A/N: Happy Holidays to one and all~!

As stated earlier, I've taken a few days off work for the holidays to rest and recuperate.

Updates might be a bit more sporadic during this time, but I'll do my level best to keep them coming.

Still updating RWBY despite the delay for Volume Nine. Heck, we might not even get Volume Ten at this rate...

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

It HURTS to say that; but with this new system, reviews and readers have dropped to an all time low, authors are leaving the site in droves, and it feels like the end of an era.

If you're not already aware of it, ever since the 16th of November, 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 because of this.

Sometimes opting in works. Sometimes it doesn't. Really depends. Hopefully the devs can fix tweak/update this system before everyone leaves.

So here we go. The fate of this story depends on you, the reader. Your feedback determines the fate of this story, and all others.

I hate having to beg for feedback, but without it...well, it feels like I'm not making an impact.

As ever, the Embers rule remains. If folks don't like this story, POOF! Away it goes. Gone forever. With two jobs and rent to pay, my free time is...well, at an all time low. I'm lucky to have four hours to write a day. I can't afford to pen stories that no one enjoys. So by all means, speak up! Every bit of feedback matters here! Truly, it does! That's no joke!

No questions this time. Only the merry madness of this story.

Aright, I think this old man's rambling has kept you all waiting long enough.

As ever, I own no references, quotes, themes or memes. They're merely tributes. Away we go~!

Had a blast writing Yang in this chapter. Proper Yang, free as a bird, reckless as all hell, and more than willing to throw down in a fight...

...and given that Naruto's quite nearly a God thanks to the Ten Tail in this story...well. She'll need to fight for every bit.

"Mama said knock you out~!"

~?

Knockout

"Hey, Miltia."

"What, Melanie...?"

"You ever think the Boss is messing with us?"

That got a reaction out of her twin; she flipped over on their bed with a frown and kicked her feet up, red dress flaring around her legs. Shame. If the boss was here he woulda stared, and they could used that as an excuse to jump him. She was itching for another round. Shame he'd run off somewhere.

"How so?"

"I mean he said something about a test," she held up one finger, then another as she counted down. "Then ran out all of a sudden, "Two fingers now, "And he hasn't been back for awhile. "Its weird, right?"

Her twin hissed. "Bitch, don't talk shit about him. I'll cut you."

"Hey, hey! No need to bring out the claws.

"Then don't bring up the heels!"

Melanie looked down Had she...? Oops. She had begun to raise her right leg without realizing it. "Fine, fine, just put your hands down. You have any idea how hard it is to get blood out of a white dress?!"

"Harder than it'll be to hide a black eye." her twin waved a fist before her face. "You get me?"

"Fine, fine." Melania sighed and flopped back onto the bed beside her. From there she placed her chin atop her arms and snuggled back into the blankets. "I wasn't tryin' to talk shit. Just shooting the breeze."

...you got a funny way of doing that, sis!"

Heh. Miltia really was loyal to the Boss. It was adorable, in a puppy-love sorta way, though she'd never tell him that. As for her? She didn't really get Blondie sometimes. Naruto wasn't a killer, or so he claimed, but she'd seen him make Cinder Fall wish for death. Wasn't a lover, but daaamn was he a good lay. He had power, yet he didn't use it like any upstanding criminal would; but still had all the more allies for it. He was a baffling bag of contradictions and she

She wanted power like that. Then nobody but NOBODY would ever make fools of them again. She'd show that huntress girl what for. Damn blond bimbo. See how she liked it when she was the one gettin' tossed around.

Miltia snapped her fingers. "Hey! You're spacing out again."

Maybe she was.

"I mean, what's the worst that could happen? Not like he's gettin' himself into any trouble...

Miltia arched a black brow. "You really wanna tempt fate, don'tcha?"

They exchanged a long, lingering look between themselves.

...he definitely is."

(.0.0.0.)

"Naruto, no!"

"Ha! Naruto, yes!"

Yes indeed! He was hardly about to back down here; not with Yang's father in his face. In truth he'd much rather talk things out, but with the bastard cocking that shotgun of his...well. That complicated matters. As far as Taiyang Xiaolong was concerned, he was the villain here, not him. Didn't look like talking would work.

Still, he wouldn't be Naruto Uzumaki if he didn't make an attempt.

"Look," he raised a hand, palms open, fingers splayed. "Why don't we take a moment to calm down, reset our tempers, ya know?"

Tai's finger tightened on the trigger. "Counteroffer. Get the hell away from my daughter and I'll let you live."

"I think that's for her to decide, don't you? She's old enough to make her own choices!"

"Then are you strong enough to protect her?"

Yang squawked. "Oi, both of you! I don't need protecting!"

Naruto ignored her and met the man glare for glare. "Stronger than you, old man."

He had no way of knowing, but in that instant, he'd just reminded Yang's father of a broody old bird.

"Right, that tears it." Taiyang bulled into his personal space. "One blond is bad enough! We don't need two blondes blonding it up in here!" a finger dug into his vest, seeking the skin beneath. "Not when you're acting like HER!"

"Blonding?" Yang scoffed. "Hey! I take offense to that!"

Tai flinched "Yang, honey, I didn't mean you-

"Right," she huffed, crossing both arms over her bosom, "You're talking about Mom, aren't you? Go ahead. Keep talking. Not like I know anything about her anyway."

Guilt rolled off Taiyang in waves. Naruto could almost taste it. What did Yang's mother have to do with this? Admittedly he didn't know enough about Yang's family to rightly make any guesses there, but it didn't sound like a happy story all the same. Not with Yang glaring bloody red daggers at her father. That was one landmine he very much intended to avoid.

...jeez, you can't choose your family."

The older blond rounded on him. "Quiet. I wasn't talking to you-

"Maybe not. But I'm still going to kick your ass if you keep this up."

Taiyang growled, the deep growl of an angry father. "That's my line! Break my daughter's heart and I break you."

Yang absolutely sputtered. "I AM RIGHT HERE!"

"Trust me, I won't be doing any breaking. Now get that weapon out of my face."

"And if I don't?"

...try me."

BANG.

Naruto didn't even blink when Tai's shotgun barked. A harsh crack of sound filled the air, leaving his ears ringing. Empty shells fell harmlessly to the ground. In hindsight Tai probably didn't mean anything by it; he was hardly a murderer; just an irritated parent who'd seen far too much for his liking and decided his best move was to scare him off. Moreover, he assumed he had Aura like an reasonably fit individual and likewise, that a warning shot wouldn't do anything more than give him a bad case of tinnitus; something that would clear up within a few minutes. On that account, he was right.

"Now look what you did." he rubbed the side of his head. "That hurt my hears."

He did not, however, anticipate Yang's reaction. Neither of them did.

"Dad?! What the hell?! You almost shot him!"

Taiyang flinched. "Sweetie, I can explain-

"So can I."

In a single fluid motion Naruto stepped in, swept Taiyang's legs and drove an elbow into the back of his neck as he fell. Flawless victory. The Xialong patriarch dropped like a sack of potatoes to the street.

Yang tutted. "Was that really necessary?"

Naruto pivoted to face her fully. "He lived, didn't he?"

"He did," her head bobbed in a nod. Then she grimaced. "Aaand he's getting up again."

He craned his neck, following her gaze. "Ha?"

Clenched knuckles barreled into his nose. Chakra flashed. Something gave.

Needless to say, it wasn't him.

Taiyan recoiled, clutching now-bloodied knuckles. "What're you made of, pure metal?!"

"Nope." he wiped a bit of the man's blood from his face. "Just chakra. Alright, have it your own way. I tried to be nice."

His fist shot up at speed. Clenched knuckles struck Taiyang in the chin. Yang's father crumbled like a house of cards. Up he went, flipping arse over elbow. Down he came, landing squarely on his face. Aura sparked once, fizzled, then broke entirely. A muffled groan came stumbling blearily on its heels.

Taiyang Xialong went out like a light. This time, there would be no second wind.

Yang nudged him with a foot. "Wasn't that a bit excessive?"

A blond brow quirked. "He's still breathing.

"I dunno, he was acting a bit crazy there by the end...

Speaking of which...

Yang saw his expression and tapped her foot. "You got somewhere to be?"

"Not as such," he thumbed his chin, recalling something Roman had mentioned to him. Another less-than-well-adjusted individual. "I just thought of something I forgot to do-well," a grimace now, "Something I ought to nip in the bud before it comes back to bite me. Feeling like leaving Vale for a bit?"

She grimaced. After that disaster just now? "I dunno...

"I'll make more drinks for you~!"

"Deal!"

(.0.0.0.)

Roman wouldn't listen to her.

Cinder had grown accustomed to Torchwick's surly attitude; come to accept that his indefatigable sass was simply part of his being and nothing short of complete and utter domination would change it. She'd thought that beaten out of him long ago during their first...encounter. How arrogant they had been back then. How low she had brought them...

.

..

...apparently, he'd forgotten her place.

After her recent...embarrassment, she had thought to corner the criminal mastermind in one of his many safehouses via an unexpected visit. Put pressure on him and that silent helper of his. Force him to move up their timeline. Instead she'd received a smug smile and a request to "kindly sod off" at her earliest convenience. Where had this sudden confidence come from?! This brash, onerous defiance! She had to know!

Because! He was! Still smiling at her!

"Enough." Cinder inhaled deeply, mastering herself once more. "You WILL answer to me."

Roman remained sprawled on his sofa and actually dared to grin at her, the little churl! How dare he!

"Yeah, I don't think so, sweetheart." he flicked out a cigar and lit it at his leisure while his silent companion looked on. "Sorry. There's been a chance in management-actually, wait!" he snapped his fingers with a merry cackle besides. "I"m not sorry at all. Piss off, would you kindly?"

Cinder felt her temper flare. She stomped down on it. "You work for me-

"Nope!" There it was! That blasted word again! "I answer to a higher power now-literally! And all that dust I stole? Mine now." A pause followed as he touched a finger to his chin, "Well, maybe its his, seeing as he had me move it. Meh, semantics." he laughed at her eyes widened. "Point is, I don't take orders from you anymore. Capiche?"

Fire flashed in her hands. "If you think for a single INSTANT that I will let you walk away with that ust-

"Ah, ah, ah!" Roman wagged that same infernal finger at her, wholly at his ease. "I wouldn't do that if I were you, Cindy. Our mutual friend would be awfully upset if something...untoward were to happen to me. Y'see, he's gotten rather invested in my continued existence. Yours, not so much." His free palm rose, scroll in hand, revealing a damning video within. "You remember him, right? A certain blond boy? Who kicked your smug little ass to kingdom come...

Cinder stilled.

...ah, you remember him, don't you?"

Roman took another long drag, from his cigar and exhaled. Smoke hit her face.

Cinder snarled. Roman saw her eye flash with fire and cackled anew.

"Wuh-oh. That's our cue, Neo! Exit stage left!"

They vanished in a shattering of glass as Cinder's fist passed through empty air.

Only an echo of laughter remained. She rounded on it, stalked to the nearest window and thrust it open. No sign of them. The streets were empty. Curses! Panic bloomed in their absence. She needed that dust. Without it, no, without Roman and Neo...everything would come unraveled.

Salem did not tolerate failure. She never had.

She had already refused to aid her, promised retribution should she fail to bring Vale under their heel. If she continued to fail, she would be lessened in her sight, or worse repla-no! She shook her head. Don't think about that! Anything but that!

Too late. The thought was in her head. Her heart rate spiked, and her chest heaved, short sharp breaths of pure panic escaped her lips. Calm. She must be calm. She had sworn never to lose control again. This wasn't the end of her schemes. Just calmly walk out of here and...

.

..

...her heels crunched against something.

A note? She recognized Roman's scrawl and it galled her to no end.

"By the by, he's off to visit your little animal friends.

She looked lower still.

"Probably talking to 'ol red and angsty right now. I'm sure you know what'll happen next...

Regards,

~Roman.

It was too much. The last tenuous fiber of Cinder's sanity snapped. Her eyes burst into wild, furious fire.

Cinder Fall threw her head back and screamed. She screamed and screamed and screamed.

Roman's apartment burst into flames.

(.0.0.0.)

Adam growled.

"...what do you want, Human?"

Laughter answered him, low and bemused.

"Human?" the blond before him blinked. "Adam, was it?" He reclined almost lazily in the seat -HIS seat in HIS tent!- regarding him and his soldiers as one might a horde of harmless puppies. "Do I look human to you?" The torches flickered around him as he spoke. "I haven't been human for a veeery long time."

For a moment, his disguise shifted. Adam saw something he didn't like. His blood ran cold. "What are you?"

"On vacation, that's what I am." just like that, his sunny smile returned. "Now are you gonna put on your big boy pants and talk to me or do I have to kick your ass?"

Adam's hand strayed to Wilt.

"Oh, please." Pale eyes rolled in mild derision. "Put the pointy stick away. I don't wanna fight you. On the contrary, I want to help you."

His companion bridled, but didn't speak.

He stilled. Anger said he should strike. Common sense dictated otherwise. This man had infiltrated his camp with ease. He was skilled. Perhaps he should hear him out. He didn't much like the idea of the blond standing behind him, but she'd held her tongue thus far, so he'd give her the same courtesy...for now.

"And what manner of help do you offer?"

"Advice, for one." His voice was smooth as silk. "You're going about this all wrong. What if I told ya you could win everything you ever wanted, all without lifting a finger?" he raised a hand and belatedly, Adam glimpsed the clawed fingers therein. "No attack on Beacon, no stealing dust, no need for Cinder or her schemes, no nothing. A way to change public opinion of the White Fang forever. What would you say, then? Would you be willing to hear me out?"

Ghira had preached similar. He'd been wrong. "...I would say I didn't believe you."

"Stubborn." The blond man heaved a sigh. "Take a swing at me, then. That'll be proof enough."

His lilac-eyes companion grimaced at the last. "Now wait just a second! You'll die! I didn't agree to any of-

It was a good swing, Adam thought. Perfect. Poised. Flawless. Anyone would've been slain on the spot. Instead his precious Wilt shattered against the Stranger's forehead, drawing an outraged roar from him...and then, quite suddenly it wasn't shattered at all; because he found himself holding an intact blade once more.

...as though he'd never attacked him at all.

Strength he could understand. Respect, even. But this...what manner of witchcraft and wizardy was this?!

Blue eyes flashed in the low light as the Stranger tilted his head. "Now will you listen to me?"

Wilt fell from his hand and clattered to the floor. "What do you want?"

His unlikely ally merely smiled. "I wanna be your friend, Adam...

He told him the Plan. And what a Plan it was...

A/N: Peaceful revolution is a go?

Don't mind me, getting back into the swing of things.

Aaaand here we go! Once more, the Embers rule remains. Sorry, I don't have time to write a story folks don't like. If folks don't enjoy this story, POOF! Away it goes. So by all means, speak up! Every bit of feedback matters here! Had to cut some parts till next time. Don't worry, they'll be worth it.

Reviews are eternal. Reviews are Immortal. Reviews are precious to me.

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

No previews this time. So few seem to like them T_T

...no! I have to try! Even if I'm tired...!

(Preview)

Alright, you three. Your test begins now. Lets see if you manage to survive.

Junior set his glass down. "The hell're you on about this time?"

Melanie blinked. Miltia tilted her head. "What kinda. Test?"

Naruto threw a blistering haymaker their way.

The trio scattered.

A hand tugged at his sleeve. Naruto looked down. Quirked a bond brow, now.

"Who in blazes are you?"

The girl smiled.

"We haven't met.

"Dean." the man faced him, fire in his eyes. "Dean Winchester."

Winchester. One of Cardin's family. Crapbaskets. Should've seen this comin "Any chance we could just let bygones be bygones?"

"M'fraid not. Cardin was a little shit, I'll give you that. Tried talking to him more times than I could count, but the kid just wouldn't listen. Even thrashed him about myself once or twice. But what you did...well." he looked away, gaze raking over the city, toward the distant shadow of the Club beyond. "Kid's a shadow of his former self now. Won't eat, won't drink, he's just wasting away. And you know what they say. Blood repays blood." He raised his hand. "What happens next ain't personal. Just wanted to let you know that."

A hand clamped down on his wrist. "Don't."

R&R! =D