The cold artic of Atlas was windswept as snow and even fell across the plains of other white powder. Slowly, but surely, the sounds of breathing could be heard in the form of a little white-haired girl that was running hard and fast.

Her ponytail bounced as she leaped over some logs, heading into a dead forest eternally preserved through the cold. Her name was Winter Schnee, and she wasn't being hunted by White Fang members, but kidnappers' intent to sell her back to her family or into the underground slave trade.

Her father Jacques Schnee was a shrewd man, fearing that if she was captured he may not even go to the negotiation table for her, and with her newly born baby sister, it would probably fit the criteria to simply move on.

The mercenaries that were after her, these kidnapping scum of the world, were howling as they gained on her.

"Fedrick," a man shouts, "cut her off goddamn it!"

"Yeah, got you, Samuel," Fredrick yelled back.

Fredrick was a lean man, his entire frame spoke one word, "speed" and he used it to dash past Winter. His yellowish green hair bounced as he stopped in front of her, smiling deviously. Winter, however, used some of her combat training and the environment to slide under him when he attempted to grab her.

She promptly gave him a hard punch in the crouch for all his efforts, sending him kneeling on the ground, groaning in pain, and whimpering as she got up and began running again.

She didn't know how long she had been running, it had started in Mantle's outer walls when her guard betrayed her, trying to sell her to the would-be kidnappers. That didn't go as planned when she bit into the hand of one, ripping a good piece of his hand for the trouble and began running hard.

Amazed really at her luck, this one time she had hoped a Grimm or some form of monstrous animal would appear. They'd go after them first, she'd least have a better chance of escape against a beast over that of beastly men.

She just wanted to be home, home with her Mother and Grandfather.

However, she was forced to stop as she came upon the edge of a plateau, overlooking a deep and wide lake. Steam rose from the lake indicating it was much warmer somehow than the air. It could very well be her only chance, a leap of faith.

Turning to where her kidnappers were coming from and she hesitates while watching them finally catch up.

"you little bitch!" Samuel roars, his bandaged hand still wet with fresh blood.

"You've run a good ten miles, you're lucky some Grimm didn't snatch you up, now come with us!" Samuel ordered as he approached her, stopping once she backed up.

"D-don't come any closer, you…fiends, I'll jump!" Winter screamed at them, her coat fluttering in the updraft.

"You won't jump," Fredrick approached her, "you little witch."

Growling, fear to grip her heart, she got as close to the edge as she could. But, when the third kidnapper suddenly fell to the ground and was dragged back by something her eyes widened as he was hung by his legs…by vines?

Fredrick and Samuel turned around, "Boris!"

"Guys, what the fuck is going, get me down from here!" Boris yelled, and thrashed as the vines surrounded him, they were strangely warm.

Getting their weapons out, a long sword for Fredrick and katana for Samuel, they approached the vines intent to cut him down. But, both could not expect a small figure dressed in a baggy and heavy coat to appear in front of them.

Kicking them hard in the face, the figure then sent forth a mysterious wave of wind from his hand that skidded them back against the less than stellar traction of snow. Both mercenaries saw the figure, it wore a fox mask and stood no taller than what Winter was standing.

Another figure wearing the same mask dropped by the smaller one, he stood about six feet and was wearing body armor that they could see under the flapping of the coat. Both looked at the man in the vines, nodding, they turn on their heels and pulled their blades out before running the man through.

"Boris!" Samuel and Fredrick scream as the man was stabbed in the head and chest, instant death.

"One down father," the smaller figure said, his voice calm despite just committing murder.

"Two to go, son," the taller one says as he spun his sword in his hand, "let us be quick."

The man disappeared in a yellow flash, appearing just in front of the two men, clanging his sword against them as his son appeared in an orange flash just behind them. The men were able to move fast enough to block both in time, but -son duo began to kick at them as they clashed with their swords.

It was going south very quickly, but Fredrick roars as he activated his semblance. Flames emerged from his blade as he spun it around, slicing it through 's blade as he tried to counter. The mercenary nearly got him, only for him to disappear in a yellow flash.

Turning on his heel Fredrick attempts to stab the boy that was helping his father supposedly but found that the boy was easily taking on Samuel who was forced to dodge The Child instead of him making The Child dodge.

The Child backed up, doing something with hands before slamming them into the ground, a few branches erupted from the ground and bash against Samuel. Knocking his aura out, but to his horror The Child was on him quickly, spinning on his foot as he slid on the snow by some unknown force.

Samuel's last sight was his outlook on life is literally turned upside down as The Child sliced his head clean from the shoulders of his body. He watched his body fall limply to the ground.

Fredrick's eyes widened, "what?!"

The sudden screeching noise caught his ears as The Father had a blue ball in his hands, "Rasengan!"

Fredrick's screams came when the ball was slammed into his chest, rending flesh and blasting a hole into his center as he was blasted backward. Spinning, slamming, and careening into the snow. The man coughs one last wad of blood up and then gives into death quickly afterward.

Winter watched as The Child slung his sword, blood painted the snow as he cleaned the small looking katana and slid it back into his scabbard that was on his back. Turning to the taller masked man, he nods as he looked around, seemingly looking for anyone else.

Winter's heart stopped when they turned to her, shaking, she forgets where her footing is and falls backward. Screaming at the top of her lungs as she feels cold wind blast from her behind her, the result of her falling down the edge and toward the lake.

She then hits her head against a rock, knocking her aura off and her out as she fell into the lake. Her body limply floated in the water, bubbles surrounding her from the impact inside. Blood slowly leaked out from her head as she twitched and winced as water slowly filled her lungs.

"Momma, Grandpa…Weiss," She muses as her light slowly fades inside of her, "is this it?"

"Father," The Child yells as he runs toward the edge, "meet me down!"

"Right, go," The Father agrees as he flashes away into the forest to the side.

Leaping from the edge The Child flipped forward to gain distance, he slowly contorts his body to where he could dive into the water and enters to find Winter slowly floating in the water. His mask floated from his face, revealing whisker marks on his cheeks as he swam forward.

His oceanic blue eyes were betrayed by red hair that floated from under the hood of the jacket, reaching Winter, he grabbed tightly before forming a blue sphere in his free hand. He then blasts himself and her out of the water, landing on the shore nearby.

Laying her down on some of the rocks, looking at her, placing a palm on her chest as he brings his mask back down. Taking a deep breath, he slowly began to send a few pulses of green energy into her, until finally her she coughs up water and struggles to breathe a little.

Her wound on her head also slowly began to heal, her fluttering eyes looked at him, watching him slowly adjust his coat to hide what appeared to be red hair. Snow fell around them, melting against their clothing which was soaked.

"Who…are…you?" She weakly asked as she looked at him, shivering slightly, but she watched as steam rose from him.

Shocked as his clothing became dry within seconds, he then reached out to her, forming a flame in his hands and holding it near her. Tentatively reaching her hands out to it, she used it to warm herself as he sat there.

His father soon came, "the area is secure, good save, son."

"Thank you, father," he turns to her, "what are we to do about her?"

"She is a Schnee, look at the family pendant on her neck." His father pointed out as he crossed his arms, "never had rich meat before."

Winter's image of the two broke at that, "me-meat?"

"Oh yeah, I'm starving, we could cook her over a fire."
"The oranges came in good, so we'll be able to dress her."
"Oh wow, that sounds good."

They then turned to her, "so, rotisserie or skillet?"

"No!" Winter screamed as she backed away from them, "no please don't eat me!"

"I'm a human, your human right, that's wrong…this is wrong!" She begged them, and was crying, "please don't kill me!"

Both father and son looked at each other, Winter then heard some giggling, followed by full-blown laughter. She was baffled slightly, one moment talking about eating her and then laughing about it, and then slowly the gears turned in her head.

"Ugh, you're not funny!" Winter screamed at the pair, "I just want to go home!"

"Well, sure, in our bell-ow!" The Child wailed as he felt his father slap him upside his head.

"Easy son, the joke died when I giggled," stated The Father as he turned to his son.

The son crossed his harm, huffing, "drat."

"Now, now, I'm sure I'm cooking some noodles," laughs The Father as he patted his head, "let's just get he home safely alright?"

"Who…are you?" Winter questioned as she got up, strangely feeling dry.

"We are foxes, can't you tell?" the son answers as he points to his mask, laughing soon afterward.

"No, seriously, my family can give you a gift for saving me."
"We don't want gifts."
"W-what?"
"We don't want gifts."

and Winter looked at one another, "then why save me?"

"You're no older than my son, plus you're just a girl, you've no business being hounded by scum. Now, come along, we shall take you to the walls of Mantle." offers his hand, and she reaches tentatively toward it.

"Fair warning," the son said as he chuckled, "the first time is a bit nauseating."

Nicholas Schnee was a businessman, a humanitarian as well. He was organizing a search party with his son in law Jacques outside of the walls of Mantle. Meanwhile, Lady Mirabella his daughter was holding his newest grandchild and looking for her first born.

"You listen here, everyone, you find my granddaughter and bring her back! I don't care what you do with the kidnappers, I will award you with a gift from my family if you do this, just bring her back safely please!" Nicholas watched as several people ran toward the forest, carrying some weapons and other tools.

He takes a deep breath, looking at the traitorous guard, "you dare betray my family!"

"Your family Nicholas, your son in law is the greediest man in this world, he threatens my kind!" The guard stated, his catlike ears fidgeting in the air.

"You scum, I don't care if you're Faunus or Human, but why not come to me and say these grievances?! You are going to get my eldest granddaughter killed, based on what, a feeling!" Nicholas yells at the man, "you ought to be ashamed for yourself and your family. Wasn't Marie born this year, your little girl Alexander?"

"So," Alexander mutters as he looked on the ground, "what future would we have with a racist as head of your company."

"Jacques has not shown any tendencies in front of me, if that is your grievance you should've come to me, I trust my family with yours for the last thirty years. Your father was a great friend of mine Alexander, how could you do this, what would he say?" Nicholas questioned the young man, who looked away, "you know you must be punished for this…"

"I know…" Alexander takes a deep breath, "but…I will not ashamed of making Jacques suffer a little bit."

"It was a mine collapse Alexander, nothing more…nothing less." Jacques growled from his teeth, "you think I wanted them, workers, dead?"

"Oh, yeah, especially when they tried to unionize."
"You dare!"

Jacques raised his hand at Alexander, only for a glyph to stop from striking the Faunus, it was created by Lady Mirabella who looked at Alexander. She held her daughter close to her, the mewling baby babbling incoherently as she just shakes her head.

"Alexander, you were my friend in childhood. I just didn't think you'd be the one that would do this to us all, please just tell us where'd they've gone. Verdant, you don't have to hold it in, would they do the same for you in this situation?" Mirabella Schnee begs her childhood friend, "she called you uncle…remember when she was a little girl."

"Yeah, and your husband told her to stop doing that, remember?" replies Alexander and then he takes a deep breath, "our intent was not to harm her."

"Who are you working with?"
"That's hard to say, Nicholas, I don't really know myself, we just wanted to have a life here in Mantle…"
"The unions?"
"You can think your son in law once again for that."
"This is outrageous, where is she?!"

"When she ran off, fighting her way out of her captivity, she derailed the location…I don't know." Alexander admits, only to hear the cocking of a hammer.

Looking up he sees Jacques holding a revolver to his head, "you either tell me…or I'll blow your brains across the snow."

"I don't know Jacques, but you will be the ruin of this company, and your family will hate you for it." Alexander closes his eyes, ready to embrace fate.

Jacques was about to pull the trigger, but then found himself empty-handed, and saw a small masked person standing there holding his gun and emptying the bullets. Everyone blinked once, twice, and then Mirabella slowly backed away.

"Damn," The Child in a mask says, "I'm getting good at this father!"

"You are indeed," everyone turns to see the person designated as father…and…

"Winter!" Nicholas screams as he runs to granddaughter, falling into the snow to catch her in a hug, "Oh thank heavens you are okay."

Nicholas looked at The Father, "thank you sir…who are you?"

"We are just hunters, we happen to be in the right place and at the right time. My son, will you please quit unloading and reloading the handgun." The Father looked at his son, the boy stops.

He drops the revolver to the ground, rubbing the back of his head, "sorry father hehehe!"

"Forgive him, he's often easily entertained. Who is the man that you were pointing the gun at?"
"That was the traitorous guard that was going to sell my granddaughter to kidnappers."
"I see, if you'd like we can escort him to the jail, is it still around the south edge?"
"Why yes, if you don't mind of course, speaking of which."

Nicholas was reaching into his pocket, "I have a checkbook here, I said I'd give a reward to anyone who found my granddaughter and I'm a man of my word."

"No."
"Excuse me?"
"We are not wanting money, we're content enough, may I ask you to just hold your family a little tighter in love?"
"It would be my pleasure…uh…"

The Father smiles under his mask, "sorry…my people keep our name confidential."

"Oh, I see, a cultural thing. Very well, I will not question it, I'm just happy to have her back." Nicholas saw that Winter was hugging him still as he got up.

"Son, grab the guy, we're taking him to jail!" The Father ordered as he walked toward The Child, "tie his wrists."

"Right, yes sir!" The Child got out some rope from a pack inside of his coat, tying it on the man's wrist in a tight knot.

Getting up, Alexander Verdant looked at them all, "I'm sorry for this outcome…but Nicholas, you should've made more apparent that I was free to come to you."

"Do all Faunus workers feel this mistreated?" Nicholas asks Alexander as he turns to face him, "an honest answer Alexander."

"Yes," Alexander stated and stood up with pride, "we are treated like bovine work animals instead of people in the mines, in the factories, and in the city."

"I see…well then," Nicholas takes a deep breath, "please go."

Alexander nods, following The Child and The Father.

As they rounded the wall, going out of sight from them, The Father turns to The Child and nod. Grabbing Alexander, they then warp together in a yellow and orange flash.

Appearing in the forest, Alexander looked around, throwing up on the ground as it felt his nausea hitting strong. He was knelt, with The Child holding a knife to his neck, The Father held a similar knife to man's back.

"Tell us, Alexander Verdant, if you could change the past…would you?" The Father asked Alexander.

"I would've told Nicholas, I would've gone to him, I was foolish…if this what you think my punishment is…then so be it." Alexander closed his eyes, taking a deep breath, "please be quick about it."

"With pleasure sir." The Father cuts the bindings, making Alexander open his eyes, bewildered.

"What, why?" Alexander asked, only to feel the knife shoved into his hands, "who are you two?"

"We are neither shadow nor light, we are those long forgotten, but embedded in memory, we are controllers of nature yet unbound to fate. You may have called us demons, you may have called us angels, but we are here in this world. Shadows dancing among light, light dancing among shadow. We are attentive to order and moral good of people." The Father helps him up, "and we have but one name to us all."

"What is it?" Alexander inquires as he looked at The Father.

"Seishin." The Father hands him his knife, "spirits."

"So, am I free to go?" Alexander inquired as he looked around, "or are to take me?"

"You are free to leave, make for Vale, they'll not be looking for you on the opposite end of the world." The Father stated, "be quick about it."

Alexander nods, running hard in the forest, hoping to head to near port town.

The Father and The Child walked along the snow, slowly coming to a seemingly forested area. Forming hand seals, The Father then slammed his hands into the ground, a tear appearing within the forest. Walking through with The Child, the man and his son appear in a small village.

The village was sparsely populated, people going about their daily business, and the temperate climate in Winter now making The Father and The Child hot under their clothing. Slowly The Child lowered his hood and adjusted his mask to come off his face.

"Man, it feels good being back on Draco. Konoha is busier than usual, right dad?" the winds blow the redhead's spiky hair with it, and his blue eyes observed his home.

"Naruto, you are right," The Father removes his hood and mask.

The blonde hair and blue eyes of the man were free to the world, "it is good to be home."

"She beautiful father, too bad we'll probably never see her again…" Naruto crossed his arms, frowning a little bit.

His father patted his back, "don't so sure of that kiddo, now c'mon I promised you some noodles."

"You know, seeing the girl with her family reminded me of mom a lot," Naruto says as he walks with his father.

"I wish she was here to buddy," Minato rubbed his head, "but she died standing against Salem for the better of our people."

"Speaking of Salem…do you think I'm ready?"
"No, she is a Goddess compared to us, even if Lord Kurama sleeps within you."
"Naruto Uzumaki my ancestor was able to awaken him, why can't I, he used it when he was my age."
"Kurama isn't an IT Naruto, it's a person."

Naruto sighs, "Alright, sorry."

"So, Mr. Uzumaki, why don't we get some stuff to make Miso?" His father asked as he bumped his shoulder a little, and Naruto chuckled with a smile coming across his lips.

"Yeah, sure, I'd love that dad," Naruto says as he walks with his father.

"Oi, Minato," a purple haired woman drops down in front of them.

"Yes, Anko, what is it?" Minato asks the woman, Anko, on why she stopped him.

"Oh nothing, just saying hi to you and the little squirt." Anko rubbed Naruto's hair, making the boy's fox ears appear under the mess of hair, "oh there they are!"

"Ow, aunt Anko, that hurts now c'mon, get off my ears!" Naruto whines comically and waved his hands about.

"Heh," Anko laughs as she slaps him on the head softly, "quit being a baby."

"Well start acting like a lady!" Naruto complained and was rewarded when Anko put him in a headlock.

"Teh-teh-teh-ne!" Naruto struggled in the headlock, "gonna…gonna…"

Anko was thrown off when Naruto blasted wind from himself and took a deep breath, "sorry aunt Anko!"

Anko got up, stretching as she looked at him, "wow! Getting some practice in, in element manipulation aren't you jeez!"

"Naruto is the same as Kushina, adapt in wind and fire."
"Really, wow, no wonder he looks so much like his mother over you."
"Yeah, I know, hey Anko we're going to get some stuff dinner…want to join us?"

"Alright, sure, I'll get some dango!" Anko offered up as they all nod.

Naruto took a deep breath as he stepped up to his home's balcony, looking over it, and looking at the night sky. He had an Erhu in his hands, taking a deep breath, he slowly starts playing it. The soft melody he was playing was a song his mother had taught him.

"Ocean Flower."

Naruto slowly plays, taking a deep breath as a cool wind blows on him. Slowly he imagined his mother sitting by him, guiding his hand on the instrument, and telling him how to make certain noises and melodies with it.

Looking up at the broken moon, Naruto's lip slightly quivered as he stopped, "I miss you, mom."