Most people usually take the sun for granted. After all, it's one of the few constants in the ever changing, tumultuous world they live in. Sure, they might never be able to live in a world without Grimm, but one can at least look forward to a better tomorrow, and one could not even concieve of a tomorrow without the promise of an end to the night.
But Althea Millari was not most people. As a farmer, a apothecary and a (semi retired) healer, the sun was something she was dependent on more than most people. It dictated how much of her harvest was plentiful, and how early she had to wake up to take advantage of said harvest. Just because she relied on it didn't mean she took it for granted. She had lived long enough, increasingly aware that she was inching closer and closer to her final days, to know better.
But today, all she needed to do was bask and enjoy its warmth as she walked out of her farm through the forest path, on her way to the grocery store to restock. After all, she couldn't grow everything she needed to live off of by herself. Especially when she was now in desperate need of an assistant to help her do the farm work that was too difficult for an old lady like her. Her last one had gotten married last month and moved to Mistral, where he intended to start a rice growing business with some colleagues. His absence had resulted in her falling a few weeks behind on farm work that would normally be completed within one.
After all, she was getting old, and no amount of herbal tea or balm on her aching joints could conjure up the strength she'd had in youth. She'd tried finding a farmhand to help out, but she never found anyone who could stay permanently. It wasn't easy given how few were interested in her craft, now that modern medicine was replacing the needs of her craft. The town's small size also meant most people were busier to make up for a lack of manpower, which meant there was rarely a moment when there were people available to be hired in the first place.
Still, despite those difficulties, she truly loved life in Patch. She relished every morning trek like the one she was making now, where she could take in all the sights of the forest and relish it. Her days were numbered, which gave her more reason to relish these sights and smells: the local birds making their music, the morning mist billowing along the forest floor like a grand, winding carpet. She wouldn't give up those things for anything.
As she neared the end of the forest path, she was able see the buildings and roads that made up the village square. Spring was approaching, and much of the snow that had accumulated over the chilly winter months had melted away. At the entrance to the square two Huntsman stood on post, and she greeted each of them with a "Good morning" and a wave as was her routine. And, because they knew her and saw her almost every day, they waved back. She was always grateful to live with such friendly folk. That was one of the upsides of living in a smaller settlement, she felt so much closer and knowing them made her feel so much safer. You can never feel too safe in a world where monsters run free.
Most of Patch was still unurbanized forest which meant that towns on the island weren't so much towns as they were, well, patchworks of various buildings. Each of them housed crucial businesses that kept them running, so they were mostly self sufficient despite sharing one governing body. But the town she made her home had something most didn't: a village square that was the heart of stores, various trade stands, the market, and schools. It being such a town meant that almost everyone was familiar with each other on a named basis.
Millari liked that: it made her feel like part of a large family, where everyone could depend on each other and that no one's need was ever neglected. However, they were still one of the larger towns on the island, and that meant more potential negativity which Grimm were drawn to, so there was never an hour were there weren't huntsman patrols and guards on constant alert that deterred the viscous creatures from making an attack. Any attempts, thankfully which were a rarity, were put down quickly, thus everyone generally lived their lives with little to fear.
When Millari entered into the square, dozens of people were out and about. A mailman shuffled through his bag to find the letter he was to deliver outside of a barbershop. Children chattered and laughed while they walked along pebble studded roads in either two directions: the local schoolhouse or the large, sprawling ranch which housed Signal Academy. At the side of the farmer's market a large truck was parked, where overall clad workers were unloading crates of various fruit and vegetables and carrying them around to the rear building.
As Millari headed towards that truck, hoping to ask one of the workers if they'd gotten a new shipment of bananas to restock, it came to mind that if any of those workers would be interested in helping an old lady in need for some extra Lien. She was interrupted from those thoughts by someone calling to her. "Madame Millari!"
Millari turned around and smiled when she recognized who they were. Approaching her was none other than Taiyang Xiao Long. He looked as he usually did: backpack slung over his shoulder, giving her his trademark grin, baring his pearly whites. "Beautiful weather today, isn't it?"
Taiyang was one of those people whose positivity was infectious. As a result, Millari couldn't help but grin back. "Taiyang! A fine morning this is today." she greeted jovially. "Better hope your students won't ruin the mood."
Taiyang chuckled, puffing his chest with pride. "You know I'm always thrilled to be teaching the kids I've got. But I was wondering if you could do a favor for me?"
"If it is within my power." Millari nodded.
Taiyang frowned, eyes veering to the ground, rubbing the back of his head, his anxiety palpable. "Yang's not been doing well," he muttered. "Physically she's fine and healing well, but mentally, well...she either stays in her room all day, watches TV, or does her chores. And what's worse...last night she told me she's completely given up on becoming a huntress."
"Oh my," Millari gasped. All her life she'd known Taiyang's daughters to want nothing more that to be a heroic huntress just like their beloved mother Summer Rose. To say that this news was shocking was nothing short of an understatement.
"She's asked me if she could find work at Vale instead," Taiyang explained, eyes downcast and shaking his head in disbelief. "I could ask the principal if she could shadow one of the instructors, but I'd like to find out why first. But every time I ask she gets this look in her eyes that tells me she's scared of telling me the truth. The thing is... I'm not someone who's always been the best at dealing with these things. With her or anyone else, really."
Millari nodded, understanding just how grave the situation was. "I'll drop by after I pick up some things at the market." She'd never seen Taiyang look so desperate, so filled with worry that was most definitely pent up from how much his daughter had changed since the last time they'd seen each other. "You think she'll enjoy some cookies?"
Taiyang nodded. "I'm sure she'd find them hard to resist. Thank you."
Millari walked up to him and squeezed his shoulder. "You're doing the best you can," she assured. "You wouldn't ask for help if that wasn't the case."
Taiyang smiled and resumed his trek to the Combat School. Millari knew that the years he'd spent mourning Summer still weighed heavily on him. Yang had to practically raise him and Ruby for her; that was how strong she was. And yet, that didn't prevent her from falling into a similar depression as her father before her had...
Minnari knew she had quite the challenge ahead of her. As a travelling healer, she specialized in herbs and healing of physical ailments sure, and she always tried to lift her clients' spirits and offer motivating words whenever she could. But she was no mental health professional. Still, that wouldn't prevent her from seeing if she could reach Yang as not just an elder, but as a friend. She proceeded to pick up all she needed at the farmer's market: two hands of banana, an eight pound bag of wheat flour and a sack of freshly baked chocolate chip cookies that she knew Yang liked. She began her trek to the Xiao Long family house. It was only a fifteen minute walk, so she decided to not return home to drop off her groceries first, even if the weight of it was becoming much harder to endure in her old age.
Taiyang's sizable abode, which had belonged to his family for four generations, sat on a eight acre plot of land that housed a few oak and apple trees that bore fruit that could rival that of those found in the local market. The builiding was an imposing two story high cabin made up of enormous logs from trees that no longer grew locally, adding to its value. It was also much taller than most of the buildings in the entire was one of the few people who knew that house in and out. Before she retired, she had delivered the last three generations of Xiao Long children, starting with Tai's father and the last being Yang herself. Ruby was the first in the family had been born in the then newly instated hospital outside of the town.
The grounds were still covered with a fine layer of snow, but thankfully, Taiyang ensured the path to his home was always shoveled and clear, ensuring Althea would not have any issue walking to the front door. Her feet sank into the wet, rough earth, a cold breeze tickling her cheeks and whistling through her ears. She knocked twice on the polished oak, looking through its window to see if anyone was inside. In a few moments, a little black and white bundle of joy was at the front door, yipping excitedly at her.
"Who is it boy?" she heard a girl inside call, her footsteps getting louder as she approached the door. When Yang Xiao Long saw Millari, her lilac eyes widened with surprise. as she opened the door.
"Madame Millari!" Yang gasped in shock. "It's been so long! Come in!"
"Your father asked me if I could take a look at your stump," Millari replied as she entered the house, Yang moving out of the way to let her come in. A half-lie; though she was interested in checking on it to see if it was healing properly. She gazed at Yang, admiring the strong young woman she'd become. While she was the splitting image of her beautiful mother, Yang thankfully had not inherited a bit of the woman's shadowy, withdrawn personality. She was the complete opposite: wild, golden curls that shone like sunshine and spilled down her shoulders and pooled down her back and ended just above her waist. Wide lilac eyes that seemed to glow even whenever she wasn't using her semblance. She'd shed her usual huntress gear for more casual wear, opting for a simple orange tank top under a grey hoodie and green track pants. Her right sleeve flopped around as it moved, armless.
"My goodness, you've grown," Millari observed as she lifted her feet off her slippers and placed them by the door. Yang had finally exceeded her height. since the last time they'd talked. The living room, however, was just as she remembered: spacious, clean, though she noticed that Taiyang had gotten a new Television set with a larger screen. "It feels like yesterday that both you and your sister were barely taller than my waist."
Yang's smile vanished as soon as Millari had said "your sister." "Yeah," she muttered, tone low and grave, her smile fading into a frown. "It must seem that way."
A sore subject, Millari realized. Best to veer from it, then, at least for now. She'd almost forgotten that Ruby had left a month ago. "How have you been feeling?" she asked instead.
Yang shrugged. "Okay," she grumbled. "Not much to do around here." She placed Millari's bags on the left side of the sofa, then sat on it, relaxing into its deep, velvet cushions.
Millari set down her purse as well. From it she took out the bag of freshly baked cookies she'd bought from the market, and was about to offer them to Yang when something in the living room caught her eye. On the long rectangular coffee table centered in front of the sofa and which spanned two thirds of its length, rested two pieces of a broken sword. The steel blade was split diagonally right through the center of its blade, as if it been cut by a pair of extremely powerful garden shears. Its grip was crafted of a veined sapphire, and the end was forged of a gleaming gold. It shone even in the dim living room lighting, still brilliant despite its age. Millari was no expert but she knew an antique when she saw one: the design gave away that it was forged in the Great War.
"That's new," Millari remarked, pointing to it. "Is that sword yours?"
Yang looked on the table at the object of Millari's curiosity. She bit her lip. "It's not. Well...now it is, actually," she said bitterly. She lowered her head, her bangs falling down to cover her eyes. She spoke of it as if she was ashamed of the fact, as if possessing the beautiful broken blade were something she was cursed with.
"It looks very valuable," Althea remarked. "But I don't recall you ever needing to use one, especially not when it's in that state."
"I don't," Yang answered, pensive. "It's...a gift. Well, it wasn't supposed to be if only I had-" she paused. "I..." Tears began to form in the corners of her eyelids, which she quickly wiped away.
Millari walked over to Yang and sat down next to her. She placed a hand on her shoulder. "Child, it's alright to cry. What you've gone through is very upsetting."
"I'm not that upset," Yang insisted, though her watery eyes betrayed her. "I'm...I'm feeling a lot of things at the moment."
"Of course you are. Tell me more," Millari asked. "Are you angry about what happened with your sister? Your team? Your arm?"
Yang sniffed. "Well yeah," she grumbled. "But that's just part of it."
Millari untied the bag of cookies and placed it on the coffee table. She took one out and offered it to Yang. "Care for some cookies?"
Yang's eyes widened and snatched it instantly, wolfing down the cookies as if they were the most delicious thing in the world. Which they were, Millari had to admit, but a thought crossed her mind that perhaps in her depression the girl had starving herself, or perhaps eating irregularly. Of course, there were a lot of secrets teenage girls could keep from their parents, especially ones as busy as Tai.
"Your father has been very worried," Millari began gently, hoping she didn't sound condescending or nagging. "He told me about your desire to quit your huntsman education to try to get a job at Signal instead. May I ask why? I promise I won't tell him unless you want me too."
Yang let out a heavy sigh, her shoulders slumped with the weight of Millari's question. She reached over and took another cookie from the table. But instead of eating it, she stared at it silently, pondering. She bit her lip. "If I tell you what's been eating away at me, will your promise not to tell anyone else?"
Millari gave her a warm smile. "I promise."
"Okay well..." Yang started. She took another bite of her cookie, chewing on it with deliberation.
Millari nodded in encouragement. "Take your time, I'm in no rush." She knew memories like those she was about to hear were something precious and not easily shared, so she made sure to be attentive to every word as if they were akin to the secrets of the universe. Moments of intimacy and trust like what she was experiencing right now were as valuable as gold. She had no children, but ever since Summer's passing she'd promised to treat Yang as if she were one of her own.
Yang took another bite, her eyes far from the now as she reminisced on her past. "I guess I should start at the beginning," she said, a soft smile spreading across her face, her spirits brightening with the memory trip she was experiencing. "About halfway into Ruby's first semester at Beacon..."