How things have been complicated.
Everything had been proceeding as planned. Better than predicted in some aspects.
She had that poor, cowardly lion in her control. Once they found the Spring Maiden, she would have it! The first piece to Remnant's downfall.
The second piece, however...
While Cinder could not retrieve the Fall Maiden's full power, she inherited some of the power and left his best weapon in a compromised state. It wouldn't be long until Cinder claimed her rightful power...
And brought down his precious Vale in the process.
Yet, she knew somehow he would gain the upper hand. He was clever; she knew Oz was already scheming, preparing something to throw her off. That was to be expected.
After the last few centuries, she rarely could catch him off guard.
This, however, was unexpected.
"Who are you, young one?" Salem mused, observing the recording her dear Watts had sent her of the incident on Atlas.
She was amused by Watts's attempt to weaken Atlas for their eventual push. To strip them of a vital weapon.
What caught his, and now her, attention was this lone boy. Missing an arm, yet capable of repressing and reverting control to the machine through magic. And that was before what happened next.
He brought the Atlas army to a standstill and bartered with the General.
Effortlessly.
She needed to know more. Required to learn more before she made another move. This child was a force she could not take for granted.
Power incarnate. A frightening prospect and challenge to overcome.
"Hazel," Salem beckoned forth a large man into her chambers. Crimson shone through the void as she observed the feed a moment longer, carefully paying attention to each and every detail before shifting to Hazel. "I have a special assignment I require of you—these girls who are in this video. I need you to bring them to me. In particular, if trouble arises, I want one more than any of the others."
"At all costs, bring me the Faunus girl who thinks she is clever with her disguise."
[ X ]
This was so frustrating!
Blake knew she was in it for the long haul. Finding someone in the Four Kingdoms was difficult already. Sure, Penny had tracked Naruto's location heading towards Mistral, so they decided to set up camp here, but to find someone in the Kingdom whose people were spread out more than any other was not an envious task.
It was why she originally planned on hiding under Adam's nose in Vale. He wouldn't have seen it coming, and the population density in Vale would have disguised her.
However, it seemed the opposite was true in Mistral.
While the capital city was densely packed, there were enough villages and towns spread out throughout the entire continent of Anima that finding Naruto felt impossible!
This was their third town they had stopped in less than a week!
And still, not a trace! A whisper!
How hard was it to find a loud, blonde teenager emblazoned in bright orange clothing with a personality just as vibrant?!
There was, of course, the chance he had already left and headed to another continent. He was now a criminal with a bounty larger than even Roman Torchwick.
...Something Neo was particularly salty about.
Blake exhaled, shaking her head. Scanning each building, glancing at every small gathering in the streets, Blake stopped by to ask if anyone had seen anyone fitting Naruto's description.
There was little luck.
He just didn't seem to be around. She had half a mind to check the capital city itself. If there were a place where a hacker would hide...
The worst part was that no member of this mismatched crew could unearth any information about where Naruto could be heading. Or if he had even been here!
Each seemed to have their reason, even if it was beyond her.
Penny made sense. He called her friend and rescued her from the debacle in Atlas. Of course, she would want to assist and find Naruto. Blake was hesitant to allow her to use terminals and hack into camera feeds to download and scour them, hoping to find traces of him.
Yet Penny knew what she was doing. She was more alert and aware of her surroundings. She didn't want a repeat either.
And Weiss stuck to her like glue when she did. Something she was thankful for since it gave her a little more freedom.
Weiss... She still hadn't figured out why the Schnee heiress hadn't left for Beacon or headed home quite yet. Everything that happened should have been processed, and Blake had thought she would have been gone by now.
But she remained despite the constant nagging from Ilia and Neo. She persisted, even when brought to anger or near tears. Her want to help was genuine. She felt like she owed Naruto something...
And she really didn't want to go home.
Blake wasn't sure what it was, but Weiss snapped every time Ilia or Neo brought it up. There was something off about that... Why wouldn't she want to return to the comfort of home?
She wanted to go home. See her mom... Dad...
Neo... Where to begin with that travesty?
Somehow, she convinced Naruto to assist her in her bizarre coup. While it was hard to believe all of Vale's underground had been brought under control by one person... Neo was a pivotal player in that underground.
And she was afraid of this person. She was afraid of heading back and using her contacts for fuel or assistance. She still had some here, apparently, by the name of Lil' Miss Malachite, and had made contact with a source. They were waiting to see where that went.
Another anomaly with the former mute was that somehow, Neo seemed to be stacked! Ilia had mentioned she had annoyed her in Atlas with how she spent money so frivolously, but she legitimately had more Lien on her than Weiss had access to! Sure, Weiss was on her Daddy's card for her allowance , but for someone to easily outspend a Schnee?
How luxurious was her thieving career with Roman? His bounty was high, for sure, but the amount of money she was carelessly spending didn't seem to match...
There was something more to Neo...
Although on the first night in Mistral's capital city, Blake and Ilia had a chuckle when Neo outbid Weiss for the fanciest room in the inn they were staying in. A luxury suite meant for a party of people, rented out by the smallest person in the room for herself.
Leaving all of them to settle for a single room with each other. It wasn't so great after that, but in the moment...
Weiss's expression was perfect.
And finally, there was Ilia.
Blake knew why she had stuck around. It was Adam's orders to bring her to him. Blake had no intention of allowing that to happen and was keeping a close eye on her friend.
The curious thing was that Ilia was actively helping Blake seek Naruto despite that being a hindrance to her objective. Ilia simply scoffed when Blake brought it up, reminding her that they had said they were going to show her it was possible to change the world.
Yet the disbelieving tone from before felt less sarcastic. Maybe a hint of belief?
They were all witnesses to Scroll Feeds of Naruto handling the Atlas army.
Blake repressed a scowl. They aired the first night they stayed in Mistral—detailed footage of what happened. But the real question was...
Why would General Ironwood allow the world to see how his army was embarrassed by a single criminal? Not just embarrassed...
Defeated.
"No luck, I assume? The people I ran in sure didn't seem to recognize him." Weiss snapped Blake out of her funk.
Blake turned to Weiss and Penny and blandly glared at Weiss. She knew Weiss was correct, but didn't need her to say it aloud.
"I apologize, friend Blake. I was not able to uncover any information about Friend Naruto." Penny sadly lowered her head, disappointed in her abilities.
"That's assuming he was ever here in the first place," Ilia added nonchalantly, joining the gathering. Blake glared at Ilia, who only huffed and shook her head. "Even if he was, he has long since left without a trace. We're not going to find him here. It's hard to think someone like him wouldn't stand out. He's almost as noticeable as the Princess here. She's been the talk of the town."
Weiss joined Blake in scowling at Ilia before scoffing. She turned her nose up and ignored Ilia. "Whatever. We should think about calling it for now. Night is falling. We should think about renting a room here."
"We're not as rich as you or Neo, Princess. We don't have the money to afford to stay somewhere every night. We're roughing it and setting up camp by the Bullhead." Ilia sarcastically rolled her eyes and clicked her tongue.
"Roughing it?" Weiss stammered, losing her balance. Her wide-eyed gaze shifted between the others before she continued to fumble. "Wait, wait! I can pitch in for a room tonight. I'll cover it if I have to..."
"No vacancy. And our fuel order won't be here until tomorrow, so we aren't heading anywhere." Neo casually strolled to the gathering and huffed. "Couldn't even undercut the occupants... I hate people with integrity..."
Blake raised her eyebrow at Neo's statement, the irony not lost on her, given who they were searching for.
Neo squinted back at Blake before flipping her off, wandering toward the Bullhead. "I'm taking the cockpit. At least I can get some quiet and privacy..."
"We'd better follow. It will take some time to make camp." Blake exhaled, biting her lip.
She had hoped for better results, but hope was not lost yet. She couldn't give up. He wouldn't if he were in the same position she was in.
He had to be around. Somewhere close by. He couldn't just leave her...
Not after infecting her with this... This power!
Everything was out of whack! Her Aura wasn't responding like it had before! Nothing worked like before, except, strangely enough, her Semblance. But her clones stuck around!
What was going on?! He had to have answers!
"You're joking, right?" Weiss exclaimed, her nervousness clear as day.
"It's not that difficult. Just follow my lead, and you'll get used to it." Blake shook her head and forced a weak smile. "Besides, you're gonna have to learn whether you like it or not if you want to become a Huntress and hunt Grimm."
"It's just part of the job requirement."
[ X ]
This guy was a nuisance.
Was that the right word?
Naruto shook his head, stepping outside of the local pub. It was a small, rural town in the middle of a forest. A few people were wandering through the streets with a purpose, heading home or to one of the recreational hubs a town this size would have, like this bar.
Compared to Atlas or Vale, this was cozy. This was closer to home than he felt in a while.
It was also peculiar. Blake had said there was a prejudice against Faunus, but he really didn't see much around here. Faunus were living side by side with humans.
All he could recall was that there were a few signs here and there in Vale and Atlas. Maybe it was more of a problem in the cities?
Naruto shook his head. He didn't want to take this moment for granted. He inhaled the fresh air and smiled.
If only there were a clue on how to return home...
Alas, he made a promise. And no matter what, he would uphold it before he returned.
Besides, it wasn't like his friends back home couldn't handle themselves. The war was over. Kaguya, Madara, and Obito were all defeated or converted to their side. It was just a matter of rebuilding...
It wasn't like he could help much with that...
With another deep breath, Naruto moved forward. He had a goal in mind.
This man, whose name Naruto still didn't know, had been covering his tracks well. The trail had gone cold several times.
He stuck to the shadows. Rarely interacted with people outside of what was necessary. And even then, he paid well to keep their mouth shut.
It was like he knew he was being tracked.
Or he was just that cautious, Naruto supposed. There was every possibility his target was already being tracked and had adapted.
Still, they had never dealt with someone like Naruto before.
Naruto had to admit, he was thankful for the training trip with Jiraiya. The trip to make a man out of him. He had imparted a few valuable lessons in gathering intelligence, whether or not he meant to be teaching them.
And something Naruto had learned was that people's lips were looser when they drank.
It was annoying that he wasn't the legal age here and couldn't buy it himself, but Naruto made do. He got the information he needed.
His target was heading to the capital city of Mistral. And he wasn't alone.
A shadow loomed in the distance. Naruto's eyes shifted briefly before focusing on the path ahead, broadly grinning as he reached into his pouch.
"Better set up camp," Naruto chirped, revealing a cup of ramen before he strolled ahead. "I might be far from home, but there are just some joys in life that transcend worlds."
"Ramen, I love you!"
[ X ]
This was awkward.
It was far too silent. Crickets buzzed, and the crackle of the flames was deafening.
No one said a word. They simply sat around the fire, allowing the tension to build.
Penny's head perked several times, a question on the tip of her tongue, but she held it back. Like the rest, she was anxious and didn't know what to say. Blake couldn't blame her.
She didn't know how to approach this uncomfortable silence.
There were so many questions about each of them. Things they didn't know despite having traveled with one another for nearly a week.
Why was Weiss here? Why hadn't Ilia tried to kidnap her again? Who was this mysterious shadow of a woman who took over the Vale crime syndicate? How was Penny even made?
And she knew they had many of the same questions for her! About Naruto...
Her peculiar relationship with him...
"Fine... I'll break the ice." Blake scowled, crossing her arms. "I know you all want to know, so just ask."
"How long have you been fucking an alien?" Neo smirked, leaning forward from the Bullhead entrance, her legs kicking against the metal.
"I'm not sleeping with him!" Blake hissed, throwing a nasty look toward Neo.
"I wasn't judging. Just curious what it was like. You two act like a couple. You had me fooled." Neo snorted, amused by Blake's reaction.
"We're not..." Blake glowered and squinted at Neo before her features fell.
It wasn't just Ilia who subtly reacted, agreeing with Neo's statement. Weiss seemed surprised, and Penny looked shocked!
"I thought you were! You spend all your time together, tell jokes and interact well with one another, and even spend the night in the room together!" Penny loudly announced her surprise.
"They've been sharing a room ever since I found them and had been tracking them. It's kind of strange considering... Well, I don't want to dive into your past in front of others." Ilia added, a single eyebrow suspiciously raised.
"Past?" Weiss perked her brow, glancing over and scrutinizing Blake. "Well, it's obvious how you two interact, she is a Faunus... That bow isn't hiding anything... Let me guess, were you also a part of the White Fang?"
The following silence was deafening. Blake flushed before gritting her teeth. She didn't want to admit it. After her falling out with Adam and how they were acting...
"Seriously?" Weiss groaned and threw her head back, her agitation evident. "Ugh, is everyone here a degenerate?!"
"Does that include me?" Penny inquired, tilting her head. "They are my friends. Does that mean I am a degenerate?"
"Ah... Um, no?" Weiss grimaced and recoiled from Penny, unsure how to respond.
Penny was sweet. It was just after what happened that some hesitation was felt. She wasn't at fault, but...
"No... You're a goody-two-shoes. Trust me on that." Neo rolled her eyes and scoffed, a faint smile hidden quickly with an amused glance towards Blake. "And so is the princess, little miss meow, and the idiot. Only that kind of person would have done something that stupid for you. And a special kind of idiot at that."
Blake bristled at Neo's name for her and her remark in general. But, whether she liked it or not, there was truth in what she said. Standing against authority for someone they barely knew...
"Hmph, I suppose that can't be denied." Weiss frowned before pursing her lips. "The bigger question I have is if he isn't from here, how did he get here, and how did your paths cross?"
"I'm curious about that myself. I remember that you left with Adam to raid that SDC train, and when he returned, you weren't with him. And he was livid." Ilia frowned, staring coldly at Blake.
Weiss' gaze sharpened onto Blake, a setting stare followed. Blake bit her lip and exhaled knowingly.
The lives lost due to Adam's actions were unforgivable.
"I had known what he had planned to do for days." Blake hesitantly explained, withering under Weiss's discontented gaze. "I tried to talk him out of it, but he refused to listen. He left me with no choice. Whether he liked it or not, I knew what I had to do. I went with him to save those people..."
"Why didn't you? So many people could have been saved." Weiss seethed, trembling with rage.
"I never made it on the train with him. It just so happens that is when I crossed paths with Naruto... desperately clinging onto life. As if someone left him to die." Blake explained, head hung low, as she recalled the memory.
"Wait, hold on, you found him almost dead." Neo scrutinized. "That's... concerning. I would have bet my apartment he was the one who saved you. Not the other way around."
"He still... did. Adam became belligerent and drew Wilt and Blush... Only for Naruto to destroy his sword, unable to move anything more than an arm." Blake flushed, grating her teeth together.
The very first time she met Naruto, and he needed help... He assisted her!
"If this were a week ago, I would have questioned that. Now, I'm more worried about what could possibly do that to him." Ilia scoffed before a sense of dread crossed her features.
Blake grimaced. After all this time around Naruto, the thought lingering in her head was finally brought forth. She had learned much about Naruto and even what happened before he came to Remnant.
But the question remained...
What force brought him here? And what did they have planned for him? For everyone.
"I've got a bad feeling about all this." Blake bit her lip as her gut wrenched into a tight knot.
They needed to hurry and find him.
Something... Wasn't right. She wasn't sure what, but she felt it.
Something was coming.
[ X ]
Oh, how sweet it is!
Campfire ramen was something else! The combination of natural flames and wood gave the ramen an okay taste that complemented it well!
He still wouldn't compare it to Ichiraku's, but it was an acceptable substitute!
His stomach was satisfied; that was all that mattered!
"Now, for the other matter..." Naruto tilted his head to the right side, avoiding what looked like a stinger.
"That's pretty cool," Naruto muttered and snatched the tail before it could retract, his grip tight so he couldn't escape.
He could hear the chitin cracking beneath his grip.
His attacker readied another strike, but Naruto lazily ducked beneath his kick. Standing up, he wrapped the man's tail between his legs and stared at him. Two wrist blades snapped forward, but on his first strike...
They snapped against the skin of Naruto's neck.
"What the fuck?!" The Faunus blurted out before he cringed at the pressure placed against his nether region.
"I think introductions are in order." Naruto grinned, amused as this assassin's plans fell by the wayside, his orange gaze piercing into the Faunus'. "The name is Naruto Uzumaki."
"Ah, son of a...!" the would-be assassin shrieked as his extra appendage crushed his testis. But his words died on his tongue. He felt a pull in his tail, knowing what came next. "Wait! We talk about this!"
"Nah, not right now." Naruto flashed a broad, closed-eyed smile before a devilish grin replaced it. "I usually have more luck talking after beating my opponents down. That's just the way we gotta do this. Besides, you were sent here to kill me. Think I have the right to beat you down, ya know?"
The scorpion Faunus paled before his shrill voice echoed through the forest.
Tonight was not his night.
[ X ]
Oh, how long had she been here? Too long...
Time felt meaningless to her.
Seconds felt like minutes. Minutes became hours. Hours to days. Days to years.
There was no rhyme or reason to keep track of time. All that consumed her was escape.
Nothing was permanent; she would soon be free. The seal had weakened considerably over the ages, and her children's Karma could not sustain its power from beyond.
She could see the cracks. It wouldn't be long until she was released and could finish her job and harvest the world.
Become the greatest of her fallen clan. Alas, even time eroded their might. But for long.
She had long seen what had become of the world she left behind—the universe.
Pathetic. All of it, especially those who trounced her gift! Warped it into something unrecognizable! Disgusting!
Those false Gods should have left them to their fate and not brought them back! Oh, she would break them first... Well, not first.
Oh, that wonderful light. How she dreamed of seeing it again.
One of her children had returned! His presence was weakening this worthless seal! He was aiding her cleansing without knowing it!
She would target him first. She couldn't have a repeat of the last time. He would resist. Fight until the bitter end.
But she would break him and subjugate him to her will!
Her clan would rise once more.
And the moon's light would shine upon the universe again.