Chapter Fifty-One: remember you have the power
Blake pauses at the threshold of the circular clearing. She can't help but be confused by the house in the middle of the forest. Everything looks overgrown, the paint is peeling on the house, but nothing looks destroyed. This house, so far from civilization, still stands in a forest infested with Grimm.
This place is the second set of coordinates on the piece of paper given from the strange woman in the hospital. The first set is close from here, but it made more sense to travel to the closest coordinates. All three destinations involved her cutting through Beacon, something that Blake isn't ready to think about.
(There were so many Grimm)
Blake also doesn't think about how she left her friends behind.
(She needs to see if, against all hope, her family is alive.)
Nothing happens when she enters the clearing. Her feet don't make a sound as she walks over the green, green grass.
(Another thing she wonders, why is the grass so green when it is the end of fall?)
There is no doorbell. Blake takes a deep breath, adjusts the bow hiding her ears, and then knocks.
The black haired woman can hear some scrambling, but can't make out words. Then, the sharp sounds of heels clicking against wood. The sound comes closer, and Blake restrains the urge to run.
The woman who answers the door has ink black hair with a green streak on one side. She is at least two heads taller than Blake, and seems to have a permanent look of suspicion on her face. She looks evil as she narrows her eyes and reaches a hand under her black cloak.
"Who. Are. You?" the woman drawls out looking down her nose at Blake. "And how did you get past the wards?"
Blake takes a deep breath, trying not to bolt. Her suspicion that this was a bad idea comes forefront in her head. Blake grips the piece of paper tighter in her hand. "My name is Blake, and I was told to look for a man named Toby."
The woman sniffs but, before she can say anything, another woman pops out from behind the evil looking one. This woman is small, fragile in appearance, with long white hair and scars marring her face.
"Let her in, Mal," the small woman says in a quiet voice. "She looks familiar, in a good way."
Mal sniffs but steps back. She and Blake get into a small staring match, broken when the smallest woman coughs and beckons the youngest into the house.
The small woman leads the way into the larger house, heading towards the stairs. "You'll have to excuse Mal. She doesn't trust strangers on a good day, and with the CCT down everyone's been on edge and showing up randomly. Toby popped in this morning, so you won't have to go looking for him. I'm Dolly, by the way."
Before Blake can respond, Dolly pushes open a door. Two men, both Faunus, have their backs to the door as they mutter and putter around a table. Dolly sighs, and then coughs loudly. The men jump a foot in the air. Their wide eyed, guilty faces would be funny if Blake felt comfortable.
"Toby," Dolly starts, motioning to Blake, "you have a visitor."
The thirty-four year old Faunus frowns. Blake recognizes him from the profile picture the stranger in the hospital showed her.
"Have we met before?" Toby asks, head tilting as he looking curiously at her.
Blake shakes her head. It's now or never. She holds out the hand with the addresses in it. "I'm Blake. I was told you might be able to help me."
Dolly and the other, winged, Faunus watch as Toby carefully take the paper. Everyone is silent as he reads.
Blake is not expecting the shock and awe on his face when he looks back at her. "Holy s***, you saw Danny."
Dolly gasps and clutches at her chest, hand curling around the green pendant charm hanging from her necklace. The other Faunus gapes and looks between Toby and Blake. A strangled noise comes from behind Blake, and Mal walks into the room with a pale face.
Blake can't help but feel that this was a bad idea. It's not the first time she's felt it, though. "I met her in the hospital after Beacon was attacked."
Questions fly at her from every angle, and Blake takes a step back. Toby leaps in front of her, turning and blocking her from view. His arms go out and he shouts at the others. "Calm down! All of you! Stop this!" Everyone shuts their mouths. "Now, we are going downstairs. We are going to sit around the kitchen table, and quietly hear Blake's story. Then, we're going to tell her what we know. Anyone who needs to leave the room, tissues are in the cupboard above the bathroom sink."
Everyone files out, but Toby keeps a hand on Blake to stop her from leaving. The confused woman watches the varying emotions on all their faces. Mal looks to be made of stone. Dolly's shoulders are shaking. The winged Faunus purses his lips. When the three are gone, Blake turns and looks at the grim-faced Toby.
"I'm sorry about them," Toby says quietly. "We're normally a lot more welcoming."
"What is it you need to tell me?" Blake says warily.
"If Danny sent you, then a lot of things," Toby retracts his arm and pinches the bridge of his nose. After his eyes stop their sheen, he meets her gaze. "Are you Blake Lionsgate?"
"Belladonna," Blake corrects. She looks away, and adds quietly. "It's Belladonna now. How did you know?"
Toby nods. "We have little more than wards protecting this house. You're the only Blake the Danny told me could be allowed in. I hope the forest gave you no trouble?"
Blake looks at him weirdly. "I wasn't attacked by a lot of Grimm…"
Toby's lips twitch into a half smile. "But no apples being pelted at you? No urge to suddenly check if you left the kettle on?"
Blake raises an eyebrow.
Toby chuckles and leads her out of the room. "Good to know. I'll explain it all after we hear your story. If you want, we have a lot of cookie dough in the freezer. Not much else, food wise. Yesterday was the first time someone entered the house in months."
"Why were you so surprised when I mentioned Danny?" Blake blurts out. She stands straighter and stares at the man. "And why did she tell me some of my family might still be alive?"
Toby heaves a great sigh and leans against the banister of the stairs. "Because your family probably still is alive, Blake. I helped some of them escape years ago." He cuts her off before she can say anything. "We really do need to hear what brought you to the house after all these years. I'll answer everything after you tell us."
"And Danny?" Blake asks harshly.
Toby shudders and turns to look over the banister. His voice is gruff with the emotions he is trying to hold back. One hand goes to his neck, grasping the green crystal that hangs on a delicate chain.
"Danny died years ago," Toby explains. "But if you saw her recently, then this probably isn't the last time she's going to pop up."
"What?" Blake asks, unbelieving. "She is still alive and didn't tell you?"
Toby snorts. "No, she is definitely dead. But to explain how that works, we need to hear your story and trust you."
Blake looks at him. Hope burns in her at the thought that her family might be alive. Unease shifts through her at the thought of having met someone both dead and alive. Fear, as she is about to dive headfirst into something she isn't ready for.
Blake is grateful her team isn't here with her (even if she really wants their support right now).
A/N: Thanks for reading!
Thank you, xenocanaan, for your review! I hope you enjoyed the chatper!
Have an awesome day
