Howdy!
It took me a while to figure out the direction of this chapter

But here I am, with a new chapter!

Now that 2018 has begun and Vol. 5 is over; I am more than ready
to update as quickly as I can to sate the emptiness of yours (and mine)

THE VOLUME FINALE THOUGH! ANYONE WHO'S SEEN IT, PM ME, LET'S TALK ABOUT IT

ANYWAY

Disclaimer: I don't own RWBY

Chapter 26: Menagerie

Jaune watched the crystal waters beat against the hull of the ship. Salt and the endless scent of nature and running shit flowed into his open nostrils. Gulls screeched and called, dashing into the surface of the waters, returning with bills overfilling with water and fish, jumping to escape. Shaking his head, this sight was nothing new – in fact, it was one of the most boring, most common sights of the last week. Grimm were almost nonexistent, so bringing two destroyers and a cruiser for escort was a waste of time and Dust.

He was half expecting Sea Grimm like dragons and Terremer, humanoid looking Grimm with their lower halves a mutated, horrific combination of a fish and crab. Having fought a few in the past, those nightmarish perversions of the mermaid of fairytales, he wouldn't take any chances travelling to Menagerie without proper protection. Even though Vale wasn't entirely happy that a small task force of warships had taken off from her docks, the Council let it slide, thanks to Ozpin's expert silver tongue.

Almost three hundred men and women were on their way to Menagerie, human and Faunus. Many of the Faunus among them, had never seen or even been to Menagerie. They didn't know what to expect and others weren't too sure if they even wanted to see the gifted homeland of their people. To most, it was an insult, a slap to the face, like a petty reward for their victory in the Faunus Wars. Blake made sure to keep her people in check and calm, easing the growing tension in the floating vessels.

But in the end, it was worth it. A cry from the crew brought Jaune from his thoughts and gaze. Snapping up, his blue eyes landed on the sight of the great island nation of Menagerie. He could see the wooden docks, maintained with an army of Faunus of all types and breeds. From the docks, festival banners could be seen, denoting their own celebrations of the Vytal Festival. Against the coast, several small settlements could be seen popping up from the beach and the shallow coral reef. Mer-Faunus swam about, dancing in the blue waters, splashing with joy.

Through the crowded docks, buildings, huts at best, rose into the air, on stilts and elevated platforms. In the jungle, treehouses hung above the tall grass and thick shrubbery. The breeds and types of Faunus were simply breathtaking. The most common of the Faunus, rabbits and cats of all kinds. Their features varied colors and size, some peering into the air with a unique subtlety, while others were massive, almost sprouting off like extra appendages. They all wore an oriental style of dress, robes, obi and the like. It was almost a mirror image of Blake's wardrobe.

"Now it makes sense; your oriental fashion…" Pyrrha hummed in Blake's direction.

An almost wistful smile spread across the cat Faunus' face. "Yeah…most of us are actually descended from Anima. When we defeated the Emperor and his Council, we took the fashion of Anima and Mistral with us here to Menagerie. Of course, with a few changes here and there to accommodate the tropical climate."

"Incredible…being from the northern parts of Anima, I guess I never did follow with the fashion styles of the former Emperor." Pyrrha turned with a sly smile and winked at the cat. "Either way, you work it, Blakey."

"Jaune, Pyr." Blake beamed, taking a deep breath. "I know that this could – should – go on without being said, but the Faunus of Menagerie know almost nothing of the Four Kingdoms and the Humans who inhabit them, aside from rumors and news relayed to them by the White Fang. I'm sure you can assume some details have been changed and scripted through a different lens."

"That's why we're here, Lieutenant!" Jade cried happily. "Faunus and Humans working together. I'll admit, Lightning Squad is skilled but his grace brought us along to show the Faunus of Menagerie that we can coexist, something we all need to learn."

"Sienna Khan can't keep her aggressive ways for long when she sees us." Marsha's soft voice entered their ears. "Fireteam MSTN is ready for deployment."

"As is Lightning Squad."

"Good. Before we dock, this is my first and final order." Ignoring the looks the Captain and Huntresses were giving him, he continued. "Blake, this is your homeland – these are your people. You lived here, you understand Menagerie in a way most of us don't. As such, you have command for the duration of our stay."

"This is why I love you." The cat smirked, walking along. "Like I was saying – Faunus of Menagerie are weary of Humans, we barely have enough interaction with them, aside from what the White Fang told us and the occasional trade ship from Vacuo or Orléans. Even some airships from Mistral might find themselves here to trade wares that may or may not have been smuggled out of the continent. Be careful and don't stare. Don't do anything you wouldn't do in Vale."

"If they stare, don't stare back – we are pretty much dropping an army off on their shores without any forward notice." Blake hollered, receiving calls of affirmation from the various men and women across the ship's deck. "Don't mind them, we're breaking the status quo. They will examine you, they will test you to see how you'd react. And from what I know – the White Fang might even have a presence on Menagerie, especially after the Battle of the Docks two and a half months ago."

"We can do this! For Vale, for Humans, for Faunus! For Remnant!"

"For Remnant!" The cry was unanimous, shaking the deck to the boards and bolts.

The girl turned her head, amber eyes landing on the sight of her beloveds. Pyrrha leaned against Jaune, arm locked with his, green eyes meeting her own. It was an electrifying gaze, one that made her shiver with a delight she hadn't felt or experienced in a long time. Slowly spreading across her pale face, the Spartan's lips turned into a face splitting smile. Breaking away, she looked at Jaune, who had nothing but pride painting across his features. His gaze was strong, concentrated and planted solely on her. His eyes shimmered a deep cerulean, contesting the very waters their ships waded through. He was proud of her. The very thought was elating and lifted the weight of nervousness off her already slouched shoulders.

It had been five years since she'd seen her parents – five long grueling years. She didn't know where to start. Leaving them behind to join Sienna Khan's new Fang, was one of the mistakes she wishes she could take back. Her parents were understandably heartbroken, something Blake didn't have the heart or the strength to even imagine what they must have felt when she turned her backs on them. The feeling of disappointment was all too real, worse, hate – resentment. The things she'd done, the man she chased after for so long – the things he'd done to her. She shuddered at the thought of him ever returning from where he disappeared off to.

For a moment, she shut her eyes, leaning against the steel railings. She could hear his voice in the recesses of her mind, despite all this time away from him. The feeling of his breath against the back of her neck, his porcelain mask scratching and irritating her scalp – it was becoming too real. Blake swore she felt his rough hands grazing against her shoulders, callouses the inverse against her smooth skin, raising hairs and her fear; ears twitching from how rough he was being. It didn't get any better. His breathing grew hoarse; she felt his hands wrap around her arms, tightening to the bone. She could feel him trying to force her but there was nothing she could do.

For that moment, and that moment alone – she remembered what fear was.

A soft caress was felt on her shoulder, gracefully pulling her from her darkening thoughts. Cat ears perked but immediately softened, feeling lips nibbling against both appendages. A hot blush grew on her cheeks when she realized both Pyrrha and Jaune were treating her to a heaven in full view of their troops. While she knew not one of them would dare to peek or stare, the idea that there were people that could see them doing this – it turned her on. The blond boy's hand slid against her ribbon wrapped arm before clasping her hand, sending warmth unlike the tropical heat, throughout her body.

"Blake, I know you're worried." He whispered, almost huskily. "Don't be. Your parents will be ecstatic that you've returned. In fact, if I didn't know any better, I'd assume they'd even throw a feast to commemorate your return. Lord Ghira is a big deal y'know."

"Oh stop it…" She mewled. "My family is not that influential. We just…had the right things to say at the time."

"Hopefully, we do too." Pyrrha nodded.

"No need for hoping – I know we do." Jaune smiled, hoping to relieve the tension slowly beginning to build.

Hopefully.

Jaune tried his best not to show his worry. That word alone almost made him shudder like a winter breeze had just whipped across his face. He didn't have the luxury of hopefully. He needed definite answers and he was certain, absolute without a doubt, that they had the right things to offer and say. The Faunus, from what Blake told him in the future-past, it took them three months to convince the Faunus to finally rise up against the White Fang and defend Mistral.

He needed that same fervor, but in one week. He needed the Faunus as soon as possible, he needed Menagerie. Breaking the White Fang's will to fight was paramount to his plans – and to break the White Fang, he needed to kill their only line of support in the world. The Faunus Homeland. But damn if that wasn't a rabbit hole in of itself. The things he offered could possibly hold little to no weight for the people of the island continent, that only one third is habitable.

Best outcome, everything goes to plan. Faunus are free to travel between Vale and Menagerie, the CCT Tower of Kuo Kuana begins construction and resources flow into the Faunus Homeland as new trade agreements and routes are planned and approved. Worst outcome – they all die. Arrested or blasted as they come into Kuo Kuana waters. While Menagerie wasn't exactly a fortress, the Faunus did win the Faunus Wars – they were far from pushovers, even someone as pacifistic as Ghira Belladonna. He couldn't risk saying too much or saying not enough.

He had to know what the people needed and wanted, he needed proper research. Faunus were people, as much as the citizens of Vale are. People have needs that require sustenance. Something he had no problem supplying, but he couldn't pile onto them stockpiles of unused resources – he needed to be smart with what he had. What he really wanted out of all of this, Menagerie's support in his conquests. As cruel as it must sound, the CCT, the free trade agreements, it was all a means to an end. Bringing Remnant together against a power far beyond the average person's comprehension is the goal burned, engrained into his head and that of his lieutenants and future queens.

Uniting together under a single banner and a single plan is what will bring about Salem's undoing. Cinder be damned, the maiden's be damned. The never-ending horde of Grimm could go to hell too. The Brotherhood, the White Fang – both can burn in the fiery pits. When all was right, all was finally at peace, Jaune could feel he succeeded. Protecting what is precious is the most important thing to him, and he would be damned if he failed this time around.

He paused for a moment. A thought appeared in his head, swirling with uncertainty. If the semblance he got from Ozpin could travel him through time, he could hypothetically just restart the timeline whenever he pleased. But the repercussions of using his power that way could be catastrophic. The thought alone repulsed him. He had already died once, he wasn't about to die again. As much as he saw his powers as a blessing, to suffer everything twice seemed more like a curse than anything.

Even though he was adamant that nothing would happen the same way again, he has caused nothing but bloodshed of a terrifying scale in the last seven months. Bodies piled to the sky like towers from his local conquests alone. Sure, he did everything with the presumption of good, he knew he was no better than his enemy. That thought alone scared him – becoming the thing he swore to stop. Becoming the monster. Sometimes they say third time is the charm, and he was on his second chance to redo everything. He will be damned if he restarts a third.

Sighing into the railing, he caught the attention of his feline beaux. She stared at him with a worried look, knowing partly what he must be feeling. The stress has finally begun to catch up to him after two months of relative peace. There was a week of endless missions and another of ceaseless training – the work just seemed to pile onto the Arc beside her and that worried her. Leaning into him, he looked up to her, sapphire eyes with small flakes of red. The action alone brought a sense of safety, an aura of certainty that everything, no matter what, they would be fine in the end.

For some reason, that scared her.

His optimism was refreshing, but even with everything he saw and experienced, it made her question. How someone could stay idyllic and optimistic after living a life of death and destruction only to relive his life – confused her greatly. A part of her was envious of his outlook, feeling the pressure of being a commander and leader of an army in the recent weeks. She had to yell and threaten, imprison even, some of her troops and insubordinates. She could see their looks of betrayal from her tone and heat – worse yet, she remembered all the dead from the docks.

Their faces contorted in horrific expressions, left to rot in shallow concrete graves. They were riddled with bullet holes, cut and sliced apart. Their blood painted the concrete slabs and shipping crates. Flashes of the battle echoed in her ears, reminding her that she was more than just a former terrorist, more than just a Huntress with a vendetta against injustice. She wanted his idealism, his optimism – but she knew she couldn't. That is why it scared her. There was never safety for them, there was never calm and peace when it came to RWBY and JNPR.

A soft giggle escaped her lips. "Jaune…how do you do it?"

"Do what?"

Blake nudged him softly. "Stay so calm and collected. Your body language may say something else but your eyes never betray how you really feel. I can see the ocean of peace within you. I can feel your serenity. How do you do it?"

"I…don't know…" Jaune gave her a confused look. Blue eyes tilted away from the feline and back to the swishing waters. "I guess…I guess I don't have time for being afraid. I can worry about things – hell, I worry about you, Yang and Pyrrha almost every day. But afraid? No. I haven't felt fear since I faced off against Salem…"

"I guess…I guess you could say that I just want things to go right." Jaune nodded. "I can't make things go our way – but I sure as hell can hope for them to go our way. I can steer events, conversations into more favorable conditions, but I can't force them. I can only hope and believe with all my being that things will be alright. It's not so much idealism or optimism. It's more…I know what happened when we lost hope – when we lost our belief in a better future. Keeping our heads up and shoulders back…that's the only way we can face the future. Wouldn't you agree?"

"My parents said something similar to me when I was young." Pyrrha smiled softly. "You can't expect things to be fine and dandy, but you can hope they will be. You can believe they will be and work to make it an honest reality."

"Well…" Blake smiled. "I guess I need some of your strength. I'm so anxious…"

Ghira Belladonna sat at his desk, rummaging through the endless stacks and towers of paperwork. He never knew how exactly the leaflets could pile so quickly, it was one of life's many mysteries. In one hand a pen, low on ink and in the other a stress ball. A Faunus of monstrous size brought all kinds of stereotypes, but thankfully – surprisingly – he didn't fall into any of those categories. Despite being a panther, he found true solace sitting behind a desk, signing papers and writing new laws and speeches. Kuo Kuana looked up to him for years, he was glad to have not let his people down. But this? It was unholy how paperwork could just gather!

"Ghira." A soft voice sounded in his ears.

Looking up from the paragraphs he had written, his eyes landed on that of his beautiful wife. "What is it, Kali?"

"Don't tell me you have been here all day." She sighed worriedly. "You need to take a break every once in a while."

He sighed as well, but dropped his eyes back to the speech he had prepared. "I know. But the Sienna Khan has requested my help – the White Fang was my creation, I will be damned if I let it wander aimlessly."

"I understand that, but even then." Kali walked behind him, latching her arms around his broad chest. "Even when you finish it, it will take a week at most to arrive in Vacuo…she and the Fang won't fall apart if a letter is a few days late. Rest. I made breakfast."

"As you always do." Ghira chuckled. "Fine. I'll join you in a few moments."

"No, you'll join me now."

Her tone was final.

Ghira sighed, chuckling more and rose to his feet, towering almost twice as high as his stout wife. He was a giant of a man, standing well over seven feet tall. Walking along, Kali latched her arm with his, waltzing through the Grand Belladonna Mansion. They were calm, silent and at peace. Something they'd come to find a common occurrence since leaving the White Fang five years ago.

At first it was hard to get used to – without their only daughter – the mansion seemed so cold compared to the tropic heat of Menagerie. For five years, they had to fight the urge to check her room, hoping to find the little cat asleep or clutching a book to her face. Even though Kali managed to hide her pain, Ghira found it far more difficult, only recently having found solace in his daughter's decision to run off to the White Fang. He understood her fervor, the drive to do what it took to help their people against the growing prejudice against them – but violence wasn't the way. Sienna Khan was an angry woman, but she was his only chosen successor.

He would be damned if Adam Taurus got his hands on the White Fang. Ghira could feel his anger growing at the thought of the bull. He was a fine protestor and had a strong case against the humans – but his anger would only drive the rift between their species even further. The thought of Blake siding with him made his stomach churn. Taking a few breaths, he knew his thoughts were growing off tangent. He took a deep breath, knowing that Blake would know better than to run off with a psychopath like Adam.

They pair arrived at their dining area, and Ghira took his seat while Kali skipped off to brew tea. Whipping out his reading spectacles, he drew out a small pocket book that he'd already read a thousand times. At this point, he only read it to kill time – his wife was a stickler for perfectly brewed tea. That meant it would be a while before getting any drink to wash down the feast sitting on the table. The only reason she'd forego her hubris, was if a guest or more happened to be staying with them.

Smiling to himself, he pulled a small pencil from his pocket and marked the book. Sighing to himself, it was yet another typo in a sea of clever words and vernacular. It confused him how a work of literature could go through several editors and revisions before publishing and somehow still have typos and extra words. Beaming a smirk, he continued on, eyes scanning the words, remembering the meaning behind each paragraph like the Declaration of Menagerie and the Faunus People.

Before he could continue, the doors boom with a powerful knock, rumbling throughout the empty mansion. Looking up, Ghira removed his spectacles and gave Kali a confused look. "I thought the White Fang meeting was pushed to next week?"

"I did too." Kali shrugged. "I'll go check."

"No, Kali, it's okay. I can go."

Rising to his feet, the man stretched his arms and headed toward the great doors of his mansion. He passed several Faunus made ukiyo-e artworks. Some depicted hills and mountains topped with trees while others had great waves and villages nestled in a grand valley. The vivid colors added a spice to the foyer of the mansion. Coming to a halt at the door, the man checked his clothing, armor and made sure to keep his claws in check. One could never know who was at the door, even if they were surrounded by Faunus.

Opening the door, he backed away with surprise. A large contingent of Kuo Kuana Guardsmen had gathered at the steps with the commander standing with his best lieutenants at his sides. Spears and rifles were already drawn and aimed. But not at him. Ghira walked past the commander of the guard and with narrowed eyes and furrowed brows. Walking down the steps, the one hundred guardsmen of the Guardsmen Corps had gathered, blocking much of what they were facing from view.

In the center of the great strip of Kuo Kuana, there stood a small army of Humans and Faunus, all dressed in what seemed to be armor. The ones in the front had assault rifles with swords on their backs and there were seven who wore ornate armor that seemed to shimmer in the sunlight of Menagerie. They all wore helmets that bore different shapes, causing the Belladonna to assume specializations and specific skillsets for certain men and women. What surprised him most, not one of these foreigners made a move to fight back or make threats.

"Who are you and what are you doing in Kuo Kuana?!" Ghira asked with a powerful roar. "We have done nothing to warrant an occupation."

Of the three who stood in the front, one wore white and bronze-gold armor, another wore bronze and crimson armor and the last wore black and white armor. Ghira watched with caution as the one in black began to move. The person's hands rested calmly against their hips and sides, not making any noticeable moves for the weapon on their back or the handguns holstered against their thighs.

"I'm warning you – halt or we will fire!" The commander of the Kuo Kuana Guardsmen howled with heat.

She paused for a moment. Suddenly, the soldiers behind her drew their assault rifles, cocking the spring bolts and preparing to strike. The guardsmen quickly followed suit, the energy of their rifles and blasters powering up. Civilians screamed and began to rustle about, trying to find rocks and bushes to hide behind. Shouts could be heard coming from both their dear mayor and from the helmeted warriors of vibrant colors. The girl in black continued walking though, unfazed by the definite threat.

"I won't ask again." Ghira warned. Behind him, the doors opened once again to reveal that Kali had arrived with a knife, a worried look in her eyes. "Who are you?"

The girl sighed and rose her hands to her helmet. There was a slight hiss as the air locks released, but the helmet unlatched from her body glove. Removing the bulwark, a waterfall of black hair fell, curled and wavy. It danced softly in the warm winds of Menagerie, revealing her cat ears and recognizable golden-amber eyes.

"Blake?" Kali said in a near whisper of disbelief.

The girl in question simply nodded. Tears welled in the corner of her eyes, as they bounced from her mother to her father and back. "Yes…hello mom…dad…"

Ghira gaped like a fish out of water. "Blake…?"

"Dad…" Her voice cracked.

Suddenly, she was embraced by a pair of powerful arms. A warmth that she'd forgotten overtook her, the power of a father never lost. Leaning her head into his armor, she felt the first tears trickle down her cheek. The fears she had, the worries she felt had no weight any longer. She held him, as if he were going to disappear. Suddenly, small hands rested on her armored back, tingling her from just the soft touch alone. She was released for just a moment, before being smothered by her mother as well.

Jaune watched with a beaming smile, toothy beneath his Scout Helmet. Reaching up, his thumb rested against the rim of his helmet. A soft hiss was heard, breaking the Belladonnas apart. As steam billowed from the air locks in the helmet, the young boy removed the plasteel kepi, revealing deep sapphire eyes, messy blond hair and boyish good looks – unmistakable to the two elder Belladonnas.

"Claude?!" Ghira asked, almost immediately.

Blake turned on her heels, a bright smile spreading across her face. Jaune gave her a simple nod and motioned for the rest of his forces to remove their helmets. One by one they did so, revealing both Human and Faunus faces and features, side by side as equals. Jaune though, went the extra mile and dropped to his knees, drawing his sword. Pyrrha, MSTN and the remaining forces quickly followed suit. With their heads bowed low to the Belladonna family, their King bellowed.

"I am Jaune Arc of the House of Arc." He cried. "The King of Vale, and I come with good tidings, if you will receive me, your grace."

Ginseng, imported from the various tea plantations in Anima's countryside. It was smooth and mixed with the right amount of sugar, only accentuated the deliciousness of the beverage. Warmth took his body, rushing through his bloodstream, dancing against his fingertips and feet. While he'd had tea from Blake before, during JNPR and RWBY's group dinners, this tea was sublime. Like mother, like daughter, they say.

"Thank you, Lady Belladonna." Jaune smiled softly, bowing his head.

She giggled and rested a soft hand on his shoulder. "There's no need for such formalities, Jaune. You as well, Pyrrha."

The redhead blushed softly but nodded. Jaune smiled warmly and sighed softly. "I can't help it. I've been spending so much time with leaders of villages, cities and companies – formalities steer people to calmer waters."

"Tell us, Jaune." Ghira called, taking a bite of his pork chorizo skewers. "How did you come to claiming the title of King? I thought Vale had no monarch."

"Well, it wasn't all too hard–"

A harsh hiss came from the feline matriarch of the household. "Politics can be saved for after breakfast. For now, eat up and catch up."

"Mom's right." Blake rested a hand on Jaune's own. "We've spent a long time at sea, we can spare a few hours of rest, wouldn't you agree?"

"As you wish, Blake." Jaune nodded. "Well…I'm certain you have a few questions, regarding my family."

"Of course!" Ghira bellowed with a smile. "How is the old Shield of Orléans doing? I haven't seen Claude in so many years – it's hard to imagine our children would end up meeting."

"My father is still on the council and mom is still helping out where she can." Jaune answered, eating some garlic spiced rice. "She also gave birth to my youngest sisters – Aurore and Margaux."

Ghira choked on his tea. "He had more children?!"

"What can I say? My dad wants more than one son. But yeah…everything is fine and dandy last I remembered Orléans being." Jaune took a moment to recall.

"May I ask something?" Kali interrupted. "I'd like to know how this happened."

"This?" Ghira and Jaune raised a brow at the mother.

"Do I really need to say it aloud?" She seemed unimpressed. "Blake, Jaune and Pyrrha! You three…"

His eyes widened to the size of plates, Blake choked on her tea and Pyrrha's face turned as crimson as her hair. The chopsticks the blond was holding, snapped and splintered in half, cracking the silence. Ghira's face was deadpanned, expressionless for a few moments before it morphed through several forms before falling to one of a deepening glare. The carefree, lighthearted feeling that permeated the air had vanished.

"Mom!" Blake shouted, eyes snapped shut with a roaring blush spreading across her face.

"Mrs. Belladonna, I d-don't…" Pyrrha tried to reason through her sudden twisted tongue.

"Oh no." Jaune whimpered under his breath. "Lord and Lady Belladonna…I was going to tell you when the situation was…well…favorable. It's a long, long story and now that it was brought up – I'd hope you'd like to skip breakfast and get down to brass tacks. We didn't bring an army for nothing – we didn't bring a small company of engineers for nothing. I respect your request for no politics at the dinner table, Lady Belladonna, but it's a necessity."

"Is he always like this?" Kali whispered to Blake.

Nodding her head, she smirked softly. "Yeah, whenever he decides to get kingly."

"I like him."

So the Belladonnas are about to get a wake up call
and Jaune is about to expand his influence, yey

Next Chapter; we return to Vale, to see how Ren's harem building is going
and how our favorite Ice Queen and Firecracker deal with the absence of
their favorite guy and gals and of course, Velvet and Cardin!
(I'm so glad that the response to that ship sailing has been good)

anyway, y'know the drill!

Review, Favorite and Follow!

Ja ne!

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