Chapter 37: Fellowship
Another exciting chapter lies ahead.
The steps towards the goal (Jaune Arc)
He woke slowly, his eyes opening up to see that Whitney had managed to crawl up on top of him again, her slumbering form at ease, even as he could feel her body shiver, a hand brushing through her hair, her eyes opening up, blue meeting blue and red. "I love you." She whispered to him, even as her eyes looked around through the darkened room.
She moved then, her leg brushing along his thigh, as she kissed over his naked chest, down. "How about I go and give you a little wakeup call, hmm?"The woman's eyes locked with his own, as her tongue slid over the muscles of his stomach, leaving a trail there.
"I'd rather have a chat." Kali's voice reached his ears, as Whitney stopped, right in the process of reaching her 'prize'. "If we can, that is." Her voice sounded confident, her eyes like glowing lights in the darkness, her hair brushed with a long brush, Sienna still passed out on her bed, snoring lightly. Her Faunus ears twitched, even as she made grabbing noises, her voice mumbling something about taking the ball.
"Of… of course." He allowed, as he watched carefully as Kali pushed herself off her bed, her feet light, as she looked at Whitney. Her hands touched, and Whitney continued, a feeling of warmth and distraction happening, even as a low moan came from the older woman.
"Jaune… I care for you." The woman's voice was soft, yet her eyes bore those feelings, as she looked at him. Whitney's little splutter came, as Kali 'aided' her friend, her eyes locked with his own. 'This is kind of hot.'
"I want to see Blake. I need to see my daughter." The look on her face was serious, as she locked eyes with him, her hands still moving Whitney's head, as if the actions did not even phase her. "Can I… go? To Beacon, I mean. I can be quiet."
Whitney's hands were smacking at Kali's side, even as the Faunus woman's hands continued their motion, the pleasant and warm sensation turning a little more. "I'll love you like a woman should, if you do me this favour." It was an offer that was… exciting him. Enticing him. She was a pretty woman. A low growl came from Whitney's mouth, Kali looking down. "Didn't your mother teach you that it was impolite to swear with your mouth full?"
A dangerous sound, even as Whitney swallowed, warmth washing over his groin, even as a 'ughnee-kkk-liii!' sound came, Kali's hands still in motion. "Now… I'm not asking for an immediate visit, of course." Kali's voice was gentle, even as those eyes met with his own, Whitney still making sounds.
"I'd just like to see whether she is alright." Jaune could understand that. He wanted to see his team too, to check on how they were doing, to see whether they had been alright. 'It wouldn't be fair for me to do so whilst the others just… didn't.' He closed his eyes, even as the pleasant sensations continued.
"Hmm… Tonight?" He looked at the clock, which said that it was four in the morning. An early hour, at least… but it was more than enough for him to know that it would not be a great time to do something like a visit to Beacon. "Your power over shadows is more suited for night-time infiltrations, I think."
Kali's head gave a light now, even as her body was suddenly clad in shadows. "I can shift into the shadows, as well as use them to appear from another person's shadow, provided I know where the person is." That was a good thing, he supposed. There would of course be limitations to the whole technique, as it always seemed to be with a Semblance, yet… He was going to put his trust into her.
"Could you do me a favour as well?" He asked, even as he glanced at the pack that they'd set to the side of the room, his own pack still mostly packed, Whitney's arrangements pretty solid. "Give the picture to my teammate Lie Ren…" Kali nodded. "And tell them that I'd like to meet with them again. Remember… You're going into the lion's den. If Ozpin catches you…"
He felt uncertain, even as he felt the pleasant numbness shoot through his lower body, unsure of what he was feeling. 'Is this the right action? Am I going to be doing the right thing, unveiling myself to them once more and hoping that they will accept me back?' Kali gave him a look, releasing Whitney's head. The woman's head rose up, coughing lightly.
"You're a brat of a cat." The woman growled, her fingers running through her hair, Kali giving what amounted to a smile to Whitney.
"I bet you liked it, White. A set of hands holding you steady, letting you get what you needed." The Atlesian woman snorted, yet did not say anything against the statement. Jaune watched carefully how the white-haired woman smoothed her face out, her head descending once more.
"So… Jaune… You want me to tell them to meet with you? Do you have a plan for where?" She asked, her voice direct, her teeth visible as she bared them at him. Sienna gave a loud snore at that moment, Kali's head turning in that direction for a moment.
"Weren't there some abandoned warehouses that looked like they'd been through one hell of an explosion or something?" He inquired, remembering the burnt-out place. Perfect for an out-of-the-way meeting spot. It would not be strange to meet there. "I don't know what happened there, but…"
"They'll do." Kali said, her voice soft. "We'll have to work within the shadows in order to prevent them from assaulting you." The paranoid tone of her voice was both heartening as well as disconcerting, as Kali's eyes seemed to glow with a coldness that seemed to be but a fragment. "I'll go scout things out."
The woman strode into the shadows, disappearing after an instant. Jaune wondered whether that was something that should have been discussed beforehand, yet the mark of the Vitae Tenebris laid upon her soul still, the pulse of the energy coming from further away now, even as she emerged into the world once more. The tenuous link between the two of them was still maintained, even with how the world seemed to bring it.
"Jaune…" Whitney's voice was soft, even as she pushed herself against him, mimicking some needy cat, her lips pressing against his chin. "When you see them again… What will you do?"
He didn't know. He had been so focused on returning to Beacon for a while that things had not been considered… and the thought about what Ozymandias Pinnacle would do to him bounced around in his mind. Whitney pressed against him, a gentle kiss delivered to his nose. "Please don't abandon us."
The plea was soft, yet it carried the woman's heart with it, her eyes looking at him sadly. "I know we are older, I know that we have… duties, perhaps, to do… But please…" Her voice sounded desperate, as she kissed his lips, her eyes meeting his own. "I don't know what to do without you, my lovely, wonderful Jaune."
It tore at him, as he realized that there was indeed the burden of his companions, his… acolytes. Kali and Sienna had been infused with the Vitae Tenebris and given powers beyond the scope of normal beings, yet Whitney… Whitney had not received the baptism of his powers. "Jaune?" Her voice sounded wounded, an edge of desperation coating it, as her eyes shimmered with tears. "Please… don't leave us."
Another plea, as she kissed him once more. "Jaune… speak to me." Her voice was breaking, as the tears dripped onto his chest.
"Never." He said, meaning it. The rush of warmth that Whitney gave off, that happy joyful feeling, was something that warmed his body, as her kiss turned passionate and needy. "I'd never do something to my friends. To… The people that I love. Who love me."
Team JNPR were friends too. He might have only known them for a short while, and Pyrrha was kind of amazing, yet he knew that there was a bond there. Pyrrha had unlocked his Aura for him, had prevented Ozymandias Pinnacle from taking his very soul… and the man had known it, undoubtedly consigning him as a worthy sacrifice. 'The way that he thinks and moves his pawns on the board is so…'
"I'd never give up on one who I love." She looked up at him from below, tears starting to come from those eyes, rolling down her cheeks. Something that was like a startled squeak mixed with a low moan, and her hands brushed over his body.
It was a look which would have scared others, those eyes looking at him as if he were the representation of a deity, someone who deserved worship, her words coming too fast to understand, as she started to rattle off words, her voice turning into a low murmur, even with her eyes locked with his own, her words crossing boundaries that she was subconsciously pushing aside, all for him. "Not an issue, I will even help you. All… all for you. No matter what." Her words were feverish and needy, as her fingers stroked over his body, her lips kissing his own.
"No matter what, I have made you into who you are now… I would never abandon family." A sound like a sob came from the side, Sienna's head looking up at him, her eyes looking misty and wet, as she slowly inhaled and exhaled. "Are you okay?"
The Faunus woman rubbed her eyes, her breathing a little heavier, a soft smile on her lips as her gaze slid down. "I don't really have much of a family… I'm sorry, you just reminded me of something someone said to me once." The emotions that rocked Sienna were grief and loss, yearning and hope, mixing together into what might be a brew of instability, her whole body tinted with the feelings that she felt, even as Whitney turned his head to face her again.
"We'll be a family…" Her voice sounded like it were considering. "Hmm…" Jaune wondered why her eyes had suddenly grown cold, even as she laughed, her fingers doing a little circular pattern on his chest. "We'll have to get rid of my husband first. Then…"
A grin came to her lips. "How would you like it if my daughters have to call you Daddy, Jaune?" Her eyes twinkled impishly, as her lips pressed to his nose. "Just imagine it… Pretty hot, no?" Her voice was seductive, and he knew the offer when he heard it. 'Weiss as an additional incentive…'
The girl would not agree, given how cold her reception to his advances had been, how her personality had prevented him from even making headway into things. 'She would be aghast at the thought of me having sex with her mother.' Whitney was willing to experiment, and would not mind certain things, if he asked. He had inquired and she had done so, without any complaint. 'For some reason…'
"Ooh… Someone likes that…" Whitney's sultry voice invaded his ears. "Do you want to fuck my daughter, Jaune? I've got two of them, you know…" Her voice was not like a loving mother, as she carelessly offered up her daughters, for his pleasure. Sienna made a soft sound, even as Whitney looked at her. "Oh, you too. You'd make a great fit for Winter… I'd want to see her gasp and groan as you rail her, Sienna."
He thought that he could see a flash of distaste in Sienna's eyes, even as she took a slow breath, seemingly calming herself. "When I said 'Fuck the Schnee', I didn't mean it literally. I quite prefer the company of men over women." Sienna's voice was clipped, even as Whitney laughed.
"I'll keep that option open… and if she disobeys me…" Whitney's voice was still for a moment, as she looked. "Hmm…" Her gaze slid back to Jaune. "How would you like to claim my daughter in the same fashion as you have claimed me?" He looked at her with a look. 'Does she mean… Like…'
He could already imagine it. Whitney's eyes widened, even as she slid a leg over his waist, brushing against him. "Oh… Someone wants to drill deep in the Schnee mines…" Her voice sounded accepting of that, even as he swallowed. "I'll have to track her down, first… My eldest daughter isn't known for staying in one spot for a long while. Quite the uppity little brat, military… pfah."
"It's really not proper for me to go and be with your oldest daughter first…" He said, Whitney's hips meeting his own, a satisfied sound coming from her mouth. She reached down by the bed, pulling out a wrapper and tearing it open, her fingers working with a methodical skill to make sure that it stuck.
"Hmmhmm… I can understand that." The topic was shut down, as she moved her hips, the smack-slap-smack sound of their joined bodies sounding, even as her face was close to his own, those eyes staring down at him, as he seized her hips, giving her a return present, the woman's soft shudder telling him volumes about her enjoyment.
"I'm going for a shower." Sienna said, as she walked towards the shower, her sleepwear discarded, showing that rather fine rear as she stepped into the bathroom, no doubt getting under the shower, Whitney's face replacing his view.
"You want to fuck her too?" Her voice was soft, even as she crassly spoke such words, her hips giving a bit of a jerk, even as her eyes bored into his own. "Kali first. We made a promise." His hips gave a little bump, the woman giving a deep shuddering moan. "Fuck… You're going to take us all eventually… I don't think they'd want to be separated from this man."
He doubted that, really. He wasn't some sort of sex god that had stories written about his insane stamina and performance, although he did feel that he seemed to last a little longer than beforehand, Whitney's hips moving with little tugs, stimulating him. "I'm not that good." He said, trying to curb her enthusiasm.
"You're better than my husband was." Whitney said. "Sex for the purpose of recreation was never a thing with him." He couldn't imagine that, really, even as her body was so… sensual.
He had to admit that if he had to compare all the women who he had met, Whitney was in one of the top tiers, her maturity, knowledge and sheer ability to make sure that she got what she wanted keeping her in that upper class spot. Where Sienna was a ball of anger and frustration, tempered only by the desires that she had for her people to be free, Kali remained that motherly figure who wanted nothing but the best for him and the others.
He supposed that the ranking for women would change, the moment that they actually slept with him. Sex did have a wonderful effect on a man's system, it seemed. He certainly wasn't complaining. 'I just hope that we can come to some sort of schedule, if we do all end up in bed together…'
It was any teenager's dream to have hot women cater to his every need in bed… and that his women were a pair of hot milfs that had a friendship and banter together, a Faunus woman who defined the words 'angry tiger' and one insane Summer Rose, well… that was just luck. Not that he'd ever try something with Summer, because her mania seemed to be something that could have her be affectionate one moment, with insanity following in the next.
It was a shuddering Whitney who laid on top of him nearly ten minutes later, her lips pressed to his own, her arms wrapped around him, even as her eyes shone with the warmth. "I love you." She mumbled, his own voice adding the same three words for her to hear.
It was a twisted relationship, if you looked at it from the outside, yet it made sense to him. No matter what happened… he would be there for them, no matter what. They were his responsibility, they were the mothers of his friends, even if those friends did not approve in the slightest… he still had to try his best to be the hero who would make them all feel safe.
'The world… No matter what…' The Vitae Tenebris pulsated through him, even as his thoughts turned yet once more. 'It will accept us. Faunus, human… No matter what… We are the heroes.'
The exploration (Kali Belladonna)
She could feel the shadows around her, her Katar and Kris in her hands, even as she crept through the corners of the darkened space between buildings, the immaterial body that she had crafted as fragile to the light as it was strong within the dark. 'Nothing lives here.'
The voice of the Semblance that belonged to her whispered, the dark tones bringing to her the thoughts of murder, bloodshed, reparations against the damages that had been wrought to her due to some fool's hand. One of the buildings had been totaled by the damage of some Dust container explosion, the remnants of the container having burst through the walls, the faint smell of exploded Dust crystal still in the air.
She crept closer towards one of the other buildings, her eyes catching sight of the camera that hung there, the light flickering on. A moment later, she flew through the shadows, her hands seizing a hold on the wall, her foot pushing against the camera in order to shift it away from the building, before she pulled herself back into the shadows. 'Mere tricks… they know not to soak the blood within the shadows, to enlighten the morning with obscuring darkness.'
'There had been a purpose to the tips and tricks that Sienna had taught me. I thought it stupid, but…' It wasn't like Sienna was a burglar by trade, yet in her actions as one of the more progressive members of the White Fang, she had been infiltrating places. 'Now to check out this place…'
The inside of the warehouse was shadowed, the door barely an obstacle, as her shadowy form wormed itself through the darkness into the environment, the burning inside her body twisting and turning, as she righted herself once more, her eyes searching for camera's, coming to see the massive empty space, where there had once been Dust containers stacked together, the empty space perfect for holding a little reunion…
The windows that allowed light to stream in from the top were just enough to allow the place to be shadowed enough to allow her freedom of movement, a perfect little moment where she would be able to deal with the children if they proved not to be as accepting as Jaune feared… 'You always allow for a little moment of hope…'
The hopes that had been extinguished within her with the death of a husband… 'Never leave them alone… They would not be able to bear life without the Master…'Her Semblance purred, even as her steps carried her further into the space, her eyes searching for camera's, finding little in the corners, or in the regular places where they would be active. 'No matter…'
Betrayal… She knew it well. Sienna and her had been the only survivors of the ambush that had cost her a husband… She had brutally murdered the woman who had made an advance upon their Jaune, the one who had calmed the torrential rain of sorrow that had swallowed her and drowned her. 'You crave his touch… The lust-bearer takes his pleasure daily, yet you wish to join in…' The pain that he would suffer when betrayed was something that she knew… The fear of being disliked for her thoughts, the fear of others for the safety of their loved ones…
She glanced at the small office in the back, her body blurring in the shadows, appearing within. Her eyes caught sight of a schedule, a small note written in cursive about the site being abandoned until the next month due to the police investigation… 'That's useful.'
She knew well that the humans always yearned for caution… Yet this place would be perfect for a meeting between friends. Empty. The shadows could hide their presence whilst His friends met with him… 'And if they shun him for his powers…'
She was not a cold woman by nature, yet she knew well that they would be dead before they could muster a defence… ´I will not let you suffer, Jaune…' The pain would fade. She could feel the love inside her slowly throb still for her husband, who laid buried in a far-off place. She was nothing without Jaune…
Thick cloying strands of darkness pumped through her heart, the Semblance that belonged to her like a tonic, the strands of meaning bringing her the pleasure… even as they brought her the pain. 'No matter what…' The blood that would coat her weapons would bring once more the burden of killing to her shoulders, yet… she would kill if need be. 'For Blake and for Jaune… I can kill.'
It was her sacrifice to the world, to take up her weapons and to kill. 'Pacifism… What has that brought us, Ghira? I can see Sienna's views…' The face of a woman came to her mind, standing before the organization and looking proud whilst she spoke about her vision for the White Fang. The hope of her people, her husband's relieved sigh once it was all over and the change had been made…
"Do we really have to part on such terms?" Looking at the man, as he shook his head. "She could be alright, in the future. It would take some time, seeing what's happened but…" The man's eyes were like pieces of chipped ice, cold and distant, even as he turned around, seemingly not wishing to look at her.
"We're leaving. You know the deal, Belladonna." The words had been cold, even as the other Huntsman tightened the grip on the handle. "We'll…" A look down, before the man's head turned to her again. "Perhaps. Khan will do, I reckon. She's got some spirit in her." The man's voice clearly told what he thought of Sienna, disdain and anger in his voice. It was the human reaction, towards those of her kind.
"I apologize for the radical change in leadership. Please, convey our heartfelt apologies to Mistral when you go back." The man's face did not change as her husband pleaded, the diplomatic scandal already enough. 'Those poor families…'
"Ghira, you are a good man." The man's voice spoke as if he were sure that he himself did not belong to that branch. Kali thought that to be rubbish. The man was a loving father to his children, or so she had heard. "I don't hold it against you. These things happen." The sound of his voice distracted her for a moment, watching the pier, the vessel that'd been commissioned to take the Huntsmen back waiting or them. "The diplomat sent to you was unharmed." The words sounded hollow.
She had wanted to say something, to do something, yet she could only squeeze a shoulder, the man's lips thinning lightly as her effort of support had gone unheeded. "Good… Goodbye." Sienna's voice sounded soft, young and small, even as she appeared, still wearing the garb of the High Leader. A soft rasping sound was heard, even as Sienna stilled.
"Goodbye." The man's voice was curt, even as he walked up the ramp, the other Huntsman pushing the cart with their gear up the ramp.
"Why…" She could hear Sienna's voice, even as she saw the Huntsmen disappear into the cabin that'd been assigned to them. "Why would it be like this?"
She had no answer for Sienna to listen to, no words of comfort at that time. "We'll call once they have reached Mistral. It isn't a bad thing to wait a while, maybe tempers will be soothed." A futile hope, even as Sienna hugged her, a gesture that was more apt for a child than for the proud leader of the White Fang. 'You're such an open-hearted girl with passion for our situation, Sienna…'
She shook herself out of a daze, the memory fading from her mind's eye, realizing that it had become morning already and the shadows were starting to quiver, her Semblance's work starting to fade, as soon as the sunlight hit her. 'Sunlight is bad…'
She could feel the rays of the sun stream on her flesh, the shadows around her losing consistency, even as she shrank back into the darkness. 'So… it'll be better to try things during the night or indoors…'
She slipped out of the warehouse, lurking in the shadows once more as she proceeded to head out of the district, coming across a discarded White Fang mask, laid in a grungy corner of one of the burnt sections of the warehouses. Picking it up and tucking it away in her outfit, she kept an eye out for anyone who would intrude on her reconnaissance, aware that there was a space for them to meet up now, if Jaune continued with the plan as he had. 'The mask would allow me some security in my identity… I wonder whether Sienna will laugh when I show her it.'
White Fang masks had been produced only by a few people with the skill to work metal and porcelain in such a fashion that it shrouded the features, allowing those who wished to make a change to work when the mask was off, as Faunus features, unless it was some sort of trait that was really visible, would be easily hidden from facial recognition software due to the mask. 'Donning the mask of the radicals… Ghira would be disapproving of this…'
She would defend her friends though. White was not a woman who leaned towards the side of killing an slaughter, so she would be the one who would guard White and Sienna when it came down to it. 'The power inside me needs to flow…'
She slipped into the crowd of people without a wisp of doubt, her body lost in the people going from point A to point B, slipping into the back alleys a moment later, darting through the streets with the speed of youth, even as she let her senses explore outwards, the shadows calling to her. One step into the shadows and she had warped ahead, moving with the speed of something truly supernatural, her feet kicking off one of the walls as she rose up, her agility heightened not only by her power, yet also through her Faunus traits.
'We are superior to humans in a fashion…'She moved with grace, flipping over one of the low walls that separated a building from the other, her feet lightly touching down on the ground once more as she continued, the inertia only momentary, as she whipped through the fading darkness once more, her feet carrying her onwards, straight to her destination. Her eyes caught the time, eight in the morning, which was more than enough for some breakfast.
Dropping down in an alley, barely rustled by the fall, she allowed herself the moment to brush herself off before she strode up to the hotel once more, her hand brushing through her hair, straightening it out a little. She could not say that it was as long as Blake's, but it was going that way in some increments, yes. Her eyes caught sight of the desk clerk, who merely looked up. "Found what you were looking for?" The man asked, to which she did not deign to give a response, knowing well that the man was distrustful of her kind. It was not something that she would acknowledge.
The sounds of guttural grunts and other lovemaking were audible in the other rooms of the hotel, the rest stop for plenty who cared to have a casual fling, her ears casually plucking the screams and moans out of the din, as men and women peddled their relationships like they were but candy, handed out to those who craved such sweetness. Knocking on the door once, she was greeted by a surly-looking Sienna, who seemed to have taken a shower, if her smell was any indication.
"You should wait to take a shower. Jaune and his woman are in it." The woman's eyes were shrouded, as she walked back to the bed and threw herself on it. Pulling the mask out of one of her pockets, she tossed it at Sienna.
"Look what I found in the docks section." Sienna held up the mask, making a light tutting noise. "It should be good for hiding my identity, right?" Sienna merely stared it it, as Kali put the mask on. It fit, a little awkwardly perhaps, made for a bigger brow than she had, but it definitely fit.
A door moved and she turned her head, spotting Jaune getting out of the shower, a smug-looking Whitney following behind him, her hair done up with a towel, her eyes glinting slightly in the light of the lamp. 'Let's see whether he likes it.'
"Get on the bed, Human. Your tight little booty is now White Fang property." She did her best, really, to put authority in her voice, yet it only made Sienna laugh, the sound definitely a good one.
"Is that some sort of kinky roleplay?" Jaune inquired, Sienna's laugh increasing in volume.
"The White Fang is the organization that we belonged to. They went slightly anti-human under Sienna's leadership. Mating with a human is… well, pretty much one of the things that gets you blacklisted." Kali clarified, even as she pulled the mask off. It was attached with a small band behind the head, keeping it in its proper place. 'I should make it a little better fitting.'
"Oh. I guess that is… nice? Is it?" Whitney kissed Jaune then to silence him, even as her gaze went to the mask.
"I want to borrow that." Her voice was demanding, like some petulant child would. "I have a use for that." Kali could guess what sort of use that was, giving a small smile, as she nudged Sienna.
"She's going to play 'break the human', Sienna… Should we be taking the night off?" The cross look on Sienna's face definitely spoke volumes about what Sienna's stance on such a thing was. 'Oh… I guess we'll have to play something a little different than that… I want my first time with Jaune to be… well, pretty darn great. Maybe I should get something nice, lingerie-wise…'
It was perhaps a slippery slope that she was sliding down now, even as she looked at the young man being dragged into the bed with White once more, her eyes following her friend's manner, as Sienna cleared her throat. "I would like to have breakfast." White's head turned to Sienna, the look on her face more than a little annoyed with the Faunus. 'Yep… You don't get between White and what's hers.'
"Then we'll have breakfast." Jaune said, seemingly relieved, even as Kali pulled herself into the shower, leaving a parting – "Back in five minutes!" – to them, as she entered the steamy confines of the bathroom, entering the shower after shedding her clothes, the water washing away the thoughts, emerging from the bathroom wearing only a towel ten minutes later.
She could see Whitney already properly dressed in a long sundress, the rifle at her side, ready to be put to use, Jaune's own adjustment of his weapon on his back taking place, even as Sienna looked like she had swallowed a lemon. "I do NOT agree with that! It was bad enough to watch!"
'I think I'm missing half of the conversation…' Whitney shrugged, making a sound in the back of her throat. "You can at least help out when it is requested! That is what any decent person would do!" Jaune looked a little uncomfortable, even as the two other women started to bicker on.
"Problems in paradise?" She asked, as she dropped the towel. A rush of warmth ran over her body as his eyes looked her over, like a prize that he laid eyes on. She shifted her weight to her right side, her hip moving slightly. "Or are you just distracted by little ol' me?"
He gathered himself. "Just… silly stuff. Whitney was asking whether she'd like to wash my body next time." Kali raised an eyebrow, as she didn't quite see where the problem laid with that. "Tongue-only."
'Ah, that WOULD be a bit of an issue, yes.' She wasn't AVERSE to licking skin, she'd done it plenty when Blake was just a little girl, yet she knew that others would look oddly upon her for doing such a thing. 'Faunus customs are not quite as useful as Human ones… Although we do keep to them in the privacy of our own homes.'
Some of their more animalistic behaviours just came from their trait, which was both a hindrance as well as a blessing. Night vision was great, yet having the urge to chase moving lights was something that she had trained herself not to do. Sienna had a few traits that were not readily apparent from the way that she carried herself, the curling up habit that she had when alone in a bed something that was pretty 'Sienna-ish' for her.
"We do that sometimes to little kittens." She paused. The term might give… unsavoury images. "Sons and daughters." She clarified, not sure whether he would catch the term. Since some people kept cats as pets, she didn't want him to think that she licked cats. That would be ew. "It's something that we've inherited from our trait… most feline-based Faunus have such a habit. We like to lick our partner and our friends."
It was not knowledge that was spread widely, in any case. "See? Kali said it! So, will you do it?" Sienna bristled, Kali noticing that Sienna's eyes blazed. Whitney had been crude for even offering it.
"I am not going to DEMEAN myself before a human, you hopped-up lust-drunk tart! I have STANDARDS!" Sienna's words were irate and angry, those eyes blazing, Kali feeling the indignation of Sienna rise. 'The pride of Sienna would be something that would spell her doom…'
"Now, if you DO need a hand with grooming our lovely Lord Jaune… I will hold myself available." The underwear that she slipped on fit nicely, even as the bra and top fit swiftly, a long yawn making her feel the need for sleep once more. 'I really should rest more.' "I don't mind grooming a man."
Jaune looked at her with a look that was half-serious, half-amused, shaking his head. "No, I don't need to be licked clean. I'm not filthy…" He tried to deflect, Sienna's attention coming to rest on him.
"As you should! That is only reserved for husbands!" The words slipped out and Sienna froze up, her eyes widening even more. 'Oops… Said something that you shouldn't have, Sienna…' She knew well how Sienna thought about marriage and relationships and the like. If she had made a promise, she would keep to it, even if it harmed her own body and health. She was a stubborn little kitten to Kali's eyes… yet it was sweet that she would do such a thing for a husband.
"Oho… Perhaps we should get you married to Jaune then, hmm?" Kali teased, Sienna's cheeks flushing. The nervous glance at Jaune showed a fragility that passed when the eyes rested on her. "Does Sienna want to wear white, only to have it be torn off by his hands as the threshold is crossed and the dress stained?"
"Kaliiiiii~!" The whine of Sienna was pitiful, as a pillow was thrown at her. It was perhaps a recollection of the pillow fight of last night, yet she knew that the embarrassment was enough to derail the conversation.
"Oh, I can just imagine it. Sienna Khan, lovely kitten of mine, decked out in white… You'll look so nice all cuddled up to Jaune." The young woman blushed, her gaze resting on Jaune. It was an odd sort of like in those eyes, as if the world had been something that had been torn open and something else thrust into its hollow shell to fill it. "But… I go first."
"You want to marry him?" Sienna asked, Jaune making a strangled sound, Kali continuing to dress. The jacket would need to be replaced, she figured. Something a bit more fitting for a teenager… But that would mean actually going to shop. 'I can do that. It would be nice to get some clothes that actually make me look more like a teenager. I've got the looks of someone in their late teens, after all.'
"No, I want to fuck him. I want to have him give me the same treatment as White gets." The woman raised an eyebrow, not speaking a word, even as Jaune gave her a strange look. "Oh, don't you dare give me that look! She looks like she's hitting the clouds when you fuck her! We've been cooped up in a room for a day or so and don't think that I didn't hear her squeal! Just because I am her age, doesn't mean that my sex drive is that badly off that I can't find the thought of getting fucked appealing!"
It was silly that some people thought that sexuality stopped at age thirty-five or something. If Ghira had not died, she would have entertained the thought of a threesome with White at the very LEAST… but well, that was now out of the window. Sienna looked at her with surprise on her face. "Yes, like those books that you liked to read. The full deal, with a lot more screaming and squealing."
Sienna turned slightly redder in the face, as her gaze dropped. "And I mean that, Jaune. White has you for another week and then I will be getting some of that." Her eyes dropped to his groin, nakedly looking at him without shame. 'Because I am fed up with listening to White groan and moan about how good it is to make love.'
Her Semblance whispered interesting prospects to her mind, as she licked her lips. The prospect of the shadowy clones aiding her in keeping him down and allowing her to take her liberty with him was… definitely appealing. 'I wonder if I can find a proper kunoichi outfit somewhere…'
"Breakfast, please?" Sienna said, clearing the air. Jaune looked away from her, still slightly embarrassed, the knowledge that she was into him in such a fashion no doubt adding some boyish glee about being desired by women to him. 'No matter what happens… We'll be your Acolytes. We will make sure that your smile never dims, even if we have to kill the whole world for you.'
A dutiful woman ensured that her household was kept safe for her husband, even if she had to wield weapons of death and war.
The new fad (Yang Xiao-Long)
"Hey Prof Jerry!" She greeted the man, seating herself in the seat in front of the desk whilst the man sat behind it, busy with something on paper. Professor Peach was lazily draped over the couch, the smell of some heavy perfume on her, her head lolling slightly, as she dazedly looked at her.
"Good afternoon, Miss Xiao-Long." The man said, and Professor Peach seemed to startle awake.
"Fuzzy, I catch you leering at those tits once and I'll cut your gonads out." Yang did not find the commentary between the two professors to be too crude or distracting. Whatever was going on between those two, it definitely had to do with the fact that they were of differing species. 'No doubt Professor Peach's got some sort of weird hang-up with Faunus men. Maybe she was dumped by one?'
It wasn't any of her business, even as the man retorted calmly – "I'm sure that you'll be eating them with some pepper, given your rather salty temperament." – as he put the last touch to the paper in front of him. "Have there been more incidents with Blake?"
She felt the weight settle onto her shoulders once again, knowing that such a private question was being asked… and yet she answered it. "She's been a good girl." Dehumanizing, those words were, yet it was the truth. Yang was not someone who minced words, in her own reckoning. "No great issues that cropped up. We cuddled a little on my bed last night after we did our homework."
It was intimate, yet she felt more kinship towards Blake now than before, when it had been love… or perhaps mere affection. To wake up in the morning to find Blake's tongue diving into her and shuddering in her own release was something that she did not mind, yet her partner's health and mental stability… she could work with that. "Are there any changes thus far? We only see you two during one hour, so…"
The man's question made sense. Yang wondered briefly whether she would be giving the same questions later on if she were in the same line of work as the man was, his eyes looking at her. "Generally… She's okay-ish. A bit more gloomy and shut-off from the world than usually is the case, but she's talking to Weiss a little more now, and Ruby." She smiled involuntarily. Nobody could really worry about her little sister, she was just too much of a cutie to really ignore or deny.
There was always the threat of boys around… but Beacon thankfully was a girls-majority school! Sure, there were a few girls that continued to gossip around her about her sister's lack of curves, but those had been pointedly educated in the art of keeping their trap shut.
"Are you happy with her reaching out to your teammates?" The question took her by surprise, her brow furrowing. 'Do I feel happy that she's talking to others?' The feelings inside her were a mess, as she looked at the man, whose face looked clearly with interest at her, or more poignantly, at her facial features. The question ran through her mind.
Blake talking to Weiss, giving her one of those muted looks of perhaps gratefulness. A little talk with Ruby joining in about proper weapon maintenance, Blake's lips slightly quirking into a smile involuntarily. Looking into her partner's eyes as she hugged her, aware that there was something broken and twisted inside.
"No." She said, surprising herself. 'Why did I say that? What is wrong with me?' "I don't like it at all." The man nodded. He made a little note on the writing pad in front of him, as his gaze lifted once more from the paper.
"Could you tell me why?" His voice sounded so soothing, so trustworthy, that she took a deep breath. She felt small, worming her way into the chair like a naughty girl who had been caught doing something that she shouldn't have, looking at the built man opposite of her. 'Why do I feel like this?'
"Because she's mine! She's MY partner! She shouldn't be… I dunno, abandoning ME for THEM!" She was shouting, she knew. Her eyes were wide, even as she realized that she had gotten up, her hands hitting the desk, leaving splinters sticking up from where her fingers had dented the desk. "Oh gosh, I'm sorry, I…"
She felt guilty for losing control, the man's smile once more appearing on his face. "We all have our moments, Miss Xiao-Long. Think of this as a little bit of relief. A moment where you can be yourself, without judgments…" The words made sense.
She sat down again, her butt hitting the soft cushion of the chair. "I don't want to be second-fiddle to my little sis! I love her, but…" She stopped, eyes widening. "But I don't want to be abandoned again by someone who should be there for me when I need it." The words were damning, even as the man gave a comforting sound, his hand reaching out and taking hers. It was an intimate manner of contact, even as he gave it a squeeze.
"We all have issues that we would rather deal with in the personal comfort of our friends and family, Miss Xiao-Long." The hand moved away immediately after he had offered those words of comfort, Yang feeling a surge of warmth go through her. "How we deal with our issues is the main issue."
She looked down, her lips pressed together. "Now… You have more to tell me, don't you?" Her head rose, her eyebrow rising, as she struggled to think about what she could talk about more. 'What do I need to tell him?'
"You were hurt during the fight with Roman Torchwick, a few months before. Your partner cared for you and you entered a relationship with her then. What do you feel right now about that moment when you decided to make her your partner in the romantic field?" The man's voice was nearly hypnotic, as he spoke evenly, making her feel lightheaded. 'Why are we talking about this again?'
"Because she… Because she made me good and I thought I…" She stopped, as she thought back to those confusing moments. The thoughts of whether she was gay or not, haunting her during her days and the restless night. "I resisted the thoughts of maybe being gay." She paused, taking a deep breath. "It's silly, yes, I know… But dad raised me to not really… y'know, see girls as partners."
"A measure to stop the depopulation of the Kingdom, never repealed. A wise choice, as homosexual partnerships are still frowned upon in most of the Kingdoms, as two men do not conceive children and two women may not prefer pregnancy." The man's clinical words were something that she pulled faith from, hope… perhaps strength. "It is not a bad choice, really, to love your partner."
"What would you know about love, you mutt?" The professor mumbled from her seat behind her, Yang having nearly forgotten that the woman was there to observe, her breathing easy and calm.
"Enough about it that I had kids, Peach." The man's retort was with a little hint of fire and annoyance. The subject obviously was not something comfortable to speak of by the man's own manner of conduct. "Not like you. Wasn't it your happy singles day celebration just a few weeks ago? How many years?"
"But…" Yang started, and the conversation between the adults ceased, as Peach paid attention to her as well, the shorter woman looking with great attention to her. "Is it really alright to… love another woman?" She wondered about that, as she had many times, the man nodding.
"Of course it is. Bigots who think that they know best would wish for a man and a woman to be together, but there is no need for you to be hesitant… But… Let me ask you this: Do you enjoy looking at the male body as much as you enjoy looking at the female body?"
'Well, the guys that I've seen did look pretty cute… I've said as much to Ruby, but she was too lame to really make a response about the cute factor.' "No, I… I guess I'm about fifty-fifty? Wait, slightly more towards boys. It's just Blake who does it for me." The admission would no doubt garner her more interest amongst the boys at Beacon, yet this was a counselling session and the man would not spread the news, she trusted him that far.
"So, you feel affection for your partner, yet you prefer men?" The man concluded, Yang nodding once.
"Yep. I mean, getting eaten out is nice and we should probably get some toys to go with it, but there is just something about men… I'm not that gay, you know, that I can't appreciate a good-looking man." The clearing of a throat behind her was closer than expected, Professor Peach leaning on the back of Yang's chair. The short professor looked down at her, scars standing out on her face.
"It's normal to have a little bit of confusion. Seventy percent of all Huntsmen are female. Lesbian relationships spring up frequently, as do pregnancies in such a relationship. People wish to leave progeny, at least as a measure to remember their existence. Outdated ideals, yet apt in some circles." The woman's words were calm and cool, even as her hands stroked over the back of the chair, the woman's attention diverted completely.
That there were teenage pregnancies was a known factor. Yang had seen several girls who had not properly been using protection get removed from the Combat School due to failure to learn proper etiquette. People tended not to bother with the small things if they could get enjoyment out of it. "We are a little more tolerant of such a thing here at Beacon. The dream of a Huntsman should not be tarnished by a child. Most of the children are sent to the family of the student, after a period of weaning and such. Money is set aside for their upkeep. Promising talent remains strong, that way." The woman spoke, even as she looked away.
"Not always do we have such understanding, yet sacrifices have to be made for the betterment of humanity." The woman's voice sounded sad, as if she knew those who objected to such a measure. "Do keep that in mind when you go to enter a relationship, Miss Xiao-Long." The woman said, a personal touch to her voice telling Yang just as much as she needed to know, realizing that the woman had a personal stake into such things.
"Relations with a team are not wrong. You will be heading out on your first official mission this semester in seven days, right?" Yang nodded, knowing that it would be time for that. "You will be briefed on that mission about things by an experienced Huntsman. Usually, those who get assigned to such missions tend to be on the younger side of their thirties, or, if they are given a special incentive for the mission, are professional teachers who know what they are doing when they instruct the students under their care. What we do here, miss Xiao-Long, is tackle the issues that you would find hard to grapple with, in order to make you feel better and work better."
"But… but what if I feel bad still?" She felt foolish for asking, the man's smile warm, as he nodded his head.
"Then I will be available for talking if you require it. You are already on the road to becoming a better person, Yang. All you have to do is believe in yourself that you're able to come to terms with the experiences that you have had." The advice sounded solid, if she thought about it. Was it really that difficult to see the world as it was? Was she not just making a big fuss about things that mattered not in the grand scheme of things? 'Ruby… Blake… Weiss…'
She saw their faces, saw their looks of curiosity and need, their eyes carrying their experiences. They had not been through what she had been through, caring for a father who did nothing for years on end, cooking for the family when her uncle was not present, caring for the man who had shut down completely… and she was here with her team at Beacon.
'Mom… I don't know what to think of you, but I will make sure that we have a good chat together.' Her mother was one of the issues that she would have to tackle eventually… if the woman appeared again. It was something that had left her sleeping restlessly last night, the worries and hopes mingling together. 'Dad said that you were stubborn, yet with a streak of your own justice…'
"I'm not…" She started, the counsellor shaking his head lightly.
"Just take all the time that you need. The big problems are best tackled over a few days, not all at once." The man's voice was calm, without judgment or desire to harm, as he looked at her. "I expect you here tomorrow afternoon at two, if that is possible."
Yang smiled, even as she realized that things would be different. "Sure thing, Prof Jerry!" The wink she gave him was friendly enough, she supposed.
Later that night, she moaned in annoyance as the mecha did its best to try and punch her face in. 'This was NOT what I had planned for an evening!'
She knew that it was wrong to curse Blake for her drive to find evidence of the White Fang being up to no good, but did that really have to be done on an evening when things were going along relatively well. "Yang! Are you alright?"
Ruby's voice was light and airy, her ears popping now, as the blaze of her Aura ignited once more, the powerful rush of the Semblance activating once more filling her with a boundless sense of energy. Sizing up the mechanical monster that stood before them, she grinned cockily. "Never better, lil' Sis."
The mecha went down after a heavy punch, shattering into twisted metal by the motion of her fist, leaving Torchwick to pick himself up off the ground. "That arm ain't looking so good there, Torchbitch." The cocky taunt was something that she had not really improvised, weak to her ears.
"Well, I'd like to see you take a hit, blondie! At least Red knows when it's time to cut the breaks instead of just… wham. You'll become a crazy cat lady at thirty, with that attitude towards gentlemen!" The witty one-liners were definitely not in his favour, even as he pushed himself up, the twisted arm still snapped back, the man's face bloodied, several gashes appearing from his dirt nap. 'That looks like it hurt.'
"But alas, I must be off! You girls go and have fun… maybe try out some sort of clam diving habit, that's what all the young girls do these days!" The crude language was not enough, as her fist reared back, ready to deliver another firm smack, only to come face to face with… an umbrella.
The umbrella tapped against her chest, the wind slammed right out of her lungs, even as the man was suddenly supported by the woman who appeared. 'Woah, where'd the midget pop up from?'
Threatening eyes looked at her, even as the man and woman flickered, the illusion crumbling like a brick wall would when smashed with a hammer, a Bullhead taking off slowly, out of the reach of their weapons already.
"I guess that was a smashing hit, right?" Yang looked at Weiss, who looked between her and Ruby, raising an eyebrow. Blake only sighed, as she looked at her.
"Gee, are you trying to take my spot as the teller of jokes, huh?" She teased the pale-haired girl, who flustered slightly.
"I am unfortunately not going to be much in the mood for jokes, Miss Xiao-Long." The voice of the counselor came from her right, the casual jacket that he wore looking worn-down by time, a few patches in them, a look on his face as if he were ready to ensure personal pain to her, even as her eyes caught a few peculiarities.
Firstly, the man was dressed shabbily, as if he were somewhat less affluent than he appeared to dress at Beacon. The jeans looked worn and tattered, obviously having seen much work. The blade that he held upon his back was visible, even as he looked at the four of them with a glowering gaze. Secondly, there was a White Fang emblem on one of the gloves that he wore, a white one, in contrast with the red one that seemed to be all the vogue with the Faunus that liked the White Fang these days.
"What you four did was exceptionally dangerous. I will make note of this and inform the Headmaster that due punishment shall be handed out. You girls are lucky that there are no serious injuries… as far as I can tell." The man's tone was upset and irritated, even as he stretched lightly, the audible popping of his muscles there. "Yet… I do commend you for facing a known crook. That is certainly something that I will mention to the Headmaster."
Why the man was here, she would ask in the next session. She felt sore and tired now, no thanks due to being slammed by that big metal machine. 'Urgh, doing my hair is going to suck tonight…'
"Alright team! Back to Beacon! Mission: Find the White Fang is over!" Her sister's cheerful tone didn't mute the diminished spirits that she felt, even as she let her gaze fall onto the man once more. 'It does sound logical that you'd want a Faunus to infiltrate a White Fang meeting…'
She felt a surge of suspicion, yet she knew that not always things were what they seemed to be on the surface. The man had some reason for it… but she would ask Headmaster Ozpin about the man's presence.
The bloodied battler (Roman Torchwick)
Life just wasn't FAIR to me. Sometimes you just lose some things betting upon an opportunity that looked good at first glance and then turned out to be some horrible mistake in the making. 'Alright… Time to improvise… You can do this, Roman.'
"Neo, get my Scroll out and dial the number for me. I need someone to look at my arm. Oh, and the cleaners… My suit got messed up in the crash." I adjust my walking pose, my small accomplice giving me one of her patented looks, a frown on her face as she wordlessly speaks to me, a faint smile on her lips as she finishes, pulling my Scroll out of the secure case that carries it. Never invest in anything but Huntsman-plated cases, people! Some wackos are out there with razor-whips which shoot energized dust razors and stuff and the last thing you'd want is to have no way of reaching help.
The neighbourhood that we are in currently is only three kilometres away from the thoroughfare part of town, where the traffic lanes are separated, domestic housing and filthy animals rummaging around. It would be a shame really, to be caught up here in this horrible mess, but Red just HAD to be present to put her scythe right into the gears of the master plan. 'Whether the fire bitch knows it or not… I'm going to get scolded again for wasting military apparatus that I was only supposed to show off… Just my luck.'
"Are you alright?" Someone asked, the accent definitely Vytalian, if I caught my twist of the words right. My eyes looked up from the Scroll, the lack of bowler hat enough to give me a small semblance of anonymity, the pain still racing through my nerves.
"Do I fucking LOOK alright to you, ki-" My eyes caught sight of the kid's appearance. Blonde hair, white streak running through it. A set of eyes that were mismatched, just like my favourite little mute psychopath. The weapon on his back still not reached for, even with me looking like I'd just came out of a warzone. The woman at his side had her rifle aimed right at my chest. The distance between us was too small to dodge it safely. Something would get clipped if I did, the kid speaking up again.
"No, you don't." The pale-haired woman, who did her fucking BEST to look like one of the finest pieces of Atlesian ass that I'd seen, with her looking so damn fine in that dress that my mute associate and often-thought-of-as-very-special partner nudged me in the side, giving me a look. 'Yeah, be jealous… I know a fit girl when I see one… and this one is one FIT girl.'
"Mind giving me a hand over here, kiddo?" The blonde and white-streaked hair of the kid was distracting, even as I shifted slightly to my right. 'No offensive moves yet… and he seems more cavalier about the subject than anything. Might have something to do with the broken arm.'
"I can try to boost your Aura, if you'd like me to." The kid must be busted in the head, or something. A perfect opportunity to go and be a hero to the people, and he offers to boost my aura? What's that going to do, make me get a bit fitter and make my body glow?
Neo shifts slightly, as she looks suspiciously, mouthing 'Kill' at me with her little mouth-twitches. 'No, not kill… That'd pull too much attention on us. Career criminal is one thing, wanton murderer… That's a rap I don't like to take.' I tap on her back with one of my fingers, the pain hurting like it was just… oof, pain. Escape and free me if they bring me in.
I didn't grow into one of the most dashingly handsome career criminals in Vale out of being easily caught and locked up. Neo was my best ace in the hole… and she was loyal to a fault. 'Dad, I did what I had to…'
"If you try any funny business…" The pale-haired woman speaks up, her blue eyes frosty-cold, even as the blonde kid walks up to Neo and I. 'Gee, someone is ploughing an older lady pretty darn well if she's this defensive…'
I had to hand it to the kid, the moment that his hand touched me and the glow of something hit me, I felt my arm crack and pop, the glow burning. The kid's eyes met mine and I could see two dark red irises meet my own stare, as the blue of one got swallowed by the red. 'What the fuck is this?'
I found myself standing on a field of bleak earth, cracked and white, an empty space where there was nothing but a void. A moment of something deeper and darker reaching out to me, as I could find nothing to draw my attention to. My eyes sought for the escape to this moment of sudden discomfort, noticing that there was nothing that I could do…
And then the kid appeared, standing before me. My eyes caught sight of his manner of dress, the clothing that looked 'decent' for a kid his age, replaced with something that Ozpin, that good-natured fuckwit at Beacon, would wear. "Good evening. I thought it would be a moment for us to speak in private."
'Gee, give me a break…' The look in his eyes did not sit well with me, even as I rolled the arm that'd been broken and busted like some sort of glass pane during a hurricane of rocks, testing it out. 'Your Semblance is doing the work, isn't it?'
"And what would I have to do with the kid who's drawn me into an illusionary world, huh?" My response came, even as the young man smiled. 'I don't like that smile on his face.'
"It is simple… well, whoever you are. Are you aware that there is a mark on you?" I snorted, as I glanced around, my eyes finding nothing, looking down at myself… only to find my chest bare, a throbbing black stain three centimetres above my right nipple. 'Oh, that's new… That wasn't there before when I showered in the morning.'
"It usually doesn't show itself unless you have… specific traits." The kid said, even as I looked up. "And well… I do happen to have those traits." My utter 'amazement' at that statement happened to be a scoff and a snort. The kid didn't impress me much.
"And I assume that you're here to cash in my bounty? Threaten me with death and what-not?" The kid looked at me before starting to laugh. I didn't find it very funny. Looking down once more, I was aware of my suit being once more returned to its proper place, where it belonged.
"It is a war out there… Eh…" The kid floundered. 'That's what you get when you don't watch the news, buddy…' I sighed.
"The name's Roman." The kid nodded, understanding the hint.
"Roman. Lines are being drawn in the sand." I could tell as much when that long-haired brunette decided to try and set my cheek ablaze with whatever flame mumbo-jumbo that she'd cooked up. A charbroiled Roman was NOT on the list of things to enjoy, nope!
"And you are here to make me an offer I cannot refuse?" I fill in for him, the kid looking at me with a look of 'are you kidding me?' like all of the other kids that have a hint of power. What did he think I was, a moron who would just leap at every offer that came my way? 'It's a rough and tough world out there… You've got to think about yourself and those that you love first… then others.'
Cinder had given me an offer that was not to be refused. Chances of killing her were about thirty percent, what with the kid of Marcus Black hanging around… That little bitch was a primed assassin, so Neo would have some issue getting to Miss Superbitch Flame-sparkle. "Oh, no… not at all."
I didn't like the smile on his face when he said that. It spoke of things to come that were unpleasant at best, even worse than that one time when little miss Thief had nicked my bloody lighter. It had been a custom-made one that I'd hate to lose too… And that sister of her just acting like she was the whole queen of Dust herself.
"All I ask is for you to keep an eye on her. Given our… situation, it would be a tough challenge to take…" The kid smiled, though it was more of the sort of smile that made you freeze up from the inside. Cold and distant, those eyes looking at me like they were already writing my name in the book of death. 'Fuck, what are they feeding kids these days? He can't be much older than Marcus Black's kid.'
"And what is stopping me from double-crossing you, mister anonymous mystery?" The smile that the kid put on was really creepy. 'What IS it with these kids? First, we've got the kitty and the monkey, then Red and the blonde…'
"You are aware of who Cinder works for, right?" I froze. 'She works for someone?' This was not great news. I can handle one megalomaniac, but one who serves someone else... Someone who might be even worse.
"Of course, of course…" I say. In cases like these, it is much better to feign that you know what they are talking about and think about a plan later on. "Him, right?"
"Ozpin?" The disdain in the kid's voice was real, like a vile poison, wrought through the statement. "Oh, not Ozpin. Cinder Fall is many things, yet she is not a true acolyte…" The kid took a few steps away, turning half-way. If I had Melodic Cudgel, I would be able to brain him right now, his stance was sloppy and ill-suited.
'What is it with being an acolyte?' That was a term for student, if I remembered right from Gen Ed. I rolled my shoulders, shifting feet lightly, getting a sudden feeling of nervousness. 'Why does it feel like I've stumbled on something much greater than I expected?'
"Roman, you see… You picked the wrong side." The words did not inspire much confidence in me, as the kid walked, his hand waving and this utterly MASSIVE Grimm appeared. My hand went for the side on which Melodic Cudgel usually hung, finding it empty. "The wrong side, really… in any of these conflicts. It has been going on for years. Millennia, even."
'Fuck me, he's going to tell some fairytale story, no doubt… Whacko kids these days…' "So what if she's backed by someone bigger, huh? What can you offer me?" I say, as I watch clearly how the kid turned around. The massive Grimm's claw touched the earth, splitting it, cracked ground raising up.
"Your life. Contrary to the wishes of Her, I do not wish to see the world extinguished in a bloody purge of all of humanity." The look in the kid's eyes was dead serious. 'Fuck, the kid is serious.' I had gained the sense to know when someone was lying to me… and the kid hadn't said a single lie thus far. The face was far too expressive to be lying to me, so that meant… that Cinder probably was working for some genocidal whacko in Vacuo or something. That's where all the loonies went, after all.
"So, what do you want me to do?" I ask, as snarkily as I can. Looking at the kid, I just could feel that huge wave of discomfort roll over me. "Betray her? That'd be signing my own death warrant, kid."
"Oh, hardly so. I believe in insurance… And ensuring that I get what I need to make sure that this senseless war ends." The kid walked up to me, placing his hand on my chest, the pain that hit me in the chest only momentary, even as he pulled his hand away, revealing what seemed to be a bug of some sort.
"Standard parasite. Kills the host within three weeks if left unattended." The clinical terms in which the kid spoke of the creature, even as it chirped at him like some bird that'd just been caught, were terrifying. "Three variations, one draining the life from someone to bestow upon another, with other variants more specialized." The data was not the best. I'd only heard of the basics of the Grimm, even as the kid looked at me and smiled.
"I suppose this is your lucky day, Roman." I scoffed. "You should be feeling better than before, though…" A look of seriousness came to his face. "I will find you again."
The stab in my back HURT, even as a Grimm that looked like a Scorpion pushed its stinger into me, the kid's eyes empty of anything resembling empathy. "I can feel emotions, Roman. I know what you feel, just like any Grimm would."
"What…. What are you!?" I call out, even as the pain intensified, the stinger pulled back. 'This had been a diversion… Pulling out the bug and then placing his own, just like how I would do it.'
"The Grand Warlock." The words were simple, yet they conjured up a fairytale image. The last time I had listened to a fairytale was when Mama had pulled me onto her lap when I was aged four, Neo resting in her crib at the fireplace. Uncle Bartleby had been busy with mending the fence outside, before the winter frosts would come.
"An element of change… But one which will set you free, Roman." The smile on the kid's face was a lot more tolerable, even as I watched him carefully. 'This isn't going according to plan… Find out what the kid wants and then… deal with him.'
"I would like to say though that betrayal wouldn't end well. You have a Grimm inside you… and I suppose that you might find it nice to be eaten alive from the inside, yet I would not recommend it." The kid looked dispassionate, like a cool ice-cold murderer… and I realized that he probably had killed a lot of people from the way that he handled this. 'Damn, I'd have to give the kid some credit.'
The world shifted back to the regular state of things, and I could feel something penetrate my chest, right from his outstretched hand. Veins seemed to be filled with dark blood, the pale skin showing them clearly, as the glow wrapped around me, the arm slowly twisting and turning back to peak condition… yet something worse seemed to sizzle around in my veins.
It was like a small bug that crawled through my veins, before finally reaching my heart. The hottie with the rifle looked at me as if I were a threat to her beloved, even as the man smiled at me. "Glad to be of help, buddy."
I forced a grimace, even as I could feel another yoke wrap itself around my neck. 'From one master to the other…' This one seemed to be less of an immediate threat to my health, even as I stepped away from Neo, stretching my arm. "It feels a lot better, kid. Nice work you did."
The smile on my face was not genuine. I glanced at Neo. She looked suspiciously at me, making a gesture with her head that implied that she could do something, though my small shake of the head was enough. 'The kid won. If I hadn't had my arm busted, there wasn't a thing that he could do…'
The thought of Cinder having a mistress above her was something that frightened me more than Cinder did. The kid's warning was tame in comparison, even as Neo took my hand, smiling up at me with that genuine smile. "Have a good night, kid. If you want to have some ice-cream, go to Neapolitan's Ice Corner on Main Street. They've got a good selection of flavours there, perfect for you and your lady friend." The rifle was lowered then, once they were out of the close proximity to the young man.
"Are you alright?" Neo inquired through the use of her personal scroll, looking worriedly at me. 'You ask me that now?' I glanced back, spotting the pair walking around a corner, a suspicious nature about them… They were three now and I didn't like that one bit before I turned right back to Neo. None of my business what that kid did with his girlfriends, after all.
"That kid and our boss are on opposing sides." I lay it out to her in as much of a whisper as I can make it. "She's in the liquorice flavour and he's in the strawberry." The terms didn't mean much for an ordinary listener, yet it was clear to Neo.
"What are you going to do about it?" The question was natural, even as we walked along, my suit feeling a little crumpled, yet it served the purpose well. Neo's Semblance was good for that, allowing us to look a little different from the norm, which allowed us to blend in. Just a pair of friends/lovers, walking through Vale on a romantic walk.
"See whether the offer the kid has is any good. You know the motto, after all… always do what's best for the business of staying alive and keeping rich." The smile on her face was wonderful to see, as always. Now… it would be quite the walk back to the apartment, yet I had my wonderful accomplice to help me out.
"He looked well-intentioned." The comment from Neo was enough to make me raise my eyebrow, scratching my hair.
"Intentions are the first thing to fade when met with a big haul, Neo. A good offer now may just be the worst one later…" Double-crossing the kid might take some work. 'All I need is just a bit of time, maybe a litt-'
White-hot pain shot through my heart as something inside it twitched and scratched, the pain enough to make me collapse, falling atop Neo and letting her push me off, my hands grabbing my chest. 'No, it even works when I think about it? Fuck… The kid wasn't kidding when he said that Cinder was not really worthy of the title of an acolyte… if she could do this…'
I felt a cold rush go through me. If Cinder could do this, then the world would be her oyster… Right now, I was being the patsy for her actions.
Neo flipped me on my back, the pain subsiding slowly as the scratching stopped inside my chest. Fear rushed through me as I calmed down, her eyes worried and frantic. Her mouth mouthed the words to me, and I gave a nod, my voice only able to do a weak 'ahmfahnnn', as I got up again.
"Fuck… I guess we're now in cahoots with the Grimm devil, Neo." The worried look in her eyes, even as she tapped onto her Scroll, the letters flashing onto the screen a moment later satisfying her.
"Better offer?" As I thought about it… it wasn't like the kid had given me any orders.
"Perhaps. To home, Neo! We must have ice-cream." Whilst I felt a lot better, some of the emotional hurt was still there. An ice-pack for the burden of the headache that I was suffering would be just fantastic right about now.
Delivering a package (Kali Belladonna)
She stalked through the darkness, her mind active as her Semblance twisted the world around her. In the darkness, she was free. She was Kali, the black one. The darkness belonged to her, even as she crawled up the cliff face. 'The best approach is one through the spots where there is little observation.'
The technical details were unimportant to her, as she felt the shadows pull at her. The moon illuminated her back, even as the darkness wreathed her in twisted shadows, leaving the people who would look in the direction she was in, merely see a shadow slip up the crevice, perhaps thought to be a mere figment of the imagination. 'With my presence… Anywhere…'
She could feel the burning inside her, as she pushed herself to the top of the cliff, catching sight of the CCT tower that had been build into Beacon Academy, the lights of the building itself a permanent fixture in the distance, even as she pulled herself together. 'There will be time for things later…'
She knew most of the ways to quietly get in and out of a building, thanks to a swift crash course in infiltration that Sienna had coaxed her through. Locks were hardly an issue, if you could twist into the shadows a moment later, to slip below a door, as long as the shadows were there. 'The blood inside your veins chills others, shadows curl around their neck as the Master's call comes.'
Her eyes saw the muted shades of grey and black, a perfect contrast, her night vision as wonderful as it always was. She could see a few parts of the school already, her eyes looking at the vibrant colours in the distance, even as she slipped behind a tree. 'Alright… The picture is framed and in my back pocket… The scroll is set to 'silent' and has a camera function that is nearly silent…' There was an ulterior objective to this infiltration, of course.
Not one that was properly discussed between Jaune and her, Sienna having spoken of it only during their chat when she had been preparing to head out. A good head count of the available students, with plenty of the people who were there preparing for the Vytal Festival, with images of the teachers, if they could be obtained. 'Critical it isn't, yet it would give some idea about any possible enemies that are hidden amongst the student body.'
Her body felt exposed to the air, even as she looked at the suit. Being bare to the world and not affected by the cold, she applied the spray to her outfit, rubbing some of it on her face as well. Scent neutralizer, something that had applications both in the field of Huntsmanship and regular hunting. It was enough to block the nose of most Faunus from recognizing the presence, a mandatory happening if you happened to be infiltrating a place which had Faunus guards of the canine variety. 'Better safe than sorry…'
Sienna would have been optimal for the infiltration, yet her appearance and her Semblance were not conducive towards the infiltration. Her, a housewife for the better part of twenty-three years, doing such a thing would have made her laugh beforehand, yet Kali knew well that there was something about her Semblance which would make it a piece of cake. 'For Jaune…'
She had to find his team. She had to find the young man known as Lie Ren and hand him the memento of his family. It was one of the things that Jaune had insisted on, as well as letting them know that he wished to meet them. It was in his eyes, in his voice, even though he was well-aware that there could be treachery on their part… he still craved their presence. It made her feel lesser in importance, yet the feeling was easily shoved aside for the comfort that he requested her to do things for him.
She looked at the suit and sniffed, a neutral scent blocking her own senses out. 'This will do. For now, at least…' She guessed that it would have about an hour or two to work, before the smell of her body overpowered it. It was annoying, yet Faunus had to deal with Faunus issues. It was late enough in the evening to ensure secrecy, even as she slid the suit back on, zipping it up. It outlined her features perfectly well… and of course, it made her look 'hot'.
She stalked through the trees, coming towards the large arches that made up the outer circle, the sound of bullheads taking off from the air dock there making for the perfect camouflage, even if she were to sprint, her eyes catching sight of the camera's that hung there. 'Time for me to work my magic… Or rather, shift into the shadows.'
Her Semblance, which had only been passively activated now, was ignited, and the shadows wrapped around her, blending her into the darkness. One moment, she was at the edge of the peripheral range of the camera field, the next she was crouching next to a set of trashcans, the smell of food that had gotten stale invading her nostrils. She moved with deliberation, the shadows showing not a sign of her, even as she made her way into the Beacon Academy building, catching herself as she spotted the camera's hung up for security purposes, undoubtedly to ensure that there would be no infiltrators coming close.
Her eyes spotted a few students, picking out one of them to be of special interest, a redheaded girl that was surrounded by a few students, who ardently seemed to admire her. 'Pyrrha Nikos, Jaune's partner in his team… Approaching her isn't going to work with stealth in mind. The poor girl looks bored out of her mind.'
It was obvious that the girl was not going to be very charitable, even as the praise was heaped on her by some of the students, the redhead looking at them with that feigned interest, her emotions pinging out to Kali's mind, the dreadful dullness and lack of passion for the topic being discussed, as well as a growing disdain for them. 'She feels like she is at a crossroads.'
She had seen it before. Disaffected people, their bodies in fit shape, yet their mind gone by their surrounding pressures and obligations, destroying themselves in order to no longer conform. She could see it in the twitch of that eye, the thinning of the lips and the polite smile, which did not reach the eyes. 'Good eyes…' A snap of the Scroll from the shadows, obscured by the shadows that lurked around her, and a picture was taken.
She could see that the girl's head turned in her direction, eyes searching for her somehow, and Kali moved on, her steps as light as they could be, the Scroll tucked back into one of the pockets. Stalking through the hallway, she looked at the rooms that were marked, for the first time wishing that she'd taken the time to look at a map… although such a thing was not easily found due to the strategic and military nature of the place.
Coming into a long hallway, she caught sight of a Human and Faunus couple engaged in a kiss, the male human pressing the Faunus woman against a wall, their lips locked, a set of lapine ears poking up, the two obviously busy with their little mating dance. Kali gave them a glance, passing by them without drawing their attention, a familiar smell coming to her nose, and her head turning to look at the Faunus. 'I suppose I should be a little more careful…'
A picture was snapped from a distance, even as something tugged at the back of her mind. 'The girl looked a little like… Oh, I'm sure it's nothing. Monique would not allow for something like that to happen.' Some thoughts were just silly. Human and Faunus couples weren't often seen and the person she thought of would absolutely loathe even being amongst the Humans. 'I do wonder what Sienna would think of those two? They look adorable.'
The girl's face had been busy staying lip-locked to the young man, whose arm was protectively wrapped around her, as if some sort of Grimm invasion could happen at any time. It was perhaps a good thing that she smelled a lot like the young man who she was engaged in affectionate actions with, because the nose of the Faunus could just pick out the differing scents.
Entering another hallway, she could hear the faint creak of something, a door opening up and a broad-shouldered wolf Faunus emerged from an office, a scarred woman at his side. "I don't understand, Jeremiah… Why go through that much trouble?" The man's voice sounded like it were annoyed, even as Kali clicked the shutter on her Scroll, snapping a picture. Proper identification was important, as all the things said.
"Because it is required. I don't want to see them turn out like Maria did." The man's reference was alien to her, yet she could see the woman's expression, which made the scars stand out on her face, even as the woman laid a hand on his shoulders.
"You shouldn't be getting drunk, you furry little mutt." The woman said, even as she passed by the spot where Kali lurked in the shadows. She could smell the irritation on the man, even as he gave the woman a withering glare.
"Bed rest, the whole weekend. You're stressing yourself out, Mutty." The woman's tone was softer, perhaps more concerned for him, even as the man scoffed. Kali could determine through the manner in which he held himself, that he was somewhat glad for the order to be laid up in bed. "I'll come check up on you tomorrow. The case of Belladonna hit you hard, didn't it?"
Her interest was peaked. 'Blake? They must be talking about Blake…' She was not a snoop, yet she followed behind the two. "I cannot understand why… The girl is dependent on her team, yet…" A sharp beep was enough, even as he looked at her. "Tonight was crap."
The woman patted his shoulder as best as she could. "Fighting a robot like that was a bit out of the job description, yes… So, are you bringing the whole team in? Professor Ozpin wouldn't like that much." The man gave a low harrumph, as he shook his head.
"It's just going to be Miss Xiao-Long and Belladonna together with us. They have their issues, yet I hope that some trust is built between the two of them to mend that gap." The man paused, even as they reached a door, leading towards another place. "Thank you for listening… Sometimes I forget that I've got to speak to people as well…"
The nurse smacked his chest with the back of her hand. "Someone has to prevent your mutty kind from spreading. What better way than to make sure that you're not bending over innocent teenage Faunus and leaving progeny, huh?" The woman's tone was not as hostile as her words were, the man sighing, even as he looked at her.
"I've got another bottle if you'd like to go and…" The suggestion was met with a snort. "Yeah, I figured you would. What would Glynda say of the two of us being drunk, eh?"
"Probably tell us to scoot over so she can dump it in her tea and get drunk with us." The woman's tone was softer, as she leaned closer to the man. "Are you… alright?" The man shook his head.
"I think I need to be alone for a while." The man said, opening the door and then shutting it with an audible bang, the woman giving what passed for a look of understanding as she looked at the door.
"I guess there's no helping the help, eh? Seriously, you always fuck things up." The words were not clear on whether she meant herself or her fellow professor, and Kali did not bother with the woman anymore as she moved through the dark patches in the hallway, the shadowed nooks doing enough to hide her body.
Her Semblance allowed her to shrink and grow at her own whim, to become as swift as a shadow and to pull herself through a tight space, appearing in another. Magical prowess, perhaps… Or perhaps her Semblance working together with the power that Jaune had given her.
Finding the dorms was not that hard… though finding the proper section WAS. She could spot several of the students arranged around a table, busy playing some sort of improvised version of Billiards, her head shaking at the cultural Mantlean sport, practiced by few these days.
A snap of the Scroll and the picture was made, immortalizing their features, all to ensure that there was enough of a record left. As she passed by one of the rooms, the conversation inside, easily audible to her sensitive set of Faunus ears, caught her attention – "Where IS she, Emerald? I will not have my plans ruined because your sister ran off somewhere."
The speaker was a woman, perhaps in her mid-twenties, if she guessed the age right. 'An older student?' She wondered, even as the one addressed as Emerald responded. "I don't know! She goes off sometimes to think. Please, Cinder, don't think too badly of her, she's a good girl… just… a little bit messed up. I'll work harder, just so we can get our plans realized sooner."
'Cinder… so that must be the woman that Jaune mentioned earlier during the briefing. He knew that she would be somewhere around Vale, so… that means that this is the place where Cinder Fall resides.' "We wouldn't want her to miss the party, after all. It's going to be a blast, I just know it."
There was no laughter, even as the conversation continued about an inane topic, homework on Grimm Studies, something that would undoubtedly be ignored in the din of conversation. Kali mentally thanked her Semblance for allowing her to blend in perfectly with the shadows and be relatively muted in her movements, thanks to the shadows allowing her to manipulate their consistency.
'You could be so much more… The blood that drips from your claws shall be that of the guilty, the wicked…' Her Semblance continued to whisper, even as she advanced through the dorm, moving with deliberation. Coming across a set of doors opposite of each other, she caught the nameplate of 'RWBY' next to one of the doors, seemingly a new addition. 'If I remember right, Jaune said that his dorm room was opposite of team RWBY's…'
She could not stop herself from taking a peek into the room that her daughter's team lived in. Spotting the bunk beds, she smiled broadly. 'Isn't that cute? Bunk beds! Blake's always wanted to have a sister… Now she's got three!' She didn't see anyone present, which was understandable, given that it was a night during the start of the weekend. Girls their age should be at a club getting funky, not… moping around on their bed or something like emo girls did. She might not've been keeping up with the times, yet she knew that being depressive and gloomy was a bad thing!
Slipping out and checking out the hallway, she paused for a moment, as she let her ear rest against the door, the sock that'd been slipped over the handle bearing an adorable thunderbolt insignia, the sounds on the other end amusing… as she knew what they were. ´Aww, they're having sex… Should I intrude?'
The answer to that was 'Yes', of course. She had a mission to do. She wasn't much of a voyeur… but hey, if they were in there getting busy, her task wouldn't be completed swiftly.
Ride the Lightning (Nora Valkyrie)
"Ah, ah, ah, come on!" Her urging was enough, as her partner in love, crime and the capturing of sloths and all them other cool things, ground against her, her leg up in the air, his fingers stroking over her thigh. 'Yes, yes, yes!'
She was vocal during her love-making, because she knew that her partner was anything but. He could be giving her his delicious syrup and would only just exhale softly like 'ahhh' instead of just going like 'I'm giving it to you like you're a plate of pancakes and I am the syrup bottle!'. It probably wouldn't kill him to be all 'YEAH, GET ENERGIZED!'… probably. He was off the icky green stuff though. It made him taste bad, yuck.
'If I wanted to eat broccoli, I would be eating broccoli!' She could feel him quiver, even as her body twisted, pressing him down on the bed, their hips mashing together, as her hands pinned his above his head, her eyes meeting with his. The darkness around them added a special little touch to the world, even as she began to feel the touch of his hands go up, to the point where they met. 'Come on… Come on, come on, come on… Yes…'
Her teeth clattered, as she shuddered, sweat dripping onto his face, the smell of their bodies definitely requiring a brief shower before they would go to bed… and probably a changing of the sheets, if they were all sticky. Of course, they DID use protection and the sock most DEFINITELY would keep Pyrrha out. 'Maybe we should invite her to… do stuff with us?'
Pyrrha would not accept it, she reasoned, because she was still carrying a torch for their dearly departed leader. The sight of one of his pictures had rattled the metal frames around the Invincible Girl, her savage takedown of team DLCR the next combat training session leaving those around her in awe… yet Nora could feel that she was hurting inside, just aching from the loss of their leader.
'Pyrrha is not leader material, yet she is held up as leader material by the people…' An easy smile, blue eyes that were so deep that she'd lose herself in them for an instant. She could feel herself growing slightly wetter, even as she felt him pull out, the thought of her former leader igniting a faint fire in her. 'A girl could dream, y'know… nobody ever said that you had to be with just one man…'
She was a pioneer, compared to Ren, who preferred to be a little bit boring. He didn't want to stick it in her ass, even though she'd begged him… and getting him to eat her out like an all-you-can-eat taco buffet definitely was only once a week. She had a DRIVE… and if things had not went the same way, she would be having Pyrrha Nikos and Jaune Arc to sate that energetic need inside her. 'Sexual tension is a type of electricity too… probably.'
"Another condom…" Her lover and boyfriend and support murmured, her fingers searching for the box, carefully tucked under the bed. She could feel the rubber ring through the packaging, pressed against her fingers suddenly yet she did not question it. 'Huh? The box must be a little out from under the bed.'
"Got it, Rennie!" She smiled, even as she pulled the other one off, tying it with a brief twist, throwing it in the direction of the trashbin. She had good aim, because the splat was satisfying. 'Team Nora scores! Wooh!'
She moved her hips again, pressing against her boyfriend's, her fingers tearing the wrapper and throwing it to the side. She fondled him, switching the nightlight on after an instant, casting their bodies in the light. "Alright… here comes the wrapper for the pleasure train!"
She had gained a certain speed in the wrapping of her present, even as he looked at her, his eyes cast in a faint pinkish sheen as they looked up at her. His minute expressions, showing awe, love and desire, were enough for her, even with how her body just craved it. "Hmm… This makes me wonder… Does this train have permission to enter the Valkyrie tunnel?"
She smiled at her lovely boyfriend, who gave her a look, his eyes looking up at her, as she shook her shoulders back and forth, the position that she leaned over him giving him a perfect flick of her chest against his face, his nose buried within. "I think I may have a ticket, yes."
'You need to learn better dirty talk, Ren… Perhaps we can borrow Blake's book? I heard it was good.' She didn't say a thing, as she pressed herself against it, her breath making his long hair flutter lightly, her finger reaching the light switch and shutting it off. It was kinkier in the darkness. "Ah, Nora!"
She could feel hands touch her, his fingers groping and touching, even as her mind became hyperaware of what everything around her was, in the absence of light. Her whole body was like a pleasure zone, as if it were stimulated by the darkness around her. "I love you." She whispered, even as she could feel another zinger coming, another strong urge, her body twisting.
Suddenly, she felt hands on her hips. She did not question it, as they forced her against him, his body twitching lightly, his muscles tightening up, even as the hands manipulated her, stronger than anything she'd ever felt him. "Nora, not the nipples…"
'But I am not touching the nipp-Ah-' She twitched a little, as strong hands, smaller than the regular manly hands that she saw daily around her, wielding weapons, pulled her up and then slammed her down. "Ren… Ah, I-, ooh." Gasping and moaning, no longer suppressing the urges inside her, she felt the hands mistreat her. "Yes, yes… Rough."
His reply was unintelligible, even as she could feel herself reaching that peak… and climbing even higher afterwards, her whole body shuddering and shivering under the touch, enough of that needy self pumping endorphins into her to wake the whole dorm with the shriek that came from her throat… and the sudden thing that filled it. "Now… I know that you two are feeling really good, yet… I've got to break the fun up a little."
The voice that spoke was sultry and feminine, definitely in the register of 'god-damn sex on the ears', the voice purring with the faint hint of something, as she could feel the hands pull on her, rubbing over her skin. "The light, Nora, hit the lights."
She flicked the switch to the second setting, the blazing light illuminating the darkness, her head turning to the direction where the voice had come from, only to see a set of blazing amber eyes, looking at her with smugness in their depths, even as the voice gave a soft feminine chuckle. "If only the light were to banish me…"
The light switch was flipped and she became aware of the woman sitting calmly on Pyrrha's bed, her legs raised slightly, the features striking, the beautiful long hair showing clearly that the woman took care of herself… or was blessed in that department. A hand was raised, placing the mask back on her face, obscuring those eyes, the similarities to the member of team RWBY who lived just across the hall enough to make her utter - "Blake?"
The woman snorted, an unladylike sound, something that Blake never would have done. The cat ears on her head twitched, the piercings in them definitely not something that Blake would wear. Nora didn't like piercings THAT much, really. Metal stuff that caught electricity? Good only for weapons! Yes! "Could you tell us why you are intruding on us during our private time?" Ren asked, and Nora realized now that she was still naked, on top of her boyfriend/Ren/lover.
"Ah, yes…" The woman unzipped her outfit, something that outlined her curves well, in Nora's opinion. 'This is going the way of those movies… Oof… Faunus girls are fit too…'
A package was pulled from one of the inner pockets, unveiling the pale skin, the woman obviously not wearing anything below the suit, no doubt to aid her in her sneaky ninja activities… because Nora was mostly convinced now that this was a ninja. The package looked like it had been wrapped carefully, a small note pinned to the front.
Lie Ren
She took the package, sure that she'd seen that writing before. It was a little sloppy, yet… it tugged at the mind. It didn't look like it was a bomb… Maybe it was a porn disk? They had those. "You didn't order a porno ninja to bring us porn, did you?"
"Nora… I am not a ninja." He reiterated, and she kissed him, his hand busy with the unwrapping, as she turned to look at the package, watching as the wrapping paper as well as some of the cushioning fabrics gave way.
The family picture of the Ren family unveiled itself, the faint recollection of the man who had tried to evacuate his son and wife coming to her mind on that fateful day, even as she looked at it. She turned to him, to see tears come from his eyes. It was an expression that she had not seen in years. "Thank you… I hadn't…" The words seemed to fail him, as tears continued to come from his eyes.
"We took care of the Nuckelavee. He found the picture in your parents' house and thought that you deserved to have it back. He values family very much." There was no clue as to who this 'He' was that the woman spoke of, even as she zipped herself up again, her fingers touching the zipper for an instant after it'd reached the top, a small shadow flitting over her skin, and then, the woman was back to business.
"I would like to meet him." Nora heard Ren say and she smiled. Ren sounded more excited now than he'd done before when the opportunity had been offered to go back to his old home to work on the Grimm issue there.
"Me too! I want to meet this mysterious Grimm slayer. I bet he's all kinds of awesome, like 'older man with a grudge against the Grimm for killing his family, slaying every one that he comes across!" The woman laughed, as she shook her head, obviously amused by their reaction.
"That was the plot of a movie, Nora…" Her boyfriend and lover said, as he smiled at her, the emotions that were visible on his face far more positive than anything she'd seen before.
"Oh, you two were described as an adorable bunch. He spoke about you a lot, actually…" The woman was mysterious… which meant that she undoubtedly was a part of the order of ninja's sent to guard Ren's virginity or something! IT MUST BE SO! BUT SHE HAD TAKEN IT! NORA VALKYRIE, QUEEN OF REN'S TOWER OF MANLINESS!
"But I have come to invite you two as well as Pyrrha Nikos to meet with him. He is most anxious to meet with you three again." The Faunus woman continued, the shifting of her body revealing a Katar and some sort of dagger-knife with a weird wavy blade strapped to her sides, as she got up, looking at the two of them.
"You're just teasing us! Come on! Tell us who would want to meet us!" The woman laughed, even as she tapped Nora's nose, the Faunus shaking her head.
"There are not many people who would want to meet with us… But Pyrrha might have some ardent fans." Ren said, the woman looking at him and giving what amounted to a bitter smile.
"Well, I suppose that I should no longer keep the two of you in suspense…" Nora knew that she was forgetting something. It blinked into her mind when her eyes fell on those cute ears.
"Wait, are you related to Blake? You've got kitty ears too!" The question took the woman aback for a moment, as she looked at Nora for an instant.
"I was going to tell you who sent me and you ask me whether Blake is related to me? That is a pretty rude question to ask a Faunus." The woman paused, before she fixed Nora with a look that made her feel somewhat guilty for being rude.
"Some people do not enjoy speaking about personal relationships." Nora supposed that it was true. Pyrrha only knew about her and Ren's past due to them confiding into her after Jaune's death. 'I wonder how things would have been if Jaune had survived.'
"I am her mother." That raised her curiosity. She tilted her head, getting off Ren, whose 'oof' as she kneed him in the stomach by accident, went ignored.
"Ooh, you're her mom. I thought that you'd be taller." The woman blinked, raising an eyebrow.
"What you see is what you get, really." The woman posed, even as she smiled. "Now… I should be going in… just a few minutes, but please… Don't mention to anyone that I've been here. My presence is not exactly legal, you might call it that…"
The woman's pleasant smile was enough, even as she spoke such daring words. 'Ooh! A secret mission to get into contact with us? Perhaps… A SECRET SOCIETY, GOVERNING THE WORLD THROUGH THE SHADOWS!' "You're a member of a secret society, aren't you?"
Ren, ever-loving and ever-perfect, spoke, the woman's soft snort dismissing THAT idea. "Wǒ shì wǒ xīn'ài de zhǔrén de dāorèn. Tā yǐndǎo wǒ dùguòle wǒ de shēnghuó, shì wǒ hēi'àn zhōng de guāngmíng." The Mistralian slipped easily from the woman's lips, as she gave a warm smile, taking a deep breath after saying so.
"Xiéxié." The Mistralian for 'Thank you' came from Ren's lips, as he nodded his head in the best way that he could, Nora watching the odd gratitude that she felt.
"I knew that you'd be able to speak it." The woman said, even as she smiled. "Mister Ren, Miss Valkyrie…" The woman paused, looking seriously at them. Nora felt like this was the moment that the woman had been working towards, as she took a deep breath.
"Ja-" The woman froze mid-syllable, as her head turned towards the direction of Vale, an audible cracking sound in her neck that sounded painful. Her facial expression could not be gleaned from the position of her head, yet shadows writhed around her, an intense fear washing over her, as the woman's body stiffened noticeably. "That isn't good… Not good at all..."
Nora could hear the worry in the woman's voice, even as her posture shifted slightly, the look on the woman's face enough. "I should be going." There was an undercurrent of worry in her voice, one that showed that she cared for the mystery man who was the reason that Ren was now radiating happy emotions.
The woman reached inside a pocket and pulled out a small note, handing it to Ren to read. She peered at the note, even as the letters looked squiggly and written by someone whose penmanship was bad.
'Hey guys,
Please come to the warehouse at the docks next to the one that is burnt out. I'll be waiting there around 8 at night. Please, come alone and don't let anyone else know that you're going to meet with me. There's so much I want to tell you, yet...
Oh, Nora: Please don't ride Ursa. They don't really like that. I've told you that before my... departure.
Jaune Arc'
The words were written clumsily and they didn't make much sense… until she read the last part of the note. Nora froze on the spot. Her heart seemed to stop as her eyes looked at the woman, who distractedly gazed in the direction of Vale. "I'll be there to guide you to him… I think."
The woman's head turned to look at the two of them. "If you speak with someone in power here, they WILL hunt him down and kill him. He puts faith in you, trust in you, speaks highly of you… but if you betray it…"
The facemask came down from the face and those eyes stared at her, deep into her core. A primal fear worked its way through her body as she felt her bladder void itself, Ren in a similar state as the shadows wrapped around the woman. "There will be no place on this world to hide… And I will take from you every little shard of happiness that I can…" The woman's voice trailed off as the space that she had occupied before was suddenly empty, no skin-tight leather-clad woman sitting there, only an empty space. Wispy strands of shadow disappeared under the light of the lamp.
"R-Ren?" Her voice was small and tiny, as she looked at him. Searching for guidance, for something… for someone to comfort her. "What… What do we do?" She noticed that the paper from her hands had been taken as well, without her noticing.
His eyes were calm, even as his Semblance washed over her. The fear dissipated, as did all the other emotions, leaving her to feel calmness flood her senses. "We inform Pyrrha…"
He sighed deeply. "And we will go out together tomorrow evening. We leave Viridian here." The doorknob twisted lightly, and Nora became absently aware that they were both still naked, having made a mess of themselves due to that scary moment.
Meeting Pyrrha's eyes, there was no shame in hers as she shook her head, rolling her shoulders and trying to ignore the urine that had leaked down her thigh. The concern in Pyrrha's eyes was visible, asking what had happened. Ren got up as well. "We're heading for a shower, Pyrrha. We'll tell you after we're done cleaning up."
Pyrrha had to know, so… Nora couldn't help herself. "Pyrrha, we've got to... talk about some stuff, tomorrow. We should go out into Vale tomorrow, to talk about... important stuff." The look on Pyrrha's face was surprised, yet Nora could feel Ren tugging on her. 'She'll figure it out when we get there… She's too emotional when it comes to Jaune.'
Seeing her former leader… it made her feel jittery. It made her feel afraid. 'How… How would he handle things?' She could see his smiling face before her eyes, looking at her with that warm expression that brimmed with confidence. The blue eyes that pierced right through her, the short blonde hair that framed the features… 'What happened to him? If he wants secrecy… something horrible must have happened.'
She returned after getting clean in their personal shower to see Pyrrha already busy with the mattress' cover, the plastic having stopped most of the liquid from penetrating the depths of the mattress. "I tried my best…" She said, her cheeks a little red. "I mean, if you really are…"
The radiant blush on her cheeks that came afterwards made Nora SURE that Pyrrha had misunderstood something, yet she couldn't be bothered right now with finding out what... or WHY Pyrrha was looking at Ren like that. "Tomorrow… let's go as team JNPR, alright?" She tried to hint, Pyrrha nodding, a smile on her face.
"That'll be grand." The young woman who was their leader-in-name-only said.
The calculation (Sage Aaron Arc)
He could feel another day pass, even as the guards brought him his food. Nearly a week had gone by with little input from the councillor, who had been distant, as she should have been during the proceedings. He was well aware of the difficulty that would be facing anyone who would dare think that they would be able to strike a blow against the Arc family, his daughters trained well in the ways of the Huntsman, the eldest pair officially a part of the Order.
"You are being misled, Mister Arc." The voice of the councillor reached his ears once more, bringing with it the familiar disdain that he felt, as the woman looked at him through the screen that had been installed in order to communicate with him.
He was in a different cell block now, one which held people who the world should not often see the sign of. "I am as I am." The cold cool logic inside his mind already had frozen his demeanour, as his mind thought briefly of his wife and daughters, undoubtedly pushing forth the agenda that they had been set upon with his disappearance.
"You are not the only one with issues, Mister Arc." The woman's voice was cold, even as the screen flickered, the profiles of his daughters appearing on the screen, their official Huntsman licenses appearing there, with only a marked absence of his son, who had died. 'They do not see the reason for it. Let them wallow in ignorance.'
His wife's face showed little humour on that picture, even though he liked her laugh, during those moments when his emotions returned, his Semblance suppressed by the medication. It was only those moments that he cherished, his wife's face staring back at him. "Their licenses can be revoked. It takes but one daughter, Mister Arc." The eldest two were out. Ozpin had spoken to him briefly, even as he had to depart later on.
"My mind is made up. Headmaster Ozpin will ensure that justice is served." The woman sighed, her voice sounding almost fed up with his response.
"Why would he go to such lengths for a mere noble in disgrace, a Huntsman with skill, yet with the lack of knowing when to take a step back. It does not need to be so difficult, Mister Arc." The councillor spoke, yet Sage remained undeterred.
"It would not serve the public any favours if the council intervened." The words were simple and logical. Abuses of power, such as by the emperor of Mistral and the ruler of Mantle, were something that had been enshrined in law to be prevented. A personal vendetta of a councillor would have to be managed well, lest the public catch wind of it.
"It would not, Mister Arc. I still wish to urge you caution... A man in your position might find his options severely limited."The words were a threat, yet he knew well that there was more to it than that. His logical mind immediately assumed the logical stance, the words already bubbling up in his mind, yet he spoke them not.
'It would not serve to call her out on her hypocrisy.' He looked at the woman, even as he closed his eyes, a simple – "Good day, Mister Arc. I will contact you again in due time, to see whether you are more agreeable."
As the fizzling of the screen faded and he was left alone, he could feel the burden on his body shift, even as he continued to move in accordance with his daily regimen, his body moved through the exercises, enough to let him sweat a little. It was no hindrance to him, the washing that he got twice a week enough to take care of things... even if they did use the hose.
'Emerald... I'll be a little longer.' Ozpin was one of the good ones, the seal confirmed that as much as his subtle clues did. With his eyes unclouded, he could see the man's interest, each of his daughters who had graduated bringing with it yet another surge of pride, another blade up against the darkness.
'We do what we must. The world will burn before the d'Arc-Night family forsakes its creed.'
The darkest hour (Jaune Arc)
She pressed him against the wall, her lips against his, a searing kiss that sent the darkness skittering away through his body like worms surging through the ground, her eyes dark and with that needy attitude in her movements. "I love you." She moaned, her voice like the heated kiss of passion that found his lips once more.
"Make love to me…" The need in her voice was there, even as she pulled her dress up, her bared groin visible. 'She'd gone without… of course.' He wondered briefly whether Weiss was as daring as her mother before he dismissed it, his hand seizing her scalp and his lips pressed against hers gently.
"I love you too… But an alley isn't the proper place." She needily made a sound in the back of her throat, as she pressed tighter to him, her eyes covered in a film of need and lust.
"Just a little taste? Please, please?" Her voice sounded like that of a needy woman on her first high, as she licked over his lips. "Like this morning… Hmmhmmm." The woman's hands were already busy, touching and feeling, even as Whitney's gaze absently ran through their surroundings. "I could've sworn…"
He wondered briefly whether Sienna had already returned to their place, knowing that there would no doubt be less time to do something with Whitney if she was, as Sienna often turned up her nose at the thought of seeing such happenings. 'I wonder if she's jealous or something, like Kali keeps hinting…'
Jaune pushed open the door to the room that he shared with his women, walking over to the pack that stood at the side, hearing light footsteps behind him, the feeling of something brushing by him, and spotting Whitney move past him in a moment, getting herself situated on the bed. 'I think a shower might be needed...'
He didn't think much about it, as he looked at her, the smile on her face as accepting as it always was. "Shower?" He felt awkward saying that, yet she nodded.
"Let's get you cleaned up." He thought that he could hear her pant in anticipation already, even as the scent of something familiar came to his nose, his smile even greater as he moved to her, kissing her. That familiar scent faded away, yet... he smelled Whitney. 'Hmm... Maybe Sienna has something that she wears on her clothing? I could've sworn...'
He felt like he a prince (technically he was, but that was neither here nor there) as he led Whitney to the shower, the spray cold at first, yet heating up swiftly. Her moans were loud, yet nobody bothered them, as they should. A brief scan of his surroundings, the emotional load that hung around the hotel a mixture of regret, dark thoughts and such gloomy environs hitting him, the strength that he gained from them not much more than a drop in the ocean... yet it was a trickle.
"I love you." He whispered, a giggle reaching his ear, as Whitney's body pressed against him.
"I'll get ready." She said, taking a step out of the shower, not bothering getting herself a towel. It was alluring, seeing a woman like her step out first, even as he felt the need inside him grow more, the woman already anchored in his heart as one of the pillars.
A thump and a low groan caught his ear, even as he turned to the rack, the towel with which he wiped himself off thrown back onto it. "Whitney?" He called out, opening the door and spotting a set of legs laying there next to the bed. "Are you alright?"
He came closer, a sense of dread welling up inside him for a reason. Summer seemed to be alive with chatter, speaking of dire things, even as her language shifted from normal to the gibberish that seemed ever to be frequent with her. "There is the one, the one, the obsessed one, mommy can't help you, please Jaune, please be good, be a good boy for momma and make her happy. Make momma happy and make her silent, momma hurts, momma pains, oh why are there so many pleasant cookies? Where is my husband? Tai? Where are you?'
Seeing Whitney's body and seeing the blood that leaked from her forehead, his heart was gripped with fear, even as he could feel his heart pump even faster, fear racing through his body as he knelt next to her, about to reach out and touch, until he felt something sharp against his neck.
"Heeyyy Jaune..." Blood turned to ice in his veins, as he recognized the voice immediately, getting up immediately, the blade at his neck invisible and yet... he saw a mass before his eyes shimmer away, a confident set of red eyes with a dash of madness looking down at him, an expression that was enough to make the blood freeze in his veins, the Vitae Tenebris flowing freely as the anger blasted away all sanity.
She was dressed in a similar outfit to her previous one, an additional bandolier of Dust shells ready, her rifle slung over her shoulder, the cocky and confident mad grin on her lips enough, as his body coiled itself into anger, her cleavage seemingly the place where his gaze laid.
"Thought you'd killed me, didn't you... Aww... I'm such a disappointment to poor little daddy..." Her eyes were lacking in sanity, and they seemed to focus on him, as her tongue licked over her lips. "But I'm here now, Jaune... And we'll be here together forever and everrr... Little Ruby is going to join us too, when I track her down... Hmmhmm..." Mad giggles exploded from her mouth, as she looked at him, the tip of the Kopesh still aimed at his sternum.
Rubedo Beornir is back and a threat to Jaune! Team JNPR is going to be reunited... or so they think!
I said there would be a reunion in this chapter... So yeah! Here we have it! Jaune Arc versus Rubedo Beornir!
Next time...
Reunions, Reactions and Regrets! One of the character perspectives will fade from A Grimm Tale forever... because they kick the bucket. They die. Their perspective shan't be revisited.
Mistralian used by Kali -
I am the blade of my beloved master. He guides me through my life and is the light in my darkness.
Leave a review! The next chapter will come on April 5th! Mid-Volume finalé!