Chapter Five: The Kingdom of Mistral, Part One
Kingdom of Mistral, Menagerie
Three months.
Three months have passed since Atlas. Jaune didn't know how but Neo had pulled him away from the ruins of Atlas back down to Mantle. She revealed the man, Ruby's father and Yang's uncle, Crow Branwen had found them along the mountain. Atlas… Atlas had fallen, buried under the frozen lake… But Ruby, Yang, Willow, Winter, Weiss, Whitley, Klein, Penny, and Ciel survived. They hadn't found Cinder, Emerald, or Mercury…
And he hadn't woken up. He had been asleep for about two weeks, under the care of the Schnees, in an old castle in Mantle that belonged to their family. While he was asleep, Crow, Ruby, and Yang had debated whether to stay until he woke up or continue to Mistral to warn the Headmaster about the Grimm Queen who he now knew was named Salem.
Reluctantly, Ruby and Yang agreed after Weiss and Neo volunteered to stay with him until he woke up and agreed to travel with him when he was better. They had left a few nights before he woke up and another month or so later, he healed from his injuries. Afterwards, they said their goodbyes to the Schnees, Klein, Penny, and Ciel, and left for the Kingdom of Mistral. Not without promising them, specifically Willow, they would return.
But of course, everything went wrong when a storm turned over their ship on the way to the continent of Anima… And they ended up in the wilderness of the continent of Menagerie. Officially, still the Kingdom of Mistral and unofficially, the fifth kingdom that belonged to faunus…
We're lost. Neo signed.
But Jaune only sighed because he knew she was right. Weiss and Neo walked beside him through the jungle. Jaune wore a black shirt, blue pants, and black shoes. And with his usual white armor and sword and shield. Weiss wore a blue shirt, a white skirt, and white boots. And her rapier on her hip. Neo wore only a white sleeveless tank top, white pants, and brown and pink boots. She used her parasol Hush for shade against the sun.
"We are lost, Neo. But we're still in the jungle and not the desert so the village Kuo Kuana is close. We get there, we get a ship to Anima. To Ruby and Yang too…" Jaune said quietly.
"You'll see them again, Jaune." Weiss said softly.
Since they started their travel to Anime, Jaune got to know Weiss and Neo a lot more. They were both alike and different. And he couldn't help but feel both were quite… bossy. Each in their own way. Weiss behaved both like her mother and sister. Polite, confident, and capable. Neo on the other hand, was childish at times. And her love of ice cream puzzled both Weiss and him.
But what confused them more was the revelation that while she had been a wanted thief in Vale for most of her life, she hadn't been a commoner like Ruby, Yang, and him. Instead, she acted much like Weiss which left them more puzzled if she was a noble. But Neo never opened up about her childhood so that mystery was put on hold.
"I know. I just hope we get out of this jungle soon…" Jaune said.
Before they could take another step, figures dropped down from the trees above. All faunus with weapons raised at them. One of them was a chameleon fanus with tan skin with dark spots, long brown hair tied into a ponytail, and light gray eyes. She wore a short black jacket over a gray short-sleeved crop top that exposed her midriff, brown pants, and brown boots. She also held a small pointy blade.
Another dropped from above and stood with narrowed eyes focused on them. She had long black hair with black cat ears and amber eyes. She wore a black sleeveless crop top with rectangular and diamond-shaped cutouts around the neckline, black pants, and black thigh-high boots with gold-colored edging around the top. Her white belt lined with gold held white pouches also lined with gold, a white Belladonna flower emblem pin and a katana.
Jaune and Weiss looked worried and Neo held onto her parasol with a smile. All while they were surrounded.
Kingdom of Mistral, Kuo Kuana, Menagerie
Jaune, Weiss, and Neo stood without their weapons in front of the unofficial Menagerie council in a great hall filled with Faunus guards. The cat faunus and chameleon faunus who captured them stood beside them, both glaring at Weiss. This made her stand closer to Jaune and take a hold of his arm. Neo did the same with a smile, for reasons Jaune wasn't sure of.
Nobody spoke but Jaune noticed two of the council members looked almost like the cat faunus beside them. Her parents, Jaune thought. The man was tall and muscular with black hair and beard and cautious yellow eyes. He wore a mix of purple and white. The woman, who looked a lot more like the cat faunus, had short black hair with black cat ears and amber eyes. She wore a mix or black and white. And she smiled warmly at them. And the last council member was a tiger faunus with dark skin and dark tiger stripes, short black hair with black tiger ears, a small red jewel on her forehead, and narrowed amber eyes. She wore a mix of red, black, and white. She was the first to speak.
"I'm Sienna Khan. Beside me are Ghira and Kali Belladonna. We're the council of Menagerie. We know one of you is a Schnee. But who are you two?" Sienna asked, looking pointedly at Jaune and Neo.
"I-I'm Jaune Arc. And this is my adoptive sister Neo." Jaune lied. Thankfully, Weiss and Neo gave nothing away but he did notice Neo's smile grow slightly.
"Arc?" Ghira asked.
"Yes. My grandfather was Jonathan Arc. And my father was Nicholas Arc. If you know either of them." Jaune said.
"We knew of your grandfather from the Great War. Both Jonathan Arc and Nicholas Schnee. They came to Menagerie a few times after the Great War. They attempted to negotiate for Menagerie to become an official kingdom." Jaune and Weiss were shocked and Neo was curious. Ghira noticed and continued. "But it didn't work out. Both the councils of Mistral and Mantle, which later became Atlas, refused our request. And Nicholas Schnee gave his company to your father Jacques…"
"M-my father is dead…" Weiss said quietly.
"So it's true… We heard what happened in Solitas…" Kali said apologetically.
"But that still doesn't answer the question of why you three are here?" Sienna asked impatiently.
"We…" Jaune began. "Or I… was asked by Professor Ozpin of Beacon to travel to Atlas and deliver a message to General Ironwood but… You heard what happened?"
"Ironwood is dead and Atlas fell because of a dust explosion. Now, it's buried beneath the frozen lake close to Mantle." Ghira answered.
"Yeah… But it wasn't an accident. A man, a scholar, Arthur Watts caused it. But he had help. They mentioned a Queen…"
"A queen?" Sienna asked.
"Yes… The Queen… of the Grimm… She's responsible for the recent Grimm attack in Vale. And Atlas. Before Ironwood died, he told us to go to Haven Academy and speak to the Headmaster there. To warn him and everyone else about what's coming."
When Jaune finished speaking, there was silence. The council members were surprised, shocked, and alarmed by what they were told. Even the cat faunus and chameleon faunus were shocked. The idea of the Grimm having a queen terrified them. Finally, Ghira spoke.
"That explains our situation then…"
"What situation?" Weiss asked.
"A few months ago, a group of pirates called the White Fang appeared along the coast from nowhere with several large ships. They destroyed our docks and many of our ships. We haven't been able to sail outside of Menagerie for trade. At first, we suspected it was the Kingdoms of Mistral and Mantle because they had done something similar during the Great War. But now… If what you say is true, that Mistral is next and this Queen of Grimm has people working for her…" Ghira didn't finish but the cat faunus did.
"Then we're next…"
"No. You're not. We'll stop the ships." Jaune said, more confidently than he felt.
"Jaune?" Weiss asked, surprised while Neo simply raised a brow.
"We need to get to Mistral. We need to warn them and prepare everybody for what's coming." Jaune said.
"So you'll help us?" The cat faunus asked, surprised.
"Yes. Then you'll take us to Mistral. If the council agrees…?" Jaune asked.
Ghira, Kali, and Sienna shared a look between each other but slowly, each of them nodded. Kali's smile grew and she looked at Jaune, Weiss, and Neo.
"Help us and we'll take you to Mistral."
Kingdom of Mistral, The Sea Surrounding Menagerie
Three days later, Jaune, Weiss, and Neo stood with their weapons on a faunus ship, looking out to the sea as the sky darkened and a storm approached. Beside them were the cat faunus Blake Belladonna, the daughter of Ghira and Kali Belladonna, and the chameleon faunus Ilia Amitola. They too had their weapons, Gambol Shroud and Lightning Lash.
After agreeing to help them, they learned there were a total of five large ships watching the docks of Kuo Kuana. They only had three ships and few capable fighters. Blake had also revealed more information about the White Fang pirates. Apparently, the captain of the pirate ship, the Queen's Storm, was a crocodile faunus named Tock Spring and her second-in-command was a former childhood friend of Blake's, a bull faunus named Adam Taurus.
Strangely, he had been made Captain of their ship, the Belladonna, and the other two ships. The faunus crew reported to him, much to his confusion. When he asked Blake about it, she shrugged and deadpanned that 'he had a look about him that said pirate captain'. But even more confusing, Neo had taken it upon herself to become his second-in-command and wore an eye patch that she happened to find onboard the ship. She would sign her commands to the crew and one of them who knew sign language would voice her commands much to his and Weiss' worry. He decided he had to ask.
Where did you get the eye patch?
I found it.
…And why are you wearing an eye patch?
Neo shrugged and continued her commands. Jaune simply sighed. But they returned their attention to the approaching ships as the storm picked up. Rain came crashing down on the deck and the wind picked up. Jaune, Weiss, Neo, Blake, and Ilia crouched down and the crew waited for Jaune's command.
"Fire!"
The sound of thunder cracked through the air as all of their cannons on the left side of the Belladonna fired toward the enemy ships. The action was repeated by their friendly ships. The cannon balls tore through three of the enemy ships, except the Queen's Storm, but one began to sink. The crew quickly reloaded the cannons but it was too late. The enemy fired their cannons and Neo signed a command.
Forward!
The enemy's cannon fire barely missed their ships. The Belladonna continued forward and the other two followed, trying to keep moving to avoid more cannon fire. The crew finished reloading and waited for Jaune's command once again.
"Fire!"
Thunder cracked across as cannon balls shot across the raging sea toward the enemy ships. A few hit the Queen's Storm and another enemy ship sank. The crew cheered with Neo and even Weiss, Blake, and Ilia smiled. Jaune did too knowing they were even now but he knew they still had to destroy the Queen's Storm.
The crew tried to reload again but cannon fire tore through all three of their ships. The Queen's Storm and the remaining two enemy ships had shifted for a better shot at them. The Belladonna survived but the two ships behind them were torn apart and began to sink. Everyone looked horrified to Jaune who realized they were now the last ship. He looked toward the remaining three enemy ships and made a dangerous decision.
"Change direction! Head toward them! Hold cannon fire until we get between them!" Jaune shouted.
Weiss, Neo, Blake, Ilia, and the crew looked at him with bewildered expressions until Neo realized what he wanted to do and signed the command.
You heard the captain! Change direction! And forward! Ready the cannons! Ready your weapons! Prepare to fight for your lives!
For a moment, the crew did nothing until they got back to work. The Belladonna changed direction, heading straight between the Queen's Storm and the other two ships. The crew split between both sides, loading up every cannon. Finally, the Belladonna got between the Queen's Storm and the two enemy ships. The crew waited. And Jaune gave the command.
"Fire all cannons!"
The Belladonna fired all cannons on both sides, hitting the Queen's Storm and the two enemy ships, the former took multiple hits but stayed and the latter ships were torn apart. But the Queen's Storm fired its cannons too, hitting the Belladonna. Thankfully, their ship hadn't sunk but pirates began using rope to swing on board their ship.
The crocodile faunus Tock and the bull faunus Adam landed in the center of the pirates. She had light green skin with scales and an x-shaped scar on the left side of her head, a shaved head with a grayish dark green mohawk, yellow eyes, and metal prosthesis teeth. She wore a dark green collared shirt with a dark brown corset, black and gray striped pants, and black shoes. She also held cutlasses with gold hilts for weapons.
"'Ey, pretty boy! The Queen wants ya!" Tock smirked.
Adam had red hair with black bull horns and blue eyes. He wore a black jacket, shirt, pants, and boots. He also held his weapon, Wilt and Blush, a chokuto sword. He noticed Blake and glared at her which Blake returned.
"Blake."
"Adam."
Jaune kept his shield sheath but not Crocea Mors which he took out. Weiss followed with Myrtenaster, Neo with Hush, Blake with Gambol Shroud, Ilia with Lightning Lash, and the crew with their weapons. The deck of the ship quickly became a battleground.
Jaune clashed his sword with Tock's who kept her smirk and her eyes focused on him like a predator. He saw Weiss and Blake take on Adam. Neo and Ilia were helping the crew with the pirates. Jaune backed away and stepped to the side to hit her but Tock rolled away and kicked him in the stomach. He fell back and Tock ran and jumped with her swords ready to impale him but Neo appeared and blocked with Hush. Until Tock knocked her back and kicked her off the side of the Belladonna into the sea.
"Neo!" Jaune cried out.
But Neo opened up Hush and the heavy winds pulled her upwards and she landed back on the Belladonna. She closed Hush and rolled toward Tock before kicking her in the stomach. Tock grunted in pain and hit the railing on the other side of the ship. Jaune then noticed beside him, one of the cannons aiming toward her. He reloaded the cannon and Neo fired to the surprise of Tock.
The cannon fired and hit the crocodile faunus directly, destroying the railing and knocking her off the ship into the ocean. Jaune struggled to stand but Neo helped keep him up. The crew killed off the remaining pirates and Jaune caught the end of the fight between Weiss, Blake, and Adam. Weiss had a vertical cut down her left eye and face from Adam but she still fought against him with Blake. Eventually, they both stabbed him with Myrtenaster and Gambol Shroud. And Adam fell.
Weiss, Blake, and Ilia looked toward him and Neo as did the rest of the crew. They all sat on the ruined deck of the Belladonna as the storm ended and the sun slowly appeared above the clouds. All of them with the same thought. They had fought and won the battle over the seas of Menagerie.
A/N: Yes, I listened to pirate battle music while writing that scene.
I intended for Jaune and others to get separated following Atlas but had no idea how it was going to work. The original idea was for them to not even meet until Haven. Penny would have found Jaune. Neo would have joined them. And they would have met Oscar. Meanwhile, Blake and Weiss would have gone to Menagerie to deal with Adam and the White Fang and Crow, Ruby, and Yang would have met Raven. And all of them would have met at Haven for a battle. But you'll be disappointed to know that I won't do the battle of Haven for reasons that will be revealed for the next chapter.
Another addition to this story I had planned and not planned was Tock. I wanted a younger Maria and Tock to appear but without the whole Silver Eyes stuff, Tock wouldn't have had a reason to hunt her down. Or if I want, I could just say Tock killed her years ago then joined Salem. Or joined Salem and Ozpin sent Maria after her in Mistral. But I always intended for Tock to be another enemy. I feel like there was a loss of potential with Salem not having any more females on her side. And tbh, I fell in love with everything about Tock from her very short appearance. It only made sense she'd be captain and not Adam lol
Anyway, this chapter and Pirate Neo was very fun to write. Up Next: A reunion and a lot of needed conversations between Jaune and others. All important for the future.