A/N: Any chance we could get the reviews to a thousand? Looks like it! It would mean the world to me and my team. This was at 800 only a day ago!

Tell you what, if this gets to a thousand by the end of Thursday, we'll try to make a double update. You'll STILL get an update this week regardless, but feedback helps us write that much faster.

You guys are the best!

PLEASE READ THIS NOTE, WOULD YOU KINDLY?

EDIT: Ugh, trolls in the comments again. I suppose this is what I get for updating on a holiday T_T

DOUBLE EDIT: Polished this chapter up, the ending especially. Hopefully it better conveys the point I was trying to make.

If it isn't obvious, the gang and I had to split this chapter in TWO because we were getting so many messages DEMANDING an update for this. Literally dozens in a day. You're getting the second half quite soon after this, so by all means, review away. If I get enough support, I'll try to have the second half of this chapter out this very week -Thursday~!- for you all to enjoy. Now then, for the good 'ol disclaimer this time around, well:

DISCLAIMER!:

I shouldn't have to say this, seeing as this is fiction, but given the current...climate of things, I'm not taking any chances. This story is fiction, and fiction is all it'll ever be, so don't take anything you find here literally. As such, I own no references, themes or memes. We're all here to read and have a good time, so let's keep it that way, shall we?

Sorry for the delay, a member of my team had the lovely idea to kill an important character -I won't say who- for shock value. Let that sink in for a moment. Needless to say, the gang and I weren't happy at all and had to fix their mishap. This ain't the Last of Us, we don't pull shit like that here. Characters matter to us. We don't waste them.

And when I say fix? We had to rewrite half the damn chapter. Ugggggh. WHICH MEANS! We're far busier than we'd like to be, thanks to that bloody mess up.

As far as story matters go however, my team made a suggestion that caught my eye. Remember those clones Naruto created to hold back the mob a chapter or two ago? You don't think I forgot about them, did you? Thought they were a one off, did you?! Nope! I won't say anymore for fear of spoiling things, but I think you'll be quite pleased by the direction I'm taking things here.

Its fun to mess around with Naruto's shadow clones. They are HIM after all.

I'm not the first one to try this, either. I believe there was a filler similar to what you're about to see. Folks were asking to see Sienna and Ironwood. Very well! Wish granted. Now then! Once again, I own no quotes, references, themes, or memes.

Now, then!

Here...we...go!

"If you have to look along the shaft of an arrow from the wrong end, if a man has you entirely at his mercy, then hope like hell that man is an evil man. Because the evil like power, power over people, and they want to see you in fear. They want you to know you're going to die. So they'll talk. They'll gloat. They'll watch you squirm. They'll put off the moment of murder like another man will put off a good cigar.

So hope like hell your captor is an evil man. A good man will kill you with hardly a word."

~Terry Pratchett, Men At Arms.

Crossing the Line (A Clone's Interlude)

Funny thing about Shadow Clones.

Some say they're a perfect replica of their creator in every sense of the word. They'd be right. Mind, memories, thoughts, even mannerisms, they are in every way identical to their creator. Given enough chakra and proper motivation, they can accomplish nearly any task. They're easily capable of recognizing a threat and taking the initiative against. Their only true limit is their durability, that is to say, their capacity to withstand pressure or damage in the face of said threat. When made durable enough and with enough numbers, they could be a potent threat.

Naruto had left behind more than two dozen such clones in Mantle. Nearly thirty, to be exact.

Lacking the proper form and focus that came with the hand signs, Naruto had simply brute-forced the jutsu to create clones of himself for a singular goal.

He hadn't given it any thought.

In all honesty, he'd forgotten about his brothers in arms through no fault but his own. He'd been too preoccupied with Willow -then Cinder and all the chaos that followed!- to consider releasing his jutsu. He didn't even think to dispel those that remained before he fell asleep; their purpose had been to hold back an angry group of Faunus and keep the peace, nothing more. He knew that. They knew that. By the time he'd turned in for the evening, the thought of them had all but slipped his mind. Surely they couldn't get cause too much trouble...?

Of those clones, many did their their duty and selflessly sacrificed themselves to keep the mob at bay.

Some deliberately chose to dispel themselves when they deemed their task complete and were never seen nor heard from again. Two wandered out past the walls and vanished into the elements. One took it upon himself to rid Mantle of crime what little time and chakra he had remaining and died in a blaze of glory. The results were...surprising, to say the least. We'll come back to him later.

Three however, struck together, and their actions would forever change the shape of Remnant.

With the original's departure to parts unknown and the crowd gone back to their homes, this unlikely trio found themselves somewhat bereft of purpose. Like the rest, they'd considered dispelling themselves alongside their brothers on principle, but decided against it. Instead they chose to wander. They'd vanish soon enough, and like their creator, they were curious about the world around them. The original had expressed a desire to see more of this place after all. Their experiences would go on to join his when they "died", so it wasn't as if they'd cease to exist.

For lack of anything better to do, they walked.

And as they walked, they gave names to themselves.

Alpha. Beta. Gamma. One. Two. Three. Simple as can be.

Perhaps those were a touch odd as far as names went, but the clones deemed these strange designations sufficient for their limited existence. In short order the unlikely trio found ways to distinguish their appearances from one another. The strongest of the group, Alpha, snatched up a worn piece of black cloth from a clothesline and tied it around his forehead. The wisest, Beta, chose a scarlet scarf to conceal the lower half of his face from view. Unfortunately the kindest of them and also the youngest of them by virtue of creation, didn't bother to disguise themselves at all, much to the chagrin of his elder "brothers."

"You're not gonna change anything, Gamma?" Alpha asked.

"Nah." the third clone scoffed and crossed both arms behind his head. "Don't feel like it."

The lead clone snagged a battered fedora from a sleeping drunkard and slammed the hat down on their brother's head. "Hey!"

"There we go." he grinned as Gamma grappled with the new headgear to no avail; it was all but wedged around his head. "Don't sulk now. I think it suits you."

"Hey, I've been meaning to ask," he began, drawing their attention. "How's it feel, havin' a metal limb?"

...you do realize you have one, too." Beta pointed out. "Right there. On your arm."

"Yeah, but who better to ask than myself, right?"

The trio exchanged a knowing look.

"Chatty, aren't you?" Alpha paused to heft his prosthetic limb and considered it as one might a shiny new tool. "I guess it feels...light. Lighter than it should be at any rate." a flick of the wrist produced an audible click and he flinched, half expecting a weapon to pop forth. Thankfully, none did. This time. "Eh, I thought it would be heavier, or something." with painstaking care he forced the metal fingers to lock into a fist and not for the first time, smiled at them. "Still, its a good fit. We'll have to pay Watts back for this."

"I know, right?!" Gamma grinned like a child. "Isn't it awesome?!"

"Fits like a glove." Beta conceded with a nod. "Guess that Arthur guy knows his stuff. Seems a little odd, though. Why so many weapons?"

"Dunno." Gamma shrugged, considering his own arm. "You know, we didn't really get a look at everything, did we? Huh." he frowned. "Wonder what this button does...

"Don't!" Alpha and Gamma clamped their hands down on his arm before he could press the trigger.

"What's wrong? I mean, its not like Arthur's a bad guy." Gamma raised his good hand in protest, "He's just a bit...eccentric. We've met people like that before. Maybe he needs a friend?"

"Sure." Beta snorted. "You think everyone needs a friend."

"Don't they?" Gamma tilted his head.

Alpha blew out a sigh.

"Children."

In hindsight, he couldn't really say where the three of them had begun to change, or even why for that matter. When had they gone from "get the job done" to asking "what next?"

When had things changed?

Shadow clones were duplicates of the original after all; body doubles meant to fulfill their tasks and disappear. Nothing more, nothing less. Yet they'd survived their initial purpose and been left to fend for themselves, with the original none the wiser. Perhaps it had something to do with the lack of seals he'd used. Perhaps it was the chakra poured out to make them. Naruto had used a lot of it. Perhaps it was simply a twist of fate. Who could say? For a jinchuuriki, such was little more than a tiny drop in a bucket for him, but to the clones, it made all the difference.

By now they were both of him and yet not him. Each different, each in their own ways.

They'd had hours to walk about now -time in which to form their own impressions of the world- and the world had shaped them in turn.

Beta was unusually taciturn, showing a reserved side that bordered on melancholy. Not quite sadness, not quite sorrow, but something else. Cynicism perhaps?

Gamma, meanwhile, empathized Naruto's kindness, and was almost childlike in his compassion and humor. He was quite possibly the purest of them, untainted by doubt or fear.

Alpha felt these things, but they were muted, overshadowed by a different emotion.

Beta embodied cynicism and Gamma was empathy incarnate. That much was true. He answered to a higher calling. Curiosity. Of his existence, of this world, of so many things. Like the original, he had questions, and he wouldn't hesitate to find the answers, though his time was short. Even with their overabundance of chakra, the three of them were steadily burning through it merely by existing. Nevermind more physical acts such as fighting or running. In all likelihood, they wouldn't be around to see the next sunset. Not without a chakra transfusion or some very clever thinking.

"What're we supposed to do, anyway?" Gamma's gentle inquiry drew him back to reality. "This is nice n' all, but should we really be wandering around like this?"

"Yeah, its not like the boss man to let us walk around like this." Beta pointed out, raising a finger. "He's probably gonna dispel us the second he wakes up, ya know? What's the point of-

"BROTHERS AND SISTERS! I CALL UPON YOU TO REPENT!"

As one, the unlikely trio stopped dead in their tracks.

"Repent!" only a few yards away, a man clad in dark purple robes stood atop a podium at a nearby corner, prattling on to a mismatched gaggle of human and faunus alike. His shrieks had swallowed their words. "The end times are nigh!"

Gamma cringed at the sight of him. "The hell is he on about? He's noisy."

"Huh, neat." Beta thumbed his chin. "So they have fanatics here, too. Wanna knock him out?"

Alpha clicked his teeth. "No, let him be. We're not here to start trouble. He's not causing any harm...yet."

"Salem has come! Her apostles are here! Among us! In this very city! Repent! Repent!" as they strode past the madman threw his head back with a mad cackle and reached slender arms into the sky, fingers grasping at the broken moon as though to seize it in his very hands. "Cannot you not see her signs in the sky?! The child has been taken and soon, soon the fires will rise! Abandon your false gods! Throw yourself at her feet and be saved! Repent, before its too late! Repent!"

"Ignore him."

"Already am." Beta yawned. "Lets get something to eat."

"We don't have any money." Alpha groaned. "No, don't even give me that look. No stealing. These folk have little enough as it is."

"You, there! Pretenders! Shadows of the impostor!" the madman -priest?- continued to rave at their backs as they left him to his sermon. "Do you not see the truth of Salem's grace? Are you blind?! Do you not see how meaningless your little lives are?!"

It was like flicking a switch.

Something ugly reared its head in Alpha's heart and the clone turned his head a fraction of an inch. A lone blue eye leered over his shoulder and bore into the priest with killing intent. Just a little. Just a touch. Not enough to cause any irreparable damage on his part, but it silenced the lunatic all the same. He foamed at the mouth and toppled off his crude podium with a gurgling squawk. Alpha raised a lone finger in salute as they sauntered away. No one bothered to catch the madman, nor did anyone dare to challenge them as they departed.. Good. Mantle was chaotic enough; the last thing it needed was a cult.

...and who the hell was Salem? Why had that name sent a chill down his spine?

"Putting that little incident aside, regardless of what happens to us tonight or tomorrow, our experience will live on through the original." he continued, guiding his brothers around another corner and away from the raving lunatic, "Either way, the outcome is the same. I'm sure he won't mind." he flashed them a grin that he hoped looked reassuring. "What's wrong with living a little, eh? What could possibly go wrong?" When neither answered he paused and turned, frowning now as his brothers fixed him with a deadpan look. "What? Why're ya looking at me like that? What did I say?"

Beta facepalmed. "You've doomed us all, you old fool."

A laugh burst out of him. "Hey, now! I'm the same age as you two!"

"Doooooomed~!" Gamma echoed with faux despair. "We're gonna have bad luck now, all because of you!"

"Bah, we're fine!" he turned up his nose. "What's the worst that could happen?"

"There it is!" Gamma's finger jabbed his arm. "You just did it again! Traitor! Are you trying to get us killed?!"

"Stubborn bastard." Beta grumbled in agreement. "Who put you in charge, anyway? I don't recall us putting this to a vote."

"Hey, the position was open." Alpha puffed out his chest as he stepped over a sleeping man on the sidewalk. He paused and considered him, then gave the poor sod the jacket off his own back before continuing. "Neither of you took it so, by virtue of having the most chakra, it went to me." he shrugged as his brothers in arms continued to glower at him. "Besides, the Boss created me a whole five seconds before either of you big lugs, so that means I'm in charge." a pause followed as he reconsidered his words." 'Till he wakes up and dispels us, at least."

Gamma looked like he was about to retort something to that effect, but he paused instead. Frowned. Sniffed at the air.

...why do I smell smoke?" he blinked rapidly, eyes widening. "No, not smoke...kinda smells like...ash?"

Alpha facepalmed in the same moment. "Its probably nothing. Maybe? Hopefully?"

Someone screamed in the distance. Beta arched an eyebrow. "Nothing, eh?"

"Damnit."

Limited though it was compared to the original, the three of them could still sense some semblance of negative emotions. Something had spiked just now. Something close. Very close, indeed. Close enough to send people running for their homes and away from the noise. Credit where it was due, Alpha didn't hesitate and neither did his brothers; they raced right into the chaos after him.

Bounding around the corner, he darted around a frantic couple, vaulted a food-stall and snagged the first passerby he could find. "What's going on here?!"

He soon wished he hadn't, for they soon supplied them with an answer. His eyes did the rest.

Mantle was on fire.

Much to their horror, nearly an entire street had gone up in flame; some of it was still burning even, buildings collapsing in on themselves as he looked on. Alpha's next thought was to spring into action, but even as he stepped forward to do so he saw that there was no need. Even now the last of the fires were being actively doused as the last of their occupants evacuated. Had that been the end of it, the clones would've walked away, just as they'd done so for that fanatic on the corner. It was not.

Because a crowd had gathered in the shadow of those smoldering buildings. Human and faunus, one to each side. Almost exclusively so.

"There's no need for this!"

"Oh?" Gamma perked up. "Seems someone beat us here."

"Don't sound so disappointed." Beta's elbow lightly tapped his side. "Its better this way."

"Is it?" Alpha queried.

A smartly dressed man clad in Atlas colors accompanied by a pair of soldiers stood amidst the crow, both arms raised on either side in a desperate attempt to placate them. Neither of the unlikely trio much understood the purpose of his uniform; Willow had explained the intricacies of the military, save that they were ruthlessly efficient and quite good at what they did. Something like this would draw their attention. Alpha paused at the edge of the crowd with his brothers, suddenly hesitant to intervene. Those didn't look like rank and file soldiers surrounding the man in uniform. One of them looked their way and he ducked back.

"Please, calm yourselves!" the man's voice boomed as they approached. "There's no need for violence! We'll get to the bottom of this!"

Unfortunately the crowds seemed to disagree with that remark, judging by the vehemence of their...reaction.

"Piss off, Ironwood!"

"What's a captain like you doin' down here?!"

"Come to rub elbows with the common folk, have ye?!"

Alpha and Beta exchanged a bleak look. "Ironwood...didn't Watts mention someone by that name?"

"Did he?" Now it was Gamma's turn to frown. "I don't really remember...

"You wouldn't." Beta sniped. "Too busy with your new toy."

"Hey!"

In hindsight, it didn't take much to see why they were making such remarks; both groups looked...well, rough, to say nothing of the mismatched weapons gripped in their hands. They likely wanted blood and would settle for nothing less. Perhaps this lot were the castoffs from the last crowd they'd stopped. Perhaps they were simply drunken louts who'd had one too many and were spoiling for a fight. Perhaps they'd lost loved ones in the blaze and grief had blinded them to the truth. Whatever the case, they were spoiling for a fight and about to get one from the looks of it. These folks clearly wouldn't back down without violence. Still, to intervene now would be...

"That looks ugly. Should probably do somethin' about it." Gamma muttered, drawing his attention. "We're gonna help, right? We can't just leave them like this."

"They've got weapons." Beta grumbled.

"Duh. So do we." Gamma hefted his metal arm. "We can take 'em."

"They outnumber us."

His grin grew. "Then it'll be a fair fight. For them."

"This isn't our fight!" Exasperated, Beta pulled their younger brother aside and gave him a good hard shake. "We're clones, remember? Accident or not, and poof. We're gone."

Gamma's guileless grin alarmed him. "And that's a problem because...?"

"Oh for the love of-talk some sense into him!" Beta hissed at Alpha's, who hadn't spoke a word. "We need to leave. Now, before we draw attention to ourselves."

"Why?" Gamma snapped back. "We haven't done anything wrong. Stop being so damn skittish!"

Alpha shushed them both again and tried to listen in.

"We're not here to make any arrests!" once more Ironwood raised his arms toward the crowd as he continued to implore them. "We don't mean you any harm!" Though he looked harried, his voice remained strong in the face of their adversity. "We just want to understand what happened here!"

It was the right thing to say, but it backfired; because the Faunus side all but bristled and the humans weren't far behind.

"Liar!"

"Atlas scum!"

"Don't believe a word he says!"

It made a strange sort of sense, really; of course the Atlas military wouldn't take kindly to a ruckus down here in Mantle. Least of all a fire of this magnitude. They weren't the sort to ignore this kind of destruction...and it seemed the Faunus were getting the brunt of the blame. Honestly, it made Alpha pity their plight all the more. Poor sods. Atlas was cold enough but Mantle was freezing. Small wonder they were miserable. He could see why the original wanted to do something about that. A thorn of guilt stabbed at what passed for his heart.

"Sienna did it!" a portly man wearing a butcher's apron over dark clothes stepped froth from the crowd, braying like a bull. "She started the fire! I saw her skulking about!"

"Her?"

Alpha tilted his head.

Beta and Gamma mirrored him.

"Piss off, Raul! I didn't do shit!" A young voice cracked back like a whip, drawing their attention to a third party in the crowd. "I was just trying to get a meal!"

Alpha finally glimpsed the speaker near his elbow; the young woman didn't see him yet, but he saw her; a rough-looking girl with hair dark as ebony, clad in strange leathers of black and orange alike -oho?!- her tan skin blemished with dirt and bruises. Oddly enough her arms were exposed, and were those...stripes on her arms? Tattoos? Birthmarks, maybe? He couldn't be sure. She was a Faunus however, of that much there could be no doubt. Those furry ears twitching atop her head couldn't be anything but; by the log, she looked absolutely livid when the butcher replied.

"The hell you were!" Raul scoffed. "I don't serve Faunus!"

"No, you don't." In spite of her injuries, Sienna's golden eyes burned with defiance and she railed at the butcher with a singular ferocity that belied her slight size. "Which is why I had to rummage through your scraps for a decent meal!" she turned her head and spat at his feet. "Again!"

An angry murmur moved through the crowd.

Gamma turned aside. "She's kidding, right? Why would people do this?"

Alpha and Beta exchanged another bleak look.

"Aha!" the butcher jabbed a finger at her with a triumphant cry, heedless of the angry blue eyes blazing into his back. "You see, she admits it! She was here! Murderer!"

"I never said that!" she stepped forward to meet him, reaching for the chain whip resting against her hip. "Get the wax outta yer ears!"

Ironwood stepped in to keep them apart. "If you'll just allow us to take your statements, we can-

"Like hell!" the girl viciously slapped his hand back with a cry. "You'll throw me in a cell, ya Atlas prick! I know your kind!"

Alpha flinched, a thorn of guilty concern pricking at his chest. Had they caused this? By preventing one outbreak of violence had they merely given rise to another? To make matters worse, Ironwood and his men were still trapped between them both sides. Wasn't this their job? Was it really his place to intervene here?

"Well?" Beta blew out a sigh and hung his head. "Looks like he bit off more than he could chew. "Someone's gonna start something at this rate. Whaddya wanna do?"

"Non-lethal?" Gamma chirped, poking his head between them.

...fine. Don't hurt them too badly." Alpha rolled up his right sleeve. "They're just ordinary people; most of them probably lack Aura. We don't want to kill them." he turned a pointed gaze on Gamma. "If this turns into a brawl, get the girl somewhere safe. Not the Schnee mansion.," he clarified when his brother opened his mouth. "Beta and I will handle the rest."

"What, just the two of you? Ya got an ace up your sleeve or somethin'?"

Beta's grin reminded him of a shark. "You'll see."

Someone off to one side snapped off a less-than-pleasant slur and everything spiraled into chaos. Then said someone raised a weapon. It wasn't much of one, little more than a pitchfork really. The tool itself didn't matter a bit. The act behind it did. It was like setting a match to a dry field, and his actions were the spark to ignite them.

"Hang her!"

"Its all her fault!"

"Yeah! Kill the Faunus!"

Raoul lashed out. So did Sienna.

Without thinking, without thought, Alpha seized the young girl by the wrist and yanked her back. Startled, the Faunus cried out, only to find herself flung into the ready arms of Gamma. In the same moment, Beta stepped forward and thundered a metal fist right into Raul's meaty face. For all his earlier bark and bluster, the butcher dropped like a sack of potatoes.

All the world went silent, and it was into this silence that Alpha spoke.

"That's quite enough."

Killing intent flooded his words and throttled any response those in the crowd might've given. Something ugly reared its head in the back of his mind again. Sheep. They acted strong in a herd, but throw a few harsh words at them and they cowered like the cowards they were.

"Have you lost your minds?" Gamma's words shattered the silence between them and brought him back to himself. "You can't just execute someone like this! Its not right!"

"I have a name, damnit!" Sienna shouted in his arms.

"Yes, you do." Beta patted her head. "Now shut the hell up."

"Hey!"

"Freaking...Faunus...!" Raul groaned at their feet and tried to rise. Beta kicked him to make sure that didn't happen.

The military man -Ironwood?- stepped up to lay a hand on Alpha's shoulder. He barely felt it.

"I appreciate your assistance, but I'm afraid I'm going to have to ask-

Alpha shook him off. "You! Shush! We! Are! Talking!

An uncharacteristic ember of anger ignited deep in his chest as he turned his gaze back to the crowd; at their fear-stricken faces. Perhaps the captain was trying to do his job, but these people...they wanted a scapegoat. Someone to lash out against, someone to blame for all their fear and misery. In their eyes, guilt or innocence didn't matter. Someone needed to be punished and Sienna had been chosen for that role. Mob mentality at its finest. It made him sick.

They should die.

These folk were neither shinobi nor huntsmen; they weren't even people in his eyes. What had the original said? Come to Atlas? He would help them? Help? Them? Ha! The crowd from before might have been different, but these people didn't need help. They deserved to burn, each and every one of...where had that thought come from? The clone's eyes pulsed red for the merest of moments before he restrained himself. Breathe, boy. Calm down. Don't do anything reckless.

Shaking his head he planted both fee, and crossed his arms before his chest.

...go home, the lot of you." the word emerged as a low, angry growl. "You shall not pass."

Beta stepped up to join him. "If you want a fight that badly, then you'll be fighting all of us. Got it?"

Someone lobbed a rock at the back of his head; Alpha sensed it, caught it in his right hand, and ground it to fine powder in his palm. Slowly, painstakingly, he opened his fingers and let the dust fall to join the fresh snow upon the ground for all to see. When he raised his gaze, no more stones followed the first. A small, silent part of him took vindictive pleasure in the fear that followed. Several civilians backpedaled.

"Really?" A blond eyebrow arched. "We're throwing rocks, now? I know the saying about casting stones, but this is a little ridiculous, don'tcha think?"

"Freak!" Someone cried! "Go be with your own kind!"

Beta ducked as an empty wine bottle whizzed past his head. "Hey!"

Alpha, meanwhile, blinked at the remark. Did they think he was a Faunus?

"Right, to hell with this." he waved over his shoulder. "Gamma, go. We'll join you later."

Behind his brothers, Gamma stuck out his tongue and bolted, a struggling Sienna still clutched against his chest. Incensed at the possibility of their quarry escaping what they believed to be retribution, several humans boiled forward on one side. A group of angry Faunus moved to intercept them, leaving Ironwood and his men caught in the middle. Rather than intervene, the two officers closed ranks around their captain and ushered him to safety. It was here, in this brief, beautiful moment of chaos, that Alpha palmed a trio of smoke bombs into his hands.

There were only two of them. That much was true. They made all the difference.

The first grenade detonated between the mobs and spewed a noxious black smog into the night. Not a heartbeat later a second landed, followed by the third from Beta. Caught unawares and with a rapidly expanding cloud of thick haze obscuring their vision, some of the less bold civilians opted to turn tail and run rather than face reprisal. None even paused to consider who had thrown them or why. Some, perhaps too foolish or too angry to reconsider their actions, still tried to attack. Poor choice, that.

Alpha and Beta had no interest in getting dispelled; nor did they intend to perpetuate this farce any longer with Gamma safely away.

Two trained clones -with their blood up!- against a ragtag group of drunk and disorderly civilians?

It wasn't even a contest.

Caught unprepared by the sudden onslaught, the angry civilians were quickly overwhelmed. One turned to flee and Beta created another clone and launched them at him like a missile, tackling him to the floor before he could make his escape. Alpha blinked, bemused by the ingenuity. Not a bad tactic. Still, he didn't think they had enough chakra left to make clones. Apparently Beta did. Huh. Neat. Something to remember for later. Still, after all that the brawl, mugging, or whatever the devil this was, ended in moments.

Breaking of a bit of wire from their pouches, the clones went to work subduing their fallen assailants.

Beta met his gaze as they bound the last of them. "Looks like the Captain's got some moves. He fought pretty hard."

Alpha followed his gaze and soon saw what he was grasping at. A few unlucky sods had been foolish enough to go after Ironwood and his men. Judging by the twitching heap at his feet, they hadn't fared well. One of them was wrapped up by a length of steel cable stemming from...was that a fishing rod? Who used a weapon like that? Whomever they were, they seemed preoccupied with the prisoners. Thank small mercies for that. He'd had just about all he could stand of people for today.

As such, when the Captain came up to them, he nearly bolted.

He expected handcufs, a reprisal for excessive force at the very least. Instead he got a pat on the back.

"Well fought, the both of you." The man actually congratulated them! "You two acquitted yourselves well out there."

"Gonna arrest us?" Beta raised his chin in stoic defiance.

"I think not." the Captain laughed, rubbing his fist. "After that display, I dare say I'd like to recruit the two of you."

Both blonds blinked.

...and you are...?"

"James." Their newfound acquaintance -ally?- extended an arm to introduce himself. "James Ironwood. You have my gratitude for what you did back there." when neither moved to take it, he hastened to explain. "I had no intention of arresting that poor girl, but I couldn't intervene without starting an incident. For that, you have my thanks."

"Don't mention it." Alpha accepted it without thinking. More fool he. The man had a grip just like his name! What was his hand, pure metal or something?! "That's...a strong grip you got there."

"I could say the same of you." the captain granted with a frown, though his eyes strayed to Beta. "That trick you did earlier, was that a Semblance? Just how many can you make?"

Beta made a choking sound and tugged his scarf higher to hide his face. "Erm...something like that."

Alpha didn't even pause to consider his answer. "I dunno. Hundreds? Thousands? Never really tested our limits."

As if to echo that very thought, Beta's "clone" shrugged and -the absolute traitor!- dispelled itself in a plume of white smoke.

Ironwood stiffened, his smile turning brittle with shock and disbelief. Alpha wasn't privy to his thoughts beyond that. Perhaps had he possessed such clairvoyance, he might've been more a touch warier with his words just now. How could he have known? James didn't radiate such much as an iota of negativity, and whatever fell magic the mark on the original's hand wrought, it didn't transfer through to his clones. He was blissfully ignorant of what he'd just done, and the ramifications of his actions here in this moment.

"Idiot!" Beta hissed.

...the rest of the world wasn't.

James choked, his mind awhirl with the implications of what he'd just been told. Hundreds-no, thousands?! If what he said was true...this individual was a one man army. Atlas could use this. Benefit from this. No. Not just Atlas. Vale, Mistral, even Vacuo. The world. Kingdoms would kill for this kind of power. At his core, James was a good man. He had principles. Lines he'd rather not cross if he could help it. But others lacked such principles and wouldn't hesitate. Yet, any attempt to pressure or coerce this man was doomed to disaster. He could see that much. So he schooled his face into a stoic mask and chose his words carefully.

"Might I ask where the two of you are staying?"

"Not a chance." Beta threw his arms up before Alpha could speak. "I don't know you, and I sure as hell don't trust you."

"Ignore him." Alpha waved his brother off. "He doesn't trust his own shadow. Ask Nicholas if you need something. Our Boss is staying with him."

"Not again!" Beta made a noise of absolute disgust. "Why're ya telling him that?! Are you trying to cause trouble or something? For crying out loud, man!"

"Boss? Nicholas?" Ironwood nearly keeled over on the spot. As if matters weren't complicated enough! "By any chance do you mean...Nicholas Schnee? Who exactly are you...?"

Thank the gods he hadn't tried to pressure these two; or worse, arrest them! Nevermind the fact that he wasn't sure he could take him in a fair fight, anyone with Schnee backing would absolutely bury him. You didn't mess with a Schnee. It just wasn't done. Nicholas Schnee was a kind fellow to be sure, but he'd go to hell and back for his friends and family. He wasn't eager to make an enemy of him. Moreover, Nicholas was an old friend. He wasn't sure what to make of this "Boss" fellow, however. With such little information at hand, he didn't dare make any assumptions, save the worst.

He pointedly noticed that these young men had yet to answer him.

...you're not going to tell me your names, are you?"

Beta all but flipped him off. "Nope."

"Look," Alpha at least had the wherewithal to realize his earlier gaffe before he opened his mouth again. "We're really not at liberty to explain ourselves here." when Ironwood tried to speak, he shushed him. "Its not that I don't want to, its just...complicated." he amended at his brother's withering glare. "If you wanna talk that badly, take it up with the Boss. Preferably in the morning."

Morning? A lot could happen by then. Ironwood resisted the urge to punch the nearest wall over and over again.

...might I ask why?" he hazarded.

"Um, because he's asleep?" Beta tilted his head. "We're not him."

"I don't understand." the Captain blinked. "You're you. You're standing right here."

"Weeell...we are, but we aren't." Alpha granted him a sly grin. "Like we said, its complicated. More than you know."

"Oh, for the love of...!" Beta rolled his eyes in response. "Right, that settles it. I've had enough of this crap. I'm going back."

"You're leaving?" Alpha arched an eyebrow. "After all that? Here I thought you weren't the sort to get sentimental. You're going to dispel yourself? Just like that?"

"Something like that." the second clone snapped his fingers. "Don't give me that look. Its not like I'm leaving. Not really. I'm just going back to where I belong. Inside his head. Its where we belong. I'll see you there."

Alpha tried to speak, tried to muster some witty sendoff, but all that emerged was a soft croak. Why did this feel so bittersweet? Why did he care so much? He shouldn't, and yet he did. They were little more than shadow clones; mere aspects of the original made manifest. They'd gained some semblance of self by chance, nothing more. No one would know them. No one would miss them. No one would mourn them. And yet...!

"What're ya crying for?"

The clone startled, surprised by him.

"For what it was worth, I had fun." Beta grinned, the clone's first real smile since his birth. "See ya, partner."

A plume of smoke consumed him. Ironwood jumped, looked over his shoulder, and back again. "What in the...where did he go?!"

"Home." Alpha sighed, shoulders drooping. "I should be going, too. For the Boss, this'll all be a vivid dream. But for you...well." a bitter chuckle escaped him. "Be nice to him, alright? He's had a rough time."

Alpha didn't so much blur as he did vanish; even as James realized what he intended, the lone clone had already vanished in a swirl of leaves. By the time he thought to look up and caught sight of him again, the doppelganger was little more than a receding shadow on the rooftops, then not even that. He never saw the faint plume of smoke that followed, but he felt the cold breeze in his wake. Within moments he was gone entirely, leaving him to deal with the aftermath.

It would be the beginning of a long evening for James, one that would change Remnant just a little more. For better or for worse, who could day?

Naruto would wake to quite a spectacle come morning, utterly baffled by what had transpired in his absence.

After all, for him, it was only a dream. Little more than a fleeting phantasm.

But this dream...this dream would change the world.

A/N: Don't worry, next chapter focuses on the main cast again. Let us know if you liked the clones or not~!

READ THIS NOTE WOULD YOU KINDLY? Else you may find yourself horribly lost.

NOW BEFORE ANYONE SQUAWKS! Naruto's clones aren't a plot device for convenience. They're a one-off.

They had a purpose in this story, brief though it was, to show some of Naruto's emotions. Time -and you, the reader- will tell if we see them again.

Once again, the gang and I had to split this chapter in TWO because we were getting so many messages DEMANDING an update for this. Literally dozens in a day. You're getting the second half quite soon after this, so by all means, review away. If we get enough support, we'll try to have the second half of this chapter out this very week -Thursday~!- for you all to enjoy.

But like I've said in the past, reviews are fuel, and they spur me and the gang to write all the faster. AND IT MEANS LONGER CHAPTERS. Think on that for a moment.

So In The Immortal Words of Atlas...

...Review, Would You Kindly? It keeps us all alive.

Without reviews, we wither and die. Sorry, but that's the truth.

Now then, we do hope you enjoy the previews. Read at your own risk, of course:

SPOILERS! SPOILERS! SPOILERS!

PLOT DETAILS AHOY!

YE BE WARNED!

(POTENTIAL Previews)

"Hrngh, what a weird dream...

"YOU!

"Me?" Naruto frowned.

Sienna tried to bite his hand.

Naruto groaned. "Right. Training. Whoo."

Willow elbowed him. "Don't be such a dolt. You promised, remember? And besides...

He looked down.

Cinder's pleading expression turned his resolve to jelly. Gods, you could weaponize that kind of cuteness. How could anyone stand against it?

"Alright, alright! Jeez, twist my arm why don't ya...

"No! No, no, don't go! Why? Why're you leaving me here? Why am I always left alone?! Its so lonely...I don't wanna be alone!"

"Men are weak. Divide them, place doubt in their minds, and any semblance of power they once had will wash away."

"D-D-D-Date?!"

Willow nearly keeled over on the spot.

Nicholas chortled softly. "You're clearly sweet on him, my dear. Why not?"

R&R~!