"Check this out!"
Expertly, Sun used his monkey tail as a chair. It was a strong appendage for being so thin. It lifted his entire body off the floor and he remained balanced even as the ship swayed.
From the display, Yang clapped slowly. "Bravo."
If that wasn't embarrassing enough, Blake didn't even react. She remained fixed on her book like she was in her own world. Overhead, a few birds squawked into the cloudless sky.
"This is impressive!" Sun yelped. "Name one other faunus with a tail that can do this!"
Yang only shrugged. "I don't know other faunus with tails."
Briefly, Blake looked up from her book. "Me neither."
"You guys don't get out often," Sun chirped as he enjoyed the breeze on his cheeks. "I could show ya around Vacuo."
"Tempting," Yang said genuinely as she sat beside her girlfriend on a lounge chair. "But I don't think faunus would be excited to meet me, a human."
That compelled Blake to hold her hand. "Anyone should be excited to meet you."
"Flattery will get you everywhere."
Blake only stared at her with a smile before focusing back on her book. Wanting to relax, Yang leaned back to enjoy the rays.
While the couple enjoyed each other's company, Sun leaned over the railing. Beneath the waves, there was a small fish grimm. He would have left it alone, but it was ramming into the ship. If it kept doing that, it might make a dent or cause a leak.
"Tiny grimm," Sun announced. "I'll get it."
The bumblebee pair glanced over the railings while he jumped down and used his tail to hang off the side of the ship. Sun looked like a bat while he hung upside down.
"Aw, it's so cute," Yang cooed at the little fish. "It's trying to do damage."
"Adorable," Blake blanched.
One stab with Sun's staff was more than enough to make the grimm vanish. In victory, he leaped back on board with a wide grin.
"Barely got away with my life there."
"Good job, Sun," Blake praised. "I don't know what we'd do without you."
Sun sent her a thumbs up. "Just tryn'a pitch in."
Blake smirked. "With so little time left."
"We arrive in two days, right?" Sun asked.
"Yep!" Yang confirmed.
Flashback…
"Blake."
The moment her name grazed her tongue, she knew she was in deep trouble.
"When I assign you a job, I expect results."
Blake was kneeling on the floor before the tyrant of a captain, her head lowered. She despised this position in front of Sienna. It was like she was admitting to her that she was a lesser being.
"Sienna," Blake started and kept her gaze firmly on her fierce one. "I didn't succeed, but I did gather valuable intel. That should be taken into consideration."
"Shut it."
In response, Blake locked her jaw in place. Her heart almost leaped out of her chest. Her stomach felt like it dropped out on the floor.
"Do you take me for a fool?" Sienna snarled. "I know you spared those humans on purpose. I told you no survivors."
The cat faunus met her fierce gaze again and dared to speak.
"I knew the orders. However, some humans surrendered their supplies. They didn't want to fight. I see no point in needless killing. Especially if they're not willing to put up a fight."
From the explanation, Sienna adorned a wicked grin.
"You have a lot to learn about being a Khan if that's your way of thinking. Khans show no mercy. Especially not to humans. Now they'll get the wrong idea. That some Khans are soft. We can't have that, now can we?"
From her words, Blake almost gasped. "You didn't…"
"I sent Adam after them," Sienna informed, confirming her thoughts. "He's more than happy to finish the job you left undone."
All Blake did was grit her teeth. There was nothing she could do.
"You will receive fifty lashes," Sienna said in the silence. "I think that's a suitable punishment for your failure."
At last, Blake met her gaze once more. "Fine."
Sienna sniffed the air. "Is that attitude I sense?"
"Get it over with."
"Eager! I like it."
Blake bit her tongue and remained kneeling, but she didn't care what was about to happen. She did the right thing, and now Sienna was going out of her way to punish her. She should've known.
Ker-snap!
On reaction, some air was forced out of her lungs from the impact. It stung, but it wasn't anything she couldn't handle.
The sudden whip caught her by surprise even though she was expecting it. Sienna lashed her back repeatedly, but waited a few seconds in between before dealing another. Those few daunting seconds were as painful as the whipping itself.
If this is what I get for my actions…
Another crack of the whip.
… Then it's worth it.
"Ten," Sienna didn't sound too pleased with herself.
It was more like a business tone. Like this was just another thing she had to get out of the way.
Blake was on all fours with one of her eyes squeezed shut from the creeping pain. At first, it was easy to bear, but as the numbers added up, it got more painful. Blood seeped down her back and onto the tainted floor.
She tried to focus on something other than the pain and the unsettling snap of the whip.
Since she could remember, Blake was a slave. She'd never known her parents. She was practically born into slavery. When the Khans offered her freedom, she took it without thought. It was a second chance at life.
As the whip seared into her skin, she was reevaluating her life. This was no second chance. This was still slavery. Maybe even worse now that she was punished for not killing.
"Thirty-five," Sienna said.
It was then that she became aware of the crack of the whip again. It was difficult to hear it due to the ringing in her head.
Having been silent this whole time, Blake had to groan in pain. By this point, beads of sweat trickled down her entire body. It was hard to even stay on all fours. It felt like her back was a gaping hole in her body. Exhaustion was sinking in.
Her aura struggled to work in her favor. At first, it worked and sewed the wounds quickly. After several dozen more lashes, her aura depleted. This left her more than exhausted and unable to catch her breath.
I don't know if I can...
Then she remembered why she was there in the first place. Even though Blake was going through hell at the moment, that didn't stop her from almost smiling. Life was precious and it had to be protected. If this was the punishment she had to withstand to guard that, she'd do it again even if it would be for naught.
"Forty-five," the captain of Khans continued.
I can't...
It was then that Blake's body shut down all at once. Her eyes slid shut and she let out another anguished groan. In silence, she slumped on the floor, completely motionless.
Sienna kept lashing, but this time more quickly. In her mind, this was necessary.
The punishment was finally over when the tyrant finished the last five lashes. She threw the whip to the side, which caused more blood to splatter. Sienna's poker face never failed her as she leered down at the collapsed girl.
"I didn't want to do that. You made me."
Before she walked away, she spared her a glance.
"Next time, don't disappoint me."
It was then that Sienna turned on her heel.
"You!"
The nearby guard who was standing next to the double doors straightened up. Satisfied she got the guard's attention, she gave him a daunting order.
"Clean it up."
…
With a loud gasp, Blake shot up from under the covers. She raggedly breathed as her heart pumped. She checked her back, only for no pain to come.
The worrying noise caused Yang to wake up. Her arms were around her girlfriend in a heartbeat as she reeled her in.
"You're okay now, Blake. Everything's okay."
Lovingly, Blake returned the embrace.
"Thank you. I love you."
"Trust me," Yang said with a smile. "I love you more."
Is that more angst I see? Damn Sienna you a bad bitch.
Stay dandy,
~Toto
