A Changing World

Act 2

Chapter 13: Dealing with past sins (Part One)

A/N: So as is typical of me at this point, I've found I've been doing things wrong when formatting dialogue. Particularly with capitalisation that I was told was necessary.

I.e. 'Asked Astrid' (and dialogue like it) will be 'asked Astrid' from now on.

A few other changes to dialogue were made, but that is the most noticeable one in my opinion.

Also, I have some really important stuff that I need to pass, for the sake of securing my place at University, so, unfortunately I have to put this story on hiatus until the second of April.

Alright, I've said enough now. Let's get this thing started.

"Well this is a nice sight, wouldn't you say so Raven?" smirked Qrow. "You are in an Atlas designed, aura and semblance negating, holding cell."

"I really hate it when you gloat, brother. It makes you look dumber than you already are." said Raven, a smirk in place, though Qrow knew it was forced.

"Better to look dumb than actually be it," Qrow deflected. "Tell me, when you tried to create a portal and run away, from myself, Tai, Roman, Neo and that Specialist, did it ever occur to you that we would have figured you would do that and have people ready to capture you wherever you showed up? Not to mention my semblance working against you there."

"In hindsight, yes. That was a dumb move. In the moment, obviously not. You know how it is, little brother."

"Good. Now, do you want to see your visitors? You have a few besides me."

"And who would they be, Qrow?"

"Yang and Hiccup."

"I never want to see Hiccup ever again." Raven spat.

"Tough, because I'm already here." A certain nasally voice intoned.

"I'm here too." said Yang

"I'll take over now, Qrow." Hiccup then said.

When the huntsman left, Hiccup spoke, observing Raven who had turned her back to him.

"Just so there aren't any secrets between us, the armoury fire and Roman and Neo's 'capture' happened because of me and some friends of mine."

That got a reaction from the Bandit Queen. She turned and lunged at Hiccup, face twisted into a hate-filled glare. She was prevented from reaching him by the forcefield between them, the invisible barrier humming, not unlike a fridge motor.

Hiccup, unperturbed, continued a moment later. "You remember the town of Kuroyuri where you set up camp? Yeah, they were born there. The only two survivors of the whole town. Feels fitting that they take something from the tribe that decided to live in their hometown. A revenge of some sort."

"Leave." Raven spat, still glaring at him. "I have nothing to say to you and I don't care about what you have to say."

"Good, because now Astrid, Gobber, and I are finally free of you. I hope you enjoy your time here." Hiccup then turned to his companion.

"You're up, Yang. Do you want me to stay with you?"

"No, I should be fine, but thanks anyway Hiccup."

"Anytime." she heard him say before leaving.

She then turned her gaze back to Raven.

"What do you want, Yang?" asked Raven, her voice carrying the barest hint of enthusiasm and a significant amount of annoyance.

Yang paused for a moment before she answered. "I'm curious, was it worth it?"

"Was what worth it?"

"Walking out on Dad, me, and the rest of your team. Going back to your tribe. Was it worth it?"

"Yes. Now please leave."

"That won't work on me. What's the real answer here?"

"I just told you."

"Funny, because I remember you telling me that you walked out on me, rather than us. So which is it?"

"I did say that, but it hardly matters now. Even if I wanted to go back to you and my old team, I couldn't. Summer Rose is dead and Taiyang, Qrow, and you hate me, rightfully so. If I were like any of you, I'd hate me too."

"You seem surprisingly reasonable right now," Yang noted.

"What, you think I left you and my team just because? When Qrow and I entered Beacon, it wasn't to become Huntsmen. It was to learn how to kill them. Then Taiyang and Summer Rose arrived. One thing led to another during the last of those four years and suddenly, I was pregnant. Me, the person who our tribe trusted to help deal with Huntsmen and Huntresses was pregnant. You could never belong in that world. So I left. It wasn't the only reason I left, but it was the biggest one. You know the rest."

"Plausible story, but why should I believe any of that?"

"You don't have to, but Taiyang or Qrow could confirm it. Now please leave. I have nothing else to say to you." With that, Raven turned and faced the wall of her holding cell.

She decided it best to leave shortly afterwards.

Yang was heading back to the others who were waiting on the main deck of the Atlas Military airship when she bumped into Blake.

She, along with Ruby, Qrow, and Taiyang, had travelled to Mistral before Raven's capture and had stayed at the safe house in the city while the event itself had unfolded.

Both were now on the airship floating overhead Mistral.

"Move, Blake," Yang muttered but went ignored by the cat faunus as she started speaking.

"Back at Beacon, I remember you saying 'it's a start' when we were talking about making up as friends again. Is there anything I can do to make you hate me less? Because you're right, I shouldn't have run away, but that's what I do Yang. I'm a coward."

Yang exhaled heavily through the nose. "You got that right."

"So what can I do?"

"Nothing."

"Oh, right." said Blake, tone despondent.

"W-wait, I meant that I have no idea. Not right now. But at the moment I want to get back to the others."

"Right, right. So, how'd it go with Raven?"

"You're on thin ice, Blake. Best not broach the topic which is part of the reason why we're not friends anymore."

"Right, sorry. Anyway, Weiss wants you at that meeting tomorrow. Hiccup, Astrid, and I as well. We're her bodyguards apparently."

"Does Hiccup know about this?"

"I told him first. He's busy collecting Dust to bring back to Atlas at the moment. He apparently owes Weiss."

"Let's see if we can get Raven to create a portal to Astrid then," Suggested Yang.

"No need. Weiss is going to pick us up here and travel straight to Vale."

"She'll take a while, so let's help Hiccup then we can find somewhere to celebrate."

"That sounds nice. Let's go then."

That night, food, drink and friends were assembled at the safehouse in Mistral.

Astrid, Gobber and Weiss had flown from Atlas and Ren and Nora had arrived from the Arc Residence after spending some more time with Jaune and his family.

Lastly, Qrow and Taiyang had set out to collect the food and drink for everyone.

Pizza and soda were spread out on a table, with everyone sitting on sofas around it.

"Why don't we play a game of truth or dare, you know, just for fun?" Suggested Yang.

"Truth or dare?" Queried Astrid. She and Hiccup were sitting comfortably together on one of the sofas in the room.

Hiccup had an arm curled around her waist and she was resting her head on his shoulder.

Ruby, Ren and Nora sat on the sofa on Hiccup's left, Weiss, Blake and Yang were sat on the sofa directly ahead and Gobber, Taiyang and Qrow were on the sofa on his and Astrid's right.

"It's a game where you either tell other people something that you've done - called 'truth' - or tell someone else to do something - which is called 'dare'. I played it once with Yang and Ruby and I ended up daring Yang not to make a pun whenever I'm around because they're the worst." explained Hiccup.

"Interesting," commented Gobber.

Meanwhile, Weiss and Blake's eyes lit up, much to Yang's chagrin. "Now you've given them ideas. Thanks, Hiccup."

"Anytime Yang," he grinned. "Who wants to go first?"

"I do," said Taiyang. "Hiccup, I dare you to tell everyone what Neo meant when she congratulated you on 'the little one'."

Hiccup and Astrid looked at each other, the former silently asking permission from the latter, who nodded. "I'm sure you've already figured it out, but Astrid is pregnant."

"Congratulations." Smiled Blake.

"Oooh, I dare you to make me an Auntie. I want to be called Auntie Nora."

The pair chuckled. "You'll all be Aunties and Uncles, but Gobber and my parents are the first ones."

"How far along are you?" asked Weiss.

"About 15 weeks," replied Astrid.

"She started showing a few days ago when Blake decided to run off," added Hiccup.

This resulted in the girl in question ending up on the receiving end of some unimpressed stares, so Hiccup decided to move the game along. "Weiss, tell us something true about you."

Weiss gestured to the scar over her right eye. "I got this while fighting Grimm before I travelled to Beacon. My father wouldn't have let me go otherwise."

"What kind of Grimm was it?" asked Hiccup.

"It was a Geist - a kind of Grimm that is able to possess and control inanimate objects, in my case a full suit of armour and a greatsword. It is a rare kind of Grimm however."

Hiccup nodded, satisfied before picking up a slice of pizza from the table before him as Weiss continued, her blue eyes gaining a spark of mischief. "Blake, I dare you to tell everyone who you have a crush on."

Blake blushed, which deepened when Yang winked at her and said: "Oh, do tell."

"It's Sun, now you can stop staring at me like that Yang?"

"Feel free to go after him, Blake," said Yang, winking again.

Weiss glanced at her scroll. "Since we have to be in Vale tomorrow, can we wrap this up soon?"

"Fine, Ren, tell us something true about you," said Blake.

Ren and Nora glanced at each other. "We're together-together now," he gave a small smile.

"Congratulations, you two. It was about time you started dating," said Yang.

"Did you get together recently?" asked Astrid.

"The night Blake ran off," replied Ren.

"Have you done it? The horizontal tango?" asked Hiccup.

"What?" asked Ren.

"He means sex," explained Blake.

Nora blushed heavily, while Ren blinked a few times, and his lips twitched awkwardly as he did so.

"Not yet," he added after an awkward pause.

"Alright, kiddos. Why don't we finish our food, leave the new couple alone, and go where we need to go?" Suggested Taiyang.

"I second that idea. Thank you, Mr Xiao Long," said Ren.

"No need to be so formal. Just call me Taiyang."

Ren nodded in response, and the room fell almost entirely silent, with the only sound and sight being that of eight teenagers and three adults eating and drinking.

Once all the pizza and soda was consumed, Weiss stood up. "Now there isn't enough room for everyone in my Bullhead, as Ironwood asked me to bring him to Vale, so some of you will have to stay behind for now before I can send another Bullhead here. Any volunteers?"

"No need for that. Ruby can come with us. Simon asked Qrow and me to escort him to Vale after all. He'll be heading there soon," said Taiyang.

"Also, Nora and I will be staying with Jaune for now," said Ren.

"Alright then," replied Weiss.

"Your task is to find and rescue the Albain brothers and then bring them back to Mistral," ordered Banesaw.

"Yes, High Leader," said the goon on the other end of the line.

"Good. Now, I have a meeting to attend. Tell me when you have completed the task. Kill anyone who tries to stop you, if necessary but make sure you leave no witnesses." He said before he ended the call.

"How far are we from Vale?" he asked the pilot, stepping closer to the cockpit of the Bullhead he was in as he spoke.

"We're already in Vale, High Leader. Beacon is in sight," replied the pilot.

Banesaw nodded "Good." Then his scroll started ringing.

"Boss, Yuma spotted Blake Belladonna at Beacon. Also, there's no sign of any trap or ambush, but we'll keep looking."

"Noted. Tell Yuma that I shall be there shortly."

"You got it, Boss."

"Maybe if we bring someone who Jaune doesn't know, he'll snap out of it?" The question came from a thoughtful looking Ren who was sitting with Nora and Jaune's family in their living room.

Meanwhile, Jaune was sleeping in one of the rooms upstairs.

"Worth a shot, I say," said Sarah. "But who should it be?"

"Arslan Altan," said Nora. The pair had discussed the idea earlier.

"The name is a little familiar. Wasn't she the one who broke that ice boulder with one punch?" asked Saphron.

Ren nodded before taking out his scroll. "I'll tell her to come over here. Hopefully, it will work."

Yuma watched the group that was present through a set of binoculars. His attention was mostly on the three of the four Headteachers of the Huntsmen Academies in Remnant who were present for the meeting, set to take place in the courtyard.

He sparingly glanced at Weiss Schnee, who stood at the other Bullhead landing pad to his left, with an auburn-haired boy standing on her left, a cat faunus girl who he recognised as Blake Belladonna thanks to the weapon on her right hip, on her right and two blond haired girls standing behind her. Next, Yuma noticed a large man with a blond handlebar moustache and a hook for a hand was standing behind the two blond girls, talking to one of them, who had significantly shorter hair than the other.

Towering over the group from behind was a Bullhead, painted white and blue, with a snowflake emblem on the side visible to him, from which Ironwood emerged.

On the far left waited another Bullhead, and in front of it stood five individuals. Two of them stood ready, scanning the area cautiously. Yuma guessed they were Huntsmen.

One of the Huntsmen present had black hair and a large scythe in hand and one who was blond, though oddly didn't have any weapon in sight.

Also with them was a red-headed girl with a red scythe in hand. She looked younger than anyone else present, but she was facing away from him so he couldn't tell for sure. At any rate, she was the shortest of them all.

Of the two other figures who stood in the group, one was female, holding a bo-staff at the ready.

The other figure had a gun of some kind. Yuma couldn't tell what kind as it was in a holster attached to his right hip.

"You see any signs of a trap?" asked Trifa, from beside him.

"Nope, but the Schnee has some bodyguards with her that you probably noticed."

"I'll tell the Boss there's no sign of a trap. But we should keep watching. I wouldn't be surprised if they tried something only when he got here." said Trifa as she brought out her scroll.

"Boss, Yuma spotted Blake Belladonna at Beacon. Also, there's no sign of any trap or ambush, but we'll keep looking." Yuma heard her say.

Then she paused for a moment before continuing. "You got it, Boss."

Following this statement, an almost deafening roar cut through the sky just before Banesaw's bullhead appeared in the sky.

It landed on the landing pad behind them. Unlike Weiss's Bullhead, this one was painted a simple white and black - the default colours of the Vehicle - with no fancy emblems of any kind in sight.

A door in one of the two sides of the vehicle slid open and Banesaw emerged.

The trio stepped forward as one, heading towards Ironwood, Weiss and her entourage, at the same time that Rachel, Simon and his group headed in her direction.

Now standing face to face with everyone else, Banesaw spoke up first.

"I know you Ironwood, but which of you is Simon and Rachel?"

"I'm Simon, Headmaster of Haven Academy. I replaced Lionheart a few months back." The man with the revolver that Yuma had noticed earlier, answered.

He gestured to the woman with the bo-staff. "This is Rachel, Headmistress of Shade."

Banesaw nodded before gesturing to his companions. "This is Yuma and Trifa. Anyway, now that we're familiar with each other, I would like to make one request. If you fulfil it, I would be willing to go to whatever prison you have in mind, with yours truly pleading guilty if need be."

"Boss?!" exclaimed Yuma.

"What are you doing?!" demanded Trifa. Banesaw ignored them both.

"What is this request?" asked Ironwood.

"The death of Weiss Schnee and the closure of the SDC. Make it happen."

"That's two requests," said Blake, stepping in front of Weiss protectively, while the others got ready to draw the weapons they had with them.

"They go hand in hand, Belladonna," replied Banesaw. "Fulfill them, and you can imprison me however you wish."

"We'll need time to discuss that," said Hiccup.

"Fine with me. Mistral wasn't built in a day after all. How about one hour?"

"That should be more than enough time," replied Hiccup.

"I'll wait for your answer, then," said Banesaw, before turning and heading back to the Bullhead he had arrived in. Yuma and Trifa followed after briefly looking between him and Weiss.

"I might have a way out of this already," said Hiccup.

"You do? Well let's hear it then," said Blake.

"Emphasis on might, Blake. I'm not sure yet. Anyway, Weiss, is your mother still alive?"

"Yes, she's going through rehab though. Why?"

"If you were to be killed, you'd want to go see her one last time, right? In Atlas, at your fancy house with Huntsmen as guards, far from any member of the White Fang or wherever she is currently."

"You want miss Schnee to act like she accepts his condition before heading back to Atlas to see her mother," Ironwood realised.

"And when I'm there, nothing would stop me from staying for a while to grieve my 'death' with my mother," added Weiss, catching on to the plan.

Hiccup grinned and nodded. "Exactly. Then, while you're still there, we proceed to deal with the White Fang that is still in Mistral, leaving no one to do anything when you aren't killed."

"That's brilliant," smiled Weiss, which Blake and the others mirrored. "Let's go tell Banesaw the news."

A/N: So as you can imagine with how I've been doing dialogue before, it will take some time to get used to doing it this way, but I'll certainly try.

Remember, hiatus until April.

Until then,

Silvolde