A/N: Vote on the poll for the pairing, would you kindly? Or better yet, leave a review.

EDIT: BEGONE TROLLS! THE POWER OF PRINT COMPELS YOU! THE POWER OF PRINT COMPELS YOUUUUU~!

This damn virus made me break my update streak. Sorry about that T_T

As ever, reviews keep this old man alive, flames make me sad and lack of reviews...well...die.

I find we're all afraid of the you know what virus these days. Fitting, given that the theme of this chapter is overcoming fear.

Well, I've finished Volume Seven now, so spoilers go without saying. That was some seriously heavy shit there at the end. Fair warning, right here and now, this chapter is told from Naruto AND Willow's perspective. "I'm going to be very cross with you" is sort of her catchphrase in this story. You might be surprised at the direction I'm taking here. As ever, I own no quotes or references or any such material whatsoever. I'm just a humble writer; one who doesn't get paid a single cent for any of this. Also. Violently sick and locked up in me house. Still, this quarantine has been useful, in that its given me ample time to write; in that I've finally gotten a handle on Nicholas Schnee.

I think you'll rather like him. Apparently he's a pretty chill guy. I think you'll like the way I've written him. We never see him in the show, so I've had to go with what little we've been supplied with. He's a nice fella, but I don't much like the idea that Jacques was able to trick him into handing him the SDC on a silver platter. Raven and Summer are easier to write -not here, but in future chapters!- because we have an idea of what they're like. Qrow and Tai, more so. That should be fun when we get to it. Willow, more so.

Jacques Gele on the other hand...ugh. *head meets desk*

I hate, hate, HATE writing slimy snakes like him! Hate! He literally brings nothing but pain and misery in his wake. No redeeming qualities at all! I suppose I've grown rather used to penning likable villains these days, but needs must, I suppose. He got what he deserved in Volume 7, but here? Nonono, he's not going to get away that easily.

Naturally, this is a Pure!Naruto, so Jacques is pretty much screwed.

Losing a limb isn't going to slow him down; no, not in the least. Survivor's guilt? Now that's another story. He'll be dealing with that a lot. As ever, Willow Schnee is a treat to write, it just comes naturally for some reason. Remember the 'ol Prosthetic Arm from Sekiro? Naruto's going to be getting the Atlas equivalent.

He's also adorably dense in this chapter, but in a good way, and he won't be so for long.

As ever, I own no references and quotes, and I have nothing against those who wear clip on ties. You'll get that reference eventually.

Oh, and because someone said something there's a paraphrase line in here from the infamous Wolf in sheep's clothing' by set it off? Its a favorite song of mine.

"The single quality that is common across every living creature on this planet...is fear.

Its funny then, that as common as fear is, we so easily underestimate its power. Fear of growing close to someone. The subsequent fear of loss. Fear of failure. And as more people depend on you, those fears can take on greater power. But the fear itself isn't worthy of concern. It is who we become while in its clutches. Will you be proud of that person. Will you forgive them? Will you understand why they felt the need to do the things they did? Will you recognize them? Or will the person staring back at you be the very thing you should have feared from the start?

You're just one person. That much is true. But you are also an army. A symbol. A beacon, if you will.

Will you take a stand for what you believe in? For power? Or for those you love?

Will you fight to the bitter end? Or will you give into your darkest fears?

Will you simply forsake it all and run away? That lies with you.

I suppose we will all find out sooner or later."

~Modified Ozpin Quote.

Thaw

So.

Missing an arm.

This was his life now.

Oddly enough, Naruto wasn't too terribly bothered by it; instead he stood strong in the sunlight, bleary blue eyes gazing at the bandaged stump of his left arm. He waved it to and fro, sighing when there wasn't any pain, only the faintest ache accompanied by a weightless sensation. Kurama had done his work well. Maybe a little too well. He would've liked to reattach the limb if he could. It was a boy's wish, one he stubbornly quashed in the blink of an eye. He wouldn't get upset over this. He wouldn't let it break him. He refused to.

Still, losing an arm had changed him. Hardened something in his heart.

Maybe that was a good thing. Maybe it wasn't. Who could say?

For anyone else, the wound would've been crippling. Downright debilitating, really. For him? It was a mild inconvenience at best. Annoying to be sure, but he was certain he could overcome this handicap. After all he'd said and done, he wasn't about to let something like a lost limb weigh him down. He couldn't afford to. Who knew, he might be able to grow it back given time-

"Yeah, that's not happening." Kurama creaked on open in the back of his mind. "I'm good, but I'm not that good. You'll have to adjust."

"Says the guy who grew back my right lung." the shinobi snarked, wearing the ghost of a smile. "We'll deal with this somehow. I know it."

"Well, we can still use the cloak to compensate." his partner shot back. "I dare say you'll be alright. Better than alright."

Would he? His body felt overcharged, as though he were soaking in a warm bath. Not all ironic, give that he'd just taken one.

His room -or was it a cell?- was remarkably well furnished; in that it had seen to hall his needs thus far. A spacious cot and the remnants of a brisk breakfast of bacon and eggs with a glass of milk lay finished on a table beside his bed as fresh morning sunlight spilled through the window. Yup, bathing, breakfast, even a change of clothes. Not that he'd ever willingly forsake the colors of orange and black, but in this case, he hadn't much choice in the matter.

Kurama actually snickered. "I've never heard you scream that loudly."

Naruto flailed an arm and attacked his breakfast again with renewed ferocity. "Oh, shut up!"

"What are you going to do, then?" the fox surprised him with the abrupt question. "This isn't our world. Not anymore."

There it was; the proverbial elephant in the room. He hadn't want to believe it; but one look out the window had told him all he needed to know. His keen eyesight saw the rest; a city in the sky, the great flying machines looming out there in the clouds above, and the curious looking folk in the streets below. He'd seen a perfectly ordinary woman with rabbit ears talking to a man with a tail. That...that wasn't normal. Dense he may well be, but he knew when to face facts. Kurama was his ally now, he had nothing to gain from lying.

"I know." the words tasted bitter on his tongue, "We'll...figure it out, I guess. Later."

He smacked his lips, shuddering slightly.

"The air here feels weird." his eyes flickered gold the moment he thought to focus. "Too charged with natural energy."

"Isn't that a good thing?" the old fox rumbled, flicking a tail dismissively. "Sage Mode will last longer."

"Not if I get drunk on chakra." he groused. "That's not something I want to attempt anytime soon."

...wait. Can you even get chakra-drunk?" Kuramsa sounded far too intrigued.

"Are you seriously proposing we do that?" a blond growl arched back.

"Eh, better to pop that cherry sooner rather than later.

"Kurama!"

His partner retreated with a laugh, leaving him to reflect upon his actions.

Of course there had been a bit of a panic on his part when he'd woke in a strange room to begin, clad in little more than bandages, but that was behind him. Now that the fear of his imminent demise was gone, he found he could almost think rationally. Mostly. Already the bloodied rags of his orange jumpsuit were gone -incinerated, as a man named Klein had briskly informed him upon waking- forcing him to don this new outfit that had been left out for him. Now, clad in a faded navy blue button-down shirt and a pair of grey trousers, he stood ready ready to face the day with some semblance of his sanity relatively intact. Mostly.

"Can't ignore it any longer, I suppose...

Naruto blew out a breath, then pulled hard on his chakra; for a fleeting instant his body burned black and gold before he tamped it back down. He wasn't weakened in any way. All his powers remained intact; his reserves were even now brimming with life and vitality, his wounds all but healed by the time he had awoken. By rights, he had nothing to worry about. There was just...one small concern. A tiny ripple in the still ocean that was his mind. It should have been nothing to worry about. Yet still, it lingered. In his hand.

As ever, when he looked to his remaining arm and saw his palm, his stomach still roiled with confusion.

A pale full moon gazed back at the last jinchuuriki, overshadowed by a dark crescent looming above like some half-lidded eye to protect it, safeguarding it from harm. These were the Sage's marks, the ones he'd given to him and Sasuke, now fused into some strange symbol. Naruto clenched his hand into a claw and pale blue sparks sprang into life around it, keening like a thousand birds before he made a fist. Just like that, it vanished in an instant, leaving his arm tingling, never to return. What did it mean? Why did he have this new mark? A final gift of some sort? It didn't make any sense.

Sasuke was gone; there could be no denying it anymore. He'd seen him die with his own eyes.

They'd fought Kaguya viciously before sacrificing their arms to seal her away in a final desperate pact. They'd succeeded, too. It would've been all well and good; but the vengeful goddess had proven herself something of a sore loser. Even as her body disintegrated she'd lashed out at him in a final, spiteful attack. He'd been too weakened to escape, certain he would die. Until his old friend was suddenly there-shoving him aside-denying the Rabbit Goddess her revenge. And so the attack found him instead. His last memory of Sasuke would forever be his crumbling corpse..and wasn't that just going to haunt his nightmares for awhile; right up there with nearly falling to his death.

But then, just when he'd thought he was going to die...someone had held his hand.

She'd said she would stay with him.

He recalled pale eyes and hair the color driven snow, a soft smile-

"Someone has a crush." Kurama jabbed him in his moment of weakness.

"Asshole," he grumbled, staggering to a nearby mirror. "I just want to thank her. Yeah. That's it."

"Still, that's not a bad look you've got there. Seems the stress took more of you than we thought, though."

Naruto fought down a twitch; thanfully, his reflection remained very much his own...if one were to ignore the streaks of white in his hair. Those hadn't been there before. It was another galling reminder of the hell he'd been through. The battle against Kaguya had taken a toll on his mind to be sure, but he'd bounced back from worse. It was his body that had taken a beating; a body that at one point held the chakra of nearly every tailed beast. Even now he could feel their remnants burning through his veins. Although to his relief, it seemed only Kurama's consciousness had made the trip through the rift with him. Shukaku and the others were great by all means, but he wasn't sure he could handle that many voices in his head right now. Or much of anything, really.

"Right." he breathed, pinching the brow of his noise, "We've got this. Nothing's wrong. We're alright."

"You're not, are you?"

"Of course I'm not alright!" A small, hysteric laugh burst out of the blond as he whipped back to the mirror, cracks etching in the facade he'd worked so hard to erect. "How can you expect me to be fine?! I'm terrified! This is our world! His reflection glared back at him with red eyes. "My best friend died for me-to send me here. I don't even know why. I have to live with that; live with the knowledge that our world might be on freakin' fire for all we know! Did stopping Kaguya release her jutsu? Did we stop Black Zetsu? Did we achieve anything more than a stalemate? Did we win? Did we lose? I don't know the answers. I'm never going to know them."

His reflection -Kurama- tilted its head and considered him for a long moment before speaking. "Its not your fault, you know. You did your best."

"IT IS MY FAULT!"

Naruto swept an arm across the banister with explosive force sending everything flying to the floor. Pain slashed across his palm. He didn't feel it. Didn't care. His fist shot out again, only narrowly missing the mirror at the last moment to barrel through the wall instead. Something popped in his hand and healed a heartbeat later. So he punched again. And again. Again, again, again, until he was staring at a hole in the wall. A maid gaped at him from within the nest room, her face ashen. Guilt twisted in his gut, but she skittered away before he could apologize.

Naruto's rage guttered out a heartbeat later as his knees buckled, leaving him powerless.

"I should have been smarter." he sighed, taking his head in his hand, staining one side of his face red. "I should have fought harder. I...

"None of that!" Kurama's growl silenced him as he bodily took control before Naruto could find something else to punch. "I won't have you wallowing in guilt after everything you sacrificed. You're alive. You get to fight another day. Yes, you lost someone. I've lost more friends in my lifetime than you can possibly imagine. Leave getting home to me. I'll figure something out."

Despite himself, Naruto almost dared to perk up. "You have an idea?"

"Never you mind that. You have company."

"Eh?"

"I'm sorry." a familiar voice chimed from the doorway, bringing him up viciously short. "Am I...interrupting anything?"

Naruto didn't jump. Jumping implied he hadn't heard the newcomer; because he hadn't. He'd been so wound up in his emotions -his guilt- that he hadn't even sensed her approach. Stubbornly he tamped down on this fuel and choked it out until only a cold core of smoldering rage began. Then he took that and crushed it in his fist, willing himself to smile when all he wanted to do was scowl.

"Good luck, loverboy!" Kurama cawed at him.

'I swear, I'll find a way to strangle you!'

Thus, he turned his head, gulping.

And saw. Oh, did he see.

Unlike last night, Willow now wore her pale hair in a low ponytail over her left shoulder. In place of the sheer nightgown he'd seen before -forget forget FORGET!- her newfound attire consisted of a white cravat secured by a silver brooch set with a red stone; as well as a light purple jacket with light sleeves, and a wide belt around her waist complete with a pale skirt that creased an inch above her knees. There was even a slit in the side to better allow for free movement. He soon saw why.

Was that a rapier at her hip? It was. Yikes.

It was as if the vulnerable young woman he'd glimpsed last night had been swept aside, replaced by a Queen of Snow. No, an Ice Queen. And why the devil did she have a comb in her right hand?

"Oh, hey. I remember you." he said less-than-eloquently as his savior leaned against the door-frame. Her name came to him after a moment. "Willow...right?"

"That is my name, yes." she crossed both arms beneath her bosom and he tried to ignore the things it did to her breasts. "Are you well?"

This time he didn't have to feign it; his smile was sunshine itself. "Yeah, I always heal fast. Don't concern yourself."

Her gaze strayed to his right hand, the hand that he even now realized was bleeding. "You're hurt."

"I heal fast." he parroted, stubbornly tucking his arm behind his back.

"Its a deep wound." she challenged. "I can see it from here."

Before he could argue, she reached down and...

"What the hell?!"

Naruto had expected many things when he met Willow again; what he did not expect was this. As he looked on gobsmacked, she tucked the comb into her belt and tore her skirt. Several inches of fabric! Just like that! His jaw threatened to come unhinged, as she took the fresh fabric and marched over to him like a woman on the warpath. Naruto tried not to look at her skirt, truly he did. He could have run. Could have fought. Could have done any number of things that didn't involve standing there like a lemming.

Instead he stood still and let Willow bandage his wound. Quickly. Firmly. Efficiently. Almost as if she had experience in this sort of thing. It almost made him smile as she fussed over him.

"You're stronger than you look." he took the compliment as it was while she worked, looking up at him through her long lashes. "What made you that angry?"

...personal matters." he mumbled. "Wait, were you worried about me?"

Naruto hadn't meant anything by those were; they were harmless by all accounts. Alas, he wasn't privy to the thoughts of the Schnee girl. He didn't see the way her imagination ran rampant, didn't realize his simply line of inquiry had quickened her pulse. How could he? He was adept at sensing negative emotions. Positive? Not so much.

As such, he was wholly unprepared when Willow's pale face turned scarlet.

"N-No!" she sputtered out. "Surely not! It would just reflect poorly upon me if you were hurt while in my care!"

Naruto tilted his head innocently, her baffling behavior sailing over his head as surely as a bird. "So you were worried?"

Her eyes narrowed to wintry slits. "Sit."

Naruto sat.

Looking back, he wasn't quite sure why he obeyed that command; even wounded, he knew she couldn't possibly hurt him. A tiny voice in the back of his head told him she wouldn't. Yet some dread instinct seized ahold of his legs all the same and before he knew it, he was sitting back on the large seat before the mirror again. Something told him it would be in his best interests not to move for the next five minutes. And if Kurama was nigh but hooting with laughter in the back of his mind, then he did his best to ignore the bastard.

His suspicions proved correct when Willow descended on him with the brush a heartbeat later.

Say what you would about her bedside manner, but the woman wielded a comb like a weapon. By the time Naruto realized what she intended it was already too late to escape. She silently slid behind him and he glimpsed only the faintest smile before she went to work on his hair...which was admittedly something of a mess, even after the bath. If anything, bathing might've made it worse. Without his headband to tame it, that tawny mane spilled down to tickle his forehead and he had no means to master the spiky mess until now.

Willow didn't just brush his hair, she attacked it; but not in a way that hurt. On the contrary, this felt downright pleasant.

"Your hair has lost more of its color since I saw you last." she hummed softly as she worked his scalp with perfect strokes. "Did something happen to you?"

"Besides the fall?" his partner snarked.

Inwardly, Naruto's mind began to skitter about madly. What to tell her? How much did he dare? And he'd lost more color?! How bad had it been before?! His hair was going to turn white at this rate! Wasn't there any way to reverse this?! He liked it the way it was! Outwardly, he feigned a laugh as she continued to tend to him and uttered the words he'd never thought to speak in his lifetime. It was just a one-off, something to distract his host while he got his thoughts together. He didn't give any more thought to it than he would breathing. Not in the least...

"I think it makes me look distinguished."

...it only further served to seal his fate in her eyes.

"Really?" Willow favored him with a curious look. "So do I."

Naruto blinked, somewhat taken aback. Huh. Neat. Point in his favor.

They sat in companionable silence for a moment longer as she tended to his hair, neither willing to speak further. Neither knew what to say. What could they say? Despite the unique circumstances of their meeting, they were very much strangers from two very different worlds. They barely knew one another's names, much less likes or dislikes. Where could the conversation possibly go from here? Had things continued as they were, the conversation might have died then and there, dooming them to different paths.

By chance, Naruto's gaze slipped to the weapon at Willow's hip.

At a glance, it seemed like an impractical choice for a weapon. Who used a rapier these days? Much less one with...what was that, a cylinder of some sort build into the guard? Weird. It seemed a silly weapon to use in a fight; he much rather preferred his fists or the staff he'd learned to summon. Ordinarily he wasn't the sort to disparage one in their choice of armament, but for some reason he couldn't help but stare at the damn thing. Naturally, Naruto being Naruto, he said the first thing that came to mind.

Which meant he shoved his foot right into his mouth.

"You know how to use that?"

Mistakes were made.

All at once the comb in his hair suddenly jerked him forward with violent intent, and said rapier promptly came up under his chin. That silvery tip could've killed him any number of ways; she could've slit his throat, or cut his windpipe, even punctured his mouth in any number of ways. Instead the rapier simply hovered beneath his chin, raising his gaze to meet that of its mistress. All the while, Willow didn't emit so much as an iota of killer intent. It was only that -and her smile- that stopped him from slapping the weapon aside and escaping outright.

"Would you care to rephrase that question, good sir?" she hummed.

Her will, her posture, the arctic defiance roaring high in her eyes; all of it bespoke of training. She was a fighter, if not a warrior. A strange glyph of some sort shimmered at her back and he wasn't at all eager to find out if it was lethal or not. Or what it did, for that matter. So rather than bolt and leap out the window like any sane person would; he chose to laugh. And when he did, her frigid look melted like so much thin ice. Maybe this girl wasn't so bad after all. Maybe she just needed someone to talk to. He could do that. He liked talking.

"Nope!" this time when Naruto smiled, it truly felt genuine; almost like coming back to life. "Question answered!"

"Excellent." Quick as a flash, Willow returned it to her belt. "I didn't want to blacken Sable with your blood."

"Sable?" the jinchuuriki blinked, incredulous. "You named your weapon?"

Her cheeks took on a faint pink tinge. "Is that a problem?"

"Yes," Kurama groaned into a paw. "So much yes."

"No way!" Naruto took her hand. "That's awesome!"

Her blush deepened. Just a touch. "You think so?"

"Does everyone do that here?" he asked.

Willow tilted her head. "Here?"

Naruto hesitated.

"Well...

Willow must've sensed his fear; because she closed the gap between them. Naruto watched her like a hawk as she settled in beside him, all the while aware of her abilities. This was no delicate wallflower, no maiden to be poked and prodded. Here sat a warrior. Would it be so bad to tell her? Surely she wouldn't betray his trust. She had no reason to do so. Even if she did turn on him for reasons he'd yet to understand, he had the measure of her now. He wouldn't be caught off guard like that again. If it came to a fight, he'd win...probably.

So he said it:

"I'm...not from around here."

Her fingers squeezed his, gentle but firm.

He wasn't prepared for her smile. "I gathered that much when you fell out of the sky."

"Ha!" Despite his best efforts, an incredulous laugh burst out of him. "Yeah, I did do that, didn't I?"

"Are you from Vacuo, then?" Willow asked politely, misunderstanding what he'd just said to her. "Vale? Mistral?"

"Try...farther." Naruto grimaced.

"Farther north?"

"Farther as in another world." His head drooped.

Pale eyes widened, her lips parting just so.

Now came the moment of truth.

"You're not lying, are you?"

"BAHAHAHA!"

Naruto couldn't help himself; raucous laughter burst out of him as he crashed backward in disbelief, toppling from their shared seat with a great and mighty guffaw. Willow lost her grip on his hand, but Naruto couldn't be bothered to care. Why had he been so concerned in the first place? He'd been so wound up, so afraid, and for what? Willow hadn't rejected him. She hadn't even batted an eyelash or tried to move away, though she was frowning. It was enough. All the tension rushed out of him at once, dashed upon the stoic expression the young Schnee brought to bear.

That settled things. He liked her.

"If you're not telling the truth, I'm going to be very cross with you." she warned.

"Look." he wheezed out a final laugh, unable to hold himself back any longer. "I'm no good with words but...I'm kinda lost. I was hoping you'd help me out. Maybe?"

For the second time in as many days, Willow's heart beat traitorously in her chest; pulse pounding with rising heat in her cheeks. Here he was, asking her for help again. He didn't care that she was a Schnee. Spirits, he didn't even seem to know what her name meant or what such a favor might entail. And he was holding her hand! Just how bold was he?! Had he been living under a rock or something?! Still, she couldn't bring herself to tug her hand from his. It felt warm. Like she was holding living fire in her palm. A small, girlish part of her warmed to it. Unconsciously, her fingers began to twine with his as she cast a furtive glance to the door.

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all. So long as Father didn't see this just now. Father would get...protective.

"Well, if you insist." she feigned a scowl for appearance's sake. "What did you want to know?"

"Everything!"

In his defense, Naruto didn't mean to pull so hard when he grabbed her hand again, nor could he be wholly blamed for the disaster that followed. But it happened anyway. With only one arm to act on and no way of controlling his strength at the moment, he went from tugging the silent Schnee to all but hauling her down to him on the floor. She landed squarely in the middle of his lap. All her thoughts went unwound, her body going rigid immediately. Still he barreled on, ignorant to the reaction he'd provoked in her, continuing to chatter away as she squirmed helplessly in his grasp.

"I wanna know everything about this world! Why is this city in the sky?!" All the while, Willow's face turned nearly incandescent. "What are those giant metal machines? Why are there women with rabbit ears and men with tails?!"

Willow tried to reply, tried to muster her defenses and speak.

It was too much. Too sudden. Too soon.

All that emerged was a soft:

"Eh...Eh...Eh...

"My dear!"

And then things got worse. So much worse.

All at once, the door to her quarters crashed open with a resounding bang.

Naruto's first impression of Nicholas Schnee -otherwise known as Willow's Father- would doubtlessly be a simple one; in that he was an absolute bear of a man; an absolute marvel of masculinity with long white hair alongside a bushy beard. Judging by the way he tilted his head, it didn't take long to put two-and-two together. He likely saw the relation to Willow in his face, if not his mannerisms. His attire, less so. He wore a heavy, ornate suit of armor reminiscent to that of a knight with a black shirt and pants underneath, coupled by a red fur-trimmed cloak held by a gold chord. Even trapped as she was, she watched her patient stiffen slightly at the sight of him.

Unfortunately, the man looked fit to murder him right now.

"Ah, so this must but Naruto." his smile had far too many teeth. "My daughter's been taking care of you for quite some time. I can't but notice you've been doing the same...

His gaze drifted lower, to their intertwined fingers, to Willow even now still sitting in Naruto's lap.

Seeing her torn skirt, however? That sent Father roaring right over the edge.

...how kind of you." the doorknob creaked ominously in his grasp.

"Daddy! Wait! Don't kill him! Its not what it looks like!" Without thinking Willow leaped out of Naruto's lap and threw herself before her father's mercy, accidentally defaulting to the phrase she'd used as a little girl. She hadn't called him that in ages now. He noticed too, damn him; judging by the gobsmacked expression he wore. It was swiftly followed by a dopey grin, one she remembered all too well from her childhood days. Too late, Willow realized her mistake; too late, she recalled just how sentimental he could be. No. He wouldn't do that here. Not again. No, surely not-

He would and he did.

"Oh, Willow~! My dear, my daughter, my greatest joy in the world~!" arms like bands of iron locked around her waist and hoisted her into the air with ease. "I knew you cared~!"

Willow refused to show the silent smile in her heart. For a moment she almost felt like a little girl again; it reminded her of simpler times. Happier times. Gods this was embarrassing. Humiliating. Oddly comforting. Then she remembered just who was watching and her comfort turned to sullen dismay. Frankly? She preferred her Father's anger compared to this utter mortification. Even now she could feel the incredulous eyes of her guest upon her. Did he snicker just now? She was never going to live this down, was she?

"Hold on." Thankfully, Naruto chose that moment to climb to his feet and chime in. "Just how long was I out for...?"

"Not long." Willow glanced aside in a cold sweat, still wriggling in her father's grasp. "Only a few days."

"A few?" the young man twitched at her choice of words. "Waitaminute...how many is a few? Two?"

"Five." Nicholas put in pleasantly, still squeezing her tightly. "You gave her quite the scare."

Willow whined. "Daddy!"

"Ahahaha!" Nicholas crowed, rubbing his scruffy face against hers. "You said it again~!"

Willow honestly considered stabbing him with Sable.

Thankfully, her father chose that moment to release her before she could contemplate patricide. Willow didn't even need her Semblance to bolt to the other side of the room; her legs did that for her. Unfortunately, Naruto was on the other side of the room and her little escape attempt brought them full circle once more. Without a determined daughter to cuddle, Father -Nicholas, she reminded herself!- was free to focus his attention on the whiskered warrior once more. And oh did he focus. His grey gaze flicked up and down the boy's body, as though he were actively inspecting him for thought a spark shot through his gaze just now. Surely that was her imagination.

He considered Naruto for a long moment, then longer yet still, before he spoke.

"Very well then. I think I understand your intentions towards my daughter."

"Wait, what? Who?" Naruto blinked owlishly. "You do?"

"You do?" Willow mirrored him with a gulp.

No no no. This wasn't happening.

"Of course, my dear girl! Its impossible to miss the way you've been staring at one another!" Father's laughter might have been pleasant, but for the edge in his gaze and the tiny sapphire glyph dancing in his palm. Then his gaze found Naruto. "You should know that I value my daughter's happiness more than my own life." he continued, laying one hand to the hilt of the sword even now resting in his belt. "Disproportionately so."

Maybe if she threw herself at the wall she could knock herself out. It had to be better than this.

"Of course." the blond chirruped, the meaning sailing clear over his head. "Its not like I'm gonna stab her in the back or anything, if that's what you mean. I like her."

Sadly, her Aura held when she headbutted the wall.

"Would you die for her?" Nicholas challenged with an arched eyebrow.

Something in Naruto's gaze hardened and Willow flinched. "What kind of question is that?"

Oh, thank goodness. Either he was horribly dense, or was willfully ignoring the question. She wasn't sure she liked either.

"She saved my life." And then he made it worse, blast him! So much worse! "Dying wouldn't even begin to repay the debt I owe her."

"That's grand!" the older man beamed. "Have you picked out a ring for her yet?"

Willow keened quietly as she worried her lip between her teeth.

Naruto frowned. "Ring? Why would I need a ring?"

"Aren't you a bold one!" Father boomed.

Well that tore it; the Schnee heiress took her head between both hands and tried to hide in her palms while they talked. This was happening. She'd lost control of this train and it was hurtling a fiery death at the end of the tracks. Maybe she should just jump through the window and fling herself to her demise. It sounded less painful than the sheer embarrassment she was experiencing right now. This couldn't be happening. This was a dream. A misunderstanding. A gods-awful misunderstanding. Did he think they two of them were...that she and he...words failed her. She'd fallen somehow and cracked her head. She'd wake any moment now.

"Excellent!" Once again, Father's smile had entirely too many teeth for her liking. "I'm so glad we came to an understanding. If you hurt her...well...I'll just have to kill you."

Here, a spark of anger flashed in the blond's eyes. "Why would I hurt someone precious to me?"

Willow nearly passed out then and there.

"Wonderful!" As she looked on through half-lidded eyes and her own pounding pulse, Father stepped forward and clapped Naruto on the back with enough force to stagger a Beowulf; to the younger man's credit, he didn't budge an inch. "Never you mind about that arm of yours." the jolly man prattled on. "We'll have you fitted with a prosthetic in no time; I know a fine scientist who'll get you up to speed. He's a bit erratic, but there's no greater mind here in Atlas."

"That's really not necessary-

"I insist!" came the guffaw. "Think of it as a gift for my son-in-law."

Here at last, comprehension dawned in Naruto's eyes. Rather than protest, it seemed to strike him speechless. Willow took a certain vindictive pleasure when his gaze sought her out; had she been in her right mind, she would have deliberately looked away and left him to dangle before Father like a choice cut. Whatever fleeting feelings Naruto might have stirred in her, he'd made her very cross just now. Was it so wrong that a tiny part of her soul wanted him to suffer as she had? A wiser woman would have done just that, stepped back, and let nature take its course.

Alas, she was far too flustered to do think coherently.

"Daddy, no!" She wailed, trying one last time to make her father see sense. "This is a misunderstanding!"

"DADDY, YES!" Nicholas Schnee cackled. "Welcome to the family, my boy!"

"I'm...honored?" Naruto croaked out. She wanted to throttle him.

Remarkably, Father came to his rescue.

"Speaking of family, young Jacques has been waiting in the foyer for the better part of a day now," Nicholas's expression turned contemplative as his daughter wrinkled her nose at the mere mention of entertaining another man, as though she'd just smelled something incredibly foul, "But I suppose there's not much point in entertaining him now, is there, dear daughter?"

Willow's head slammed into a wall. "Absolutely not!"

"I understand, my dear. I'll send him away."

She blinked. Just like that?

"No." She said. "No, I'll do it myself." perhaps this was for the best. She was a Schnee. The SDC would fall to her someday. She could not simply let Father handle every task for her. She would simply tell Jacques she had no interest in a relationship -liar, liar, an insidious voice crooned in the back of her head- at this moment in time. Best to make it clear to this man, lest he think something...untoward. Gods, she was dreading this, but she accepted the necessity all the same. Father clearly had his mind made up, nothing else could possibly convince him. And now she'd have to turn down another suitor and all that ugly business...

Unless.

"Are you certain?" Father asked.

"Yes, quite." she beamed. "I'll handle it."

An ugly thought reared itself in the back of her head even as her mouth opened. She closed it with a small smile. No, not an ugly thought. A beautiful one. A handsome thought with blond hair and blue eyes. What did she have to lose? In for a lien, in for a pound as the saying went. Besides, this would make it all the easier to rid herself of any suitors...while twisting the arm of the man who bloody launched her into this situation in the first place. It wasn't that Willow disliked Naruto, mind you. Far from it. She found him quite pleasant, if a tad dense. She suspected they could grow to be friends then perhaps, with time and luck, something more. She did not, however, fancy this misunderstanding that had been forced upon them. But she wasn't above using it to her advantage. A Schnee did what they must, after all.

So she waited patiently for Father to finally depart.

Then her gaze snapped to Naruto like a laser.

"Why are you looking at me like that?"

Willow seized his hand.

"Come with me."

(0.0.0.)

Priceless.

If there were a better word to describe Jacques Gele and his mortified expression when he saw them, Willow couldn't find it. She'd seek satisfaction where she could today. If that meant taking the piss out some poor fool who sought to win her hand, well! She'd take what she could get. True enough, the young man was pleasant enough too look at in a gaunt sort of way; pale features and dark hair with keen eyes and a thin mustache, all wrapped in a gunmetal grey suit. Thankfully he wasn't wearing white. That would've been presumptuous of him at best, outright arrogant at best.

Naruto cleaned up better.

He ought to, considering Willow had all but stuffed the sullen shinobi into one of her father's better suits. A white, double-breasted blazer with a navy handkerchief in the breast pocket. Underneath, he wore a blood-red dress shirt, vest and a black tie...one she'd tied herself after fixing one of his sleeves to accommodate his missing limb. He carried himself well enough, he certainly had the looks and acumen for it; coupled with his fading blond hair -which would likely be pure white someday- to cut an intimidating figure. Now if only he'd stop squirming and stand up straight!

"I don't like this," he grumbled in her ear.

"Neither do I," she groused back. "Just bear with it for a bit."

He muttered something that sounded like a curse. "Me and my big mouth."

"Its your mouth I'm counting on." her lips brushed his ear. "Remember, exactly as we agreed."

"So I just have to be an asshole for the next five minutes." he murmured. "Fine. I'll just act like Madara."

"Who the hell is Madara?" Willow whispered.

He grinned at her. "You'll see."

At a loss, she squeezed his hand and descended the steps; this being the signal for their ruse to begin. She felt the softest sigh brush the back of her neck, but the blond played his part and stepped closer to her, hip brushing up against hers as he matched her step for step in their shared march to destruction. His now gloved hand -the better to disguise the bandage there- seared warmly within her grasp, almost seeming to shimmer with golden flames when she risked a glance at it. Surely that was her imagination. He claimed to be from another world. Maybe that had something to do with it. She'd deal with that can of worms later. For now...

'Lets get this over with.'

"You must be Jacques," She raised her voice as they descended the stairs, together willing herself to speak. "Did you have some business with us?"

Us. All part of her strategy. An attack on the man's ego; designed to push him back and leave him off-balance-ill at ease for the duration of his stay. Judging by the telltale twitch of the man's thin mustache, it was already working far better than she could have hoped. Naruto's presence had thrown him off, and she aimed to keep it that way. She couldn't afford to give Jacques a single moment to think, much less collect his thoughts.

Sure enough, the man made a squelching sound and tried to rally. "Miss Willow, I wasn't aware you had a guest-

She mustered the most frigid smile she could. "That's miss Schnee to you. You will address me as such."

His eyes raked over her for a moment, and a cold pit of distaste opened in her stomach.

Just as Naruto had been gang-pressed into a suit, so too was Willow forced to wear a dress -and didn't that just burn?!- to complete the ruse. She couldn't well wear her old outfit now. Not after she'd torn strips out of it to bandage the blond's hand. Some might call it tasteful, but she felt naked in it. No. She loathed every bit of it; hated the way it clung to her hips and bosom, despised that it left her shoulders bare and her hair down, abhorred the thigh-high slit that gave anyone who looked a glimpse at her longs legs. Honestly if it weren't for the faint blue shawl and Naruto's hand in hers, she would've gone into a stabbing frenzy by now.

She felt almost...exposed without Sable at her side, trapped in this little blue number that had once belonged to her mother.

Gods, Mother! What would she think of her now? No. Don't think about that. Mother would love this.

Oh goody, Jacques was winding up to speak again.

"And who is this man?"

Naruto clicked his tongue. "Your better, for one."

Jacques jerked in place, while Willow beamed with silent pride. Perfect. He was performing just as she'd asked -begged!- him to do.

For the purpose of this brief exchange Naruto was to be arrogant, overbearing, and so annoying. In short, he had to be anything but himself for the next five minutes. Enough to drive Jacques away. Humiliate him if needs be, rebuff his affections. Crush his hopes so utterly that he'd never dare to think of approaching her again. From there, word would spread. Willow Schnee was not to be trifled with; she was taken. If she couldn't make Father see sense -that lovable dolt!- then she'd simply ride his assumptions and let him believe what he would, but for her own ends. And if it kept potential suitors away? All the better. Naruto seemed a sweet soul, but she wasn't interested in marrying anyone...not just yet.

"This is Naruto Uzumaki, my intended." she smiled sweetly as she stepped between them. "I don't believe you met him."

Jacques looked like he'd sucked on a lemon. "I see. Uzumaki, was it? I've not heard the name before."

"Its foreign." Willow lied through her teeth, biting back a curse of her own. "Quite foreign."

Another world level of foreign, a small hysteric part of her mind babbled!

"How did the two of you meet?" Jacques probed right back.

Naruto didn't bat an eyelash. "Fell outta the sky."

Willow hissed and stomped on his boot.

"Very well, keep your secrets."

Mastering herself, Willow turned to find Naruto had skirted around her and taken the initiative again, albeit not quite in the way she'd hoped he would. Though his hand was still locked firmly in hers, his blue eyes had an edge to them, one that hadn't been there before. His eyes seemed to pulse red for a moment; Jacques caught it too and shrank back half a step, fear in his gait.

"Is there a problem?" he asked, adjusting his tie.

"Yeah, its you." the blond muttered. "You reek of negativity. Badly. Can't you smell it?"

Before their eyes, Jacques's face turned an alarming shade of puce. "Wh-Wh-Why you insolent chit!"

"I don't even know what that means." Naruto yawned. "Anymore insults? Out with it already, man. We don't have all day."

Jacques tried puffed himself up, rather difficult considering he had almost no muscle mass whatsoever. "Willo-erm, miss Schnee! You can't possibly countenance this!"

For a moment, just a moment, she almost considered helping Jacques. True, the decent thing would be to calm Naruto down right now. A thorn of doubt pricked her heart and held her back at the last second. She had an ill feeling about this man. She couldn't put her finger on it, couldn't quantify the silent shiver of dread she experienced just now. Regardless, she made up her mind.

Meh.

"I can and I do." She feigned a shrug. "I apologize, my fiance is rather protective."

Naruto actually paused to wrap his arm around her waist.

"What can I say? She's a keeper, this one."

Okay. Now he was laying it on thick.

Jacques looked between the two of them, his pride and ego bruised, and made a foolish decision. A most foolish decision indeed. Willow watched him plant his feet and wondered if he was actually going to be so foolish as to swing at Naruto. But no, he did something worse. Rather than strike physically, he thrust an indignant finger at her and struck out with his words.

"I wasn't aware you'd been claimed by a cripple!"

He just realized that?

Naruto sucked in a breath through his teeth and Willow nearly reached for Sable, only to remember she'd left her weapon behind. Blasted appearances. No. Ignore him. It was just a parting shot. Jacques realized he'd all but dashed his chances and he was just trying to rile them up. She felt her blond partner tense against her, but rather than lash out, he simply looked over his shoulder.

"And I wasn't aware," even from here she saw his lip curl in distaste, "That you were such a shameless shit."

"Excuse me?!" Jacques roared.

"Did I stutter?" Naruto shot back. "Just leave already, would you? Can't you see you're not wanted here?"

Perhaps it was Father's absence; perhaps Naruto had simply riled him beyond measure. Perhaps he had simply been waiting for too long -she hadn't even known he was here until a few hours ago!- and his pride couldn't stomach an insult, no matter how petty. Whatever the case, he didn't hesitate to rise to the bait. With a growl, he cocked his head and reared back. Naruto didn't even deign to defend himself. The punch, when it came, was clumsy by all accounts. It did not even turn his cheek; indeed, the whiskered warrior didn't even deign to bat an eyelash at Jacques and his feeble attack.

Naruto sighed. "Are ya done? Look, just go-

Jacques spat right in face.

To the untrained eye, it appeared the blond would ignore this insult just as he'd ignored everything else. Willow knew better. She felt Naruto's fingers twitch when they retracted from her waist; beheld the curious gleam in those blue eyes and the faintest downturning of his lips. His lone hand rose and plucked the handkerchief from his suit, dabbing the saliva away from his face. Then he went terribly still. Almost as if he'd ceased to breathe for a moment.

"You're the one who isn't wanted, boy." Jacques sneered, unwittingly twisting the knife. "Why, I have half a mind to sue you for such baseless slander-

Naruto's open palm cracked across the man's face like a storm, sending Jacques stumbling away like a drunkard at last call.

Hot damn! A tiny voice whispered in the back of Willow's head at the sight. Again! Quick, do it again!

"Oh, I'm sorry." Naruto hummed, storming after him. "My hand slipped just now."

Jacques rounded on him, livid. "Why, you impudent pup!"

"Oops! Slipped again!"

Thus did the harsh crack of an open palm echo anew, punctuated by the another shriek from Jacques. He was still stumbling when Naruto seized him by his jacket and struck again. A lone palm slammed down on the right side of the man's head, deafening him to the world. A cross to his left cheek sent Jacques spinning and a knee between the shoulders laid him out flat against the floor. This time, however, a curious clattering sound drew all eyes to said tiles. It damned Jacques further. Willow blinked. Jacques squeaked and clutched at where his tie had been. Naruto whistled.

"Wow~!" he drawled out the word. "So you wear a clip-on tie, too? As if you weren't greasy enough."

"You brute!" spittle frothed at the man's swollen lips. "This will not sta-BWARGH?!"

"Oops! Slipped again! And again. Again."

Willow didn't smile.

No. Surely not.

She did.

A lot.

"Who am I kidding? Now lets not get overzealous here, pal." Naruto raised his fist again for emphasis and the battered man crawled toward the door with a whimper, cradling his now-swollen face in his good hand. "Your emotions let me read you like a book. You've always been a huge piece of shit. If I could kill you, I would." there could be no mistaking the vivid gleam in his eyes now. "But I'm pretty sure that's frowned upon here, and my lady friend wouldn't like that. "Now. Get. Out."

Jacques got.

Well, it was more of a limping stumble that carried him toward the open doors before Naruto kicked him through them and down the steps but credit where it was due. Willow wanted to make an impression. Now her wish was granted. If anyone were foolish enough to court her now, within days they'd gladly think otherwise. Granted, she hadn't intended to make such a forceful impression on her potential suitors, but she couldn't bring her heart to be dissatisfied with this result either. Jacques had chosen to escalate things, and received his comeuppance in turn.

She felt...free. Freer than she'd felt in an age.

Her release might not be immediate; it would yet take time for word to spread through Atlas and the other kingdoms, but the deed was done. She'd likely never have to deal with men -or women!- seeking her hand ever again. And if any tried, they could easily be deterred by her so-called "fiance". Whom she may-or-may-not be falling for. It wasn't a brilliant plan. It wasn't even a very good one. But it was her plan, one of the first things Willow had decided for herself in an age, and that made her happy. That just left him. She'd tackle that obstacle eventually. Later. Much later. But for now? Celebration!

Reluctantly, she turned.

Naruto grinned at her. "Nailed it."

Willow stifled a laugh. "Close enough."

Smiling, she stepped up to link an arm in his.

He didn't make any attempt to shake himself loose.

Yes. This...this was going to be a beautiful partnership.

And if her selfish little plan changed Remnant...how was she to know?

A/N: Hope you enjoyed that.

We'll see Summer and Co. sooner than you think. Including it here would've felt rushed.

Really, you aren't; this is going to be one of my larger character driven stories, right up there with "Remnant of a Shinobi, and "A Bit of Bread." But unlike those two, the changes start early here, so much so that the everything's going to be affected, for good or ill. Oh trust me, we're going to see everyone in this tale. Summer, Raven, Tai, Qrow, Kali, even Salem at one point. Not to mention all the others as we move into the actual events of RWBY itself.

Speaking of which, better watch out, Salem. EX-Rank Charisma might steal some of your allies before you even meet them.

Tyrian's a lost cause, but recall that we're in Atlas. WATTS is still in Atlas at this time. Who knows? Naruto won't be stuck in Atlas forever, either. This story's going to span all the kingdoms and then some. Of course, once many realize what he can do, they'll be rather keen to keep him.

Without Jacques at the helm, the SDC might not have gone the way it did. Willow and Naruto certainly won't stand for it. Which means the White Fang won't turn out quite so...militant. Naturally this won't be an insta-fix; because the Schnee Dust Company wasn't the only problem. Just one of the larger ones.

As for pairings...nope. Not telling yet.

In fact, I've even created a poll on my profile.

Give it a look and a vote after you review, will you?

Or you could just vote via review. Most folks do, these days.

Reviews are all that keep this sick man going these days; they truly brighten my day.

So In the Immortal Words of Atlas...

...Review, Would You Kindly?

And enjoy the previews.

Surprise, surprise!

(Preview)

"You poor fool...you can't protect them all."

"I CAN BLOODY WELL TRY!"

That churl! They hadn't seen the last of Jacques Gele!

"In the end, its about trust." he stood. "I didn't get your name."

His ally extended an arm. "James. James Ironwood. Thanks for the assist."

"Don't mention it."

Naruto shook without thinking. More fool he. The man had a grip just like his name!

"That trick you did with the clones," the general frowned, "Just how many can you make?"

Alas, Naruto didn't even pause to consider his answer. "I dunno. Hundreds? Thousands? Never really tested my limits."

James choked, his mind already whirring at the implications. If what he said was true...this individual was a one man army. Atlas NEEDED this.

"Begin the test!"

Unchained at last, the Grimm struck, but its fangs found no purchase upon the flesh it sought. Naruto's new metal arm held firm, half-sheathed in a glowing shroud of chakra. With a flick of the wrist, a wall of explosive sound burst forth, sending the towering Grimm yowling backwards. The blond blinked, mildly bemused by the sight. Another flick produced a blade. Still smiling, he leaped forward out and swept the Beowulf's head clean off its shoulders. The second fared little better; crashing against a shield that snapped into a spear to tear through its chest, while the third met its end under a crushing ax wreathed in flame.

Naruto whistled.

"I think I'm in love." Kurama purred.

Together, they raised his false arm with a small chuckle.

"Arthur," he called out, "I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

If a young Arthur Watts preened at the praise, he didn't notice. Or perhaps he did. Who can say?

"I knew you'd like it." his new ally pulled a diagram for him to inspect. "Now then...how do you feel about a grappling hook?"

"How do I feel?" Blue eyes lit up. "I feel strongly about it. What else you got? I wanna put this puppy through her paces while we can, ya know?"

"Brilliant!" the scientist beamed, happier for the attention. "I've drawn up a few designs you might be interested in. Sky's the limit, as they say. For example, if you look here...

"Care to dance?"

Naruto dithered. "I...don't know how."

Willow's smile was decidedly coy. "Experience is the best teacher."

"And experience also dictates I should-YIKE!" he couldn't finish before she hauled him away.

"I don't want to fight you."

Raven tilted her head with a grin. "Too bad."

That was all he heard before her sword slammed into his metal arm.

"What is it with girls in this world and trying to carve me up?! I'm not a piece of meat! OFF!"

Raven never had a chance to respond; because clenched knuckles slammed up into her chin and sent her spinning.

Naruto took on a boxing stance. "You know what? Fine. I'm in a foul mood anyway. C'mere, birdie. I'll make fried chicken out of ya."

Raven's smile turned feral as she climbed to her feet and retrieved her weapon by the wayside. "Yes! There's the attitude I wanted to see. FIGHT ME!"

EDIT: Poor birdie, she doesn't know what she's in for...

R&R~!