Author's Headnote: I had set up a blind poll, regarding the fate of Blake Belladonna and her kidnapping. Visit my profile to vote. I would also count anything in the reviews. given the last poll had only 6 votes, I'm allowing people to pick 2 options. Note, this poll WILL have a drastic effect on the story. I will not reveal when the poll will close UNTIL the story has reached May 30th
RWBY: Festival of Blood: Lighting the second fuse
April 20th, 10 days left until Haven Academy gets attacked
Ruby Rose:
- Aura Status: 33%
- Thirst: Slightly Thirsty
- Semblance: Parasitic Petal Burst
- Weapons: Crescent Rose, Slice of Life, Penny
- Licensing: Legally Dead
- Party Relations:
- Raven Branwen: Helping Ruby Recover from the encounter with Blake
City of Mistral, April 20, Wednesday, 4:00 AM, Undercity Motel Room
After getting back from her weapon repairs... Ruby decides to rest and wait for Raven to get her some more blood to drink up... Ruby had gotten on the mattress... and fell asleep until nightfall casts over Mistral again.
18 hours have passed... Ruby wakes up... she was connected to an IV, which had multiple packs of blood in it. Raven is there, too.
"Hey, how you feel?" Raven asked.
"Better... why?" Ruby asked.
"You were stabbed in the heart, usually normal vampires can survive the initial stab, but you would have died from the blood loss, not from the stab itself."
"Wouldn't I go feral if I don't have enough blood?"
"Normally, but you were forced in a state of stasis, that would be the case if the knife was still lunged in you... Blake had pulled the knife after stabbing you..."
"Ya..." Ruby said, not telling what actually happened.
"Anyways, just be careful next time."
"Alright, so... let me just... oh ya, don't have a scroll."
"Not like you can use one, anyway. Official records label you dead."
"Technically, they're not wrong."
"And technically, they are also wrong."
"So... now what?"
"Well, you're going to need a new persona. You're going to need some new garbs, too. Just don't get spotted."
"Right..."
So, Ruby got up... which was a lot easier than she did it last night. It was around 10 PM. Given the time of year, the sun should be fully down. Which is a safe time, though the sun doesn't fully reach the lower parts of the city as much... it's better to be safe than sorry given her recent injury. Though, the self-repairing garbs work a bunch, she's going to need a new outfit, and a new hairstyle. She liked the pixie... but she's gonna need something new.
"Hey, could vampires grow hair back?" Ruby asked.
"Only up to the point you were initially turned." Raven answered.
"Kay."
"Anyways, I'm going to head out. Take care of yourself and don't get into any conflict." Raven said, turning into a bird and leaving.
Perhaps she should let it grow and let it be messy. Though, not in her face, she needs to see, after all.
Ruby took some time to read the first chapter of the new Vampirica encyclopedia...
Vampirica Encyclopedia: Volume 2, Chapter 1: Relics
(If you are reading this, you have finished reading Volume 1)
The Relics. Regardless of Origin. Are objects with immense power, the ability to seek knowledge, see the future, conjure things beyond your imagination, destroy anything that you wish. These are the powers these things all hold. Well, if you're not a vampire.
Vampires cannot use the relics, for they are considered grimm by the relic's eyes. This even extends to anyone with vampiric heritage, no matter how diluted it may be. For the relics have a safeguard on them that prevents the creatures of grimm from touching the thing... whilst they also are assigned by the Gods to protect them. Meaning that having a relic would mean that grimm would find their way near where the relic is. So... why can't vampires use it? Well, it's a fatal reaction. When a grimm touches a relic, the reaction would immediately destroy the grimm. If a vampire touches it, on the other hand...
The relics are blessed by the gods, of whom they seek balance. Vampires, being neither alive or dead, and at the same time both... disrupts this. The relics contain a guardian that carries out the duties of the gods whilst also granting the relic it's power. And thus, if a vampire were to touch the relic, the guardian would emerge from the relic and kill the vampire, along with any vampire nearby. This also applies to halfbloods. If a latentblood touches the relic, the relic will refuse to react as long as the latentblood is holding it.
If a vampire thrall were to touch the relic, the enthrallment would be dispelled. Being that the relics power would repel any abilities used on by mortals. If a mortal were to hold a relic, their blood would be undrinkable as long as they hold the relic, since the relic would protect the wielder at any vampiric attacks.
It is unknown to why Relics have these safeguards against vampirism. Though, many theories suggest the relics have arrived on Remnant sometime after the grimm queen had created the first vampire.
The best course of action is to just let the mortals be with the relics. In the eyes of the relic guardian. A vampire is just a more complex grimm. And the relics do not like grimm.
So... taking the relic for herself is out of the option. She should also tell Raven not to touch the relic. Well, once she gets back, of course. But for now, Ruby needs to get some fresh air, staying in bed all day is a bad habit. And she needs to keep fit. Even if she's undead.
Ruby got changed into a set of Raven's clothes. They don't fit her, given that Raven is bigger than Ruby, given she's fully grown and Ruby's stuck in mid-puberty awkwardness. Ruby might fit in it better if she was biologically older, if she wasn't a vampire, she would very well fit it with less difficulty. But Ruby doesn't want to use her Roxy garbs. If only Ruby was turned when she was a year older, then maybe she could fit in them. Well, maybe not entirely... perhaps some tucking in will suffice.
Ruby had tucked in Raven's top into Raven's skirt. Though, she needs to get the skirt to fit. And the boots. She's rather small for the outfit... so nothing quite fits. Thankfully, she can find a belt. Ruby put it around the skirt aaaand it fits. As for the boots... she tightens the straps... she goes in the mirror. Well, it looks a bit meh on her... bit if she was Yang's size, it would look good on her.
Raven's likely heading somewhere to cause trouble or doing some bounties... so she wouldn't mind if Ruby would go around in a spare outfit of hers. Oh, and before she goes... she needs to cover her face... this rag would make a good bandana.
City of Mistral, April 20, Wednesday, 11:23 PM, Lower-Mid-City
Ruby was walking around wearing Raven's clothes. Though, anyone looking at her would be utterly confused... though, they're too polite to call Ruby out on anything. Which is fine for Ruby. Ruby was actually heading to the palace district to get some info on Cinder and her lackies, Emerald and Mercury.
Whilst wearing the outfit, she came across a young adult. A woman. Tan skin with lots of freckles. For some reason, despite never seeing her in the first place, the woman recognized Ruby, likely mistaking her as someone else!
And suddenly, the woman attacked with a revolver whip, which Ruby parried with one of Penny's blades.
"What did you do with Blake?" the woman asked.
"Wha? I don't know what you're... wait, Blake?" Ruby asked in confusion.
"Huh, you sound different."
"Well, I'm only wearing her clothes..."
"Huh, that explains why you look small."
"HEY!"
"Just saying. Wait, who are you, anyway?"
"Doesn't matter... what happened to Blake?"
"The moon dragon took her, left a note saying that she will be held custody until standards are met."
"And what are they?"
"Well, they want the killer of Blake's Girlfriend. Well, her remains."
The moon dragon took Blake? Well, that can't be good. She's gotta get Blake out of there before she has to endure the same torment Ruby's going through now... or worse, being cattle for those elitist vampires. She shudders to what might happen to Blake. Sure, Blake tried to kill her... but at the time, considering seeing Blake again... dying right there might've been the best for Ruby. Realizing that she was running away from herself. She couldn't face the consequences of her actions... so, she'd rather be martyred.
But Ruby won't just let Blake suffer at the hands of a vampire clan. She's going to break Blake out, gods be damn!
"We're going to save her." Ruby said.
"But... how?" the woman asked.
"Well, we'll need a plan for that. And we can't discuss this in public, they'll hear us." Ruby said, escorting the woman somewhere indoors.
"Wait, wait! I know a place!" the woman stated.
Character Change: Ruby Rose - Jaune Arc
Qrow's Villa, April 20, Wednesday, 11:23 PM, Living Room
Jaune was woken up by a strange noise, so he came downstairs to investigate it, with Crocea Mors at hand. Yang was also woken up but given that is she is apparently expecting... she's not allowed to get in the face of danger until further notice.
However, Sun is with Jaune. So, the two of them went down to investigate. He brought his sword with him, along with Sun bringing his gunchuck-staff.
From the looks of it, there is a bunch of broken baseball bats, specifically nine. There is also a bunch of bullet holes on the walls, and cartridges everywhere. And from the looks of it... Mr. Branwen's flask on the floor. Which leads to one thing, he's been adultnapped.
"Mr. Branwen's been adultnapped!" Jaune yelled.
"Don't announce it, the kidnapper mi- wait did you say adultnap?" Sun asked.
'Well, ya. He's an adult, you don't kidnap an adult. You adultnap an adult."
"Nobody says that Jaune."
"I say it..."
"That's not what I mean, I'm saying that adultnapping is not a term!"
"But he's an adult that's been napped."
"You know what, how about we just go find who too-"
"What is going on down there!?" an Angry Yang said, walking downstairs.
"Your uncle's been adultnapped!" Jaune answered.
"Well, then why are you two arguing? Go stop the adultnappers!" Yang yelled. "I'm heading back to bed."
Sun looked confused, as if his sense of reality has just broken apart. However, he was dragged by Jaune to get him outside to catch the adultnappers.
City of Mistral, April 20, Wednesday, 11:30 PM, Upper City
Jaune and Sun managed to find two figures running away from them. Jaune had boosted his own aura and Sun's to enhance their running speed to catch them. And once they were close, suddenly they disappeared, and Jaune received a kick to the gut.
They were identified, though. Emerald Sustrai and Mercury Black. Them, along with Cinder Phalestria had forged applications in the student files from Haven academy... that, and those two suddenly disappeared right after Vale fell. Cinder's death may have actually helpd with their cover-up and preventing any ties to their involvement. And knowing them... Emerald and Mercury were basically responsible for Pyrrha's death, and why Ruby had ran away and then died...
The illusion was broken, and they were not that far behind. So, they continued to go after them. Sun made initial move and suddenly, there were five mercuries.
"What? You think I'd go easy on you?" one of the Mercuries asked.
"So... he can make clones without making himself vulnerable, that's just cheap." Sun retorted.
"Couldn't Blake do the same thing?" Jaune asked.
"Nah, her semblance can only like handle a single command from the clone. They aren't complex like mine."
"Then use it!"
Sun sighed. He clapped his hands and a number of clones formed around him, each of them facing off the various clones in a stalemate fight. Jaune was boosting Sun's aura to keep them intact.
A coupe minutes of a stalemate of a fight occurs, well... until Nora shows up from behind them.
"Uh... guys, what are you doing?" Nora asked.
"We're fighting Mr. Branwen's adultnappers!" Jaune answered
"They're invisible?"
"Wait what do you mean they're... THEY'RE GONE!"
"Damnit, it was an illusion, they played us like a fiddle." Sun retorted.
"Well, Yang's not gonna be happy that her uncle's gone." Nora stated.
"So... what do we do now?" Jaune asked.
Character Change: Jaune Arc - Raven Branwen
Branwen Bandit Tribe, April 21, Thursday, 3:33 AM, Camp Interior
Raven, in bird mode took a full sight at the camp. The camp layout is different... yet again, she was last there twelve years ago to challenger her father to a duel for the tribe. She had lost... her theory is that he's harboring the Maiden. But for what purpose? The most obvious is for a power play against Salem and the Moon Dragon. Harboring a Maiden... well, if she was in his boots, Raven would do the exact same thing... except who would the Maiden be?
She spies on her father making a deal with some teenagers. One with green hair, the other with a very diluted blue. They had shown up holding something. A bag, most likely. A very large bag at that... and now, her father, Odin branwen with his infamous axe arrives with a teenage girl. Mid-to large breasts, average body, muscular built. Pixie cut, shaved sides. Too bad she's not old enough, Raven wouldn't mind getting on that.
Then Raven focused. That girl is also concealing her eyes, she'll need to keep her mind out of the gutter until she's done with those whole business, she put herself in. Damnit, Qrow. Well, a favor is a favor. But she needs to focus, a conversation is about to be had.
"What is in the bag?" Odin asked.
"What you requested... er... Odin the Immortal." the girl in green said in fear.
"Bring it here, I will fulfil out my part once you do your part of the deal."
The girl in green brough the bag to Raven's father, Odin. In which he had opened the bag.
"You expect me to fully commit when you only bring half of what I request?" Odin said, angered.
"Sorry, just that whenever we try to find the other..." the girl in green, said in fear.
Green miasma appeared on the girl in green, she appeared to be levitating.
"You have only fulfilled half of your deal, so I'll only fulfil half of mine. I will help you, but anything your boss requests will be handed to me instead. Failure, and I'll make you cattle for my elites! Do. I. Make. Myself. Clear?" Odin demanded in an angered tone.
The girl in green nodded in fear.
"Good." Odin said.
The green miasma on the girl had faded.
"Get out of my sight. I'll see you at the end of May. Vernal, use your gift to scare the boy." Odin said, in an angered, yet calm tone.
The girl in green had run off away from the camp.
Raven should get back before her father notices her... something tells Raven that he's thinking beyond the typical banditry. So... Raven flies away only for green miasma to catch her mid-flight. Raven goes back into human form and cuts the miasma off from her. And then landing back down. Her father facing Raven.
"Munin. How unexpected..." Odin said, in a grim tone. "Quite some gall you have to sneak in here."
"Not now, father. I need to leave." Raven said, preparing to open a portal. Though, a bolt of lightning had struck her hand, interrupting her.
"Vernal, not now... this is between me and her. Do not bother fighting." Odin said, wielding his axe.
"She's the spring Maiden?" Raven asked. "You're playing with fire, father."
"You would have done the same in my shoes, Munin. Though, if you were younger... you could have taken the maiden powers for yourself, and not young vernal here."
"Vernal... took the maiden powers?"
"The previous Maiden was some lost girl who came my way. I told vernal to gain her trust and then kill her. Not because I couldn't toughen the maiden up, but because I wanted to. And Vernal was more than willing to have some power for herself."
Raven paused in disgust. She gives a face of disgust and someone who looks at someone who they think is a messed-up individual.
"Like I said, I believe you or Hugin would do the exact same in my shoes. We're all monsters on the inside. I'm just honest about my nature."
"So... why are you helping them?"
"Help is a strong word for what I plan to do... but you know what I intend to do with them."
"And why is that?"
Odin sighed. "If I told you, it would ruin the fun. Now draw." Odin said beginning to swing his axe.
Raven used her bird form to dodge the axe swing and then swoop down at him, then changing back into human form. Odin laughed and swung his axe downward, with a green force of energy emerging below Raven's feet, launching her in the air. Odin had then jumped and swung the axe downward, smiting Raven down and grounding her. Raven, sheathing and switching her ammo to fire dust began striking Odin, Odin caught the blade and shattered it.
"You never learn, Munin. You can't beat me." Odin taunted.
Then, as Odin prepares to land a fatal blow on his daughter, Raven. She, in turn sheathes and unsheathes Omen, and then dismembers her father's right arm. The axe falls to the ground with the arm, and given the open chance, Raven opens a portal to Qrow and quickly goes through with it... apon the other side... she sees the bag in question. those two brats somehow managed to kidnap Qrow... which makes no damn sense. How could they? It's damn Qrow. He wouldn't let himself be kidnapped by those two. Yet again, he does have severe bad luck.
She has to act quick, because Odin has re-attached his arm, and began to chase after her.
"Oh ho ho... always a coward you were, fleeing to your brother... but he can't save you now!" Odin said, with green miasma appearing in his left arm, looking ready to be thrown at.
In a reflex, Raven grabs the bag Qrow is in and opens a portal to Yang Junior. Only has a portal for her because of those wretched 9 months.
Odin launches a green beam of light which missed Raven and hit the portal. In the mess, Raven slips into the portal and immediately closes it, she managed to survive the encounter with her father. If she did not act quick, she would have ended up dead or worse. But she has confirmed what she suspected. Her father is harboring the spring Maiden. And they're planning something at the end of the month. Something that Qrow and the kids need to know.
Qrow's Villa, April 21, Thursday, 3:45 AM, Guest Bedroom C
Raven knows this room. She slept here one time... yet again, should have figured since her brother owned the Villa after what happened to the last owner. The bedroom was well designed. Given this is a four-bedroom household, and every bedroom save for bedroom A has 3 single beds. And from the looks of it... Yang Jr. Is here alright... with the monkey boy and the blue haired feller.
Raven, with the bag containing Qrow... had arrived. though, the green beam had woken everyone else.
"Mom?" Yang Jr. Said, in confusion. "What are you doing here?"
"Escaping from your grandfather." Raven answered bluntly. "If you excuse me, I'll get your uncle to bed and stay here for the night."
"Now, you stay?"
"Wait, you found him?" the monkey kid asked.
"Who are you again?" Raven asked.
"Sun... your daughter's boyfriend." Sun answered.
"Ah."
"So... is he alive?" Yang Jr. asked.
Raven opened the bag. and checked the body... yep, still alive.
"He'll just need to drink some blood and he'll be good." Raven stated.
"Drink some blood?" Sun asked.
"Half vampire, me and him... remember?"
"Can Yang here drink blood?"
"No. only passes on paternally, not maternally."
"Shut up, you two. Let's just get some sleep." Yang Jr. said, heading back to sleep.
Raven had left the room in silence, letting her birth daughter have some sleep. She doesn't want to deal with her birth daughter's ramblings. If only Summer was still alive, she could have convinced her to adopt that child officially and be done with it. But she's too young in vampire years to think about 'what if'. She needs to solve the issues now. but now Raven needs to make sure her brother recovers from that embarrassment.
Character Change: Raven Branwen - Blake Belladonna
Unknown Location, Unknown Time, Unknown-Sub location
Blake had regained consciousness... she was well... bound inside a dungeon. Ruby said that vampires had kept humans for cattle... most of which were faunas... she looks around and sees two other faunas that look like Blake... but with wires hooked up to them, they severely dehydrated and yet are likely kept alive. She's absolutely scared is this going to happen to her? Is she gonna be like them?
She looks around, the room is actually well designed. Marble floor and walls. Not expected from a dungeon. But the floor and wall design are keeping Blake off-topic that she's being held against her will, likely going to be kept preserved for her blood. There is also a single door in front of her. There are no bars or anything... save for the restraints on her arms. She's at the complete mercy of her captors... whoever they might be.
The door opens. And the one who walks out is a bald gentleman with a suit. The suit was black with a dragon logo on it... it was purple. He approaches Blake with a smile on his face. He bears vampire fangs, but not the veins that vampires are known they have.
"Greetings. how are you enjoying the stay?" the man said, sarcastically.
"If I was a guest, I wouldn't be tied to a wall in a dungeon." Blake retorted.
"Quite the serious type, are you? You're only here because we haven't decided what we want to do with you... unlike your lookalikes..."
"Why did you take me?"
"Because there needs to be retribution for setting disarray the order in Mistral. Sure, Roxy may have created a power-vacuum, but that will resolve itself. But by killing her, you may as made things harder for me and my associates... she was quite useful keeping the scum busy, even if she foils some of the side schemes."
"You mean she worked for you?"
"No... she was... let's say... an indirect asset but given some events... we would want to hire her for a job. But you killed her... and those who get in our way... would be punished."
"So... you're going to kill me?"
"What? No. I would not get rid of something that I can make use of."
"Then what are you going to do?"
"Perhaps... the slave trade? The SDC could use more workers. I could hook you up to one of the devices, make you a bloodbank like your friends over here. Have you become a concubine to one of my more... materialist elites."
Blake looking scared... began to phase out of it... "so... which is it?"
"That isn't me to decide. I'll let one of my latest associates decide your fate. Hope he chooses well..." the man said leaving.
Apon the man leaving. Adam approaches the room with his face unmasked.
"Adam?" Blake asked.
"That's right. I am to decide what to do with you."
"You have no right to call me a traitor."
"A traitor? Betraying the faunas? The White Fang under Sienna was a lost cause. The humans saw them as monsters that want to wipe humanity off the face of the earth... and in some extent... they were right. I would have overthrown her and took control myself. However, my new boss sees the White Fang as a... means to an end. He'll say a new faunas rights movement will show up once they're gone."
"What happened to you?"
"I've grown up. Saw the world for what it truly is... dark, unforgiving, cruel."
"Cut the edge, Adam."
"The real answer, I've learned to hate. But you saw my hatred for humans as a loss to my former self... and you were right. The Adam you knew was gone. I no longer care for you."
"So, then kill me already."
"If I was allowed to kill you, we wouldn't be having this conversation."
"Since when have you been prone to take orders seriously?"
"Since I have ascended to a state of superiority."
"Ah yes... being killed by the sun is the epitome of superiority."
Adam approaches his left fist near Blake, with Ember Celica cocked and ready to fire. "I would watch your tone around me. I may not be allowed to kill you, but who is to say I'll have every fiber in your body replaced with cold metal after I break every last bone?"
Blake stayed silent. Adam lowered his fist. "Good girl. Now stay silent. I hear one word from you, and I'll break your jaw."
Blake continued to stay silent out of fear... the only person who'd rescue her would be Ilia, and she likely wouldn't be able to rescue Blake on her own. Blake closes her eyes and hopes for mercy... which may never come.
Author's Footnote: Now you may be wondering: why I am setting up a poll for something as crucial as this? Well, simply I have many ideas for the story, however only one can really be used. But as for the sum up of the chapter. I'll say that Volume 5 will reach its finale when the date reaches May 30 in the story. So, it could be 9 more chapters or less. Depending on how much I want to add up. But given tis the season to be spooky, I'll try to work on this as much as I can.