So I did another chapter of this to see how it goes.
Aboard the last ship out of Argus, the atmosphere was thick with regret. Though they had escaped the Grimm, they couldn't escape the sense of loss. Since they emerged, the Grimm had killed every living thing they encountered and reduced every settlement to ruins.
Yang and Vernal were busy walking around the ship, discussing recent events and the future of the tribe. "So, it's just us now." Yang said, still struggling to come to terms with the loss of Raven, Qrow and the rest of the tribe.
Vernal sighed "Yeah, I guess that means you're the new chief." she responded. Even though there were only two of them left, the tribe still needed a chief. The day there was nobody left to lead, would be the day the tribe officially went extinct. Vernal would not let that happen.
Yang raised an eyebrow "You sure about? shouldn't you be chief since you're older?" she asked. She felt that being older and thus having more experience, made Vernal a much better candidate for chief. So she didn't understand why Vernal didn't see it that way.
"Age doesn't matter. You're a Branwen by blood, that makes you the chief." Vernal explained. From its foundation the tribe had always been led by someone of Branwen blood. Yang was one of them, so she was meant to take over the role. Vernal was older but she wasn't a Branwen by blood, and thus didn't qualify to be the chief.
"Alright then, I'll do it. But I'll need your help." Yang conceded, knowing that she wouldn't be able to change Vernal's mind. But accepting the role, didn't mean she would lead the tribe on her own. She needed Vernal's help, and would need it even more as they rebuilt.
Vernal put her hand on Yang's shoulder, trying to reassure her. "Relax Yang, you know I'll do everything I can to help you and the tribe succeed." she said. Her loyalty to the tribe was absolute, so I'm her mind there was no doubt about giving Yang all the help she needed.
Yang knew she could rely on Vernal, and she was extremely grateful to her "Thanks V, there's no way I could rebuild the tribe on my own." she told her. She was incredibly glad that Vernal survived with her, as she doubted she could bring the tribe back by herself.
"It's not going to be easy, but I'm sure we'll figure something out." Vernal said. With their numbers so depleted, things would be far from easy. But Vernal was confident that the two of them together would manage. They would return the tribe to its former glory, and make the Grimm suffer for what they did.
With Vernal giving her a real confidence boost, Yang was ready to start rebuilding. "Well, I guess we can start here. We can probably convince some of the other survivors to join us." she said, before heading off in search of recruits on the ship. Unquestioningly, Vernal quickly went about doing the same.
At the bow of the ship, stood a girl who felt the loss more than most. Ruby's parents were gone, they were all she had in the world and the Grimm had taken them from her. She felt utterly lost without them "What do I do now? How am I supposed to go on without you?" She asked, hoping for some guidance from beyond the grave.
Unsurprisingly, no response came. She was alone with nobody to guide her, which made it incredibly hard to remain hopeful. "So much for that idea." she said to nobody in particular. The only thing keeping her going, was the need to honor her parents sacrifice and make them proud.
"There has to be something I can do, I'm sure I can make myself useful to someone." she told herself. Despite everything, she couldn't just give up. She had to make a life for herself, she had to find a way to sustain herself. So, she started thinking about how she would do it.
She'd always had an interest in weapons, and her parents had taught her how to make them. So she loved the idea of doing that for a loving. But she also wanted to join the fight against the Grimm, so she wanted to become a soldier. Unfortunately, she doubted that anyone would be willing to hire an orphaned girl. "Oh who am I kidding, nobody's going to give me a chance." she told herself, giving up on her ideas.
"I wouldn't say that." some responded to her, snapping her out of her thoughts and making her jump in surprise. Turning around, she found a blonde girl a few years older than herself. She had seen the girl a few times before, but they hadn't spoken spoken.
"Who are you?" Ruby asked her, not knowing anything about the girl. She was confused as to why the girl decided to talk to her, they were complete strangers after all.
"Yang, Yang Branwen." she introduced herself, giving a slight bow afterwards. "Now how about you tell me who you are?" She then asked. She knew Ruby about as well as Ruby knew her, but she was polite and friendly.
Ruby smiled at Yang, glad to at least known who she was. "I'm Ruby…" She started to introduce herself in return, but she was stopped in her tracks when realization struck her. "Wait, you're from that tribe?" she asked, though she already knew the answer.
Yang's expression hardened at the question "Yeah, you got a problem with that?" she asked, becoming defensive. A lot of people had problems with the Branwen Tribe for what they used to be like before the Grimm became a threat, so her reaction was quite understandable.
Ruby panicked, worried that she'd offended Yang. She shook her head and waved her hands vigorously to show she hadn't meant anything by it. "No, that's not what I meant. I just didn't think any of you survived." she defend, hoping it would calm things down. She genuinely hadn't realized any Branwens had survived, so she was being honest with Yang.
Yang's expression softened "Good to know." she said, glad that Ruby didn't look down on her and her people. "Anyway we almost didn't survive. There are only two of us left now, just me and Vernal." she then explained, clearing up Ruby's confusion about the tribe. She didn't like thinking about what she'd lost, but it was an inescapable truth.
Ruby was relieved that she hadn't annoyed Yang too much, but she now felt bad for her. "I know how you feel, I lost people in the battle too." she said. She could really sympathize with Yang, having experienced losses of her own. She had a lot more in common with Yang than she had expected.
Yang nodded "So I figured, which is why I came here." she explained. She had seen Ruby before but only ever with other people, so seeing her alone was a good indicator that she had lost people. "I'm no expert with people, but I can tell when someone's having a hard time." she added. She'd learned how to read to read people quite well, during her time with the tribe.
"Thanks, I guess it's nice to know I'm not completely alone." Ruby responded, somewhat surprised by how nice and understanding Yang was being. She had never expected a Branwen to be like that, not after everything she'd heard about them.
Yang shrugged, not wanting to make a big deal out of it "No need to thank me. Now, about that thing you said, the thing about nobody giving you a chance." she said, getting back to the reason she first spoke to Ruby.
"Yeah, what about it?" Ruby asked. She didn't know how much Yang had heard, or what she was thinking. Despite the fact Yang was being nice, she couldn't understand why she was taking any interest in her plans for the future.
Yang smiled "Well, I'm offering you a chance. We're rebuilding the tribe, and you can join us if you're willing to put in the effort." she explained. She didn't know much about Ruby, but she needed to rebuild the tribe and was willing to offer her a place in it.
Yang's response only confused Ruby further "Why me? I'm not cut out for your tribe." she questioned. In her mind, she was in no way suited for joining the tribe. They were trained as warriors from birth, whereas she only had a little training to protect herself.
"Maybe you aren't right now, but you could be. If you want to avenge the people you lost, we can help you do that. We can train you and turn you into a warrior like us, then we can take down the Grimm together." Yang answered. Between herself and Vernal, training Ruby would be easy as long as she was willing to learn.
Ruby was conflicted "I don't know what to say." she told Yang. She wanted to fight against the Grimm and she was being offered the opportunity to do that, but she wasn't sure if the tribe was really for her. When she had imagined herself fighting, it had always been for one of the kingdoms rather than a former bandit tribe.
"How about say yes, there's nothing left to lose but so much to gain." Yang pointed out. Things couldn't get much worse for Ruby, but they could get so much better if she joined the tribe. Then she wouldn't be alone, she could sustain herself better, and she could do what she'd always wanted to.
It quickly became clear to Ruby, that turning Yang down would be a stupid idea. "Good point, the Grimm need to pay for taking my parents from me. I guess that means I'm in." she decided. She had never expected the situation to come about, but she was going to take full advantage of it.
Yang was pleased with Ruby's decision "Great, welcome to the tribe." she said happily. Then she reminded herself of Ruby's situation and added "Oh, and I'm sorry about your parents. I never met my dad and I just lost my mom, so I know what you're going through." with Ruby now in the tribe, she would do everything she could to make her feel better.
Ruby was overwhelmed. Yang had just walked up to her, tried to make her feel better and offered her the opportunity of a lifetime. "Thank you Yang, for everything." she said, before throwing her arms around her and hugging her tightly.
Below deck, Weiss and Winter were having their own conversation. A lot had changed for them thanks to the death of their father, so they had much to discuss. "Is it bad that I don't feel bad about his death?" Weiss asked. She had really grown to hate Jacques, so she shed no tears when she learned of his death.
"It is not. He was a coward and a bigot, he deserved the fate that befell him." Winter responded. She two hated the man, especially after what he said during the battle. So she felt exactly the same as her sister did, not even considering grieving.
Weiss was relieved that they were on the same page, she hated the idea of disagreeing with her. "Thank you Winter, it's reassuring to know I'm not the only one to think that. Though I can't imagine the people at home will be of the same opinion." she said. Winter was one of the few decent Atlesians in Weiss opinions, and she was certain that most other Atlesians would have a different opinion of their father.
Winter sighed heavily "Unfortunately they are too much like him to agree with us, so we shall have to pretend to mourn once we return." she responded. Thanks to the way Atlesian society was, Jacques would be considered a hero and the sisters would be vilified for not feeling the same way about him.
As much as it pained her, Weiss knew that Winter was right. "I understand, and for that reason I no longer wish to return home. As comfortable as our lives there are, I can no longer bear to live with such people." she told her sister. She couldn't stand her father and she couldn't stand her fellow Atlesians either, so returning to her life in Atlas was absolutely not an option.
"That's a big decision to make Weiss. I cannot go with you if you choose to leave, so I advise you to think carefully." Winter responded. She understood why Weiss felt the way she did and she didn't think it was bad, but it was still a huge change that need to be careful considered first.
Weiss understood the magnitude of her decision, having been secretly considering it long before her Father's death "My mind is already made up Winter, but I would prefer to have you with me. Is there no way I can convince you to join me?" she was dead set on living away from Atlas, but she hoped she wouldn't have to do it alone.
Winter sighed again. "I'm afraid it's as simple as me choosing to leave Atlas. As the new head of the house, I must return to Atlas to serve the kingdom." she explained. With Jacques' death, she was now the head their family. While that was good because she could do a better job than her father, it was bad because it meant she had to answer directly to the King.
Weiss was disappointed "Couldn't you just leave the house in someone else's hands." she asked, hoping there was another way. Regardless of what happened, she wouldn't be returning to Atlas. But still, she would be greatly saddened if that meant being separated from Winter.
"I'm sorry Weiss, but Atlesian politics is far too complex to permit that. If I tried to leave I'd be branded a traitor, and you know what they do to traitors." Winter sadly answered. The price of her joining Weiss was far too high to risk, she would be dealt with brutally if she even tried.
Weiss was horrified. "The Blood Eagle." she said, recalling the Atlesian punishment for treason. It was a brutal method of execution, originally used in the ancient kingdom of Mantle. It was so horrific that just the idea of it happening to Winter almost made her throw up.
"Exactly, and I can't risk that. But that doesn't mean you are bound to the kingdom, in fact I want you to make a new life for yourself. I want you to be free." Winter said, wanting to make Weiss feel better. Though she couldn't join her sister, she still wanted the best for her.
Weiss nodded "Well that is what I shall do, I will be remaining in Vale once we arrive. Thank you Winter, thank you for granting me what Father wouldn't." she said. She would be eternally grateful to Winter, even if they wouldn't be staying together.
Winter smiled, happy that Weiss would be starting a life of her own. "Don't mention it Weiss, you deserve a life of your own and I know you will not waste this opportunity." she responded. She was incredibly proud of Weiss and knew she would make the most of her freedom from Jacques and Atlas as a whole.
Weiss have her sister a brief hug, before saying. "You truly are the best sister on Remnant. Now if you'll please excuse me, I'm going for a walk." She really couldn't thank Winter enough, so she would go for a walk and try to think of something she could do in return.
"I won't stop you Weiss, do whatever you like." Winter told her, she wouldn't control Weiss like Jacques had. Weiss could do anything she wanted, finally liberated from his oppression.
Away from everyone else, Blake was talking with her friend Ilia. "How are you feeling?" Ilia asked, wanting to make sure Blake wasn't taking her father's death too badly. Blake didn't seem like she was suffering, but Ilia knew that she was very good at concealing her true feelings.
Blake released a slight sigh. "I'm going to miss him, but I can't afford to be sad. I need to stay strong, and it would just attract the Grimm anyway." She explained. One of few things know about the Grimm, was that negative emotions attracted them. So Blake was doing her best, to suppress her feelings about Ghira's death.
Ilia nodded, understanding the reason for Blake's lack of emotion. "Well, I want you to know that I'm here for you. I've been where you are now, and I don't want you suffering like I did." she said. Having lost her own parents, she understood Blake's pain. So as Blake's friend, she would use that experience to help her.
"I appreciate it Ilia, I couldn't ask for a better friend. Now why don't you tell me what's bothering you, I can tell you're holding something back." Blake responded. She really appreciated Ilia's friendship and kindness, and she wanted to help her out in return. She knew her friend well enough, to know that she was hiding something.
Ilia sighed, knowing she couldn't keep secrets from Blake "I don't want to go to another human kingdom, why can't we start a new one for ourselves?" she said. Humanity and the Faunus were constantly at odds with each other, so living in a human kingdom wasn't easy for a faunus.
Blake shared Ilia's sentiment, but understood that they needed there was no real alternative. "I don't like living in their kingdoms either, but they're the safest places for us right now." she said, trying to make Ilia understand.
"Maybe they are, but the people there all look down on us." Ilia responded. What she was saying was true, which made it harder to accept having to live in one of the kingdoms.
"I see your point Ilia, but not all humans are like that. Surely you've noticed that by now." Blake told her. She knew how bad humans could be, but she had encountered many good ones since fleeing Menagerie.
Ilia shook her head, unable to agree with Blake. "All I've seen is humans trying to manipulate us into helping them, we can't trust them Blake." she said. Humans played a part in the death of her parents, so she really didn't trust any of them.
"What about the Branwens? They don't care about race" Blake questioned. The Branwens weren't like the humans from the kingdoms, they treated everyone equally. They may have been bandits, but they weren't discriminatory.
Ilia raised an eyebrow "You realize who you're talking about right? They're bandits Blake." she pointed out. Given the nature of the Branwen Tribe, trusting them seemed like a terrible idea. Bandits weren't know for being trustworthy.
"They don't seem that way to me, not anymore. They've been sacrificing for all of us, that's not the kind of thing bandits would do." Blake countered. While the Branwens had been bandits in the past, the Grimm had changed them. They sacrificed more than anyone else, being almost completely wiped out by the creatures.
Ilia had to concede to Blake. "I guess you're right about that, we can probably trust them more than the other humans." she said. She knew the tribe didn't care about race, and she had to admit that they were no longer acting like bandits.
Blake was glad that Ilia was on the same page with her about the Branwens "Exactly and since there are only two of them left, I think we should try to befriend them." she explained. She had wanted to get closer to the tribe for a while, and this was her opportunity to do it.
Ilia wasn't sure Blake's idea would work out. "I doubt they'll be in the mood for that, not after everything that's happened." she told her. She wouldn't have been in the mood for making friends if the White Fang was wiped out, so she didn't think the surviving Branwens would be.
"Actually, I think they'll appreciate it. Right now they only have each other, their families and all there friends are gone." Blake explained. Having lost everything, she believed that the tribe would be more than willing to make new friends. It would make things so much easier for them, as far as she could tell.
Ilia decided to agree with Blake, having faith in her judgement. "In that case, I guess we should at least try. We probably shouldn't waste the opportunity to make some genuine human allies." she said. As much as she disliked humans, she agreed that befriending some of them wouldn't hurt as long as they could be trusted.
Blake smiled at Ilia, then said "Let's go and find them, there's no point delaying this. Just remember, not all humans are bad." before heading off to find them with Ilia close behind. With any luck, they could start improving Human-Faunus relations.
Well, time to sit back and see if anyone thinks this is worth reading. See Ya.