Prologue Part 5: Aftermath

Liviera watched as what was once an innocent boy turned Grimm, scraped its claws across the floor.

Jurabi had lost all consciousness at this point. He didn't know what was happening or if his body was even moving. Only a blood-hungry beast was present in the house.

"A Zenith Grimm," Liviera said, "Or, to be more precise, a human who's managed harness the strength of a Zenith Grimm. Fascinating…" The black wolf faunus saw the rage in the Grimm's eyes and smiled, "Are you still in there, child? Or are you now too far gone at this point? If it's the latter, torturing you will be even less satisfying. Ah well, my orders come first," She took a defensive stance, "Hit me with your best-"

Jurabi immediately shot a sharp, slashing projectile embedded in darkness towards her.

Liviera instinctively dodged out of the way as the slash attack tore through several buildings next to the home. Looking back at the raw destruction, Liviera's eyes widened, "Incredible…" She looked back and saw Jurabi forming a dark energy sphere, growing larger by the second, "Oh my…"

Jurabi fired the sphere at Liviera.

Liviera formed an ice shield to block the attack. Upon impact, an explosion occurred, causing parts of the house to collapse. Liviera jumped away from the house before the initial impact occurred and landed on the rooftop of another building to recover her steady breathing, her arms showing signs of wear from putting forth the energy to withstand the attack, "To think I would be pushed back by such raw power…No doubt he will be a great asset to the Eclipse," She smiled as she looked at the destruction caused by Jurabi's recent attack, "After all, no one will accept him as a human after what he's done."

Jurabi burst out of the debris and arrived at the same rooftop as Liviera, his mind still consumed by rage.

Despite being pushed into a corner, Liviera could do nothing more than clap for Jurabi, "Bravo, Little Alisen. You have my utmost praise for putting on such an impressive performance. I can see why the Boss was willing to stage an attack on Oroseia City for a kid like you," But when she received no response from the boy, she put on a smug expression, "Aw…still mad at me for killing your Daddy? Don't worry, I understand your anger towards me, but once you know the truth…you'll be thanking me for ridding the world of such a monster."

Jurabi immediately stretched out his arms like rubber and thrusted them towards Liviera with claws ready to strike.

Liviera, however, stomped her right foot onto the ground, causing a surge of ice to move through the ground before sprouting upwards in an arc. Upon contact, Jurabi's Grimm arms were stuck inside the ice.

"It was fun while it lasted, Alisen," Liviera said, taking out a circular object, "But you'll be coming with me now." She tossed the device underneath Jurabi's feet. Upon activation, it opened up and released a massive surge of electricity, shocking the Grimm with so much volts it became screaming in pain.

Once the device had released all its electricity, Jurabi stood unmoving.

His Grimm arms vanished as the traces of dark atoms around his skin begin to fade. The color of his hair returned to normal. The young Alisen's body, however, became limp as he fell to the ground, completely incapacitated.

Liviera let out an evil giggle as she approached the unconscious boy, "It's time to be a part of a new family, Little Alisen. We will need to make some adjustments to those memories of yours, so it can be easier to make use of you."

But Liviera heard movement within the fog and instinctively readied her rapier. A second later, she parried the swing of a red claymore. The sheer force of the impact caused her to skid backwards. Liviera looked up and saw Dana, standing over her son with Shattered Crimson pointed at her.

"Touch my son and I will cut your head off!" Dana threatened angrily.

"Ah, so the mother bird has returned to its broken nest," Liviera said, turning to Dana with a smile, "And I was so close to finishing up."

"So Jurabi was your target this entire time," Dana said, "What do the Eclipse want with him?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Liviera asked, pointing at the damaged buildings around them, "Take a look around. All this is but a taste of the power your son possesses. Not making use of it would be a downright shame, so we, the Eclipse, volunteer to take this child under our wing. Don't worry, we'll make good use of his power…to inflict nothing but the sweetest destruction to humankind."

"Don't sell me that crap!" Dana shouted, tightening her grip, "You'll only use Jurabi as a weapon and nothing else!"

"Well, if you want to be that specific, then yes," Liviera said, "Now…step aside, Miss Alisen. You don't want to cause your son any pain by dying on him the way his Daddy dearest did."

All it took was the mention of Nitorin to set the huntress off. She blitzed Liviera, readying Shattered Crimson to strike.

Liviera smile as she used her rapier to defend herself against the onslaught of attacks from the enraged huntress. Finding an opening, Liviera deflected one of Dana's attacks at a lower angle, causing Shattered Crimson to be deflected upwards. Using the opportunity, Liviera created two sharp ice edges on her hands and tried to stab Dana through her abdomen.

However, the huntress quickly regained her balance and blocked the attack with Shattered Crimson.

Both women locked eyes at each other, trying to use force to break the lock between their weapons. Eventually, Dana won out and knocked Liviera back.

However, before she could follow up, Liviera vanished within the fog.

"Using the fog to hide yourself, coward?!" Dana asked, "Let me guess, this fog is your doing too?"

"Hehe, quite perceptive of you," Liviera's voice said within the fog, "Unfortunately, I'm a busy woman and don't have time to torture you, so this next move of mine will be quick. You may want to watch your step. There's no telling when I will pop out."

"As if a fog like this would do anything to me," Dana said, closing her eyes before she activated her semblance, Mind's Eye. However, even with Mind's Eye, she found it difficult to properly track Liviera, "She accounted for my semblance too. If so…" Dana's eyes widened before she immediately turned to where Jurabi was only to see Liviera already had the boy in her hands.

"Too slow~!" Liviera said.

"You witch!" Dana shouted, "Let go of my son, now!"

"Aha, sorry, but your son is a valuable addition to the Eclipse," Liviera said, "After all the trouble I went through to get him, there's no way I'm going back empty handed."

"Grr…" Dana growled.

"It's about time I depart. Don't try to follow us, dear," Liviera said, "You know what will happen if you do."

The wind began to encircle the building rooftop, followed by a familiar voice, "Drop the kid!"

Liviera felt a presence beside her as well as the emanating energy of wind dust. She turned only to find an arrow flying right at her. She tried to dodge, but the arrow barely scrapped her cheek, leaving a deep scar, "Gah…" Her grip on Jurabi loosened due to the pain.

Seeing this as her chance, Dana quickly closed the distance to try and strike Liviera.

But the black haired faunus quickly spun around and blocked the strike with her rapier; however, the nature of the rapier couldn't stop the force of Shattered Crimson as Liviera had no choice but to redirect Dana's attack to her side. This allowed Dana the opening to spin around and kick Liviera in the face, causing her to let go of Jurabi and skid back.

"What a cheap trick," Liviera grunted, wiping off the blood from her mouth.

"Hands in the air, now," Ken said, drawing his wind bow, "Whatever plans you had tonight, there's nothing more but dust now."

"Hah! Your words mean little to me," Liviera said as the fog around them began to grow thicker, "I'll retreat for now, but mark my words: The Eclipse have returned, and this society you hold dear will crumble beneath our feet."

"No, you don't!" Dana shouted as the rushed towards Liviera.

Just before he lost sight of his target in the fog, Ken shot his arrow, but didn't hear it connect to anything, "Tch, damnit!"

"She got away!" Dana screamed angrily.

"Calm down, Dana," Ken said, "There's no way she's gotten far. More importantly, how is Jurabi?"

Dana turned to her unconscious child and checked him over. She breathed a sigh of relief, "Aside from how cold he feels, no major wounds to speak of."

"Good," Ken said, "Take him to an ambulance. I'll pursue that woman."

"Are you sure?" Dana asked.

"Absolutely," Ken said, turning on his comms, "Nebula! Order any hunter with free hands to be on the lookout for an Eclipse member: black hair, purple eyes, wolf ears."

"Will do Ken," Nebula said, "But it will take some time to-"

"Oh, Nebby~!" Shouted a cheery voice on the other line.

"Ugh…" Nebula groaned.

"If you're short a hand or two, I'm more than willing to help search for this Eclipse member!" Aoife said.

"Aoife, have you finished dosing out the fires in the Entertainment District?" Ken asked.

"That's right," Aoife said, "The firefighters have the citizens retrieved and transported to the safe houses. My skills are clearly needed elsewhere…"

"Alright, Aoife, run a sweep on the outer edge of the Entertainment District," Ken said, "I'll cover the inner section of the district."

"Be careful, guys," Nebula said, "We're getting strong ice dust affinity readings in the area. It could be from the Eclipse member you're tracking."

"Got it, I'll keep my eyes peeled," Aoife said, "Let me know if you find anything."

"…Right…" Dana whispered as she and Ken hung up.

Ken looked at the expression Dana had. What was once an expression of sadness turned into sorrow and pain, "…About Nitorin…I'm…sorry. You didn't make it in time, did you?"

"…" Dana turned away from him.

Ken understood and said, "I will call the paramedics…you focus on your son, okay? He needs you."

"…I know…" Dana said, holding Jurabi close to her before looking at Ken with a serious expression, "If you find that bitch, give her hell for me."

Ken nodded as he rushed off into the fog.

Dana slowly carried Jurabi back home. She then called the hospital to come pick him up before finally sitting down next to Nitorin's dead body, with Jurabi resting in her arms.

"Don't worry, Nitorin…Jurabi is still here," Dana said with a sad smile, "You can rest now."

"…"

"I-I know…y-your scared for our son, but I'll protect him…I promise," Dana said, tears beginning to form in her eyes.

"…"

"N-Nitorin…" Dana sobbed as she leaned her head next to Nitorin's, tears falling from her cheeks, "I…I…" Her mind went blank as nothing more came from her mouth except for cries of pain and loss.

XxxxxxxxxX

Meanwhile, Liviera was hiding in the alleyways waiting for her chance to move again, "Damn hunters. I didn't know abducting a child would be this difficult."

"Liviera, do you have the boy yet?" Savage asked from her comms.

"This is Liviera. I almost had the runt, but his damn mother got in my way," Liviera said.

"The boss won't be happy to hear that, you know," Savage said.

"Whatever," Liviera said, "I'm heading to the rendezvous point now…without my men."

"Well, it's a good thing you are," Savage said, "Because the big hunters will be coming soon."

"Ah yes, the S-ranks," Liviera said, "They must have heard about our involvement. No matter. Once we unlock the secret to Little Alisen's power…not even the S-rank hunters will be able to stop us." She said this with an evil giggle before disappearing into a dark alley.

XxxxxxxxxX

~~August 10th (Saturday Noon)

~~One Week Later~~

"…Ngh…"

"Ah, he's starting to wake up," A male voice said.

Jurabi's eyes opened. His head was hurting a little and his body ached all over.

"Jurabi," A female voice called, "Can you hear me? Jurabi!"

Once he got his bearings, Jurabi saw himself in a bed at a hospital room with three adults: his mother, Ken, and Aoife.

"Who…where…?" Jurabi tried make sense of what was going on, but the more he saw his mother's tears, the more he began to understand.

"Jurabi!" Dana shouted, feeling a weight being lifted off her shoulders, "Oh thank goodness you're okay!"

"Mom?" Jurabi tried to move his body up, but an excruciating pain in his chest prevented him from moving too much, "Ngh…"

"Don't overdo it, kid," Ken said, "Your body hasn't fully recovered yet."

Aoife walked over to Jurabi and gave him a tight hug, "It is such a relief to see you awake again, Jurabi. We were all afraid you were never going to open your eyes again."

"H-huh?" Jurabi asked, completely confused, "Where am I? How did I get here?"

"You are in Oroseia Hospital," Ken explained, "There's a lot of explaining to do. You may not remember me, but I'm Ken Volas."

"Ken…Volus…" Jurabi repeated, trying to remember when he met Ken.

"I don't blame you if you don't remember," Ken said, "Christmas parties were never my kind of thing, but Aoife, here…"

"Aoife…" Jurabi whispered before the realization hit, "Oh! Miss Chandani."

"Ah, I'm glad you remember me, Jubi~!" Aoife said, rubbing Jurabi's head, "If only I could give you a tight hug…but…I don't think that would be appropriate right now…given what's happened."

"It's okay, Aoife," Dana said, "I appreciate you trying, at least."

"Wait, Mom…what are you talking about?" Jurabi asked, "Hold on, how did I even get here? And why am I hurting all over?"

"It looks like part of his brain is trying to repress the memories," Ken said.

"It was expected," Aoife said, "The way Nitorin looked when we saw his…"

Jurabi's eyes widened, "The way Daddy looked?" The room fell silent, "What do you mean? And where's Daddy?"

"Jurabi…" Dana whispered before placing a hand on her son's cheek, "What I am about to tell you…will be difficult to accept, but…" Silence followed before tears fell down her cheeks, "I'm sorry…I'm so, so sorry…"

"Mommy?" Jurabi asked.

"Dana…" Aoife whispered, tears of her own beginning to fall from her eyes as Ken could only glance away.

Dana let out a deep breath before looking into her son's red irises with her tear-filled eyes, "You've been here…for a week, Jurabi."

"A-a whole week?!" Jurabi asked, in shock.

"Yes, a full week since…that night…" Aoife said, looking down at the hospital floor.

"Wait…that night?" Jurabi asked before the memories began rushing back to his mind, "Oh…oh no…" The boy began holding his head as his eyes widened with horror.

Dana's gaze was still looking at the floor as she hesitated to open her mouth to explain what had happened, "I…I was too late, Jurabi…Your father…he's…d…dead…"

"D-dead?" Jurabi asked, tilting his head, "What do you mean, 'dead'?"

"He's not ready to learn about this…" Aoife said, her heart shattering to pieces, "He's too young."

Ken let out a deep breath before he explained to him, "It means…your father isn't coming back, Jurabi. He was…killed. Stolen away from you and your mother…forever."

The memory immediately came rushing into Jurabi's mind—the image of Liviera taking out his father's eyeball, then beating his head with a club, and then stabbing his heart.

"Agh!" Jurabi screamed, holding his head tightly trying to stop the pain.

"Jurabi!" Dana shouted in concern.

"N-no…that can't be…" Jurabi said as tears started to form in his eyes, "Daddy…he said we were all going to live happily ever after he scared away the Grimm. He can't be dead! You're lying! I know you're lying!"

"Calm down, Jurabi! Please!" Aoife shouted, holding Jurabi down.

A few minutes of sobbing from Jurabi passed. Dana turned to her friends and asked, "Aoife, Ken, could you leave me alone with him?"

"…Of course," Aoife said, before patting Jurabi on the head, "Stay strong, Jubi. You'll make it through this. I believe in you."

Once she and Ken left the hospital room, Dana took a seat next to her son, looking into his tear-filled eyes.

"Mommy…" Jurabi whispered, "Is Daddy…really…?"

Dana immediately went to hug Jurabi tightly, "You don't need to relive that painful night anymore, Jurabi. I failed both you and your father. It was my responsibility as a huntress to protect both of you….and yet I-"

"N-no!" Jurabi shouted, "Don't blame yourself! Daddy…he was trying his hardest to protect me too. I'm sure…he wouldn't want you feeling sad either…so…uh…"

"Jurabi…" Dana whispered, knowing her son is too young to experience all of this.

"I'm…sorry…I don't know what to say…" Jurabi said, "I don't even know what to do…Daddy was always there to tell me what to do."

Dana gently rubbed her son's head and gave him a kiss in his hair, "You don't need to worry about that for now. You need to focus on your rest."

That was when the nurse walked in, "Mrs. Alisen, I'm sorry, but your son will need rest."

"Of course," Dana said, "You listen to the doctors and nurses here. They'll have you fixed up before you know it."

"Yes, Mommy," Jurabi said.

"I'll do my best to visit you every day," Dana said, "I'll even skip workdays for you."

"Thanks, Mommy…it always felt lonely without you and Daddy…" Jurabi said. As Dana turned to leave, Jurabi quickly held onto her hand, "Mommy…you won't leave me like Daddy did, will you?"

At that moment, Dana didn't know how to respond. The reality of the world she lives in leans more towards yes, but her heart…She gave Jurabi one last hug, "You are my precious son, Jurabi. I love you with all my heart and soul. On my oath as a huntress of Reigal, I will never abandon you."

"Mommy…" Jurabi said, her tears forming in her eyes, "I love you too, Mommy. I promise…I will find a way to protect you! I'll get stronger and become a hunter like you and-"

"Let's talk about the subject later, Jurabi," Dana said, kissing him on the forehead before heading to the door, "I'll see you later."

Jurabi laid his head on the hospital pillow. He was still trying to come to terms with his father's death. Thinking back, he remembered the final words Nitorin told him and held back his tears, "Daddy…I won't forget. I'll stay strong…for you. I promise…"

Dana had walked down the hall and ran into Aoife and Ken, who were waiting for her.

"Dana…" Aoife said.

"Jurabi is getting his rest," Dana said, "The nurses will run check-ups and tests to see if there are any mental damages."

"Poor, Jubi…" Aoife said.

"And how about you, Dana?" Ken asked.

"Me?" Dana asked.

"That attack from the Eclipse is nowhere near as sloppy as they made it appear," Ken said, "There's no doubt your family was their prime target," Ken said.

"But why would they target the Alisen family?" Aoife asked, "Aside from them attempting to kidnap Jurabi to likely indoctrinate him, nothing stood out in terms of their methods."

"Or maybe…they had another reason to kidnap Jurabi," Dana said.

"Another reason?" Aoife asked.

Dana went silent.

"That boy isn't hiding anything dangerous, is he?" Ken asked.

"No, I wouldn't even humor the idea!" Dana shouted.

"Kenny, you can't up and asked questions like that," Aoife said.

"Whatever it may be, the Eclipse has the boy on their wanted list," Ken said, "A relocation sounds like the best option for his protection."

"I'm still thinking about that…" Dana said, "For now, I don't think the Eclipse will try anything reckless after last week. Especially when we've closed off their entry way into the city."

"True, but you can never be too sure," Aoife said, "For all we know, they may have another secret passage."

"Then I will do all I can to protect him," Dana said, "I don't know what the Eclipse are planning, but if they lay a hand on my son…"

"Same here, Danny~!" Aoife shouted, "Jubi is a precious boy who didn't deserve to experience what he did last week. I'll never forgive the Eclipse for putting him through that. Never!"

"No need to get too fired up, girls," Ken said, "We're in a hospital after all."

"Oops, sorry," Dana said, rubbing her head.

"But I feel the same," Ken said, "There's no doubt the reputation of faunus's will plummet after Nitorin's murder. Just remember your duty as hunters and we'll get through this, alright?"

"Loud and clear, Kenny," Aoife said before letting out a sigh, "Now I'm feeling hungry. Are either of you two free for lunch?"

"I'll pass," Ken said, "I have to pick up my weapon from maintenance, so I'll catch you later."

"Oh, Ken…" Dana said.

"Hm?" Ken asked.

"This may sound irresponsible for me to say but…thank you. Thank you for telling Jurabi what I couldn't," Dana said.

Ken's eyes widened slightly, "About Nitorin's death? Dana, I…"

"I know. It's horrible to have to tell a child that their parent was murdered, but with the way our world is now…I don't think we can afford to keep them in the dark after tragedy befalls them," Dana said, "People like Jurabi who want to make our world a better place…they have to first understand the horrors we live in now before they can even start. That's what I believe."

"Dana…" Aoife whispered.

"My son wishes to be a strong hunter," Dana said, "He kept asking and asking and asking to be one, and I always said no to him. But this time…I find it a little hard to say no. I feel like…he's ready to take the first step."

Aoife let out a smile, "If that's so, then he better be fully committed. Tell him everything there is about being a hunter: The highs and the lows. He'll make his decision afterwards."

"Thank you, both of you," Dana said, hugging Ken and Aoife, "You two are the best friends a huntress can ask for."

"Aww, now you're making me cry, Danny," Aoife said with a cheeky smile.

Ken was silent. He turned his face away, trying to hide something.

"Ken, why is your face heating up?" Dana asked.

"…Th-this hospital is hot," Ken said before breaking the hug and clearing his throat, "I'll…be seeing you."

After Ken left in a surprising hurry, Aoife let out a giggle, "Weakness spotted."

"Huh?" Dana asked.

"Ah, it's nothing," Aoife said, "I'm sure you've got stuff to do, so I'll be gone."

"Of course," Dana said as she watched Aoife leave as well. The mother looked back down the hallway, her heart feeling heavy as she could only pray her son doesn't succumb to the pain. That's all she can hope for as she supports him as best as she can.

XxxxxxxxxX

~~Two Days Later~~

Gerald arrived at the hospital and went to the front desk, "Excuse me. Is it visiting hours for Jurabi Alisen?"

"Why, yes, it is," The nurse said, "Please, right this way."

The nurse led Gerald to Jurabi's room, where Jurabi was resting.

"You're here early, Mr. Achilles," The nurse said, "What is the occasion?"

"I wish to speak to young Alisen about an important matter. I'll only be here for a short time," Gerald said, "So I'll keep this visit brief."

Jurabi woke up after a bit of rest. He was still worn out and in a little pain, but he was still recovering.

"Having trouble sleeping, Jurabi?" Gerald asked, making the boy turn in his direction.

"M-Mr. Gerald?" Jurabi asked.

"How are you?" Gerald asked, "I know that's a stupid question to ask, but after I heard about what happened to your father…I couldn't help but cry for you."

"…I'm sorry…" Jurabi said.

"For my crying?" Gerald asked, "No, don't be. Your father was my best friend. Losing him was…it was unbearable for everyone at Alisen Industries."

"…" Jurabi remained silent, feeling his fist tightly hold the bed sheets.

"Unfortunately, I don't have enough time to stay with you for long today," Gerald continued, "I need to tell you something important. Swear that you will not tell a single soul."

"Not to tell anyone?" Jurabi asked, "Why?"

"…The Oroseia Investigation Division officially declared that the Eclipse were responsible for your father's death," Gerald said, "But I found out a more troubling secret. There was someone within your father's company who leaked information about Nitorin to the Eclipse. Basically, this person told them everything about your father."

"W-what?!" Jurabi asked, his eyes widening, "Wait...someone told them?"

"That's right," Gerald said, "Do you know who the Eclipse are?"

"I've only heard about them," Jurabi said, "Mommy mentioned them here and there, but she didn't seem to like talking about them to me."

"I see," Gerald said, "Would you like to know? I have to warn you that nothing good comes from that band of terrorists, so you'll hear no pleasant stories about them."

"…I…I know…" Jurabi said, "My Daddy…wasn't the first person they killed, was he?"

"And he won't be the last either," Gerald said, "The Eclipse is a terrorist organization made up of faunus's. They began as a small group of faunus's who were too angry at the state of the nations' views on humanity's feud with the faunus race. There's more to the story, but basically the Eclipse view us humans as an evil on Reigal and wish to eliminate us."

"So, when they killed Daddy…" Jurabi whispered.

"They killed him to send a message," Gerald answered.

"A message?" Jurabi asked.

"The Eclipse seek nothing more than to destroy the peace between humanity and faunus kind through any means. Not only that, but they also believe faunus should reign supreme over humanity throughout Vastel and even the world, so they target innocent humans…like your father. I even heard rumors that they even kill their own kind if they sympathize with humans."

"So those people from that night…?" Jurabi asked, "That woman…who killed Daddy...they did that just to...scare us?"

"That's right," Gerald said, "And this is the person who sold your father out to those terrorists!" He said, showing him a picture of a red haired faunus woman with goat horns hidden inside her hair.

"Her?" Jurabi asked, "I feel like I've seen her somewhere before."

"Her name is Rachel Vongarus," Gerald said, "She was the head of the research division in Alisen Industries, and was someone your father trusted. We found evidence of Nitorin's office being tampered with along with her leaking information on your father to an unknown recipient through her computer logs. Given how your father trusted her a lot, it makes sense that she would be able to access his computer in the first place. That is how the Eclipse knew about where you lived."

"B-but why would she betray Daddy?!" Jurabi asked, "Daddy trusted her and…and…"

"I know you're too young to understand this, Jurabi," Gerald said, "But whatever the reason is, it's clear that your father was betrayed by a faunus and killed by another. To think that the faunus would stoop so low as to harm a kid to send a message to humanity."

"And what happened to Mrs. Vongarus?" Jurabi asked.

"We don't know where she is at the moment," Gerald said, "She was last seen around the time Nitorin was murdered. No doubt she's gone into hiding with the Eclipse."

"B-but…I still don't understand?" Jurabi asked, "Why? Why would…the faunus do that to Daddy? Why him specifically?! He did nothing wrong! He didn't deserve to die!" He shouted as tears formed in his eyes again.

"Your father never wanted to tell you this because you were too young, but after what you've seen…you deserve to know the truth," Gerald said, "The faunus have a terrible habit of lying to others. They only show interest if you have something they want, and when they get that thing they want, they abandon you to a horrible fate."

"B-But…aren't we friends with them?!" Jurabi asked.

"With some faunus, but not all," Gerald said, "Heck, faunus are willing to lie to their own people to get what they want. I'm sorry, Jurabi, but…that's how the world is. You don't need to believe me if you don't wish to, but I told you my thoughts on the matter."

Jurabi's eyes turned to his bed sheets. He was torn on whether he should believe in Gerald's words or not, but his mind is telling him that if Gerald said it is true, he should believe it to be so.

"Is this too much for you, Jurabi?" Gerald asked, "If you need any help at all…"

"...I-It's fine…" Jurabi said, "I…I need to grow up so…I can take it all…Thank you for telling me this, Mr. Achilles."

Gerald nodded as he stood up and walked towards the door, "We'll talk later, Jurabi. I have a meeting to attend to," Before he could leave, he turned back to the boy, "I want you to know your father loved you. He spoke highly about you at every lunch break we had together. I don't know what will become of Alisen Industries, but we could use a talented person like you—a person with remarkable building skills. I hope you consider joining once you become 18," He said before he left the hospital room, "I'll see you at the funeral."

Jurabi lied down again on his hospital bed. He thought of his dad. The image of Nitorin in his mind smiled at him, calling out his name.

"Daddy…"

Jurabi wanted so badly to reach out and hug him like he always could, but the image became engulfed in darkness.

XxxxxxxxxX

~~August 17th (Saturday Morning)

~~Five Days Later~~

Rain was pouring down as Jurabi stared at his father's grave by his mother's side. His eyes were devoid of any brightness it once had. Aoife, Ken, and many of Dana's friends attended to grieve alongside them. Whenever people offer their condolences to him, Jurabi would always tell him that he will remain strong and will one day move on from this pain, but the truth was he will never move on and at this moment, he is at his weakest.

"Jurabi," Dana spoke up, "I think it's time to go now."

"…" Jurabi made no response.

"…If we stay here too long, you'll catch a cold," Dana said, extending her hand to him, "Daddy will be okay sleeping here."

Jurabi stared at the words engraved on Nitorin's tombstone:

Nitorin Alisen

An inspirational genius.

A man who loved the world

A loving father and husband

May he be at peace with the Guardians

"So, this is Nitorin's grave," Spoke a deep voice.

Jurabi and Dana turned around to see two people approaching them.

One was a male wolf faunus with long, shaggy blue and white tipped hair that matched the shade of his wolf ears and tail.

The other was a little girl with. azure blue hair tied back with a red ribbon with similar colored wolf ears and tail as the male.

Dana smiled at the male faunus, "Long time, no see, Kane."

"Indeed, it has been a long time," Kane said, "My apologies for arriving so late. Oroseia City must have experienced a lot of changes since I was here last."

"No, it hasn't," Dana said with a giggle, "You got lost again, didn't you?"

"Yes, Papa did," said the little girl.

"Little Serena, you're not supposed to say that to her," Kane whispered to his daughter.

"Oh…and who is this cute button?" Dana asked.

"H-hi," Serena spoke up, "My name is Serena Webber. It's nice to meet you."

"Aww, what a sweet child you are," Dana said, "I didn't know you had a daughter, Kane."

"Apologies for not informing you, Dana," Kane said, "It completely slipped my mind as I had recently been appointed to Chieftain of my nation."

"Heh, I don't blame you," Dana said, "I'd love for you to meet my son as well. Jurabi…?" Dana looked back and saw that Jurabi's gaze was focused back on Nitorin's grave than on the two new people. Dana let out a sigh as she moved Jurabi in front of her to focus on Kane and Serena, "Come on, young man. Don't be rude and say hi."

"…llo," Jurabi whispered.

"Hm? I apologize but I did not catch that, young man," Kane said, "Speak with pride in the presence of a Webber."

"…Hello," Jurabi said, his tone lacking any shred of life, "I'm…Jurabi Alisen."

"Jurabi…" Serena said, with a smile as she extended her hand, "That's a wonderful name. I'm Serena Webber, it's nice to meet you, Jurabi."

Jurabi felt something inside his chest when she saw the girl's smile as she extended her hand. He turned away, feeling ashamed to even be within viewing distance of her.

His reaction caused Serena to retract her hand, feeling as though she did something to bring more pain to the boy.

"I'm sorry, Kane," Dana said, knowing Kane would be upset at Jurabi, "Jurabi's usually not like this."

"…I fully understand," Kane said, "Losing your father and having to cry at his grave at such a young age, I cannot imagine the pain you must be experiencing. Please, allow us to treat you to dinner. You both must be starving."

"O-oh, I'm not feeling hungry. Please don't mind me," Jurabi said, feeling his stomach rumbling.

"Hahaha, nonsense, I know a hungry stomach when I hear one," Kane said.

"It's better for you to accept, Jurabi," Dana said, "I know, first hand, how persistent Kane is with his offers."

"Hah, I wasn't that persistent," Kane said.

"…O-okay," Jurabi said.

"Splendid, let me first find a good restaurant to reserve our seats in advanced," Kane said as he began walking away, "Come along, now."

As the four began to leave the cemetery, Jurabi stopped in his tracks before passing the gate. His breathing became shallow and short.

Serena looked back, seeing a look of sadness envelop his face, "Jurabi?"

Jurabi slowly began to turn back. His feet began moving towards the direction of the cemetery again—to the direction of his father's grave. Before he could move further, a hand reached out and grabbed his, stopping him in his tracks.

"No, don't go back," Serena's voice called as Jurabi turned to her with a shocked expression.

"I…I don't want to leave Daddy behind…" Jurabi whispered.

Serena felt the remorse and pain from Jurabi as her white wolf tail wrapped around her leg, "Jurabi…you have to let your papa go. I know it hurts, but if you don't, your pain will consume you."

"How can you know that?" Jurabi asked, tears forming in his eyes, "Daddy…I looked up to him for as long as I could remember. He was going to bring happiness to our family, but I never got to say goodbye to him as he was torn away from me. I couldn't do anything but watch as he was…"

"Jurabi…" Serena whispered.

"But now…even knowing that, would you still tell me to abandon him?!" Jurabi asked.

"No, I would never ask that of you," Serena said, "I am telling you the same thing Papa told me. No matter how much you cry, the people in those tombstones will never wake up. In times like this, crying alone in this place will do more harm than good. What you need is a shoulder to cry on as you walk forward to help to soothe the pain, even if just a little."

"A shoulder…to cry on," Jurabi repeated. He looked down at his hand, seeing the girl's soft hand holding tightly onto his. Jurabi could feel his heart beat. A strange, yet familiar feeling began enveloped his mind, "Why?"

"Hm?" Serena asked.

"Why tell me this?" Jurabi asked, "If you are that man's daughter, then you must be one of those special kids who will rule a nation. A sad boy like me isn't even worth your time or energy."

"You're wrong," Serena said, "The happiness of one fatherless child is worth so much more than my time. My status matters little when you and I have experience loss."

Jurabi's eyes widened, "You too?"

Serena's purple eyes turned to the ground, "I had a dear friend. His name was Nash. He vowed to protect me from so many bad people who came for my life, but in the end, he gave up his to protect me. He died in my arms…"

"I'm…so sorry to hear that," Jurabi whispered.

"But…he didn't die unhappy," Serena said, her frown turning into a sad smile, "He died the same way he lived—For what he believed in."

"What he believed in?" Jurabi asked.

"It's a proud saying in my family," Serena said, "It's difficult to live life without a purpose, so we of the Webber clan live for what we believe in. I'm…still trying to understand what I'm living for, but I think this saying can apply to you and so many other people. So please, don't remain in there forever. Live the same way your father did…"

"For what he believed in," Jurabi finished. Afterwards, he found himself without a proper way to express his feelings to such words. All of this is coming from someone he had never met, but...he feels as though he could trust her words.

"Ah...I'm sorry," The wolf girl said, "I don't mean to impose my beliefs onto you."

"N-No...your words are...really comforting," Jurabi said, biting his lip as tears started flowing down his cheeks again.

"Those tears have no place being on your face from now on," The girl said as she tried to wipe the tears from his eyes, "Because from now on, we're friends, Jurabi."

"F-friends? I-i-is that okay?" Jurabi asked, "You're of royal blood or something, aren't you?"

"Like I said, my title or family name matters little to me," Serena said with a smile, "I want you to smile again."

"…Then yes…we can be friends, Serena," Jurabi said, burying his face in her shoulder.

Serena smiled as she hugged Jurabi tightly, gently ran her hands through his hair and started humming a sweet lullaby to him. "You, are an ocean of waves~"

As Jurabi listened to the lullaby, he could feel his heart begin to warm up. Once the song ended, Jurabi let out a faint whisper, "...Thank you…"

The girl gave him a full-face smile knowing in her heart that he needed to see some type of kindness, "His hands…they feel…"

"Serena!" Kane called out to her as he and Dana came back to them after noticing they were not following, "Is there something keeping you?"

"Oh, Papa," Serena said.

"What are you two doing?" Dana asked, noticing Serena hugging Jurabi.

"Uh…Mommy…" Jurabi whispered.

Kane immediately grew suspicious, not liking his little girl being so close to a boy, "Ah…are you cheering young Alisen up, perhaps? Or is there more to what's happening here that I should be made aware of?"

"N-no, Papa, you misunderstand," Serena said, blushing a little, "Jurabi was about to go back to his father grave, but I taught him about our family teachings to help him move forward."

"Hehe, your blushing betrays your explanation," Dana said.

The pretend aura of anger left Kane after hearing Serena out, "Ah, then my most sincere apologies, Mr. Alisen. I had assumed the worse and thought you were trying to steal my precious angel from me."

"Papa! I hate it when you do this with every boy I interact with," Serena said, pouting at her father.

"Hahaha, my apologies, my sweet angel," Kane said, "Now let's hurry along to eat. We don't want to keep the restaurant workers waiting."

As the four made their way to the restaurant, Dana whispered to Jurabi, "Be honest, Jurabi. Something else happened when the two of you were hugging, right?"

"H-huh?" Jurabi asked, unable to express any shred of embarrassment that usually follow questions like this.

"Come on, don't be shy," Dana said, "Sooner or later, you're going to start developing crushes. Now is probably the best time to start with that Serena cutie."

"M-Mommy…it's not like that," Jurabi whispered back, "Besides, she's a royal, right? I have no chance even if I wanted."

"Hehe, I felt the same way when I met your father," Dana said with a sad smile, "I felt like I had no chance either. Don't count yourself out before you even try."

"…If I even have a try to begin with," Jurabi muttered.

"We're here," Kane said as they arrived at a restaurant.

"Oooh, I heard of this one, Papa!" Serena cheered, "It has the best meat dishes in Oroseia!"

"Hah, we'll see if they are as good as the Webber specialty," Kane said as they entered the restaurant.

"Alright, you two," Dana said, "Don't go making too much noise, alright?"

"Noise?! I haven't the slightest clue what you're talking about, Dana!" Kane shouted.

Dana bonked Kane on the head, "Moron, keep it down!" She silently shouted.

"How dare you lay your hand on me, Dana?" Kane said, smacking Dana's hand away from him, "My luxurious hair was recently washed to reach its utmost beauty. For it to be sullied by your unwashed hands!"

"And I'm about to do more than sully your hair if you don't zip it," Dana threatened.

"Uh…" Jurabi watched both of the adults' squabble with one another.

"S-sorry about Papa," Serena said, "He's not used to being in public restaurants."

"Hello to you, Sirs and Madams," A waitress called.

"Ah, hello," Dana greeted, "Table for four, please. Alisen and Webber."

"Alisen and Webber…" The waitress checked the reservation list and nodded, "Yes, we have you here. Please follow me." She guided the four to a table and handed then two menus.

Jurabi felt awkward sitting in front of the two faunus who were essentially royalty.

"You look tense, young lad," Kane pointed out.

"I do?" Jurabi asked, "I-I'm sorry."

"Haha, no need to apologize," Kane said, "I may be royalty, but in this moment, you may look at me as a friend treating you to dinner."

"Kane's right, Jurabi," Dana said, "There's no need to be so nervous. I've known him ever since our first day in Oroseia Academy. He's many things, but dangerous isn't one of them."

"I will take that as a compliment, Dana," Kane said, his wolf ears twitching.

"Now, now, there's no need to get angry," Serena said, "The Ice Guardian wishes for us to treat people to a heart-soothing dinner; especially if they lose a family member."

"Correct, my little Serena," Kane said, patting his daughter's head.

"The Ice Guardian…" Jurabi said, "Do you both know about the guardians?"

Kane put his girl down and looked at Jurabi seeing a spark of life returning to his eyes at the prospect of learning something new, "Why yes, my dear boy. Have you heard of the ancient tales too?"

"O-only in the children's book Mommy and Daddy reads me," Jurabi said, "I didn't know more people read that book."

"To clarify, the children's book only scratches the surface of the story," Dana chimed in, "Aside from the Pretorius family, the Webber family holds the story of the Guardians in high regard. Especially the tales of the Ice and Wind Guardians."

"Mmhm. The Webber family is made up of descendants of the original Ice Guardian: Lady Tamiko…or so the story goes."

"Or so the story goes?" Jurabi asked.

"Not many people know the whole story of the Guardians," Serena said, "There hasn't been any proof that they existed in the recorded textbooks Papa read to me."

"I see," Jurabi said.

"Whether there is poof or not, I believe they do exist and will return to this world," Kane said, "Once they do, hopefully my little Serena, here, will be blessed by Lady Tamiko and become the next Ice Guardian."

Serena looked away blushing. "Papa, will you stop saying that? People already think it's weird we hold the ice guardian festival back home. I don't want people to call you crazy anymore."

"Don't bother, Serena," Dana said, "Your father has been called crazy even back in his academy days."

"I do not take kindly to this slander on my character," Kane said, "I was rather tame, if you ask me."

"Oh really?" Dana asked, "If I recall, when we visited Igarus as a class, you didn't like how the Pretorius called you a child. Offended by this, you snuck into the Pretorius Church and swapped the heads of the Light Guardian statues."

"Ah, now that is a pleasant memory," Kane said.

"He didn't even try to deny it," Jurabi thought.

"It was all fun and games for you until the priests thought it was an omen and fasted for two months," Dana said, "Griffon and Professor Rashi were so furious when they found out."

"Haha, I'm surprised you remember all that, Dana," Kane said, "I wonder if I would be able to do it again."

Dana let out a sigh, "He's a real piece of work…"

"Back on topic, I can still feel it in my bones. The Guardians will return and, on that day, humanity and faunus will have a fighting chance against the Grimm," Kane said, pumping a fist on his chest. "Jurabi!"

"Y-yes, sir?!" Jurabi asked, feeling extremely nervous.

"I saw the way your eyes sparkled at the mention of the guardians," Kane said, "To learn about them at such a young age from a children's book…May I ask for your opinion?"

"My opinion…?" Jurabi asked. He turned to his mother who nodded for him to give his best answer. After giving it some thought, Jurabi then said, "I believe in them. From what the story told me, I felt that I understood each of the Guardians. The Guardian of Darkness, Ackmor, was my favorite. He had trouble expressing his emotions due to being in darkness for so long, but he always valued the good things that come with the light because he has seen the horrors in the dark. I…I really respect how much he loves his fellow Guardians despite being the type who would be the obvious bad guy. That's what I think so far…" A pause followed before Jurabi said, "Uh…Sir!"

Kane let out a boisterous laugh, finding the boy most amusing, "You act just as Dana did when she was around Professor Rashi."

"I was not like that, Kane," Dana said.

"Hah, you were," Kane said, "What was it called? A student crushing over her professor? Admit it, it was cute back then."

"Yeah, almost as cute as what's going to happen if you keep talking," Dana said with a cold tone.

"I've never seen Mommy this scary before…" Jurabi whispered.

"Peace, Dana," Kane said, "Twas only a jest, but I shall not continue. On a more serious note, I believe your husband is due the respect he's earned. You both have my most sincere condolences. Mr. Alisen deserved a proud end."

"Hearing those words from you means a lot to me, Sir," Jurabi said, "Did you know my father?"

"We spoke on occasion," Kane said, "He offered to provide some new inventions to help improve the lives of my people. I would have gladly accepted anything that man gave to me, but Staneia…"

"What about Staneia?" Jurabi asked.

"Our people don't like humans," Serena said, sadly, "Our family especially."

"You don't?" Jurabi asked, "Why?"

Kane remained silent, "You are far too young to hear the tales. I'm sorry."

"But…" Jurabi was about to ask him to tell him anyway, but Dana nudged Jurabi, shaking her head.

Silence followed before their food arrived.

"Haha, now this is a feast fit to honor Nitorin," Kane said, picking up his wine glass, "To Nitorin Alisen. May his soul find eternal peace with the Guardians!"

"To Nitorin!" Serena repeated, raising her cup of juice.

"To Nitorin," Dana said, also raising her drink.

And so, the four began eating and conversing with one another throughout the hour.

XxxxxxxxxX

~~Oroseia Apartment Complex~~

After eating together, the two families returned to an apartment complex Dana and Jurabi were temporarily living in.

"Thank you for being with us, Kane," Dana said.

"It is my pleasure, Dana," Kane said, "If you don't mind, there's something I wish to speak with you…in private."

"Me?" Dana asked. At first, she thought there was a punching line for a joke in that sentence, but seeing how serious Kane looked, Dana nodded and turned to Jurabi, "Jurabi, why don't you sit down at the couch over there with Serena to, you know, get to know her more."

Jurabi's heart started beating again as his eyes widened, "Wh-what?"

"I do not like this idea of yours, Dana," Kane said.

"Relax, Jurabi is a responsible young man," Dana said with a smile, "Just stay in the living room where Kane and I can see and hear you both."

"Yes, Mommy," Jurabi said.

"And don't go anywhere outside, understood?" Kane asked.

"Yes, Papa," Serena nodded.

The two adults walked outside to the apartment balcony. There, they could see the damages the Eclipse inflicted upon the city.

"To think the Eclipse would go this far…" Kane said.

"They've grown more dangerous since we last encountered them," Dana said, "Makes me wonder where they got their resources and manpower to launch such a hit-and-run."

"Whatever the case, they are not worthy to be acknowledged as my kin," Kane said.

"I'm glad to hear that, Kane," Dana said, before she crossed her arms, "But I think it's about time you come clean with me. You never held any regard for human life back in your days in the academy. What is this change I'm seeing now?"

"Heh, nothing gets past you," Kane said with a sad smile, "It's true I used to hold the same stance on humans as Staneia. In the past, we viewed humans as…a mistake. Had I kept that mentality, I would not have attended Nitorin's funeral today."

"So why the change of heart?" Dana asked, "It's not like one from the Webber family would be swayed by a human father dying for his son."

Kane looked over to Serena, who was talking with Jurabi, "…I realized my family's teachings had a negative on the people of Reigal. After his passing, my little Serena was born and I took his place as Chieftain. At first, I was excited to have this power…but when I thought about the kind of life I would be bringing my daughter into, I started having second thoughts. Aside from the Grimm threat, the gap between faunus and human relations is becoming a growing problem."

"Right," Dana said, "And the Eclipse are only making things worse."

"I also heard of a new terrorist organization rising as well," Kane said, "These terrorists are more resourceful and backed by a powerful figure."

"Who are they?" Dana asked.

"They call themselves the Twilight Syndicate," Kane said, "Aside from some skirmishes with our patrol clans, they have yet to cause major trouble in Staneia. My clans will keep an eye on them, but I ask you and the others at the academy do the same. The last thing Reigal needs is another terrorist organization sullying our two race's relative harmony."

"I see," Dana said, "Any further information on the Twilight Syndicate?"

"None at the moment," Kane said, "But I shall let you know if I find anything. As for the Eclipse, I've heard Nitorin was murdered by a faunus?"

"Yes," Dana said, "We ID'd her as Liviera Otura…a former member of the Starfeld clan—black wolf ears, purple eyes."

"Hm…" Kane's mind went into deep through before he spoke up, "It is possible the Starfeld clan hold no involvement with Otura…however, our relations with that clan didn't go off on the right foot. I plan on changing this in the near future. As for Otura, like the rest of the Eclipse, she will be brought in to answer for all of her crimes, including the murder of Nitorin. You have my word."

"Dually noted," Dana said.

"One more thing," Kane said, looking over at Jurabi, "Your little boy, over there. I noticed that he has yet to smile in the presence and kindness of my daughter. It's not that I believe Serena can me liked by everyone, but I can't help but point it out."

"…You're right," Dana said, "Jurabi has lost his ability to express and feel any emotion related to positivity—smiling included."

"Ah…" Kane said, "Reminds me of Riboku…I pray he will find the strength to smile again in the face of this dark world."

"I do too," Dana said, "Thank you for your words, Kane. They mean a lot to me."

"It is my pleasure," Kane said as the two adults returned to the living room, "Serena, it's time to go, sweetie."

"Aww, already?!" Serena asked in shock, "But Jurabi was about to reach the good part about Honkai Girl!"

"Honkai…Girl?" Kane asked.

"Hehe, it's a movie trilogy my son loves," Dana said, "You should give it a watch when you have the chance."

"Yeah, Jurabi is going to let me borrow the trilogy, Papa," Serena said, showing Kane the three Honkai Girl movie covers, "Can we watch it with Mama when we get home."

"I doubt Rachel would like movies like this," Kane said, before smiling, "But if you're excited about it, then I will certainly watch it with you."

"Yaay!" Serena shouted, before bowing to Jurabi, "Thank you so much, Jurabi!" She took out a necklace that had a yellow raindrop sigil and placed it on Jurabi's neck, "Here, take this."

"What...is this?" Jurabi asked.

"A good luck charm," Serena said, "The yellow raindrop represents sunlight piercing through the rain, making way for a beautiful rainbow. Show this to the sun, and you'll see for yourself."

"Oh, um…I...I don't deserve this…" Jurabi whispered.

"My boy, you gave my daughter something that made her smile," Kane said, "It is common courtesy to be given a gift in return."

"Yep," Serena said, "You made me smile, so I'll make you smile, Jurabi."

"But I…"

"Yes, you will, Lady Serena!" Dana chimed in, placing her hand on Jurabi's head, "He may not look it now, but Jurabi is smiling on the inside, right, Jurabi?"

Jurabi looked up at his mother before looking back at Serena. The smile on her face made his heart beat before he answered, "…Of course! Thank you, Miss Serena!" Jurabi shouted, bowing to her.

"Hehe, you can just call me Serena. Take good care of the necklace, okay?" Serena asked, "It's my own hand-made charm and I expect to see it on your neck next time we meet."

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of it," Jurabi said.

"Promise?" Serena asked.

"I promise," Jurabi replied.

Serena smiled as she hugged Jurabi, "I hope you find happiness amidst this bitter world, Jurabi."

Jurabi felt his heart beat, wishing he could return the hug, "Thank you…Serena."

"It's time we depart for home," Kane said as he made his way to the door.

Serena let go of Jurabi and proceeded to join her father near the door.

Kane then held his fist up to his chest before he loudly said, "Never forget, Young Alisen: Live for what you believe in and become a mighty river, steadily flowing to the ocean of endless possibilities!"

Serena imitated her father with a proud smile, "What Papa said, Jurabi!"

Jurabi couldn't smile, but instead he imitated both of them, "I will. Thank you both so much!"

"Both of you are welcomed here anytime," Dana said with a smile.

"Bye, bye~!" Serena cheered as she and Kane left.

Dana turned to Jurabi, still bearing the smile, "So…you gave the girl your precious Honkai Girl trilogy set? I didn't think anything would separate you from them, Jurabi."

"U-uh…she was asking a lot about the things I liked and…I ended up talking about Honkai Girl to her," Jurabi said, "She seemed so interested so I…offered to let her borrow all three. I-I didn't do anything bad, did I?"

"Well…aside from giving away about 120 dollars' worth of DVDs to a girl you just met, you didn't ask her out on a date at least!" Dana said with a smile.

"Mommy! I don't think of her that way!" Jurabi shouted.

"That's not the words of a boy who values a girl more than 120 dollars," Dana said, "You can be honest with me, Jurabi. Did you…?"

"N-no, I didn't," Jurabi said, his heart starting to beat, "I-I'm going to my room now."

"Ehehe, of course," Dana said, "Let me know if you need dating tips. Mamma's here to give you the 101 steps to dating."

"Ugh, Mommy, you're the worst!" Jurabi cried, storming into his room.

"Ahaha…." Dana let out a small laugh, "He'll figure it out one day," She then went into her room and stared at a picture of her marriage with Nitorin. A small tear started to leave her right eye, "…My only hope now…is that your death is the last tragedy that falls onto our child, Nitorin."

XxxxxxxxxX

~~Unknown Location~~

"So, the Eclipse failed to capture Alisen," said a cold, slightly monotone, male voice in a dark room lit by a single candle.

"Rather unfortunate, my liege," Said another male's voice, this one sounding darker and colder, "Dana Alisen is as formidable as we've heard."

"Those fools," Said the monotone voice, "Alisen has more uses to the Eclipse than just as a simple lab rat. They fail to grasp the potential the boy has…"

"Perhaps so, my liege," said the dark voice.

"Tell me, if we were to add Jurabi Alisen to our plans, how much will be changed?" Asked the monotone voice.

"Well, allow me to run the calculations…" The dark voice said. A solid minute passed before it spoke again, "There are many factors to account for Alisen, but if we were to convince a certain close associate of the late Nitorin and separate the child from her huntress mother…we can make good use of his potential skills as a rising, genius inventor."

"Hmm…yes, it could work," The monotone voice said, "But we must not deviate from our main objective. We must attain Alisen's assistance without compromising our true nature."

"And if his mother gets in my way?" The dark voice asked.

"You know exactly what to do…Karasu," The monotone voice replied.

"Of course, my liege," Said the dark voice leaned forward, revealing himself as a raven-haired faunus wearing a black robed outfit with a black mask covering her mask, "Liviera had her fun with Nitorin. I would love to torture the young child as well. I would love nothing more…"

"…than to kill his precious mother before his eyes."