Chapter 6

Piemaster981: Well somebody loves finger painting. Dude you made me laugh for like five minutes when I saw your review haha, I appreciate it.

Last chapter was kind of a long one, sorry it took so long v.v I'm trying to post these, at the latest, weekly but sometimes I lose track of time. Sorry my author notes are kind of lame, but I like to at least say something to you guys either before or after the chapter. I appreciate all the reviews and support I've gotten. I love you all *-* (no homo…okay well maybe a little homo *wink*). Ahem anyway, without further ado, chapter 6 is here.

Alear woke with a start. His scroll beeped from across the room, signifying a notification. He grunted and attempted to get up, feeling a tug of resistance. A certain Kitty Cat had her arms wrapped around him.

He lay back down for a moment, inspecting his sleeping partner. She looked so peaceful, all of her worries were seemingly nonexistent. He smiled to himself and pressed his lips to her forehead, lightly scratching her ears. She purred in contentment, smiling in her sleep.

"If she keeps being this cute I'm not going to be able to leave," he thought to himself.

He did his best to unwrap himself from her embrace, sliding a pillow in his place. She happily cuddled with it. Alear grabbed his scroll, seeing it was noon, and took a quick picture of Blake in her adorable sleeping pose. She'd probably hate it, but it was a nice memento.

Satisfied with the result, he checked his messages. One was from…Xera? Didn't she leave Vale already? The message had arrived at a quarter-past midnight. "There's nothing you can hide from us."

What the hell? Was Xera trying to be funny? Alear shook his head and checked the last message in his inbox. It was from Ozpin and had only arrived a few minutes ago. "Mr. Meerin, come to Vale immediately. There's been an accident. I believe you know at least one of the victims. I must warn you, it is…messy."

Alear's heart filled with dread as he put the two pieces of information together. He didn't like what the facts seemed to be suggesting. He hoped to Oum that it wasn't Xera. He quickly changed into a spare set of clothes, identical to his original clothes that Ren still possessed, and strapped Storm Breaker to his back before bursting out of his dorm room.

Ruby poked her head out of her room, hearing the commotion. Upon seeing Alear running she decided to follow him, catching up easily with her semblance. "Where's the matter?" she asked, running alongside him.

"I'm not sure, but I think my friend is hurt," he explained in a worried tone. "If something has happened, I won't be able to forgive myself." Ruby was now as worried as he was.

The duo traveled the rest of the way in silence, quickly taking an airship into the city. They arrived within ten minutes, with some…encouragement from Alear. The two quickly bounded down the streets until they came upon Ozpin and a few police officers. They stood outside an alley with police tape bordering the entrance.

Ozpin gestured them over, placing a hand on each of the youths' shoulders. "I wish I could say it was good you are here. The crime scene is quite gruesome. Are you sure you two wish to see this?"

Alear nodded without hesitation. This was not the case with Ruby. She hesitated a moment before nodding. No matter how terrible it was, she wanted to be there for her friend.

The wolf Faunus ducked under the police tape with Ruby close behind. Ozpin followed, staying a few feet behind the two students.

Alear swiftly scanned the area. What he saw made his stomach turn. He had seen a lot of gruesome scenes in his life, but nothing like the slaughter he now observed. His friends lay scattered, most of them in pieces, on the alley floor. Dried blood caked the grisly scene.

He couldn't fathom what he was seeing. All of his friends, the closest things to his family, were butchered. He could barely control the immense anger and sorrow building within him.

Ruby stood gawking, unable to speak. Even though Ozpin warned her it was bad, she didn't expect such a blood bath. One of them was burned to a crisp for Oum's sake!

Alear grit his teeth before silently kneeling down and one by one closing his friends' eyes, stopping at Xera last. "I'm sorry little snake…." Ruby heard him mutter. "This is my fault…it's my fault they killed all of you." Ruby wrapped him in the biggest hug she could manage, ignoring the gore around her.

She looked at his face, trying to get a better read on his emotions. He looked like someone had just stabbed his heart. His eyes had lost their usual luster. Jade-green was now a dull shadow of its former self.

The wolf Faunus noticed a trail of blood going from Xera's throat to the nearby wall. He broke apart from the scythe-wielder and moved to investigate. Upon the wall, written in the smeared blood of his friend, was a message. "You really think we wouldn't notice? Better luck next time."

The taunt crawled underneath Alear's skin. He let out a growl, green lightning crackling the air around him. He clenched his fist, lightning converging on his hand. Ruby backed away, a little scared of this new side of Alear. He yelled in frustration and punched the wall, venting his anger. The wall was almost completely shattered.

Ozpin gave him a sympathetic glance. "I'm sorry, Mr. Meerin. I'll make sure they're given a proper burial.

"No," Alear replied simply. Ozpin raised a curious eyebrow. "These are MY friends. We take…took care of our own. I'll bury them. Just put the coffins on my tab." His voice was grim.

"I assume they were assisting you?" asked the Headmaster. Alear nodded. "Then we will bury them on Beacon Cliff, so that we may properly honor their sacrifice."

"Thank you…Ozpin."

"I understand, you know. It's never easy," started Ozpin. "I've gone through this again and again; made more mistakes than any man, woman, or child in this world. So please, listen to what I have to say. It comes from experience. Don't let this change who you are. Don't become twisted by hatred. Let this experience strengthen you, make you a better person, and then bring those responsible to justice. Ensure that a tragedy like this can never happen again." Alear remained silent, unmoving. "I'll be taking care of the funeral costs. I'll leave the tombstone inscriptions up to you. Goodbye, Mr. Meerin. Please, think about what I've said."

Alear exited the alley soon after Ozpin, no longer able to stand the atrocious sight. He slumped down against the adjacent side of the alley building, facing the street. His usual cheery face was replaced by a mask of empathy. He barely even noticed Ruby sit down next to him. He was too lost in thought, thinking of all the good times he had had with his now dead friends. They had been the best of friends, doing almost everything together. They had grown to the point where they were basically a family. There was even going to be a marriage in the group.

Dom, with some encouragement from Alear, had eventually let his feelings be known to the rabbit Faunus, Millie. He had been so excited when she agreed to date him. He had kept Alear up all night raving about how perfect she was. When Dom proposed, it seemed like the happy couple would live happily ever after. But no matter how hard we wish for it, life isn't a fairy tale.

Thoughts of Reina soon followed. The adorable little whelp had been a lot like Nix in a way, almost like a little sister. To see her destroyed like she was broke his heart. He at least found solace in the fact that Sid had been there for her until the end. Alear had been unable to be there after the betrayal. He was glad she had someone.

Finally, memories of Xera flooded his mind. Her loss hit him the hardest. While he loved all of his friends, he only truly respected the snake Faunus. She had been cunning, quick-witted, and always straight-up with people. She never hid behind her words, preferring to be blunt. While this had not earned her many friends, it was one of the things Alear admired about her.

The sun was covered by clouds as rain poured down upon the city. Tears threatened to burst from the mourning wolf. He quickly willed them away, but not before Ruby noticed.

"Hey…" she said gingerly, wrapping an arm around his back, slowly rubbing. "It's okay to cry. Everyone does it. Let it all out, you'll feel better."

Alear quickly shook his head. "No. I can't…I won't, not until I've finished what we started." He noticed Ruby's worried expression. "Relax little one, I'm fine." He threw on a fake smile, for her sake. "I'll mourn them my own way, but I won't allow myself to shed tears for them, to show any weakness. Until I stop Adam, I have no right."

Ruby was going to argue further when Alear suddenly got up, extending his hand to pull her up as well. "Where are we going?" asked Ruby, accepting his hand.

"Beacon. I need to prepare their graves." Ruby nodded grimly.

-About twenty minutes later, back at Beacon-

Yang and the rest of WBY were searching frantically for their missing leader. She had left without warning, causing Yang's protective sister instincts to go into overdrive. Blake and Weiss were only helping because Yang wouldn't shut up otherwise. They ripped the hallways apart, ending up back at their room.

The Brawler was about to rope JNPR into the search when she spotted her sister walking toward them with Alear side by side.

A bit of anger built up inside her. She didn't like that Alear had taken her sister without telling her first. "Hey!" she said angrily, marching up to Alear. He simply walked around her, stony-faced. This only made Yang angrier. She grabbed his shoulder from behind. "I'm talking to you."

Alear stopped and slowly turned his head. His gaze was full of malice, the look of a killer gleamed in his eyes. Lightning arced around his body.

Yang went wide-eyed, feeling genuine fear. Alear was…scaring her. She wasn't afraid of much, but right now she was paralyzed. She couldn't believe the guy who was so happy last night, the guy who lost his clothes in a game of poker, the guy who happily threw Nora pancakes every morning, was scaring her.

He pulled his shoulder from Yang's grip, leaving her in shock, and walked to his room. He slammed the door behind him. Blake and Weiss shared uneasy glances. Ruby was staring at her feet; her face was filled with sorrow.

"What the hell is his problem?" asked Yang, regaining her composure.

Blake bit the tip of her thumb in contemplation. "I don't know…I've never seen him like this."

Weiss huffed. "Well he better shape up soon. If he's not careful he's going to lose all his friends." The snow themed heiress didn't know about the slaughter that was just discovered, but even so Ruby couldn't control herself. The scythe-wielder clenched her fists in anger. She had heard enough. Weiss recoiled as her partner slapped her across the face, leaving a stinging sensation. "Wha-"

"Don't say that, don't you dare! No matter what happens, I will ALWAYS be his friend!" Tears streamed down the young leader's face.

Yang quickly pulled her sister into a tight hug. Ruby resisted at first but was soon clutching desperately at Yang's jacket, sobbing deeply. "Shhhh, it's alright." She stroked the dark-haired girl's hair. "Weiss didn't mean anything by it. She was just concerned for his well-being, right Weiss?"

The heiress was quick to respond. "Um, yes. That's right. I didn't mean to insult your friendship."

Yang nodded her approval. "See? So how about we cool it on the waterworks, please?"

"Tha-That's n-not what I'm crying a-about," answered Ruby between sobs.

"Then what's the matter Rubes?" Yang wiped tears from her sister's eyes.

The rose-themed girl took a deep breath, collecting herself. She managed to stop crying. "Something terrible happened…"

"To Alear?" interrupted Blake, her ears perking up. "What's happened?"

Weiss almost vomited as Ruby described, in great detail, about the fate of Alear's friends. Yang looked like she had seen a ghost. Blake closed her eyes, trying to banish the mental images from her mind.

"He must have been a wreck…" muttered the cat Faunus.

Ruby shook her head. "He was more angry than anything else."

"I noticed," muttered Yang.

Ruby ignored her sister. "He just put on this blank expression and refused to shed a tear for them, not until he finished what they started."

"What kind of dribble is that?" said Weiss, earning a glare from Ruby.

"He said he has no right to. I think it's because they died while helping him. He must feel responsible and is punishing himself because they're dead and he's still alive."

"What a fool…" said Blake. "There's no way they followed him any way but willingly. They all knew the risks. Alear needs to stop trying to bear the burden by himself. We're here for him…I'm here for him…whether he likes it or not." Her amber eyes held a determined gleam.

At that moment Alear came out of his room holding a shovel in one hand and a filled picture frame in the other. He turned and walked the opposite direction as them.

"Where's he going with a shovel?" asked a clueless Yang.

Fortunately Ruby had the answers. "Ozpin is letting him handle the burials, by request. Alear said, "We took care of our own," Or something like that."

Blake nodded in understanding. "It's just how they were. They were the closest thing to family they had, to each other. Sure he still has us, but to lose so many people at once…I can't even imagine the devastation it's caused on his heart."

"We should help him then," suggested Yang.

Blake shook her head. "No, this is something he has to do alone."

"Didn't you just say he needs to stop bearing this burden alone?" pointed out Weiss.

"Yes, but this is different. Leave him this last act. It's the only way he knows how to grieve." She started walking the way Alear went.

"Where are you going?" asked Ruby.

"I said he needs to bury them alone. That doesn't mean he has to be alone for the funeral. Get JNPR would you? All of his friends should be there for him." Blake left before getting a response.

-With Alear at Beacon Cliff-

His hair clung to his face as he shoved the shovel into the dirt, dumping it into a pile next to the slow forming grave. The rain had made the ground moist, but luckily it hasn't turned into mud yet. That would have made this even more difficult for the wolf Faunus. He remained expressionless, throwing all his pain behind a wall in his mind.

True to his word, Ozpin arrived with materials for the burial, including the remains, and then quickly left after giving his condolences. Even Goodwitch, who had given him nothing but uneasy glances since he arrived at Beacon, had muttered an apology before exiting with the Headmaster.

Blake arrived as he finished digging the last grave, sitting a respectful distance away on the grass in silence. She watched as Alear placed his friends into their respective coffins. After a moment's thought he placed Dom and Millie, the two lovers, in the same coffin.

"They'd want to be together, even in death," He thought somberly. He lowered the coffins into place and replaced the dirt over top of his friends' eternal resting place. His emotions flared up again. He dug his nails into his palm to keep them in check.

He placed the tombstones at the head of each of the horizontal graves, inscribing their names with lightning from his fingertips. Despite being close, he didn't know any of their birthdays or his own for that matter, and decided that they were all probably about seventeen. He marked the stones appropriately as the rest of the gang arrived. Nix and JNPR in specific were giving him sympathetic looks, having just been caught up to speed.

Alear stopped at Xera's last. On her tombstone he wrote a special message. "Bearer of my eternal respect."

He gazed down at his friends, his heart in his throat. "I'm gonna miss you guys…" He felt a hand on his shoulder and turned to see his remaining friends. They were all giving him warm smiles, trying to comfort him. The rain stopped and the sun emerged from behind the clouds, illuminating the dreary scene. A ghost of a smile was all he could manage to do in return to his friends.

Blake pulled her wolf into a tight embrace that he gladly returned. Nobody had the courage to say anything. Even Nix who usually was a chatterbox around Alear was at a loss for words.

Alear ended the embrace, moving a stone slab, courtesy of Ozpin, in front of the five horizontal graves. He placed it in the center, ending up in front of Xera's grave. He grabbed the picture frame and placed it gently on the slab. Everyone looked over his shoulder to get a better view. The picture showed a recent photo, probably taken just before his coma, of a happy Alear, wolf ears hanging lazily to the side, surrounded by his friends. They all had their arms wrapped around each others' backs. They all looked like they couldn't be happier.

It was a good picture but the right edge of it was ripped, cutting of a seventh person from view. No one decided to comment on that.

That's when Alear spoke his goodbyes. "Even though our futures now differ, our pasts will be forever intertwined. I will never forget the times we've shared, good or bad. No matter what awaits us after this life, fret not, for you shall all be together. Let us honor your silent sacrifice; treat you as the heroes that you were. May I one day join you in your eternal slumber."

Pyrrha wiped her eyes. "That was beautiful Alear." The others nodded their agreement.

He responded by taking a deep breath and putting on a small smile. "Come on guys, let's go. Xera would never forgive me whenever I would wake her up," he joked.

-At Adam's underground compound-

The bull Faunus was overseeing the last of the leaving airships when he heard footsteps approaching. It was a young teen with short, bright orange hair. "Is it done?" he asked in a gruff voice.

"Yes, sir." The teen took a knee. "The traitors have been eliminated. I even left him a little message to remind him of his foolishness."

Adam smirked. "Very good. That should make him a little more hesitant to meddle with our operations."

"Would you like me to kill him as well?"

Adam thought a moment, considering it. "Hmm, no. He is not worth the effort. I'm sure he'll come find us eventually and when he does you will put him down like the dog he is, understood?"

"Yes, sir."

"That reminds me, Ashura. How are you enjoying your new power?"

Ashura smiled deeply and let fire dance between his clawed fingers. "Very much so. None of those traitorous scum ever stood a chance."

Adam laughed before sighing deeply. He picked up a Dust crystal from a nearby container and held it up in the air in front of him. "Oh the things Dust can do."