A/N: Would you kindly read this through to the end before you make your judgement? I promise you'll get hooked~!

As ever, we're going by the now infamous Embers rule. This WILL be deleted quickly if folks don't like it. So speak up! Make yourselves heard! Every bit of feedback counts! That said, this particular tale was written...well, I suppose you could say I took issue with the finale. Now that everyone's seen it, I'm sure most people understand.

Here we are, back by popular demand! Drawn forth from the plot bin! Behold! THE GOLDEN GRIMM!

Second! This is a hard harem and will most likely be upgraded to "M" in the near future. Now then.

Screw. That. Finale.

Suuuuure go ahead and tear out our hearts then stomp on them, Roosterteeth! No, suuuuure! Its fiiiiine! Why would you *SPOILER* and make *SPOILER* a *SPOILER* just to *SPOILER* her like that! Not to mention *SPOILER!* That last episode did soooo many people dirty! Everyone's going to have scars after that. I certainly do!

Here's another idea that...I'm not quite sure will become a story or not. Still, I wanted folks to at least see it.

Maybe its a tease of something that's coming. Maybe not. Haven't decided yet.

As ever, I own no references, quotes, memes or themes. Not a wit or a one.

I'm just a humble author trying to make his way in the world.

Hope this makes you smile~!

Cheers~!

"Impossible. Such a silly word."

You can't do that, everyone says! Its impossible!

They all say something's impossible until someone proves them wrong.

I may fall, but I'm still going to try. I was reborn into this world for a reason."

~?

Turning the Tables

A young man approached a Beowolf in the dead of night.

At least, he assumed it was a Beowolf. It certainly looked odd enough. He'd spent the last week tracking it.

By now the hour was late and the moon was full; shining down in all its shattered splendor. He knew the beast saw him; just as he saw it. He'd gone out of his way to corner it. His pace did not slow. Any of observer would have thought him foolish at best, suicidal at worst; why else would a stranger willingly seek out a creature of the Grimm in the dead of night? Surely only a fool would do such a thing. A fool indeed...or a madman. Perhaps he was.

For the time had come to test his theory. There could be no gain without risk, nor risk without gain.

Beneath the tattered rags of his well-worn cowl, whiskered cheeks dimpled in an anxious scowl. He didn't think he was mad. Just left without much choice. Worst case scenario, he died here tonight. They could only kill him once after all. Perhaps that was a morbid way of thinking things. He knew of no other way to be. No one would miss him in any case. None would mourn him. He was in every way, an outcast. A pariah. If he were to die here and now, all his accomplishments would come to naught, his grand plan to save the world destined to die a stillbirth before it could ever be born.

His mentor was long since dead. No one else would care about the death of some stray in Vale.

"They will call you mad for this, Naruto." a memory took him in its teeth and shook him from head to toe. "They will not understand. Knowing that, are you still prepared to take on this burden?"

...I am. I want to help people. This...this can save thousands. Millions of people."

Of course, my boy. Of course. You're the perfect vessel."

He hadn't backed down then, and he wouldn't back down now. Someone needed to turn the tables.

Had to be him. Someone else might have gotten it wrong.

By the sage that...was a very large Grimm. Easily ten feet tall on all fours, the Alpha could crush him with one paw. He knew it. The beast knew it. He could fight if it came to that -he wasn't anywhere near as powerless as he appeared- but he didn't favor his chances against a beast of this size, not at this range.

Knowing this, the young man still extended his hand.

"Hey there, big guy." he grinned at the beast. "Wanna be friends?"

A tumbleweed blew past man and beast, vanishing in the undergrowth.

As if on cue the Grimm threw its head back and howled; it was a surprisingly sharp sound, a keening contralto against the silent night.

"Oops!" His smile became a touch more stressed. "You're a girl, are you? Sorry about that." he laughed and rubbed the back of his head with one hand. "Didn't mean to offend ya."

Hackles rose as the beast tensed; ready to pounce. Something in the young man quailed at the sight. He grit his teeth and stood his ground, palm still splayed. The Grimm crept closer. Slavering jaws parted, exposing row upon row of serrated, knife-like teeth. One bite. That was all it would take. A single bite would take his arm and the shoulder besides. He'd be dead before he hit the ground. A whimper nearly stole out of him, but he took hold of it, wrestling it down before it could escape him.

And yet still the young man found himself hesitant.

This was his calling. His purpose. He knew this. Every fiber of his being called him to do so. Yet fear wasn't so easily quashed. Was this a Beowolf at all? Up close, it didn't look like one. He was beginning to think it was a breed he'd not encountered as of yet. That...boded poorly. Anxiety stirred deep inside him, drawing a growl from the horrifying abomination before him.

'Don't panic.' he willed the words at himself, locking his fear in a box and burying it deep. 'Panic leads to fear! Fear is the enemy! No fear here...!'

The Alpha sniffed his palm. Once. Twice. Thrice. A spark of intelligence flashed through the red slits of its mask. He reached out with the "Gift" this world had granted him and breathed on it, fanning that tiny ember into a flame. Faint tendrils of light sprang from his palm, wrapping around the Grimm like strands of silk. It stiffened, but he pushed outward with his power to pacify it.

"Calm." he breathed the word, chanting it like a mantra. "Keep calm...

He knew the moment his power took root; because the Grimm's fur, once black as pitch, burned a bright shade of deeply luminescent gold. It jerked back with a rough snort of surprise, red eyes wide beneath its mask. A snarl tore through the night and Naruto felt its shock, as clearly as if it were his own. Of course he did. He'd linked himself to the Grimm.

"Steady." He forced the words out through gritted teeth. "Steady now. I'm not going to hurt you. Just be ca-ack?!"

A rough tongue flitted out and scraped across his face, rendering his silver tongue an incoherent mess.

Naruto did his best not to gag. His right eye twitched.

"Good girl. Would you kindly sit?"

Much to his surprise, the beast made a chuffing sound and plonked down on its hindquarters, rather reminding him of a hound. Well, a giant hound that could take him and shake him apart with its teeth. Urk. Now he was nervous again. Still, it made no move to attack. He'd tamed it. Just like the rest. With that Naruto released a breath he hadn't realized he'd been holding. His shoulders slumped and against his better judgement, he dared to reach out and scratch the beast's ears.

A mighty leg thumped upon the floor as its tongue lolled forth from that fanged maw.

Slowly, a tentative smile dawned on his whiskered visage. "Well, hot damn. That actually worked. Now what am I going to do with you?"

The Golden Grimm -he was starting to think of it as a Hound- merely cocked its head at him.

He hadn't been sure he could successfully influence the higher breeds of Grimm. Until tonight. Alright, then. His theory was proven. His ability extended to Greater Grimm as well as the Lesser breeds. That was certainly a step up from what it had been in the beginning. Ohh, if only Merlot could see him now. He'd be howling with laughter.

His semblance was a strange one; sometimes he wondered if it was really a semblance to begin with. Anyone who could commune with Grimm, much less influence them, make them more than they were...well...it had to be a curse. His parents in this life certainly called it such. Was it a curse? A blessing? Some unholy influence perhaps? He wasn't sure. He had been reborn into this world without aura to protect him, yet he still possessed this strange ability. His soul would always be within, never without. These creatures could and would kill him if he let them.

Grimm had sought him for as long as he could remember, attracted him him wherever he went. He wasn't sure what it was that drew them to him, only that it did. By the time he realized he was a target...

...well. Things hadn't gone well. Mountain Glenn was heralded as a disaster for good reason. That day, he'd lost the one man who gave a damn about him. After his mentor's death he'd eked out a meager existence in the wilds; away from the cities, away from civilization, away from everyone. Still, they were drawn to him.

And in a strange, twisted way, Naruto found himself drawn was unto them.

They could be reasoned with; persuaded not to attack, even outright dominated when all else failed. Naruto didn't enjoy the latter, but sometimes it was necessary. Grimm were always dangerous when they were mindless as this one had been. Give them intelligence, the ability to think and reason, to exist as more than mindless monsters?

Well. Remarkable things happened. Tame enough Grimm, and they might well leave people alone.

Some might call it a pipe dream. Perhaps it was. But he'd been given this ability for a reason. Surely he was meant to use it for the greater good.

In truth these beasts were not the mindless monsters man feared them to be. After all, if they were, he would've been long dead by now. If they could learn to act as normal creatures did, if they could be taught, if he was able to find the one directing them...if...if...IF! SO many ifs!

Naruto pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed. Enough for one night. His reserves were flagging.

"Alright." he patted the Hound on its strange mask. "I guess we should get back. Really, you're the first Greater Grimm I managed to-

Bone gave way with an awful crack as the Hound howled in untold agony.

Naruto jerked back, terribly startled by this unexplained phenomena. "What in the world?!"

Something latched onto his reserved and yanked. Yanked really, really, REALLY hard. He dropped to a knee, gasping for air.

Golden light burst from the beast's shining flooded the clearing, bringing with it a rush of pressure. The young man flung up an arm against it wincing as his cowl was torn back. Bright blue eyes squinted against the haze, framed by tan whiskered cheeks and tawny blond hair. He kept squinting until a hunched shape resolved itself amidst the gloom.

He stopped squinting when he saw pale skin. Naked!

Cheeks aflame, he ripped his battered cloak from his shoulders and cast it over the woman in a desperate attempt to preserve her modesty.

For this was undoubtedly one of the fairer sex.

When the mist cleared, a human face stared back at him. No, not quite human, but certainly not Faunus either. Framed by the ruined remnants of a broken mask around her startled visage, baffled eyes blinked back at him. Her hair was dark, yet a strange shade of red. Darker than dark even. Like someone had reached up and cut out a piece of the bloody night itself and wound it into those tresses of hers. Startled silver eyes blinked up at him from a gaunt face that looked like it hadn't seen the sun in years.

Naruto recoiled. A person?! Inside a Grimm?! What was the world coming to?! "Who are you...?"

A hoarse whispers fled from her lips. "...mmer."

He frowned. "Didn't quite catch that."

She didn't seem to hear him. Instead the woman raised her hands, then frowned when she realized they were no longer paws. Fingers stood in place of claws, flexing into loose fists as he looked on. An expression of pure wonder crossed her pale visage as she turned them end over end. Her lips worked wordlessly, either unable or unwilling to speak. By some miracle she didn't try to remove the cloak he'd thrown over her. Trembling hands clutched it close to her naked body, trembling from the cold.

Naruto plucked the canteen from his belt and offered it to her. "Here. Maybe this will help."

That got her attention.

She all but snatched it from his hands and drank greedily.

"Thank...you." When she finally spoke again, her voice sounded stronger for pure water he'd given her. "You saved me...

"Saved...?" he scratched the back of his head. "I didn't even know you were in that Grimm...miss...?

Silver eyes gazed up at him, brimming with unshed tears. As he looked on aghast, the woman began to weep. A strange heat pervaded Naruto's face and he looked away, feeling terribly embarrassed by the sight. When was the last time someone had thanked him? He couldn't remember. Really? It hadn't been that long, surely. He liked helping people. And yet he couldn't remember the last time he'd gone out of his way to actively help someone. Maybe it was time that changed.

She tried to stand and stumbled, forcing him to catch her.

"S...Summer." the woman croaked, clutching at his sleeve for support as she stood on unsteady legs. "My name is Summer. Yes. That's it. There...there was something else...wasn't there?" she swallowed and touched a hand to her forehead, grappling with a memory. "I had a mission...but I can't remember...

Something in him winced. He said the only thing he could. "Did you have a family...?"

It was the pebble that started an avalanche. Realization flashed through her startling silver eyes.

"FAMILY!" the word burst from Summer's lips and she latched onto him like a limpet, fingernails biting into his arms. "That's right! I have a family! Please, help me!" She glanced left and right, as though fearing an attack at any moment. "Take me home! Don't let her take me again!"

"Her?

"Salem." she babbled the words and clutched at her head. "She took me." her eyes went wild, flashing with fear and something else he couldn't understand. "She did...things...to me...I don't want to go back." she shook her head anew, sending her hair swaying in a mess tangle. "Take the girl she said...no! No, no, no!" a keening whimper forced itself through clenched teeth. "I won't take the girl...! I won't give her Ruby! She can't make me!"

His brow furrowed. "Who in blazes is Salem?"

Summer gazed up at him, suddenly eerily calm. "She's the end. The end of everything. Queen of the Grimm."

Her eyes rolled back into her head without warning and she slumped in his arms, forcing him to catch her lest she dash her head against a stone. Summer offered no resistance whatsoever; were it not for the faint pulse in her neck he would've thought her dead. She was certainly cold enough.

A bitter breeze swept through the clearing and Naruto fought down a shiver.

There was so much he wanted to ask her, but he'd get no answers from her like this. Grimm weren't people...were they? Was someone turning humans into Grimm? Another part of him wanted to throw his his head back and laugh. Laugh long and hard. Finally. He'd studied for so long. Delved into the depths of Mountain Glenn. Torn through Merlot's research. They said it was impossible. That it couldn't be done. Yet here at last he had his validation, his proof, and most of all, the beginning of his redemption.

But with it all, he had a name.

Salem. Queen of the Grimm. Oh. Ohhh, dear. That complicated things. He knew someone had been directing the Grimm themselves for quite some time now -the attacks certainly indicated as much- but he'd thought it a stray huntress with an ability similar to hiss. Not a bloody queen that wanted to end life as he knew it. If she was doing this to people...then that made her an enemy. She stood directly opposed to his own goals for these Grimm; if anything she was likely commanding the lot of them. That wouldn't do.

With this simple choice, the world began to change once more. He wouldn't be alone anymore. Never again.

He'd already swore to save this wretched, rotten world, one way or another. And he would.

Even if he had to drag it to glory, kicking and screaming. But in the meantime.

"Guess I'll bring her back to her family. Seems the right thing to do."

What could possibly go wrong?

A/N: AHA! Didn't see that coming, did you?!

As ever, we're going by the Embers rule. This'll be deleted quickly if folks don't like it. So speak up! Make yourselves heard! Every bit of feedback counts! What say you? Should this have been a story? Yay? Nay? Speak up! No, seriously, please tell me. This was saved from the plot bin. I'd hate to see it go back, but if folks don't like it.

Clearly Salem wouldn't take to someone stealing the Grimm out from under her, but as Naruto's hidden out in the wilderness, she's not been able to find him and I found it a fascinating concept.

Aaaand there we go. As ever, reviews keep me alive. Without them, I cannot write.

So...in the Immortal Words of Atlas...

...Review...Would You Kindly?

Have some new previews!

As ever, a disclaimer:

WARNING! WARNING! WARNING!

THAR BE SPOILERS AHEAD!

BEWARE!

(Previews!)

Steal the Grimm out from under her, would he? Impudent pup. He would drown in his own blood for this.

Salem scowled. "He must be eliminated. Watts." She snapped her fingers. "Take Tyrian with you and see to his demise at once."


"Side?! What side?!" Naruto grit his teeth at the man before him. "I'm on humanity's side!"

"This from the man who leads Grimm? Your deeds say otherwise."

"You're not listening!"


"Stop putting people in Grimm, damnit! The hell am I supposed to do with all these followers?!"


...it has been so long, and my path so dark...I no longer remember my first name."

"Well, that's going to be a problem." Very much so, in more ways than one. "What do I call you?"

"I led a pack." the young, dusky-skinned woman rose, silver eyes flashing as gazed upon him. "Alpha. My name is Alpha."

Unfortunately in standing, she lost the cloak he'd flung over her body. Naruto pinched his brow. "Clothes, now. Please. Wear them."

She frowned. "Why?"

"Because you're human now!"

...and?"

EDIT: Gee, I wonder who THAT is...ought to be obvious. Poor girl's gonna need an eyepatch.


R&R~!