The raucous cries of sea birds filled the air, their harsh voices echoed over the cerulean sea as its waves crested against the sandy beach in rhythmic time. A little boy giggled as he worked his toes through the sand. He stooped down and plucked a small, perfect shell from between his feet. It nestled in his tiny palm and held it up, his smile glittering in his tanned face, blue-grey eyes shining under his blue bangs.
"Momma, look!"
A beautiful, young woman turned her sea green-blue eyes towards her darling son. Aurora Vasilias smiled down at him. "Oh, Neptune, it's beautiful", she remarked dutifully examining the delicate spiral. The young boy beamed up at his mother. "I'll treasure it for always my sweet boy", she rested her hand on his shoulder, her silver-white hair blowing about her statuesque figure. The retired model gently urged her son towards the gentle water. "Now, go and play, dear. I'll keep an eye on you from here. Your friends are waiting for you."
Neptune hurried down the sand towards the surf. The young boy stood just out of the waves' reach. He studied the water and concentrated, squinting his eyes shut. The youngest Vasilias child activated his semblance, driving the water back from his feet, he opened his eyes smiling at his success. Neptune continued to push against the waves, exposed sand radiating out from him in several feet. He lifted his small hands and raised the water up further and further, past his eyes. He fashioned an arch and moved under it, flirting with the possibility of getting wet. The blue-haired boy released the water and pulled a sphere of water up from the sea. It trembled in the air, sparkling like a sapphire, the sun played in its depths. With a splash the water returned to the sea, his semblance exhausted for the moment.
He splashed into the ankle-deep water alongside his friends, squealing as a friend splashed him. The youngsters cavorted in the surf under the watchful eyes of their parents. They swam in the warm, shallow water enjoying the sun, the sand, and the surf.
Several hours later Aurora called to her children. "It's time for dinner darlings. Let's head home and get washed up." She escorted her three children up from the beach along a crushed gravel path towards their beach side villa.
Twelve-year-old Neptune ran along the beach towards his parent's private pier and his own skiff. His younger brother, only eight, pushed himself to keep up, trailing behind Neptune and two of his older brother's friends. Hair silver as his mother's and eyes a deep, clear violet he stopped, breathless on the dock as Neptune unmoored his little vessel.
"Hurry up Pluto", he shouted turning to see his little brother already trying to get on the boat. "Guys, help him out?" he asked, making the final preparations to make way.
The two other boys helped Pluto down into the boat. He scurried over to the bow and perched precariously on the edge as Neptune unfurled the sail and tacked out across the bay. As he sailed the boat further out into the bay and the open water the three other boys readied their fishing rods. The blue-haired Vasilias brought them close enough to the Great Eastern Current to see it, the water a deeper color and moving differently than the surrounding waters. Brought up alongside the sea, Neptune understood the dangers of the current and had no intention of sailing into the unsafe water. Instead he sailed alongside it, as the boys baited their hooks and tossed their lines out towards a school of fish sparkling in the clear water. The morning sun continued to rise, and the four young boys bantered as they caught fish after fish.
Distracted by the conversation and the exceptionally large catch Neptune failed to notice a dark smudge on the horizon. It wasn't until the breeze changed direction and the sea turned a dark, sickly color that he realized they were about to be caught in a fierce squall. Storms like these were common along the coast this time of the year. The wind was picking up and the water was becoming choppy. He only had a few minutes at best to ready the sailboat before the storm was upon them. He furled the sail and dropped the sea anchor. Neptune turned towards Pluto and saw that he wasn't wearing his life jacket. He turned and ripped up the bench seat tossing the jackets to each of the three boys. He slipped his own on and turned back to the storm to gauge its strength. Within a few moments the air was filled with rain. Thunder roared overhead, and lightning flashed. The sea was like a great beast, rolling and heaving from side to side. Waves came over the boat time and time again. Neptune felt the boat shudder beneath him and knew instantly when the storm anchor broke free. The boat spun wildly now, and Neptune feared they'd be pushed into the current. He heard a scream and looked over through the driving rain and another wave to see Pluto slipping over the side without his life vest.
Neptune screamed over the sound of the storm. He struggled to the side of the boat and strained to see his younger brother. He closed his eyes and felt the power of his aura flowing through him. He focused all of it into his Semblance, straining it harder than he ever had before. Neptune reached out, pushing himself to calm the water. The sea resisted him. It was too powerful, the storm too strong. He pushed harder drawing more strength from within himself. He only needed to send a massive swell to push his brother back toward the boat. He saw Pluto slip under the rough sea and managed to push him back up. Tears of desperation and fear mixed with salt water dripped from his face, burning his eyes. He called all of his strength to him, his body trembling as he glowed a silver-blue. He plunged his hand into the sea and commanded the waves obey him. A bolt of lightning split the dark sky asunder, and a terrific clap of thunder deafened him as it roared overhead. Neptune heard the mast crack as it fell with a splash and sank beneath the waves. Another wave slammed over the deck and Neptune clung to the rail. He watched Pluto reaching out before he sank again under a tall wave. He cried out in frustration, one hand reaching out towards his brother and knew no more.
The moon drifted across the sky, like a spectral ship gliding across a cloudy sea. The landscape was awash in charcoal, silver, and pearl. The bay was like obsidian, glassy and calm, with a path of moonlight that sparkled like a bed of diamonds.
In the half-light of the moon Neptune stirred in his bed. Blue hair draped across his pillow as his breath came softly. His eyes fluttered and he woke, eyes dark in his face. He looked around the room and saw his mother lying across the foot of his oversized bed. Her silver hair spilled across the bedspread, glowing like spun moonlight. Aurora was seated on a stool, her face turned towards her son. It was evident that she had fallen asleep while watching over him.
"Mom", he whispered, moving slightly to raise himself up against his pillows.
Aurora started and sat up. "Oh Neptune. My son, you're alright. I've been so worried about you". Tears sparkled in her eyes despite the darkness. "The family doctor was so worried. You'd completely drained your aura dear. I haven't left your side."
"Mom", his voice questioned, "is father with Pluto?"
She bit her lip and shook her head. "No dear. Your brother…" her voice broke. "Sweetheart", she moved closer, sitting on the edge of his bed. She took his hand in hers. "Your friends said you were very brave. You tried so hard…"
Neptune's face crumpled. He pulled away from his mother and buried his face in his hands. He barely noticed as his mother pulled him into her arms as they both wept.
"Honey it's not your fault. You tried." She rocked him in her arms, soothing him. "I love you".
The sky was a steely grey and the ocean a few shades darker. Rain fell steadily on the coastline. Neptune peered through the rain-streaked window down to the gathering of people. Clad in black and huddled together under umbrellas the Vasilias family and friends listened to the steady voice of the elderly man leading the service.
Later, after the youngest Vasilias had been laid to rest in the family cemetery a young woman approached Aurora on the wide porch, a tea sandwich in hand.
"It was a lovely service, dear. The flowers were beautiful."
Aurora touched a lace handkerchief to the corner of her eyes. "Why thank you, Mavis. I felt like maybe it was a little over the top. But then I thought this was like his sixteenth birthday party, his first formal at school, his graduation, and his wedding all at once."
Mavis touched the former model's arm. "That is a beautiful sentiment." She paused for a moment. "I don't think I saw Neptune, did I?"
Aurora's face fell. "No. After the incident he has developed a severe, nearly crippling fear of the water. I couldn't get him downstairs this morning because of the rain." She turned back towards Mavis. "My semblance may allow me to control light, but there is a darkness in him now that even I cannot drive away. That I fear will only come with time."
The sunlight dappled the forest floor as the leafy crowns of the trees whispered as the wind moved through them, leaves drifting towards the earth. Blake Belladonna led the way under their boughs, with Sun Wukong and Neptune Vasilias behind her. The three of them had been traveling through Vale looking for Adam Taurus. The disgraced ex-High Leader had fled with a small group of White Fang from the Belladonna family and the other Faunus that had united beneath their one banner as the New Movement. The recently unified Faunus had come to the aid of the Humans and the Kingdoms to resist Salem and her plans for Remnant.
Blake paused, cocking her ears, straining for any sound that might betray the position of their quarry.
"Sun…", she trailed off hissing at him. "Could you breathe any louder? I don't think they can hear you back in Vacuo."
He glared balefully at the raven-haired cat Faunus though he knew better than to say what he was thinking. Blake had been more than a bit slap happy throughout this journey. Sun looked to Neptune who smiled weakly at him before turning back to the trail they were following. The monkey Faunus' tail moved in a confused pattern behind him, betraying his emotions. He'd always been close with his blue-haired teammate. He thought for a while that he might even be in love with the handsome Vasilias. But despite his occasional flirting, Neptune had never actually given Sun any reason to think that the two of them would be anything but friends. Because of that he'd turned his attentions towards the daughter of Ghira and Kali. And while she had her moments of warmth, she was as cold as Weiss was the rest of the time. And spending time with the two of them was awkward. He walked in silence, mindful of his breathing.
Neptune turned his head away from Sun. He'd loved the blonde leader of Team SSSN for as long as he could remember. But he'd never deluded himself enough to think that the young Faunus had any feelings for him. He enjoyed every moment he spent with Sun, but this mission had been more than tedious. It hurt him to see the way Sun looked at Blake sometimes. The way he wished Sun would look at him. He wished for the thousandth time that Sun and he were alone on this trip. He imagined what it would be like to tell Sun how he felt about him. Lost in thought he followed Blake, treading delicately so he didn't disturb the leaf litter.
A lake shore appeared through a break in the forest as the three young Hunters-in-Training ventured into the sunlight. They paused under the last of the trees and surveyed the shore.
"Does that look like an old camp site?" Neptune asked pointing to the right.
Blake and Sun both turned their heads to follow the direction he was pointing.
"It is", Blake confirmed creeping out of the cover of the trees. She glanced furtively around again before crouching closer to the ground and sped along the shore.
Sun and Neptune followed her, looking back over their shoulders and along the tree line for any potential ambush. Blake knelt by the remains of a campfire and held her hands out over it.
"These are still warm", she said. "If this was Adam and his group they can't be more than a few hours ahead of us."
"If", Sun asked with a quirked eyebrow as he pulled a dirty, forgotten Grimm mask out of some reeds. "I'm pretty sure this means what I think it means."
Neptune took the mask from Sun and passed it to Blake. She examined the mask, turning it over in her hands. She whipped her head to the side, dropping the mask to the ground. She reached back and wrapped her fingers around Gambol Shroud just as the sinister, gravel-y voice of her ex-lover reached her ears.
"Hello, my love."
Adam Taurus stood behind them. Sun and Neptune spun around drawing their weapons, two points of a triangle with Blake in the front.
"I wouldn't do that if I were you", the White Fang Leader said, unspoken threats coloring his tone, his hand on the hilt of his sword.
The two young men paused as Blake gestured for them to comply.
"Blake", he began. "I won't give you this option again. Come away with me. Leave your parents. Leave the New Movement. Join me and we can rule this world alongside Salem.
Blake's eyes widened in disbelief and then narrowed in anger. "It's over Adam. I'll never go with you!"
"Very well. I suppose that means…" he unsheathed his sword in one swift motion, "I'll have to kill you."
The two Faunus leapt into combat, exchanging a flurry of blows. The sounds of their battle echoed across the lake and through the forest. Sun and Neptune circled the two looking for an opening to join the fray. Blake fired her weapon off multiple times at close rage before slicing at Adam with her weapon's second form. Adam parried the shots and blocked her attacks. He swept his sword out towards Blake. She side stepped the blow, returned a few of her own, and was caught completely off guard when Adam caught her with a terrible back hand, knocking her to the ground.
Sun stepped in twirling his gun chucks, firing them, and striking out at the bull Faunus over and over. Adam gave up ground as he backed away from Sun's furious attacks.
"Not too bad. But not good enough!" he roared sending Sun flying back, head over heels to crash near Blake.
Neptune spun his guandao firing electric bolts of energy that crackled into the air around him. He put up a good fight but soon found himself face down in the dirt, picking himself up.
"Very well", Adam said his voice low and dark. "I told you once that you'd watch the people you loved die. I guess I'll have to start with these two", he pointed his blade at them. He returned it to his sheath, charging the special ability he was able to use.
The three of them scrambled to their feet.
"You'll have to kill me first!", Blake screamed. She leapt in front of the two young men.
"Blake! What are you doing?!", Neptune shouted.
"Protecting the two of you", she screamed back. She raced forward toward Adam. "Stay back!"
She pushed herself further and faster than she ever had before. In a series of motions that Sun and Neptune could barely follow she created clone after clone of herself; shadow, stone, ice, fire, and energy. One after the other. One on top of the other. Layer upon layer of herself. To protect her friends. She finished her defense as Adam unleashed his ultimate attack. With a terrific explosion the wave of energy released by his blade ripped through Blake's clone wall and sent her flying. She slammed into the ground with a terrific force where she lay unmoving.
"Blake!" Sun screamed leaping forward again.
"Enough of this", Adam gritted through his teeth.
The two young men clashed. Light clones of Sun leapt in and out of the battle. Sun caught Adam across the face with his staff, ripping away the Grimm mask. Adam cried out in rage and crushed Sun down to the ground, completely forgetting about Neptune in his blinded hatred. He lifted his sword on high, the sunlight glittering off the blade.
"I hope you're ready to die. The ultimate punishment for your betrayal to your race and for standing against me. Death…"
"Death", the word echoed. Neptune heard a storm raging in his mind. All he could hear was the beating of his own heart. Silver hair and violet eyes. His brother Pluto, being swept away. "Death". His heart beat in his ears, pounding. Tears welled up uncontrolled from his eyes, sliding down his face. Blonde hair and blue-grey eyes. Sun, his Sun. "Death".
His eyes opened wide, tears flowing down his face. His body began to glow, silver and blue. A scream was torn from his throat. The collar of his shirt and jacket moved in a phantom breeze. The scream rose in volume and pitch and he was washed in light.
Adam recoiled from Neptune as the blue-haired young man broke through the wall that had held his Semblance at bay for so long. He had been unable to save his little brother and so he had locked it away, never using it. But he would save Sun.
With a final battle cry, Neptune fixed his gaze on Adam. He lifted his arms and a wall of water erupted from the surface of the lake. It completely inundated the Faunus, sweeping him back towards the forest. Columns of water rose behind Neptune, slamming Adam into the ground.
He burst upwards from the muddied ground, sword pointed at Neptune's heart. Sun looked up at his blue-haired teammate. He was speechless, watching Neptune's command of the water.
"No one is going to die today but you!" Neptune extended his right arm forward, fingers spread. Water coalesced around him, flowing past the young Hunter, to gather around Adam, encasing him in a giant shimmering sphere.
Inside his prison Adam slashed angrily with his sword, trying to pierce it with the blade. He struggled furiously, exhausting himself until the sword slipped from his grasp and fell to the ground below him. Neptune released the water and Adam fell with a splash amidst the lake's water flowing away from the forest.
"So long as I have breath left in my body no one will ever harm someone I love", his voice rang out.
"Love", Sun's voice broke behind him.
"Love", Neptune said turning with a smile. "I'm sorry it took me so long to say it." He extended his hand to help Sun up.
The blonde-haired monkey Faunus smiled and reached out for Neptune's hand. "Thanks", he said looking a bit shy for the first time Neptune could ever really remember. They both turned to look towards Blake who was helping herself up.
"That was really impressive Neptune. I had no idea that was your Semblance", she said as she rose to her feet.
"No one did. I'd almost forgotten it myself", he said with a sheepish grin. "I'll explain it a little later. But now I think we need to…"
"Kiss?" Sun interrupted pulling Neptune into his arms and planting a hard kiss on his lips. "You were really amazing back there", he said with a smile.
"And you're really amazing right here", he said leaning forward to kiss Sun deeper and more gently.
Blake turned her head, gazing out over the water, looking away from the couple. She'd often suspected that the two young men might have feelings for one another. There were even times she thought she had feelings for Sun as well. In general, the whole journey had been extremely confusing for her. With this newest development she felt like everything would be much clearer.
"How sweet", Adam's voice interrupted. The sound of his sword ringing against a stone as he made one final effort to end Neptune and Sun before taking on Blake.
Neptune spun to face him as blades of water emerged from the lake traveling at multiple angles towards the deranged Faunus. "It's over". The water ripped through Adam like he had been struck by a dozen swords. His aura had already been depleted in Neptune's previous assault. He coughed blood and fell on his sword, bleeding from a dozen wounds. The trio of Hunters-to-be stood over him as the crazed light faded from his eyes. Neptune and Sun moved back to give Blake a moment.
She knelt down and closed his eyes. She found his mask and laid it on his chest.
"Good bye Adam", she whispered.
Sun turned to whisper in Neptune's ear, "I hope you know after saving my ass twice you're going to get very lucky tonight."