Chapter 38: Companionship's bonds
And now, we have the fight between Rubedo Beornir and Jaune Arc... *drum roll* I can say that this will be a chapter full of emotional reunions...
The Ex (Jaune Arc)
She didn't even blink at him once, her eyes staring at him, the weapon at his chest ready to stab. "Get on the bed, little Jauney... It's time for you to get some love." Her eyes were crimson like the blood that welled up whenever she had her way, the anger inside him untamed, his expression saying as much. "Good eyes... Rubedo likes them."
'Who the fuck is Rubedo?' He asked himself, as he made his way towards the bed. She was in a perfect position to hurt Whitney, who was unconscious or... worse, the feeling of something else burning inside him, even as he got onto the bed. 'Whenever I can...'
He could feel Summer yowling inside him like a cat, like some maddened creature, speaking and swearing, cussing and pleading, even as he got on the bed and the redheaded devil with her blade got on there with him, a smile on her face that would make most young men wonder just where this cute girl came from, even as her head came closer and she sniffed.
"You smell of sex. Good. Good. I'm still a virgin, y'know? Daddy never wanted me to have a boy... Said I was too precious, hee hee." The giggle was enough to make his patience snap, even as his Vitae Tenebris-infused arm was seized and placed against her chest. "Touch me, Jaune." Her voice was aggressive and without pity, his eyes meeting hers.
"With pleasure." He changed the composition, even as he sat there, the fingers turning into claws, tearing right through her flesh and going into her chest cavity, her eyes looking wide with a sudden fear in them, even as she giggled. "Silly little Jaune..."
From his other side, her touch continued. "The real one is over here..." His other hand was seized and gently laid on her chest, round orbs that were at the very least an upper C cup pressing against his hand, as his arm jerked free from the body of Ruby, her eyes blasted of any and all sanity. His fingers made a motion, the staff with the Relic in it flying into his hand.
A wave of energy suffused the room, detecting three presences within the room. He was aware now, as Ruby worked her fingers over his groin, not even being shy about it, that she was hiding somewhere due to some sort of trick, her fingers touching, even as she giggled, mumbling something about... boys? She was still armed, though... armed with a sword.
"End of the line for you, Ruby." His voice was soft, even as he detected the place where she was at, the hand that held the staff with the Relic on it, moving to that direction and then giving a moment for her to reach closer... and then he struck. His Vitae Tenebris-infused hand struck what seemed to be empty air, yet the blood that dripped onto the carpet was real, the look of Ruby Beornir's surprised face as the clawed hand punched right through her chest was enough vindication... Before an idea surfaced. 'It would help...'
"Ruby... It's time for you to pay the price of your sins." He was too far gone to be a hero with an untarnished past. The power of the Relic of Knowledge was too great for most mortals to bear, yet as he did use that power, he could feel the flow of energy between him and her increase, the look of her eyes widening enough, as he pushed.
Arcane symbols wrapped around the space where she stood, lashing around her with energy tendrils, binding her to the spot. A word spoken in the ancient tongue, as he forced Summer out, straight through the impaling limb and straight into that body... trusting that it would work. 'If it works for Pinnacle...'
Loves Lost (Rubedo Beornir)
She didn't understand. Why would he not love her? Daddy said that any boy who could defeat him would love her. He had said so many times, even though his body was but dead meat and Emmie and her girlfriend were being mean. She only had herself in this world and now... now her boyfriend had came back!
She was so happy when she had seen him with that uppity-looking blonde tart, who held hands with him and took a shower with him. With her own capacities, she was well-aware of the skills needed to enter a room without any sort of issue, her Semblance working perfectly to shroud her from the perception of everything.
'Why are you hurting me, Jaune? Don't you want to be my daddy? Don't you want to be my husband? Why do you hurt me?' It was a strange love in her heart, even as she heard from little Ruby about the way that her best friend had been taken from her. The girl had to be tamed, had to be made into the perfect little pet so that she could be reunited with her friend...
'Little Ruby would be great with a nice bow around her neck and those cute eyes looking so much like mommy... Mommy, where is mommy? Mommy?' A light touch of something in the very depths of her soul, even as some sort of presence filled it, a warmth that seemed to bring with it some sort of... presence. "Mama is here, little Ruby..."
"Mama..." She uttered, looking at the angry hateful face of her boyfriend, who was forcing mama into her. It wasn't something that hurt... well, it actually did, but it was a good hurt. The good hurt that she would give to little Ruby when she finally snagged her, when she finally offered her to her boyfriend and husband and cutest ever blonde fucker... Ooh, this just turned her on. "Mama, I love you. Mama, you saved me when I was weak."
She was talking nonsense now, as she did, her eyes watching, as her lover and most perfect man looked at her, his eyes as red as the colour that had given her name truth. "Mama is going to take over... Hush little Ruby... Sleep tight..."
She felt so sleepy... She felt so tired, even as she looked at her beloved Jaune. "I love you, Jaune... You're the best man in the wo-..." Her head hit the ground, even as mama took over.
The moment when she had seen the dual swords wielding woman walk through the camp, her body untouched, like some pristine little angel, she had wanted to call out to her, to ask her where her boyfriend was. Her boyfriends never lasted long, and the woman seemed to know a lot about where her boyfriend might be.
As she watched her boyfriend deal with her older sister Topaz, a smile came to her lips, even as she hid further into the darkness, the shadows working around her to hide her, even though she knew they could not see her. There was less blood in the shadows too, a good thing... She didn't like the blood much on her body. It was icky and best left for her play-buddies. They always screamed so loudly, making her so happy.
She was going to be the bestest girlfriend EVER. He was strong... Yes, he was so strong that it made her little engine below kick up... strong strong strong strong strong strong... the perfect partner, yes... She was going to take care of him, yes... but she had to get out now. Emmie would know where her boyfriend was... yes, she knew Emmie, they knew Emmie... they weren't the bad guys, nope.
Emmie had screamed when she had first seized her. Of course, that was because she had snuck up on her. Emmie was all dressed up. She didn't like that. She didn't like the cool lady who was Emmie's girlfriend. Why does Emmie like the girls who are crazy? Ruby wasn't crazy, nope... Ruby wasn't crazy at all. Ruby LOVED her toys.
It was sleepy time now... sleepy time for the Rubedo. Yes... mama is here. Mama will make sure that everything goes good for little Rubedo... Yes...
Mommy would love her...
Mother loves Ruby (Summer Rose)
She felt the soul as she was pushed into the body through the darkness. It was like a vile sludge that was pushed aside to force her in. One moment, she was gazing at the young woman, the next she was forced into the woman, her perspective changing, as the soul brushed against her. Damaged and cold, with a dash of heat and madness... something that she understood.
The girl called out for her mother... and she was here. It was not her biological daughter, yet she could feel the need within that voice for a mother... a loving mother to care for her. The feeling was alien to her, the Mission already the primary objective.
"Mama is here." She whispered to the frightened soul, even as the darkness that had come with her restructured the body. There was Summer Rose now, the owner of this body. There was just Summer… and a shred of the soul of the young girl called Rubedo Beornir.
She moaned about loving her mama… and Summer found that to be perfect. 'I won't mistreat your body…' She could see the angry look on Jaune's face as he did what he did, his eyes burning with that foul malevolence, even as her face changed, the structure assumed of Summer Rose. 'I am in control...'
"Mama is going to take over..." She whispered to the soul of the frightened girl, the love that she held for Jaune touching her. 'A cute girl who loves in a strange way...' She knew that she was doing things wrong, actually accepting the love that she saw within that soul... the wayward love for a mother who had been gone for years upon years. "Hush little Ruby... Sleep tight."
The consciousness of the soul shuddered, before it slowly sank into slumber. She looked up at Jaune, a bright smile on her lips, his face showing clearly that he was relieved. "Are you okay, Summer?"
She stretched slightly, even as his hand withdrew, the writhing darkness that it composed pushed back into an arm, his eyes looking over her body and checking for any damages. "Oh yes..." She said, her voice sounding a touch lower, like Rubedo's. Her hands slid over her body, finding the clothing that she had retrieved from her home back on Patch. It was a surprise... and she knew that she probably had done something to the body of the girl.
"Is... Is it okay if I let her out sometime?" The look on his face was angry, as he looked at her with rage and frustration. The shadows pulsed and Kali came out, her face looking grave.
"What happened?" She said, spotting Whitney laying on the floor. Summer shivered, as she tried to imagine what Rubedo looked like... again. The template of Rubedo flickered before her mind and she changed, a flash of light happening and then... she was back in control, Rubedo slumbering deep within her soul, a happy little mumble of 'Love you mommy' coming from her.
"We had a bit of an encounter." Rubedo's voice slipped from her lips, the accent totally Summer when she spoke, even as she looked at herself in the mirror. The core of her eyes seemed to be Silver, yet the outside was completely red. 'That's not good.' The silver faded swiftly, leaving only red pools. The hole in her outfit though... That wasn't so easily fixed.
"She's the girl who gave me my scars." Jaune clarified, even as he seemed to control his temper. The sudden switch between bodies had given her new skills. She knew how to make Dust bombs and Dust rounds, roughshod construction of them and to make do with the additional bits in order to furnish special ammunition, knowledge that she had not had before. 'She really did love Jaune... In her own twisted way.'
"She's asleep now... I think."She could think clearly again now. There was no haze inside her that seemed to bring her to the level of someone unfit for duty, her mind as clear as a mirror once more. "Whatever you did..."
The look on Kali's face was still serious, as she helped Whitney up onto the bed with the aid of Jaune, whose face had changed to concern. He looked at Whitney, who laid there, the wound on her head closing swiftly as his Aura pumped through her system. The woman woke, only to look at her with annoyance. "And who are you?"
The irritation in her voice was enough, yet she did not attack. She looked at Jaune with questioning eyes, watching him for any sign. "The girl who scarred my back." He said, with not a single hint of doubt in his voice. The angry eyes met her again, even as Summer smiled.
"Now you can call me Summer! Hiiii!" She was enthusiastic, even as she looked down and checked herself out. 'I will need some new lingerie for my boobies. They're a size bigger than mine... So, shopping!'
"You've... done something to her?" Jaune looked embarrassed, as if it were something that was a shameful thing.
"You're not supposed to force two souls together. The dangers of that are known to be horrible. You could explode if you do it wrong... Or you could just be the recipient of both souls." She thought that he would be aware of things, yet she knew well that he would not be. Shifting back into Summer Rose, she enjoyed the feeling of having some freedom of movement, even though the tits were very strained against her dress. 'A size bigger is definitely required... Whatever he did... It made them bigger.'
"Hey, Jaune?" She said, his head turning to her, a kiss delivered to his cheek. "Thank you. I feel better than I've felt before." The feeling of lust and love for him was not banished so easily, even with his body twitching and turning, his eyes locked with hers, as she felt that warm expression rocket through her body. 'You're not going to abandon the mission...'
It was the others who were interested in him. The Mission was more important than anything else... and he was one of those who had to be slain. The heresy that he committed towards the natural state of things...
'Am I...' she could feel her heart throb, her eyes looking at him, smelling his scent. The yearning and the craving, the flushing of her nethers with need, even as she could remember the faint touches of Rubedo still remaining, of the times when she had needed to flush the release... 'Am I...'
"That's good." He said, even as he sat down on the bed, wrapping an arm around Whitney. Summer could see the look on the woman's face change, even as she felt his emotions. 'Semblance... Yes, it is Rubedo's Semblance that I can possibly use...'
She felt her Aura brush over her body, the beat of her heart empowering herself, even as her blades flickered into her hands with a swift motion, a dance of blades started, stabbing and slashing, twisting and moving. Her body was like a peak efficiency machine, moving without the slowness of age... and probably feeling younger now too. 'I feel like I'm twenty again...'
The body that belonged to Rubedo was enhanced with herself... and it had the effect of allowing her to move even better than the body that had been crafted solely from the darkness. Her eyes flickered to Jaune and their silver light blasted over the three that were present, Jaune shrinking back, even as Whitney and Kali's gazes levelled an angry glare at her. 'They don't like that much...'
"Alright, don't do that again. That flashlight hurts..." Jaune said, his emotions calmer now, even as she could feel within her that dark little speckle of wickedness that came with the transfer of her soul towards this body.
"I'll do better... oh, Jaune?" The door opened up and Sienna appeared, her breathing heavy, her weapon ready, as she looked at them, fixing her with a look that showed her irritation.
"You finally made your way back, didn't you? What happened?" She was not going to be some sort of shill for the woman, as she scoffed.
"Could you stop feeling so angry, Jaune?" Sienna's voice was irritated, as she switched her attention to Jaune, obviously to blame for this. The anger that he had felt had surged through every single connection that he had, the brutal rough rage that warmed her very soul had been something that pulsated along the lines of connection with his followers...
"I encountered an old friend." He said, even as he began to rub his head, obviously still irritated from the pain that she'd caused him by testing out her skills. "She was made into the body for Summer."
"Technically, she's asleep. The poor girl... She thinks you love her." It was genuine pity that she felt, even as his eyes looked at her with wicked anger, his face showing clearly that frustration burning through him, as he inhaled and exhaled sharply. The one who was in control of these people, these... acolytes, yet not able to control his own emotions.
"She's still in there?" A tone of worry in his voice, even as Sienna grumbled something about chances and such. "I can help with that." The Relic glowed, his hand on the staff.
"No... She can have her value. Mommy loves her... and she loves her mommy." The words were an excuse, as she knew well that there was more to this than mere fancy... that she had let someone in... that she was... lonely.
"She knows Cinder Fall." The look on his face changed, even as he shifted.
"That bitch needs to die." Sienna mumbled, even as she tossed her Dust whip onto the bed, stretching slowly. "She's the one who's inciting Torchwick against the White Fang, telling them to work with him."
"Roman Torchwick? Tall, wears white and has orange hair and weird eyeliner?" Jaune said, Summer not-quite-getting why he was speaking about the man, a short nod from Sienna following.
"We ran into him earlier. Healed his arm, planted something inside of him." Jaune sounded like a villain as he spoke... yet Summer would have done the same, if she could. It was the journey towards the end goal of the Mission... And she would make sure that the Mission would be completed. 'Nothing like the burdens we share, little one...'
"This is either some rotten coincidence, or you're planning stuff..." Sienna said, her tone suspicious. Summer knew that Jaune did not plan many things. Fate just seemed to have it in for him, be it for good or be it for bad. 'It is probably due to his powers...'
"He had some of the same stuff as you in his body. Insurance, from Fall. I simply changed the terms of the deal." A smile on his face, one that made her heart thump faster and her breath pick up. It was attractive, in a certain way, as he shifted his weight slightly to the left. "But... I'm not going to ruin him like Fall would... No..." The smile on his face was enough.
"The grand plan from Her is to ruin Vale out of a desire to harm the Great Wizard and his plans... I know some of her thoughts on the subject. She's been trying this for years..." The look on his face was one of openness, without the guile that she had come to suspect from him, her mind oddly quiet, as she looked at him. "Not with much success, as the Great Wizard has his pawns."
The look on his face was enough to caution her, her mind whirring through the memories that she had of Ozpin. 'Is there something I missed? Something...'
She could feel the burning in the back of her mind, the instincts that had long-since been aware of the changes to the body that she currently inhabited, the soul of Rubedo Beornir still present within... yet she was not going to give up. "Jaune? You were offering knowledge, right?"
It had come to be the subject of a discussion a few times about the Relic's uses. There was so much information stored within the Relic that it was enough to blight the mind of someone with the portents of doom three-hundred times over... If the wrong question was asked.
He had a complicated expression on his face. "One question, yes." He said, his voice sounding hesitant, as if he did not trust her fully. She would not trust him fully either... He was still one of the targets, one of the people that had to be quelled for the peace of Remnant. The Mission was still paramount to everything else, even the bonds of family...
'My family...' There was the question, the nagging doubts within her mind, as she wondered how Ruby's progress was going. 'Knowledge of family or the knowledge on how to gain an edge over the Grimm...' A tricky question, one that had no real answer from her mind yet.
"I'd like to ask..." 'I can combine the two... My legacy will not be limited to Raven...' The legacy was important, as the creed had spoken of. Within this new body, she would be able to do the same manoeuvres as she had been able to execute whilst still possessing all limbs. "Well, my daughters." Yang and Ruby were her daughters, yet she had hardly known them. She had been gone too much, too long.
He looked for a long while at her, though it lasted only slightly longer than a minute, before he solemnly nodded. "As I am a man of my word..." He said, his voice sounding full of hesitation, even as he handed the staff with the Relic over to her.
"I wish to know about my children." The glow of the Relic wrapped around her, fragments of the question bouncing around like a fog of thought and spirit, wrapping around her, brushing through her hair, the feeling of lightness entering her head, as a rush pushed through her veins, the Relic processing the question.
Knowledge rushed in.
The moment of knowledge (Jaune Arc)
He watched as Summer Rose seemed to pause for a moment, the shards of knowledge wrapping around her, as her face rapidly changed from the healthy face of a woman in her prime to something that was like a pale mask that one wore on the night of the Hallows, when the ghouls and ghosts supposedly roamed the land. Her eyes were wide, even as the Relic's information tether wrapped around her, a sensation going through the air that was just wrong.
"By the gods..." Her voice was frail, even as she threw herself in the direction of the toilet, the sound of throwing up coming from that direction, even with Kali and Sienna sharing a look, before looking at the staff, which had fallen to the ground after she had dashed for the toilet.
"Do you think it was something she ate?" Kali mumbled, her eyes meeting his own. It was only the faint emotion that he could sense from Summer, disturbed and full of what seemed to be anger and rage, terror and something else that could be madness. It was an unpleasant blend, blasted in every direction. Grimm bait that would draw them in... if they were present.
"Jaune... What did you do?" Whitney asked him, her face looking concerned. 'I didn't do a thing. She asked the question about her daughter and then poof... bam. Sick Summer.' The woman had asked for his staff for the knowledge Relic, and he had thought for a moment that she meant ill, yet the spark of something of an emotion inside her nevertheless worked on him, leaving him to feel the backlash through the connection that he shared with the others.
"Nothing, I swear. She just channelled through the Relic and then... poof." He couldn't explain it any other way, even as the suspicious look that Whitney gave him was there, though he could sense that she was more jealous than anything else. "It might be residual feedback..."
Summer emerged, noticeably pale. "I'm good. Nothing's wrong with the grand and imposing Summer Rose!" The woman's mannerisms did not soothe his worries, even as she sat herself down on one of the beds, a distant look on her face, as she looked down, a melancholic expression on her face.
"Can I... Can I ask another question?" He knew that he would have to give her the Relic again if she were to ask another question. "The answer wasn't complete, you see... It just... it just gave me the physical statistics." That made sense, the women in the room sans Summer nodding as one. There were things about the human body that were distasteful and gross, not pleasant to know of about your own daughter.
He held out the staff with the Relic tipping its head, watching Summer take the head and then close her eyes. "I want to know what happened to my daughters." The look on her face was placid for a moment, before those silver eyes opened wide as her hands tried to pull away from the Relic.
"No, no-nonononononononononononononononononono-"
Her emotional state turned from relatively stable into instability, emotions raging over her mindscape, like a physical lash that hurt his mind, the others watching, even as Summer Rose tried to jerk her hands away from the Relic.
"No, please, no, please..."The pleading was there, even as the hands moved from the Relic, a blue bolt of lightning hitting Summer in the chest, the woman heavily crashing into the wall, a sizzling smell of bacon and flesh there, even as the hands were burned and seared heavily due to the contact with the Relic. 'What did she ask?'
Those silver eyes were empty as they stared at him, her whole mental state a blank slate, even as he watched her carefully, not a single bubble of emotion coming from the placid state of her mind. 'Did she lobotomize herself?'
It wasn't unheard of to see someone get mind-blasted with more information than they could process, the pain enough to drive lesser creatures mad... yet Summer was made of sterner stuff. "Call... Raven. Please?" The whimpering voice was enough to draw his attention, even as Summer seemed to twitch and whimper, tears leaking from her eyes. "I need Rae... Rae, where are you?" Her voice was almost child-like, his hand searching for the bead that could be summoning Raven to them. He crushed it without a word, the portal appearing in the air beside him, Raven stepping through.
"Raven... you're here." A watery smile appeared on Summer's face, even as the Branwen Bandit Chieftain straightened out. "Take me... take me away for a bit. I need to think, I need to... Which one?" She shuddered, even as she crawled forward, Raven bending down to pull her up.
"There there... I'll get you something nice to eat and something else... You'll be fine, Summer." The woman's voice was gentle, like a caring mother should have, and yet there was still the difficulty that arose with her nature, as a bandit as cruel as she was. "I'll bring her back safe and sound... Don't worry."
"Watch out for the girl that she's currently loaning the body of. Her name is Ruby Beornir." The gritting of Raven's teeth was enough of a clue that it was not a pleasant thought, yet the woman nodded.
"I'll do what I must. They would not stage a mutiny whilst I tell them to stay away from the woman." A harsh nature, but one necessary to survive in the wilds. The blood-lust of most bandits was brought on by their harsh conditions of life, thus letting their behaviour escalate. 'She is hard like steel, yet she owes me...'
As Raven and Summer departed, he allowed himself a look at his women, who looked at ease, Whitney still brushing over the back of her head. "Are you alright, Whitney?"
She smiled softly, as her eyes warmed to him. It was one of the traits about her that he appreciated the most, the desire that she held to make sure that he was comfortable and happy around her. 'I don't deserve such a woman.' "Of course, Jaune."
"So... Eh, can I give a report of how I've found them?" Kali piped up, her smile warmer, as she shifted into an easier spot on the bed, her legs pulled up and her arms wrapped around them, her chin resting on her knees.
"My team?" Kali's frown was enough to clue him in that she did not like that title being added to his team members, and he supposed that he should not be calling them 'his team' right as of this moment. They were in the past... and now he was with these three women, all of them tainted with a strand of the Vitae Tenebris, some empowered moreso than others.
Whitney had been lucky to survive being hit in the head, something that he supposed was only made easier by Ruby's... well... insane obsession. He didn't know what to feel about the girl and him. In a way, he felt pity, knowing that she was as mutilated as he was in spirit as he was in body... yet he could also feel the anger within him rising still that she had gotten away with treating him like that... that she had gotten off scot-free.
"We're your team now, silly." She said, even as she leaned forward. Her eyes were warmer, as her fingers slid the zipper down. Her breasts bounced once, before they ceased, her fingers pulling the outfit off a moment later. "And..." She skipped forward, her hands resting on his shoulders, pushing him down so that he was flat on the bed. "I really like you." She smiled, leaning close and then nosing him gently, her nose against his own. He could smell a strange smell of... nothing, and then something else, the scent that usually hung around her, her body rubbing against his own.
"I caught your friend Ren and his girlfriend Nora fucking." He blushed, even though he was regularly doing the same with Whitney, who was more voracious than ever these past few days. "Soo... I helped a little. You don't mind, do you? I gave her one of those little soul-scorchers of an orgasm. Girl really likes to unwind a bit..." He tilted his head to the side, mimicking Kali as she often did, her ears twitching lightly, as she smiled at him. "So... Eh, they got your note. They'll be bringing the Nikos girl with them as well."
"Did I... Did I do an alright job? I mean, not to intrude and such, but they were fucking and they weren't going to stop easy, so..." He placed a finger on her lips, silencing the torrent of words, her insecurity showing through in her actions.
"You did great." Her face brightened up immediately, a glint of something in those eyes that had shown so many different emotions, the glint that reeked of desperation replaced with something that seemed to be full of hope. "I'm sure things will go well." Her head nodded, her serious face appearing once more.
"You should... be prepared, you know." She cautioned, her eyes shiftily looking around. "There could be dangers afoot. Just us three won't work... well, not directly. I can kill them. I promised I would, if they betrayed you. I don't let my precious ones be betrayed." The mumbling whispers seemed to intensify. Her eyes seemed to shift towards him and then to Whitney, a sudden look of fragility.
"It'll be okay. They're my friends." He said, full of confidence that they would not betray him. That is what a team was, right? They would never betray one of their own. Kali's eyes looked at him, before she sniffed. "Get back under the shower you two." She indicated Whitney and himself. "You reek of blood and sweat… It's not really good."
He laughed, awkwardly. His own actions in breaking Ruby's soul was enough to make him break out in a sweat, Whitney's look at him like an enticement, her finger curling towards him. "I'll be good, I'll be good."
The woman got up, her steps without any hurry, even as she hugged him. "Very good. Let's take that shower." He could see that Whitney gave Kali a friendly look, as if thanking her for the opportunity that she was given.
She guided him back into the shower, even as he felt the warm muggy air hit him, the knowledge that it'd only been like half an hour since Ruby had pushed herself back into his life… 'Time runs too fast for me to keep up…'
He felt Whitney press him against the shower wall, her body pressed against him, her bare chest rubbing up and down, nipples like two steel-like nubs, her eyes burning with what seemed to be an enticing offer, even with her eyes looking at him like he held the truths to the world locked inside him. 'She looks dangerous…'
"I love you." Her voice was soft, as her tongue brushed over her lips, her eyes locked with his own. "I would gladly die for you."
It was enough to cause him to react to her, his whole body feeling hotter now that she had said such a thing. His eyes glinted, as he felt her touch. "I don't want to lose you." He said, his emotions rushing, even as she pressed against him, a bittersweet smile on her lips. "When she appeared.."
"Hush." She said, as she embraced him, her smaller stature brushing against his own. She was not going for their usual coupling, just lingering there in his embrace, her eyes meeting with his own and keeping there, a low groan coming from her lips, even as she kissed him. "No matter what, we're all here for you."
She looked up at him, her smile turning hopeful. "Even if you do bad things... Even if you are hurt, we will make sure to fix you right up again." Her eyes were brighter now, as if the hurt that'd befallen her had not been something that had occurred, the blood slowly washing out of her hair.
"Summer is with the girl now... Do you think that you can contain your anger?" He knew that he had sinned against the world with taking Summer and forcing her into the corporeal body of Ruby. The bandit had mounted a sneak attack, had acted... weird. It was not something that he would have done, he might've... made some changes, if he had the ability to. 'A crime against nature... a person with two souls...'
Ruby would be kept under Summer's control. The woman's madness was destabilizing her mind and such, there was a certain poetry in the body that he had taken from Ruby to make it so. It was more of a guess that he made, one of those instants where he gambled upon the power of the Relic.
"Yeah. She's still there, but..." The bindings were complete. Ruby Beornir would not emerge as the dominant soul unless he gave her permission to do so. He was the one in control, the one who was able to guide her towards the proper life. He was just a man... but he needed allies.
'I need to infuse her with the Vitae Tenebris...' It would be for a later date, he knew. With Summer needing a rest after forcibly taking the body of a young woman, it was only time before she rejoined them again. 'I wonder what she asked about her daughters... But the Relic does have a major issue with information flow.'
"Do you want to fuck her?" Whitney asked, her voice soft, a doubtful sound that emerged from her mouth, a low rumble coming from his mouth at the sensation. Was he going to do such a thing with her, share such intimacy with someone who had hurt him so much? 'Do I want to?'
"No. Summer might've had a chance... But Ruby?" He shook his head, aware that she was looking at him like a guiding light, her expression warm, as she kissed his cheek.
"You still have to fuck Sienna and Kali, Jaune... They go first." Her smile was faint and with its own mannerisms, even as he felt the haze of something surge through him, her whole body tingling in response, as his hand seized her head, tilting it back and giving her a kiss to her lips.
Her eyes were closed, even as she pushed even closer to him. A moment of peace, a moment of tranquillity that had been forged by the way that they had come together, her body still as intact as it had been.
The resolution (Kali Belladonna)
She watched the two go into the shower, the diversionary tactic had worked well for her doing, even with her attention riveted to Sienna, whose face showed not the slightest bit of change, her tongue sliding over her own lips, as she let her gaze slip down. "We're in danger of losing him."
Sienna nodded, her serious look enough for Kali to know that she'd gone into business mode. The former bodyguard knew well when it was time to shift towards the more business-oriented mindset about guarding the target. "He'd have been killed if she went for him first..." The prospect filled her with fear, even as Sienna spoke it so bluntly, the younger woman's ears flat on her head, a sign of her distaste. 'She has changed.'
"We won't let that happen..." Her voice was soft, even as she let her gaze rest on the bathroom where the sounds of the shower came from. "Right?"
"Yeah..." Sienna's thoughtful words were a sign of her distraction, as her attention went to the door. "When he meets his... friends." She paused, a look of conflict coming on her face.
'You still haven't let go of that, have you?' She knew that there was more to be said about that, as she looked at the younger woman's face, twisted in an expression. "It won't be like that." She tried to assure her friend, yet Sienna's eyes met her own. Pitiless and merciless they could be, yet they showed a warmth.
"What if?" She could only hear the faintest of tremors through that voice, even with Sienna's superb control over her own rhythm and volume, her eyes looking down. "It's not that I don't want to, but..."
Kali could understand that. Her husband, lost due to that terrible event... it was all too much. Too much to bother with, too much to ensure that the world kept on going... and then there had been Jaune, a young man who had worked so hard to make sure that he kept them all safe.
She could see White's own look of love and fascination with him, her whole attitude depending on how well he felt... Her own mind already categorizing him as a possession that she had, yet it was something that he had about him. The lure of the darkness was nothing that would be easily explained away, as it was as it was, not a shred of time to be wasted on that, when there was more to go and do in the world. Would one have to murder a Kingdom to gain peace?
'I would, if he needed it. Against his will, if he required it to grow.' It was a dark and terrible love that grew inside her, her heartbeat bumping ever faster, as she had seen his teammates, wrapped together in a simile of herself and Ghira. It was the feeling inside her that did not stop, that made her determined to claim him with her own talents. "Whatever he needs..." She said.
Sienna looked up at her, a puzzled gaze that held so many secrets. "You are right, Sienna. Sometimes, the world does not need peaceful methods in order to advance. You know as well as I do, that we've both been ousted from the organisation... and they have turned to violence." Sienna's eyes were shrouded in those dark emotions, anger and hate emerging from her, even as she took a deep breath.
"I should've been able to do more... Should've known how dangerous it would be, yet I trusted them." The words were only hindsight now, as the events had already occurred. "I saw the signs yet I did nothing." Sienna's gloomy mood seemed to be spreading, as she could make her own assessments as well of the behaviour that they did. 'Menagerie never really reached out to others...'
They could have been a bastion for the Faunus in the world, instead of the cage that it was. 'We could have hired Huntsmen, made ourselves into the fifth Kingdom, if we so desired...' The Faunus were not a people with low population numbers. In the end scheme of things, the Faunus would win out against humanity with sheer numbers, yet the grisly war that would occur would be the death knell to one of the races of Remnant.
"It's no use crying over spilt milk... It's not going to help us any more in assisting him." Her gaze went to the shower, where the soft conversation continued between White and Jaune, the soft affirmation of their appreciation and love. 'Look at me, as old as I am, thinking about a young man.'
"If his team members act erratic... Take care of them quietly, alright?" Sienna said, her voice soft, as her orange eyes glinted with the feelings that she felt, a discordant manner. "The bodies we can dispose of with a few chemicals... I can probably get my hands on them if I need to."
A plan that was solid, from all sides. If they made any sign of becoming a turncoat for the wrong side... they would be corpses in the future. Jaune might not like it, yet Kali and Sienna had been through enough politics to know that loose ends got someone killed... ´Forgive us...'
"He could give them his gift..." Kali offered, even as Sienna frowned. "It worked with me, did it not?" Kali never had really said 'thank you' for that, to her own recollection. There were of course the mere formalities, yet she had not shared herself with him in the manner of thank you that could be expected of a woman towards a man.
"We will need training... We've only got a few skills." Even that was more than the other people had, who only relied on their Aura. Sienna was in her advanced form a beast that moved with grace, the Dust-whip like a viper striking out. With a few more things under her belt, she would be a front-line beast, ravaging and maiming whatever came in her path.
"I am going to ask him for the ability to ensure that I have backup around me at all times." Sienna said, her eyes looking shiftily, as she began to run a hand through her hair, which had grown longer ever since she had gone on this endeavour. 'Backup would not be a bad thing... My Semblance allows me to use my shadows in different ways...' "You should ask him for an enhancement to that fear thing you do."
'It is NOT a fear thing... It's more of a fear aura? Terror aura? Well, look at me, terrorizing innocents... Ghira would have thrown a fit.' Ghira would have, yet Jaune would not. He knew the stakes of the game they played with the world. "I'll consider it. You should be aware that you'll be fighting on the front line first." Sienna nodded, her eyes grimly staring at the bloodied spot on the ground, her hands going for her side, before she shrugged.
"I just want to make amends..." She said, her voice small. "You know what happened. The guilt that I feel still is..."
Kali wrapped an arm around her friend's shoulder. "It'll be fine, Sienna." Her fingers brushed over the woman's back, as she sighed deeply. "It's not going to go away. They blamed you, yes... But think on the happy days. I think of the good days with Ghira as well."
'Guilty eyes, looking at me for guidance. She doesn't know why they denied her a chance to make amends. The response was hostile, without empathy for her own feelings.' The burden on Sienna's shoulder was heavy, as she sought out the families of those who died under her command, to at least apologize in person for their death, be it through military action or not. 'The weight is crushing... Ghira never could stomach it.'
Her husband had been a good administrator, with a decent capacity for giving a speech. Privately, she rewrote a lot of his speeches, to make them able to seize the attention of the audience. She never let on that she did so, and he was often too nervous to readily read the speeches beforehand, so he often just read what was written down. His handwriting had been easy to copy down, a little skill that she'd cultivated after observing people.
"You don't know what it's like, Kali. I feel so close to him, yet my mind keeps on telling me that he is going to use me... To make him my lover, to let him own my soul... and I find myself afraid that I am going to let him, to break..." Kali rubbed over her friend's shoulder, pulling her close.
"You're not going to break, Sienna. You're going to be Sienna Khan, friend of Jaune. I'm up next on the love-train... and I'll treat him to the right amount of love that he needs." She paused, knowing that her friend was conflicted. "And when you feel ready..."
She ignored the feeling of Sienna trying to push away, a struggling little kitten that knew not its mother's wisdom. "When you feel ready, we'll take him on together, alright? I've got a White Fang mask here... And how about we involve some restraints, hmmm?" Sienna blushed, even as her breathing grew a little heavier, the idea obviously catching ground inside her mind.
"But..." Sienna said, even as Kali's finger placed itself on her lips.
"But nothing... It's not going to be a bother to me or to you. You deserve a little bit of happiness in your life as well, Sienna." Her voice was motherly, the soft sound of Sienna's sniffle like a match to the dry tinder of her life. "Come on, little tiger... Is that the Sisi that we know and love?"
Sienna stiffened, as the nickname hung in the air, before she sighed. "I guess..." The full-on hug was warm, as the woman held her close. "I'm going to be fucking humans."
"And they will love you as much as you love them." The understanding was full between the two of them, even with the sudden sensation inside her mind working. "We've got to go to that Mountain Glenn place soon, I reckon... Jaune was told about that place... So I think we should go and make sure that we get there safely."
"First things first... The teammates. Two of them are Mistrali, right?" Sienna asked, Kali nodding in the affirmative. "Impress upon them their duty. They may not be as friendly as they can be to us, but if they appreciate Jaune out of a friendly manner..." Sienna knew people better than Kali did, in a political fashion. The young Bengal Tiger Faunus was someone who knew where to strike if it benefited her, and usually pegged them right.
"Ah, I took some pictures." The Scroll was taken out of the pocket, the unzipping casually done, Sienna barely blushing at the sight, yet the eyes were curious as she looked at the students of Beacon that were captured on the device.
"Hmm..." A curious tone of voice she used, as she took a deep breath, readying herself for what was to come eventually.
The burdens (Ruby Rose)
"Are you SURE that Ruby isn't here?" She asked the surly-looking sister, whose green hair rustled lightly in the stream of air that came from the hair dryer, her eyes looking drowsily. "We were supposed to go into Vale…"
"Haven't seen her. She goes off on her own sometimes, now scram, kid." The surly sister no doubt had a bad case of morning wake-up issues if her attitude made some sense. Ruby could see the team leader currently in the process of waking up, wearing something that totally should not be allowed to be worn to bed. It showed so much skin and… 'Is that a nipple?'
Ruby Rose would have none of that! Even after the crashing of that thief Torchwick's heist of the mecha, she would not allow herself to sink into depravity. 'Emerald is really lucky to have a girlfriend like that…' "Have a good day!" She smiled, only to find the door slammed into her face, leaving her standing there with a slight daze.
"Alright... Now to go to that meeting..." She knew that she was getting a little late, but Ruby Rose preferred to show up on time to any meeting! Her semblance blurred the area around her, passing by several of the students, the rose petals that dissipated upon hitting the ground adding the neatest effect to it. 'I wonder what the professor wants from us... She looked pretty annoyed with us when we came back.'
"Eh, Professor?" She inquired from behind the door. The message that had been sent to their scroll by Professor Goodwitch had stated that all team members of team RWBY had to be present, so now it was all of them together. She wondered briefly whether there would be something that would last, maybe more sessions that would have to be scheduled... The issue with Blake and Yang was something that she knew herself to be a factor...
"Come in, Miss Rose." The voice of their combat studies professor was there, and she opened the door to see the members of her team already seated on three out of the four chairs, the counsellor looking imposing behind his desk, Professor Goodwitch already looking like she wanted to personally bend them over her knee and give them something to lose their ability to sit for a day or something.
"Take a seat. We're all friends here." The man's manner was enough, and she noticed that Professor Peach was sitting casually on the sofa, her feet drawn up, the scarred face looking at the proceedings. She sat herself down, her cloak moved a little to flow down the seat's edge, to better allow her to sit.
"Imagine my surprise when I tuned in on the news to find the four of you swinging through the city, fighting military hardware." The woman spoke up first, her blonde hair done up in that manner that showed professionalism, her green eyes meeting with each of them. "Public message boards, speculating about your presence, from being a team of Huntsmen to mere career criminals, fighting against the Atlesian assistance. The Headmaster is forgiving... Yet I am not." The woman shifted, Ruby noticing that those eyes were emotional, with a hint of something.
"Any other academy would throw the four of you out." The counsellor said, as he looked at the four of them, his eyes looking with some sort of distant gaze, as if he were seeing something that interested him, instead of four people. "A misfit Faunus, trying her best to remain in the graces of her lover. A young woman, abandoned by her mother, trying to find solace. A young singer, burdened with the weight of her own family. A teenaged prodigy, fifteen years of age yet stupid enough to actually sign off on the order to go and fight a known criminal."
"Hey!" She said, his comment about her being stupid not sitting well with her. She looked at the man, whose face was as placid as a lake, his eyes looking right at her. "I'm not stupid, alright? He was a bad man, so he had to be fought to make the world a better place!"
"You are VERY lucky, miss Rose, that you did not get maimed. Military hardware is military for a reason." Professor Goodwitch spoke up, pulling a folder from somewhere, opening it up with her Semblance and pictures hung in the air. "Without your Aura, you would have been made into minced meat. Huntsmen are not immortal, Miss Rose. Given the circumstances that you have been in, it can be excused to know not the difference once, given the Docks affair where your sister was injured, but twice?"
Ruby could see Yang's head lower lightly, her gaze complicated. "But Professor Goodwitch, I don't know-" The woman hissed.
"You don't know whether you will all make it out alive, girl." The woman's famous cool was broken, as her eyes looked at her. "You are only fifteen, you should have been given plenty of preparation before you would even be facing anything of the sort. Your sister should protect you from the wild world, as I have stated multiple times to Headmaster Ozpin." The woman's voice was heard by all of them, Yang seemingly drawn into a darker mood by those words.
"You may have gotten in via his graces, yet you are still blissfully ignorant of what it is like to lead a team. Though my hands are bound on that subject, I would still rather see you grow into your role as a protector of humanity naturally, than to have to write your father a letter telling him why both of his daughters were ground into a paste along the road of a Valean highway." The woman's breathing was heavier, the glasses on her nose trembling slightly, and Ruby could feel emotions welling up inside her.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to..." She started, as Professor Goodwitch continued.
"No, you did not mean to, but I would have thought that you at least would be responsible enough to curtail your team members from acting like they have had their intelligence sunken into the gutter." The woman's attention shifted to Weiss then, Ruby getting the image that the woman was just preparing herself for the next verbal attack.
"And you, Miss Schnee. Do I even need to state just moronic it is to not stymie your team leader in her behaviour if she is not thinking of the well-being of the team? Chasing after a known criminal, one who has extensive experience with law enforcement as well as Huntsmen... I had thought better of you." The woman's voice showed her disappointment, even as Weiss took a deep breath.
"It was a gamble, yes. We survived it, through our team leader's direction." The answer was not what the woman was looking for, the glare increasing in potency.
"Miss Schnee... If dreams and wishes were able to become reality, humanity would be in a much darker place." The woman's voice was soft, even as she turned her gaze to Blake, her mouth opening and then shutting. A stricter gaze was levelled at Blake, the woman obviously having made her mind up about something. "I am recommending you for immediate removal from team RWBY and institutionalizing you in the VMW."
'What's the VMW?' Ruby asked, even as Blake gasped, her eyes looking up. "They'll kill me." The fear in her voice was real, even as the professor's eyes locked with her own. They were hard, devoid of the emotions of kindness, even as the counsellor held up his hand.
"Glynda, whilst you may be right to recommend her for a short stay in the Vale Mental Ward, I would suggest against it. Blake is not a liability to Team RWBY." The man's words were met with a glare from the woman.
"She is at least a S14! The standards are there for a reason and I will not budge on my recommendation." The counsellor showed clearly that he was not too pleased with that answer, his eyes looking at their faces, Ruby catching the concern in his eyes. "I have already made the preliminary forms ready to be signed."
"Aside from obsession and clinical dependence on her team, there is nothing wrong with Blake Belladonna. I will vouch for her." The man said, Ruby feeling her heart beat a little faster, the man's eyes meeting with hers for a moment, as he seemed to contemplate something.
Professor Goodwitch's face seemed torn, even as she sighed. "You better know what you're doing. It's your career in the firing line." The woman's attention turned to Yang, her eyes narrowing, anger seemingly welling up once more.
"You should do your best to keep your team safe. Your habit of just going off half-cocked with not a thought for the results would get someone killed out in the field." The woman's critique hit Yang hard, not a single shred of her bluster and bravado to be seen, her confidence tanking. "But you at least make an effort to keep your partner safe." Blake seemed to shift uneasily at that, her eyes looking at them.
"I'm going to take over from you here, Glynda. Please... go and inform the headmaster that I will be taking care of team RWBY by myself." The woman looked at him before she nodded.
"Peter would have words for them that were far harsher." Ruby couldn't imagine that their Grimm Studies professor would have a harsh word to say about something like that himself, yet she did not think that the man would be able to keep them from falling asleep.
"He's an old dog... He knows how to moderate his tone. He did promise to treat us to dinner once, right?" The combat professor sighed, as she rubbed the bridge of her nose, pushing her glasses up. The pictures of mutilated bodies were put back into the folder and then tucked under an arm once more.
As Professor Goodwitch departed and the door was shut, the teacher looked at them. "Was it worth it?" He asked, his voice sounding genuinely regretful that he had to speak like this.
"We defeated Torchwick, nearly. He didn't make the world more dangerous, right? We stopped the robot." The man sighed deeper as she spoke, her eyes glinting, even with the lighting as it was.
"It would have been tagged with a beacon in order to see where it would have gone to. We would have been able to mount a strike team to take care of the criminal and get him put right where he belongs. In jail." The man clarified, and Ruby felt cold inside her cloak. 'That makes sense... Uncle Qrow said that you should always have the back of your partner.'
"You caused a lot of damage, girls... But the Headmaster is protecting you guys." That was good news, Ruby thought.
"He's got you all covered... and you don't even know how lucky you guys are." The man's voice was heavy, as he shifted a little.
"Peach, get the files out, would you?"
The woman got up from her seat, walking towards the front and then laying three manila folders out on the table in front of them, showing them the seal that had been put on them, Beacon Academy's seal there. They were labelled with numbers, and Ruby opened up one of them, spotting her team members doing the same. "They look... nice?" A team of girls who had been called BRNN, the profile pictures looking a little dated.
Criminal charges: Destruction of private property, manslaughter, destruction of public property.
Resolution: Dismissal from student body, discharged dishonourably.
There were files at the back of the folder, with up-to-date pictures. One of them, a young student who had been pretty with brown hair and deep green eyes, now looking like a wreck, her occupation listed as 'None', and several signs on her flesh that it wasn't going so well with her.
Criminal history prevents gainful employment. Attempts to reach out have failed. Termination fulfilled.
Another picture, a girl whose golden hair was bright and vibrant, now looking like she'd dipped her head in a can of green paint. Her occupation was listed as: Enforcer.
Criminal history prevents gainful employment. Currently acting as an enforcer to Torchwick, Roman. Termination failed due to criminal contacts. Search ongoing.
Number three, a girl whose hair was a shade of pink, a set of monkey ears boldly growing there, the picture showing clearly a lust for life... A mortuary picture, the face battered and beaten in. There had been no mark of an occupation on the file.
Criminal history prevented gainful employment. Beaten to death by her fiancé. Mother and child did not survive and were declared dead at Vale General hospital. Charges against fiancé were dropped due to insubstantial evidence.
She felt sick, even as she looked at the fourth member of the team, the one who had been smiling in the team picture the most, her clothing a conservative dress, making her look like a girl-next-door. The picture that had been included afterwards showed a woman sitting on a couch, a smile that was as fake as the breasts that had been surgically enhanced. Occupation: Adult Actress
Criminal history prevented gainful employment until an offer by VAS inc. Outreach has testified that subject is surviving yet is clinically depressed. Termination delayed and to be reviewed in three months.
"This is horrible..." She could hear Weiss say, yet Ruby looked at that last picture for a while. It was what a Huntress could become, if she did the wrong things. She was not going to be sleeping well tonight.
"Sis?" Yang's voice sounded soft and quiet, as Blake merely looked at the pictures, not even feeling the slightest twitch of interest. "Please... Don't turn out like that." The cautionary tale seemed to be there, as Ruby looked at the writing.
"What does... 'termination' mean?" She asked, the counsellor looking uncomfortable for a moment, as he took a moment, formulating the answer that she had sought.
"Elimination." The words were spoken by Professor Peach, who stood at the side of the desk. "Huntsmen-trained students who stray from the path of service towards humanity are often eliminated in order to reduce the risk to the populace." The woman's words were cold and clinical, her eyes like steel. "Imagine, a whole section of the populace with special powers gone off the rails. People with Huntsmen training, allowed to keep their weapon and their Semblance. There usually is a three to four year grace period, in which the former Huntsman can try to gainfully get employed, yet they are hunted down either way."
"That's horrible." Ruby said, Weiss giving a soft sigh. It sounded familiar with the subject.
"It's called 'mandatory culling'. My sister spoke of it a few times, often with disdain. There are only four Kingdoms in the world. If you do not cull the bad people..." The tone that Weiss spoke with was enough to bring to bear a horrible truth.
"But... They're people too! People make mistakes." There was a pause, even as she looked at the counsellor, whose gaze was cast down, taking one of the files from his drawer and then putting it on the table before them. It looked like it contained pictures.
"Mistakes cost you, sometimes." The man pulled out a picture of himself, easily ten years younger than he was now. He looked well-dressed, his weapon looking as functional as it always did. His team members looked happy, content... and one face made her wonder whether it was the right thing to do.
"I'm not saying that I'm innocent about things." A picture was added, a protest for Faunus Civil Rights, a young pale-haired woman leaning on his shoulder, holding up a banner with FAUNUS LIVES MATTER! Plastered in red on the cover, a low exhale coming from the man as he looked at the picture. "I fought for the rights of Faunus once. Got my old White Fang membership card, my cousin still knows the proper codes too."
"They died in an ambush." The man said, pointing at the two young men who stood next to him, his face looking grave and weary whilst he spoke. "Shot from behind by some guys with a gun, after they'd said that we'd be safe in their settlement."
"Criminals these days aren't treated well... But there are things that are far worse than what you kids have going on." He looked at the third member of the team, a brunette woman, who smiled happily at the one taking the picture.
'What happened to her?' She asked herself, even as the man continued. "You've got the protection of two Veterans. You've got a distinguished lineage AND an involvement in Remnant politics." There was a pause, as the man looked at them. A look of tired weariness on his face, even as he slowly inhaled and exhaled.
"Remember... Whatever you do whilst a student, is still subject to the laws of Vale." His voice sounded like her dad, as he spoke, Peach interrupting.
"We're not here to make you hurt, ladies. Reality is not like the fairytales that you've read. People have real intentions that do not interact with your own desires very much... and the Kingdoms have been at peace for many years, so the thought of another world war springing up is not going to be raised." The woman sounded tired, even as she sat down on the desk. "You can probably be the trophy wife of some rich guy, Miss Schnee. Your family name is well-known and solid for a good chunk of Lien. I'll be brutally honest... but the standards that we have for Huntsmen are strict. Section twenty is mandatory dismissal or repurposing... and you don't want to know what that last bit involves." There was a shudder that went through her body, as she turned away.
"I had a... Well, I had a sister once. A beautiful albeit short girl. We lived on a farm somewhere in the wilds of Anima, near Argus... Our uncle had built it up as his own settlement, we had a Huntsman... But she was a mute."A pause, as the woman shuddered lightly.
"Sure, we both knew that she was adopted, but..." The woman paused, her eyes looking at them. "You are frighteningly naive."
The woman sighed deeply, even as she shrugged her shoulders. "We had a... y'know, friend. A brother, I'd almost call him, but he went the wrong way. Uncle Bart and he, didn't see eye to eye, so he left and took her away with him." She stopped, taking a deep breath, seemingly overwhelmed by emotions.
"And next I knew, they were gone. Dead, or so the world told me." The woman's eyes were cold and cool, only surfacing with that glint of emotion. "The world told me for five years that they were dead."
"And then suddenly, on the news, a sign of my friend. Standing there proudly at a standoff with the forces of justice. His hands holding a weapon that I'd never imagined he'd wield, blowing people away with explosive bullets." There was a moment where the woman paused. "And my sister was nowhere to be seen. I still wonder if he ditched her somewhere or whether she is still around."
"The world is cold, girls. The world doesn't care whether you've got some lofty goals or whether you're the next best thing." The woman leaned against the table, her scars making her expression look fiercer than before. "The world only cares to see the fittest survive. The best of the best. If your team isn't shaping up to be the best…"
Ruby could feel a chill go down her spine, the woman's eyes riveted to her. "You get tossed away like garbage. The Kingdoms cannot allow the threat from within to exist, so they hunt down the Huntsmen who go against the wishes of the Kingdom. Missions exist, yeah… But people have their own interpretation." She felt icky and bad, knowing that the woman spoke from experiences that she had not suffered yet. 'Will I grow up to be just like that?'
"You're being too harsh on them. They're seventeen, they don't know the real world that well. They've got three more years to grow into their roles as the bright future." The counsellor added in a moderating tone, trying to soften the reality that they had been smacked in the face by.
She could see Blake's face be pale, bloodless, a conflicted expression on her face, Yang's own mannerisms clearly changed to something a little more conservative, her eyes looking at her with a questioning look, as she looked at Weiss, whose face was set in a manner of quiet resistance. 'They don't like what they're hearing... but Uncle Qrow...'
She remembered his words about the world. "A single day out in the field is better than a week of training... Just remember that, kiddo." The words were something that she had remembered, the words oddly soft for the way that the man had spoken them, even as he applied the whetstone to the blade of his combat scythe.
"And sometimes, in a day... Your whole world can come crashing down." He had looked so forlorn, even as he looked at the picture that had her mom and Yang's mom as well as her uncle and her dad on it, the scythe laid beside him, sharpened. It was one of those moments when the man looked older than he was. The other picture... She hadn't asked who the young woman was, yet he had smiled in that picture, looking years younger than she remembered him. He had tucked it away when he noticed her looking, choosing to look at the picture of her mom and her dad and Raven, but she remembered.
"Still... Be aware. This world is a place where the individual hardly matters, unless you hold the power. Huntsmen fight to defend the people of this world. There is no day off, or a respite in that fight. The Kingdoms pay a royal fee for the services of the Huntsmen... Yet they also apply strict controls to the Huntsmen within their borders." She looked at the man as he looked almost paternal, a faint expression on his face as he pulled out something from his pockets. "This is my badge." The man said, as he held out the familiar Huntsman license, a small badge-like emblem below.
"It licenses me to use lethal force in the event that there is a threat to the Kingdom." The man's voice was serious. "Every Huntsman who teaches you, has such a badge. It is granted only to those who hold the highest of loyalty to the protection of the people of Remnant." The look on Professor Peach's face was discordant, even as she reached into her cleavage and pulled her own badge out.
'Amaretto Momo Peach?' She wondered briefly whether that was intentional or not, but the picture on the license showed a face that had not been scarred. 'She looked pretty back then... I wonder what happened.' "Our badge signifies that we have pledged our lives to defend the people. We will take you down, if need be. Do not mistake us for caring guardians..."
"We won't." Ruby said, though she didn't know why she had said that. The scarred teacher gave her a grin, looking more savage due to the nature of the scars on her face.
"Good girl... You know the dangers of the world better than you would think... or have had good instruction." The woman's attention went to the other girls. "You, Belladonna."
Blake looked up, that expressionless face looking mutedly at the woman. "Follow this girl with your life. If you desire a purpose, we will give you one. She's your leader, and I am no psychologist, but you people should know that you should follow the leader of your pack." The counsellor sighed.
"You're really out of line sometimes, y'know? There are differences between Faunus..." He said, even as he looked at Blake, sighing again. "But essentially, yes... You should follow the commands of your leader, Blake. No matter how you may feel, no matter how tough it is to function... She was chosen for a reason and it is best to allow your lessons to be practiced on her." 'Lessons?'
"If you think that would be best for me..." Blake said, her voice soft, looking at Ruby with a look that looked a little better than before. "Then I will." There was no hint of defiance in those eyes, the fear that lingered within still making Ruby feel a little slice of worry, yet Yang grabbed Blake's hand, the girl flushing slightly. 'Yang's got her... That's the best we can hope for.'
"And the two of you." The man addressed her and Weiss. "Curb her enthusiasm." She pointed to Ruby herself, before looking at Weiss. "Make sure to have fun for once. Life isn't all about studying. Go out into Vale together, have fun with the whole team... Just... relax. I know you all have been through some tough times, but in times like these, the friendships that you cultivate will pull you through."
The man turned around, walking towards one of the cabinets and pulling a picture out. He set it on the desk before them. "My wife and children." The man said. Ruby thought that the woman was pretty, in a plain fashion. Nothing really cool about her, just a calm and warm face. The counsellor looked really happy in that picture as well, the two young children bearing the characteristics of the Faunus, one of them having a wolf tail and the other having a set of bunny ears.
"But... she's a human." Weiss said, her voice sounding surprised. The counsellor smiled, a sad smile that Ruby could tell had more of a story behind it than the man had revealed thus far.
"We didn't care about that. It's been... seven years since she passed. Since they passed." The man's voice was laden, and Ruby could see Professor Peach frown lightly, as she gave him a look. "It took me two years of pulling myself together. I had some friends..." The man sent a look at Peach, who seemed to be more subdued. "And annoying little scarred bitches to bother me about my upkeep. I wasn't much of a man then, you see... I was just moping about the things that I had lost."
She heard a knock on the door, the counsellor making a motion with his hand for Professor Peach to go and open it up, his eyes looking at them again with that understanding manner, as if he could understand where they came from. "I'm sorry that you had to go through that, Sir." She said, trying to offer comfort, her team members mumbling something of a similar nature. Yang remained silent, as she seemed to think about something, the door opening and admitting the Headmaster.
"Good morning." The man said, his eyes warm and nonjudgmental. The cane in his hands tapped on the floor, as he walked to the desk, his attention on the picture, a faint concern springing in his eyes, Ruby could tell from the way that they focused on the counsellor for a moment.
"Good morning, Headmaster." The man said, a complicated expression on his face, even as the man smiled at him, his expression barely changing. "You're here about the events that happened last night?"
The man nodded. His expression did not change much, Ruby could tell. "I have given some thought as to their punishment. A simple search and destroy mission, to be completed upon the same time as our first-years do their first assignment under the guidance of an experienced huntsman..." His voice was amused, as he often seemed to be, as if he knew a secret that they did not.
"Unless of course, the ladies would rather be doing community service?" The man's words and choice of words were definitely not geared towards them accepting such a thing.
"S-sure. We'll take the mission, sir." Yang said, before Ruby could even open her mouth. Ruby caught sight of Professor Peach's face, which showed an expression that did not agree with the man's opinion.
"Now… I would like to have a word with Miss Belladonna, in private." The Headmaster said, his voice sounding like he understood the troubles that they faced, the man's smile enigmatic, even without the request to speak with Blake personally.
"As you wish, Headmaster." The two professors said, the counsellor nodding his head. Ruby gave a smile, as she watched the man brush his hand over his cane's head, the elaborate-looking cane probably having some sort of function that she didn't know about, perhaps able to turn into a laser sword or something cool like that.
"I will need five minutes, do not worry." The man's voice sounded so familiar, even as the brown eyes of the man behind those green lenses looked at each of them, their Headmaster looking at them as if he saw the future within them.
"You're not going to punish her, are you? Professor Ozpin?" She asked, the man giving her a gentle smile. He shook his head.
"Simply a chat, Miss Rose. I wish to show Miss Belladonna the options that she has. She always has a choice." His words made sense, even as her team and the two professors filed out of the room, the two professors looking at them as they started to speak in soft tones, standing a little distance away.
'There may be something about her that he can understand… The man must've had hundreds of students with a bit of a sketchy past, so… it's not wholly unfeasible for him to just be able to lay the cards on the table, so as to make Blake feel more welcome.' She had faith in the man. He had allowed her to come to Beacon, even as a fifteen-year-old student of Signal. "Let's wait for her, guys."
Yang looked uncertain, as she leaned against the wall, the two professors giving her a look, Professor Peach approaching her. "I can give you something for the anxiety, if you want." Yang's face showed her mood well, as she shook her head.
"No, I'm just… concerned." Weiss huffed softly as she laid a hand on Yang's shoulder, trying to be supportive. 'That's my bestie for you! Weiss knows how to be a good teammate.'
"It's okay if you need something for anxiety. I used to need something before I sang, to take the edge off. It can be intimidating standing in front of thousands of people, singing… So don't worry, it's normal." Weiss sounded comforting, even as Yang's face looked conflicted.
"I just can't help but worry for her." Yang said, her voice showing clearly that her sister cared. 'She's always been someone who cares.' Ruby knew that it had been Yang who cared for her during her earliest years of life, after her mother had died, Summer Rose's tales only a fading memory, even with Yang picking up the slack.
The door opened nearly ten minutes later, Blake stepping out. Something seemed different about her, her eyes looking a little more vibrant and alive, something in her step changing, the rhythm different. "Thank you all for bothering with me." She said, her voice sounding grateful, with a little more relief inside that voice, as she took a deep breath.
"Miss Belladonna has been given a choice and made the proper one. Remember, in life there are many choices, several of which could lead to great results and others which could lead to great danger. It takes maturity to deal with a team member who has an issue, and I think you girls have the experiences now that will make the choice of helping others easier." The man's voice was calm, as he smiled lightly at them, the members of her team looking at the Headmaster, who nodded his head once.
"But do not forget to have fun. That is important as well… Though the cafeteria is not a place to hold a food war, I am obliged to inform you as a member of staff." The smile was broader now, even as Ruby smiled as well. 'Professor Ozpin is wise… He knows just what to say.'
"Sir, we need to speak." The counsellor said, giving a look at Blake, before the headmaster nodded.
"Your office is still behind me… So by all means, let us adjourn. Girls, have a pleasant rest of your day." The man adjourned to the office with the two professors, Ruby looking at Blake with eyes that shone with interest.
"Soooo… Are you feeling alright?" Blake gave a tired smile, even as she reached out and hugged Yang, her head laying against her partner's shoulder. 'Aww, they're hugging.'
"I'm sorry, Yang." Ruby heard Blake whisper, as she kissed Yang on the cheek. "I've not been… well. Let's go dance next weekend at the dance." The question was a question, Yang smiling at her partner.
"You silly little cat, of course I'll dance with you." Things were looking up. Blake was acting somewhat normal again and she just KNEW that Rubedo would be showing up soon again. 'Maybe she'll show me some neat trick with Dust!'
Death of a Salesman (Jacques Schnee)
'Incremental changes… and the finalized paperwork.' The look on his face could not be any prouder, even as Whitley put the final curl in his own signature upon the papers, the signature standing proudly next to his own. "And with this, you have permission." The smile on his son's face was not as warm as those on his daughter's faces when they did so, yet he could feel the pride within him well up.
'I brought a good child into the world, after the first two failures.' Weiss was unreachable in Vale, Winter was a Specialist, thus attached to the Atlesian military. It would take a lot more to make the world work around the monolith of Dust production that the Schnee Dust Company was, even as Whitley nodded. "Thank you for your praise, father. Without you, I would not have been able to achieve it. Allow me to fetch us something to drink to toast to our success."
'I would normally insist on something alcoholic to celebrate the occasion but the boy is still too young to really drink. It would not have stopped me, yet there is a certain method to the drinking laws.' His late wife had been a drunkard, whose alcohol tolerance outstripped her usefulness, whose body had grown a little laxer in its shape, though he had to admit that she had been a fine breeder.
"Thank you, Whitley." As his child departed, he glanced at the statistics that popped up on the screen. With Whitley invested as the heir to the Schnee Dust Company and the formalities all prepared to disinherit Weiss and Winter as heirs permanently, the consolidation of power below him was now complete. Whitley would work as a capable aide, before he would allow himself to retire and leave it all to him. 'There will be no objection from the board. Everything is legal…'
Jacques Schnee dealt in absolutes. With the power that the Schnee Dust Company held, Nicholas Schnee was one of the few people who could make a management-level decision, as the original founder of the company… but the man's own power of personality was sorely hampered by the health issues that cropped up for him. 'A pity… but we do not need to take him out of the equation. The day and age that he used to rule from his mines are long gone.'
He looked at the notes that had accompanied the flowing charts that went up, his eyes searching for the differences, even as he opened another program to run alongside of it, predicting the trends of the current graph as it rose and fell, small little data-slides fluttering over the screen, his attention solely directed towards those parts that could be of some use to him. His eyes fell upon the stocks in the largest airship manufacturer in Mantle, the city still holding some industry for the lesser creatures to work in. 'I should probably make some investments…'
"Here, father." The drink that was placed at the side was a smoothie, the dark red colour mixing with the purple of the blueberries that he usually had added, his son preferring a simple orange juice over anything fancier, the drink raised and then drank. 'A hint of protein… it seems that my son is well aware of my habits to be able to recognize that I will be maintaining my health… A wise son, I have.'
He watched carefully how the stocks rose, even as he downed the smoothie in one go. 'Strange… It tastes a little like… almonds?' A chill spread through his body, even as he felt something pat on his cheek, a sting of something and he shuddered without knowing why. "What… why?"
His son looked at him, cold eyes that showed little concept of understanding his words, even as the small pin was put back, a smile on his face that could not be more angelic with its radiance. "A reliever of your duties, father. Don't worry…"
His tongue started to swell. 'He's given me something with almonds in it…' He tried to get up, tried to find the energy to move, yet his tongue continued to swell up, his breathing growing more labored. He tried to say something, yet his son could only stare. "Why, Whitshley? What… yoush dwing?" He asked, his eyes bulging already as he felt something hit him.
"Succeeding you, father." The words sent a thrill of fear through him, as he realized the affairs now. It had been premeditated for a while. His wife's death had been the start of his son's scheming, the small actions like taking an interest in how to run the day-to-day management of the clerks working below him, the visits to the workplaces to inure himself into the company that would be his…
'I have really raised a worthy successor…'
It was not with pride that he thought so, even as he could see his son's cold and distant eyes. "You are not a Schnee. I hold within my veins the blood of the Schnee… the name of the Schnee. Soon, the council seat of the Schnee, once grandfather is taken care of." The words of Whitley were like a soft slap to the face, even as Jacques felt his throat close up even more. He could barely move a muscle, whatever reliever that Whitley had put into him making his whole body feel like it was made out of lead.
"An unfortunate accident… A grieving son taking the mantle of the company, backed by the board… Yes, that would be a tale worth spinning. Only dear old mother could be spoiling the grand benefits that I will reap… and she is most certainly dead." Jacques knew the case well. There had been no remnants of the bodies, several of the charred bodies that were found near the site belonging to the Faunus, with only a few Schnee Dust Company men and women remotely identifiable.
'Whitney would not know how to get away, even if she did. She has not been armed in over two decades…' His late wife had been a deft hand at shooting things, something that she had practised on her explorations of Dust mines with her father. 'Several of the bodies were too mangled to be tested for positive identification, too spoiled by the weather and the roving wild animals to be of much use…'
"Oh, you must be cursing me right now. I have plans to deal with Weiss as well. A young man belonging to the Neinberg family is looking for a wife… Able to secure us a deal with their manufacturing plants to ensure that we branch out fully into the military assets…" The thought that his child had put into things was something remarkable, even if Jacques currently suffered from the pain that welled up from the allergic response, the feeling of his breathing growing ever shorter.
'I should have left Weiss as the de facto heir when Winter joined up… Curse my attention to groom the boy into someone who could take the helm.' The look on his son's face showed nothing, even though his face was as red as a tomato, the swelling starting to block his throat, even as Whitley shook his head. "Ta ta, father… Rest in peace. I will take care of everything." The smile on his face was enough, as he picked up his glass and walked out of the room.
'I guess this is what you get…'
Jacques Schnee-Gele died slowly, as his head laid against the desk, his body leaning forward, air cut off by a swollen tongue. It was unconsciousness first, a paling of the features, turning puce and purple after a while, before all signs of life stopped. His watch started to beep, a sign that things were not alright, the staff coming to the room to find him there, slumped over the desk, a victim to an allergic reaction, the drink still unfinished on the desk.
Jacques Schnee's death would not be announced until two weeks afterwards. During the tumult, it became less important than the other news that went out into the world, becoming a footnote to the annals of history.
The return (Heather Arc)
The bloody streaks on her pants were the first to be getting washed off, as the two guards at the entrance to Vale proper stood in cautious attendance, their bedraggled forms striding firmly towards them. The grave marker for Cremea would have to be put in the crypt, after they went and retrieved the remains... whatever was left, after all. 'Cursed place...'
There had been little for them to do to go about retrieving the body, their mother a mess, staying up most of the night together with her and Azure, whilst the others did their sleep hours, as much as they were capable of. 'Mountain Glenn... You're going to take more lives...'
She was not going to bring to bear any arguments, even as her mother held out her license, the guards scanning it and allowing her admittance. "Have you secured her weapon?" Saffron asked, the weapons' case already in her hand.
"Of course." The answer came from her lips. "We were witness to the pills... And we've each taken one. Appearing friendly and approachable is enough." Her older sister was at her side, her license in Heather's hands.
"Here are our licenses." The guard looked at her, then at her sister, wearing a pretty blue sundress.
"There's a small section here stating that you had an eighth member…" The guard said to her mother, whose face turned pale once more.
"She's… gone. We couldn't…" Her mother broke down in tears once more.
"The body was not fit to be returned to Vale proper." The guard nodded, whilst his companion leered at her and her older sister, who was still holding onto her arm with a grip, the blue sundress a contrast to the Huntress outfit that she regularly wore. It would need proper restoration afterwards.
"You ain't looking like a Huntress, doll. You want to go out and have a bite with me?" Heather put a smile on her face, even as she shook her head.
"I assure you she doesn't... Scan the license. Now." The beep, beep, beep of the scanner came out, a swifter beep, even as the guard whistled.
"Damn, forget I said anything. You eh... go and have a nice day." Her older sister only gave a dull smile, her eyes devoid of much energy and life, her head bobbing once, as she hugged Heather's arm tightly. 'Just... relax.'
"We will. We're on our way to the mission office." She could see already the issues that they would face to get there. Her fingers laced with her sister's. 'You're doing well...'
Her sister's head rose, an expression on her face of interest. "Can we see Jaune after we've handed it in? I want to see Jaune again, it's been so long..." Her expression changed softly, a conflicted look on her face.
"We'll be seeing him again soon, Rowe." Her voice was heavy, yet she tried to keep the pain out of it. "He'll be there to greet you again soon." The soft sound of her happy exhale hurt, more than she would admit.
"Mom?" She asked, the woman's head turning to her, a look of dispirited comprehension given. "Are you two going to Beacon or am I handling things myself?" It was a question that was not asked frequently, the woman shrugging.
"I'll see how we do this. We're saddled with four third years or something, so... I think there'll be enough time to grind the basics into them." Azure looked up as she said that, Heather adjusting her grip lightly on her older sister's arm.
"I've never really... worked on a mission with kids." The hypocrisy about her own age and the age of those kids was something that went unsaid. Being nineteen and soon to be twenty, she would have been one of those kids herself. 'Probably would've just been as comfortable as me during a monsoon... First-years get to get the funky bits streamlined out of them in their first mission by an experienced Huntsman.'
"We need a hotel room, for the first few days." Her mother said, and she nodded privately. It would be much easier for them to get their bearings once more once they were in a safe space. "Huntsman-level."
There were different classifications as far as hotels went. Heather usually stayed in Huntsman-standard hotels when in a Kingdom, due to the facilities that were commonly available there. "We should make an effort to stay together... She's not feeling great." Her older sister nudged her with the side of her head.
"I wanna see Jaune. Can we see him, Heather?" The plea was now starting to worry her, as she shook her head.
"Not yet, sweetheart. We've got a mission first in a few days... We need to prepare for the mission first. You need new bullets, right?" They had mostly gone through their ammunition, every day having been a fight against the Grimm that lurked in that desolate place.
"Yes, I need bullets... It is empty now. Thirteen-three standard class, yes... Jaune would like to shoot it, don't you think?" Heather put a smile on. 'She's rejecting reality. This isn't good...' Her eyes went to the delicate hands, calloused in places that had seen use, her fingers still busy, making little circles in the air, absently.
"I'm sure he'd love to shoot. Boys like guns, don't they?" Heather said, trying to keep her sister's peace, her sister giving a sigh in response.
"I know he'll be a good Huntsman, firebug..." She was not fussed now, as she could feel the strain on her increase. "He's an Arc, after all. We're the best."
"Sure, he's the best." Her voice was soft, even as she kissed her sister's cheek. "And you're the best, water louse."
It was a long trip ahead of them... but they would make it.
They had to.
Walking the path of victory (Pyrrha Nikos)
She could feel the stress build up as she sat on the seat in the bullhead that ferried them down towards Vale, Nora and Ren dressed casually for their own style, the long sleeves of Ren's outfit concealing the weapons that usually lurked there, Nora having her hammer slung over her shoulder, the grip poking out into the air, her own weapons in their smaller form, even though they dressed casually for the evening. The two lovers were looking at each other with eyes that had some sparks there, her body feeling a sudden yearning. 'They wanted to take me down to Vale.'
She had not expected to be engaged in a threesome just yet but… 'Jaune is dead. Perhaps it is time that I start looking for the future again.' Her eyes looked at Nora's, whose looked focused for a moment. She glanced at Ren, who gave a mild smile. 'Jaune wouldn't have wanted us…'
"We're here as team JNPR, Pyrrha. Relax." Ren said, his voice quiet and with that gentleness that she had come to expect from him, the knowledge that he had about remaining calm and stoic during the times of crisis something that she appreciated in him.
"Good." She didn't know why he emphasized that they were going down here as team JNPR, the feeling of something being off inside her, as she looked at him, her lips forcing a smile that barely reached her eyes. "I'll try to."
It was hard to relax when you were constantly reminded that someone was no longer there thanks to some cruel human machination, some childish bullying turning out to have robbed the life of the one who would be able to unshackle her soul, to bring her to that state of being able to soar to the skies with his support.
"We're going down to the café's first… Our guide will pick us up, somehow." There was some mention of a guide, intriguing her and making her worry. 'My agent would not be too happy to hear that I've been caught going into strange places… but that wouldn't matter one thing when I am happy. If I have to do a threesome with Nora and Ren to be happy…'
She opened her Scroll, the picture of Jaune still as her wallpaper, her eyes looking at the face that had been so brave, so cool… and so clumsy and cute at the same time. For someone who craved excellence, who had the expectations of the world heaped upon her shoulders… he was a freshness that bristled through her whole soul. 'I miss you… and I wish that I could tell you that I liked you when I first met you. You saw me as just another pretty girl to hit on… someone who would not mind that you weren't who you claimed to be. A hope… a dream.' "Pyrrha?"
She looked up from her Scroll, noticing that they had landed. "We need to go." There was the softness of Nora's eyes, the look down at her Scroll, at the picture… the picture that she swiped away with a press of the button, the Scroll closing once more.
"You miss him a lot, don't you?" She nodded at the question from Ren, who remained silent. "We're together still. We're still team JNPR." He sounded convinced of that, even though their leader had left. "You…" He stopped, Nora squeezing his hand. Something seemed to be said between the two of them in unseen communication, even as he smiled at her. "You'll see."
"I look forward to whatever the two of you have planned." She said, though she was sure that she could at the very least have some say in what happened, the thrill of getting into bed with her teammates not as great as it would have been had it been with... all of them. Viridian was still a member of the team, even though he had been remarkably absent with Neptune taking him along on his jaunts into the dating sphere of Vale. 'I hope he's having fun.'
"Ah, did you bring condoms?" She inquired with Nora, the girl's eyebrows shooting up. Her cheeks flushed, as she took a deep breath, then another. 'I'm not having sex without a condom. Getting pregnant would make my image be worth less in the eyes of the fans... and that's one of the things mom needs to support herself.'
"C-condoms?" Nora squeaked, her eyes looking at Ren and then at her again.
"Aren't you going to invite me to eh... do things with the two of you?" Ren looked really panicked for a moment, as he looked at Nora's face, which showed a mixture of emotions as the thought process behind that seemed to register. "I mean..." She tried to deflect, but Nora's smile was broad, as she looked at her with eyes that nearly sparkled.
"Better than a threesome! MUCH better!" Her exuberance seemed to be something that made her heartbeat pick up a little. 'Better than a threesome?' She looked at Ren, who looked distinctly uncomfortable. The clock on the big square read 18:21, even with the holographic display that showed the clock's face tick.
"Nothing like that... I don't like you like that, Pyrrha." He said, his eyes looking at his girlfriend, who gave a little smirk.
"I like her like that! But no..." Nora seemed to deflate, as she realized something, and she looked around. Several people were staring at her, and she gave a little glare, one that was peanuts in comparison to the one that one of her drill instructors for the Sanctum tournament qualifiers had given her. "We've got to show you something... Let you meet someone."
She was intrigued now, even as they walked through the centre of Vale, the streets turning quieter, even as they were nearly at the threshold to the industrial district. She glanced at her Scroll's time, noticing that it was 19:40, the entire trip having taken more than an hour due to the leisurely pace that they had kept.
"You're here. Good." The voice was reminiscent of Blake's, yet had a slightly different twist to it, showing greater age and maturity, as well as a hint of something, a warm smile on the face greeting her, as she saw the shorter Faunus woman stand there, her ears twitching lightly as the wind blew through them. Darkness was slowly falling, her eyes a bright amber colour, showing clearly a Faunus trait in the feline manner. 'Blake?'
"Blake?" The woman shook her head, a casual smile on her face. She stuck out a hand, for her to shake.
"A relation of hers." She said, the woman's voice sounding short, even as she shook that hand, Pyrrha looking at the way that the woman moved, noticing that the Katar and the Kris at the woman's sides looked to have seen some use, her Semblance noticing the blood that had crusted in several intricate places upon the blade.
"A pleasure to meet you." She said, Nora coming forward and giving a hearty greeting.
"Hey! Eh... Yeah, Nora Valkyrie, and this is Ren. This time, wearing clothing." The greeting was so Nora that it almost escaped her notice that she'd apparently met with the woman without clothing, or that Ren had worn no clothing. 'I wonder how that happened?'
"Allow me to lead you. It's not far from here." The woman was all business, her body language immediately becoming stiffer and more formal, without even the slightest hint of the change having been visible. 'Impressive self-control.'
They walked through some of the districts, coming across workmen getting off their shifts, drawing a few looks, yet not really being too noticed by the people. Huntsmen patrolled the area frequently in order to deal with Roman Torchwick, so it was usual for them to at least ensure that there was a steady presence. 'It's like they planned this out... Whoever this woman is, she must have some goal... yet Nora and Ren trust her enough.'
There was a cue that they would give to each other if they did not trust the party that they were with, a little nudge of the finger against the side, a circle made and then a blink with both eyes to confirm. Enough to be relatively normal in behaviour, yet still noticeable.
They stopped in front of a warehouse, the woman's fingers tapping against the chain, a long fingernail pushing against it. The structure of the chain seemed to shimmer, even as she could see the chain fall down, the metal links demagnetized for some reason. It was only noticeable through her own Semblance, even as the woman turned to them, before she slunk into the shadows that fell from the side. "I will open up for you three."
Whatever was happening, it was big. She could see the faint simile of a smile on Nora's face, the woman melting into the darkness without any sign of ever returning, her whole shape disappearing. 'What just...'"Did she just... disappear?"
The door opened up a crack, even as the woman appeared, pulling it open a little so that they could enter. "Get in quick." The woman said, as she sent a glance through the vicinity. 'Some big secret is to be unveiled... yet Ren and Nora haven't gotten their weapons ready yet... though they are able to pull them out if they need to.' Their standard pose was enough, even as the darkened hall stood before them, only a fading strip of light wrapping around the ceiling. 'Spooky...'
"And now... let there be light." The woman said, a single lamp activating, banishing the darkness in a single spot. Pyrrha Nikos, never to be caught off her guard, watched as a chair was unveiled, one that looked to have seen better days, yet still functional, the feeling of her heart leaping in her throat as she caught sight of just who was ON that chair, currently with his legs parted, hand on the armrest, seemingly about to get up.
Blonde hair with a singular white-grey streak running through it, eyes that were like marbles in the darkness that surrounded them, her whole heart stopping to beat as she saw the handsome features that she had carved into her mind and heart. 'Jaune!' His lips were set in a smile, even as his hand... his other hand assisted him in getting up. "Guys!"
'Jaune!' He stepped down, the ground below his feet making a light sound as his feet hit it, an outfit that resembled Professor Ozpin's a little decking out his body, even as she lost focus of everything around her. "Jaune..." Her voice was a low moan, even as the tears came, a deep sad sound coming from her mouth as she felt the emotions choke her up, her feet pushing her body forward, as she took a step.
"Jaune!" Her voice was desperate, even as she hurried towards him, all other things forgotten, save for the feeling that he had been away for so long and now..."Jaune!" Her lips called his name, even as she reached him, a sudden feeling of something sliding around her legs and hoisting her in the air, her hands moving, even as something seemed to move in the darkness, her vision almost upside-down as she was held there before him, like a prize to be observed.
"You can put her down. She's my partner... She'd never hurt me." The words were a blessing, even as she was righted by unseen hands, put onto the ground once more and then released, her arms wrapping around him. "I missed you all, Pyrrha."
She couldn't resist anymore. Her lips pressed against his own, all her passion just exploding inside her as she kissed him deep, letting that tongue of hers explore his mouth, the sensuality of the act thrown aside for crude banality. 'He's back... he's back for me.'
The kiss lasted an eternity to her, her breath gasping and wanton as he broke it, his smile making her feel warm on the inside. "That was... quite some kiss." Her internal dialogue was definitely far worse than she'd ever allow herself to utter. 'I want to kiss every part of your body, my sweet and wonderful Jaune. You're back... Back for me.'
"Come guys! Team hug!" She heard him say to him, seeing Nora and Ren come loser, Ren faster than Nora, who looked at him with eyes that seemed to barely comprehend the fact that he was there.
She pulled Ren and Nora into his embrace, her eyes locked at his face. Happiness and warmth radiated from him, the warmth that she needed, that she craved. Her whole body pumping with those happy emotions and feelings, as she was hugged by his strong arms. "I love you." She whispered in his ear, and his grip became a little harder, as he held her.
"You're still alive, valiant leader!" Nora said, her voice sounding choked up. Pyrrha felt choked up as well, yet she kept her composure, even though she could smell his body now. A manly smell. A smell that showed some hints of perfume, a woman's perfume, which wasn't bad... She wasn't a greedy woman, and he had to have some tale of how he came back to them... 'Whatever he wants...'
All was right in the world again. Jaune was back with them. They were team JNPR again, as it should be.
Her gallant knight had returned to her.
Scattered thoughts and nervous energy (Nora Valkyrie)
To say that she was nervous would be an understatement that would crown all understatements. It was not just nervousness that worked through her body, yet also a sense of loss, worry and anticipation. It was enough to make most people worry to see a friend once more, even one who was thought dead.
The trip through Vale had to be done slowly, so as to not draw too much attention to them. Ren with his super-cool ninja skills obviously knew the best ways, so she followed him dutifully. When the Faunus woman appeared once more, dressed casually for the occasion, she snuck a glance at where his gaze laid, to hope that he was at least loyal with his eyes, satisfied when she saw nothing of the sort happening.
'He's loyal to me… Good.' She wasn't going to have doubts when there was a glorious leader to be retrieved from some evil wicked Faunus sex ninja or something. 'I hope he knows how to find the sloths… We've been searching for them for a while now…'
As the woman disappeared into the shadows and the door opened up, she tried to imagine where the woman might've been, as the wall looked solid and the woman had just blended in, somewhat. 'Maybe a magic trick…'
She felt trepidation hit her, as she watched clearly how the darkness yearned behind the threshold, her eyes seeing nothing except the woman. "Get in quick." The words were normal now, as she spoke them so casually, her fingers testing clearly against the fabric of the shirt that she wore, feeling Ren's presence so close by. It was like a dream, really… like some dream that shattered into what might be a bad dream, yet also was a good dream.
"And now…Let there be light." The woman said, as a light appeared, a single beam illuminating the space around a chair. A young man sat upon them, and her heart froze as she caught sight of the young man's features.
"MY SON! THEY KILLED MY SON, HEATHER!'" The voice still bounced through her mind, even as she remembered that early morning well, when she had went to the Arc family.
"THEY KILLED HIM, AND THEY ARE ALL AT FAULT! THIS IS WHAT YOU GET FOR YOUR STUPID PRIDE, SAGE ARC! THE MISSION? FUCK THE MISSION!"
The rage of Jaune's mother, beside herself with anger and rage, the Arc sisters looking placid yet tensed to react as the voice rose in pitch, muted from travelling further than the room through the isolation of the room's wall even as the man stood there, silent as a manly statue.
"NOTHING! NO TRAINING, NO NOTHING! YOU COULD HAVE AT LEAST TOLD HIM THAT!"
The things she had heard still haunted her nightmares. Terrible tales, a feeling of her heart freezing up and those eyes… those horrible, haunted eyes, looking right into her soul. Eyes that had seen so much in the life that had lasted longer than hers, the woman who had borne Jaune into this world beside herself, as she raged against his father.
"Don't you think I know? Jaune is my son, my ONLY son! The plan… The plan will have to be delayed. We have samples."
He had rebuked the words with such logic, as if it had only been a mere hitch in this 'plan' that had to be finished.
His hair was still blonde, still a little longer than it should be, still looking like it has a good comb needed, the streak of white a new addition. From her position, she could see the expression on his face, even as Pyrrha took a step closer to him.
'You love him… And now he's back.'
She glanced at Ren, whose face looked complicated, no doubt feeling some conflicting thoughts.
'He's back… and he's changed.'
Pyrrha was snatched up by a shadowy tendril, held upside down, her hair touching the ground, yet she did not utter a sound, entranced by the look of him.
'She really is captivated by him.'
As she witnessed the kiss between Pyrrha and her team leader, she glanced at Ren. 'He's assessing things… trying to come up with a solution.' He was the smart one, not her. She was all action. At the offer of a group hug, she took a look at him again.
"Jaune didn't need a father like you."
The voice of the second eldest sister was enough, even as Jaune's mother stared off to a corner.
"Gone… my little baby boy, gone. I remember the day when I helped him ride a bicycle. When he first went to school, I was there."
The woman's hands brushed over her stomach forlornly, as if remembering carrying the young man to term, before she looked up, turning around and looking at his father.
"Bring my Jaune back! BRING! HIM! BACK! TO! ME!"
Her body had ached as the power of that Semblance washed over her, the Arcs visibly affected, even as Heather's hand seized her shoulder, a pleasant warmth washing over her, the focus solely on their father as Jaune's mother shouted at the man.
'I…'
She could see how affected the woman was, her blue eyes shining with the despair and loss that only a mother could have.
"You will tell not a soul of what you witnessed here."
The man said to her, even as the Arc family slipped themselves back into their roles.
'They hide their true selves behind a mask when they are in public… Like professionals.'
When Ren and Pyrrha had come, she had been learning poker… or at least, as much learning as she could have. Emerald Arc had been a merciless player of the game. She had learned much of the woman, even as they behaved according to some plan, even Sage Arc pretending to be a warm man, like his son Jaune had been.
'He really looks a lot like his mother right now, except his hair is shorter…'
The thought was a little awkward, so she hesitated a little, Ren already ahead of her, yet she caught up swiftly.
'It's time to be with Jaune… We're still a team. He's back.'
That was all that she needed right now.
Her team leader had come back to her.
All was good in her world for now, as Ren and Pyrrha smiled genuinely again, a smile on her own lips following.
And team JNPR is back together! Whitley Schnee has killed his father… and yeah, that is going to be something that'll feature later in the story!
Jaune's met up with team NPR again! REJOICE! It only took 37 chapters and around three months in-universe to get back to them!
This was one of the scenes that was already mentally scripted since I finished the sixth chapter. The reunion in Vale. There will be a few spots in the story from now on, where stuff is going to get dark. Twisted. I'm loving it, and you will love it too, likely.
Six volumes at the very least, are planned. We're mostly through about 50% of Volume III. Blake, Yang and Ruby and Weiss are going to be on an expedition! More Cardin dates! Qrow makes his appearance at Beacon!
To those who have supported me throughout these roughly 760.000 words, thank you! I really enjoy reading your reviews, especially those who have been giving me commentary in the Private Messages! A Grimm Tale's universe is a very dark one, with a lot of work put into the proper planning of the scenes, hinting at other things and including little winks and nods.
And I have an absolute metric TON of stuff still in store for you.
Thank you. A review would be very much appreciated. Positive ones are great. They make me much more motivated to really push the story to greater heights, as it is normal to feel like you REALLY want to make people go 'woaahh!' when they read something.
I'll see you in two weeks with the meeting between team JNPR!