Chapter 59: The light burns away the shadow
Raven got laidenated. She got the sexytimes.
The haze (Raven Branwen)
She slowly stirred to some form of awakening, her eyes cracking open to find that it was now in the morning, her body aching and tired as she shifted a little, the young man laid below her still passed out, her body shivering a little at the coolness, the muscles in her body stiff.
'I might not have been too careful…'
She'd lost it a few times, and the marks on her body showed. Summer might've said that boys his age liked that, but it was still embarrassing. Mistrali maids? She'd have died of embarrassment if she had ever thought of something like that when she was twenty.
Her fingers brushed through his hair, the pallid skin looking unhealthy and flushed with a strange energy as she pulled off. A shower would be the next course of action, she supposed… if she could get up.
"Mornin', birdy."
Summer spoke up, her voice awfully chipper as she entered through the door that had been half-closed, walking over to one of the bookstands and removing something that she realized had been a camera.
'Oh no…'
Summer smiled toothily at her, giving her a wink and one of those smiles that made her worry that she'd done the worst thing imaginable.
"I guess this'll go in my personal collection… Now he's had us all. I went first, of course. You wouldn't know how strong he is when he's properly ready."
She sort of knew. She'd bitten down hard on his neck when he'd pressed her against the bed. Embarrassment shone on her cheeks as she remembered the words that she'd screamed, the horrible lines that she'd used.
Her cheeks turned redder than her eyes as she remembered every filthy little thing that she'd hissed in his ear, all suggested by Summer.
'But he… But he likes that, right?'
She'd liked it, being with a man again after such a while. Damn, had she loved it. The feeling of him with her, finally filling her. She got up with the aid of Summer and then went for a kiss, but Summer made a face.
"No kisses yet! I know your kind of weird fetishes!"
She was a modest woman! She'd only indulged the guy who had been the one to make sure that everyone made it out safely.
"That's not fair! You said we'd share."
Summer's smile boded ill, as it was light and fluffy, like when she was about to say that they were going to make some sort of weird cake she'd heard about. Not quite usual, but Raven had the sinking feeling…
'Oh gods…'
Her mouth formed a little o at Summer's cheeky look.
'Oh god, she said that all boys his age like it like this!'
She had done depraved stuff. Stuff she'd never done with Taiyang, and-
"You make a cute geisha, though. Really, Goshujin-sama really gave it to you hard, didn't he?"
'I fucked someone's brains out… Oh gods, the things I did and he didn't even stop me. I thought it weird when he asked whether I wanted this and-'
Raven Branwen felt embarrassed even more than before. She got up from the bed and staggered over to the door, a trail of slick juices leaking from her nethers, definitely not only male ejaculate, but it definitely had been something. It reminded her of the marathon sessions with Taiyang, when she had still been twenty and she had wanted to have a child by him for the Tribe.
She needed a shower. A long hot one, where she could wash away the sweat and the…
'I'm never going to be able to look him in the eyes ever again.'
She stumbled into the shower and stepped under the warming spray of water, washing her body. Summer hummed a little as she handed her the bar of soap and the shampoo. She got herself cleaner, hoping that Jaune would not wake up.
'He's going to be disgusted with me… or with Summer. But probably with me!'
It was an odd sensation for her to be so worried about what someone might think of her. She and her husband were over and done now, after what he did. Doing such a thing to Summer's daughter, the sister who she had only found at age 17, the sister who bore not her blood, yet held the love within her heart for her own daughter when she had been absent, had murdered the feelings in her heart.
'He's the better option… A husband who would lay with Summer's daughter is not one who can be trusted.'
She was not going to dismiss the history that she had with the man, even if their views on the world no longer aligned properly. She rubbed her face with the sponge, the shampoo washing out of her hair. Summer started to hum, as Raven washed herself.
"So… How was he? How'd my little bird get her bang? Did he like the little geisha wanting his massive rod?"
She pulled the shower curtain aside and gave a heated glare at her partner and commander, the sister who was as close to her as it could be.
"You told me that boys his age liked that! I did most of it! I-"
She was going to be sick. She was going to be sick and she knew that she shouldn't have done that. But it'd been… nice. Being with a young man who had made one of her companions reach that peak was pleasant, and there would be more times in the future, if she could arrange for it.
'If I'm already going to be tarnished in his eyes… Well Summer, I guess we're going to be putting on a sister act.'
She'd just about did everything wrong in the book, so she guessed that Summer would need to get her comeuppance.
Her brother had looked a little happier, the blonde girl that he'd been with one of the Arc sisters, the youngest, if her memory served properly. It was not a bad thing to see Qrow be with a woman, especially after relations had broken down…
'We all split up too quick, especially after I went back to the tribe…'
The man would keep her daughter safe, she knew. Her daughter and Summer's daughter… Taiyang would not be able to put his hands on her daughter if she could help it.
'My daughter deserves nothing but love and care. I am not someone who can easily show that, but if I had to-'
She'd made love, she'd fucked and she'd been a depraved pervert for a young man who was her daughter's age, following along the thoughts of Summer Rose, who suggested this. She'd not been in a proper state of mind, not been able to think why it might have been a bad idea, just craving the comfort and intimacy of being skin-to-skin with someone.
She let her hair wash free from the shampoo, a shiver going over her body as she started to think about doing it some more. She'd already lasted seven hours with the young man and her body still craved more.
The power inside her was brimming like a live energy, burning and twisting inside her with a simple touch. She preferred the blade over the power of the Spring Maiden, but at times when she felt the power sizzle through her veins, she would have only the barest twist of empathy for others. The flame and the thunder, the blaze and the ice, it worked all to the end that she sought.
'I am a warped and twisted person…'
She was. She acknowledged that, and she knew that she would be going soon. Anima needed to be claimed by the Branwen tribe following the death of the Beornir. There would be time for such things, she knew.
'And with your power…'
She would ask, when he was awake once more. The power of someone who controlled the Grimm was immeasurable in contrast to the bandits that she had under her control. A camp could be devastated by a swarm of Grimm under normal circumstances, but when properly directed and guided?
She had never wanted to let the tribe suffer, yet she knew that at times, the Mission was more important than the tribe, the time that had been spent making sure that Summer had her partner once more with her…
'If he accepts…'
She supposed it would be a fair deal to make him a Branwen tribe member.
She emerged from the shower with a towel wrapping around her upper body, sauntering out and finding Summer half-bent over a bowl of cereal, the milk having been poured into it without any sort of restraint, half of it already gone, just eating it straight from the bowl like an animal.
"Stop eating like an animal, Summer."
She grumbled, the woman's head rising up. Some of the cereal flakes had stuck to her face.
"She's sleepy. I'm Ruby!"
It was a little disconcerting to know that the crazy Beornir girl was in control, but it was what Summer had need of from time to time, just a little pause in the madness. She could feel the darkness inside her writhe and twist, as Summer's silver eyes flashed a deep red, a giggle that was not very sane coming from the girl in a woman's body's lips.
"Good evening, Ruby. Is your mother trying to sleep?"
A small nod, the woman she loved as a sister's head dunking back into the bowl and slurping noises starting to sound. It was really quite disgusting, but then again… she'd started to rationalize it. Her hand never left the blade, the natural suspicion against the Beornir still present.
"Soooo… When do I get to do Jauney? He's the best, you know? Mama Summer likes him. He reminds her of Mister Taiyang. He's important, but she did what she had to. Always before a mission, never to remember, nope, nope, nope. She is careful. Good careful mommy!"
It was weakness, it was a lack of control, something that twisted and writhed within her gut, never straying far from that darkening urge inside her body to strike, to know that the body of the girl had been taken by Summer and made her own.
"I'm sure that she is."
There was a troublesome trend within the girl's rationale, rattling off strange facts. Her daughter was now a member of the Order.
'Safe…'
She would be cared for by the d'Arc-Night with the eldest working as a superior. It was the way, and it would be as such.
'And when you come to claim your rank, I will be there to support you…'
She owed that to her daughter, to make her into what she would truly become… someone who would wield power, who would be the blade in the shadows, there to dispense justice onto those who heralded the demise of this world, of the status quo.
"You!"
She winced, as she turned to the door opening, Jaune standing there, naked. He pointed a finger at her, his eyes looking right into hers. She caught sight of the rather impressive pattern of red marks on his skin where she'd left her mark.
"You turned into a bird!"
'Shit.'
There went her good mood. She remembered that too well. It'd been big. He looked at her accusingly.
"You did things with me that even Whitney hasn't done!"
She coughed, remembering quite a few of those things. She was sure that he'd at least thought about them! Summer had said that all boys liked such things!
"You weren't complaining! Who was it who screamed for his maid to take it all, huh?"
He gave her a look that was thunderous. She would have been impressed if she wasn't fighting against the urge to just hide away somewhere until the shame went away. The makeup had ran after the first thirty minutes. It had made quite the mess.
"YOU TURNED INTO A BIRD!"
'Yes, and you still continued!'
That'd been awkward. Awkward and she might've pulled a few rectal muscles. She hoped that she'd be able to go to the bathroom right a few times. It'd heal, probably.
"You liked the older sister play!"
He turned red, and she puffed her chest up. She'd never admit that she'd been influenced by Summer! She had her pride, she was still a desirable woman!
"You weren't complaining when I was giving you that titty sandwich either!"
He flushed even redder, his hands making a gesture at her that wasn't very pleasant, involving a finger and a hole. She remembered the feeling. He'd ruffled her feathers, too! He had nice big hands, but she might've lost a few feathers thanks to that rough moment.
"YOU TURNED INTO A BIRD!"
She'd never admit to regretting it! She was Raven Branwen, ex-wife of Taiyang, mother to Yang and godmother to Ruby! She would never admit that she'd been misled and quite bamboozled by her partner!
"Be happy! You were not complaining afterwards!"
He sat down at the kitchen table, still naked, his eyes looking at her as if he was looking at something filthy and disgusting. She didn't feel disgusting! She'd just been misled! Next time was going to be better! Soft music, candles, a comfortable mattress!
'When did I decide there'd be a next time?'
"Give me your abortions!' is not something that you scream out loud!"
She drew herself up to her full height, his eyes giving her a look that challenged her. She was Raven Branwen, not some sort of weak woman who couldn't voice her own opinions!
"Then make me scream something better, with your small dick! Come on, show me what a man is like! Back to the bedroom!"
He gave her a deep sound of frustration and she growled right back at him. She was a woman who had been independent from a man in her life for years! She would resist the urge to flee because she remembered some of the other things that she had shouted at him in the heat of the moment, mostly suggested by Summer as 'fun things'. She'd watched a lot of weird stuff, read up on all sorts of things boys apparently liked!
"No. I'm going for a shower. If you're a nice woman, you make me something for… breakfast? Whatever. Just sit and we need to talk."
She was on making the third sandwich when it registered to her mind that she was doing that for him, as he joined them at the kitchen table. The mess had been wiped away and Rubedo Beornir was currently laid on the couch, playing a game on the Scroll. It was a bit like having a family.
'Mommy, daddy and Ruby and Yang…'
She somewhat wanted that. She watched the young man eat the sandwich that she'd prepared, mentally fussing a little about whether she had added enough slices of meat between it, whilst his eyes softened a little.
"I… I don't judge you for what you were doing last night. I wasn't comfortable with some of it, but you… You looked like you needed it."
She flushed, looking away. The embarrassment was of a different sort, as she didn't quite know how to respond to that. Her eyes looked down at the table as her face burned red. She'd done things she hadn't been comfortable with, and she'd lost control for a moment, just when she'd…
'Yeah, I should keep control.'
Qrow never had that issue, she supposed. He could just shift to bird form and fly away when the condom broke, because he wasn't going to be twitching and touching those muscles. Curse her genetics for being so sensitive!
"I'm… sorry, for what it's worth. I'm…"
He made a dismissive motion with his hands and she felt bad immediately. It was Summer! She'd started with the sick stuff and-
"I understand. It's… It's been a while, hasn't it? I'm- You're someone who needs affection too. Whitney taught me that, and- And it wasn't all bad. You'd make a great older sister."
'Shit.'
She wasn't sure how to respond. Not in the way that she had, before. Some of the things she'd shouted at him had been crude and violent, just like how Summer had said it would be. Boys liked it when their girlfriend told them to fuck them like a whore, apparently.
'I prefer the killing and stabbing over the… sexy bits.'
It was easier. You stabbed, they died. If they were crazy, you stabbed harder.
"Jaune, I… I'd really like to do it again."
He gave her a look and she realized what she'd said. He seemed about to say something, his mismatched features of pale and ash-white and those eyes that were the colour of freshly spilled blood, but she stalled him.
"Together, in the bed. Hugging. K-kissing. Nothing like last night. I was…"
She'd just about acted worse than the Faunus woman had ever done. By the Gods, she'd been a freak. She hadn't minded it too much, but some of the things she'd done…
"Good, I don't think my bladder would be able to take it."
Raven definitely wasn't going to do that kind of degenerate stuff again, no. She felt like a twenty-something-year-old once more, the burning inside her feeling much better as she smiled at him. She wanted to be held and told that she was pretty, to share herself with someone who saw her as Raven, as…
'Taiyang…'
He had been a d'Arc-Night. The two men standing side-by-side were brothers, obviously. They had similar features, albeit one held himself with distance and Taiyang had been frighteningly emotional at times…
'I need…'
She looked at the tissue that was being handed to her, his eyes looking a little concerned. She noticed that she'd curled in on herself, the towel half-hung off her body, her legs pressed together tightly.
"Let's do things without the sister thing, okay? We can… if you want. Whitney's just making sure that Weiss is okay. We'll see what to do next after she joins us again…"
She was weak. She was weak and afraid, right at this moment. She was not the bandit queen that inspired terror, but a woman whose husband had done something unconscionable.
"Can I have a hug? A kiss? Please?"
She felt his hug wrap around her and hold her, a shiver going through her. She could be weak, just for another night, another day… and then she would don her mask again and kill.
She was guided to the second bedroom, noticing that there was a shadow in the other bedroom, cleaning it up. Golden eyes looked at her and a catty smile showed, as the linen was being replaced with something fresh and the mattress was suspended by shadowy claws, a little pinch to her bottom given, with the young man setting her down on the bed, his voice soft in her ear.
"I can feel your emotions, Raven. Tell me what's wrong."
She looked away. It wasn't a secret, but…
"I want to conquer Anima. I need your help with that, Jaune. With your ability to control the Grimm…"
It was a devil's bargain, one that would not work out well if it became public, but…
"I can do that." He said softly, but his eyes looked hesitant. "It would be easy, but… I'd have to use my power. It made my hair white, Raven. I'm changing."
She could see it. The young man with such foolish aspirations, the man who she had done horrid and sensual things that no woman should do in the bedroom unless the man was very charming… and he was the age of her daughter.
"Uniting the bandit tribes of Anima under the banner of Branwen would make an army…"
She hesitated. It was a slow look of understanding on his face, as she still felt that drive inside her to find the best, the strongest, the most worthy. He was that man, after her husband had stuck his penis in Summer's daughter.
"Your army. I'm offering you…"
She took a deep breath, as she looked at him with a look that boded ill for anyone else that it was directed at, her dark red eyes heavy.
"I'm offering you my tribe. It goes against everything that I was taught, to let the strongest rule the tribe… But-"
But she had no other choice. What had Ozpin brought her? Her brother was divided against her, no longer caring for that which they had once belonged to, focusing on the mission that Summer and she had fought so hard for.
"Keep my daughter safe and I will be your woman. Yang does not need to suffer what I have suffered."
He looked at her with a look that was soft and understanding. She could understand how someone might fall for the young man if he looked at her like that. His smile was like the sun rising, as his eyes never faded with that expressiveness of understanding her plight.
"I would have done so either way, Raven. You're one of us now. A maiden of mine."
He understood, at least a little. She pulled the towel away and laid on the bed, bare, looking at him. A soft smile crossed her lips, as she beckoned him with a single finger.
She would make love to a man now…
It was nice to be held by someone who cared for her at least a little bit more than her former husband had.
'You may have laid your hand on Summer's daughter, but you'll never claim mine, Taiyang d'Arc-Night.'
The mood swings (Whitney Esmeralda Schnee)
The first thing that clued her in to the sudden shift in her daughter was the wide eyes, as she startled awake, her mouth half-set in a scream that only tapered off into a soft wheeze, as the fear filled the room, a warm brush of that emotion as she rose from her bed, walking over to Weiss' bed. It was still the late morning, but Weiss had been sleeping a little.
"Bad dream, my sweet little snowflake?"
A soft whimper came from her daughter's mouth as she looked at her. Whitney felt the fear inside the girl's body slowly fade when she came to her bedside, a soft tug, as the casts kept her arms immobile.
"They wanted to do things to me, mama. I don't want to be alone."
She sat a little closer, kissing her daughter's cheek, letting her fingers brush up and down her daughter's scalp, not letting the girl go without the comforting touch. She knew that the girl needed her comfort, that she was in dire need of it without the use of her arms.
"I'll never leave you alone, Weiss. You're my daughter and that's how it'll always be. If Faunus make you uncomfortable…"
Her daughter's head shook slowly. That was a good thing, because her best friend was a Faunus. That would be a bit of a bummer to have to keep hiding Kali.
"Mama? Can we… Can we go shopping when I'm better? I'd like to buy something nice, a pretty little dress… Something to wear when I'm… back."
She brushed over the scar on her daughter's face, her gaze lingering on the delicate features of the girl that she had birthed into this world, her eyes deep.
"Of course, my dear. I'd like you to meet my friends…"
Weiss smiled shyly, as she looked around. Winter wasn't anywhere to be found, having went down to Vale once more when the General had requested her.
"Were they the ladies that came to visit? The ones you… rescued."
She shook her head. It had affected her darling Weiss when she'd heard about the women who had been violated and harmed. Her father had done an admirable job in keeping the hotel safe for them, his old bones still able to move.
"Huntsmen, my dear. One of my friends is…"
She didn't really know what to describe Kali as, aside from just Kali. The darkness within their bodies was the same, as was the feeling for the young man who was their overlord, as Kali put it.
"different, you might say. She loves a little too much and has been… peculiar in showing it."
She felt the scratching of clawed fingernails against her thigh, a reminder from Kali that she did not enjoy being spoken about in such a way, a curling finger sliding up and down.
"Like Yang? She's been… She's been better than my team leader. More…"
Her daughter looked away, shame in her expression as she looked back at her after a while.
"I'm sorry, Mama. I just think that Yang's a better leader than Ruby is. She cares, and Ruby is naïve. She thinks that… She thinks that it's all going to be okay with a little kiss and a dance and some Huntsman'll come and rescue you."
She could understand the thought. She knew well that there was something in the girls that was wrong. She'd felt it in Blake, Kali's daughter, during their brief meeting. She leaned a little closer and kissed her daughter's cheek.
"I have done horrible things, Weiss."
She had. She was following someone who was going to upset the global balance. She had killed people with her own two hands, using the weapon that she had obtained in Mistral. She was someone who had power in the world as the CEO of the Schnee Dust Company…
"You're here. Grandfather supports you… No matter what, it's okay. I will love you always, mama."
Her daughter was perhaps a touch naïve, hopeful for her mother to remain with her. She let her fingers brush over her daughter's neck, where no necklace laid. Her necklace had been torn off by the Faunus brutes and never been recovered.
"I've killed people, Weiss. Bandits. Scum. Vile people."
Her daughter's eyes were blossoming with hope, with a lack of fear. She felt the emotions inside her daughter surge with the happiness, the desire to hear more awakening. She supposed she could, just a little tip.
"When they shot us down, it was us against the White Fang. I was scared, I was afraid… It was only after I managed to get a weapon that I felt a little stronger, a little less scared. I was afraid for being discovered for who I am, so I lied to a young Huntsman who only wished to help."
Her Jaune, the man who meant the world to her. Her daughter did not know the wonders of the young man yet, but she would, eventually. She was a good mother to her children, even if the youngest had slain his own father…
"What did he say when he found out?"
Her daughter sounded intrigued, something that made her worry a little about the interest, before she dismissed it. A smile on her lips, as she tried to give the image of strength and comfort to the daughter that needed it the most.
"Oh, so you're a really fancy lady?"
She was trying to sell it to her daughter, even though the status between the two of them was different. Their lives were different, she was older than he was, Kali was older still, but…
Weiss smiled, looking at her with a trusting look, her expression never changing much beyond that look of indulgence. Whitney wondered whether her face was showing her love for the young man, as she glanced in one of the reflective surfaces and found that it was still showing her face.
"I want a boyfriend like that."
She smiled, kissing her daughter on the cheek again, just to make her feel safe and protected.
"You will, my dear. Even if Mama has to show you a few tricks… There are a few thing you can do to boys that make them go wild, my little snowflake."
It was an uncomfortable topic, but Weiss did not shiver. It was good to associate the emotion with positivity, she knew. Her daughter deserved to smile, to dance through life as a dancer, rather than a mere stride of soulless need as others did.
"I've…"
The door opened and her weapon was in her hands in a flash, trained on the door opening, her finger hovering over the trigger, even as the red-cloaked girl fluttered into the room in a storm of rose petals, the other members of her team behind her in the door opening, the blonde looking apologetic, Whitney lowering the rifle immediately.
'Nobody is going to touch my girl without my consent.'
"Ah- don't touch her. I don't care if you're her team leader or what-not, but Weiss has her arms broken and a leg broken and I will not see her jostled about."
She had to curb the girl's enthusiasm, even as silver eyes seemed to shimmer with that faint hint of disappointment.
"But she'll be okay again soon!"
'She needs therapy and to heal up!'
She did not agree with the girl. She knew what was best for her daughter, rather than some fifteen year old!
The older sister's experience(Yang Xiao-Long/d'Arc-Night)
The trip up towards the massive airship was luckily short, Ruby starting to gush about the armaments that had been fitted to the massive ship as the pilot of the craft that got them up mumbled something about over-excited teenagers.
Blake wore her new getup, preparing herself for the strutting of a lifetime, if she'd caught the implication of the outfit, or at least, trying to emulate douchebag mc-Adam in the suave and cool way that Blake could not fully get.
'I should shop for something new as well…'
She still had money leftover from some of the missions that they had done earlier in the year, paid a marginal sum that came with it. She could afford a new jacket at the very least, maybe something of a shirt to top it off…
"I'm so excited to see Weiss again! She's gotta know what went down when she was gone."
Ruby had been excited all morning, bouncing up and down. Right now, she was looking out of the window and oohing and aahing at the sights of Vale below them, the small figures of people below almost like ants on the ground, not moving more than they should, keeping a steady pace throughout the streets of Vale. Death had come to Vale, yet people had bounced back. The Grimm and the White Fang had been beaten back and the people were starting to return to their lives once more.
She worried a little for her little sister, as dad and their uncle (which was still a weird thought) had taken them for a few sessions in the training ring. She had to give it to the man, her uncle's defence was nearly impregnable when he set himself.
'Jaune would've been just like that…'
The face of the young blonde teenager came to her mind's eyes, his father's gaze almost like a stern reflection of his grandson's. It was all so messed up, she knew. It wouldn't be something that she would mind, but…
'Rowe was right… The man doesn't care, as long as his goals are achieved. Dad is still normal…'
She hoped that it was the case. She really hoped that dad was still normal, but a nagging sense inside her told her that the hope was slowly fading.
"She'll be fine, Ruby. She's just going to need another week to heal up. There are good medical specialists, the Schnee Dust Company does not hire anything but the best."
Blake tried to offer her view on things, but Ruby was undeterred in her optimism. Yang touched the mask in her pocket, the cloak zipped up in a small hip-bag that she kept on her. She knew that to wear the mask and the cloak was to don the garments of an office that bore only one final fate, yet she had not been instructed further.
"I hope she'll be happy to see us! I've been thinking about things and I want her to be happy again! Kiss! Yes, perhaps a kiss will make Weiss feel better."
There was a wishful fancy in the tone of her younger sister, something that made the alarm bells in her mind ring. She was getting more paranoid, especially after meeting with her mother and Summer.
'What if…'
She was still going to be the best sister that Ruby could ever have, but she'd correct Ruby if it needed to be done. Ruby was her little sister, the girl that she'd cared for, and-
"Hey, we've arrived."
Blake jolted her from her thoughts, Ruby already down the ramp out of the aircraft, skipping softly, Crescent Rose on her back, the long red cloak looking like a flag. Something inside Yang told her that Ruby had not earned the cloak, that she had not been the one who had fought against the Grimm with nothing but her own body.
'Strange…'
"Are you doing okay, Yang?"
Her partner asked, Yang's expression changing a little, her fingers gripping the underside of her shirt a little tighter, the fabric ripping because of the pressure she put on it, her eyes meeting with Blake's for a moment. Ruby continued on, humming something that sounded like the Valean march.
"No. But we'll talk about that later."
They couldn't understand. The rules and the regulations. The instructions… The feelings. The Creed, waking up to the feeling of reacting to something greater and the instructions ghosting through her mind again.
'A blessing… Or a curse.'
She found herself in front of the door leading towards Whitney Schnee's quarters, Ruby bouncing through the door in a storm of petals. Yang could see that Mrs Schnee had her weapon trained at the door, not willing to take any risks.
'Good, protect our little Weiss…'
It was better than her own mother could do, making the best of the situation and then enduring the silence that lasted. Raven Branwen was a lot of things, but she was not someone who was at her daughter's side every waking moment.
"But she'll be okay again soon!'"
Her sister's hopeful face was something that she didn't want to see tarnished, but what had happened to Weiss…
'The poor girl.'
Weiss tried her best to offer a smile, but it wasn't reaching her eyes. Her mother looked a little annoyed as well by Ruby's sudden appearance, as she shifted a little, the gun lowering a little again.
"I'll be healed up in two weeks."
Her little sister smiled and sat down, starting to talk about the important things that she'd been doing in the past two days. Three new barrel adjustments for Crescent Rose and some training that she'd been doing with 'Uncle Sage'.
"How has she been? Any nightmares?"
She spoke with a soft tone to the mother, who regarded her with a look that was tense, as she sighed. A light nod, as Blake spoke up softly, her voice sounding hesitatingly as she spoke up.
"You were in the ambush, a few months ago… By any chance, did you- Do you know what happened to my mother and father?"
A question Yang was going to be wondering about as well. Weiss' mother's face looked pensive and tired as she looked at her daughter there in the bed.
"I'm… It's not a pretty story to tell… But perhaps I can- Yes, I think I might be able to-"
A Glyph appeared in front of them, glowing with a bright blue light that slowly dimmed into a deep marine colour, turning and twisting more as it quivered. A figure appeared, a man whose facial features looked wise, Blake looking stunned to see him.
"Papa?"
A hopeful, yearning tone, the man's facial features twisted, as the bloodied hole in his chest stood out. His eyes went to his daughter and he smiled softly.
"Blake, I'm… I'm sorry for not being a good father. When I-"
The man looked around, coming to rest on Weiss' mother, whose face looked like she was under strain to keep the Glyph conjured, his expression changing.
"Where is Kali? What happened to my wife?!"
The mother of Weiss looked pensive, as she sighed deeply.
"They hung her, in a village in Mistral. Khan went on to escape, but your wife was too slow and they captured her."
A statement that was loaded, she knew, by the way that Blake reacted. There was a sadness in the man's eyes, looking at the woman with a deep feeling of regret in his eyes.
"Then I guess I will join her in death. Blake, never forget that we both love you. Your mother and I want you to be happy, no matter what. Your happiness is what we've always wanted."
She could see the tears in Blake's eyes, as Weiss' mother Whitney gave a soft sigh, the Glyph starting to fade. The woman looked tired, as if it had cost an enormous amount of effort to keep it up. A softness in the woman's eyes as she looked at Blake.
"Your mother and I were well-acquainted. We were only friends for a short while, but she had that spark of warmth that had been… lacking throughout most of my acquaintances. Why, we even had the dubious honour of being at the same fashion show."
There was more to that story, as Blake showed that little hint of interest, the woman's hand brushing over her forehead, clearly having exerted effort to keep the spirit of the man there.
"I didn't know Glyphs could do that…"
Weiss said, Ruby's flood of words stopping, and she looked around, clearly realizing that something had happened. Yang noticed that she'd seemed to tune things out whenever around Weiss.
"It's a summoning-related thing. I've had to learn some creative uses of the family Semblance, mainly because of bandits."
She saw Weiss give her mother a queer look, as if something had clicked together. Weiss was smart, but her stamina in the fighting they did was sorely lacking. Yang made a mental schedule to get Weiss' stamina up a little. A few days of extra cardio would be a good thing, to make little miss Princess get herself ready to huff and puff with no difficulty.
"Ooh, ooh! Did you meet a prince? Uncle Qrow says that there's a lot of weird people around, so you shouldn't travel alone. A prince might be coming to save you if you're caught up by bandits!"
Yang winced. She might've taken the storybook out a little too much when telling Ruby a story for bedtime, having to lug it up the stairs. It'd been a heavy book too, but the stories had all been made a little less bloody, just so that Ruby wouldn't be too adversely impacted.
"I would say that I've met a prince, yes. A man who was willing to…"
The look on the woman's face changed to one of dark emotions, a gritting of the teeth that showed.
"He stayed behind, to make sure that we got away. When we were crossing the strait between Mistral and Vale, there was this Grimm that attacked us, and he stayed behind."
Yang let her eyes shift from the woman's expression to Weiss'. She could see the similarities between mother and daughter, the faintest hint of that awe that Weiss had for her mother's tale, the look on the woman's face as she related that bit of personal information.
'I wonder if they had sex. I mean, I'm not sure whether I'd ever want to, but… If a guy or girl did that for me, I'd at least give a thank you.'
She knew well that a Huntsman had to make the choices that were tough, to keep the species kicking for another day, another year, another decade. It was a decision that Ruby made for them, nominally at least as the team leader, something to follow in the heat of the moment.
"His sacrifice let you survive, Mama. What was his name?"
Whitney Schnee did not answer, as she walked to the window, gazing out over the city of Vale for a moment. The sunlight caught her features perfectly, making her look like an ethereal presence, her pale hair loose, gaze shifting back to them for an instant.
"I'm sorry, but I'd like to keep that to myself. It hurts."
The woman's voice sounded weighted down by the emotions, a sense of craving and desire going through her voice, the woman's hand laid against the glass. Pale fingers looked thin and her face was wistful, Yang could say.
"The moments when I was alone with him, just looking into his eyes… It was a beautiful moment. He comforted me when I was afraid and was so strong and brave. I miss him."
'That guy died, then… Damn, it's not much luck that she's had.'
Ruby gave a sound of consternation. Yang had a bad feeling go through her again. She could see the silver eyes look conflicted, could see that her little sister was going to say something.
'Please make it something that isn't weird, Ruby…'
"But he'll come back, won't he? You're like a princess, so he'll be coming back and you'll have a wedding and marry! Weiss will get to have a dad."
The simple cheer in her sister's voice was simplistic and hopeful, as the woman turned her gaze from the window, her eyes looking a little darker, something in them having changed.
'You know that he's dead…'
"Dear girl, if my late husband were still alive, I would divorce him so that Weiss, Winter and Whitley could have a father who is a true man, rather than a mere simile of one. The moment when I shared myself with him, when I was able to show him the depth of my love…"
A soft wistful smile on the woman's face was like the candle that was lit in a dark room, as her sister had this big broad smile on her face.
"Ooh! He'll come back with a big smile on his face and offer you flowers! And then you'll hold hands and watch the sunset! You'll get married! Weiss can be cool in a dress too!"
The excitement in her sister's voice was threatening to make Yang worry for the sanity of her little sister. It'd been playing through her head a few times, watching the innocent smile on her sister's lips, those silver eyes dedicated to the thought of being a Huntress like Summer had been.
"I'm sure that it'll happen just like that, Ruby."
The woman's tone was placating, a little pity taken for the mental state of her younger sister and Yang found herself not quite disagreeing with it. Ruby looked down at Weiss and gently hugged her.
"Are you okay now, Weiss?"
She asked again, Yang noticing that Weiss looked a little like she was affected by the closeness of her team leader. For such a pretty young woman, Weiss held with her a certain frailty.
"I'm… better. The doctors say that the fractures will heal given a week's time. Until then, Mama has been taking care of me. It's… It's a little embarrassing."
Yang noticed the look on the older woman's face, one of care and love. Whitney Schnee moved to stand at her daughter's bedside, brushing a finger through her daughter's hair, proud with her expression.
"We'll be happy as a team again! Daddy said that you don't have to do the thing, because of… damage? Well, you're fine either way! Just a few broken bones. It feels so good to do it, Weiss. He was so warm and comforting."
Weiss trembled a little, the eyes looking pained and a little frightened. Weiss' mother looked down at Ruby, her expression changing softly into one of consternation. The look in her eyes was darkening, as her little sister continued, not noticing the look on her partner's face.
"and when it goes in, it's like 'poof!' and you feel like you're floaty! Just like a cloud, because it's the best thing ever. Yang's not into boys, so she'll never know really, well, dad said that it isn't proper or something, but yes, he knows best."
She felt sick now. She felt pretty sick, as Weiss' eyes went wide, Blake looking caught between leaving and doing something about it.
"And we'll be best partners forever! We can share everything! A boyfriend, maybe two! It feels really good when you feel it go all boom inside, yes! Hmmhmm! It's our destiny. Just think of the fun we can have, together! Dad said that it's what all the second-year students have to do, yep!"
Yang felt sick. Blake looked sick too. Weiss was trembling. She did not look happy. Whitney Schnee's face was looking like it had been carved out of ice, gazing down at the girl that was so happily talking about such things.
'They didn't…'
She wanted to throw up. She wanted to throw up and-
'Oh Gods… Oh gods, it's just like with Rowena. The Silver Eyes. It all comes down to the silver eyes.'
"Ruby, I'm-"
Weiss was on the verge of tears, if she gauged it right, but Ruby just seemed to keep on going, smiling brightly, unaware of the amount of pain that she was causing her best friend by talking about such things.
"Oh, don't worry! You're apparently okay! You're part of… eh, I'm not sure I should tell. Dad said that I shouldn't, but… Well, Mom was like that too. Weiss, we're going to become the best of the best."
'Weiss would never survive against a Grimm like that. She doesn't have the stamina and-'
She cleared her throat, drawing Ruby's attention. "I'm sure that Weiss wouldn't mind if you got her something to drink, right? Wasn't there a cafeteria down the hall where they had some nice drinks? Go and get a glass of something nice and sweet for Weiss, Ruby. Sugar cures everything, right?"
She saw the tremors go through Weiss as Ruby gave a cheerful 'Okay!', disappearing into the distance. Whitney's hand caressed her daughter's cheeks, as the tears came. Weiss looked shattered, broken, something that was like a doll that'd had its limbs broken and twisted, harmed in some way that could never be fully mended.
"She doesn't understand, sweetheart. She's naïve and doesn't know how the world works… You don't have to do anything that you don't want, Weiss."
The motherly tone seemed to comfort Weiss, as the girl looked at her mother for guidance. Yang never had seen a girl look so lost and so broken, but it was time for her to act. She regarded Blake, catching her eye.
'Someone has to make the call to keep Ruby away for a little while longer…'
"Blake, go and make sure Ruby stays away for a little bit. Say that you think it might be nice to, I dunno, get something sweet to munch on. Distract her with some cookies, she likes them as a snack."
Yang knew that Ruby would be back soon, probably spilling the drink all over Weiss in the effort to get it to her as swiftly as possible. Weiss looked like she was on the verge of breaking. Yang couldn't imagine what it'd be like for the girl, going through such an ordeal and then just having her partner and friend say that it'd be fun to do things like that together.
'And that's not even talking about the fact that dad skipped the condom… But being an Arc would make sense…'
She didn't think much of it as Blake left, following her orders, not questioning them. Blake had felt better ever since she'd come back from the mission to Mountain Glenn, and it had been an upward trend in her moods.
"Don't cry, Weiss…"
The mother gave soft shushing noises as Yang sat down on the spot Ruby had just vacated. Ruby hadn't seen the small signs, she hadn't gotten the hint that such things might not be the best subject to talk about with Weiss but it was okay. She laid a hand on Weiss, the girl's small body laid there and Weiss just shivered a little.
"I don't wanna, mama. I don't wanna have sex with anyone I don't love, please help me, mama?"
It was breaking Yang's heart to hear that pleading tone in her friend's voice, the whisper that sounded like a beggar pleading to be spared, the terror in her eyes visible again.
"Nothing will happen to you, Weiss. If anyone comes for you to touch you, they won't leave the room alive… Right?"
The hiss of anger and frustration in the woman's voice was familiar, something dark and twisted flitting over the woman's features for an instant, her motherly features warping a little with something in her eyes changing to a dark and frightening way of looking at the world.
"Mama? I love you."
The smile was warm and motherly, as Yang could see that Weiss calmed down, her mother's hand on her skin. She noticed that the veins were a little distended on the pale hand, something shivering below the skin, evaporating into nothingness after a short while.
"I love you too, my little snowflake. For you…"
A smile on the woman's lips, as her fingers traced up and down her daughter's tender neck. The skin was pale and sun-starved in its look, contrasting with her mother's, which seemed to be almost translucent and see-through.
"For you, I would select the best man in the world to be your father. Miss Xiao Long?"
The woman let go of her daughter's bed, striding over to the cabinet and then pulling something out. A long package, something that looked familiar. She had seen it in the apothecary a few times, in the feminine products aisle.
"Let your sister swallow three of these in regular intervals over a day. They go great when crushed into a smoothie. I have heard from a reputable source who currently is the cutest daughter ever that she adores strawberries…"
The pills were familiar. They were for when you had unprotected sex, when you just couldn't take the pill…
'Dad got Ruby pregnant. It was all a set-up… Ruby has her eyes, Weiss was the heiress to the Schnee Dust Company, Blake and the White Fang had some business… And I had the highest marks… Are we just…'
She was going to be sick. She was going to be so sick that she'd be called Sick Xiao Long. Were they huntresses, or were they merely the mothers of the next generation? She grabbed the packaging, noticing that three out of the ten pills had already been used.
"Thank you… Eh-"
A faint smile traced along the lips of the mother of her teammate, her hand lightly patting her cheek. She felt a tingle of desire go through her for the woman, the fetching look on the woman's face definitely making her feel a little gayer than she should.
"Don't mention it. A child should not be with child. Especially one as naïve as your half-sister."
She could feel a dash of comfort go through her at the woman's suggestion, tucking the package into her pocket and arranging herself a little more as she and Weiss' mother went to Weiss again, the girl looking at her.
"You're a good person, Yang."
She supposed she was. Weiss looked at her with hopeful eyes. That look made her feel guilty, as she knew that in comparison to others, she was still someone who only seemed to look at the world with half-made eyes, someone who was simply a Huntress-in-Training.
"I'm not… gay, if you're asking. That was just a cover."
She didn't know why she told, Weiss giving a soft little smile at her. It was warm and kinder, softer.
"I know, you silly blonde. You've got that poster with the hot boys on it. You're bisexual, at worst."
It was a heartening moment where she laughed, as Weiss mustered a little smile that morphed into something bigger, her eyes lighting up.
"You're a better leader than Ruby is. You don't act like things aren't wrong, like it's normal to sleep with your own father and to have him do that to you."
She would never willingly spread her legs for her dad. That stuff was so wrong it'd be in a whole different Kingdom with how wrong it was. Weiss was right. Ruby needed some professional help…and…
"Do not trust Headmaster Ozpin."
The words of Whitney Schnee made Yang regard the woman, a look in her eyes. Had her eyes always been a deep shade of purple, or was that just the light hitting it differently.
"I do not want to see a young girl harmed by that man's schemes. James Ironwood, Headmaster Ozpin… They're all working together to make a perfect world."
That made remarkably some sense. Weiss made a frightened sound in the back of her throat, the woman's body moving, as she pulled away from her daughter, her voice like a soft seductive hiss.
"It all comes down to power, Weiss. What power does a widow in control of one of the biggest Dust companies in the world have? What power does a woman with a seat on the council, truly have?"
There was a softness to her voice, as Weiss made a sound in the back of her throat, Whitney moving through the room.
"We're women. We're expected to be two steps behind our husband, to obey their word. What merit do we have, aside from being mere breeding ovens for the next generation? A lot of the women I rescued have been… violated. The animals were on them, they manhandled them. All took a pill in order to save them from the shame of having to birth a Faunus."
Yang wasn't sure where the woman was going with this line of voice, as Weiss whimpered.
"But, Winter works as an aide to General Ironwood… Wouldn't she?"
The woman turned around sharply, as her eyes turned a deep maroon colour in the light of day hitting it, a deep purple slowly fading to blue again as she seemed to gather herself. Heated passion, a craving of something, as the woman stepped forwards.
"Why shouldn't she? She's Ironwood's Specialist. If he asked, she would spread her legs and birth someone who would be able to take your status as the Heir away… She is still the eldest, after all. It would all be according to plan. My first grandchild would be conceived through insemination, shaped and moulded into the heir of the Schnee Dust Company, loyal to Atlas."
It was a dark, twisted vision that the woman had, something inside her rising up, a feeling of desire, something that yearned for family, for that touch that made her shiver and crave. Comfort and company, something a little more than the average.
"Mother, you cannot-"
Weiss was trying to reason with the woman, as the woman turned to her, her eyes looking almost a deep crimson, blinking and slowly turning purplish-blue once again.
"Have you not noticed that one of your teammates seems to be thoroughly on board with being pregnant by her own father? Is that normal, Weiss? I was raised on principles by my father that there would be a husband, a house and at the very least, something that would resemble love in the relationship."
'Blake acted differently after she had a chat with Professor Ozpin…'
It had been a startling change, but it had been one that she had been relieved about. What if the man had some sort of Semblance that could change someone's perceptions, to make them believe something like…
'I'm going to throw up.'
She made it to the kitchenette's sink and threw up, the image of her father laying a hand on her and her responding back that it'd be fine if it was with her daddy. The thought was so sick that it just made her stomach revolt against her consciousness, remembering the touches that she'd suffered when he'd mistook her for Raven, when she'd had to bathe the man and make sure that he looked presentable enough to be paraded out for those who came to inspect them when Uncle Qrow wasn't around.
"Blake has been acting a little better, but- Oh gods, is it because of that?"
A softness of the features, something that seemed to come into connection, as fear wrapped around Weiss' body almost like a shroud. Yang felt bad for the girl, knowing that she was feeling the fear of not knowing what to trust and who to trust.
"Don't ever be alone with that man, nor allow him to know that you know of his schemes, girls. I am likely safe because I refuse to meet with anyone without my father present as well as guards… But please…"
She firmed herself. Ozpin might be playing a dirty game, but that didn't mean…
She pulled her Scroll out, dialing the number she'd gotten. A beep and a click, and someone picked up.
"Good afternoon?"
She was on audio-only, so it was only the voice of Rowena d'Arc-Night that filtered through the speaker. Yang looked nervously at the entrance, wondering whether her little sister might be coming through that doorway. She'd trust dad too much to lie to him… But Yang Xiao Long was not going to be caught in some sort of trap. Secrecy be damned, she could damn well ask the woman aloud.
"Does the Grandmaster have some power to change people? I'm here, visiting my friend Weiss and… I need to know, Rowe."
A soft pause, as the woman seemed to think for a moment and then softly, air escaped from the lips of the woman. The speaker whistled softly with that exhale.
"Yes. He will take what you value most and then take it away, just as he did my son. One moment, you will be happy and content and the next, you watch as he does unconscionable things to the child you love the most."
It was a grim statement, and Yang felt her breath stall in her throat, a hot heat settling in her stomach as anger filled it. She wasn't some puppet.
Whitney Schnee spoke up then. "Lionheart was the same. Working with someone who used machines, who spoke of a grand plan. It's all made to look natural, but how natural is this? My daughter, Weiss, nearly violated by Faunus and my own death nearly a fact."
She'd heard about the sudden death of the Headmaster of Haven, the man having been killed together with a disgraced Atlesian scientist, or something. It had been the news of the school for a few days, before the latest things picked up the slog and things changed.
'Well, they won't get me. Ruby… Ruby's going to be growing out of the fairytales and wishes phase. I'll make sure that she's safe.'
"If it defeats the Shadow… Everything is permitted. Nothing is prohibited due to ethics or creed, because the fight must be won."
A wry tone, as the woman sighed. "Let's have a nice day tomorrow, Yang. We'll find something nice for you to wear, my cousin isn't going to be wearing something that won't fit her… Weiss Schnee, I hope your recovery goes swift and that you'll be able to function again soon. My sunny little dragon needs a good friend…"
The connection shut off and Yang sighed, even as Weiss looked at her, her head nodding softly. It was probably the best that they could make it at this moment. She would keep her sister and her team safe… and she would not be some toy for some old man to use as some sort of breeding oven!
Ruby entered then with a big plate of cookies whilst Blake carried a cup of something with a large straw sticking out of it, Weiss brightening a little, though Yang could see the hesitation in the girl's eyes.
'Now your confidence has shattered…'
She felt bad for the girl, but she had to plan. There would be much to do in order to keep her team safe.
"So, when we do it, I want to be on top. Dad said that it's good for girls to do it together. Mom and Yang's mom did that a few times too. They were best of friends. So, we'll be best of friends too! Dad'll be going back to Patch for a little bit to make sure that Zwei is getting back home. He'll miss home, because dad just-"
'No matter what… I'm not going to make us all be mere pawns…'
Yang Xiao-Long was going to be a leader, because others wanted her to be, and if she had to supplant her sister for that role… Well, it would be so. Ruby needed a good firm bit of spanking anyways.
"Ruby, I think Weiss wants to eat cookies, rather than listen to you talk."
First, they'd survive this visit.
She was going to do what she had to in order to make sure that Ruby would not be suffering through her ignorance.
'Let's go and see whether we've got some strawberries at the market.'
The things we must do (Ozymandias Pinnacle)
'How long has it been, my dear?'
The ancient wizard looked at the map, indexing the final damages from the assault that Vale had suffered. It was all marginal in scale, compared to the grand game that his mind was already playing the next move in. He would move a pawn and she would move, this game continuing evermore.
"tally made into what can be considered as minor losses, Grandmaster."
The Calavera in his office spoke with a faint accent, as his mind remembered the first Maria Calavera that had stood there before him, anointed with the first Order that he had founded. A woman of skill, of swords and fury and pacing…
'How long has it been since they have invented their crafts?'
It was a cycle, something that continued over and over. It was all for the right cause, all for the peace of the world. He remembered the time when he had been with his lover, a passionate researcher and mage, rising to the station of Grand Witch within a short few years.
It had been raw talent, her body matured with that sense of style that had been common that year. It had been necessary. It had been necessary and needed to do what he had done. The child had been the catalyst, the Relics the fusion. His craft had been impeccable, even if the divide had been… imperfect.
'One little error, corrected too late…'
"Ensure that there are many who hide amongst the populace. Ensure that we have a presence everywhere for as long as we can manage, before dispersing and blending in with the locals once more. The Mission cannot fail, Calavera. You know that, it is our destiny."
It was a shame that the body of Jaune Ozymandias d'Arc-Night was no longer available. Such a shame, because it would have been perfect. With the eldest daughter of Sage Aaron Arc as the next Grand Witch, it would have been the formation of unity for this world, something that could stem the tide of his former love.
'Why must you do this, my dear? Why must you always rail against me for doing what is right?'
The light within him burned like a radiant sun, the power always present, the finger that bore the ring-like shape of the Relic of Choice glowing faintly in the light. Its power was still within the Relic itself, although he had simply resized it a little to fit his finger. The body that he used currently belonged to someone whose consciousness had already faded. It would serve for a few years, perhaps another decade…
'It would have been so perfect. A Schnee, the Faunus under Belladonna, a bearer of the Silver Eyes and a girl whose talent was high… Pyrrha Nikos, a talented woman who can still be of use…'
The machine had been delivered already, installed within the vault after a moment of calibration. Amber rested within, as asleep as one could be. One never had to go into combat unprepared.
"Dismissed, Calavera."
The woman left quietly, her body in motion constantly, as he turned to the wall, pressing a panel and looking at the names that he had etched into the stone. A single name stood below, which the world would have known him as…
Jaune Ozymandias d'Arc-Night
But now, the plan would have to be changed. Another host had to be found, or he would be adrift, unable to govern the world as it was.
"Grandmaster."
The voice of Sage Aaron Arc came to his ears and he acknowledged the man, who had been working on important things. Things would continue, and it would all be for the best. The man was to deliver his second-eldest daughter for the cultivation of another heir.
It was the way of the world. Children were born and some were born more special than others. The Awakening, when he had infused a great deal of the Lux Aeterna into the body of the young man, had been rough on him. It aged the body, even though the power returned post-demise. There had been a return of sorts, though it had been lesser than expected. A single arm, emptied of the power, left to burn.
'And thus, your sacrifice shall not be forgotten…'
"Prepare your second daughter for giving her tithe to the Order. She will bear you an heir, use the Vessel's seed for the girl in order to ensure perfect acceptance."
Orders that were grave, yet they resulted in the survival of the species. They resulted in something that was beautiful, something that reminded him of better days that had long-since gone by and been forgotten.
'On the flower fields of Arcadia…'
"As you command, Grandmaster."
She would be coming, he knew. This strange third player as well, was someone who did not hold insignificant power. There were hints of their presence in the aether, the feeling of something familiar, yet not familiar.
'The moment when you emerge…'
It was all for the good of this world. She could not be allowed to desecrate this beautiful gem with her presence, her filth… Her corruption. The Grimm kept on coming and he was one of the few who knew what measures to take.
'There will be a reckoning…'
He was the Grand Wizard and one did not mess with the game he was playing. This body would hold out for a little while longer. If someone thought that they could enter the game when there was only space for two players…
'Every time I lose sight… Every time I see the helpless look in their eyes… They need my guidance.'
It was so simple, for him. Humanity did not need the Gods to believe in… They just needed their guardian, someone who knew what decisions to make, what sorts of things to believe in. It was all for the right cause, of course.
'Even you, James… Even you will come to see the need that I have for order in this world. Humanity does not need chaos within its ranks…'
A hand brushed over the glass, looking down at the students milling about in the afternoon sun, the massive warships hanging overhead, looking somewhat out of place with the Hindenburg, a state-of-the-art warship that was the private property of the Schnee Dust Company, hanging above Vale.
The news that Whitney Schnee had survived the ambushing of her flight back towards Atlas had been a surprise, but not unexpected. Nicholas Schnee had always been a cunning man, able to see some opportunity in small things. It was his suspicion that the man had smuggled his daughter back into Vale to make a grand appearance post-death of his son-in-law.
The news that Jacques Schnee had died had hit the media a day earlier. Poison had been suspected, but not confirmed. The youngest child, Whitley, was still an option for the ritual. Fourteen was an age where the personality was not yet fully set…
'The financial means of the largest Dust provider in the world would be a boon to the cause…'
It was an annoyance that the age was over fourteen, but nothing that could not be rectified with a few choices…
The Relic of Choice glistened on his finger, as he beheld the ancient stone slab upon which the names had been carved, his fingers sliding over the names, remembering the faces of the men who had come to be his host.
'Some choices will have to be made for them, in order to guide them…'
They were like young children who desired guidance.
He would give them that guidance, all in order to preserve the world that he so loved.
They did not need to worry…
The greater good was a worthy cause to make the greatest sacrifice of all for.
'Everything I do is for you, little people…'
They were simply ignorant of their true purpose. It was all for the benefit of this beautiful world.
'You turned into a bird!'
That definitely is a tagline that you don't see much. Our dear glorious leader seems to have had some issue, but at least he's still human!
Ozymandias Pinnacle, ladies and gentlemen! Ozpin's first perspective, and hopefully, shedding some light on the things that he's done.
The Greater Good… Well, this isn't some sort of Neighborhood plant association, and we are most certainly not in a buddy cop movie.
Until next time, ladies and gentlemen!
Leave a review! Seeing the appreciation from people who enjoy this fairytale of Grimm portents makes the writer happier!