Ok so how many of you saw the title of this chapter and went "I remember that! That was mentioned in volume 1!" Well, it's finally time ladies and gentlemen!
"Ok, so what is it?" Nite said as she turned to wave at Maya and Alden.
"What do you mean?" Aegan replied, shoving his hands in the pocket of his jumper, keeping his head down as he dodged around a group of tourists from Mistral.
Nite sighed and clenched her fists. "Aegan I don't even need my semblance to realise you're about to jump out of your skin."
"I'm not!" He said.
"Look me in the eyes and tell me that." Nite challenged.
Aegan slowly turned to face her, only to see the reddish-grey blob of Aura in her hand. His ears drooped across his head. She was impossible.
Nite put her hand on his shoulder, "What is it Aegan?" She asked.
"I… I just don't want to go home."
"Why's that?"
"It's not exactly the nicest of places, but I need to check up on my mum, see if she's doing Ok."
"What do you mean it's not the nicest of places?"
"You're going to see soon enough."
They carried on walking, further and further away from the centre of the city. The long straight blocks of terraced homes began to give way to smaller blocks and even a few detached houses. The traffic was heavier here as there were less people walking around and virtually no Vytal decorations as all the tourists would be deeper into the city.
They soon came to a stop in front of a small house at the end of a three-terrace block. Its garden was small but bigger than Maya's house. Most of it was covered by grass with a single flowerbed, the rest was a gravel driveway.
They walked towards the door, their feet crunching over the small stones. Nite did not fail to see Aegan seemingly leaning away from the door, wanting to be anywhere but there.
"Hey," Nite said, putting her hand on his arm, "We can be in and out OK? Let's just grab what you need and get back to the others."
"Right…" Aegan sighed, trying to believe her. With a subtly shaky hand he reached out and pulled down on the handle. The door clucked and swung open leading into a dark hallway and Aegan led her inside.
The walls were painted a dark grey, with no windows inside the best word to describe the hallway was murky, Nite suddenly felt the urge to turn back the way she came. She chastised herself, she may have bad feelings, but it can't be that bad. It's just that this place felt so… sad.
"Aegan?" A voice asked from down the hallway. A click could be heard and suddenly the hallway was bathed in a dim orange light.
On the other side was a short man, he looked like he was hunched over and wearing clothes too big for him. He had the same dark hair as Aegan and even from here his grey eyes shone. Atop his head were two triangular ears, slowly starting to raise.
Nite looked at Aegan. He looked like he had tears brimming in his eyes, and his ears were quivering.
"Hi dad." He said quietly. Before running forward and engulfing him in a massive bear hug.
The man's laughter rang out down the hallway. "Oh, it's good to see you!" He said resting his head on top of his son's, "It's good to see you." He said holding Aegan out by the shoulder at arm's length.
He suddenly looked up to see Nite standing at the other side of the hallway. "Oh! I'm sorry I didn't see you there!" He said and walked up to her holding out his hand. "I'm Malcom, Aegan's father."
"Nite, Aegan's partner." She said smiling and shaking his hand.
"Partner eh?" He said turning his head to look at Aegan suggestively.
"At Beacon dad, at Beacon." Aegan said rolling his eyes with an exasperated smile.
"I jest, I jest." Malcom replied smiling brightly at her. Before turning back to his son. "So I trust there's a reason for your visit?"
"Yeah, I need to see if have anything to wear to this ball… thing that's happening tomorrow."
"Ah, I see. Well go on, I won't hold you long." Aegan smiled and jogged up the stairs to their right.
Left alone Nite looked around, yes, the house seemed dark but that wasn't a good enough reason for the feelings beating off the walls here.
"You're an empath." Malcom said, more as a statement than a question, the sound of his voice snapping Nite back to reality. Nite blinked in shock at him, not many people can guess Semblances with that accuracy.
"My mother has a very similar semblance to you; I recognised the look on your face." He smiled fondly "I can never get away with anything when that women's around." He said, "And from what I've heard neither can Aegan with you!" He said quietly laughing to himself. "I've heard a lot about you and your team."
"I don't know if I'm treading somewhere where I shouldn't. But why is he acting strange here? I can feel it pouring off him."
Malcom sighed. "Come with me." He said and led her to the end of the hallway and into what looked like the living room. On the mantel piece above a small fireplace was a frame, inside held a huntress licence and next to it a smiling picture of a woman ears raised high on top of her head and holding a doubled bladed sword.
Nite's mouth opened slightly in surprise and she briskly walked across the room to more closely inspect the picture.
"The weapon…" She whispered before turning back to Malcom, "Umbra was his mother's?"
Malcom sadly nodded. "She died protecting a village from a Grimm invasion, her weapon was the only thing left. Aegan never left it out of his sight again." He reached over an picked the frame up, smiling at the picture. "It reminds him of her… keeps her close." He placed the picture back down, "I don't know why but he displaced all his hurt on this place, that's how he copes, why he seems so happy when he's out and about, but he can hardly stand it here… I don't see much of him nowadays."
"But why? Why not try and be a part of his life more?"
"I don't know if you ever want kids of your own one day. But if you ever do, then you will realise that you will happily be the empty vesicle of your child's pain if it helps to take it away. If I do the most good for him by being here, then that's what I'll do."
Nite's expression softened. The noise of a few footsteps behind her caused her to turn around to see Aegan standing at the doorway rolling up a suit carrier and stuffing it into his bag.
"You got everything?" Malcom asked. Aegan nodded.
Malcom escorted them back to the front door before hugging his son once more. "Enjoy your dance tomorrow."
Aegan nodded and gave a sideways glance over at Nite who was observing the picture hanging on the wall, "It can't go that bad." He said and smiled at Malcom before opening the door and the pair made their way back out onto the road.
They where quiet for a while before Nite broke the silence.
"I'm sorry for questioning why you didn't want to go home; I shouldn't have pushed."
Aegan seemed to contemplate her words for a second.
"So, he told you about her then?" Nite nodded slowly.
"I Just… I just miss her, and… I love my dad, don't get me wrong, but being there, being there with him just reminds me of what it was, how it could be… and how it isn't."
Nite nodded sadly, "yeah… I know how you feel…"
They carried in silence for another road before Aegan looked at her.
"How did you get over it? After… Losing everyone."
Nite drifted to a stop and clenched her eyes as the dormant grief inside her tried to wrench it's way free as Nite tried to stamp it down.
"I…" She sighed, "I never did."
Aegan tried to quickly backtrack.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to push you."
"No, it's alright." She said as she started to walk again. "It just always makes me feel what would have happened if I was with them? I mean, all I wanted was to get a drink."
The sun was high in the sky and belting heat at the desert below. Though to the residents of Vacuo, resting underneath the hide shades covering the field it was of little concern. At the other end was a huge steel construction, with swinging multi-coloured lights and massive banks of speakers rose up from either side. Filling the field where thousands of people, all milling around, talking and laughing.
The Lanid festival was an annual event in Vacuo, and an incredibly popular one. Held during the summer solstice, where the sun was out the longest and most of the time the hottest. Many considered it the worst day of the year, the extreme temperature able to put the hardy Vacuons in a state of heat induced lethargy. Others considered it the best, a time of celebration, cheer, and kinship.
None of them knew that this year all the optimism about this day would be torn away.
"Hey Nite!" Nite's father Daniel called "Where did you run off too?"
Daniel was a short man, but stocky in build. It was obvious who Nite inherited her sandy blonde hair from. He was a huntsman and the main inspiration in Nite following the same path. Although possessing an incredible it was his ability to determine when to not use violence led to him often being called in on hostage situations and being able to disarm a tense situation without it coming to blows.
"Oh, I saw Sophie back there, just went to catch up." Nite replied, hurriedly getting back under the shade to get the sun off her.
"Sophie's here?" Neeve asked, "I thought she was studying."
Her mother on the other hand was relatively tall, had naturally wavy Auburn hair and was where Nite got most of her temperament from. She was a Pilot in the Vacuon air force. Nite spent hours with her in the simulators learning to fly, her mother's enthusiasm was contagious.
"Everyone said they were studying, but hey… who would miss this?" Nite said shrugging.
Neeve shook her head but smiled "You may regret doing this."
"Maybe" Nite said laughing "But I'll cross that bridge when I get there."
"More like burn that bridge when you don't pay enough attention." Daniel said.
Nite narrowed her eyes at him, "oh come on dad, you can't blame me for wanting to spend time with everyone today."
Daniel smiled and ruffled her hair "No… no I can't" he then pushed her away, "Go on… go find your sisters and bring them back here before they get themselves in trouble."
Nite sighed "What could they possibly do to get themselves in… Actually, I retract that statement, they're gonna find a way somehow."
Neeve laughed "exactly, go on, we'll be here." Nite nodded and got back to her feet and left the lovely protection of their shade and back into the scorching sun.
"Where would they be…?" Nite said to herself, looking around and over the endless mass of people. They would not have strayed far. The field was covered in large wooden poles sticking out the ground to hold up the shades. She noticed several people pulling up the long grass weeds which were dotted about to make grass whistles.
Nite kicked the sand clumps as she walked in a spiral pattern away from their family's shade, checking every group of people for her siblings. She waved to the Corlets' a family of snake Faunus. As she passed.
"Are you looking for the twins?" Ben, the youngest of the family called out to her.
"Yeah, have you seen where they've gone?" Nite asked as she ducked into their shade and happily accepted a glass of water Ellie offered to her. It was unwise to be outside and walking about in Vacuo without consuming large amounts of water.
"Yeah they're over that way" Ben said pointing behind him, I saw them talking to Derick."
Nite hung her head "urghh… really?"
"I don't they know who he is."
"I swear if he even thinks of laying a finger on them." Nite said as she got up, "Thanks ben, you've been a great help."
"Anytime." He said as Nite stormed off in the direction he had said.
It did not take long for Nite to find them. And low and behold Lily and Hestia where talking to Derick. It made her feel sick. Derick was a bully and a class A prick, but if he like the look of some ladies he turned up the charm. He tried it with her once, it did not go well for him. They hadn't gotten along since.
"Lily, Hestia, come on, dad want's us to come back." She said resting her hand on the handle of her sword.
"What are you doing here?" Derick glowered, "Im just talking to the lovely ladies here."
"The "lovely ladies" aren't interested," She said before turning back to her sisters, "come on guys let's go."
Lily and Hestia looked confused but followed her anyway.
"Why? He didn't seem that bad."
"And why did you put your hand on Laurel?"
"Because, that was Derick."
Lily and Hestia stopped in their tracks.
"Wait. That's THE Derick?" Lily asked.
"Yes." Nite said crossing her arms "So you can see why I pulled you away."
Nite saw the expressions of Lily and Hestia harden, it never was a good thing when that happened.
They stormed back to Derick who had just turned to see Lily's fist as it went flying into his face. His aura shimmered at the impact.
"OW! What was that for!?" He cried before Hestia's boot slammed between hid legs as he crumpled to the ground. Even though several people turned to look at the commotion, no one battered an eyelid, this was normal in Vacuo.
"That's what you get for messing with our sister." Lily spat, they both turned on their heels and walked back to Nite.
"Sorry," Hestia said, "We, didn't realise that was him."
Nite shook her head but smile, "Have I ever told you how proud I am of you both?"
"Yep many times," Lily said, "Come one let's get back to mum and dad."
The trio passed several shades and Nite gave a thumbs up to ben as they walked past the Corlets again.
"Ahh, there they are!" Daniel said as he spotted them approaching. "What happened?"
"Let's just say Derick will talking in a few high octaves for a while." Hestia said.
Daniel winced, "You girls can get scary at times, kicking a mand down there should not be done so freely."
"Don't worry he deserved everything he got." Nite said.
"And more…" Lily muttered under her breath.
Nite looked up as a pair of Red Stalks flew overhead Cawing loudly at the crowds below.
Nite sat crossed legged on the large mat covering the floor under the shade as Daniel took his bottle and took a large gulp.
"We're running out of water already." He said sighing, "Why does it have to be so hot?"
"Because we're in a desert in the middle of summer…" Neeve said, smiling at her husband.
"Can't argue with that logic" Hestia piped up.
"I'll get some more soon." Nite said grabbing a coolgel pack from a box on the floor and pressing it to her forehead.
Suddenly all noise was drowned out by cheering from the assembled crowd. Nite looked up to see several waving figures walk onto the stage at the end of the field. Above the Steel girders a large screen flickered to life and the word "Meserine" flashed across the screen with some flashy background effects.
"HELLO EVRYBODY!" The one standing in the centre holding a microphone said. His voice amplified so much it easily cut over the already deafening cheers. He was met with an ear-splitting scream in reply and Nite clamped her hands over her ear.
She felt a tap on her shoulder, she turned to see Lily mime drinking from a glass at her and a pleading face- unable to talk over the crowd.
Nite nodded and turned as a small smirk formed on her face. She touched the glass on the ground but didn't pick it up. She flicked her wrist and her palm flashed as her arura morphed into the shape of a glass with water in it. She turned back to Lily and offered it to her. She smiled in thanks and lifted it up to her lips and tipped her head back, before opening her eyes in confusion as no water entered her mouth. The glass was no longer there, and she accusingly looked at Nite who was quietly laughing.
She cocked her head to the side and a smile curled up at the corner of her mouth.
"Really?" She mouthed at Nite. Nite felt a tap on her shoulder, she turned to see her mother looking at her, using the: Don't use your semblance to tease your sister look. Nite smiled apologetically before pouring her a real glass of water and handed it back to Lily. She eyed it sceptically and even dipped her finger in it check if it was real. Satisfied she eagerly chugged it down.
Like most things at the Lanid festival. The music was deafening, and Nite really had to strain her hearing to properly hear what was coming out of the speakers. All around her people were cheering and bouncing up and down with their hands in the air. She really never got why people did that, as her mother said it was summertime in a desert of all places, and people think moving about for vast quantities of people was a good idea. She liked sitting back, closing her eyes, and just listening.
They were quite good actually, for an opener of one of the main events they were trying to make a name for themselves, and with all festivals of this kind, some were good, somewhere drop-dead amazing and others were just apocalyptically dreadful.
After a few songs they began to wrap up.
"Alright Everyone, that's our lot done for the day." The singer said into his microphone, "I know the entrance exams for shade begin tomorrow, my sister's taking them as well so good luck to you all who definitely should be studying right now, but I'll still thank you for being out here listening to us. Thank you for having us and enjoy the rest of the show!" The crowd erupted into cheers and applause as they waved one last time and exited off the side of the stage.
"They weren't bad." Neeve said.
"I wouldn't be surprised if they hit the big times given a few years." Lily remarked.
Nite looked down at the empty water keg and her mouth felt dry. "I'm going to get more water." She said hefting the large barrel in her arms looking around. "Which way is it?"
"That way." Daniel said pointing to the rear of the field.
"Ok, I'll be back in a minute." She said and exited the cover of the shade, as it got closer to midday the sun was getting hotter and hotter, at this point it was accepted that people jumped from shade to shade as they travelled about so no one accidently spontaneously combusts, (A bear Faunus who had forgotten that they had left a fire dust crystal in their pocket- it's a long story.) It was a strange feeling; under the shades it was relatively cool but out in the sun it was like it was raining fire. So, moving about felt like being burned alive and freezing to death at regular intervals.
By the time she got to the rear of the field it was much quieter and so she wasn't immediately deafened when the main act came on. "Nordak" was likely one of the most popular bands in Vacuo and the noise mirrored their stature. Even in this quieter area of the field, Nite still felt it was best to cover her ears. Apart from being incredibly good musicians, one of the main reasons they were so popular is that they strived for equality between Humans and Faunus, the group itself was an even split of the two species. They also actively denounced the White Fang, declaring that equality could only be gained by earning respect, not fear.
It would also explain why Nite had recognised extra security van arriving just before they came on stage, she wouldn't be surprised if the band were a target.
She quickly hurried to one of the water stands as she didn't want to miss it. She had a minute or two as the band arrived and talked a bit to the crowd. She dumped the heavy barrel under the tap and open a small hole to allow the water in as she turned on the tap, tapping impatiently at the barrel as she waited for it to fill up.
That's when she heard the first scream.
It was quiet under the noise of the crowd, but unmistakeable. Nite turned around in hopes to see where it came from. But it was impossible to see clearly through the large mass of people.
She heard another scream, this time accompanied by several gunshots.
And then it erupted.
Everything was in chaos as some people started running, other's shouting in confusion. Abandoning the barrel Nite sprinted into the crowd and drew her sword as she ran.
Out of the corner of her eye she saw the flurry of a robe, she slowed ever so slightly as she saw a man pull out a concealed rifle and aimed it at the family next to him, with several confused children hugging onto their parent's legs.
The blade of her sword shunted outboards as it expanded and she flicked it hard over her head, causing a cracking sound that could be heard over the sound of the screams. The whip wrapped itself around the barrel of the rifle and Nite yanked it out of his hands as she charged towards him. As Note got closer, she kicked off the ground and slammed her fist into the man's face, causing him to stumble as she twirled behind him before slamming her elbow down on his temple, knocking him out cold. She looked up to see the family she just saved staring at her in shock.
"What are you still doing here!? RUN!" She shouted and then took off further into the crowd.
Her Aura flickered and she winced in pain as a bullet slammed into her shoulder, she skidded to a holt and twisted under another bullet as she slid. She then pushed off the ground and twisted her whip around, catching onto her assailant's ankle and yanked. The woman screamed as her ankles were shredded in tiny cuts and crumpled to the ground.
Flashes of gunshots were everywhere as she ran, she didn't have time to even consider how many in the crowds where in on the slaughter, but she kept running, constantly scanning from her family.
She dodged around one family before slashing at another Faunus aiming a rifle at them, ducked under his punch before rolling over his back and slamming his legs from under him. She looked up to see her dad Swinging a large Warhammer at another attacker. She looked down at the man she had just tripped up, he wore a mask over his eyes, with red markings.
The White Fang.
She looked up again, there where so many security vans here, why wasn't anyone doing anything?
A flying body snapped her back to attention, her dad had just slammed his attacker back several feet and they crashed down on the dusty floor in a coughing heap.
Daniel had turned back to the rest of her family to check that they were ok when Nite looked back at the man who had just hit the ground, he had pushed his torso slightly off the ground and was staring at her family, he reached into his pocket and drew out a small device, he flicked a switch and his thumb moved down to press a large button.
Nite's blood froze. She could scarcely remember what happened next, just a slow-motion blur. Repeating again and again in her nightmares
"DAD!" She screamed running towards them, she needed to get the away, get them out.
She wasn't fast enough… She never was.
The next thing she knew there was a giant yellow flash, and she felt her feet leave the ground, she was tumbling, and she couldn't tell which way was up. She crashed down into the ground, and it all went blank.
Nite coughed as she opened her eyes, and automatically rolled onto her knees, trying to spit out the sand that was in her mouth. She felt something hard slam into her stomach as she was kicked, and she rolled onto her back. She felt her aura shimmering as she tried to look up at her attacker, but all she saw was a blur. She saw the shape of a man looking down at her, holding something to her face, likely a gun.
She sighed and closed her eyes.
She heard a large thud above her, but she didn't feel anything. Scared she opened her eyes again to see the sky. Another shape filled her vision this time, something more familiar. It grabbed her and pulled her to her feet.
"Nite!" Daniel shouted shaking her "Nite snap out of it!"
Suddenly all the noise flooded back to her and her vision snapped back into focus. She looked around quickly, there were bodies everywhere, several people where running, fighting, dyeing. But then she looked at her father. If he was here then where were…
She regretted that decision ever since.
Neeve's body was covering her sister's in one last desperate attempt to shield them. The back of her shirt was ruined, and blood was seeping out the rest. She couldn't see Lily underneath her, but she could see Hestia. Her arm was… gone, so was most of her face. With and Angry welt by her eye with a large piece of shrapnel sticking out.
Nite recoiled back into her father's embrace. The horror not quite setting in, but her survival instincts were trying to keep her focused. Without an Aura to protect them, the bomb just… ripped them to pieces. She could sense that her father's Aura had broken in the blast, he was vulnerable too.
"Nite, you need to run. Now." Her father ordered.
Stepping back slightly Nite shook her head, "No. I won't leave you… them…"
Daniel looked over his shoulder and darted to the right.
"Nite. RUN!"
Then there was a bang. Nite's stomach felt warm, she looked down to see blood…
But not hers.
Daniel collapsed to his knees as he stared at her.
"Run."
Nite could only stare at her father as he fell to the dust.
She should run, she knows but she just feels numb.
"Run."
"Run."
"Run."
But she can't. Every fibre in her body is screaming at her to move, but she just can't. She fell to her knees next to her father's body and covered her face with her hand's and just screamed, muffled by her hands.
She heard a click behind her, a gun. She prepared for the end.
But then… she seemed to see in a different perspective. There was herself an angry, terrified blob in the centre of her being. But… there where other's all moving about, some angry, some gleeful. Most where terrified, all little blobs of colour moving about, all funnelling into her. Angry that it disturbed her from her void she pushed it.
There was another bang… But she didn't feel anything. Slowly she turned and opened her eyes. She could see her attacker, standing, pointing a rifle at her, looking surprised.
Between them was a spiralling disc, red and black. Somehow… Nite could feel it, in the back of her mind. She tried pushing the feeling away, only to see the disc move. The man fired again, and it bounced harmlessly off her new shield. And she felt the bullet press back in her mind.
Finally, she understood it, these were… emotions. Her's and everyone else's nearby and she had just… solidified them. She could… control them. The sheer ferocity of the emotions running about was giving the shield it's power.
The man fired again which finally drew her attention to him. His face… He was the one that pressed the button.
She could feel it change within her, she was becoming less scared by the second, being replaced by an angry red.
The shield split apart, suddenly above her head where six Javelin shaped objects, lazily spinning in a circle above her head. Her gaze went back down to the man in front of her. She Pushed.
Two of the Javelins slammed into his shoulders in quick succession, then one in his stomach. Two more fired into his chest as he staggered back, before the final one impaled straight into his face. A sickly crack could be heard as his skull shattered like a nut.
The Air filled with the sounds of jets as several Bullheads flew above dropping teams of huntsman and huntresses onto the field. But Nite payed them not attention, slumping down next to her family and hugging the cooling body of her father. Sobs wracked her body.
She heard footsteps behind her, and a gentle hand rested on her shoulder.
"Nite" The person said. In the back of her mind Nite recognised the voice of her Uncle amongst several gasps and a sob. "Come on."
Nite's Uncle Isaac was on her father's team and she assumed the gasps came from the rest of them.
Nite often considered how he must have felt that day, trying to comfort his sobbing niece clinging to the body of his dead brother surrounded by the broken remains of her family.
Her Aura flickered and finally shattered under the stress of the emotions she was feeling from herself and everyone around her, she didn't know how to feel.
"Come on." Isaac said gently as she felt two set of hands on her shoulders, gently trying to lift her away.
"NO!" She screamed, yanking out of their grip and covered the remains of her family, her unstable and terrified mind hadn't recognised they were friendly. She would defend her family's remains to her death.
"Back off." Isaac said quietly to his team. "She'll fight like a cornered animal." He wasn't wrong. At this point Nite didn't even think about the sword on her hip.
"Masie can I have some?" He asked and took a syringe from his teammate. He slowly approached Nite and gently applied it to her neck before pushing the plunger.
Slowly Nite's movements got more sluggish and her vision blurred again, and her head dropped down onto her mother's legs.
Nite slowly clambered up the tree in Ferendale park and looked at Aegan as he sat next to her.
"Later when I woke in hospital, my Uncle told me I was one of seven people who survived." She said quietly. "But yes, to answer your question… I don't think I'll ever get over it, it just becomes something you live with."
Aegan solemnly nodded, he knew the feeling well. "I'm sorry, I know that it always hurts thinking about it."
Nite almost laughed, but she actually smiled. "Strangely it feels good to finally tell someone what happened, I've been carrying that around with me for a year. It was nice just to… let it all go, for once."
Aegan smiled in return. "Well I'm glad I could help then."
Aegan looked at Nite, she was smiling as she watched some children playing nearby. He could see it more clearly than ever now. Under the carefully made mask she held up, there was a shattered girl underneath, on that was barely holding herself together. Yet she was still here, always trying to put the next foot forward. He felt his admiration for his teammate grow even further.
Nite saw him looking at her. "What?" She asked, cocking her head to the side.
Aegan shook his head, "Hmm? Oh, nothing."