A/N: Bit of an interlude this time, really under the weather over here...
Apologies for the delay, I'm still sick over here. Doctor gave me some meds and they're helping, slowly but surely...
March madness continues, and so too do the RWBY updates~!
But onto other things...
As ever the Embers rule persists, reviews are my fuel, my fire, my life. Without them, I lose all inspiration, all hope, all ability to write. That's no joke. I have so little time to write these days with two jobs, and silence hurts. So by all means, speak up! Make yourselves heard! Every bit of feedback, no matter how small or large, matters! Really, it helps a lot. Its a joy to talk with you all and bandy ideas back and forth; it really is. Sorry if this seems shorter than usual, working on a tight schedule here.
Reviews are the fuel that keeps me writing. That's no joke. I really am sorry that the chapters are shorter these days, and the updates slower, but I'm trying my best. Silence hurts more than any flame...without feedback, I can't write a single world. Seriously! So speak up! Every word -and every review!- really does matter!
As my fifteen year anniversary on this site draws near, I find myself reflecting on the little things in life. What was once a lazy pastime meant for me and a few friends really grew and evolved over time. There are days when I look back on the last fifteen years here and I wonder if anyone will remember me; if I made an impact, despite never making a single cent on any of these stories. Some days were happier than others, and some stories I enjoyed writing WAY too much; to the point where I'd stay up all night working on them.
And of course, there are times when I look to the future and wonder what will become of things when I'm gone.
Of course, I try not to dwell on the latter overmuch; I'm still alive and still writing. In an ideal world, I'd like to keep doing so for as long as I can. But old age is catching up to me and these days, the world is filled with so much madness and death. So many friends and fellow writers I once knew are gone, now. Will I still be here in twenty years? Ten? Five? Its a chilling thought. But for now, I'm still here, still writing.
Only a few questions to answer this time around, as these ones were needed:
Q: Is the whole Torcwhick bit in the quotes gonna be a thing from now on?
A: Folks seem to enjoy it, so yes.
Q: Update schedule?
A: Mostly RWBY this month, with Elden Ring, Game of Thrones, Shield Hero, and others sprinkled in. Not to mention Fate and the like. Gave Slifer the month off, Ronin appears to have passed away, Dark can only beta when need be, and I've not heard a thing from Dylan Millwood for awhile now.
Q: Aaaaal the little Winter moments! We demand them!
A: Ask and you shall receive.
Alright, this old man has kept you waiting long enough. As ever, I own noooo references, quotes, memes or themes. Not a wit or a one.
Ought to be reeeaaally bloody obvious by now, but I'll say it again.
"And so Winter was born! First of many, that one.
You know, she still slips up and calls me big brother sometimes-ow! Don't kick me, Neo!
Fine, fine, I'll get back to it. Where was I? Well, shortly after Winter came into the world, things got reeeaaal interesting...
~Torcwhick (Future).
Protect the Child (Interlude)
"Eeeee! She's adorable!"
"Oooh! Lemme see!"
"Can I hold her?"
...cute kid."
"Hey, hey!" Naruto flung up an arm to ward off the crowding faces. "Don't crowd Winter! You'll make her cry!"
Willow hid a smile behind one hand. "I don't think that's likely, dear. If she hasn't panicked now, she's likely not going to...
Apparently the birth of a child was something of a momentous occasion thing in Remnant, Naruto found; and the birth of a new Schnee most of all. They had friends and family aplenty these days, and all of them wanted to see the little life he and Willow had brought into the world. Watts and Pietro aside, all of Team STRQ had portaled into their home just for the occasion; as had the Belladonas and James. Even Ironwood was present to bear witness, and miracle of miracles, not needling him with endless questions for once.
Made him him damn proud to be a dad again...and proper protective of his little girl.
Penny poked her head over the sofa to peer at Winter. "So this is what a baby looks like...
Alma joined her. "So small...
"Careful now," Watts chided. "I'm sure you wouldn't like it if everyone crowded around you in such a fashion...
"Quite right." Pietro seconded him. "Give the poor girl some space."
On that they agreed. Even at only a week old, Winter was a surprisingly stoic child. She stared curiously at the many strangers around her with wide eyes, yet made not a sound. Quietly curious. Those were the best words Naruto could think to use for her. Her suspected that was due in no small part to her heritage. Schnees were a silent sort...until you got under their skin.
"I'm a grandfather again!" Nicholas was certainly the odd man out on that front, likely in pact because he was holding Winter at the moment. "Such a precious little girl she is!"
Naruto felt a sudden buildup of chakra and magic from her. He opened his mouth to warn Nicholas. "Careful, I think she's about to-
"Hachoo!"
Winter wrinkled her nose, then heaved a mighty sneeze. A storm of hoarfrost formed on the old man's face, coating both beard and brow alike in ice. Nor was he the only one affected. Ironwood had lingered a little too close and got a faceful of cold air for his curiosity. Pietro wasn't spared either. Standing directly beside Nicholas as he was, the scientist's spectacles cracked clean in half beneath the sudden temperature plunge. Silence reigned supreme.
Watts blinked into it. "Oh, my."
Ghira tilted his head. "Is that quite...normal?"
Tyrian hooted with laughter, clutching at his ribs. "Remarkable!"
"Ha!" Nicholas barked a laugh of his own, drawing a rare giggle from the girl in his arms. "Would you look at that! You're going to be a very special girl, my dear!"
"Special, hmm?" Willow wrested Winter back out of his arms with a sigh. "Yes, I suppose that's one way of putting it...
Raven looked to Taiyang. "I want one."
Summer squeaked. "Rae?! Where'd that come from?!"
Qrow choked on his booze and thumped his chest with a first.
As for poor Taiyang...well. The results spoke for themselves now, didn't they?
"Eh?"! The baffled blond brawler balked and backpedaled, looking at Raven like she'd grown a second head. "We're not even dating! Isn't this a little too soon?!"
"Is it?" Raven tilted her head. "In the Tribe, men appreciated women who spoke their mind. Are you going to bed me or not?"
Penny raised a hand. "I do not understand. What does a bed have to do with any of this?"
Qrow's choking turned to muffled cackling in the background.
Kali's ears flattened against her head. "Please, there are children here...
Tai's face went red. "This ain't your tribe! And I'm not ready for that kind of commitment!"
"Tch." she clicked her tongue then. "Coward. Naruto, then." Blood red eyes swiveled to him. "Would you give me a daughter?"
Now it was his to turn to balk. "Birdie-say-what-now?"
"Do I have to spell it out? You. Me. Baby in nine months. Is that so hard to understand?"
"Ahem? Willow smiled, blue flames burning in her eyes. "That's my fiance you're trying to solicit."
"Maybe," Raven shrugged. "You haven't married him yet, have you? When's the wedding date, anyway?"
...I see. You must truly have a death wish, then." Willow handed Winter off to a startled Summer-much to the poor girl's chagrin!-and climbed to her feet. Frost flicked from her fingertips, promising a blizzard. "Do you want me to kick you around the yard that badly?"
"Try me, miss Maiden." Raven puffed out her chest. "I've been training."
"Won't be enough." Young Cinder chimed at Willow's elbow. "You're no match for a Maiden."
The elder Branwen scoffed. "That's rich coming from you, shortstack."
"Hey! I'm still growing!"
Ironwood drew him aside as the duo spat at one another. For once Naruto let him, grateful for the distraction.
...thanks, captain. Or should I say general?" he waggled a blond brow at him as the older man tugged him toward a window. "I understand congratulations are in order."
"Thank you." James took the praise at his promotion with all the subtlety he possessed, which was to say none. "I know we haven't always seen eye to eye, but I wanted to thank you as well."
Well, color him surprised. "For what, exactly?"
"Do I really need to say it?" he clasped both hands behind his back and sketched a shallow bow. "Ever since you first found your way here, you've been a boon to Atlas. You've changed things." his gaze strayed back to the window and the reflections therein, watching Tyrian and Watts fuss over little Winter, the latter even being allowed to hold her by a watchful Willow. "For the better, I'd hope."
He grimaced. "Not everything. Hazel still escaped while we were away."
James pulled a grim face of his own. "And he will be hunted down like the mad dog he is. You have my word."
"Then you're welcome." He could sense the unspoken question lingering between them. "There's something else, isn't there?"
"A few things." The Headmaster winced. "...but I'm not sure how to phrase them without offending you."
"You don't have to walk on eggshells around me."
His frown deepened. "You say that now...
"James."
"Fine." he took a deep breath to steady himself. Exhaled now. And his eyes came to life. "How on Remnant did you manage to tame a bloody dragon?!" the questions came quickly after that. "How did you bring her back to Atlas in one piece, nevermind hide her away in the wastes?" his voice piqued further in distress. "How are you even feeding her? Will going to lay eggs?!" he flung up his arms. "Are we going to deal with more of her kind?!"
"Whoa, hey!" Naruto held up his false arm to ward him off. "In order, I'd say luck, Cinder begged me to keep Syrax, and loads of fish. As to the eggs, no idea. Hopefully?"
The Schnee family was powerful enough already with him at the helm; the idea of their descendants being dragonriders amused him to no end. Dragons were sturdy creatures and Syrax was growing quickly. She seemed admittedly fond of Cinder at that. Her wings were strong and her scales sturdy. She'd already proven her worth by beating back a Grimm attack on Mantle just the other day with her fire. Having her around might well go a long way to colonizing the rest of the frozen continent. It was a strangely pleasing thought.
Matters for another time, he supposed. "Anything else?"
The general took a deep breath to steady himself. And then. "I know your daughter is a Maiden-
His blood turned to ice. "No idea what you mean."
-and I intend to keep Cinder's secret." Those steady, steely eyes met his as James finished. "You've done good work for Remnant, both here and abroad. I owe you a debt. I would repay that with trust." he offered him a hand, the real one, not the facsimile of steel. "If you need anything, and I mean anything all, you have but to ask."
Naruto glanced down. Frowned at it. "You sure about this?
James didn't budge. "We both want the same thing. Peace on Remnant. For ourselves, and those we hold dear."
.
..
...on that they agreed.
He reached out the rest of the way and clasped his hand. James squeezed his fingers briskly, an effort he returned tenfold.
"Thanks. Now I should probably get back to it before Raven ticks off someone else."
A hand clamped down on his shoulder before he could leave. "Naruto."
...hmm?"
"Don't judge miss Branwen too harshly." James cast a bemused look over his shoulder, watching a now-anxious Raven cradle Winter in her arms while a sullen Cinder looked on. He didn't miss the longing look she gave his daughter. Nor did James. "From what little Ozpin told me of her, she and Qrow suffered from a rather stunted upbringing before they came to Beacon. He's adapted rather well, but as you can see, she still struggles, more than she cares to admit. In their tribe the rule of the strong applied. She clings to such things even now, as you can see."
That was putting it mildly. Him and Raven? Having a child together? Preposterous. Wasn't it...? "Then she should leave me out of it."
"Trying losing to her, then." James granted him a rare wry grin. That'll get her out of your hair."
"Yeah-no." he shook his head. "I'd sooner chop off my other arm than throw a fight. 'Sides, she'll never let me live it down.
He heard Willow spit something acerbic at Raven, who snapped back.
Well, he could think of one way to solve this...
(.0.0.0.)
So this was what it felt like to have a younger sibling.
Cinder smiled softly as she watched the spectacle unfold before her.
Not an unpleasant feeling. To think she'd once dreaded this. Feared it. Hated it. What a fool she'd been. Everyone seemed quite taken with baby Winter, even Sienna and Roman were cooing over her. Hmm! As well they should be. She would teach Winter to be a true Schnee. Even if she hadn't had a chance to hold her yet...
"Cinder!" Father barked at her suddenly. Come here and hold your sister. You're family."
Panic! Pride! More panic!
She froze, torn between the former and the latter.
Sienna nudged her with an elbow. When that didn't work, Roman shoved her forward.
"Ah! Wait! I'm not ready!" Cinder stumbled, righted herself and quite suddenly found herself holding the little tyke. "I'm not...!" Too late. Winter stared up at her with round eyes. Cinder stared back. In that instant, a bond was formed. "I...She's...so small...
Family, eh?
Cinder rather liked that.
Yes, indeed. She liked it very much.
A/N: Aaaand scene.
As ever the Embers rule persists, reviews are my fuel, my fire, my life. Without them, I lose all inspiration, all hope, all ability to write. That's no joke. I have so little time to write these days with two jobs, and silence hurts. So by all means, speak up! Make yourselves heard! Every bit of feedback, no matter how small or large, matters! Really, it helps a lot. Its a joy to talk with you all and bandy ideas back and forth; it really is. Sorry if this seems shorter than usual, working on a tight schedule here.
Reviews are the fuel that keeps me writing. That's no joke. I really am sorry that the chapters are shorter these days, and the updates slower, but I'm trying my best. Silence hurts more than any flame...without feedback, I can't write a single world. Seriously! So speak up! Every word -and every review!- really does matter!
So in the Immortal Words of Atlas... ...Review, Would You Kindly?
Here, have some previews. Lemme know what you think!
And as ever: Possible spoilers! Seriously!
Mostly the same previews here.
WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!
SPOILERS AWAIT AHEAD!
YOU WERE WARNED~!
(Previews)
Willow ushered him into the room.
Summer was sitting on the bed. Naruto stiffened. "Wha-
"We need to talk." the Schnee nudged him forward. "Just the three of us."
"Ah, sweet training! What fun, what fun!"
"Don't break them, Tyrian...
"Again."
Winter climbed to her feet. Cinder waited her, golden eyes shining with flame. Roman knelt to retrieve his hat, dusted it off, and brandished his cane at her.
"Pick up your sword. We're not done yet, little sister...
"And who are you?"
The little girl blinked up at him. She said not a word.
"My queen, an empire toppled by its enemies can rise again." a finger tapped the table, further emphasizing his point. "But one which crumbles from within? That's dead...forever."
Dark red eyes considered him for a long moment. "What do you propose, Merlot?
"That we destroy the Schnee from within."
Hazel rumbled his agreement.
She looked to the remaining seats, and the silent figures within. "And what say you two...?
"We still haven't tracked down that semblance booster yet?
Evidently its cropped up in Mistral now.
"Lovely."
...you have no idea what you've unleashed. There are things far worse than death.
"I do not take sass from insects.
Insect?! I'm the strongest Hunteress in a generation!
A beetle is still an insect, no matter how loud it might scream.
"Naruto, stop! This isn't you! This isn't who you want to be! They need to face justice!
Rationally, yes. But he wasn't feeling very rational right now.
"They came for my family. This is justice."
He squeezed their neck harder.
CRACK.
"What's gotten into you, Winter?"
She wouldn't look at him. She mustn't. She refused.
"I heard what you said to mother." Father arched an eyebrow at her, and in the absence of his words, child though she was, she found the strength to continue. "You think I'm weak because I'm not like you and mother, like Cinder and Sienna, or even Roman." she stomped a foot and looked down, unwilling to meet his eyes. "I know I was never what you wanted, but I thought after all this time, maybe things were different.
His stoic gaze drilled into her. "When did you get the impression I didn't want you? You don't know everything kiddo...
"No, she sniffled, "but at least now I know the truth.
"The truth, eh?" he thumbed his chin. "Alright." a quick shove pushed his chair out from behind his desk. "You want the truth? C'mere." A metal hand patted his knee. "I'd wanted to wait another three years, but I suppose now's as good a time as any."
Her legs betrayed her and she found herself climbing into his lap. At the end of the day he was still her father and she was only five.
She tilted her head up to get a better look at him. As such she saw the moment his sapphire eyes snapped into scarlet.
Winter gasped despite her best efforts. "What did you do?! Is that a semblance or...?
"Nope. I'm a jinchuuriki, girl." she watched golden light dance across his face as he spoke, burning bright. "From another world, far from here. When I first met your mother I chose to be who I am now. To be more than a fight, but a leader as well. But the truth is, I'm far from perfect." he held up his false arm from her to see. "I killed my best friend. It wasn't something I wanted to do-that's how I got this arm. Even after that, I destroyed many who were deserving...and many who were not."
"That still doesn't explain why you think I'm weak-
"You think you're weak, Winter? No, no, no." he shook his head, setting his pale hair swaying. "You're strong; the only other person on this planet with chakra besides me. Hell, you're probably going to be even stronger than me, once you grow up. Which is why you must be BETTER. I didn't want to tell you any of this until you were ready."
"Why not tell me all this before?"
"Because it could go to your head. Because strength without experience can create a lifetime of tragedy if you're not careful. I also wanted you to have a normal childhood."
She scowled at him. "How is anything about my life even remotely normal?"
He granted her a small smile.
"Fair enough...
Winter wasn't cut out to be a big sister. Truly, she felt she wasn't. She'd been born broken. She only knew how to fight and kill. That was why she seldom spoke. Why she shunned others.
It was precisely why she was hesitating now, as the mewls of a newborn infant filled the hospital room.
"Oh, stop that. Come here and hold your baby sister. Weiss won't bite."
R&R~!