For this chapter, we'll have what some call a wild card. Who or what is it, read and find out.
"Either I will find a way, or I will make one" - Philip Sidney
-Beacon-
In the aftermath of the carnage, four days after the initial fight, both factions withdrew with heavy casualties weighing down their tread. The real cause of death for a majority of these unfortunate souls was the exploding warehouses filled with dust. The massive shockwaves sent many men flying into enemy ranks where they were mercilessly cut down, either by the blade of an enemy, or the shelling of an ally. Civilian casualties were relatively small, but still a tragedy nonetheless. To think the White Fang could be so ferocious in their retaliation, it left both Valen and Atlesian military officials to rethink their entire battle plan. And with the accusation thrown at Emerald for her stunt that initially led to the all-out skirmish, the young woman moved up to equal Cinder in fugitive status. Although, that was put into debate after reviewing what little security footage was recovered from the wreckage, when she could be seen personally killing Roman and a few details with him. Her actions remained questionable when she somehow evaded Atlesian troops and left the city.
Jaune, because of his relationship with her, was thoroughly interrogated by Ironwood himself, and the man wasn't known for subtlety. His questions and accusations nearly led the blonde to assault the old General, but luckily for him he knew that would only make the situation worse. It was in the midst of their conversation that the General mentioned a response team to retrieve Emerald Sustrai; Dead or Alive.
"General, sir!" Jaune's sudden burst caught both men by surprise. "Allow me to join the search party, I'm sure I can convince her to come back without the need for aggression."
The General pressed two fingers against his forehead, then retrieved a small application from within a closed envelope. "Mr. Arc, this is an application for Beacon academy. You filled this out, did you not?"
"...yes, sir."
"This application is not just your enrollment, it is a contract signifying your absolute allegiance and obedience to your kingdom, is that not correct, Mr. Arc?"
"Yes, sir"
"These documents are written by the Headmaster himself, those who fill out the official documents are duty-bound to follow any and all orders given. Which is why, under our joint command, you and your team are ordered to remain here until further notice." Ironwood's words pierced the blonde knight deeply, that is, until a certain phrase mentioned by the General gave him the freedom he needed. "You are dismissed, return to your quarters forthwith."
Jaune saluted the General, and left as hastily as when he was brought in. Ozpin took a sip of his coffee before turning to his old friend with a sly grin. "Do you think he realizes what path he's chosen to follow?" Ironwood asked, returning Jaune's forged documents into the envelope while handing it back to the Ozpin.
"He may be dense on certain accounts, but you certainly weren't subtle. He can be a smart young man when the time calls. I knew from the minute he walked in his mind was set one thing; finding her. I can only wonder what excuse his team will use to follow him." Both friends smiled faintly, remembering an almost similar circumstance long ago in their past. They readied themselves for what Ozpin believed would be a plethora of concerned individuals.
-JNPR Dorm room-
Jaune arrived into a lonely room; his teammates were across the hall talking with team RWBY over how to 'help' him deal with Emerald's so called betrayal. This gave him the perfect opportunity to pack his gear. It hurt him to leave his friends, truly it did, but Ironwood was right; only legally enrolled students would be needed. And if the blonde remembered correctly, his documents were forged. He had no connection to the military or academy, meaning he was free to get up and leave. All his life, Jaune wanted to be a hunter to protect people, but how could he? There wasn't a need for him anyway; Jaune knew his combat skills were undeniably inadequate. Anyone fighting alongside him would have to keep a constant eye on the boy to assure he didn't cut himself with his own sword, which actually happened once. Sure enough, Pyrrha would be placed as the leader, and another member would be added, replacing the blonde knight with nary a problem, right?
"Keep thinking it if it makes you feel better." Ren's voice caught Jaune completely by surprise; a small girlish yelp escaped the boys lips, giving his male teammate a small smirk before returning to his calm state. "But, it won't change anything. You can't be so dense that you'd think we would let you leave so easily. We're more than just comrades, Jaune. We're friends, and that means something to us. I won't let Pyrrha or Nora blame themselves for your stupidity."
"This is something I have to do Ren. I failed a promise, and I'm going to make it right. Besides, we both know I'd just be in the way in a fight. Now, stand aside." Jaune demanded, both were now glaring down one another.
The green clad stood firmly by the doorway, "You may be my leader, but you can't beat me Jaune."
"I know." A small needle was shot at Ren's shoulder, quickly injecting something into his system. Almost immediately, his vision became groggy, and balance was problematic. He noticed the tip of a small tranquilizer gun hidden in Jaune's right sleeve.
"It's a small dose, it'll just knock you out for an hour, by then I should be a good distance away. I'm hoping you'll forgive me someday, Ren." Jaune caught his friend as the drug was nearing its full effect. He laid Ren down, picked up the rest of his gear, and jumped out the window. Ren tried reaching out to his friend, or at the least to call out to him, but Jaune had already made his decision. And if he was resorting to challenging even his friends, then no doubt bringing him back would end badly. For both parties.
-Headmaster's Office-
While reviewing the plans for dealing with the remaining White Fang forces inside the city, teams RWBY and NPR nearly broke down the door, arriving exactly on the time Ozpin predicted they would. Their collective shouting and accusations of the runaway blonde along with the efforts to hunt down the traitor he was pursuing. All in all, it went exactly as Ozpin predicted, allowing Ironwood to follow the script they planned out. But first, "ENOUGH!" The General's booming voice silenced the overlapping shouts. He cleared his throat before responding to the main topic at hand. "Mr. Arc was discovered to have enrolled into Beacon with forged documents; therefore, he has no obligation to follow our commands. On that account, I have no interest in wasting resources bringing back a rogue, much less a liar. Not to mention his fighting skills have made little to no improvement since he arrived. Let him run off, he's of no value." His words however ticked the nerve of a hot-headed brawler.
"We're not going to abandon him you fucking bastard, he's our friend!" Yang nearly burst fumes hearing this man degrade her fellow blonde.
"Watch your tongue young lady! Ironwood has made it clear; we see no value sending anyone to retrieve mister Arc." Ozpin interjected.
"Why you ungrateful, lazy sons of-"
Ren hushed Yang almost instantly; her attitude was making their situation worse. These girls were too worked up, but he planned ahead of this whole ordeal. There was one card he could play "Sir, Jaune has knowledge of Vale and Atlesian military tactics, scoring near perfect in his tactical strategy courses. Not only that, he illegally infiltrated Beacon Academy, and while not an excellent fighter, his mind more than makes up for it. In the hands of an enemy to the kingdom, he would be a dire threat."
"Significance?"
"Officially; he represents a significant security breach."
Ironwood was astounded that one of Jaune's teammates would project his team leader in such a manner, though truthfully; he did state an obvious point. But sending them when their emotions would push their decisions past the ability of control was the same as sending them into a pit filled with Grimm: little, if no chance of survival. Just as Ozpin predicted. "And what would you advise us to do, Mr. Lie?" Ironwood asked, rubbing, the tip of his chin.
"We do not allow him to fall into the hands of an enemy faction. While he isn't an official student of Beacon, his tactical mind would make him an invaluable asset to this academy. I recommend sending a small recovery team to bring him back; willingly or forcefully. And Perhaps if luck permit, he might unintentionally find the White Fang main base in an attempt to rescue his...friend. His luck, as I've noticed, always sends him into the direst of situations, so I have a hunch he'll find what you are seeking. Killing two birds with one stone, as one would put it." Ren spoke as if he had planned that speech thoroughly. Most of the girls were surprised Ren would suddenly bring up a recovery mission through means of force. Yes, they felt betrayed that he left without saying a word, but where did Ren get this sudden anger for his teammate?
Ironwood on the other hand nodded faintly. "Hmm, you do make a valid argument...very well, teams RWBY and NPR will head out immediately to locate the White Fang's main base, the fugitives; Jaune Arc and Emerald Sustrai are pending priorities. You are to contact me when you've discovered their location; I will need a mental evaluation to determine what will be done with Mr. Arc. Ms. Schnee, I'm appointing you the head of this mission. Good luck and Godspeed." With a wave of his hand, the meeting ended, and the teams had their orders.
Team RWBY and NPR wasted no time gathering their gear and any other necessities before meeting up by their transport. The goal in mind was set, even before being given their official mission; find the blonde and bring him back. Why was he risking his life for a traitor, did she really mean that much to him? The very question swam in the minds of his friends, more so not knowing exactly where he was heading. By the time the girls found the unconscious clad in green, the blonde knight had already made his way outside the city. Thanks to Intel from a troublemaking duo; Sun and Neptune, there was a clear sense of direction as to where the leader of team JNPR was heading. Still, it made it hard to think they knew Jaune when Sun mentioned the blonde speaking with someone else whom had close ties to Cinder Falls' faction. The boy had his own contacts within the city, meaning whoever he called on probably had access to fast-moving transport. His connections, along with his sudden departure only made him look more and more like a traitor himself. Being the head of the mission, Weiss made sure to set some ground rules, especially for her team leader. Why the heiress was put in charge was perhaps due to her father's strong influence over the Atlesian military. If they located the White Fang HQ and called for backup, more than likely the military aid would do their best NOT to hit them. All in all, the heiress was particularly proud of being assigned the team leader, but it did prove to be a headache. Much so when having to control Yang. Either way, they did have some luck to go with. Blake suggested heading north after remembering Emerald speak to some of her associates at one point. It wasn't the exact location, but it was the term in which the girl used that gave her an idea. As the bullhead flew, armies of all factions were beginning to mobilize all across Remnant for the next war. And by all factions, that included the soon to be known Grimm forces. For the skirmish in Vale was evident enough that the White Fang were more than just a terror-group, it had a well-armed army in its palm. And if the rest of them were just as organized as the ones here in Vale, then the coming war would be a gory one.
-Mt. Seoul 3 days later-
Day? Night? It was hard to tell in a city hidden within a mountain. But, where the light of day is never shown, some secrets were better left in the dark. Emerald herself would not utter a word to anyone since her return, Teal and Han were silently reprimanded for their side-mission by Vadam. Though, the Grand Kaidon himself couldn't help but feel sympathy for both of his daughters. One witnessed her brethren tortured and killed in front of her, the other conceived with perhaps the only human she ever openly loved and afterwards was forced to forever abandon him. Though, what Vadam was not aware of was the loss of what could've been his grandchild. Still, it was to be expected, although Seoul berries increase fertility, the process is unstable. Should any sudden outside interference occur, the chances of losing the child increase. The negative affect of a powerful aphrodisiac; should a child be conceived, the process must remain undisturbed until brought to term. Otherwise...
Afterwards, the grand Kaidon and a handful of soldiers marched off to the nearby White Fang bases that held Kaidon's as prisoners. The recovery would take long, but every brother saved was worth the risk. All the while, calling the rest of his people to arms; the joint forces of the Kaidons from the south, east and west. Which side they would pick was still unclear, however most were keen on straying from allying with any species other than their own. While the messengers and the Grand Kaidon's forces moved out, Tsar choose to stay behind. After discovering his younger sister's secret, he too felt a bit of sympathy. Though, he couldn't deny that it was a mistake allowing her to interact with her childhood friend. Still, he was more furious with his mother and Teal for using Seoul berries. The cursed fruit was used for many breeding purposes, but the Kaidons have almost already forgotten what can come of misusing the berries. After all, repetition was inevitable for a forgotten past. The armored Kaidon walked within the halls of his family's keep, stopping in front of Emerald's room. Tsar could only wonder what was going through her mind. Seven days have passed, and she wouldn't even make a single sound. His hand reached for the doorknob, at first hesitantly, and then gripping the handle with renewed assurance. Just as he was to turn the handle, a Kaidon messenger ran up to him with a worried expression.
"Master Tsar, news from the scouts in the Iona valley; a column of White Fang foot soldiers were spotted near the abandoned human settlement." His voice raspy and dry with each exhaled breath. "We believe they might defile the human settlement, and use it as a means to make the Northern Winds the frontline for their war. Also, a Valen bullhead was spotted heading our way, what will be done?"
It was happening; the Kaidons and their society would soon be discovered. Judgement would be carried out of whether they will be allowed to live in peace, or the fear of the humans would drive them to send them into the brink of extinction. Again…or maybe this time, they'll actually finish the job.
"Tell the scouts to report back within the Northern Winds, have Teal and our reserve legions launch a guerrilla assault on the column. No witnesses. I will head out and deter these humans in their endeavor." Tsar commanded. The Kaidon messenger bowed respectfully and set out again. Meanwhile, the first zealot glanced back to Emerald's room, and respectfully decided to just leave her be. Hopefully, when he returned, she would at the very least speak again.
-Iona Valley-
Over the desolated lands of Iona, a bullhead's engines roared across the plains, the lands that connected this valley to the taiga that is the Northern Winds were bitter in both weather and life. Scarce as it was, these lands would house no life if war ever broke out, valleys would run with rivers of blood, and the soil would blacken from repeated shelling. Three figures stood over an open railing, scanning the land for a short-haired blonde. There was no form of luck for 3 days already, but these students didn't deter from their search.
"Nothing again today." Blake muttered while she sat back down.
"Well, maybe we shouldn't have listened to you then. Seriously, north?! That's all we went with?" Weiss snapped, this three day search with little to no results put quite a strain in her patience.
"Hey, I heard Emerald talking to her associates about their main base being north! Jaune must know where she was heading; otherwise he wouldn't have left so hastily." Blake was beginning to have doubts about her own assumptions, but it was all they had to go on.
"Enough!" Ruby intervened, if the two of them continued their verbal brawl, no doubt they'd eventually settle it physically. "Look, searching from up high hasn't given us anything, why don't we search on the ground?" Both steaming huntresses glared at one another before turning their gazes away. Ruby contacted the pilot to set down just by the brim of the forest, with any luck Jaune was probably stuck up on a tree somewhere. As the bullhead set where Ruby asked, Weiss almost immediately caught sight of a silhouette hidden in the treetops, observing them. While her teammates were unpacking their gear, the heiress retrieved her rapier and set out on her own. Her teammates unaware all too late. The heiress made hast to the figure, if it was White Fang, she'd have her ways of getting that prisoner to talk. Yet, upon reaching the spot from which she saw the figure, the spot was vacant, but it gave a clear view of what was ahead; a village. Just north, hidden within the forest shrubs. Weiss sent a small signal to her friends via scroll, though with such a weak signal, it would be amazing if they received it. Her feet made great leaps across the tree branches, though when the village was clear in her sight, her haste made a sudden stop. The building's looked as if the materials were of wood and stone, all of which in a primitive cube-like structure. Though what caught her eyes were the scattered bones of both Grimm and humans. The Grimm remains had the remnants of arrows and broken spear tips embedded into their skulls. The humans were scattered in pieces, some broken completely into smaller fragments. Some of the buildings were leveled, a few with visible scratch marks. The forest had reclaimed this mass grave, vines and weeds covered most of the village. Weiss scouted the area; she could give a guess as to what happened, if it was a Grimm attack, then for sure there wouldn't be...wait. Ahead, there was a large structure, the doors were bolted shut and remains of various humans were scattered about the entrance. With little haste, the heiress drew her weapon and sent a powerful gust of wind to burst the doors open. They did so, and what erupted from within was a foul stench so intense the heiress had to pinch her mouth and nostrils tightly. She took a small peak and was horrified to see the remains of what must've been the women and children of the settlement. The smaller ones clinging tightly to their mothers, hoping for some form of salvation, all in vain. Weiss couldn't imagine going through something like this; the end of all you know. She closed the doors quickly as to contain the stench, her lungs taking in sweet fresh air as the foul smell was again contained. She continued her search around the village, unaware of a pair of ruby red eyes stalking close by. While in her search around the settlement, the heiress came across the remains of a small watch tower. Hopefully, she'd be able to send a signal of her location to her friends. The pair of ruby eyes followed closely, assuring to keep its stealth intact. As Weiss reached the top of the platform, she glanced to the northern edge of the forest, to her horror; she saw a column of heavy tanks with the White Fang emblem moving west. The biggest shocker was the type of tanks being used; Atlesian Testudo tanks, armored vehicles with two 122mm canons, four mounted turrets on its sides, and thick armor plating. Relatively slow, and somewhat weak alone, though if in groups, these were a near unstoppable force. The only weakness was the small combustible shaft on the tank's belly. The columns were also being escorted by legions of soldiers. Just as Weiss was about to go and warn her friends, projectiles from north of the forest were fired precisely at the Testudos only weakness, which was still an Atlesian secret. A majority of them were destroyed while over a dozen armored figures in black armor descended from the mountains, launching a massive assault on this legion of White Fang soldiers. Whoever was attacking, it clearly wasn't Atlas or Vale, but they were undeniably winning. The confused White Fang grunts were confused over the sudden attack; some fired indiscriminately and hit their own allies.
Curiosity caught the heiress's attention that she never noticed the Beowulf closely approaching her. It's faint growl was what gave the heiress a faint amount of time to raised her blade enough to defend herself from a mouthful of fangs, however the tackling Grimm sent the two tumbling over the watch tower, landing, thankfully, on a bushel below.
Weiss arose first, her dress and skin stained by some kind of juice, the smell was sickly sweet and somewhat minty. The color was a light shade of brown. She glanced to the Beowulf that fell with her; the beast shook its body, trying to dry its fur. Some of the same juices were dripping from its mouth; the heiress took a quick moment to check their surroundings. They seemed to have landed in a bush filled with little coco-colored berries. None of the fruit made it into the heiress' system, the Beowulf on the other hand was another story. The beast was whimpering loudly, smacking its head against the earth. It caught Weiss by surprise, the contents from this little fruit was causing this beast pain. She had the advantage she needed, or so she thought. From between the creature's hind legs, she saw a red rod growing as the seconds passed. Once she got a better look, her faced deepened a dark shade of crimson. She could see the large member throbbing, the veins pulsing while the beast itself had finally stopped whimpering. The Beowulf began to sniff the air wildly, its nose eventually focused on the heiress. Its claws retracted for a second as it cautiously approached the young huntress. The manner in which those blood-red eyes were examining her gave off a worrisome foreshadow.
"S-stay away!" Weiss raised her rapier to defend herself, but her reactions were sluggish compared to the Beowulf's sudden powerful lunge. The beast redrew its claws, knocking Myrtenaster out of her hand while effortlessly shredding the lower half of the heiress' dress as she attempted to dodge the initial strike. The sudden attack left her in a state of panic as she tried to cover her exposed skin. What followed would undeniably be the most horrific of all; it literally took the heiress down, and used its claws to keep a firm hold on her arms. Its heavy pants and fast pulsing member indicated a hint of the beast's intentions. Weiss's pupils dilated, she tried kicking and struggling but the tightening claws dug into her flesh as the beast roared loudly in her face. The momentary intimidation gave the Beowulf enough time to position its rod near the entrance of Weiss' purity. The feeling of the warm member brought the heiress out of her shock as now she witnessed the creature carefully direct its rod into a good position. She could feel the tip pressing against her panties and slowly breaching the entrance. Once it got a good feel of where the entrance was, it readied a powerful thrust.
"N-n-no!" Weiss' quick struggle managed ruin the beast's thrust as its member merely rubbed her clit, the feeling left the heiress in a state of both absolute fear and momentary pleasure. The Beowulf roared again in frustration, bearing its teeth to the heiress, almost as if a warning. As it was redirecting again, Weiss' eyes were running rivers. Was this really how her first time was going to be, with some wild animal? No, this couldn't happen, not to a Schnee.
"S-stop! Please! SOMEBODY!" Her cries for help, loud as they were, would never reach the ears of a Faunus or human.
The beast finally positioned itself again, this time; it didn't take the chance and was pushing past her panties.
"Please...anyone..." The heiress words were choking as she could feel the tip penetrating her, it stopped for a second, she closed her eyes to what would happen next.
…
…
After a moment, nothing happened. Rather, a warm liquid dripping on her forehead was felt. The heiress opened her eyes slowly; the tip of a steel blade had pierced the skull of the Beowulf, its blood dripped off the tip endlessly unto her face. The beast was then lifted off her, and the lifeless body tossed aside. Saved. She was saved! But by who? The heiress was deep in shock over the current situation, her eyes groggy from tears; she turned slowly to see a large dark figure with a red left eye and a milky white right eye. His attire was a set of midnight black armor covering a majority of its body. His body outline was clearly not Faunus, or human. Adding the sun in her eyes, he might as well just be a Grimm the way he was dressed. The weight of the current events drifted her close to near fainting; she took one last look at her savior, and drifted off.
The figure removed its helmet, taking only a moment to analyze Weiss' body for any injury before deciding what to do. It sniffed the air, its glance was now on the Beowulf, the smell was familiar and explained clearly what came over the beast. With hesitation and annoyance, the large Grimm picked up the small huntress bridal style and carried her into the forest before the nearby pack found their dead. Nightfall was approaching, and the more lethal Grimm in these areas only arose at night. And with dwindling supplies, the unknown carrying Weiss had to find shelter for the night. It scanned the area thoroughly, glancing towards the nearby mountain; it saw a glimpse of what could be a cave. Perfectly concealed, and with luck, perhaps also abandoned.
Upon reaching the entrance, the unknown sniffed for any sign of inhabitants, and when none were detected it quickly moved inside just as the sun finally set. The cave was wide enough for the two to fit, but the height of the cave had the armored giant ducking its head. The young huntress was injured from her scuffle with the Beowulf, the gashes from where the beast held her down weren't at all fatal, but could easily get infected if not treated properly. For now, with no medical kit to tend to the young girl's wounds, the armored giant used medicinal herbs it recovered before coming across the heiress. He mashed the plants and placed it upon the opening wounds. Then, it wrapped her arms up by using some pieces of her torn clothing. The herbs wouldn't heal her completely, but it would protect the wound from infections for at least a day. Until then, the beast stood by the entrance to the cave with its blade unsheathed. It stayed with her, and waited with hopes that another human would arrive in time to find her.
The night grew colder, the temperature within the cave lowered dangerously for a human, especially one with little clothing as the currently unconscious heiress. Left only with a torn jacket to cover her exposed lower half, a dirtied shirt and undergarments, she had little to no protection from the environment. Her small whimpers made it apparent how fragile she was from the cold nights here. The armored figure descended to the forest, and returned quickly with enough fire wood to last until morning. But, there was the issue on how to get a fire going. It then remembered the weapon the small child carried had dust cartridges. And if luck was on his side, then there would be a pyro class of dust.
There was, and thankfully, still full. In all honesty, he could've just left her alone and be done with it, but there was the risk of the berry bush discovered far outside the tundra from which it was known to grow in. Those that drove any living being into a sexual frenzy, mating with any species. It had to be burned, and quickly, before anyone else discovered it. For a moment, the armored figure stared at the now calm human. To think these small creatures could be so strong and yet so fragile. As she slept softly, he continued to watch over her with his dagger in hand. This was not willingness of good nature, but out of hope that her own kind would come and get her before the next nightfall, or there would be nothing left he could do for her wounds unless he happened to find more herbs. And in these lands, finding plants that kept life in place proved to be an odyssey in its own right.
-Morning-
While the birds sung their morning chant, Weiss slowly regained her consciousness, and tried arising from her spot, yet cringed in pain. The strength in her arms was still a bit numb. She glanced to the neatly wrapped bandages; the foul-smelling herbs were pressed tightly against her wounds. Rather than sit up, she tried, with what little strength, to rise to a leaning position against the cave wall. Without the aid of her arms proved a difficult feat, but she managed. She examined the situation; her hairband was gone, leaving her milky and partially dirty hair to fall effortlessly. Much of her clothing was mere torn silk, her weapon was beside her, but the cartridge for the incendiary dust was removed. The small pile of burned wood in front of her explained the missing ammunition. And the entrance was somewhat concealed by the nearby vegetation, allowing a passerby to walk by without a second thought. The events of the day prior played out in her mind; she had gotten lost and wandered into an abandoned town, ambushed by a lone Beowulf, and was nearly...it was a dreadful thing to experience, but luckily for her she was saved. But, where was her savior? The heavy footsteps approaching the cave brought her mind to a dreadful position. Though, her heart eased when she heard the clanking of metal, possibly belonging to a chain mail. Perhaps a fellow Hunter or huntress was her knight in shining armor. However, once the bush coverage was pulled aside, she was met the black and white armored giant. With a ruby red left eye, and a milky white right eye staring at her through the helmet visor. Its physical anatomy was nothing like what she had seen before. Neither Grimm or human. The armored figure had something slung over its back; it was an animal and dead judging by the stench. Upon entering, it placed the heap of meat down by the entrance along with a few more logs of firewood.
As the unknown made its way to her, her heart was pounding heavily. Whatever this was, there was no doubt it saved her from the Beowulf. But, 'why' was the question. And what were its intentions now that it rescued the heiress? The unknown said nothing, but rather, sat beside her while offering a water sack. She would've rejected had her dry throat and empty stomach not betrayed her. She tried reaching for the kind gesture, but her arms were still in pain. The unknown's hand gently lifted her chin and placed the tip of the water sack to her lips. It was humiliating being fed, but in this situation she was more grateful than prideful. She drank. The liquid was sweet, and it ran down her throat like smooth silk. Weiss found herself drinking almost half of the sack's contents before taking a moment to breath.
The unknown reached into its knapsack and retrieved a handful of familiar fruits. The same ones that the heiress and the Beowulf were covered in. And then the idea hit her; what if these truly were the cause of the large Grimm going wild on her. But, what where they?
"Seoul Berries." Came the answer from the source she never expected.
She saw his mandibles move, a split jaw with sharpened teeth all concealed by what looked like a full-face helmet. His appearance was strange enough, but with the ability to speak and the sudden kindness shown, the heiress was at a loss for words. The creature before her, however, had a bit more to say. "In a way, you are lucky to have come across these berries. They are aphrodisiacs, the Beowulf might've hurt you in the beginning, but had it gone through with its intentions, the beast would have no further reason to harm you." He stated.
Weiss gave him both a skeptical, and curious glance. Her voice finally able to respond with "W-w-Why is that?"
"Seoul berries also increase fertility, which means the Beowulf was trying to mate with you. Had it succeeded, you would've been impregnated with cubs. Unlike popular beliefs, male Beowulfs want their cubs to have a maternal figure in their lives. You would've lived, but only if you cared for the children you bared. However, I doubt it is a fate you deserve, you did not feed the creature the fruit."
Weiss took a moment to be thankful for her savior's intervention, hearing what could've been her possible outcome gave her a sense of relief that she was saved by this...wait, that was another thing bothered her. While she could tell this armored giant had no intention of harming her, as it probably wouldn't have tended to her wounds, she was still at a loss at what to call him.
She cleared her throat and bowed her head lightly. "Thank you for saving me. And thank you for the drink."
"A Hathor's milk will return a small portion of your energy; hopefully it will allow your wounds to heal. I'm afraid covering up the wound and protecting it from infections was all I could do up to this point." The beast turned had arisen and began another fire, this time with the slab of meat cooking over it. From the look of the color, it looked as if the carcass was of a Grimm, but judging by the torn piece, it was hard to tell.
"Um, what's a Hathor?" She asked.
"A Grimm. Similar to an animal you call a cow, closely related to the Taurus Grimm, but much more docile. A wild Hathor is no more lethal than a tamed one, and they are abundant in this time of day. Where I come from, we use them for agriculture."
"You use Grimm for farming?"
"When you live in the lands that I descend from, you use what you must to survive. That being said, what title do you go by?" He asked, hoping to avoid saying anything more his homeland that would inflame the child's interest.
"My name is Weiss Schnee."
The armored figure flinched for a second, almost as if he knew what her name signified. His eyes finally calmed as his attention was now back to the cooking meat. Weiss kept her stare on him, almost as if waiting for something. After five minutes, she broke the silence.
"And what would your name be?" She asked, somewhat annoyed.
"Why would I reveal that to you?" He responded dryly.
"You asked for mine, and I gave it to you. At the very least you could show me the same respect." She responded somewhat ticked.
The armored giant chuckled lightly; its mandibles formed something of a smile, but not entirely. "A human is demanding respect, a child no less. Just like her...hmm, if I give you my name, will you, by any honor you have, swear that any further words we share will never be shared outside this cave?"
Weiss nodded.
"I want to hear you say it."
"I swear I won't say a word to anyone."
The creature removed the now cooked meat from the fire and retrieved a short curved blade from a sheath in its right pauldron. He placed the meat aside to cool, and removed his helmet. Weiss saw firsthand and perhaps in a long time, a Grimm that was said to bring terror to the secluded mountain range of the Northern Winds. His facial structure resembled that of a saurian species, and skin in a dark shade of ebony. While a jagged scar on his right eye was perhaps the most noticeable feature about him. "I was given the name; Tsar. No second name."
"I see. Why would you ask me for my name if you weren't going to tell me yours?" Weiss asked skeptically.
"To properly give you a warning, Weiss Schnee; if you should find your company once your wounds heal, go back to where you call home. The lands here are plagued with Grimm of dangerous variety, but they are the least of your problems compared to those that dwell north of here. And most recently, Grimm are not the only creatures that inhabit the north." Tsar cut a large chunk of meat and placed it on a wooden board, setting it beside the heiress.
"I'm afraid that's not possible, I'm here with my team to search for someone. Two people, actually. One is; a fool...and a moron, stupid, selfish, weak, lying, insensitive ass!...But, a friend nonetheless. The other is a fugitive, but I have little interest in capturing her." Weiss remarked. Yes, she did hold Jaune's sudden departure and the skirmish in Vale to be Emerald's doing, but capturing her when she was working against the White Fang would prove to be a bad move. Especially since it was because of her sudden betrayal to Cinder Falls that the base in Mount Glenn was discovered, along with locations for other sub-bases scattered about the kingdoms. In truth, if she could form a temporary truce with the girl and those whom she works with, the chances of standing against the White Fang would increase greatly. More so with the information they have.
However, before she could utter another word, again she was offered food, and again she was fed, but there were no qualms as she could neither fight against the situation nor could she deny food. The two continued sharing words until nightfall, by then Tsar had again ventured into the woodlands and found a few more medicinal herbs to clean the young girl's wounds. In the midst of gathering the necessary amount needed, the armored Grimm tried to think of a reason as to why he was helping a human. He had no connection to her beforehand, more than likely her comrades were all dead if they happened to venture further north. Then again, if the Kaidons didn't kill them, the blistering blizzards would've. Without knowledge of the terrain, and enough supplies, humans wouldn't last long in the Northern Winds. But, perhaps it was for the same reason he was put in charge of a human long ago; there was potential in the young girl.
Once again, he returned to the cave, this time he found the heiress trying to move her fingers. She winced every attempt, but was advancing nonetheless. Given her state, it was amazing that she wasn't still afflicted by what nearly happened to her. Although, perhaps she was good at hiding any external expressions. Tsar removed his armor, the lack of nearby dangers proved no need for excess weight, especially within a confined dwelling. He kneeled beside the heiress and began grinding the herbs. The stench was extremely foul to her nose, but luckily for her, its smell was worse than the sting. Though, what got her attention was Tsar's body without the armor. His hands; two middle fingers in between two opposing thumbs. It was hard to believe he could grasp anything at all, but he did. Weiss felt the ruggedness of his skin as he cleaned her wound and applied the herbs again. Warm and gentle, yet rough to the touch. He stood on two digitigrade legs, and natural white exoskeleton beneath his metal armor. Quite the anatomy on this creature, and odd that he would wear more amor beside what he already had.
Her aura managed to heal a good portion of the wound, but her mental state, after having been attacked by the Beowulf in such a manner, kept her aura at a constant low level. Given how it was an unexpected situation, her mind was still recovering at its own pace. After a few minutes, Tsar tightened the fresh bandages on the wounds and sat across from the young heiress. He used what was left of her incendiary dust to start another fire, smaller than the one before, but enough to give light to the cave. The cold wind still passed through the collection of vines and shrubs that kept the cave concealed from the outside. With little clothing, the young heiress could feel the harsh nipping winds. Her body trembled from the dropping temperature, catching the eye of the armored clad across from her. The cold was something his training demanded he withstand, especially when living in the harsh weathers of the Northern winds. This wind was nothing more than a simple breeze. But for the girl with little to no clothing, the fire wasn't enough.
"Earlier today, you said the Beowulf wanted to mate with me, and that if it did then I would give birth to cubs. How is that possible? Is that even possible? I though two different species couldn't produce an offspring."
Another subject Tsar wasn't too keen on entering, but it was necessary to speak the truth if curiosity ever got the best of the young heiress to return to the bushel of fruit.
"Sometimes, the things we are told are not always the truth. Seoul Berries are more than just aphrodisiacs; they also increase fertility. While the participating mates are of different species, they can still conceive. The fruit is what you would call; an anomaly. I know not where it came from, nor if it is truly nature's creation. All I do know is that it exists. But, to see a bushel so far from home...I will use whatever I can to burn the shrub tomorrow before another incident occurs."
Weiss' shivering increased, her teeth chattered rapidly as her hands rubbed her shoulders for warmth. The fire was too weak, and adding more logs would only increase the toxic fumes within the cave. Tsar thought back to a time when Emerald trained in the forests with him during their trainee days. During the beginning of their venture, she would also shiver violently, a child not yet accustomed to such harsh weather. There was one way she kept warm, much to his annoyance, but in this case it might keep the young one from freezing to death.
Tsar arose from his spot and walked calmly over to the young heiress. He startled her at first, and again when he sat behind her and wrapped his arms her. The length of his arms managed to blanket the heiress, and the warmth of his body eased her shivers. Their thoughts however...
'He's...so warm.'
'She's...s-s-so c-cold!'
...completely polar opposite. The young child was as cold as her namesake, much to the surprise of the Kaidon. He couldn't understand it, the weather in the Northern Winds was nothing to him, yet the mere touch of her skin sent violent chills down his spine. This girl was indeed freezing, but her skin remained freezing even with his warmth. As if he was embracing a block of ice that wouldn't melt. She had quite the inhuman trait herself. But, he said nothing, and neither did the girl blanketed in his arms. Rather, he felt her cold hands hook unto his arms whilst laying her head against his chest. She heard what seemed like his heart beating rapidly, but his breathing was fine and he didn't look like he was blushing. Wait, could he blush? It was then that Weiss realized something; the rhythm of the beating was suddenly in sync, then fast, and then again in sync. Hearts. Tsar had two hearts. Not a normal finding, but, he wasn't normal to begin with. Still, if he was a Grimm, his personality sure said more than a thoughtless killing animal. Rather than just leave her to be the toy of some other beast in this forest, he kept her alive and well fed, if only for a day. And even now, in his arms she truly felt safe. His heart beats were strong, and rhythms in the sense that the young heiress was slowly falling asleep. Weiss felt her eyes drifting, before falling to the sandman's spell, she uttered very quietly. "Thank you, Tsar."
The Kaidon merely glanced to the clear night sky, he could no longer smell rotting flesh, the Grimm had devoured any and all carcasses from the battle the day prior. Thankfully, none of his brethren were amongst the slain, but this attack would not go unnoticed. If the battle was focused on Iona, and not the forest by the Northern Winds, then the discovery of Seoul could be halted just long enough for his people to find a better way to conceal the city. And with the arriving tribes, no doubt foraging for supplies would be a great necessity. Still, after allowing the White Fang to settle in the rim of the forests, their heavily fortified base would now be able to withstand the hardest shelling. The information within the base would be too much to simply say 'fuck it, just blow it all up.' There will be an invasion, and if the Kaidons allied with the Valens, perhaps their people would be seen in a positive light, and the need to hide would no longer be necessary. This young one in his arms didn't seem to mind that he was a Grimm, she'd yet to try and kill him, make any ill remarks, or give so much as an expression of disgust. Rather, she seemed curious, and eager to learn more about Tsar and what he was. The old humans whom hunted his kind did so, perhaps, out of fear, but maybe the new generation was open enough to accept...no, this newfound optimism was ill-founded. The upcoming war would be between two species unable to come to terms. With very few Faunus fighting for the human bigots, and even fewer open minded humans. It was hard deciding who to side with, racially discriminated radicals, or descendants of racial bigots. On one hand, there are the oppressed Faunus, taking arms as a result of constant failed peaceful negotiations. And then there were the new generation of humans, fighting the war of the fathers. But, it is unwise to place the shame of the father unto his child. So, where would the Kaidons stand? Then again, they could always do a two-way war, the only problem was numbers. Although the Kaidons were catching up in technology, their numbers were still extremely low, and even with their advantages, they knew better than to underestimate these species. Especially when driven by fear.
These questions were beginning to weigh him down. For now, Tsar slept, in the morning, he'd again venture into the forest.
Morning came again, this time the heiress found herself awaking beneath a small coat made entirely of pure ebony fur, upon further inspection; she noticed the stitches holding the various pieces of cloth together. When arising, she felt a strikingly chilly breeze pass her open chest...almost immediately the heiress covered her exposed upper half with the coat. Oddly though, she noticed the size of the clothing was just her size.
"I see you have awakened." Weiss turned to the entrance and saw Tsar enter with another carcass slung over his shoulder. "Forgive me for undressing you, but I needed exact measurements in order to make you a new attire." He pointed next to Weiss where her torn and dirty clothes were resting aside. All of her cloths, except her undergarments, were nearly torn to shreds.
"And I see your arms are healing smoothly now." It was true, she didn't notice at first but the pain in her arms ceased, and she was able to move them freely again, though gripping was still a problem. So much so that the piece of cloth escaped from her grasp, exposing her bare chest. With a beet-red blush she covered herself and nearly hollered out "DON'T LOOK!" The Kaidon turned away almost instantly, annoyed as to why she needed privacy as there wasn't much to see anyway. Granted, the corset she wore did hide a fair amount of her breasts, but in terms, she was still relatively flat. Then again, he kept those thoughts to himself, Tsar already knew better than to tempt a female human's anger, again. All the while, Weiss was desperately trying to get a good grasp on her new attire, but her fingers failed to close tightly enough. With a darker blush, she turned to Tsar's direction and uttered with both an embarrassed and meekly tone "I need help."
The Kaidon sighed, it wasn't just Kaidon, but even human females were strange. No wonder Teal and Emerald get along so well. Still, why cause such a fuss? It was just skin, nothing more. Tsar was about to assist when Weiss immediately added "B-but, d-don't look!" How Tsar was to help her when his eyes were closed was behind him, but out of respect to her privacy, he listened. Weiss handed the coat to the Kaidon, allowing him to determine were exactly he needed to place it on her. There was little struggle, mainly because the Kaidon only needed to put it in past her head. The rest was easy; though she still demanded Tsar keep his eyes closed.
A few minutes passed before the heiress finally spoke up "I'm done." When the young girl was in his view, the fur coat covered just past her ankles, the sleeves were long enough to cover most of her arms. The entire coat itself was comfortably soft, easily flexible, and had a hood in case of a change in weather. Weiss had a small, but shy grin, "What do you think." She asked. Tsar placed a free palm on the young heiress' dirty hair.
"Better suited to move about these plains." It wasn't quite the answer she was expecting, but Weiss wasn't about to show any form of negativity. Her old clothes were dirty, shredded, and covered little to nothing anymore. The young heiress watched as the large Grimm that was nursing her back to full strength cut up the animal he brought back. His kindness and calm attitude were more than what she expected from a nonhuman or Faunus being out in these lands.
"Tsar?" The heiress had one small question bugging her since she got a better view of his anatomy. The small details in her textbooks weren't much to paint a clear image, and the reports of survivors were mixed, but seeing many similarities from the records to Tsar, it was a question she needed to ask. "I want to ask you a question. May I?"
The Kaidon took a moment before nodding, whilst also placing a slab of meat above a newly lit fire.
"Are you...a Kaidon?"
As the heiress mentioned the title, Tsar carelessly burned his finger. The overgrown Grimm hissed loudly, meanwhile Weiss sat across from him. Her expression was stiff while patiently awaiting an answer. Tsar knew something like this would happen, though he wasn't particularly eager to answer. For one, and although he didn't enjoy admitting it, he grew fond of the young girl. It may have been two days, but it was the first time he spoke to another human since Emerald arrived. Back then, she was the same as this young heiress; slowly, and cautiously opening up. Weiss looked at him the same way Emerald did; with a growing trust, and hunger for knowledge, particularly on him. But, only his sister knew well what he did to humans in the past. He tried subtlety ignoring her, hoping she would give up on a reply. Sadly, the heiress cleared her throat, causing the Kaidon to instinctually flinch. He glanced to the young girl who crossed her arms, and almost just as quickly winced as her still wounded arms pressed against each other. It was somewhat childish and amusing.
Before Tsar could respond, his nose caught wind of a newcomer approaching. He drew a curved blade with a black and red grip from a sheath attached to his armor. He placed a finger towards his mandibles, indicating a need for silence as Weiss too now heard heavy footsteps outside the cave entrance. The smell of the cooking meat must've drawn the newcomer's attention. Weiss did as she was told, her hands, although a bit in pain, reached for her rapier. Even if she couldn't use her hands too much, all she needed was the right opportunity to strike with her most effective move using little to no movement; Ice Prison. Tsar caught hold of the shrub, and quickly pulled it aside with his blade charging forward, only to have the tip of a spear come close to piercing his neck. The wielder's glare softened as they stared at one another. Almost as quickly as he appeared, the newcomer, lightly dressed in tan colored tunic with a bronze chest plate and helmet, lowered his spear. Not as heavily armored as Tsar was, but of course, taking away the unknown's armor, their anatomy would perhaps be the same. The only physical difference would perhaps be the light tan skin on the newcomer, and his Light-hazel eyes.
Tsar was next to lower his weapon as the fellow Kaidon examined him. It only took a quick moment of silence before the newcomer asked. (Tsar?)
A/N: Before Continuing, this author has decided to add something new. Try not to get too confused now. Words in Bold and (Parentheses), assume it's the language of the Kaidons, translated only for you. Bold with the usual "" are Kaidons speaking English. Note; some Kaidons will be speaking a broken form of english as it isn't their first language. Now, back to the story!
(Hanuk?) Tsar answered with his own question, but his was more of an assurance that it was truly who he believed it was. The one called Hanuk examined Tsar one last time before his mandibles formed some form of smile, while the large beast himself embraced his fellow Kaidon in a fierce hold. (My friend! Long it has been since I've seen you! Come, give us a hug!) Though he didn't give Tsar much of an option. Both Kaidons shared a small moment of laughter, whilst also taking the chance to examine how much the other had grown since their last interactions. All of which in their own native tongue.
(Hanuk, my friend, time has been well to you. It brings me pleasure to see you again! But, why are you wandering about in Iona?) Tsar replied with a skeptical smile.
(The more important question is what are you doing out here? When Teal said you'd yet to return from your reconnaissance, I never assumed I'd find you out her-) Before continuing his rant, Hanuk noticed the young, dirtied human girl. Her arms wrapped in fresh bandages with the bloodied ones tossed aside and wearing a handmade coat from the hide of a Beowulf. All the while there were dirty and shredded cloths beside her. It was a misunderstanding with much embarrassment. (A human? And she's so small...were you at least gentle?) Hanuk gave his old friend a sly grin, all the while receiving a deathly glare from Tsar.
(Hold your tongue; I have a sister her age. And even then, you know the laws of interspecies mating.) He snarled.
(Yes, of course. My apologies.) Hanuk held his hands up, whilst slowly directing Tsar's blade away from his kneck.
While the two creatures continued their argument in their tongue, Weiss was left to listen not knowing a single word. In all honesty, it sounded vaguely familiar to another language spoken by humans, but their deep vocals and the clicking of their teeth made it all sound gibberish. Even so, it was obvious their conversation involved the young heiress, mainly the gestured glances the newcomer gave. If she heard correctly, his name was Hanuk. But beyond that, she couldn't determine how close the two were.
(So, what of the other tribes, have they arrived yet?) Tsar asked.
(Yes, Okin and Glasgow came along to search for you.)
Tsar sighed, and waited for the realization to come. It was only a few seconds this time before Haunk realized he was the only one that found Tsar.
(Oh hell, I must have lost them by the Tigris...I think.) As Hanuk struggled to remember, Tsar let out a loud laughter, startling the young heiress sitting on the sidelines of the conversation.
(You never change, Hanuk. I am amazed you are also a first zealot.) Tsar commented.
(I could say the same for you. By the way, what has come over your sister? When I asked Teal if I could speak to the both of you, she said you had yet to return from your mission, and Emerald refused to speak to anyone since her last mission.)
As Emerald's name was mentioned, the heiress' attention was caught. It might've been sheer coincidence, but then again, it never hurt to try. She tugged on Tsar's tunic, catching the attention of both Kaidon. Though, by their height, and in the manner that Weiss hid behind Tsar, it was as if taking a trip to the past.
(My, she seems rather fond of you. Reminds you of Emerald, does it not?) Hanuk commented while elbowing an annoyed friend.
"Emerald? As in; Emerald Sustrai?"
Both Kaidons flinched, their reactions only proved one thing; they knew the fugitive. And if she was of any importance to Tsar and his people, a retrieval mission would be a costly one.
And there it is a new chapter, and new friendships. I know this is a JaunexEmerald fic, but I wanted to give the rest of the characters sometime in the spotlight. Hope that's ok for you, thanks again for reading, stay tuned for the next chapter.
