A/N: Sorry if this seems short, my throat feels awful. Pretty sure this is strep. Owwww...hurts to breathe.

But still! We're baaaaack!

Let the March madness of RWBY updates continue~!

Took some time away after that disaster of a season ending, and now I'm back.

As my fifteen year anniversary on this site draws near, I find myself reflecting on things. What was once a 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, 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 think overmuch about the latter; 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. Will I still be here in twenty years? Ten? Five?

But for now, I'm still here, still writing. Speaking of which...

I'll say it plain, if this email opt-in business with the site doesn't get resolved, I'm probably going to retire.

And right now? It doesn't look its going to be fixed anytime soon.

It HURTS to say that, but with this new system, reviews and readers have dropped to an all time low, many authors are leaving the site in droves.

If you're not already aware, ever since the 16th of November -about two sodding months now!- you now have to turn ON your email alerts in account settings-MAKE SURE YOU CLICK SAVE SETTINGS!-else you won't be notified when anyone updates. No alerts, no email, no nothing. Apparently that's a thing we all have to do every ninety days or so, now. Alas, not many are aware of it...which is a problem. As things stand this new "fix" as it were, has cut everyone's viewership/reviewers in half because most folks don't know about it. Authors are leaving/quitting in droves because of this.

Sometimes the app helps. Sometimes it doesn't. Really depends. Hopefully the devs can fix tweak/update this system

Now for your questions. We'll keep it brief so we can get into the madness faster.

Q: ...that wasn't Rhodes at the door, was it?

A: Chapter title says it all.

Q: More Jinn, please! I know Nora loosened her "shackles" and all, but c'mon! You're underutilizing her!

A: *zips lips*

Q:...don't hurt the kids. Please, not that. Anything but that!

A: Nora may be a Maiden in this story, but at the end of the day, she's only a child. Ditto for Ren and Cinder

Q: Everything's about to change, isn't it?

A: Read and see~!

Alright, I've kept you long enough, I think. Hope you enjoy the delightful madness that is this story.

As ever I own no reference, quotes, themes or memes. Not a wit or a one~!

Recall where we left off in the last. Naruto vs Freya...

"You pushed that poor girl too hard. Too far. Too fast.

This is the result. What did you expect?

She's a monster."

~?

A Bitter Blizzard

The maiden fought hard.

Jinn could hear Freya raging against Naruto in the tower above; sense the savage storm raging within as two terrible powers clashed. It had come to a fight after all then, as she feared it might. A shame. She'd hoped the Winter Maiden would be amenable to reason, but it seemed such was not to be. He'd have to subdue that tired, broken woman by force. She didn't envy him the task. A fully realized maiden was nothing to sneeze at, even one well past their prime.

No matter. They'd attract attention if nothing else. As planned.

Just as well they were distracted too; with security down and the storm raging, no one challenged her egress. The corridors were well and truly deserted now; none noticed a particularly tall blue woman gliding toward her objective. She traversed the halls where she pleased. Walls were no obstacle to her, nor was was the floor; she phased through any object that barred her path, until finally...

.

..

...

"Aha~!" She cooed, placing her hands together. "There you are. You weren't easy to find...

Now the vault of Atlas loomed before her in all its glory, a nigh-on inaccessible pitfall ready to swallow any plucky intruder whole. Traditionally a series of ascending steps would manifest in the presence of a Winter Maiden, allowing one to bridge the gap. In the absence of such Jinn simply levitated her way up to the door. No resistance met her. No traps. Nothing at all.

Really, it was almost sad.

Blue fingers traced the barrier. A faintly musical ringing sound filed her ears as she sought its weak spot. Ozma had been so clever these vaults, yet each of them held an inherent flaw. These doors were made to keep out Mortals, not the Spirits themselves. Jinn had not been mortal for a terribly long time. Unchained for the first time since her creation, she was free to come and go as she pleased. The vault of Atlas could no sooner hold her than the one in Vale of Vacuo.

With nary a sound, she slipped right through the door to the realm beyond.

Verdant green grass awaited her in the void, a stark contrast to the dusty sands of her former prison. Jinn lowered herself to the floor and chose to walk, reveling in the sensation of soil and stone beneath her bare feet. It truly was a blessing to be able to walk under her own power again. Now then, where was...?

There. She spied the Staff of Creation in the center of the room.

Humming softly, Jinn sashayed her away over to it. For a moment she consider gathering it up in her arms and simply departing...but no. Such wasn't possible. She couldn't leave with the Relic. The door was still sealed, and while she could phase through it, the Relic could not. That wasn't her intent. Naruto, that dear, clever boy had sent her down here with a different purpose in mind.

She laid a hand on the staff. A wisp of blue smoke rose at her touch, gradually coalescing into a familiar shape.

"Well, well, well." Its owner grinned. "Never thought I'd see you here, little sister."

Jinn smiled at him. "Hello, Ambrosius. I need a favor...

(.0.0.0.)

Ice met wind.

Elements clashed over and over again without pause; a blazing blue blizzard blurring through the chamber to render all the world a frozen wasteland. Two figures fought among the storm it; one old, the other young. One would stand. One would fall. There was no other choice. No path forward but over one another's dead body.

Naruto hated it.

Swatting an icicle out the air, he ducked and drove an open palm into Freya's chest. She didn't even try to use her aura. Blood spattered through the air as she flipped backward through the air before righting herself upon a current of icy air. Blazing blue eyes narrowed upon him, pale fetters of flame flicking at their edges. She wiped a thin line of blood from her mouth and smiled his way. It was a such, miserable smile. His heart broke at the sight.

"That's the way, boy!" she rasped! "Kill me. Quickly now. Its almost midnight...!"

"Not a...chance!"

This close to the Winter Maiden he could taste the air burning his lungs; his body trembling despite the thick clothing he wore. All the strength didn't matter when you couldn't see an inch in front of your face, couldn't feel your fingers, or barely breathe. He wouldn't die to Freya at this rate, but hypothermia. Cold killed even the strongest warriors.

"Time's a wasting." she raised a hand, conjuring a blade of ice to her palm. "Will you kill me? Or will you run away?"

She thought he had no other choice.

Perhaps he didn't.

The alternative galled Naruto even more. He wasn't trapped here. He could smash through a frozen wall and run away; race back to the Glass Unicorn to retrieve Nora and Ren, call Raven, summon a portal and limp back to Kuroyuri with nothing to show for his efforts. Nora wouldn't have a teacher. He wouldn't be able to help her, and she would be hunted for the rest of her days. All that work, for nothing?

Not happening.

Of course, he could kill Freya. She'd sworn to think of Nora in her final moments. Could someone be a double Maiden? He didn't know. By the log, he didn't WANT to know. Nora was already struggling as the Spring Maiden and to force the power of Winter upon her, to make that precious little bean suffer even more than she already had.

Not. A. Chance.

He righted himself with a sigh. What kind of life had Freya led, that left her wanting to die so badly? He knew what it was to be cursed with a power no one wanted. To have a give you'd never asked for. But for her to hate herself to the point of throwing her own life away...? Try as he might, he couldn't understand it; no, that wasn't it. He didn't want to understand it.

And so he did what he always did. He chose the third option. His option.

If she wouldn't use her Semblance to save herself...he'd make her.

...think I'll take my chances, missy."

Her pale face darkened. "Then you will die."

"That's a chance I'm willing to take.

Freya came in swinging. He ducked a sword of ice, swept aside a torrent of icicles and grabbed her left wrist. She instantly pivoted to slash at it; only for him to snare it as well. He grabbed her arms and laced his hands with hers, fingers gripping fingers, forcing her to hold onto him against her will. From there he bashed her back against a wall. She tried to kick him and he trapped her legs with his. A savage smile tore across his face as his body began to glow gold.

"I said I was gonna save ya, Freya." he rasped. "I'm a man of my word."

Ice blue eyes widened in comprehension. "Don't you dare!"

Ohhh, he dared.

Those of the Uzumaki clan possessed nigh-on-untapped vitality. He had more than most thanks to Kurama. He reached into her body with his chakra, past her aura, and found what he was looking for. There. Just as Freya said, she'd sealed away her semblance, refusing to ever use it again. Like a damned up river left to waste away, so too had she let her ability rot. He grabbed it and wrenched the channel of her semblance open, bridging their bodies with his chakra.

Freya's semblance did the rest. After being starved for so long, her maiden-enhanced-gift latched onto him like a starving beast.

He could've fought it off. Instead he let her Semblance feast. Freya's face filled in as he looked on, age lines fading from her visage. Her back began to straighten. Color returned to her hair and her ghostly facade regained a healthy pallor. Nor was her clothing left untouched. Her once loose robe began to fill out, fabric stretching taut. He heard the telltale sound of stitches ripping.

"No!" she wailed at him, thrashing in her grasp! "I told you not to! Why didn't you listen?!

Frantic, she conjured another storm between them and flung him away.

Too little, too late.

Naruto hurtled across the room. He felt his back kiss a wall, leaving a decidedly human-shaped impression behind. It didn't dent his smile. Not one bit.

A light haze filled the room, obscuring his vision.

"I hope you're happy." Kurama sniped at him. "You just gave her a fourth of your lifespan."

"Meh." he grinned up at the ceiling. "I've got plenty to go around. What's a few years compared to that? Doesn't matter to me."

"BOY!" Judging by Freya's outraged shriek, it mattered a great deal to her. "What did you do?!"

He laughed at the ceiling. At her. "I saved you. You're welcome."

"Saved, he says!" A buxom young woman staggered out the fog, scarcely a stitch of clothing to her name. Long hair concealed her full breasts, and mercifully, most of the mist and the last of her robe did the rest for her full hips. "I didn't want to be!" Vivid blue eyes glared at him, wreathed with angry azure flame. "This is all your fault!" Huh. Apparently the old crone had been a redhead when she was younger. Who knew! Long hair looked good on her. Shame she was scowling at him right now. "ALL YOUR FAULT!"

"Yup." he grinned.

She flung up her arms. "I can never go back now!"

"Yup." he folded both arms behind his head and laughed.

Freya seethed. "Do you have anything else to say for yourself?!"

"Nooope."" he smacked his lips at the end, producing an audible pop. "You have to live now."

The rejuvenated woman grabbed him by the collar and hissed at him, absolutely hissed through her teeth. "You'll take responsibility for this!"

(.0.0.0.)

So much smoke.

Everywhere he looked, Ren saw it.

Ash spattered the walls and the ceiling, stained the carpet underfoot.

He'd tried opening a window to rid them of the worst of it, but still the stench of the dead lingered. He expected the smell would persist for quite some time; just as the sight before him would remain carved into his mind until his dying day.

Cinder's stepmother and stepsisters lay sprawled about the room...well, what was left of them. Lightning had an awful way of devastating the body.

Nora lowered her right hand, fingers still crackling with pale white-violet sparks. She'd always wanted to shoot lightning at fools. Now she had. He couldn't even bring himself to blame her for what she'd done. They had tried to take Cinder away. She wouldn't have it. She'd screamed an' screamed and screamed. Then came the lightning, leaping from her fingertips, striking them down where they stood, burning, blasting, blowing them apart like dolls made of straw.

The rest, as they say, was history.

Cinder hadn't even had a chance to dirty her hands. He supposed that was a small mercy.

"You...you killed them." the older girl nudged her stepmother's blasted corpse with a foot. "You really did...

She sounded so happy. Euphoric, even. Small wonder. Her life had been hell under these three. They'd ground her down day after day. Was it any wonder she was glad to be rid of them?

"Renny...?" Nora turned to face him, eyes still shining with flame, tears running down her cheeks. "I did the right thing, didn't I? They were bad people, right?"

Ren sighed. A sane boy would've condemned her for casual murder. He'd stopped being sane some time ago.

Tutting softly, he stepped forward and drew the quivering girl into his arms. "Of course you did."

What was the old saying Mother once told him?

Madness was catching.

A/N: Aaaaand scene! Felt right to cut it there. We've got a rejuvenated Freya on our hands!

NOW FOR THE RELIC OF CREATION.

We'll save the rest of this arc for the next chapter.

As ever we're still sticking to the "Embers" rule here, folks. If folks don't like this...well, I won't continue. Every review, every comment, no matter how large or small, keeps me writing in spite of my busy work schedule. I don't get days off anymore, so I try to respond when I can, but lately it feels like this has become a job in and of itself; albeit one I don't get paid for, one that it is often thankless...

So by all means, speak up! Make yourselves heard! Your words matter!

So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...Review...Would You Kindly?

Not many previews this time around. Surprises await~!

(Preview)

The Staff beckoned.

Movement in his peripherals.

"Hey!" a sudden cry snapped him back to reality in the street." Watch where you're going!"

He had time enough to spy a young girl with white hair and crystal blue eyes. He muttered an apology and kept walking.

A shrill voice snapped at him. "Do you have any idea who I am?"

"Didn't ask, don't need it, go screw yourself.

Nora waved over her shoulder.

...is she wearing a maid uniform?

Raven sputtered. Damnit. Forgot about that!

Heat speared through her face. If that blond bastard wasn't so damn strong...!

The door slammed open again, revealing a man most unfamiliar. "What's going on here?!"

"Rhodes!" Cinder chirruped happily.

"They tried to kill her! I stopped them."

Rhodes drew in a deep breath, looked to Cinder and saw what they saw. Her hands were clean.

"You two need to come with me.

"What?!" Nora recoiled. "No! I didn't do anything wrong!"

"Rhodes! Cinder laid a hand on his arm.

"He'll be back. Just you wait and see-

"Be that as it may-

Rhodes slumped forward.

Naruto stood behind him, face carved from stone. "I'm going to pretend you didn't just say that.

There was a woman with him, a redhead clad in a borrowed soldier's cloak.

"Who is this?"

"I found our Maiden. The Relic will have to wait. C'mon." Naruto slung Rhodes over his shoulder. "We're leaving. You coming with?"

Cinder's head bobbed.

She feared the Bright Man.

He wasn't like Rhodes at all; because he didn't have to be.

She'd glimpsed the power beneath his smile, silent strength ready to be unleashed.

Who knew what he was up to now...?

"Great." he fished out his phone. Raven. We got what we came for." He patted the Relic of Knowledge on his hip, humming softly. "Portal, please.

A moment of silence passed. And then. A crimson swathe tore through the air.

"Lets go."

Ren followed them through.

"Nora, I have to do this."

"No!" She clung onto his leg for dear life. "I won't let you!"

Naruto heaved a sigh. "Will you just hear me out-

"NO!" She latched on even harder. "You said you'd never leave us! You promised!"

R&R~!