The morning dew had long since settled. Dawn had broke and the sun was peaking beyond the horizon. A loud caw echoed through the deserted trees, a lone bird, some sort of corvid, observing the carnage.
Naruto sighed in frustration, running his hand through his hair. He wouldn't be getting sleep any time soon. He was more than capable of pushing through days without sleep, but it was still annoying for him. He would rather have been well rested.
It was a feeling, but something wasn't right.
Besides some gasping for air, a battered and bruised scorpion Faunus emerged from the swamp water, clutching his chest.
"Ya done fighting? I can do this all day." Naruto grunted, brow raised as he stepped on the murky ledge.
The scorpion Faunus panted, glaring defiantly as he looked up toward Naruto as he caught his breath.
"You think you are so tough, huh? That you're really in control here. You have no idea..." Tyrian coughed, his gaze filled with spite.
"Oh, I know of her... I'm not impressed." Naruto yawned, kneeling before Tyrian and stoically matching his gaze.
"Hehe... Hahaha! Then you must be crazier than I am not to fear her!" Tyrian hysterically laughed directly into Naruto's face.
But his laughter faded as Naruto chuckled. "Been called that before, so it doesn't bother me."
"It should! There is no hope of winning against her!" Tyrian exclaimed.
"There is always hope. There is always a chance of victory." Naruto countered with a smile.
"Words of a child! You have no idea how cruel the world is!" Tyrian snarled, gathering enough strength to strike at Naruto once more.
Only to have his wrist plucked out of the air with little effort and be tossed aside like a doll and through a tree.
Tyrian groaned, lying against the damp, mossy grass. His Aura snapped again, and he felt shards of wood puncture into his skin. Nothing too deep, just painful.
"Maybe it is a childish view, but that's what I found works for me. That mindset helped me when I was at my lowest, when I experienced the cruelty of humanity. After watching my friend betray me. Watching my friends die, my village's destruction... I never lost that outlook and overcame whatever was in my path." Naruto commented, strolling beside Tyrian, sitting down next to him.
"Gah, I'd rather die than listen to your yapping!" Tyrian hissed through half-lidded eyes.
"Too bad. You're gonna have to listen to me, whether you like it or not." Naruto removed the wood shards from a screaming Tyrian before placing his hand on him, drawing upon his path's power, and recovering his wounds.
Tyrian felt a shiver in his spine. The sensation of his wounds being healed by an enemy unnerved him. Of someone whom he had been unable to land an adequate blow on. And then being told he was going to listen to what he had to say caused him to feel an emotion he hadn't felt in a very long time.
Fear.
"I've stood before people who could claim to be forces of nature. Forces so grand they could level cities, mountains, countries! ...Change the very world around them! ...And I'm still standing, my beliefs and convictions have not wavered." Naruto lowered his voice to a growl.
"Because, no matter what stands in my path, I'll overcome it. You better believe it."
[ X ]
Morning had come.
Blake was an early riser, so she wasn't surprised when many of the others were sleeping. In fact, the only other person awake beside her was Penny.
Not surprising, considering she was artificial. Did she even need sleep? Or did she recharge like a scroll or computer?
"Good morning, friend Blake! All is well! No abnormal readings detected throughout the night!" Penny smiled and waved, noticing Blake had risen.
"Good morning," Blake groggily responded, rubbing her eyes.
"Maybe for you..." Ilia grumbled, sitting up and rubbing her temples before glaring at Penny. "Could you be any louder?"
"Oh, I apologize! I did not mean to wake you!" Penny apologized with a bow.
"Whatever. It's fine." Ilia grumbled before her gaze shifted. "So, what's the plan? We're not getting anywhere like this. It's too narrow of a search."
"I know," Blake grimaced.
"Then you know what you need to do. It's either my plan or the thief's." Ilia responded with a frown.
Blake recoiled. She had been avoiding those options. The last thing she wanted was to be indebted to a crime syndicate like the Spiders, knowing how they extorted people, or to crawl back to the White Fang.
To her.
However, they were going nowhere while searching in this manner. They needed a broader network to locate him. To track him down...
"Not necessarily," Penny interrupted Blake's thoughts.
Blake and Ilia's heads turned toward Penny, who smiled back at them.
"I've been analyzing all the possibilities, and I've concluded that the most likely way to gather intelligence on friend Naruto is to head to Argus and contact the Atlas branch there," Penny explained with a broad smile.
"Contact... The Atlas Military... After what just happened? Are you insane?" Ilia blandly panned.
"My programs do not allow me to function illogically without external interference. This is the most logical assessment of our current predicament." Penny shook her head.
"How is that the most logical assessment?" Ilia scrutinized while Blake tilted her head.
"It's because they are searching for friend Naruto too, are they not? We were never registered as accomplices, so they have no reason to apprehend us and may assist knowing we are friends." Penny stated the obvious.
"Wait, wait, wait... Hold on. Are you suggesting we contact the Atlas Military and use ourselves as bait to gain access to information on where Naruto may be?" Ilia summarized what Penny had suggested.
"I would not phrase it in such a manner, but the outcome I simulated does suggest the use of coercion and trickery." Penny sheepishly shrank and nervously laughed.
Blake and Ilia blinked owlishly at Penny, both unable to process what she had suggested.
"Damn, I think we've been rubbing off on you! You're starting to learn how to be devious!" Neo exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear.
"Quite..." Blake grimaced before palming her face and sighing.
She didn't like any of these options! They all had tremendous downsides...
However, Penny had a valid point. There was only one group already looking for him. If there was anyone who would have information on him...
"It's our best shot," Blake looked up and into Penny's gaze. "I don't like it, but we're spinning our wheels. I only ask... Are you willing to take such a high risk to find Naruto?"
"Why wouldn't I be? He risked everything to help me, so I wish to return the favor. That's what a friend does, isn't it?" Penny beamed and nodded.
A thin but smile graced Blake's features. She lightly laughed and nodded. "Yes, that is what a friend does."
"That is what he has done, so it's only right we do the same."
[ X ]
"Can we take a break?" Tyrian groaned.
He limped behind Naruto, arms tied behind his back, along with his tail, while being pulled forward by a rope. Such a feeble rope shouldn't have been able to contain Tyrian, but he was so exhausted he didn't fight it.
It wasn't like his captor needed it to stop him. The effortless and repeated beatdown was evidence of that. He had even allowed him to strike him a few times just to show little Tyrian could do him!
The only chance Tyrian had was if he caught him off guard, but that wasn't likely at the moment. He would have to wait and bide his time.
Thankfully, this was the perfect place to try and do just that. These swamps were known for a particular unsavory lot.
"You can keep going." Naruto tugged on the rope, dragging a listless Tyrian forward. "You endured my beating all night. You can take a simple trek through this swamp."
"It's because of your beating I'm struggling to keep pace!" Tyrian gnashed his teeth and glared at Naruto.
"And how is that my fault when your goal was to try to kill me?" Naruto balked and scoffed.
Tyrian scowled and remained silent for a moment, and continued to limp behind. He would concede that point. In Naruto's position, Tyrian would have killed someone who was that brazen.
"Don't think that by stalling that you're getting any information out of me. I don't rat out my allies." Tyrian broke the silence.
"Wasn't counting on it." Naruto shrugged as he pulled out his scroll, tapping at it a few times to turn on the map.
"Then why the hell are we hanging around this area?!" Tyrian seethed.
"I think you know why." Naruto simply responded before pocketing his scroll.
All the blood left Tyrian's already pale features. He stood, staring stupefied at Naruto. "You're an idiot."
"Why do people always say that? I know what I'm doing, dammit!" Naruto growled before huffing. "I learned quite a lot from my master on how to gather intelligence. I know you and your partner... Partners... That you are looking for someone who has hidden away from the world."
"And if I get to that person first, your partners have no choice but to come and find me."
[ X ]
The air around this port city reminded Blake of home. The temperate heat. The salty sea breeze...
Blake exhaled as the memories of living on Menagerie lingered in her mind before shaking them out. She had to focus. Shake off the nerves.
This was going to be a trial.
"We're almost to Argus!" Ilia called out as she stood in the cockpit behind Neo.
Blake took a deep breath as she nervously glanced around at her team as they flew over the coast. If she could call them that.
They were a very peculiar bunch.
A former White Fang member and a current member. An infamous thief from Vale. The Schnee heiress. A robot girl who blurred the lines between humanity and technology.
This was the strangest gathering of people she could think of. And they all came together for an equally peculiar reason. A group gathered to find some way to assist an alien who had helped them in some way.
He gave Neo a voice she never had. Promised her that he would do something to help her out, despite being a criminal.
Protected Penny when no one else would. Called her a friend, something Penny didn't have or understand before.
Stood up to an army to protect them when things were dire. Promised them everything would be okay.
And to her, and a lesser extent, Ilia, to learn more about this world and the problems the Faunus face. To find a way to help their people...
These were things he didn't need to do. He was simply trying to find his way back home. Instead, he took the time and did these things.
Because of that, Blake couldn't sit idly by while he took all the blame for what happened in Atlas. A portion of her felt responsible for putting Naruto onto this path. Deep inside, she knew he would have somehow come to the same conclusions and did the things he did over and over, but she couldn't let him do this alone.
A good friend wouldn't let that happen. Blake would find him and help him in whatever way she could.
The problem was finding him. Locating a single person in the entire world when you didn't know where they were was an exercise in futility. At least it was without resources.
Which made these next few moves a gamble. Penny had pushed for this idea, and while it made her anxious, it was the best idea they had. But it made her realize that if this didn't work, she had to make contingency plans.
So first, they were going to head to Argus. The Atlas Military presence there was strong. It had to be given their issues with Grimm in the past.
Contacting the Atlas Military was the best bet to find Naruto. Blake knew they were actively looking for them, and if anyone could locate him, it would be them. And if that meant being used as bait...
Blake grimaced and shook her head. She didn't like the idea, so she needed other options. There was Neo's contact with Spider, but she didn't want to use that one. Being bait sounded better than owing them a favor. However, if there were anyone else who had information on Naruto, it would be them.
They were a crime syndicate that dealt in information. And if somehow they didn't have any intelligence on Naruto, Blake's hand would be forced, and she would follow their last lead. Ilia's lead...
She just really didn't want to contact the White Fang. To contact her. The woman who ruined the creation of her parents.
Sienna Khan.
Blake prayed it wouldn't come to that. That was the last thing she wanted to do after leaving their ranks. She wasn't even sure how she would be received...
However, Blake's eyes shone. Naruto had the strength to face down the might of an army and its general.
The least she could do was face her past for him.
"The Argus branch is hailing us!" Neo called out, glowering as the radio icon flickered on her cockpit while Ilia took the headset.
The butterflies in Blake's stomach intensified. They did steal this Bullhead, and it was probable that the Argus branch had that information.
That wasn't a good start. Should they already bail on this lead?
"What do they want?" Blake hissed through clenched teeth.
"For us to land, obviously." Ilia rolled her eyes and shot Blake a glare. However, her gaze drifted to Weiss, and she screwed her face. "From the sound of it, this message is coming from someone with quite a bit of pull... Someone who wants to speak with her."
"Me?" Weiss exclaimed, incredulous at first, before her features brightened. "Winter!"
"Why is she here in Argus?!"
[ X ]
Naruto wasn't sure what to make of this place.
This bar was in the middle of nowhere! On a long stretch of road through the swamps with barely any inhabitants in sight! He understood the need for a pitstop, and it was a place to fuel vehicles on the long trek through the Kingdom.
That part made sense! But why was it also a bar! There was no way they received consistent enough patrons to justify that!
Yet, there were several vehicles parked here, and he felt several patrons inside. And the cars and bikes look worn and used. Vehicles that weren't used for transport...
It felt off, but that was what Naruto wanted. If he were going to seek out someone hidden away from the world, he would need to seek out places like this.
"The hell are we doing here, kid? You can't drink, and getting me drunk isn't gonna loosen my tongue... Although I could use a drink." Tyrian glowered before he mused to himself.
"Get whatever you want. I ain't stopping you." Naruto shrugged as they stepped into the bar, ignoring the patrons as he tugged Tyrian in behind him.
The patrons inside were a rugged bunch. Scars all over. Missing teeth. Bruises. Wearing mismatched outfits patched together.
They definitely felt like bandits.
Naruto hid his grin. Jackpot. It was time to piss them off and do things his way.
"Mah, can I get a glass of milk and whatever he wants. We've got a long trip ahead of us to turn this murderer in to the authorities." Naruto sat at the bar, forcing Tyrian to sit next to him.
"Get me the strongest damn thing you've got... Something that can knock my ass out in a single shot if you've got it." Tyrian grunted, seething in his chair.
Unable to do anything about his current predicament.
The bartender blinked when Naruto mentioned milk before recoiling from the information about Tyrian. His eyes widened before he nodded, grabbing a specialty bottle from beneath the bar and pouring it for Tyrian. "Give me a moment on that order of milk... Usually, I don't get something like that out here."
Naruto nodded, absently watching the bartender head to the back. His attention was focused on the thugs at the tables behind, paying particular attention to them.
"You gonna cut me free?" Tyrian glared, motioning his head toward his bindings.
Naruto raised his eyebrow and scoffed. "How long are you going to pretend I need those to keep you captive?"
Tyrian grumbled, his scorpion tail slowly slipping from the bindings. His gaze shifted before his tail escaped as the blonde-haired leader of the goon squad stepped forward.
"A mass murderer, huh? Been told to keep my eyes out for someone like you. Boss wants you gone." Shay hissed, stepping forward, intent completely on Tyrian.
Tyrian scrunched his face and glared at Naruto, tilting his head at the thugs. "Gonna do anything about them either?"
"Not my fight. Just don't kill 'em." Naruto shrugged before he sternly met Tyrian's gaze.
"Take the fun out of it..." Tyrian muttered, rolling his eyes before meeting Shay's gaze and manically grinning. "Oh, you don't know how much I needed this after the night I've had."
"You think you are better than me!" Shay D. Man snarled, drawing his revolver.
He was immediately slapped to the ground by the non-lethal end of Tyrian's stinger, his bindings falling to the floor.
The other goons went for their weapons, but Tyrian had already moved. He had picked up his stool, spun around, and slammed the heavy end into their skulls.
They were out cold with a single strike.
Tyrian was far from done as he snapped the stool and base off to make a makeshift spear. One that he pointed and pushed against Shay's throat before he could get off the ground. "Much as I hate working with a goody-two-shoes like this git, we are searching for the same thing."
"We know you lot have been hiding her. Your time is up. She is coming."
[ X ]
Blake was nervous as the Bullhead settled onto the airpad. Ilia and Neo shared the same sentiment, all three meeting each other's gaze. They may have been pardoned thanks to Naruto, but this still felt like a trap.
That was the general idea, but she didn't want it to end with them being taken prisoner. Hopefully, with Weiss's sister waiting on the airpad, it meant they weren't planning something in that vein.
"Winter!" Weiss leapt out of the Bullhead with a bright smile and a little more energy than she had intended.
She quickly composed herself and grimaced at the distant stare her sister gave her.
"It seems you have been doing better than I anticipated. I had feared, after how we departed last, that it may have been the last we would have spoken to one another." Winter pursed her lips before nodding to herself.
"I... I was trying to do the right thing." Weiss flinched, unable to meet her sister's gaze.
"Doing right is often quite subjective and in the eye of the beholder," Winter responded.
"Not when it comes to protecting people and saving lives," Blake retorted, stepping out of the Bullhead.
"I believe I only said it was subjective, not that I disagreed with her choice." Winter coldly glances toward Blake before examining Penny behind her, a rare smile gracing her features. "Are all your functions still operating properly, Penny?"
"I am running at seventy-five percent capacity! I've been conserving my energy, using it sparingly and mostly for locomotion! Thank you for the concern, Specialist Schnee!" Penny saluted.
"Very good." Winter nodded as her features straightened, hiding the slight emotion she had just shown. "I would advise you to stop at Haven or Beacon soon. We have already delivered a charge bed to Beacon, and I am in the process of transporting a shipment to Haven."
"Charge bed?" Weiss raised her brow, glancing at Penny before she sent a questioning gaze toward her sister.
"Yes, despite the incident, we are still providing support. You may consider her alive, but in many aspects, she is an elaborate computer and needs to recharge and defragment." Winter answered Weiss' unasked question.
"That's surprising given how keen your General was on destroying her." Ilia lamented as she exited the Bullhead.
"He is still of the mindset that there is valuable information to be gained and is willing to use resources to assist Penny's development," Winter answered as several technicians stepped onto the airpad with fuel and tools.
Blake narrowed her eyes, observing their every movement. She couldn't escape the feeling that this was a trap. A trick in order...
"You're just trying to keep an eye on him, aren't you?" Blake squinted, pressing Winter.
"I do not have the permission to answer that question," Winter responded sternly, abruptly turning to ignore Blake and focusing her attention on her sister. "I have other responsibilities I must attend to. Weiss, it was good to see you in good health. Do not forget to call Father. He was quite upset about this whole ordeal and wanted to hear from you as soon as possible."
"When is he not..." Weiss glowered before shrinking.
"Mother would also like to hear from you... She was quite distraught after hearing what happened." Winter shared a rare grimace before sighing. "Stay in contact when you can."
"I will," Weiss nodded, wincing at the mention of her mother's distress before sadly watching as her sister turned and started to leave the airpad.
"Oh, one more thing," Winter stopped and glanced toward the entire party. "I received intel this morning."
"Apparently, there have been sightings of a blonde ninja in the swamps in the south."
[ X ]
This was undoubtedly a bandit camp.
Naruto had never seen one before, but this was precisely what he imagined when he thought of one. Wooden walls and fortifications. Tents and crates were scattered throughout the fortification.
The sheer amount of stolen goods. The smell of booze and other scents that Naruto didn't want to place lingered in the air, making this place putrid.
This met his expectations and more. Naruto didn't want to stay here more than he had to.
...Or if they gave him a reason, he could bring the whole lot in...
"Shay! What is the meaning of bringing outsiders to our camp?!" A tanned woman with crystal blue eyes furiously emerged from the main tent.
"Ah, I can explain! You see..." Shay, his face swollen and bruised, attempted to defend his action.
"Silence! I do not tolerate failure." Shay was silenced as another woman wearing a skull mask stepped out of the tent.
Shay recoiled fearfully, trembling and cowering away from her as the woman adorned in black and red marched toward them, her gaze fixated on Naruto. She stopped before him, her crimson gaze measuring him before she turned and snarled at Shay. "I will deal with you later."
"Ha ha. Nice knowing you, chump." Tyrian smirked, his eyes twinkling in amusement at Shay's inevitable fate.
"Silence, worm. You will be dealt with soon enough." The woman in the mask turned her full attention to Naruto. "I will ask this once and only once. Leave here and take this evil with you, or there will be consequences."
To emphasize her point, thunder crackled in the sky. Wind began to brew and howl as a storm surge started to sweep in.
"Now, isn't that something? I was almost certain the little lady there was our target." Tyrian whistled, impressed before he glanced at Naruto expectantly.
Naruto stood, unimpressed as he met the skull mask leader's gaze. "You don't want this. All I'm trying to do is take care..."
"I know what you are doing. It's suicide, and I want no part of it." The woman reached up and grasped her mask, sliding it off to reveal her cold features, her other hand gripping the hilt of her blade.
Naruto exhaled, refraining from palming his face. Why did everyone choose the hard way?
Allow me. Naruto could feel Kurama reaching out, desiring to take control.
Naruto hesitated to cede control, remembering the last time he did, but remembered it did end well. Have at it, buddy.
Naruto could feel Kurama's grin as his partner took control over his faculties, his chakra coating his body before engulfing it into his form. He could see the fear in everyone's eyes as the golden fox stood menacingly within the camp, towering over them, before a roar bellowed from Kurama's lungs.
The devastation was immediate. The ground shook and cratered beneath Kurama's form, forcing everyone nearby to jump away. The fortified structures of the bandit camp collapsed, caving in and crashing upon the terrified residents.
And as Kurama lifted his astral head, the approaching storm itself dissipated from the ferocity of his roar.
With it finished, Naruto took control, and Kurama's form diminished into his, still cloaked with his partner's chakra. He stepped toward a shaken bandit leader and whispered. "Like I said, you don't want this fight. Be reasonable and let's work together..."
"Or I'm going to show you what my partner and I can really do."