LI - Canopy

~~~(LI)~~~

Today just kept getting stranger for Blake lately. Things had been normal a few days ago, well, relatively normal all things considered. Her parents and Sun were working together to find out ways to take back control of the White Fang while also dealing with the increasing threat they posed to their safety. But today, not seven days after they arrested the leaders on the island, Blake was confused.

"Now dear, I'm sure I can carry these to the kitchen easily enough."

"It's no problem Mrs. Belladonna, I'm confident I can handle it."

Her mom let the empty lunch platter be taken from her with a playful smile. Oxon had to get to the training area, but he was apparently willing to risk being late in order to help her mother. "What a little gentleman you are, your mother definitely raised you well." Oxon flinched momentarily, but he had a faint smile at her words, further adding to the strange sight.

Seeing Oxon getting along so well with her mom was odd. Ever since that night, he had been trying to help anyone and everyone who needed it, which wasn't that different from Beacon, but one usually had to ask him first. His focus in particular was her mother and father; her dad seemed tolerant of him, but mom? The fact that her mother encouraged his behavior was even stranger.

"Ah, well. l… I just do what I can to be what she'd want me to be." He seemed pleased by her words, and the light blush on his face only added to the odd scene. Back at Beacon, such displays were rare, and they usually were caused by Weiss. Though these new expressions seemed… Different. But she couldn't quite place it.

As he left the room, her mom noticed her staring and approached with a smile. "That Sun fellow you brought is a treat, though I must say the taller boy is such a doll. So eager to please, he reminds me of a puppy. You sure do have interesting friends, are they all so varied?" Her mom wrapped her in a hug and began to pet her head.

"Mom…" Blake tried and failed to get out of her mother's grasp. Her mom was surprisingly strong when she wanted to be.

"And I'm so proud of you for learning to forgive Ilia and him, it really shows how far you have come. You should have seen your father's face! Oh I wish I had my scroll on me."

"Moommmm…"

"So, tell me about this new arrival, he's quite the shy one. He told us the two of you went to school?" At this point Blake resorted to using her semblance to escape. Her mom gave her a slight pout but shrugged after a moment.

"He did, but, why do you want to know? I never really talked about him and his… team."

"He told your father and I a little bit of his situation the night of the fight, but I was wondering about the boy himself. There's something… worrisome about him." Blake tensed and got a gentle swat to the elbow. "Nothing dangerous hun. It's just that, well, he reminds me of a certain kitten when she was in a bad place."

Blake felt her ears flatten slightly at the comparison. She could definitely see the similarities, though they were vastly different in most other areas. It was strange seeing him around after so long. She had thought nothing positive about him for the longest time since Beacon fell, but she could see and acknowledge his desire to make amends. She was the same.

"I don't know about that. Our situations are a bit different, I left you and joined Adam of my own free will. Oxon though, from what I can tell, he didn't get a choice and was threatened into obeying his leader. He had nobody who he could go to for support."

"Hmmm, I had a suspicion due to how he acts, but I haven't been able to ask him to confirm, I didn't want to spook him. though I assume you know more?"

Blake glanced to the kitchen where she heard the sounds of washing dishes. She didn't think he could hear them, but it was better not to take chances. Back before The Fall, he was cagey about his past and his family, though she knew enough about what her mom wanted to know.

"Lets wait till he's out, he'd probably try to keep others from knowing or feeling bad for him. He's weird that way."

And so the two Belladonna women waited for the sole human to leave for his training. Once gone, Blake told her mom everything she knew, what he'd told the group, and what he'd told Weiss who shared some of the more interesting tidbits.

~~~(LI)~~~

The sun beat down harshly on Oxon's skin. The heat was really beginning to get the best of him, so he took inspiration from other men on the island and ditched his shirt entirely, something he could never do in the cold climate of Prism. The material of the shirts he did have are much too thick for this island, the one light one he did own had been ruined by those Tetroctopus'.

Like he had promised Ghira, he was hard at work teaching the faunus that joined their cause how to defend themselves and fight. Thankfully last night he hadn't had any of the nightmares that had been plaguing him for months. Hopefully they would stay gone.

"Remember, when using a shield to protect yourself from a blow, never block your eyes that can be taken advantage of. Of course some exceptions are acceptable, such as a blow aimed for your face and head. Even in that scenario, be wary of a feint and an attack on a more vulnerable location. Always keep an eye on the weapon's path and try to visualize its destination, then intercept."

The volunteers before him nodded at his instructions. Not a single one complained about his teachings so far, no words about him being a human as well. It probably helped that he knew a few of the faces in the crowd; villagers from Wai'ānapanapa had eagerly volunteered to aid in their plans to stop Adam. He also had a sneaking suspicion that they also joined his group so to get better at defending their home from Grimm.

Smart of them.

Either way, they all put their best efforts into improving. It was strange, teaching others the skills his father and other guards taught him so long ago. In a way, it was therapeutic, he had to mentally come to terms with some of the loss in order to focus on memories of the people he held dear.

Since the people were inexperienced in combat and defensive tactics, he requisitioned some of the island's craftsmen to create medium sized circular shields. The purpose was so they could create a shield wall that would not fall as easily if they acted solo. And like most things he'd taught, they began to catch on quickly, something that helped due to their short training window.

"Alright, group one link up, I want to see how you all work together." On his command, the group made primarily of the fishing villagers formed a medium sized wall with very few issues. "Taro, a little higher. Good, good, that looks much better."

He turned his attention to the group of faunus that was a part of the offensive team. The assembled men and women had arrived with club's, spears, and a few other local weapons. They would stay behind the shield team as they advanced and then strike out once in close range. This should allow for minimal harm to come to them.

"Group two, I want you to try and break their formation head on. This will test both group's skills and show me where you need to work on." The offensive group lined up near the defensive formation with padded sticks to be used for the training exercises. The people here are quite resilient, they picked up quickly on the tactics he'd taught and even improved upon some to suit their various traits.

What surprised him the most we're a few White Fang folks had switched allegiances and supported the Belladonnas now. Most were simple grunts who had been swayed by Ghiras equal treatment of the injured, but one was one of their special agents.

The blue haired woman who has been the person sent with him by Adam had apparently helped inform Blake and Sun about the danger her family was in. After the spider faunus helped capture Blake and once Ilia and Yuma left. She had freed the cat girl and told them the danger her parents were in and that there was another less than loyal member already there. Which Blake probably realized was him during his fight with Ilia, that must have been why she and Sun didn't attack him on sight.

No communication has been sent out to Taurus about whether or not his plan had succeeded. Together with the Belladonnas, they decided to use Trifa and her previous loyalty to feed Adam false information. The goal was to keep him unaware of just how much effort was being made to stop him. She had left on a small ship a few days ago, she was headed towards the Mistral mainland and the primary White Fang base located there.

She never did answer me as to what made her switch sides. I guess I'll ask her later. Hopefully she stays safe.

"Alright! Group two, Charge!" They followed his order and clashed against the shield wall. The faunus of group one held strong, wall flexing slightly under the pressure. After thirty seconds of no change in the defensive formations stability, he called for a rest. He could see a few of the offensive team frustrated at their "loss", but it just meant they were almost there.

"Well done, well done! With this, we should easily be able to beat those crazies." Both groups cheered at the news. They had been working hard to get ready for their battle with the Fang, and Oxon knew they would win. Many here knew people who were under Adam; friends, family, neighbors. Hopefully some could be convinced to lay down arms before the fighting began.

"Ok, I want everyone to group up in pairs, one with a shield and one with a weapon. Once the battle begins in earnest, you will need to know how to rely on yourself in case you get separated." He watched as people grouped up to spar against each other. Like his father had taught him, he couldn't prepare them for everything they may encounter, but he'd try his best to make them as capable as possible.

"They are coming along quite well, aren't they?" Oxon turned his head to see the large form of Ghira walking towards him. Over the recent days, Oxon had come to greatly respect the man, so at the sight of him, Oxon straightened his back. He was something else, he was everything Oxon wasn't: loyal, strong, and not afraid to put himself at risk to help make the world better for everyone. He was inspiring.

"Yes sir, they have been working very hard every day. Again, thank you for trusting me with this, it means a lot." The beast of a man chuckled in that baritone voice of his. He walked up beside him and placed a calming hand on his shoulder, giving Oxon a small grin. Oxon unconsciously leaned into the touch.

"At ease son, you're not a soldier." Oxon's cheeks reddened slightly in response but did relax his posture a bit. Over the last week, he had learned more about the Belladonna family. Despite his large and intimidating stature, Ghira was a kind man that doted on his daughter often.

His wife was similar but different. She was a kind and loving woman who wasn't afraid to show it. She had given out many hugs to him and the others that had recently entered the household. Sun enjoyed being liked by at least, he did too. The woman reminded him far too much of his own family.

Oxon's father had been a very strong man all his life, but he was also very affectionate. Words of affirmation and love rolled easily off his tongue. Hugs had always been the man's preferred way of greeting or goodbye, the physical affection was something Oxon missed.

His mother has always been a gentle soul. She was a pacifist, something that should have caused issues for their marriage, but apparently she had been the one to hunt his father down regardless. She was always ready to lend an ear or a shoulder to rest on, something he could have used these last few years.

His brother was a bit different from their parents. He was soft spoken and prefered to listen rather than be at the front. Oxon had gone to Taxus on many occasions for advice, the biggest examples being how to tell their father that he wasn't going to join the guard. He had given him great advice, saying that he should live his life as he wished and not be beholden to anyone else. He'd failed to truly take that advice to heart.

Remembering the three caused his heart to feel great pain. Flames of envy burned in his heart as he observed the interactions between the three faunus. Blake seemed insistent on being seen as some older who didn't need to rely on her parents or who didn't like the public displays of affection from them, thinking they are embarrassing. Oxon missed his family dearly, embarrassing bits and all. Their love wasn't something she should try and push away, but something she should cherish.

Now ain't the time, Ox… I gotta focus on training. Both theirs and my own.

"How are the rest of the preparations going? I know we are still trying to get in contact with the Mistral government." They had a ship being prepared to ship out in a few days with their forces, but they still needed to warm the kingdom. It was critical to do so, both to help protect Haven, and to make sure they would not be stopped from stopping Adam.

Ghira patted his shoulder a few times before removing the large hand. "They are moving along smoothly. The ship captain that Blake and Sun aided on their way here has already made preparations to take us all to Mistral." The grand story Sun had told them about the sea dragon had been impressive to no end. Such a large beast showing up out of nowhere would have freaked him out to no end. The fact the shop had actually been the one to finish it off was amazing, he definitely wanted to see that cannon.

"I heard about what happened to the previous attempt to get in contact." Ghira's smile morphed into a regretful scowl. Trifa had told them about Yuma and his, work, for the Albains. The man wasn't seeing the light of day any time soon. "I assume another has been sent out, we definitely need to make them aware as soon as we can."

"Yes. I have sent another to Mistral this morning. Hopefully they will reach the council in time." Oxon hoped so too, a lot of lives depended on them. That pressure had been making him stressed beyond belief, yet at the same time, it excited him as well. "You still wish to face the one who is behind this, behind Beacon, correct?"

His eyes steeled at the thought of fighting Cinder. Yes, there was still fear, but his rage and desire for justice were stronger. When not helping the people here, he had thrown himself into his training in order to have a solid chance, even with whatever it is she found in the tower. She would make her pay for everything she ruined.

"Yes, Fall is someone I need to face." Good idea or not, he wouldn't back down again. He saw a concerned look on Ghira's face for a moment, but it was gone soon after.

"Just be careful, remember your own safety is important as well." Oxon blinked a few times at the concern in his voice. He tried to think of something to say in response until a large hand rested on his head, messing up his hair. "Practice what you preach young man. Oh, and the upgrades to your gear should be ready right before we depart. I must say, you have rather interesting tastes."

With his piece said, the large man left the improvised training grounds. His words definitely made Oxon think a bit. He was looking forward to his new gear, it would hopefully give him the edge he needed, but he couldn't think on that for very long as he had to get back to training.

"Alright! Let's take a quick lunch break everybody!" The many gathered volunteers cheered tiredly and either slumped to the ground or slowly made their way to wherever it is they are. He had to have faith they would be strong enough to survive, he refused to lose any of them if he could help it.

~~~(LI)~~~

Walking back to his small shack, he filled a bucket of fresh water to clean himself up with. It wasn't a method he was fond of, but it's what he had available to him. At least he has shampoo and conditioner, so he wasn't using only water.

Once clean, he began to cook some of the fish Ka'ahupahau had given him. He still struggled to pronounce her name, he stuck with the short version. The girl and the rest of the village had been extremely kind to him ever since he'd arrived. If the climate wasn't so hot here, he'd consider moving to Menagerie permanently, but he was far too accustomed to frozen and snow capped mountain life.

He had been invited to join the Belladonnas and Sun for dinner in recent nights, but he didn't want to bother them too much. He enjoyed being around them, but as much as he enjoyed the parental personalities, he knew they were not his family members. Blake probably would get upset if he tried to creep into her family.

He was almost finished with his meal when there was a knock on his door. Swallowing a bite, he got up and walked to the door. He wondered who it could be, not many people usually visit him other than the nearby villagers. He was surprised at who he found once he opened it.

"Hello dear, would you mind if I come in?" Kali Belladonna stood at the threshold of his shack with her hands clasped together over her waist.

"Uh, yeah." He moved out of the way so she could enter. "You're more than welcome here, not like I own this place anyways. Can I get you anything to drink? Though I admit there isn't much."

"Thank you, though I will be fine." She walked in and sat down at one of the chairs at the table. There weren't many in the cramped abode, but she didn't look like she minded. "I can see the Albain brothers didn't give you the most hospitable of quarters. I'm sure we could find a room for you with us, our home is far more spacious than it looks."

"Thank you for the offer, but I enjoy this place, the close vicinity to Wai'ānapanapa is comforting. They have been quite welcoming to me." The people had given him much of their food and asked for nothing in return.

"That's lovely to hear. I'll admit, I came here to talk to you about something." She must have seen his eyes widen and his body stiffen. "Nothing bad, I assure you. I just wanted to know a bit about the one who has helped us so. I've heard a bit from Sun and Blake, but that's just made me more curious."

That… that was a surprise. Oxon rubbed the area behind his ear as he pondered what the woman had said. People didn't often ask him about himself, well, Ruby and Weiss had been pretty insistent.

"Uh sure? I don't know what you would want to know."

She gave a kind smile and patted the seat at the adjacent corner to her. He followed her silent request and sat down. "Sun has talked non stop about life back in Beacon and Haven, much more than my daughter does, that's for sure. I've heard about her team's adventures and misadventures with the White Fang, criminals and other silly things, but I wonder what else happened. So I want to know what if anything they have… omitted, from me."

"Ah well, I'm not sure about most of them. I came to Beacon in the second semester, but I was actually working against your daughter. Though I tried to steer them clear of our… less than legal operations." She didn't seem to get upset or judge him and his previous work, which surprised him. It gave him more confidence to continue. "There were times that I helped out her team, there was a moment of time after the whole Paladin incident where Blake was pretty obsessed. For good reason though. But I helped Yang snap her out of it, though the way it was done probably wasn't the best."

"Oh? And how did the two of you get through to my stubborn daughter?"

"Uh...Yang wanted me to beat her up in a training match. I'm still not sure why it was necessary and it wasn't my idea." Rather than seem upset, Kali just laughed at the tale.

"That sounds about right, my little girl can be very hard headed, something I'm sure she gets from her father. I'm glad you helped get her out of whatever it was she was stuck in." She wiped her eye of a joyful tear. "I'm glad to know she had good friends all this time, just don't tell my husband, he's far too protective. I admit I am curious about you as well, again, I am aware of a little."

"There's not much to say, really. I came to Vale a few years ago, got forced into a criminal plot, spied on your daughter, helped destroy Beacon, and then got arrested after. And well, you know the rest." Her face had a look of amused doubt.

"Surely there is more than that, life before Vale especially." Before Vale? "Please forgive Blake, but I asked her some questions to feed my curiosity, so I know a little bit."

She placed a hand on one of his and gave him a kind smile. He wanted to be annoyed, to be frustrated, or even angry. But looking at the older woman in front of him that was giving him such a kind look, he just couldn't. Instead, he let out a defeated sigh and began to talk about his home.

"Before the start of the Great War, my great grandfather and a group of like minded people left the kingdom of Mantle. They wanted to escape the growing dictatorship that was their home, so they fled to northern Sanus to find a new home. Eventually as they sailed, the group found what would become our home, our Prism. It would be a place to escape the laws that restrict color and imagination." It was funny if he thought about it, the rest of the world took a similar step of rebellion against their laws as well, naming children after colors. He wondered what his name would have been if they'd joined the rest of the world sooner.

"After a few generations, I was born to my father, Longevus and my mother, Alces. I hav- had an older brother by the name of Taxus. I think you would have gotten along well with them, my father had a love for hugs as well." She laughed gently at the comparison. He took a shuddering breath as he continued, the contact from Kali giving him a bit of strength. "And then it all went to hell. A horde of Grimm never seen before struck us late at night, their dark forms hidden by the trees and shadows. My father had been celebrating that night, and had been unarmed when they breached the walls. I had been away as well, by the stables when the alarms began."

He could feel tears prickling in his eyes. He'd tried so hard to suppress it all, but now he was remembering it all.

"I fought my way to my home to find my brother and father in our dining room. My dad… My dad had a deep wound on his stomach. The three of us knew it was fatal, there was no hiding that, even still, my father tried to comfort me. Even now, I can't understand why they did what they did next. My father told me to take his armor, something that should have gone to my brother since he actually followed my father's footsteps. My brother gave me his revolvers and a rucksack filled with supplies, he told me to. To just get up and run! Then I… I watched my fath-"

The tears of grief had begun to spill down his cheeks in the memory. Why he was telling this woman everything, he didn't know, but it both hurt and felt good to finally talk about that night. "It sounds to me that they wanted you to live, to make it out." The grip of her hand on his tightened in a comforting way. He couldn't hold his composure any longer and fully broke down. The motherly woman stood up from her seat and put his head on her chest and began to stroke his head softly.

"There there, just let it all out." He did. Years of grief and repressed emotions poured out, causing his entire form to shake with each sob. Oxon began to let out cries begging for forgiveness, for not being a good enough son, for not refusing to leave. He sobbed out to his father, mother, and brother that he was so, so sorry. "It's ok son, it's ok."

The pair stayed like that for almost an hour until exhaustion finally caused Oxon to fall asleep in the comforting embrace. Silently, Kali sent a quick message to Ghira about the situation. The message she received made her smile brightly.

~~~(LI)~~~

Back again after a good bit of training here at YSNP. How do y'all like the last few chapters? I don't know if other people enjoy the post time skip/ Menagerie Arc, but I think it's crucial for development.

Also, idk if y'all saw the news, but a 500 year "Disaster Level" flood hit the area near where I work and live. The last big flood was over 100 years ago in 1918, but this one is so much worse. Thankfully the only issue for me is that I lost power and internet for most of Tuesday, which sucked cause we got snow on Monday and Tuesday and it was fucking cold without heat.