Disclaimer: I do not own the blazblue franchise or the RWBY franchise they belong to their respective owners
(A/N)
I'm glad many of you liked the first gag chapter I released. I have many more gag chapters and concepts planned but I'm still willing to take suggestions and ideas and I will give credit.
To answer a question I've received, there will be many clashes of ideologies. But I can't give away too many details because they are major spoilers to the story.
As for how Jin would've changed things if he knew about Cinder sooner before Celica and Say were threatened. It wouldn't have changed things too much. Because they still don't know about Terumi and Relius and how much info they have on everything. The best case scenario that would have happened. Is that Cinder would have failed to get the power and may have been captured. While Yang would never have been framed. The Fall of Beacon would still happen because of Terumi being able to make Ragna go berserk. But at the very least, his friendship with Yang wouldn't have taken such a severe blow and Cinder would have failed spectacularly. Keep in mind that this is the best case scenario and there is no guarantee that this would occur.
Jin is taking what happened at Beacon harder than most characters realize. Jumping the gun a bit, there's going to be more conflicts between Jin and the other characters.
Chapter 66 Guilt and resolve
(Belladonna Manor)
It's been a couple of weeks since Tenjo's meeting with Ghira. The offer that Tenjo has extended to Ghira and by extension all of Menagerie is very enticing. A chance for all of the Faunus to obtain citizenship equal to the humans in a newly established Kingdom that doesn't tolerate discrimination. With the cherry on top being that her father who is the Chieftain of Menagerie has been offered a spot on the seat of the Council of the newly established Kingdom. Which will do a lot of good in the long run.
Though what's making Blake feel cautious about the offer is how the Faunus will accept such an offer. Despite how Menagerie was structured due in large part to the uninhabitable desert. The silver lining to the small island is that nobody would come there unless it was absolutely necessary. Which makes it easy for many Faunus to avoid the problems and conflicts of the other Kingdom's.
The Faunus that comes to Menagerie have endured many hardships from the other Kingdoms. So asking the Faunus to be a part of a new Kingdom without any assurance that things will be different. Is something that will be hard for them to do. Funny enough, getting away from of it all was the exact reason that Blake went to Menagerie. Yet in a sense of irony, the problems still find their way to her. While Blake was in deep thought about the future. Her mother Kali, surprised her with a quick nudge.
"Mom?" Blake said in a surprised tone
"I know you have a lot on your mind. But talking to your family, especially your father will do you a lot of good." Kali said in a kindhearted tone
"Dad is busy with a lot of things right now. He has a responsibility to Menagerie and he's probably thinking about Lord Tenjo's offer." Blake quickly said to her mother
"No father is too busy to see their daughter, and I'm sure he would be happy to spend some time with you." Kali told Blake
"Some of my friends would disagree with you on that one." Blake said before Kali handed Blake the tea tray.
"Mom, what is this?" Blake asked in a confused tone
"You've never been talkative and that should change starting with your father. Those two you brought back on the other hand. They are just so full of energy, that boy Sun loves to go on about team RWBY. As for Tao, she's just a bundle of energy. I'm amazed that me and Sun can keep up with her." Kali said before she returned to the guest
(The Living Room)
Once Kali returned to the living room. She was greeted by the sight of Tao talking to Sun at an impressive speed. Ever since they've arrived, Kali has been nothing but happy and supportive of the fact that Blake has managed to find some friends. With Blake spending time with her father. The two will be able to work on their strained relationship. While Kali herself will learn more about her daughter through her two friends. Besides, the two make for some very pleasant and good-hearted company and she finds herself liking Sun. With some small hope that he gets closer to Blake.
"Meow, and then I roughed em up and cut them down with my claws. Another Grimm tried to get me. But I was able to give em the slip and used my clones to tear them to shreds meow." Tao said explaining one of her encounters
"Just so I can understand, you travelled around Vale fighting nothing but Grimm on your journey home?" Sun asked in a questioning tone
"Yep, those nasty Grimm never stood a chance against meow." Tao proudly said
"That . . . . is . . . . incredibly . . . . . awesome! I mean your doing a lot of good for the people and your showing those Grimm what your made of. While your also taking care of the Grimm, your getting stronger in the process." Sun said in an impressed tone
"Yep, I have to get stronger in case Red Good Guy becomes Beast Guy again." Tao said causing Sun to think for a second before having an awkward silence
"Um, who is this Red Good Guy?" Kali asked in a concerned tone
"Tao gives people nicknames, she calls me Monkey Man. Blake's nickname is Black Cat. Ragna's nickname is Red Good Guy. Beast Guy is a name I assume she gave Ragna when he . . . . well." Sun said before seeing that Kali had a stunned look on her face and started to try to change the subject
"But that's all in the past, as you can see. We made it back safe and sound and we can look at it as a learning experience. Though there are some bits of life and death, its a very different learning experience." Sun said trying to change the overall mood
"Well I'm glad to see you all made it back safely. When all of us saw the Beast, none of us knew how to properly react. Some of the Faunus here are glad that the beast isn't here in Menagerie. While unfortunately, there are many that wanted the Beast to attack more people with preference to the humans." Kali told Sun and Tao causing them to share a worried look
"But that's just cruel, I mean nobody knows how close some of us were to actually getting killed. Me and Tao were some of the people that fought him and we were lucky just to even survive." Sun stated to Kali
"I know, but there are many Faunus in Remnant who still remembers the Beast Wall Tactic. Though we were given Menagerie, It feels like the ones who had a role in orchestrating that. Weren't held responsible for what happened and were given a slap on the wrist. Though the official records says that they were banished from the Kingdom. But with the many lives that were lost, it feels like they got off easy. The White Fang in the other Kingdoms use what happened as one of the examples to do what they want. I know Vale wasn't exactly perfect. But I wouldn't wish the onslaught of the Black Beast on anyone." Kali explained to the two
"I still can't believe that the White Fang brought the Grimm to the school. Do the White Fang have a presence here in Menagerie?" Sun asked in a curious tone
"The White Fang are here but its more for diplomatic purposes. Since Ghira was a leading member of the White Fang before he stepped down. He still has some influence with the Faunus here in Menagerie since he's the Chieftain. The White Fang don't even where masks here." Kali told the two causing Sun and Tao to look at each other in slight confusion which Kali noticed
"Is there something wrong?" Kali asked in a curious tone
"Meow, but I saw someone with a mask like the White Fang on our way here." Tao told Kali before Sun spoke up
"Yeah, the person tried to blend in with the crowd. But I was able to notice it with Tao. I took a picture just to make sure I wasn't seeing things." Sun told Kali before he showed her a picture
"Ghira made it clear that the White Fang here aren't supposed to wear them. The reason is that it would give the wrong impression. Especially since most of the Faunus here wants nothing to do with the Kingdoms because of the mistreatment. Two of the White Fang representatives here in Menagerie keep Ghira informed of things going on with the White Fang. But sometimes, it feels like we could be doing more." Kali briefly explained causing Sun to jump up in excitement
"I got it, I know that Blake isn't here for the White Fang. But if I show her this picture and explain what we talked about. It might be enough to light a spark in her and help get her out of her funk." Sun excitedly said before he left to go find Blake
"Meow, Black Cat's is still with her dad isn't she?" Tao asked Kali
"Yep." Kali answered
"Black Cat's dad doesn't like Monkey Man very much does he?" Tao asked Kali further
"I supposed not." Kali answered in a slightly awkward tone
"This isn't going to end well isn't it meow?" Tao asked
"No, I assume it won't." Kali answered while the two were waiting for the next few moments.
(Forest Trail)
After the group had gotten rest while Qrow stood watch over them along with Jin. They all got ready bright and proceeded to continue to their destination. Yet despite traveling together. Every second was tense between the group. During the entire time they were traveling. Jin has in a few ways been the odd one out. But the argument last night had unintentionally alienated him further from Nor and Ruby. Making things complicated is that Jin stood by the actions he's taken and is unapologetic about it. As the group was walking, everyone was silent deep in thought about the journey and what they have learned.
"So we're not going to talk ab out it?" Nora asked Ren
"Talk about what" Ren responded to Nora
About everything we've learned, the Maidens, the Relics, Salem, even the Murakumo labs. Take your pick, we have plenty to choose from." Nora told Ren
"It's just a lot to process at one time. I do want to talk more about it, but right now we need to focus on this journey. Once we get to Haven, we can talk more about it when we're not constantly on guard for Grimm or Bandits." Ren briefly explained to Nora
"I know I'll be happy to not have to deal with Jin trying to regulate us." Nora said in a happy tone
"I know you have some problems with Jin. But he's just trying to look out for us and keep us all safe." Ren told Nora
"But the guy is completely heartless, I mean he thinks he knows everything and won't hesitate to kill us when he has a convenient excuse. Like for example, yesterday when Penny was being controlled. He could have easily freeze her instead of being quick to destroy her. Jin didn't even think or care about how Ruby would feel about that. Another example is how he practically blamed Ruby and her friends and team for things going wrong." Nora explained her point to Ren
"With Penny, it was a life or death situation that the two of them were in. If Jin hadn't did what he did, then Ruby would have been killed. As for the blame, I don't think Jin was blaming anyone for things going wrong. He was pointing out how reckless they've been and it unintentionally made things difficult. Besides, if he's blaming anyone, he's blaming himself. I'm certain that he's taking the Fall of Beacon even harder than any of us." Ren told Nora surprising the energetic girl
"Are you taking his side?" Nora asked in a surprised tone
"No, I'm just trying to understand his point of view. Remember, Ruby did tell us about the investigation her and her friends did. But when you think about the specific details, they handled things very recklessly. Which makes me wonder why they didn't bother to tell a Huntsman that they trusted." Ren explained to Nora
"It's not that simple Ren, things are never that simple." Nora responded
"I know, but it was still reckless regardless." Ren said as he looked forward to see both Qrow and Jin walking ahead
"You have a point you know." Qrow told Jin as the two were walking
"About what?" Jin asked the veteran Huntsman
"About yesterday, I see what you mean about fighting people in a life or death situation. You saved my niece and I'm grateful for that. But don't you think you could have gone easy on her a bit about why you did what you did? I know her and her team have a tendency to be reckless. But don't forget that not all of them are quick to pick up on things as you have. They still have a lot to learn and quite frankly, so do you." Qrow told Jin while the two were walking
"I've seen how you are with your weapon and I've seen Ruby fight. It's safe to say that you trained Ruby in knowing how to fight." Jin told Qrow
"What are you getting at?" Qrow asked while mentally on guard
"What I'm getting at, is that why didn't you prepare her for certain scenarios such as fighting other people. Or were both you and the Academies careless enough to not teach certain truths to the students. Unless she was too naïve in thinking that the Grimm would be the only thing she'll be fighting." Jin stated which slightly upset Qrow
"I admit that there are certain things that Ruby needs to learn since she's dedicated to being a Huntress. But you have to remember that she's a kid and also my niece." Qrow told Jin
"So if it was someone else that wasn't your family. Would you still recommend I go easy on them? Or would you criticize them for not having the resolve to take certain actions? The misguided favoritism never ceases to amaze me. She can't keep doing what she wants just because she's a leader. If nobody questions or challenges her leadership then how will she be the ideal Huntress?" Jin stated to Qrow
"Careful, if you keep up this line of thought and action. You'll end up being another Ironwood. You're not like him now, but if you keep up your do whatever it takes attitude. Then its only a matter of time before that prediction becomes a reality." Qrow told Jin in a jaded tone
"Since your kind enough to give me some words of warning. Then here is a warning for you. Keeping secrets at the expense of the other people. Doing things with good intentions while acting as if you know what's best for people. While ignoring the consequences of such carelessness. Your arrogance is too similar to both my brother and Ozpin's. If you keep things going like this, then you will most certainly repeat their mistakes. Or was it my imagination that the Maiden and Relic was hidden underneath a school. Full of students that don't fully comprehend what it means to be a Huntsman. They will get killed for a cause they don't know or understand." Jin explained to Qrow
"I'll keep that in mind, as long as you keep my warning in mind too." Qrow told Jin
"Noted." Jin responded before Ruby spoke to Qrow
"The Headmaster at Haven knows about the Maidens and the Relics right? Then why isn't he doing anything more about what happened with Salem. What about Terumi and the Three Azures?" Ruby asked in a concerned tone
"The Headmaster at Haven isn't stupid, he knows what happened and is likely preparing for it. The problem is that it takes time to gather enough people to fight against someone like Salem. Not to mention that Cinder and her cohorts spent a lot of time preparing for Vale. As for the situation with Terumi, that is an entirely different problem all together. Only a small handful of people knows about the kind of threat Terumi is and that includes Oz. But everything about Amaterasu and the Three Azures, Ozpin doesn't know about that and its safe to say that Terumi and likely Relius knows too. That traitorous snake requires a more clever and cautious approach. So once we get to Headmaster Lionheart. We can exchange notes and come up with a plan. We have an idea on how to deal with the problem involving Salem. Mainly because we have a general idea of what she's after. But Jubei and his benefactor don't know what Terumi is after. With his chaotic nature, its hard to get a handle on what he'll do and what he wants." Qrow explained to Ruby
"Is there anyone taking action against Terumi aside from Jubei?" Ren asked overhearing the conversation
"Aside from Jubei and his benefactor, there is one other person who is taking aggressive actions against both Terumi and Salem. Her name is Kokonoe and the best way to describe her is that she's like Ironwood without any limitations. She's also crazy intelligent and is one of the few people on Remnant who can walk her talk. At best she's a wild card who can be swayed. At worst, she's a loose cannon who's revenge driven. Getting her help is one thing. But trusting her is an entirely different problem. Complicating things with her is that she's acting independently from Sector Seven." Qrow explained to the group
"How do you think the Headmaster will take the news about the Three Azures and the Grimm Aura?" Nora asked Qrow
"If I had to guess, not too well. Oz's inner circle has their hands full with everything regarding Salem and the Grimm. But with the matter regarding the Three Azures, Terumi, and the Grimm Aura. All of that is going to be overwhelming and we still don't know what Terumi is after." Qrow explained further while the group was walking
"What do you think the Headmaster will do about Ragna?" Ruby asked
"To be honest, I don't know. Ragna is out there at Remnant somewhere and since he's not with us. There's nothing much we can really do. Nu has the other half of the Grimm Aura and she's with Salem. The best-case scenario is that as long as Nu and Salem don't have Ragna. There's no way the Black Beast can come back." Qrow finished explaining to the group
"Did Jubei tell you about the Empowered Grimm?" Nora Asked
"Yeah and you can thank Terumi for that. His Nox Nyctores Ouroboros, has the ability to poison and drain the soul. But for the Grimm, it can actually give them aura and allow him to control it. The Grimm that's been affected by Ouroboros can also infect others. There's a limit to how many he can control. But its enough to cause a lot of problems. Making things worse is that once the controlled Grimm is destroyed. The power goes to Terumi and makes him stronger." Qrow explained further
"Did Jubei tell you anything else about Terumi?" Ruby asked in a slightly bitter tone
"Yeah, as a matter of fact, Jebei and his benefactor told me about his semblance. It's called negativity, like the Grimm he's able to sense negativity. But unlike the Grimm, his aura can get stronger from it. He can also learn about us from our negativity. So if he catches wind of our negativity, he can learn our secrets, our strengths and weaknesses." Qrow answered Ruby
"Then my semblance is perfect counter to Terumi. I can mask emotions which prevents us from being detected by the Grimm. Once I use my semblance, he won't get any stronger or learn about us." Ren said causing Nora to smile at the idea
"Funny, because from what I've heard. Terumi fought many of you during the Fall of Beacon and he wasn't even trying. If anything, your still underestimating him." Jin said which angered Nora
"Since your quick to say that, then I want to see how you'll do against him. Just because you have the Power of Order, doesn't mean you're a great fighter. Otherwise you could have prevented Pyrrha's death or at the very least helped your family instead of being self-centered." Nora told Jin with a great deal of anger
"You have a lot of nerve to say that I'm self-centered. Ignoring the fact that none of you even bothered to notice something was wrong with Pyrrha." Jin angrily responded
"That wasn't our fault, we thought she was nervous about the tournament." Nora responded
"She's fought in tournaments before, so the chances of her being nervous about the tournament was low. As for Terumi, I didn't say that I would have done better. I'm saying that you shouldn't take him lightly even though you found a way to counter his semblance." Jin told Nora before Qrow spoke up
"I hate to say it but he's right, Jubei made it very clear that Terumi is not to be underestimated under any circumstances. Even without his semblance, that snake is still a force to be reckoned with." Qrow said as the group was traveling
(The Yard near the House)
For the past few weeks, Taiyang has spent a great deal of time training both Yang and Makoto. What made training the two young women easy for him is that they both had similar fighting styles. Yet upon a closer look, the difference in fighting styles becomes more noticeable the longer the both of them fight. For Yang, she is capable of dishing out the heavy hits thanks to hernatural strength and semblance. But the problem is that she is too reliant on her semblance and it can only be crutch if the fight drags on for too long. Making things worse is that her semblance requires Yang to be injured which is a crippling weakness against a stronger and much more skilled opponent.
For Makoto, her semblance is much simpler and more straightforward. Helping things is that her super strength doesn't have the same weaknesses compared to Yang's semblance. Yet the biggest drawback that Makoto's Super Strength has is that she's not using it to its full potential.
Several hours have passed, and Taiyang has been on a rigorous sparing session against the two girls. The attack plan that the two are using is that Yang attacks Taiyang high while Makoto attack low. Yang has been aggressively attacking Taiyang trying to either find an opening or weaken his defenses. After a few seconds, Taiyang was able to block some of Yang's punches and managed to kick her away. A brief second after Yang was kicked away, Makoto started to attack Taiyang while aiming for his torso. Yet instead of blocking her punches like he did with Yang. He focused instead on avoiding her punches and didn't give her a chance to land a hit.
After successfully avoiding a few more hits, Taiyang managed to land a few quick jabs at Makoto and was able to knock her away. The moment Makoto was knocked away, Yang started to aggressively rush her father and tried to attack him with a mix of punches and kicks. During the entire time, Taiyang focused on both blocking and avoiding Yang's attacks. Then after a brief second, Taiyang was able to grab Yang's arm and flip her over to the ground. After being flip tossed to the ground, Everyone started to laugh as Yang was getting up.
"Hahaha great work you two, the both of you came a long way in the past few weeks since we started training." Taiyang told the two girls
"Thanks, I thought my new arm would feel heavy and slow me down. But it feels like a natural fit. It packs a serious punch and after a few more sparring sessions. It'll feel like nothing has changed." Yang said while flexing her new robotic arm
"It's nice to see that your getting used to your new arm. But don't forget that since its not a muscle you can't make it stronger like the rest of your body. Aside from getting more advanced upgrades. The best you can do is develop your skills further." Makoto told Yang while drinking water
"Thanks for the advice, but are you scared I'll end up beating you once we spar?" Yang said in a confident tone causing Makoto to have a quick realization
"That's right, when are me and Yang going to spar? I think that if Yang can hold her own against you, she can go against me no problem. I'm not going to hold back because she's my girlfriend." Makoto told Taiyang causing the Huntsman to chuckle
"Oh I do know that the both of you will di fine in a fight against each other. But the reason that you two aren't going to spar is because I already know that you'll win against Yang." Taiyang said causing Makoto to smile and Yang to pout with frustration
"Oh come on, we both know your saying that just to get me pumped up." Yang said causing her father to chuckle
"You wish I was, but it's the honest truth, especially with what I've seen during your fights in the tournament." Taiyang told Yang
"Let me guess, I was sloppy." Yang said in a sarcastic tone
"No, you were predictable, stubborn, and a bit of a bonehead. While Makoto, was calm, collected, and adaptive." Taiyang told Yang causing Makoto to stick her tongue out at Yang before Taiyang explained further
"Have you noticed that your too reliant on your semblance? It's strong, but it doesn't make you invincible." Taiyang told Yang
"How is me using my semblance any different from other people using there's? I mean look at Makoto, her semblance is super strength. She can't exactly choose when to turn it off and on. Unless she has a whole lot of self-control." Yang told her father
"That's exactly my point, your semblance is essentially a big temper tantrum. Without any type of self-control, you'll do more harm than good. To either an innocent on a mission and especially to yourself. If you fight someone who's perceptive to these things. They'll use it against you and it will put you at a crippling disadvantage." Taiyang said causing Yang to think for a moment before he continued
"You have to keep your emotions in check, otherwise you'll be thrown off balance and you'll lose focus. It won't always save you, and it doesn't make you invincible, which is obvious." Taiyang said as everyone looked away from Yang's new arm. After a brief second Makoto spoke up after noticing the mood
"So the bottom line is that because of my semblance and fighting style. I'm close to being invincible?" Makoto sked quickly changing topic
"Hehehe, I said you could beat Yang, but you still have a lot to work on and that does include your semblance." Taiyang said which shocked Makoto and made Yang snicker before she stuck her tongue out at Makoto before Taiyang explained
"I've seen your fights in the tournament too Makoto. The problem with your use of your semblance is the same problem with Yang's fighting style. It's Super Strength, which means that I automatically know what it is. Have you noticed that during our sparring matches, I always do everything I can to avoid your punches?" Taiyang asked Makoto
"Well now that you've mentioned it, I kinda did notice that." Makoto answered
"That's because when it comes to abilities that enhances the user's strength. It's easy to know what to expect and how to deal with it. Your semblance simplicity means that it doesn't have any complex weakness compared to Yang's. But that makes the solution to dealing with it simple as well. Your opponent just has to avoid getting hit, and its hard to use your super strength when you can't hit anyone. With the way you fight, you do know how to keep your emotions in check and find other workarounds to your limitations. But if you come across a seasoned opponent. They will be able to predict every possible way you can fight and figure out how to beat you before you have a chance to throw a punch. Super Strength is a good ability, but the more you think about it. You'll be quick to realize that it's not that impressive." Taiyang explained to Makoto
"Yikes, I get it, but what do you recommend I do about it? I can make it stronger if certain things happen. But aside from that it won't solve the core problem." Makoto asked after hearing the explanation
"Well, I know that your good with using it with your arms. But I thought, the rest of your body can benefit from it." Taiyang said causing Makoto to think for a second before she stood up
"Let's have a quick spar then, you've given me a few ideas." Makoto said as she flexed her arms
"Alright, this should be interesting. Just let me know when you're ready to go." Taiyang said as he flexed his arms as well. When he looked at Makoto, Taiyang sees that Makoto concentrated for a few seconds before she opened her eyes with a gret deal of focus behind them
"Ready." Makoto said before she started to rush Taiyang
Taiyang started to avoid Makoto's attacks as he's done in their previous spars. After a few more seconds, Taiyang was able to kick Makoto away. After Makoto was kicked away, Taiyang proceeded to aggressively attack her with a series of punches and kicks. Reacting quickly, Makoto proceeded to block the attacks before she was kicked away again. This time, Makoto went back farther distance and proceeded to dash towards Taiyang. Before she got close, Makoto channeled a good portion of her strength to her legs and proceeded to jump over Taiyang. What happened next surprised everyone, because for a brief moment. There were two Makoto's near Taiyang.
The veteran Huntsman was briefly surprised at the image of two Makotos. When he proceeded to attack the image that was running towards him. The image disappeared and Taiyang looked up to see the real Makoto jumping over him. Reacting quickly, Taiyang tried to attack Makoto the moment she landed. Fortunately, Makoto was able to block Taiyang's attacks with both of her arms. While blocking Taiyang's arm, the tip of Makoto's tail curled up. Once Taiyang noticed this, he quickly realized what Makoto's planning but couldn't do anything. A brief second later, Makoto proceeded to rapidly hit Taiyang with her tail and a moment later Taiyang was knocked down.
"Ouch, you took my advice quickly nice one. Especially when you pulled that trick with the after images. Not to mention attacking me with your tail" Taiyang said praising Makoto while rubbing his jaw
"Thanks, but to be honest, I was only trying to focus on the strength in my legs and my tail. Though me creating the after images was something I wasn't expecting. Before now, I didn't even know I could do that. As for the tail, I thought of that on the spot when I blocked your punches." Makoto told Taiyang
"That's still pretty cool Makoto, think you can do it again?" Yang asked in an impressed tone
"I'll try it again after I take a breather. Doing what I did just now drained my body and aura more than I thought." Makoto told Yang
"Well it's good to see you finding new and creative ways to use your semblance. Though I didn't think you'd create an after image. It's still a nice surprise regardless. All you have to do is just practice and get a good handle on it and you'll master it in no time." Taiyang told Makoto in a tone full of praise
"Do you have a name for the after image move you done?" Yang asked in a curious tone
"You know, I think I should name it Asteroid Vision. Because like an asteroid I am fast and can leave a big impact. Not to mention that to the naked eye, there are a multiple asteroids and a few after images as well." Makoto proudly said to Taiyang and Yang
"Nice name it fits your new technique. Its nice and refreshing to see someone use a simple semblance and do something incredible with it." Taiyang said before he turned to Yang
"You see Yang, with a little skill and creativity you'll be surprised at what your capable of. But its important that you don't use your semblance as a crutch. You can take damage and dish it back out with twice the force. But if you miss your target what happens then? You'll be weakened and tired, which will make you vulnerable. Or better yet, what happens when you fight someone stronger?" Taiyang asked Yang causing the blonde brawler to remember the encounter with Azrael.
"Your semblance is a good thing to fall back on. But it has weaknesses that you shouldn't ignore. You have a tendency to shine bright with whatever you do. With your smile, or standing up for what you believe in. But it's important that you don't let your shining light blind you. You remind me of your mother, with how incredible you are." Taiyang explained further to Yang causing her to give him a concerned look
"So can we talk about mom now Dad?" Yang asked her father in a curious tone before Makoto quickly spoke
"I'm going to hit the showers and leave you two alone. I get the feeling that this is a personal matter. Besides, I feel like I'm one good hit away from my aura breaking." Makoto said before she left to go back inside.
"That was considerate of her, but she really didn't have to leave. Since she did good by you, I consider her to be a part of the family." Taiyang said to Yang
"I think she didn't want to make it awkward. But were we going to talk about mom, or were you going to be disappointed that I remind you of her?" Yang asked causing Taiyang to think for a second
"Your mother is an incredible person, strong and confident. Always willing to fight for what she believes in, whether its her family or her tribe. But as a result, she's a very complicated woman. You have your mother's stubbornness, but you also have her determination, her drive, and her spirit. But I'm glad that you didn't inherit everything from your mother." Taiyang explained to Yang
"What do you mean inherit everything from her?" Yang asked in a curious tone
"Like everyone in the world, your mother has her faults. It was those faults that tore our team apart and did a real number on our family. The both of you believe that strength is the best and only way to win a fight. But if you stop and think of other alternatives, you'll see that there are other ways to deal with a problem instead of directly. The both of you are strong and determined individuals, but you two are also prone to being emotional and not thinking things through. Does that sound like a certain someone you know?" Taiyang asked after explaining causing Yang to look at him in confusion
"Why would it sound familiar" Yang asked before Taiyang sat down besides her
"Makoto told me what kind of person Ragna is and how close the two of you were. She also made it clear on how Ragna screwed it all up." Taiyang told Yang
"What Ragna did to me is completely different from what my mom did. My mother left me at birth. Ragna lied to me and had a role in me losing my arm. Just because I can try to understand why he did what he did to me. It doesn't change the fact that he hurt me on a personal level." Yang told Taiyang before quickly realizing her eyes were red
"I'm not saying that you shouldn't be mad at him, you have every right to be furious. But what I'm saying is that if the both of you were close. It might help you two out if you try to talk to him. The more I hear about Ragna, the more similarities I see between him and Raven. Though how much of Raven characteristics Ragna has is something in common. I can only guess about since I haven't met him in person. But I still remember your letters, you love to talk about how incredible your team is. But with Ragna, you talk about how cool and awesome he is almost as much as Qrow. So if he's still the incredible guy that you say he is. Then I think it'll help if the both of you try to work things out." Taiyang told Yang before she stood up
"Ready to go a bit longer before dinner Dad?" Yang asked after she stood up and punched her fists together. Wanting to get back to the spar and not talk about Ragna
"Alright, I guess we can go another round." Taiyang said before him and Yang went at it again
(The Mountain Trail)
Thanks to his experience training with Jubei. Ragna developed a habit of waking up early in the morning before most other people. Leaving behind his group could be seen as reckless and impulsive. But everything Winter said during their fight still bothers Ragna greatly. Losing control of his power and going berserk was already bad enough. But the fact that he lost control the way he did and killed so many people is somtheing that still haunts Ragna. Despite being told that its not likely it'll happen again and Bang's Nox Nyctores is capable of suppressing his aura which will prevent him from going berserk. The problem still weights heavily on his mind and when he uses his abilities, he has to be careful.
Yet despite everyone knowing the risks of traveling with him. What caught Ragna by surprise was that his friends were put in danger because both Winter and Potemkin were after him. Him losing control is already a severe risk. But if merely being associated with him is going to make innocent people a target just to get to him. Especially with his master Jubei giving himself up to Winter of all people to save him and his friends. With all these situations occurring, it would be better if he was alone. That way he'll be able to shoulder everything and nobody else will be put in severe danger.
"Damn it, I know when I'm being followed." Ragna said before he quickly grabbed his sword and swung it behind him. After he swung his sword, Ragna noticed that his sword was inches away from Lambda's face
"What are you doing following me? Didn't you read the letter, go back home with the others." Ragna said as he was putting away his sword.
"I am doing as I was instructed and am assisting you in your mission. Allowing you to go off on your own carelessly is not acceptable within my planned objectives. Therefore it is necessary for me to go with you and make sure you don't get yourself killed." Lambda stated to Ragna
"How were you able to track me down like this? I made sure not to leave a trail behind as I was leaving you guys." Ragna told Lambda
"Did you forget my semblance? I'm able to sense the aura of other people which includes your own." Lambda answered Ragna
"Then go back to the others and help them. This is an issue I have to settle on my own." Ragna told Lambda
"With Jaune's semblance, the group will be able to make a significant recovery in a short amount of time. With all of them being skilled fighters, they will not be in immediate danger of the Grimm. Which makes me leaving them a non-factor in their overall capabilities." Lambda explained to Ragna
"Alright, then tell me about this damn mission of yours. Ever since we met in Ronin-Gai you've always been secretive about who you are and where your from. At the time I put up with it, but after several months that stops now. How do I know that your not working with Atlus or those bastards that attacked Beacon?" Ragna questioned as he was balling his fist up
"Specific details are not required for you to know. The individual who sent me has made it clear that I am to assist you to the best of my abilities. Though to put your mind at ease, I shall tell you the truth on some of your questions. Neither me or the one who assigned me my mission are not affiliated with neither Atlus or Cinder and her master." Lambda explained to Ragna
"I'm done with these secrets, in case you haven't noticed. Secrets have not only played a role in what happened to Beacon. But also literally made me public enemy number 1. So what's stopping me from killing or torturing you if you don't tell me everything you know?" Ragna asked as he raised his sword to Lambda
"In either scenario, you won't have any answers and you'll be down an ally. Besides, we both know that I have not incited your anger and it's not in our nature to harm others without a good reason. Keeping secrets does not fall within your sense of reasoning to hurt me. After all, I believe that you have a history of keeping secrets." Lambda explained to Ragna causing him to think about some of the decisions he regrets before he put away his sword
"Since you'll follow me regardless, let's establish something before we go on. It doesn't make a damn difference to me whether or not someone comes with me or not. I know I can't do everything alone. But if I'm pushed hard enough to go it alone I'll do it. If we see ourselves fighting either that bitch Cinder or that bastard Terumi. You can help me fight them if you have to. But do not stop me from killing them. After everything they've done, I'm not going to just let it go after pursuing them for so long. I can deal with deadweight, but I can't deal with anything getting in the way." Ragna explained Lambda
"Understood." Lambda responded before the two went on ahead before the two went too far, Lambda felt an immense headache and was in a great deal of pain
"AAAAAUUUUUUUGGGGGGGHHHHHH!" Lambda yelled quickly getting Ragna's attention
"What's wrong?" Ragna asked while on guard.
"My semblance, I'm sensing a very powerful individual." Lambda answered before she composed herself
"Do you how where they are?" Ragna asked as he was grabbing his sword
"I don't have an exact location, but the only thing I know for certain is that the powerful individual is heading towards our general location." Lambda answered
"Damn, then we don't have a lot of time. Since we're practically near the mountain trail, we should be able to get to the outpost soon but we have to hurry." Ragna said before him and Lambda picked up the pace towards their destination
(Elsewhere)
Tyrion and Hazel spent a good deal of time traveling the continent of Anima. It's not often that the two worked together but when the need for them to do so arises. The proved to be effective on the battlefield. After a few weeks have been spent searching diligently, they managed to pick up a trail. Using Tyrion's tracking skills, they were able to follow the trail and eventually picked up on a lead.
"Hehehehe, a campsite and judging from the layout it looks like Ragna isn't alone. That means I get to have more fun, hehehehehe." Tyrion said before he started to chuckle
"Do you think Jin Kisaragi is among Ragna's companions?" Hazel asked while looking around the discarded campsite
"Hard to say, but thanks to the intel we've received. All we need to do is keep him away from moisture thanks to your use of fire dust and he'll cease to be a problem for the Goddess. Assuming you don't get cut by his sword that is." Tyrion told Hazel
"As long as we focus the majority of our strength on Ragna and he doesn't go berserk. Bringing him back to Salem should be well within possibility. From what we were told, he's stronger than most other people but he's far from invincible. But if both the Azure Grimoire and the Power of Order are a factor. Then I'm not to certain of our chances of success." Hazel told Tyrion
"Do you wish we had Nu with us?" Tyrion asked
"No, I don't feel comfortable allowing an unstable girl like Nu to fight. Besides, those wretched Murakumo Labs have destroyed her min and her spirit. So if she can be granted some measure of rest, then I'll be fine with that." Hazel answered Tyrion
"I understand, after all we must not disappoint our Goddess. Hehehehehe hahahahahaha." Tyrion said before he started to laugh while Hazel looked at the trail further
"I've read about the area, there is a airship outpost not too far from this part of the continent. It's mainly used for delivering supplies or transporting people. It's at the mountain. Which makes it hard for both Grimm and bandits to attack the outpost base. If Ragna is trying to get to an airship, then that's the best place to get to." Hazel explained to Tyrion
"Then we know our destination. Come Hazel, it is time for us to do our noble deed for our Goddess. Hehehehahahahahaha." Tyrion laughed as the two made their way to the mountain picking up speed
(A/N)
A quick heads up, the powerful individual that Lambda is sensing with her semblance IS NOT Tyrion or Hazel. The individual that she's sensing is much worse and far stronger than the both of them. The individual's identity will be revealed really soon, but I hinted at it in previous chapters.
For Ruby's group, between Nora, Ruby, and Ren. Ren is the only one that is at least trying to see things from his point of view and does admit that Jin has made many valid points. Ruby and Nora have always been emotional and while it's not entirely a bad thing. It does lead to some form of recklessness which makes it easy for Ren to understand Jin's actions and decisions.
For the conversation between Qrow and Jin. The both of them made some good points when they were criticizing each other. Qrow keeping secrets and handling things poorly by putting a lot of inexperienced people in danger. While asking someone to take up a huge burden with no proper time to think about things. While also, not teach Ruby that killing a people is a major part of the jo of being a Huntress. Jin's cold and calculating way of doing things while alienating the very people he's supposed to help and protect. Both sides do have a point but instead of breaking into a fight like with Ragna and Winter. The both of them undetstand the bigger picture and knows that its not the time for them to be fighting each other. Besides, Qrow knows that Jin saved Ruby's life and appreciates him for it.
As of this chapter Makoto is now able to us her asteroid illusions that is one of her signature moves in the Blazblue games. How she was able to do it is that during training. Makoto took Taiyang's advice and focused her strength to her legs. But she also unintentionally focused her enhanced her aura as well and accidentally created an after image. Since will power is essential to Makoto's aura, semblance, and her body. Creating an after image became possible for her. With time and training she'll be able to master asteroid illusion soon.
But don't get the wrong idea, Makoto's new ability does have some limitations. For starters, Asteroid illusions does can't be used repeatedly because it will drain her aura quickly if she does. Also, in order for her to use it, Makoto has to be constantly moving with adrenaline and her semblance. Either by jumping or running, but with Makoto skills and strength it won't be a problem. One more thing, the asteroid illusions are strictly illusions that Makoto can use on herself and they only last for 4 seconds. With Makoto's skills, she can make amazing use of her new skill but the limitations is something that has to be kept in mind.
A quick heads up, I can confirm that the volume portion of this story is going to end much sooner than I thought and I have several plans for Volume 5. Before this story does get to Volume 5, there will be a side chapter before the volume 4 portion of this story ends.
So read and review
Thank you