Chapter 39 – Confession
Killian
He stood at the door where Jackdaw was being held, Atlesian Soldiers stood with their rifles in their hands, he had the most security of the two prisoners being held. Simply because they all knew that Jackdaw was one of the most dangerous people in the entire world, and that the threat he posed was never going to be contained. Not by any prison cell, and not by any defences. One way or another he would find a way out of there, and the moment he did?
It would be chaos… a massacre.
Jackdaw Branwen was essentially a human time bomb, and at any second he was gonna blow. Killian stared at him through the bullet proof glass, staring straight at him with that sinister smirk on his face. Killian felt his hard thumping, pounding over and over again. Jack the Ripper, the monster that murdered his mother and father when he was a child, the very event that triggered it all – his distrust of the Huntsman Academies, and his distrust in the Unified Governments of Remnant.
The UGR let this madman live for too long… I should just put a bullet in his head right now.
But if I do that, then I will be seen as a monster, and the whole plan will fall apart. Whether I agree with it or not, she needs Jackdaw to complete his mission.
She never should have dealt with a man like this, he is only out for himself, not the future she intends to create.
Not the future that will save this world.
"Commander?" One of the Atlesian Soldiers asked, since Killian was just stood there. He stopped his shaking wrist, staring at his hand and he closed his onyx eyes. He turned to the soldier. "Are you okay?" He asked him.
"Yeah… I'm fine son. Open the door. It's time to talk." Killian said, and the soldier nodded his head. The soldiers turned to the large wheel that closed the ten-inch-thick steel locks, opening up the Vault-Grade Prison Door. There was no longer anything between him and Jackdaw. The restraints that he was bound by were impressive, one massive block that shut off the cybernetic arms and made the Grave Dust loaded in his arms completely useless. But it was all still there.
Jackdaw chuckled softly as Killian approached him, and the door closed behind him. The two villains stared at one another, and Jackdaw leant his head up against the back of his chair that he was bound to. "Well, well… if it isn't the King of the Shadows himself." Jackdaw greeted with a smirk. "You got here fast, since Lake Matsu." He said, and Killian glanced at the cameras, and he stared at them. He knew that Cordovin was watching them… but the light was off. He had no idea that someone had managed to turn the camera in there off, which meant one thing.
The only people that could hear their discussion were the two men in that room. "What were you thinking? I always assumed that out of all your little queen's minions that you had your head screwed on straight. Maybe not… maybe you're like me." Jackdaw said, but Killian replied to him by clenching his fist and punching Jackdaw square in the jaw. Jack laughed from how hard he punched him, rolling his neck round and creating a soft popping sound. "Damn, boy… you got a hell of a right hook, you know that?"
"I'm not like you." Killian snarled as he walked around him. "You're a monster, who murdered those girls' mother callously. You know if it wasn't for Salem and the world we want to create? I would honestly let them go after you, because I would do the same." Killian growled, revealing a side of himself that none of them actually realised existed.
"Then why don't you? Why continue to chase after them? Why not just let me play my games with them?" Jackdaw asked, Killian narrowed his eyes.
"Well that is one reason, a small one to be honest, but a reason. I know how you intend this story for those two to end, the same way for their mother. And then you'll do the same to your brother and sister… maybe even your Uncle." Killian said, but instead he got an ice-cold glare from Jackdaw, one that cut deep.
"You make it sound like that monster is a good man… he is the one of the most dangerous people in the world." Jackdaw warned.
"Sounds like Remnant is filling up with them." Killian stated, crossing his arms as he leant against the wall.
"Tell me, how long do we have? With the cameras being messed with?" Jackdaw asked him, since he also knew that someone was helping them out.
"Cordovin has no idea that our mutual ally is using his virus to create false footage. It won't fool her for long, that is of course if we keep this quick and he can turn it back to normal live footage. So… let's keep this brief, huh?" Killian asked him as he crouched forward, staring at Jackdaw.
"Then you should know that you're on the wrong side. Do you really believe that this Dark Queen of yours wants to save world?" Jackdaw asked him curiously.
"Yes, I do. She knows more about Remnant than anyone on the planet… bar Ozpin of course." Killian answered.
"So… the fact that she commands the very forces of death and destruction doesn't raise any alarm bells? You know for a man who manipulates the truth all the time, you can be fooled pretty easily, huh?" Jackdaw scoffed and Killian narrowed his eyes.
"And for a madman you are wiser than you let on." Killian admitted. "But you're wrong, Salem wants what is rightfully hers and that is control over the people of Remnant. That power was taken from her, and she wants it back. Look around you, all the corruption from the U.G.R? All those damned Councillors only have one thing that they care about, and it is how far they can fill their pockets." Killian explained to Jackdaw, which made Jackdaw nod his head.
"Indeed they do… but the world is happy. Partially thanks to the Black Gallows hiding the worst of the worst away in a place they can never locate… but also because they managed to end the Great War." Jackdaw replied.
"Well that's another point you have wrong – the U.G.R enjoy re-telling history with their own fictions. If you actually knew the truth them, you would know the real reason behind the formation of the U.G.R… because they did not want to relinquish their individual powers. Mistral, Atlas, Vacuo and Vale? They're all the same… and Salem offered a new way… one leader, who looks after everyone. Someone who can and will protect them all… and when there is peace the Grimm will no longer be feral. But no… they all wanted their own power and leadership – and our Queen would not let them retain that strength. So they banded together… and fought against her." Killian explained, and Jackdaw smirked at him, chuckling.
"I would clap… you know you really should have been a History Teacher." Jackdaw jeered.
"In another life maybe." Killian responded, shrugging his shoulders.
"So your precious Queen becomes the ruler of Remnant… how? You think the U.G.R will just give up to her?" Jackdaw asked him.
"They will be given a choice. There does not need to be unnecessary bloodshed, but necessary blood will be. If they force our hand." Killian explained.
"And that is what you are trying to avoid, huh? With the Vytal Consensus? Unnecessary Bloodshed? Did you really think that every single Huntsman and Huntress in all of Remnant would go for such a deal? Whether what happened to Summer happened or not… they would never have done it. Not after what you did four years ago." Jackdaw said, and Killian sighed.
"That… I admit… was rash of me. I thought it was the best move to make, to have Beacon Academy fall, so then with Ozpin gone and most of the Huntresses and Huntsmen dead it would make it easier. But if I had not saved Vale during that battle then I would definitely be in a Black Cell now." Killian admitted, and Jackdaw shook his head.
"You know, at least I admit I am a piece of dirt. A murderous scumbag who should be killed… but you? You really tell yourself a lot of lies to believe you're a good man, don't you? It's what I like about Tyrian, he knows what he is and does not hide it. You can always trust a lunatic to be honest with you – what have we got to fear?" Jackdaw said as he looked around the room.
Killian sighed, shaking his head as he walked around the room, hearing those little questions in the back of his mind.
Am I a good man? What am I? Am I a monster?
Monster or Good?
Good or Monster?
Who will I be when my story ends?
"Can always trust a madman to be a madman." Jackdaw said with a smirk on his face, and Killian stared at him.
"Why did you do it?" Killian asked him.
"Do what? I've done a lot of things. To a lot of people." Jackdaw answered.
"Kill my parents that day?" Killian questioned, and Jackdaw stared at him and he raised his brow.
"I did? When?" Jackdaw asked, and Killian closed his hand into a tight fist.
"Thirty-Eight Years Ago." Killian answered with furious eyes. "You broke into their house when you went on that killing spree, and you chopped them… chopped them to pieces." Killian choked up, then he felt the agony of the grave dust afflicting him again, grabbing the respiration device on his sternum, twisting the handle that pulled the dust away from his organs, keeping him alive.
"Huh… funny I barely remember them. Must not have had very recognisable faces." Jackdaw joked, and it set Killian off. The Commander of the Black Gallows suddenly pressed the barrel of his chrome pistol against Jackdaw's forehead. Jackdaw did not even flinch, he just stared right back at him, that deranged smirk on his face as he pushed his head against the barrel, not afraid of death one bit. "Go on… you know you want to. Avenge them, Killie-Boy." Jackdaw whispered as he winked his red eye at him. Killian's hand shook… even with Jackdaw at his mercy, he still trembled in fear of him.
Killian glared right at him, finger on the trigger to kill him, but then he lowered the gun and holstered it, walking away from him. Jackdaw chuckled as he sat there, watching the Commander pace around the room. "I see now… the Dark Queen didn't choose you because you are a good man… it's because deep down you are a monster, but you can't accept it. So you continue to tell yourself a lie… over and over… believing you're good… but deep down you know it's false. No matter how hard you try – you are a monster. Just. Like. Me." Jackdaw told him, and Killian stared at him and he clenched his hands into fists over and over again.
He spun round and shot Jackdaw straight through the head, splattering his brains across the floor in a sudden moment of fury.
At least that's what he wanted to do, seeing flashing images of him doing it in his own head. But he refused to do what his mind, and he took his hand away from his pistol, refusing to even face the madman who stared at him with that same smile on his face. Killian turned and glared at him. "I'm nothing like you."
Jackdaw smiled. "More lies…" Jackdaw responded.
Killian stood there and he heard the voice of Arthur Watts patch through his earpiece. "You have ten seconds; I recommend you move the discussion to something more believable. The false footage needs to blend with real to never be noticed." Watts explained to him and Killian nodded his head, looking back at Jackdaw. And judging by his face, he must have heard Watts' voice and what he said, and he was already onboard for the lie.
Killian stood tall and he hid the pain in his eyes from what Jackdaw said to him, but it still lingered.
"Why did you assault Beacon Academy?"
Sienna
The High Leader of the White Fang and Ilia Amitola waited outside of Cordovin's Office, at the very top of Cypher's Ridge. There were many officers inside, just leaving after a meeting they had regarding the situation with Jackdaw Branwen and Penny Polendina. From what they overheard, they intended to lock Jackdaw away and fully reset Penny, which would completely erase her memories.
The Officers and High-Ranking Military Soldiers left the building together, one by one they left, and some of the Atlesian Humans gave some rather nasty looks to the two Faunus waiting to speak with the General of the facility. Sienna gave them glares right back; she did not back down from their racist stares. She simply shot them right back.
They both stood up when the Soldiers left the room where Cordovin was waiting for them, and the two of them walked inside. The short elderly human stood at the large window that has a gorgeous view of Argus. She turned and she slid her hand across the side of her chair, walking over to it. "Welcome, Sienna Khan. I expect you are here to talk about what you sent me that message about?" Cordovin asked.
"Yes. You have some big friends in the U.G.R, and we need some help from them. Have you heard about what happened in Vacuo? With Adam Taurus?" Sienna asked as she touched her stomach, the same spot where her scar from being stabbed by Wilt and Blush left behind before she resurrected thanks to her Nine Lives Semblance.
"The Unified Governments of Remnant have already sent some rather disturbing reports. They also intend to speak with Killian, at least the four head representatives of each Kingdom do." Cordovin explained as she looked at her, and Sienna took a seat whilst Ilia stood up. She looked very uncomfortable being here, and Cordovin gave rather similar looks that the other Atlesians showed. It was not as direct, but it was still there, the Atlesians had quite the resentment towards their kind… for a reason none of them really understood. The Faunus only became a problem for them due to what they did to them in the first place, creating the White Fang that would later cause trouble by raiding their shipments.
"How many Prisons have been hit? Worldwide?" Sienna asked.
"Sixteen." She answered, their eyes widened with horror.
"H-How is that even possible? It has not been that long since we saw Adam and the Feral Ones in Vacuo." Ilia stated with disbelief.
"He must have more allies out there than either of us realised." Sienna said as she fiddled with the Cerberus Whip around her arm. "How many of those prisons had the Faunus Prisoners I mentioned? The really dangerous ones I locked away who joined the White Fang all to just cause chaos for their own enjoyment?" She asked.
"All of them. And any human prisoners that were in there? Either beaten near to death… or were murdered. Total death count is roughly in the thousands for humans right now." Cordovin explained. "Best we can tell though, they are moving north. Headed for the Obsidian Tower in Atlas, and the Schnee Dust Company Mines. Lots of angry Faunus in both, enough to make one hell of an army."
"Gods… if Adam is able to open the Obsidian Tower and unleash some of the prisoners in there? It would be a massacre." Ilia said with horror in her voice. "So what do we do to stop him?"
"That's a difficult question. At the end of the day we do not know where he is, but I expect that Argus will be his next target. It is the fastest way to Atlas and there is a prison here as well with quite a few notable prisoners that nobody wants released to the world." Cordovin explained.
"And then Atlas will be all that remains, he would have covered the entire planet's prisons and would have one hell of an army. I need to prepare the White Fang… we may be facing a whole new conflict. One against our own kind, not Humanity anymore." Sienna explained, and Cordovin nodded her head with a heavy sigh.
"Things are only getting more frightening in the world." Cordovin said.
But Cordovin truly had no idea of how terrifying.
Yang
They both watched Killian interrogate Jackdaw, and they could hear the rest of the conversation. The footage that Watts invented was impressively convincing, and nobody noticed that it was false whatsoever. Watts managed to take the sound of their voices and invent their own dialogues to match what he needed to maintain a low profile. Which meant that Watts was here, he was here in Argus – which meant that Tyrian, Hazel and Adam must be as well.
Most likely maintaining a low profile.
"Why did you assault Beacon Academy?" Killian questioned, both the sisters watched the feed and Yang had her elbow rested against the table, head supported on her hand as she stared at the television.
"Assault? That's a fancy word. I like to think of it more as a Massacre. Sounds better that way… The Ripper Massacre." Jackdaw joked, which made Ruby angry to just hear him making jokes about the deaths of so many friends. Yatsu, Peony, Ironwood and Glynda… so many good people died that day and died deaths that none of them ever deserved.
"You seem to enjoy making jokes at the expense of other's suffering, don't you?" Killian scoffed.
"Yes I do." Jackdaw answered with that big smile on his face.
"Who do you seriously hate more? Jackdaw or Killian?" Ruby asked her big sister.
"Honestly? I really don't know… if there is one thing I can admire Jackdaw for it would be his honesty, unlike Killian. But Killian isn't a psychopath who murders people for the heck of it." Yang explained, scoffing as she shook her head. "Look at us, looking for the good in two people we despise."
"I know… what's the world coming to? We're just collecting so many enemies now." Ruby said as she watched the feed next to her sister.
"So… what's the plan? How do we get to the Atlesian Wildlands from here? This is the fastest way to Atlas but we're… well… kinda arrested in a Maximum-Security Military Base." Yang said as she gestured to their surroundings. Ruby sighed, pushing her hands through her black and red hair.
"Uh… not a clue, right now if I'm gonna be honest. I highly doubt we will be able to leave this place with ease now." Ruby said as she looked at the feed with Killian. "And besides… Jackdaw is captured… I'm not really sure what to do now. What's the point in going to Atlas now that our target is right there?"
"I don't know. To be honest I don't really know why he let himself be captured, or why he even attacked us in the first place. Doesn't make sense, he was constantly ahead of us before Lake Matsu, headed straight for Atlas like he was on a mission, but then he attacked us out of nowhere, both at Matsu and now here. Now he let himself be captured? It doesn't make sense." Yang said as she watched the feed, before she turned and looked at Ruby.
"Yeah… he's got a plan, I know it." Ruby said as she stared at Jackdaw on the feed as he sat there, listening to Killian's questions but not answering them… not in a helpful way at least. Just jokes and wry comments.
Ruby turned when she heard the sound of someone approaching them, and so did Yang. Their blood ran cold because they knew this was going to be a very difficult conversation to have.
It was Weiss and Blake.
Stood at the glass door, they both opened it and walked inside, looking at the two of them as the door closed behind them. Ruby sighed as she buried her head into her hands, and Weiss crossed her arms whilst Blake sat down, staring at them. Yang glanced at Blake, but she closed her eyes with a sigh.
This is gonna suck.
"What the hell are you two doing? Seriously?" Weiss scoffed as she glared at the two of them. "I mean really? The things you have done, the people you have sided with for this journey for… what? Revenge? What will it solve? Will it bring your mother back?" Weiss asked them as she stood there, Ruby looked at her.
"He murdered her; she needs justice." Ruby said, and Weiss scoffed.
"And betraying everyone who cared about you? Breaking the law with every step that you take? How does that honour her?" Weiss questioned as she stood there.
Ruby stared at Weiss but then she just shook her head, sighing as she sat there. Weiss looked at Blake and she just calmed herself down. Exploding at them like that was never going to help them see the potential error in their ways. Team R.W.B.Y had never felt so divided, and the core reason behind it was all in one room – Nathaniel Killian and Jackdaw Branwen.
"Do you know… what's happening out there? Either of you?" Blake asked them both, Yang looked at Blake and she raised a brow.
"What do you mean?" Yang asked.
"The Grimm. It's getting worse with every day that passes. We came across this village on our way here… after… after what happened in Vacuo."
"Vacuo? What happened in Vacuo?" Ruby asked Blake, stopping her story.
"I…" She paused and looked at Yang. "After we came across what was left of the Spiders and Lil Miss Malachite… we were ambushed. By Adam." Blake revealed, and the colour drained from Yang's face and she felt her heart skip a beat from the fear of hearing that name. And in that moment, at the mere mention of his name, she saw the markings of his mask flash before her eyes. Her stump that her cybernetic arm was fused to pulsed with pain, it was not as bad as it used to be, but the Phantom Pains were still there, and could simply be triggered by things that linked to her Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Ruby looked at Yang, seeing her hand shaking. "He's back?" She whimpered.
"Yeah… and he is with some extremely dangerous people. They're… working for her." Blake told them, and Ruby's eyes widened.
"Salem?" Ruby asked her.
"Yeah. One of her Assassin's pretty much confirmed it in that town we came across." Weiss agreed, which helped them get back to the topic.
"Instead of risking air travel we went on foot to get to the Argus Limited in Northern Anima, but on our way there we found this town called Jvaani. We've never seen anything like it." Blake explained, and Ruby sighed.
"Grimm?" She assumed.
"Yes but trust me there was something really off about that place. There was some damage, but no Grimm caused it. It was caused by the Assassins to lure us into a trap, but the village? It was like everyone packed up and left five minutes before we even got there. The food was still hot." Blake explained to the two of them, and their eyes were wide with disbelief.
"Grimm that can take people without causing chaos? That's new." Yang scoffed.
"Worse. We came across a Scroll on the ground, someone was recording some kind of advert for the town to send to Mistral. During that recording, he screamed in terror, but then immediately calmed down and completely forgot what he saw. And then it went silent… and whatever it was that took those people? It was following us on our journey across Northern Anima." Blake explained, both Ruby and Yang were silent with that realisation.
"A Grimm… that can erase memories? And hang on, you said it also calmed him down?" Ruby questioned.
"Yeah… it goes against everything we know about Grimm. It didn't care for Negative Emotions whatsoever." Weiss answered as she nodded her head.
"We fought those assassins… two of them… were Mercury and Emerald." Blake told them.
"Those bastards are still out there?" Yang growled with anger; her cybernetic hand clenched into a fist. She still had a score to settle with them both, Mercury for the fight and framing her, and Emerald for being able to get in her head and play with what she saw like she was putty.
"Yeah, and their leader was a crazy Scorpion Faunus." Weiss added as she looked at them.
"That's rare, hell I've never heard of Faunus with that trait." Ruby said.
"Nobody has…" Weiss decided to not tell them about what Sienna told them about the history of what the White Fang did to the Bloodline of the Scorpion. It simply was not important, not like what happened at Brunswick Farms.
"We found a farm after we escaped… my sister was badly hurt, stung by his tail. The place was just as bad as Jvaani. Everyone was dead, died in their sleep. Killed by a Grimm Type called the Apathy. Another one that is becoming more and more prevalent, and the creature was still following us there. We only lost it thanks to the Argus Limited." Blake explained as she sat there.
"Gods…" Ruby gasped as she listened to their story.
"The Grimm are getting more unique, harder to fight and far more dangerous. And Salem is sending these people to try and take Jaune." Weiss added.
"Jaune?" Yang questioned. "What could she possibly want with him? I mean he's our friend and we all love the dude but… I can't see why she would keep sending so many people for him. He's just a normal guy."
"That's the same thing he said, honestly. Believe me, we really are scared of what is going on… and that is what brings us to our point." Weiss said, leaning forward. "Jaune has a plan. Out of all of us, Jaune has managed to earn a pretty strong rapport with Killian, and he wants to try and convince him to let all of you off this. So then you can help us track down these assassin's and get a lead on Salem." Weiss explained.
Yang looked at Ruby, but neither of them really knew what to think of this. Ruby sighed as she pinched the bridge of her nose. "Only if we let Jackdaw go…" Ruby said as she sighed. "And then we work for the very son of a bitch who tried to kill all of us four years ago?"
"Ruby…"
"No, have you all forgotten? Forgotten what Killian did to us after the Battle of Beacon? We were trying to recover and rebuild and then he turned up and started stirring so much trouble. He turned Jaymes into a living weapon." Ruby explained. "And you really think we would work for him?"
"Not for him. We'd be following Jaune, he simply wants to get the okay to do it." Blake said as she clarified the situation. "You cannot possibly tell us that this is not more important? Than just this personal vendetta you have against Jackdaw."
"Some Personal Vendetta?" Both Ruby and Yang questioned.
"N-No, that's not what I meant." Blake said.
"Then what did you mean, Blake?" Ruby questioned.
"Ruby, stop being so hostile." Weiss begged.
"NO! You don't get it! Both of you don't! You both had big families with lots of money!" Ruby argued, and Weiss stared at her, her eye twitched, but Ruby continued. "Yang and my Dad are the only people I can say who raised me, and Yang's mother was never there. Summer was the only mom we ever had, and that monster took her from us both!" Ruby argued, Yang looked at Ruby and she gently touched her hand to try and calm her down.
Ruby stared at them both. "Don't ever think that this is something I can just let go. He took her from me… destroyed our family… I can't let that go."
"I had a family?" Weiss questioned, and Blake looked at the Schnee Heiress. "Oh yeah… I really had a big wonderful family, didn't I? Little princess who had everything! Everything but… a stable family. I have a little brother who hates me. A father who only cares about his ambition and hurts me, my sister, my brother and my mother whatever chance he has! And my mother was always too busy drinking in the gardens! Winter was the only family I ever had… before… I met all of you." Weiss choked up, her voice broke as she spoke, tears welled up in her eyes as she spoke.
Weiss stared at Ruby and she wiped the tears away. "I… do… understand your anger, Ruby. I hate my father for how he destroyed the Schnee Family after my Grandfather passed away. And if you had just talked to us… asked us to go with you… we would have. It wouldn't have been the first time; we broke the rules once and I would have done it again. But you didn't trust us… neither of you did!" Weiss argued, and she looked at both Blake and Yang, and neither could bare to even look at each other.
"I…" Ruby stammered. "I do… do trust you…" Ruby said.
"If you did… then why are we in this situation?" Weiss questioned. A silence filled the office, one that hurt to experience. These four people who once could trust each partner with their lives… were more divided than ever before. Weiss shook her head. "No matter how hard I try… as soon as I find a family I truly love. It always falls apart… I guess I'm just cursed, huh?" Weiss tearfully said, turning away from them as she opened the door and walked away. Blake stood up and she looked back at Yang, who still could not look at her best friend. Blake wiped the tear from her eye and she immediately walked away, closing the door behind them.
Yang wiped her tears from her eyes and Ruby stood up and she threw a folder against the window, hard. "Ruby… stop." Yang requested as she sighed.
"I don't know what to believe anymore… how can they possibly think that Killian is in the right after what happened?" Ruby questioned.
"They don't… they just think the Consensus is the best way forward." Yang said, Ruby looked at her and she sighed. Ruby sat down and she buried her head in her hands.
"Gods… what kind of leader am I? All I can do apparently is tear people apart." She sniffled, and Yang turned to her baby sister and she gently caressed her head of hair to calm her.
"Hey… shh… it's okay." Yang assured, but Ruby stood up from her chair suddenly.
"How could I let this happen? I'm our leader, I should have trusted them! They're right! I'm a damn failure… mom… she would be so disappointed in me." She sniffled, but Yang stood up and held Ruby, hugging her tight.
"Shut up… you know that's not true. She could never be disappointed in you, she loved us both. And I love you… you're my sister… my baby sister… and I will always have your back, sis." Yang promised as she smiled at her, kissing the top of her head. She looked outside the window and she gasped… seeing Blake crying in the corner as well, and Weiss just walked away on her own.
Yang closed her eyes and tears streamed down her eyes, letting Ruby go and looking away from Blake. Ruby looked at her and then at Blake, noticing something was there. She stared at her big sister and she gently held her shoulder. "Yang? Are you okay? What's wrong?" Ruby asked her. Yang wiped the tears from her eyes. "Is it Blake?"
Yang chuckled. "You've always been able to figure me out, Rubes." She said to her, and Ruby sat down with her. "I never did tell you… I guess I just hoped it would just… disappear. But they never did."
"Disappear? What are you talking about?" Ruby asked her.
"I have a confession to make, Ruby. There was… a reason… why I couldn't look Blake in the eye the whole time. I didn't know it was there, not for a while, we were always close but…" Yang stammered, and Ruby began to piece it together as Yang fumbled her words. "… it was when you all came to visit me four years ago. When I lost my arm, and I was in a really dark place. Blake sat with me and she talked to me, she helped me find the strength I needed to put this arm on and face my fears. And… that was when I first felt it click." Yang explained as she looked at Blake again, watching her wipe the tears from her eyes.
Yang's heart ached, and Ruby figured it out. "How did I never figure it out…" Ruby sighed, shaking her head.
"Ever since then… there's always been this little feeling in my heart… and I have always fought it. I never wanted to admit that I liked her that way… because she has Sun. And I didn't even know if she liked girls, I still don't, really. I've never told anyone… because I don't wanna get in their way." Yang explained as she looked at Ruby. "I… I just want her to be happy. And seeing her like this… because we turned our backs on them? Because we left them in the middle of the night the way we did? It hurts… it hurts so much Ruby." Yang told her, and Ruby returned the favour by hugging her.
"It's okay, Yang… it's okay. And don't worry… like you said. I'm gonna stand by your side to the bitter end. You're my sister, and we will always have each other's backs."
"Always."
Author Note - Things are just not great for the heroes right now.
Both Ruby and Yang have sides of things that pull them away from their goal, one is Ruby feeling like she failed her team and mother by allowing this division to happen. I love writing characters like these, because it is honestly quite challenging too. I have always been so used to writing Team R.W.B.Y always being on the same side and being best friends, so writing them at odds is almost heartbreaking to do. Also love Yang's little reason, the fact that she has feelings for Blake, feelings she regrets having due to the fact Blake is with Sun, but they are still there. Which means that this division is really hard for her too.
Things are just getting worse in the world too, with the Feral Ones attacking prisons everywhere and gaining more and more followers every single hour. Salem's reach is growing and growing like a sickness.
And of course... my favourite part of the whole chapter - Killian and Jackdaw.
I love writing parts where two villains are essentially facing off, and those two definitely have quite an interesting dynamic, the murderer of the man's parents, who would later become a monster because of that very event.
I love writing Killian's moments of madness, like when he imagined blowing Jackdaw's head off. Love that kind of stuff in shows and films.
I hope you enjoyed this chapter! Sorry it was a bit shorter, it simply didn't require that much to flow well. Please review, follow and favourite!
Stay tuned for the next chapter!
- Matt
