirt. "I'll take turns throwing you into the water. How does that sound?"

They went absolutely mad.

"Yes!"

"Alright!"

"Dibs on first!"

Naruto laughed and drew them into a warm embrace. Maybe this wasn't so bad after all. This was his family. His life, his love, his heart. These girls had brought him happiness in a way he'd never known before. Whatever he might have been in his world...none of that mattered anymore. He was happy here. No matter what came, he would protect them. He would teach them to be strong, and keep them safe from the horrors of this world and all that it threw their way.

If someone hurt them? They would suffer.

If anyone broke their hearts? Death would come for them.

And if anyone sought to use or abuse them? You guessed it! They would die screaming.


(.0.0.0.)


"Take the girls."

Blue eyes snapped open with a hiss.

Juniper stirred beside him. "Dreams again?"

"Hmm." He shook his head. "Just another nightmare. Its nothing."

She shifted a little in bed, pulling him close. "Then let me distract you, dear."

Her mouth melded with his as she pulled him back to warm sheets and her waiting embrace.

And time wound by once again, like so many leaves in the wind. Almost before Naruto knew it...he had a son.


(.0.0.0.)


Sword met fist on a moonlit night.

Contrary to Naruto's expectations; the impact actually rattled his arm a little; lightning dust shot raced up the length of his arm, loosening the muscles there to turn what should have been a devastating blow into merely a powerful one. It wasn't enough to stop him. Rather than risk a retreat, he reached out and grabbed the blade before him, uncaring as the edge bit into his palm. Blood bubbled between his fingers; he grit his teeth against it and pulled. A quick yank hauled his attacker forward, even as he lashed out with his free palm, Rasengan in hand.

Yet another Rasengan met it head on.

As one the twin spheres clashed, large and small smashing against one a keening whine of chakra. Dirt and debris sprayed into the air. Wind lashed at them, kicking up a mighty gale. Wide blue eyes met azure orbs across the way, narrow and intent. For a moment his foe held their ground, face intent with strain.

But only for a moment; alas, their clash didn't last.

Son yielded to father and gave ground as they were overpowered.

"Brave of you, boy." Naruto grinned down at his attacker as he inched closer to victory. "I would've thought you learned your lesson by now."

"What can I say?" Jaune matched his smile, blue eyes alight, whiskered cheeks dimpling in a grin that showed only a hint of pain. "I'm a slow learner."

He really wasn't. He'd taught him better than that.

Jaune Arc son was no longer a boy anymore, but neither was he quite a man. Not yet. Caught somewhere between the the gangling stage of puberty and adolescence, he nevertheless held himself well. Although his ripped blue jeans were spotted with dirty sweat and his orange tee a torn tattered mess, he conducted himself with strength and pride. As expected of an Arc.

He did not expect his son to let go of the shortsword.

His son stifled the Rasengan in his hand and released the blade, causing him to overbalance as he broke the clash. For a wild moment, Naruto found himself pleasantly surprised.

Then there was pain.

In a single seamless movement Jaune drew a second sword from the scabbard, twisted his blade aside, and brought it crashing down at his shoulder with a whirl of light. Crocea Mors slammed it into his collarbone, slid off and kept going, sundering soil like so much glass. The earth ruptured with the sheer force of the striking, physically spitting flame. Naruto sputtered in a rare moment of surprise, hacking and coughing, briefly blind in the haze that followed.

Jaune's voice chased him through the smokescreen. "How'd you like my new secret move?!"

"Not bad." Naruto rubbed his eyes as he peered into the smoke. "This would be easier if you just used your shadow clones."

"Never!" the retort was immediate. "I wanna beat you fair and square!"

"Fine, have it your own way." he dropped the act, raised a hand, then stabbed it behind him. "And I still see you. Rasengan."

A boyish yelp answered him as his son spun away.

By contrast, he'd held back this time; his jutsu banished the smokescreen and smashed Jaune down into a tree, but no more. At full power a Rasengan could shred through aura like butter. This? It barely winded his only son. It showed too; because the boy didn't look much pleased as he climbed back to his feet.

"And that, my boy," Naruto hummed. "Is why we never let our guard down."

"Still," a glimmer of hope broke through his son's anger. "I managed to hit you back there. That's gotta count for something...right?"

"It does." Naruto grit his teeth to hide a scowl when his progeny smiled. "But I already told you; you'll have to beat me before I let you become a huntsman. We've been over this. You-

"But I'm strong!" His boy bulled upright, stabbing Crocea Mors into the ground to lever himself upright. "You said so just last week!"

"I said you're strong for someone your age." he raised a finger. "There's always someone stronger, Jaune."

"Stronger than you?!"

"Maybe." the timeless shinobi shrugged. "Even I'm not invincible."

His son lunged.

A lazy backhand sent him sprawling into the dirt.

"See?" he sighed. "You can't beat me when I try. I'm humoring you."

Jaune struggled upright again, staggering a little this time. Naruto winced when he saw the blood running from his nose. Blast. He hadn't meant to hit him that hard.

"We're not like normal people, Jaune." he spoke slowly, trying to make him understand. "I haven't aged a day since I met your mother. Hell," a clawed hand scratched the back of his neck. "Haven't you noticed she isn't aging all that quickly either? She was normal before I met her." before they'd been together more times than he could count. "Now...she's something more. So are your sisters. And you. They're the same." He held out a hand. "We're going to be around for...well. A very long time. Its important that you understand that.

"But you love mom...!"

"With all my heart." he caught a feint, swept his legs, and drove a fist between his son's ribs. "But it doesn't change the fact that we, our family, is different. People don't like different."

Here it was again, the crux of their training; the reason why Jaune was so determined to improve himself.

The boy wanted to be a hero.

Under any other circumstance Naruto would've happily embraced such a dream. The world needed more heroes. But this world wasn't his. Even he could tell his children were stronger than they should be. Chakra was an amazing thing, but chakra blended with aura, and the miracle of a semblance...that made something new.

And the world feared that which it did not understand.

Jaune lunged at him. "Its my dream!"

"Then its a stupid dream!" He flung up his hands and batted him away with a rush of wind. "You'll excel in Beacon, sure, but what happens when you draw attention yourself? To your family?!"

Still, he stood. "Then we'll protect them!"

A muscle jumped in Naruto's jaw. "We won't always be here!"

One spinning kick sent his son flying; only for him to bound up again, sword swinging.

Blood sprayed through the air as he caught him with a savage punch.

"Why are you making me do this?" he snarled and flung his son's sword aside. "You're fighting so you can watch everyone around you die! Think, Jaune!" he tapped a finger to the side of his head. "Think! You have so much potential, and you want to waste it like this?!" anger reared its head for the first time in an age and he flung his arms into the air. "You can't be a huntsman!" He caught the blind jab with his off hand, pushed the shield away and stormed after him. "Your sisters understand that. Why don't you?!"

He limped to one knee. "Its...my life...

No, it wasn't!

"You will outlast every fragile insignificant huntsman on this planet!" A right hook sent his boy spinning to the ground. "You may even live to see this world crumble to dust and blow away." he was still struggling to stand when a kick sent him crashing through a tree. "Everyone and everything you know will be gone! What will you have after five hundred years?!

...you, dad." one last time, his progeny stood.

Naruto felt his anger gutter out like an empty flame.

Teary blue eyes regaded him. "I'll still have you. And mom. And..." he choked a little. "And Saphron, and Sable, and Sabrina, and all the rest...!"

This was his boy. His boy. He was beating his own boy for wanting the same things he had.

Something ugly coiled in his stomach.

...what am I doing? If he wants to be a hero, I should be helping him, not hurting him...!'

Jaune knew how to use that sword. Juniper had taught him well, and he'd been practicing for years hence.

Even with those injuries, Jaune He fought with poise and grace, weaving a line of steely death before him. No clumsy swings and strikes here. Every move was calculated, each strike poised to inflict maximum damage. Against a huntsman-level foe, he could actually prove a threat. But here? Against someone like him? He was woefully lacking. And they both knew it.

"Damnit!" Blue eyes flashed red as he missed again. "Stop holding back and fight me like you mean it! FIGHT ME!"

...fine!"

Naruto ducked and overhead swipe and settled into a low stance, one hand dragging across the ground. For a moment, just a moment, he reminded Jaune of a wild beast. His entire body glowered golden, eldritch black markings glowing over gleaming shades of saffron. Credit where it was due, his son didn't yield. His shield fanned out and he took a stance, intent to meet him on. Such a brave little son he'd had. Always wanting to be a hero, always willing to go the distance for his dreams.

He would do his best not to break him.

"Remember." he beamed as the last of the cloak crept over him. "You asked for this."

Then he grinned and launched forward, bounding on the balls of his feet. "Brace yourself!"

Jaune tried. He really, truly did. His shield snapped up and took the blow head on, like the knight he'd always wanted to be. But it wasn't enough. The sheer momentum behind that swing swept up into his guard, forcing it back and out of alignment. As such, he was woefully unprepared for the right hook that caught his chin Alas, a single swipe sent him flying.

Naruto caught him before he could reach terminal velocity.

"If you want to protect your family, if you want to be a huntsman that badly, you need to be strong!" he gave him a hard shake. "Stronger than strong! And for that! You need to train!"

Jaune regarded him with teary eyes. "Then you mean...?

"Pick up your sword. We have work to do. Hop to it!"

Their training would continue long into the night.

A/N: Worry not, we'll get to see more of Ansel and the Arc brood...if this story continues.

As ever, we're carrying on with the "Embers" rule. If folks don't like this, it'll be deleted. I'm quite firm on that!

Furthermore, this story will, of course, be told from the P.O.V. of Jaune and his sisters as well. Naruto and Juniper won't be hogging the spotlight to themselves. Jaune ever has, and always will be, obsessed with being a hero. He genuinely wants to help people. That may well be his undoing.

Beacon's in for quite the shock.

As ever, reviews are my fuel. Without them I simply cannot write.

So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...

...Review...Would You Kindly?

And enjoy the previews.

(Previews)

"Think, Jaune! Think!


...he ran away, didn't he?"


"How about this?" Jaune lifted the desk with ease...in one hand. "Is this better? Did you want it over here?"

Pyrrha blinked in surprise. "Oh, my...

Yang whistled. "Hot damn!"


EDIT: (Spawn reference. Because it fits)

"Stop pulling her ears."

"And who's gonna make me, ya wet noo-OW!"

"Who made you god, little man?" Jaune grabbed Cardin by the scruff of his neck. "Not that mace, not that uniform, nothing." he swung him down, slamming the bigger boy into a table. "You wanna scare people? Fine. I could use a scarecrow." his forehead slammed against Cardin's, teeth gone sharp and eyes blazing red. "

"You're gonna be my personal message board."


You're making me angry. You won't like me when I'm angry.

"Show me."

Blue eyes blazed red.

Yes! Show me! Get angry! Let it all out! Show me what you are!"


(EDIT: Castlevania reference ahoy!)

"You want me to come to Atlas? Nope."

...respectfully, that wasn't meant to be a request."

Their youngest shrank back behind Juniper's skirts. Blue eyes widened with fear. "Daddy...what's wrong?"

Naruto exhaled slowly, his breath emerging as a thin plume of steam in the morning mist.

"First Jaune runs off...now this...

The specialist stepped back half a pace. "I'm afraid I must insist. Men. Detain them."

"I cannot believe this is happening again." he began to laugh. "Its absurd. I just can't. Why do you keep doing the same thing expecting a different result. Isn't that the definition of insanity? Are you mad?" His eyes were red now, Juniper realized, his body beginning to glow. "You know, one day the last one of Atlas idiots will ask me, Naruto, why did you wipe our continent off the map?" his head rose, eyes slitted and intent like nothing Clover had ever seen. "And do you know what I'll say?

He bared his teeth in a snarl.

"Its because you're all so fucking rude!"

His fist slammed forward and the specialist crashed backward.

R&R~!