Chapter 16: Familia Incipio
Enjoy the chapter, faithful readers!
Adelheid Blau roused herself from the slumber that wrapped around her. She had been disturbed by the sight of her new friend in such distress, to see what had happened to the nice young woman when the emotions were heavy to bear. She remembered that look on the woman's face as she said that she remembered something bad. Her mother had commented about how it'd been unfortunate for the poor girl to be left without a partner, some sympathy that had not felt really proper.
It was a sad situation. Miss Umbra, her employer, a woman who had wealth at her disposal to hire her for one of the most generous salaries that she'd ever seen, had been raped by the man who was Saphron's father. She had seen no reason to doubt the words of Mister Rainart, nor had she been the one to doubt the word of the woman.
The young man who she would be helping on the path to stardom looked to be a better sort of man compared to his father, and she wondered briefly if the apple fell far from the tree. Knowing Saphron from their talks, she could not imagine that the young man would be anything like his father, Saphron having been nothing but glowing in her words. It had been good, chatting with a young woman her age, though the situation sucked for her.
As she pulled herself out of her bed, she looked at her reflection in the mirror that hung next to her closet, looking at the strands of hair that hung in disarray, her tongue sliding over her lips, inhaling slowly and letting herself gather the will once more to endure the morning light.
Half of her belongings had already been put into storage for the move to Vale, though she had not informed her mother of her current residence yet. The confidentiality clause was strict, yet understandable. People's families could be untrustworthy with information about celebrity Huntsmen, letting it come out that their daughter managed some hotshot like Neptune Vasilias or something and then have them swamped by the media.
Anyone worth their salt would keep their general location mostly oblique. Adelheid supposed that she'd have to go and slip into the role of a sister to Saphron, perhaps make up a little bit of a backstory.
'She'd not mind terribly much...'
It was pretty good to have a sister. She'd very much been an only child, so it was nice to just... get along. Saphron was a kind woman, despite all that happened to her. It made her want to hug her new friend. No matter how the contract went, she knew that her new friend was a woman who had been raised with good morals.
'Yes...'
Tying her hair in a ponytail and emerging from her bedroom, she got downstairs, spotting her mother and father sitting there. The man's face was pale and his eyes a little bloodshot, the look on his face weary, as he watched her for an instant, Huntsman eyes looking at her. Adelheid knew that being a Huntsman was a dangerous profession, but her father's protectiveness seemed to be even greater than most fathers for their daughter... though she'd heard some horror stories back in school about girls who had to be sequestered away by their father because of the fear that they'd go and be with boys that her father disapproved of.
"Ready for the big move, Adelheid?"
The man's Scroll rang, a short two beeps and a click, as he raised it. She smiled and hugged him. She caught sight of a notification on the display of the Scroll, some abbreviated letters that meant that the man's time here was nearly done.
"Sure thing, dad. I'll make sure that Vacuo is beautiful and Adel-Approved!"
The excuse was good, the man undoubtedly knowing that it would be important for security reasons that she keeps the real location obscured. The suitcases that carried her stuff with her were already prepared to be loaded in a car and driven to the shipyard.
"I love you, princess."
The smile on the man's face as she rubbed over his scruffy cheek, the glint in his eyes adoring as he hugged her, the smell of sandalwood and spice invading her nostrils, knowing that he loved her as much as she loved him.
"I'll be out of here soon. You should swing by if you're ever around Vacuo, dad."
The look in the man's eyes was determined, just because she'd said that, knowing that it would be another preachy statement from him.
"You shouldn't hang around hoodlums whilst you are there. I wish not to hear that my daughter died because she was hanging around some nomads who stabbed her for drinking the wrong tea."
She wasn't sure whether that was true or not, giving a laugh.
"I'll try not to drink tea."
She mentally reminded herself that alcohol was strictly off-limits as well. Since she'd signed the contract, it'd been tense on the front of that. She wanted to have a drink, a good long rest and the feeling of having a sense of connection again.
"No alcohol either. Your mother told me that you came home drunk again a few w-"
She mentally tuned out the preachy speech, knowing that the man would continue on for a while about his daughter not becoming an alcoholic. The man wasn't much of a drinker, so she could understand that there was a need to comment of her own alcohol consumption, though her mother tolerated it, since it had been her own money that she was burning.
'Gods, what I wouldn't do for a good guy with his head screwed on straight...'
She'd like to have a relationship again. The thing with Saphron Arc was making her feel a little bit uncertain about her chances of getting a partner that she could trust fully... It wasn't really something that put the faith in relationships in her heart, but that was just her own hang-up, she supposed.
Vale must have some good-looking guy who'd be able to take the reins and tame the mighty Adelheid Blau, professional publisher of a cute blonde Huntsman who looked like he'd be made out of gold and profit... Yeah.
And if she'd pegged the young man right, she could guess that he wouldn't be averse to helping her out a bit with the stuff that'd be delivered. Some of the furniture that she'd be taking with her was, of course, a bit too heavy for a young woman like her to carry...
'Oh... there's no harm in admiring an earnest young set of teenage men carrying my stuff...'
She bit her lower lip at the thought of said teenage young men wearing little more than a few shirts, before placing the couch and enquiring whether she'd needed a hand with some other pieces of furniture.
'Okay, that's probably a bit too much, but if they're my type...'
She definitely was the type of girl who wouldn't mind a set of hands on her 'furniture', especially with teenagers that fought for the survival of the brave civilians. Just...
'Yeah, there's the contract... Hmm...'
She guessed that Miss Umbra would be pretty unsympathetic to an excuse like 'They looked like they needed to blow off some steam and I happened to be willing to lend a hand with my eh... hands. Then I totally tripped and eh... fell.'. She was not going to look forward to that conversation, because the woman was like a Grimm dragon with her looks and her mind...
'Yeah... And these little thoughts need to be shoved away rather than to act on them...'
She grabbed her coat and walked out of the house after saying goodbye to her dad, already mentally planning the official transfer of her goods towards a foreign country. She was at the office for migration nearly half an hour later, the tram having delivered her in the spot after the long loop, enough for her to get the proper authorization for leaving Argus on business.
The register of people had to be maintained, and she was not going to do below-deck handling unless she had to. The severe-faced woman looking at her like she was the scum that roamed the streets after a particularly nasty party with a lot of booze made her worry for a moment that her appearance wasn't all up to the standards of professionalism.
"To Vale, yes?"
The woman said, sliding the folder over to her, opening it for her. "Sign here, on the dotted line, that you understand that Argus is no longer responsible upon your arrival at Vale for your upkeep and the unemployment benefits are to be ceased immediately."
She looked through the written forms for a brief moment, her tongue sticking out of the corner of her mouth, a gesture that she'd tried hard to break, as she scanned the form for any aberrant wordings.
Decreeing that it was in order, she signed the form with her 'best' signature, the one with loops and curls and a flourish. She smiled a little at the ensuing result, watching with some care as she noticed the woman pull the forms back and check them, her eyes going over the carefully made signatures, the ill trust within the woman's eyes enough.
"This looks to be in order, miss Blau. You are aware that Argus procedure is to verify your status of living with the Atlesian military, yes?"
She nodded. The Atlas military base had to verify credentials and such before they would give the okay for a migrant to move, in order to keep the place orderly and without much crime.
"I do. I hope that Vale will bring me a good bit of luck."
'And money...'
"I wish you good luck in your endeavours, Miss Blau. May we see you visit us once more soon in good health."
The customary goodbye was something that had come with Atlas' influence in the city.
As she made her way out, she spotted a familiar head of blonde hair, the woman already standing there at one of the other booths. "Saph!" The tall form of Mister Rainart stood next to the woman as she half-turned around.
The smile that lit up her friend's face was warm, as if the sun had started to shine, Adelheid making her way with a brightness in her movements. Right now, Saphron needed positivity in her life, rather than the bad thoughts. She didn't spot some dude looking like her dad, so that was a positive thing. Mister Rainart wasn't that bad-looking as a father-figure, but she'd imagine that Saphron probably wouldn't want to be around men too much right now.
"Is everything alright?"
She debated for a moment whether they should go for some tea or something or just to catch up. She knew that she would need to go to the transport authority to get the signatures on the paperwork for the shipping of some of her goods to Vale.
"Yes... Talking to you helped a little. I'll be... I'll give Miss Umbra a call today, whilst I'm on the plane. I'm... I'm done, Adel."
The smile on Adelheid's lips didn't fade, as she knew that Selene Umbra had the means to make a lot of things in this world go just a touch smoother and swifter. "I'm just..."
There was a touch of sadness to her voice. "I want to see my little brother and my sisters again. Mom..." Adelheid could imagine how the woman might look to Saphron's eyes, to be wed to a brute of a man. She could imagine Saphron's dad with long hair, a touch of grey on his temples, perhaps a few scars in the face. A real brute who could do something to a woman and try to shut her up with a punch to the face.
"But..."
Saphron looked uncertain, as behind her the clerk cleared her throat.
"Miss Arc, we are still in the process of processing your transfer to the Kingdom of Vale."
Adelheid looked sympathetic.
"Need a hand, 'big sis'?"
She asked, as she knew the forms that Saphron would have to sign.
"I just filled in mine earlier. I'll be down to the transport authority to get my stuff sent to Sanus. Shipping containers just aren't super on the seas, so I'm splurging a bit on air-lift. Here..."
She pointed at the proper line. "Signature over here, and read through the exit forms properly. Don't worry, I've dealt with this a few times. All part of the job." Saphron gave a wan smile as she seemed to come to some conclusion that amused her.
"Guess my little brother is going to have to beat you off with a stick if you're so knowledgeable, eh?"
Adelheid grinned at the older woman, giving a content little sigh as she mused about it.
'Oh, now that you've said it...'
"It'd be one stick getting beat, big sis... Yep. I've got the bikini ready for a sexy hot summer modelling session!"
It was appropriate for the beach. Small, but still covering most of the naughty bits. A sex on the beach cocktail was just her style, preferably with a bit of good company.
"Oh? Something that'll knock my boots off too?"
The question made Adelheid pause for a moment.
'Oh yeah, she was a lesbian... Funny how you could forget such a thing, Adelheid.'
"Maybe if you're a good girl..."
Adelheid teased, Saphron's grin a little more lively than before.
"I can be a good girl... If given an incentive."
The cough from the clerk that was still in the process of making the arrangements drew them out of their little tease-game, Adelheid grinning a little to herself. This was going along fine! This older sister of the boss-lady's godson definitely had a good mouth on her to throat a tease back.
'Perhaps we can even be drinking buddies! She can go for the girls, I can take the cute guys!'
With the paperwork taken care of, she allowed herself a cheeky smile. "So... We'll probably see each other later, or are you heading to Vale this afternoon?" She had to try and see whether Saphron would like to be cheered up. She felt like she owed the girl a bit for yesterday's sickness.
"This afternoon, no... I think I'll call Miss Umbra."
The look on Saphron's face was conflicted, as she looked away. "Dad is still working with some of the authorities here, he said that he'd be seeing me off at the airport..."
'Well, I guess that we'll be in touch. No offence, Saph, but I don't want to be in the same room as that man.'
She didn't want to be around a man who could do that to a woman that she nominally respected as the payer of her bills.
"Hey, Saph... if you need me, I'll... You've got my Scroll number, right?"
The smile on her friend's face was brighter than before, as she nodded with some enthusiasm.
"Let's go shopping when we're in Vale. We're going to be roomies!"
The look on her friend's face was better now, as she hugged her.
"Thanks, I... I know that things are going to be better... They have to get better, because... Because otherwise..."
Adelheid brushed a finger over her friend's back, right down the spine. It was such a sad case of events that had happened, yet she knew well that there would be another day for Saphron to crawl up out of that pit of darkness.
"It's going to be fine. I'm not just Jaune's publisher, but I'll also be your friend."
Adelheid knew that she'd have to build her friend circle up again in Vale, but that hardly was a problem for her. The tapping on the ground of a cane was loud, as Saphron seemed to relax.
"Miss Moor!" The hug was abandoned, as Adelheid turned around to look at an old lady walking towards them. The aged face looked vibrant still, as the prosthetic hand looked like it had been fitted well.
"How are you?"
The woman smiled kindly. Adelheid immediately could see that Saphron was excited to see the old lady.
'One of the neighbours, perhaps?'
"Good, good... There wasn't much damage except the windows shattering, dearie... I am so sorry for your loss."
The sad look on Saphron's face Adelheid could see, even as Saphron hugged the old woman with gentleness in her motions.
"It's... It's fine, Miss Moor. Why are you here?"
The old woman smiled at Adelheid for a moment, before her attention turned to Saphron.
"Why, I'm moving to Vale. There's not much left here, with the space demolished... Those poor people..."
The woman looked sad, Adelheid noted, as Saphron looked emotional.
"Do you need help moving? Are you okay?" The old woman patted Saphron's hand, her eyes still sharp, in her old age.
"Everything will be taken care of, dearie... You will be in Vale as well, yes?"
Saphron smiled again, the smile much kinder than before.
"Yes, yes... If you need any help, let me know."
There was a purpose in Saphron now, Adelheid could see, already working to make the woman slightly lighter in mood. The old woman, Miss Moor, smiled softly, patting Saphron's shoulder again.
"I've got some assistance. Don't count these old bones out just yet..."
There was a look on that aged face which was confident, as Saphron smiled. "But you can come over for tea, yes. The agent I have sent to look for housing said that there'd be a place available in the eastern district of Vale... It's been nearly fourty years since I last visited Vale... Ahh, the great times of past..."
"War pension... Good for getting a house relatively cheap. They remember our service, Saphron."
The wink that the old biddy gave to Saphron was conspiratorial, as the metal hand raised slightly. "You get to pinch a cute guy's bottom too and act innocent."
"Miss Moor! That's cheeky!" The woman nodded, smiling and unveiling a little smirk that was conspiratorial.
"That's what I said to the guy on the tram too, girl."
Saphron gave a soft giggle, the weight of the day seemingly lightening for an instant. "Now... I do need to get to that clerk for the paperwork. I was going to inquire with your former partner about where you had moved to, but it was... well, the poor dear isn't in much of a state. Truly saddening to see the two of you break up."
"We've... We've split our ways. She goes left, I go right... She blames me for the death of... little Adrian."
Saphron's voice was a little thicker, the memory of the woman who had loved her there. Adelheid hadn't seen the woman, but she got the general gist of it from talking to Saphron. A woman who had been busy with her work to support the family, who had trusted Saphron to take care of the child that she had birthed into this world.
"As long are you are happy, Saphron. That's all that matters. You were not at fault. Dust explosions happen... It wasn't your fault, dearie."
Saphron smiled at the old woman, sighing softly. "I should plod along. I do expect to hear from you, young lady!" As the woman ambled away, Saphron sighed softly.
"Heavy feelings?" Adelheid asked, as Saphron nodded.
"She was my neighbour, across the street. We always had a moment to chat. She doesn't trust technology much, but I guess that it was just enough for the blast to ruin her fine dishes." There was a melancholic glint in Saphron's eyes, as Adelheid patted the girl's arm.
"But it's nice that she's going to Vale too. Argus might just have too many bad memories..."
Adelheid tried to clarify, Saphron smiling gently at the old woman's back, the cane swung at the legs of a young man.
"She's lived in various places. She told me stories about how Haven Academy was built... She's old. But it is nice to see that she's coming to Vale too. I like her. Adel... Let's get that shopping trip and some ice-cream when we're both in Vale, alright?" Saphron's voice sounded better, at least from the sound of it.
'Ice-cream and a shopping spree...'
"Bring your brother and we'll make it a shopping spree for three!"
She offered, excitement already in her nature. Shopping was great to get a good look at what the client's sense of style was... and to get something nice to wear for when they'd go clubbing. Saphron looked like the type who'd like to be out and about.
'In Vale, we'll start to get our lives on... That sounds like a good slogan, I suppose...'
She was going to be producing the best Huntsman of the year, or at least do the damn best to make it so! No matter what, she'd keep looking at the bright side of things...
After she'd had a drink to celebrate. Just one, of course.
Huntsmanmaster sounded like a good choice...
Jaune's gaze was drawn to the blonde woman who stood in front of them, her stern countenance like a burning flame in the sea of students, the intimidating presence lesser than his mama, yet the green eyes regarding him with what might be barely veiled contempt, or at the very least the calm assurance that he was not going to be anything more than just another footnote in an illustrious career.
The woman's back was straight as she moved the riding crop towards the board on which the course goals had been outlined. "I demand strict discipline. No goofing off in my class will be tolerated. You are Huntsmen in training and decorum is something that we expect of all of our students." The woman's voice was sharp and clear, as nobody really made a peep. It was a hush that only a teacher who had the ability to quiet an entire room with a glance could have, or one that had walked in, levitated several of the students off the floor and set them down with a flick of her riding crop.
"In this class, you will be training to face down human opponents, as a Huntsman is never fully focused towards the culling of Grimm. Do not think that you can work less because you will be facing your classmates."
There was expectation in her voice, even as he caught Weiss' worried look. He had been pale ever since this morning, Pyrrha's gentle shaking of his shoulder having woken him up from his slumber.
It had been a pleasant dream, Pyrrha's dancing skills put to the test in a slow Valean Waltz, disturbed by the girl herself. It was nice seeing that she cared for him enough, after the ordeal that they'd been through the past night, showing that she stuck with her team leader without question.
'A good loyal adjutant, ready to defend her leader...'
A hand in her development as such would never be wrong... Mama was always cautious to go with protection for herself, so it would be reasonable that he would have a bodyguard of some sort.
He drew himself out of his thoughts as he heard his name being called. "Mister Jaune Arc and Mister Winchester, please take to the ring." He glanced at Pyrrha, before he went up, popping the shield up from his belt. The weight was greater than he had expected, but he was able to lift it as well as the sword. The drills that he had done with it before meeting with Selene had been enough to instil in him a measure of control over the weapon's swings, though he was not as good as his father was.
'Playing it safe would be best...'
His aura wasn't big, and the dark ocean continued to stretch and bubble, the feeling of the pain starting around his chest once more, his hand pulling his Scroll out and synchronising it with the screen display. Watching the other teenager stand there with a cocky expression on his face, he felt sudden distaste well up inside him.
"Start."
The blonde educator spoke and the armoured mace-wielder was in motion, swinging the large mace. Jaune dodged it by taking a few steps back, aware that the moment that it would hit him, it would be over for him. The flame inside his ocean was slowly dimming, the anger that emerged within his chest welling up as he caught sight of a scornful look in the other teenager's eyes.
'If I didn't have to work around my low aura...'
He had beaten Tyrian with the elemental magics, and he could beat this teenager as well... but it would make it harder for him. He blocked the next strike with the shield, feeling the shock travel up his arm. His Aura seemed to be shaved off slightly from the pressure that he felt, his eyes meeting with the taller teen's again. Displeasure and irritation welled within those eyes like a pit of filth, disgust and displeasure.
"Give me a challenge, Arc."
'I've beaten people stronger than you...'
He felt the mace slam against his side and he dropped, a small buzzer audible as the voice of the teacher came. "Winchester wins." It was a simple statement of the facts, yet he didn't like it. The urge inside him to call the flame and burn the other teenager to ashes was growing, brewing within him. The ocean of darkness slowly shrunk the flame inside his body, brushing away the torment with pure anger and indignation.
"Bring a fight next time, Arc. We've got no time for weaklings over here."
The taunt was accepted, as he got up slowly, taking his time to get up and glancing at the screen. His aura was depleted fully, the hit having sent him immediately out of the protective shield.
'Let's see if you like having your eyeballs boil in your skull...'
The thought was mean-spirited and wicked, yet there was nothing but irritation in his eyes. "Mister Winchester, focus on your peripheral vision. If you are blindsided by one of the allies of the opponent you are fighting, you will have to defend, whereas you have the opportunity to focus on an all-out offensive against someone like Mister Arc here." The teacher's critique was delivered in the manner of someone who had seen everything.
"Mister Arc, may I suggest attacking, rather than shielding? Very well... The next pair up, Russel Thrush and Reginald Aubergine."
Jaune's body ached slightly from the fall that he had taken after the hit from Cardin's mace, the burning inside his body aching. The commentary from the teacher had stoked within the flames of wrath, as he rejoined his team. He could see Weiss looking at him with worry in her eyes, her question already spoken to his mind.
"Why are you so weak?"
Loathing and frustration welled up inside him at the thoughts that defeat brought to him, the ocean wrapping around his little flame, smothering it. He could feel the coolness slip through his body at the feelings, his eyes meeting Ruby's incidentally.
The ocean ignited as the flame shot up brightly, searing away the darkness, his whole body feeling warmer and fresher than it had been. A slow exhale followed, as silver eyes met with his own, a little smile quirking on his lips. The dark thoughts inside him came back, the feeling burning in his chest.
"It's okay, I'm sure..."
Pyrrha's voice was soft, trying to encourage him. Ren and Nora looked at him, a feeling of worry surging from them. They were concerned that their leader was so weak, but he knew that he would not be able to do what he could, fully...
The thought of Cardin's half-seared face was starting to grow more appealing by the minute, yet he was aware that he could not voice such a thought. He had an image to appear. The smile didn't reach his eyes in the slightest, as he closed them. "It's fine, I'm just trying to get stuff to work."
"Will you go for a minute in the ring, or are you just here to look pretty, Arc?" Cardin's voice came from his side and he opened his eyes, looking at the tall teenager, the look of cocky arrogance on his face.
"At least I can last for longer than a minute where it counts, Cardin."
The response slipped out before he'd known he'd even thought it, the look on Cardin's face darkening slightly, as it must've hit a sore spot.
"A sock isn't a proper girlfriend, loser." Jaune could retort about that, but he held his tongue. His eyes met with Cardin's, the dislike within them visible. "Now go and train better, or else you'll be embarrassing Nikos with your sorry performance."
"I'm perfectly happy with his performance, thank you very much."
The words from Pyrrha were stronger than she'd intended, her cheeks flushing softly. "He's not the most physically adept, but I would imagine that he is more aware than you are." He flashed a grateful smile at her, her green eyes softening for an instant as she regarded him.
"Oh, seems like you've got her approval... I guess there's no accounting for taste. See you in the ring next time, Arc."
The feelings inside him snapped like a rubber band snapping, his eyes closing as he exhaled slowly, the bright flame inside him dimming as the dark ocean roiled once more with the power that it provided.
'Remember what mama said... There are people out there who would hunt me down...'
It probably saved Cardin from the result of his anger, as he calmed himself down through force of will. He opened his eyes after what seemed to be an eternity to look at Pyrrha's concerned face. She bit her lower lip in concern, her gaze resting on his face. "Your eyes are a little bloodshot..."
"That'll fade away."
He mumbled, feeling the darkness ebb inside him. Pyrrha gave him a hopeful smile, as she fingered a crystal. "Thank you for supporting me, Pyrrha, and you too, Nora, Ren. You guys are great."
Nora's smile brightened her face up a lot, as Ren gave him what amounted to a shy smile, one that would look more natural if the rest of the facial features worked alongside it.
"Are you... okay?"
Weiss' voice came from behind him, as he turned around, her concerned expression visible, a nervousness in her behaviour.
"It's just... well, it's okay now. No harm done, heh." He smiled, though he knew that she would be more concerned about his thoughts. The desire to make sure that someone hurt was rising, even as the combat class continued, Ruby called to the sparring ring to spar against someone from another section of the class.
"If you say so..."
She said, doubting him. The anger did not abate within him, as his gaze went to Cardin, who was saying something to his companion, the bitter sting inside his heart of anger continuing onward to fester.
"You know me..." He laughed, even as she flushed.
"Thank you for caring, Weiss."
She looked away, a soft smile on her face. "That's... That's normal, isn't it? We're friends." She looked up once more, right into his eyes.
"You're lovebirds, that's what."
Yang, the blonde sister to the silver-eyed Ruby, spoke up, his frown coming to his face again, as he looked at the bodacious blonde, who was brushing her fingers over the bracelets at her wrists. "She was all aflutter about what you might think about her last night."
"I was not! Don't get weird thoughts in your head, you... you dateless virgin."
That seemed to hit a sensitive snare, as the blonde's gaze turned fiercer and with more heat in her eyes.
"Let's not talk here, shall we?"
He suggested, the blonde and the pale-haired girl silenced in a single move. "And if you'd like to have what she's having, the offer is always open." A look of disgust was given by the blonde, as he frowned. "Friendship. Weiss is...'
He couldn't resist smiling, as he imagined the feeling of her body warmly laid against himself once more in the comfort of a bed. "She's amazing." The Schnee heiress turned slightly pink in the cheeks, as Yang merely gave him a sour look.
"I'm watching you two..."
She said, her voice sounding suspicious of the two of them. He knew that it probably was jealousy talking. Clearly she was just jealous of the great friendship that he and Weiss had.
He noticed that he'd been stroking over Weiss' side, the girl's cheeks flushed, as she smiled at him. "You should smile more often like that. It brings out your eyes." The redness flushed her cheeks and he smiled encouragingly at the girl.
'You're a great friend, Weiss. I am so happy to know you.'
"It's... it's nothing, Jaune. I'd... I'm..."
She smiled shyly, to which he gave her hip a pat.
"Amazing."
The word came to his lips and she blushed a deep red. "Really someone who's always concerned for her friends. I hope that you'll really enjoy being friends with your team."
She looked away, taking a deep breath. Ruby perked up. "She's already a good friend. I mean, she gets a little huffy and shouts at times, but that's just regular things, right? Yang gets loud in the morning as well." The blonde girl flushed at the words of her sister, as he smiled at her.
"Beryl is loud too when she's practising. She's actually going out to train to be a boxer and bring back prize money. Mom thinks she's working... Heh."
His older sister was the more tomboyish member of the family, and she always had something going on with her. Either there were bruises on her face or she'd had bloodied knuckles, but her optimism was something that always seemed to brighten the faces of the other members of the family.
He looked at his team, as Professor Goodwitch called the class to order and then outlined the goals for the course once more, impressing upon them that she wished to see improvement next week. As they were dismissed, he fell in line with Nora and Ren, Pyrrha trailing behind him.
"How is your body feeling?"
Ren inquired in a soft tone. There was a hint of concern in his voice, as Jaune knew that Pyrrha had told the others about what had happened. It had been mere luck that the lightning Dust had been available, or he might've died.
"A bit aching... It's not like I can just burst loose."
The thought of doing so bounced in his mind, the knowledge of the power within him still somewhat sparse, yet the power that it granted him already known. Mama would know more about it, yet she wasn't here. It would be another time spent thinking.
"What if you did?"
The question came, the calmness of the Semblance washing over him. The flame inside him flared, as the ocean seemed to quiver and calm, no longer as restless as it was. "What if you let go, fully?"
"People start dying."
The words were spoken softly, at barely a level where it would start to be audible to others, Nora giving him a look as the Semblance cut off. "I mean... I'm the weakest one out of the four of us."
"No matter what, we'll make sure that you're there to be our brain in the time of need, Jaune."
Nora's voice was convinced, as a grin settled on her face. "How well can you do lightning?"
He supposed that it would be the elements of fire and air, mingled together into something a little more shapeable. "I can try, I guess..." Trying never was a wrong thing, he knew.
"Great, great... Let's go to the gym. Time to get you exercising!"
Her hand was on his wrist, wrapping around it as she nearly dragged him to the gym, Ren smiling softly as he followed after his totally-not-girlfriend. Pyrrha asked something of Ren, to which Jaune could see a surprised look on his face, as well as a double glance at Nora.
It would be interesting to see how they'd work together, though... But first, Nora seemed to be interested in getting him properly trained. He'd put in some effort!
He was going to be Mama's strong Huntsman!
The sandbag quivered as her bare fist hit it once more, her leg raising up to rattle the bag of solid mass, as her body angled, ready to get back into the pacing that it had worked up. She could see the face of her opponent in the bag, already prepared to be bruised and bloodied. She wasn't going to be some easy fish, even if her teeth got knocked out and she'd need a quick refresher of the skills of a boxer.
"Ready for the big fight, blondie?"
The voice of one of her sparring partners spoke up, one of the twins looking at her with a look that was more amused than anything resembling the cold distaste that the girl cultivated whilst working as an enforcer.
"Junior says that it'll be the Mad Bull up tonight..."
Another few jabs, as her leg raised in a kicking stance once more, knowing that tonight was going to net her some Lien that'd be put in the general box for the 'moving out of home' fund. She had been working on this for a while, knowing that it would take a few more matches to be won for her to get enough cash for a small apartment.
"I'll be castrating that asshole if he paws at my tits, Milly."
The words were crude, suitable for the setting in which she was, the backroom generally used for the exercise of the grunts that worked for the front. The thrill of boxing had soon become the thrill of fighting, knowing that the guy or girl you were up against wasn't going to be getting up anytime soon.
Beryl Arc enjoyed the sight of that. She punched hard, she punched fast, and when the guy had a dick, she kicked harder. You had to fight and you had to win. The toughest of fights brought in the most money.
Half of her earnings went to the family, as she had fibbed a job in the produce section of the market to her mother, who had accepted it half-heartedly. As her fist hit the sandbag once again with force, she felt the pain rush through her system. Her Aura had not been awakened, yet the twins had hinted about it, the teasing about her skill being good enough to meet with the boss a hint that she could advance.
"Do so if you dare... We don't like the blood on the floor, blondie... Why, it'd make those floors look even grimier than before..."
There was an order to things. The fights would keep on coming. There would be an order of opponents before she'd be getting the prize.
She was one of the best in the non-Aura division that'd been hosted by the local crime lord, and she knew that to get her fix, she would need to keep on winning. She was already twenty-four, so it was just another moment wasted...
'I'm doing this for the family... Mom might like a new dress...'
Her own needs were hardly met. It was punch or be punched. The sense that such a thing made was enough, as the adrenaline went higher and higher. Already, her knee was starting to hurt from one of the motions that she'd enthusiastically laid into the sandbag, her mind having slipped to that state of readiness.
"How about you take me on, blondie... Might get you a harder beating than the asshole who's going to be up in the ring with you." Beryl grinned, as she licked her lips.
"Like the girl who ruined Junior's main club, eh? Didn't you get your head smashed through the floor there, or was that just Mort's little way of congratulating you?"
The hiss from the girl and the faint grimace on the face meant that the jibe had hit the proper way. "No need to get pissy... I mean, I don't pick on teens."
"No, but you do pick on adults." The other twin said as she sauntered in, her heels clicking onto the floor, the tiles switching to the mat. "Really, are you ready to fight?" The cocky grin on her face, showing her perfect teeth, or at least, the perfect set of teeth that'd been regrown thanks to some backdoor doctoring from this guy who owed Junior a few favours, looking right into the eyes of the white-dressed teen.
"That so bad, Milly? Want to be in the ring with me for a few rounds without your boots?"
The huff sound that Melanie made as she stretched her fingers lightly, glancing at her sister, unspoken words being transmitted between the two of them.
"Or... is there something else that you'd like to tell me, hmmm? Mad perverse lust for this cute rockin' body?"
Beryl had nothing against homosexuals, except when they got a little too grabby. Saphron was bad enough to have had a partner who'd blatantly checked her out, but sometimes, they got a little handsy, thinking that they'd like their teeth to be used as street decoration...
"Keep on dreaming, blondie. If you weren't the Striking Berry, we'd not be talking to you."
Melanie was a lot bolder than her sister, at least as far as Beryl had guessed it. The thrill of fighting in these matches never lost its flavour, as the punches she received and those she dealt were always something to add another bite to the fight.
"It's my winning personality, Pasty. You and Red Tide can't get close to the perfection that is me." She was proud of herself, even with her attitude like this.
'Dad didn't raise no daughters that were weak, nope!'
Not that her dad would approve of her entering illegal cage matches where people beat the ever-living shit out of each other for the enjoyment of the crowd. Looking into the mirror, she let her gaze rest on her body for a moment, the tight tank top that stretched pretty womanly thanks to her in-shape body and the six-pack that was already looking finer than the washboard abs that she liked on the guys she'd have a date or two with. Short blonde hair, cut in the typical Valean style that'd make her look cute as a button and still damn fierce, as her bright blue eyes finished the deal.
'Arc perfection... and a fucking beast in the ring too, wooh!'
She did a little fist-pump at her reflection, the look on the twins' face more confusion than anything else, the feeling inside her being higher than she'd had before, the need for that rush and release of those happy surges.
Four hours later, as she ducked below a punch and delivered a cracking jab to the guy's gut, she felt the rush push through her system, as the crowd jeered and shouted. There was little that beat the feeling of being alive as her hair was grabbed by one of the guy's hands, and her leg swept, dragging the guy down. Mounting him, her fists continued to slam down onto the guy's face, trying to make sure that it hurt plenty.
Blood coated her knuckles as the grip on her head was let go, and the fist smacked her face, though there was less force behind it.
"That's it, you fuck... Give up."
She was the queen of this place, right as of this moment. Some others were better than her, but they didn't have the guts to get into the ring. As the body went limp and laid there, she allowed herself a fierce grin, knowing that she'd just succeeded in winning this match.
Getting up from the body of the man and seeing that some of the medic guys were already chomping at the bit to get the body out, she raised a bloodied fist, knowing that she'd made bank this evening.
'Good... A shower, then getting some cash for the bank and making my way over to home...'
She wasn't going to get her ass beat by some weakling, after all. Stepping into the shower and rinsing the blood and sweat from her body, she allowed a moment of repose, before she changed to something a touch more conservative, her fingers already fastening the buttons of the blouse that she'd decided was her 'work blouse' for when mom came to question.
'Whatever you know...'
Mom would never find out. Only four out of her siblings knew what she did. Saphron had found out through an accidental encounter post-match, and Verde and Jade had been at one of the matches and confronted her the next morning. Rouge had cautioned her, when she'd seen her add some of the Lien cards that she'd earned at the fights to the general money pot that'd been put in the living room for 'donations' from the members that had a job.
It was only the fact that she technically shouldn't be tossing hundred-Lien cards into the pot that Rouge had been clued in.
'Better get some good cut from the bets...'
"So, girls... Care to escort this princess of punching to the exit?"
The twins looked at her and Miltia shook her head, her gaze drawn to their boss and employer, Junior, the man located behind the bar. A man in a bowler hat and one of the pedo stalker suits sat there, smoking a cigar.
"We're guarding the boss right now... Go find your own ride home, blondie."
There was no need for a name to be given, as she knew that the girls meant well.
It was easier to see them as 'sort-of-friends' rather than merely 'co-workers'. In a way they were like her younger sisters, who didn't really know the wonders of fighting. Sure, the twins did know that, but they were a touch high-class in their nature. For such short girls, they talked a tall game at times... Though that mostly was Melanie.
"See you tomorrow?"
She guessed, Melanie shrugging her shoulders, the red-clothed twin giving a similar shrug at the same time.
"If we're not too busy..."
That was as good as she could get, Beryl guessed. It wasn't something that she would easily accept.
'Looks like it's almost three at night...'
She hopped onto her bike and pedalled a little quicker, making good time. It was a chore to get to the Club from home, but she gladly did it. The thrill of exercising and fighting made her feel better, plus the money was good.
As she entered the home, she threw her coat onto the rack, next to the six other coats of the other women in the house, her mother half-leaning against the wall.
"Morning, sweetheart... Work hard?"
She smiled and hugged her mother. The woman might be a lot older than she was, but it was still her mother. Dad always would be concerned about her working conditions, but it was fine, of course...
"Yeah, I handled beef today. Here, I got a tip from a guy."
A fifty Lien card was pulled out and held out. "Figured you might like a nice dress... Though I'll say, handling the beef gets a bit tiresome. Might have to get some chicken... Everyone likes chicken breasts. Heard anything from Saph?"
"She'll be coming to Vale tomorrow, I heard. She said that she'd have an apartment for herself somewhere in the upper district."
Beryl whistled softly. That wasn't a neighbourhood where space came cheap, especially with some of the homes that were on sale there. A regular hangout for the people who had cash and who also wanted some space.
"Damn, sis must've gotten a settlement for that accident or something."
Beryl could understand that perfectly well, seeing as the place had been demolished. That Jaune's friend Miss Umbra had been willing to foot the bill for the medical costs was something that undoubtedly went up in her favour.
"Well, I'd hope she gives that settlement to us... We've been hit with a bill for seven thousand Lien."
A low whistle came from her lips, Beryl catching herself at the last moment from saying the low 'Fuck me with a rake' that threatened to slip out. It wasn't already a good thing to swear around her mother.
"I've had to ask for an extension, but according to Argus law, the bill went to the closest family that showed. I'll ask around, maybe Harmon knows something..." Beryl kept her mouth shut. It wasn't nice to say bad things about people in her mother's presence, but this just proved to her that it was going to be a lot more matches in her future.
'Just as I thought I might've been able to get out of here...'
'We're going to see her at the airport, right?" She asked, as she walked to the stairs, about to go up to her bedroom.
"Of course. Jaune will be there as well with his team, I heard. I hope they're nice."
Beryl hoped so too. Whilst her little brother had always been the most girlish of boys that she'd known, he had a good heart in his chest. It was beating full of that zest of life... and she'd rather not see that be spoiled.
'Yeah... I remember kicking the shit out of that asshole who bullied my little brother... So what if I was eight years his senior, huh? Kids shouldn't be bullying my lil' brother.'
Idly, she wondered whether her brother would be on a team with girls on it. Girls that went on to become Huntsmen tended to be bolder and more forward than most civilians, like her.
'He'd probably be blushing wildly when they showed a hint of tits... Heh. I bet he's still a virgin.'
She hadn't caught the hubbub that'd happened around the time when Saphron had landed in the hospital, the match that she'd finished that evening netting her about 200 Lien. She'd been home too late to really know what'd happened fully with dad and how quick he'd booked it out of there to go and be with Saphron.
'Selene Umbra, eh?'
She might need to have a word with Jaune's 'friend' if she had been willing to fly dad out to Argus. That'd cost money, and she wasn't going to get it. The sound of the ringing phone drew her from her thoughts, as she was closest, picking it up.
"You've reached the Arc household... What can we do with you?" The soft sigh that came from the other end of the line was heavy, her mind registering the sister that it belonged to.
"Hey Bear... I just... I just wanted to call. I can call, can't I?" The voice of her older sister was tired, even as the connection turned static, fizzing and popping. The line wasn't that great, but Beryl nevertheless smiled.
"Of course, Saph... Are you alright?" The sigh from the other end of the line was enough to clue her in that things weren't alright.
"I'm... I'm better. I made a friend, she's around Jay and Ver's age... She's nice, I guess..." Beryl cracked a light smile.
"Is... Is mom okay?"
"Fine, as far as I can see..." She didn't look very different from what she'd seen in the afternoon, Beryl thought. "We got a bill for seven thousand Lien for your hospital costs... What... What happened? That Umbra woman did-"
A snarl, a cold and angry sound came from the phone, as her older sister seemed to realize something. "She's right to do it, Bear... She's... I've got to come crawling to her for money, and... and I don't..."
There was a restlessness in the womanly voice of her older sister, a confusion that seemed to be thicker than the regular.
'Is she still on the drugs from the hospital?'
Painkillers could soothe the pain and mind of people, but... she didn't really like them much. Adrenaline was good enough to dull the pain when they were socking you in the face with a fist or two. "Why is she backing out? I thought that she'd said that she would and-"
"Things happened. Dad said something that he shouldn't have."
The tone of her older sister was uncharacteristically cold, as a shuddering breath came from her. "Is... is mom home?"
"She's home, but it's late, Saph..."
She was aware that it must be afternoon there, but the time difference always was a touch iffy for her to catch up.
"Let me... Let me talk to mom. And... Don't worry about the bill. I'll... I'll see if I can get a deal. Jaune's good at talking to the woman, she'll..." There was a defeated tone to her voice, even as guilt welled up inside Beryl. She felt for her older sister, who had lost her partner's baby and been hit by a sudden divorce.
"It'll be okay, Saphron... We're all here. Dad will help out too, you don't have to beg a woman for money and-"
There was a clicking sound, as the tone of the Scroll clicked off. Saphron had muted the call on her end, the physical phone still receiving.
"Sorry Bear, I had to... bad reaction to the medications..."
Beryl could understand that. Some of the stuff that you received from over the counter was just that bad. All it would take was one really bad day... and Saphron certainly had a bad week.
"Please let me talk to mom... And... And give the others a hug from me. I'll be in Vale in a day's time..."
The tone was a touch more hopeful, her sister's eyes brighter than before undoubtedly, as Beryl hoped that things were to go right for her sister again.
She'd have to see about getting some more exercise in for her next bout...
If they couldn't get rid of the bill... It'd stretch the finances a lot.
Saphron looked at the Scroll, waiting for her mother to come to the phone. She'd thrown up, hearing her sister talk about dad. The thought of him touching her sent shudders through her body, the feeling of nervousness surfacing again.
'No... Beryl wouldn't understand. She thinks dad is cool...'
It wasn't like there weren't favourites amongst the family for each parent. Her father had once doted on her, because she was one of the eldest members of the family. With Miss Umbra's assistance, Rouge and the others had been able to go to school, to learn... It wasn't like they were destitute right now, but... money was still tight. It had obviously been tax-deductible as a gift of sorts, she had heard something about that from the local women's group, but...
The thought of being with her dad... It was so wrong. She could still see it in the corners of her eyes, the image never fading, the struggling woman replaced now with her own. Every time he touched her, she flinched... It was hard to explain to him, so she had mentioned that she felt a little skittish...
To lie to her dad... She wouldn't have ever thought that she could. The man had been trustable, a defender of her and her sisters, even if Jaune had always been the boy of the house that'd been given more encouragement to be anything but a Huntsman.
Lying came a lot easier when you woke up in the bed in the hotel room that'd been booked for her by Miss Umbra's driver, gasping and whimpering whilst you remembered how the man had raped another woman and he might have been capable of doing it to her.
'They'll...'
They'd never understand. Dad was strong, he was a Huntsman.
'And I'm just a very weak woman.'
She didn't mind being weak. She didn't mind someone who would be able to defend her, whilst she managed the household. She wasn't someone who minded doing the vacuuming and the cleaning, as long as she was loved.
'Time to face the music...'
"Hello there, mom." The sound of her mother's voice over the phone drove the pain home once more.
"I thought I'd call..."
She knew that the woman loved her, but there was going to be a tough talk between the two of them. What dad did... She couldn't talk with anyone about it. Adel had said that it would be hard to prosecute with a Huntsman doing the crime...
"Are you feeling alright?" The concern in her mother's face was not faked, but she wondered briefly how she could stand to live with dad... "Sweetheart... We've just received a call from the hospital..."
She knew what her mother was going to ask for, before she started the topic. The money that she owed the hospital thanks to Selene Umbra pulling out of the payment... it'd have to come from somewhere. "Bear said something about it. It's... it's much, isn't it?"
"I'll have to ask a friend about it... Perhaps they can do something about it, help with a bit of payment..."
The thought of her mother going so far as to ask her friends for money didn't sit well with her, as she knew that they were still able to keep their head afloat thanks to Dad's good skills at killing...
'And raping.'
"I'll ask miss Umbra whether... whether she can pay off the rest. I'm... She's angry. Dad really said something to her that angered her." It was a white lie. She'd said something and then he'd just raped her. It was so visceral and the woman had looked so hurt... the marks on her face.
"Ashton does that sometimes... He's an emotional man at times." Saphron closed her eyes. "Perhaps I should talk to the woman as well, see if there isn't something that we can do. Your dad isn't a bad man, he loves you."
'It'd tear the family apart...'
She wasn't going to be making excuses for the man, but it was something that she knew to be true. A divorce would probably see most of them on the streets. They were all adults, save for Jaune, but they lived at home for a reason. Living outside of the house cost money that they didn't have, the upkeep of the family being something that they all had to chip in on. She was fairly sure that with the twins enjoying the nightlife as it was, there would be a bigger drain on the finances...
"No, it's... It's okay. I can do that, you don't have to worry."
She loved her mother, yet she also knew that the woman was not one of the people who lived a life without worry.
'I don't want you to worry...'
"I'll be arriving tomorrow afternoon, your time. I'll send Rouge the details through the Scroll, it'll be a late flight..." She knew that it would be something a touch different if she couldn't convince Miss Umbra to pay for it... Fear and anticipation warred, as she knew that she should at the very least be worried.
'I hope that Jaune is understanding...'
"We'll all be there, don't worry... We're not going to let our little Saphron come home alone."
The smile that blossomed on her lips was better than the one that she'd worn. Her sisters were there... as was her mother.
The face of Selene Umbra appeared in her mind's eye, her bruises standing out vividly. "It'll be okay, mom..." She couldn't tell her mother or her sisters about what dad had done...
"Have a good flight, Saphron."
Her mother said, a sigh coming from her own lips at the words. She currently was in her room, waiting for the moment when she was able to get herself prepared fully for the business of packing what meagre belongings that she had.
"I love you, mom."
She mumbled, shutting the call off after a moment.
Selecting the number on the Scroll, she waited for a moment before she heard the sound of the call connecting, a groggy voice mumbling a little something about being woken up.
'I suppose I should've called earlier...'
"Jaune... Do you think that you can get leave to see me at the airport? My flight arrives in the afternoon, and... Well..."
His breathing was comfortable, as he flicked on a light at the bedside.
"Sure... What time? We'll be there, big sis..."
He smiled at her with a warmth in his eyes that was like a comfortable blanket, wrapping around him and telling her that the world was going to make sense again.
"I'll send you the flight details in a moment. Thanks, I... I've got a favour to ask of miss Umbra... How do you think..."
There was hesitation. The woman might not want to see her, but the woman had shown such emotion, she'd been kind and warm and nice.
"What do you need?" He asked, the shadows shrouding his eyes. They were a deep dark blue colour, she noticed, almost purple in the light of the lamp, his voice dependable.
"Money. I'm... Mom's been given the bill from the hospital, after Miss Umbra pulled out..."
There was something in his features, a frown that turned almost into a pout at the thought of that happening, as his eyes looked at him.
"Why?" The question hit her.
'Because dad raped her.'
Those words, she could not utter. There was a rule for etiquette, plus... It was his friend, an older woman that he seemingly respected enough to feel such strong emotions for. She had helped Rouge out with her college fund and her donation, otherwise...
'I'd have to do what Violet does.'
It wasn't really spoken of within the household, what with Beryl being the standard tomboy girl that punched someone's lights out and Jade and Verde being more of the party twins, but Violet, her younger sister, had been the 'black sheep' more or less. Mom and dad didn't know, but she'd imagine that they'd be upset to find out that their daughter did sell her body for Lien.
It'd only come up once during a conversation when Violet had been drunk together with her and Rouge, but it had been an episode that both Rouge and herself had said to 'never mention again'. Her sister had a problem, and she wasn't going to be making that problem worse.
'No... I'll never be a whore. I'm not ever going to do that.'
Violet, out of most of the sisters of the house, contributed the most. The expenses for food that they had usually ran between 900 Lien to a thousand, so it was not unsurprising to know that a good five-hundred of the money came from Violet. She was a 'secretary', according to what the others knew.
'Getting stuffed with sausage by the 'boss' of the hour... feh.'
"Saphron? Saph? Please... talk to me?"
The question drew her out of her own pity party and she realized that she'd zoned out.
"Is everything okay? I won't... I won't ask if something bad happened, please... Be okay."
She smiled, knowing that he meant well.
'Good ol' dependable Jaune... Just as adorable in a dress as he is in a set of clothes that fit him.'
"No, it's... I was just thinking."
Thinking about what her younger sister did during the nights. Thinking about what she'd have to do to get Selene Umbra on her side...
"I love you, Saphron."
She smiled. He was such a good brother. "I'll... I'll make sure that she gives you whatever you need. She's... She's wonderful. She's a great mama." The word was strange, hearing it from her brother's mouth, but it fit. She was like a mother that made sure that you were alright. The woman had been through some bad things undoubtedly, yet she had supported a young child that had only known her through a text medium.
"She'd be a great aunt, I know..."
She admitted. The woman didn't feel unkind or cold... She'd... She'd comforted her. That was something, yes...
"I'll... call her. Yes, that's what I'll do." She muttered to herself looking at the tired expression that she made in the reflection on her Scroll. It was not something that she should burden Jaune with. He was a good brother but...
'Still better than dad...'
The thought of Jaune turning out like dad was something that she'd never be able to imagine. It was so strange to even imagine that he would be having sex...
It made her feel like she was seeing a different side of her little brother than what she'd seen before. It wasn't something that would have entered her notice, but contrasting her father and her younger brother...
'He'd die before he'd ever lay his hand on a woman. We raised him well...'
He would be drowning in pussy if he did what she'd suggested he do... But that would mean that she'd be alone. She'd still be alone, having to face a court case and having to pay for the treatment... There was no way that the family could spend seven thousand on medical costs with the budget that they had.
'He called her mama... a great mama.'
"Have a good night, little brother. Sorry for disturbing your sleep."
She apologized to him softly, seeing the flicker of a smile on his face.
"It's okay... The guys around me are sleeping pretty heavily. I'm going to be a Huntsman."
She smiled at his enthusiasm, as his blue eyes looked at the camera, seemingly at her.
"And I'm going to make you smile again, Saphron."
She was crying now. It was... cheesy. It was something that her brother would say, as he'd sat through the seventh iteration of the romantic movies with the rest of them, wearing something embarrassing.
"Thanks, little brother."
She wiped at her eyes, as she firmed herself up. She was... stronger. She was Saphron Arc, not-so-bad-ass sister of Jaune Arc, daughter of Carmella and Ashton Arc... and she was going to do this.
"I love you, big sis." She sniffled a little, as she rubbed at her eyes.
"Tell that to your girlfriend, Jaune. Not to some sister that's going to be single for a while."
He tilted his head to the side, as she saw that amusement shine in her eyes.
"Remember what dad said? All you need is confidence!" The words hit her. Her smile turned pained.
"Y-yes. S-sleep tight."
She shut the connection off before she set the scroll down and made her way to the toilet. Lunch ran out of her mouth in a gush of reddish tomato soup and half-digested bread buns and stomach acid, the words making her feel sick.
'All you need is confidence and...'
She started to sob softly. The pain inside her continued to burn and writhe, supporting herself. A sick and twisted laugh came from her lips, panicked and fearful.
'All you need is confidence.'
She felt the pain inside her, remembering that barely thought encounter. It had been...
'They'd...'
Terra had lied to her. Jeremy had not gone home. They'd...
More acid and slime joined the contents of the bowl, her stomach protesting against its violent emptying. She felt sick and she felt stupid.
'What woman trusts her wife's former lover? You were stupid, Saphron! Why would he even be around?'
She hadn't asked. She'd not liked him much with his jokes about two women and one man, nor did she like with how his eyes strayed to her. It was something that had made her ask whether she could avoid meeting with him, but Terra had said that it was just natural suspicion.
'And I... I believed her.'
She'd been sick a few months after moving to Argus, and...
'What if...'
She rocked gently, as the thought completed itself. Terra had given her a few pills for the stomach-ache and... and...
And her throat burned as more acid tried to come up to join the toilet bowl and failed, her whole body shuddering at the feeling of being used like that.
'She took care of me... Adrian was only newly born and... She said that it was just a heavier period whilst the fever broke... I don't remember if I had my period back then and... oh gods... oh gods...'
She whimpered, crying bitter tears. She'd been violated by her partner and her ex-partner, made into a nanny and had the little life inside her terminated on his insistence...
'But it wouldn't look good for the lesbian to get a baby whilst her partner carried her own baby, now would it? It wouldn't be good to see that the kid would pop out looking like the ex-partner, who 'never had sex with the new partner', right?'
It took her thirty minutes to get up, wiping the vomit from her lips and make herself look more presentable. There was a moment that she looked at herself in the mirror, noticing the bags under her eyes and briefly wondering whether there would be a need for some makeup to be done before she'd grovel before a rich businesswoman.
'You can do this, Saphron... You can beg a woman who has every reason to hate you and your family...'
She pressed the button to call the woman. She was going to be the best beggar in the history of the world, if she had to.
'No matter what... Terra and Jeremy will get what they deserve...'
She allowed herself a small smile as she looked at the incoming call, aware that the person calling her had reached the end of her rope. Schooling her features in a look that was suitably cool, she answered the phone, making sure that all the woman could see from the other end would be the blank wall behind her.
"You have a lot of nerve calling me, Arc."
Barely restrained anger infused her tone, as she spoke to the young woman, whose face looked a little messy.
'Not quite the decorum that I would expect from a sister of my little prince...'
"I..." The girl shut up, as Salem looked at the image of the woman on the screen. "I'd like to say sorry."
"That didn't help me very much, girl."
The livid anger was enough for the girl, aware that Selene Umbra had been raped by the man that she had lovingly called Father all her life.
"I would say that sorry is the word that has the least impact."
The look on the girl's face realized it, the blue eyes looking at her, a sense of despair in those eyes. No longer were they bold or fierce... They looked properly cowed, as a woman should be when interacting with their queen.
"I had hoped to spare you... You are not your father."
The wince, the anger in those eyes that flared up.
'Oh... The girl definitely feels the flame of rage...'
"I will never be like him. I... I've had a dream."
The special movie a night ago would undoubtedly feature. The proudest woman in the world would quiver upon seeing that, Salem knew... And that's why she did it. Her prince deserved nothing but the best of the best...
"And, what... Was that dream? Are you here to merely talk to me about your dreams, Saphron Arc? Do you think my time worth so little that you can speak to me about dreams and hopes?"
The anger within her voice was a touch lighter, as she let her gaze rest on the young woman, still fit and with that look in her eyes.
'A woman should know her place...'
"I... Terra is going to sue me. Her man is going to sue me too, probably. I am not a beggar, but... But..."
The words hesitated, yet Salem knew that the girl would have been more convinced...
"You need money."
She delivered those three words with a coolness that was as frigid as the love between her husband and herself. "So you have come to me, for money."
The blonde on the other end of the connection nodded, looking away. There were tears...
'Now... Show me what your devotion is...'
"You've called a woman who your father abused and... violated... for money. You need money to get yourself out of that deep pit..."
Saphron Arc looked at her, her eyes teary and pleading. She would destroy the girl if she shut the connection off with a strongly worded response...
'Making you commit suicide is just a swift trick... But Jaune wouldn't like that.'
"I want to make them pay. They raped me! I was nothing but a nanny, one who was a... an..."
The look of anger on the girl's face was enough, the cracks showing. What had been near-on a week of trauma had finally started to break the woman.
"Jaune said that you would help! He said that you would..."
The plea for her mercy was briefly entertained, as the woman's tears slid down her cheeks.
'Oh, but I will... I always keep my promises...'
"He is probably the kindest man in your family."
She said, neutrally. She felt her own heart beat a little faster. It had been an interesting talk earlier with Tyrian. The scorpion Faunus had been beside himself, yet the words had been had with the man. That Jaune had shown mercy to the man was so like her little prince that it was like a charm.
'Use the pawns that you receive, make a disadvantage into an advantage...'
"He is, but I-" Salem cleared her throat, looking at the Scroll.
"It is out of consideration for him that I am not shutting this call down, Miss Arc."
Her voice was cool once more, the look on the other woman's face pained, as she glanced away. It was a sore spot for the girl, undoubtedly due to the fact that she was now pleading.
"Help me take my revenge and... and I'll..."
The girl broke. There was a fit of raw, livid anger within those eyes, as she realized just how far she would take her wrath.
"Meet me in fifty minutes at the Argus central market. I will give you one chance, girl. Come alone... I have no desire to meet with your father again."
It was a soft hope that blossomed within Saphron Arc's eyes, yet it was a hope nevertheless, wrought with the feeling of desire and craving.
'Don't worry, my dear...'
She shut the connection off, as she had an appointment to go to.
Stepping out of her rented car after a short trip, the driver taking care of the menial thing such as parking, she let herself take in the hustle and bustle of the market, setting herself up in a spot that was easily visible from the direction that Saphron would take to get there.
'Everything will be okay with you, my dear...'
"Miss Umbra?"
The demure voice of Saphron Arc reached her ear, as Salem looked at the woman, a look on the woman's face. The marks on Selene Umbra's face still stood, as the swelling had gone down slightly.
"Walk with me, dear..."
She offered no other response, as Saphron followed, as a daughter should. It was a coolness that Salem affected herself with, as Saphron Arc was left unbalanced and afraid. It was the moment where she would do her best job...
"I saw something in your younger brother, all those years ago."
The girl was listening, as she remembered those fond moments when the child had been so eager to talk to someone who would listen... It had been endearing and childish, even as she had humoured the odd questions.
"I met with him, nearly a week and a half ago. He was a polite, somewhat dorky boy... Not exactly the material that I would ascribe to a hero, but..." There was the little trailing-off, as she was aware that the woman had completely focused on her.
'Good... Now the final push.'
"And then, you were hurt. My little boy, distraught, pleading with me to bring your father to Argus, to make sure that you were safe. I have not been able to bear children..." The anger inside her did not quench itself.
"My daughter, adopted, is not one who looks like she is able to make it to thirty... A frail constitution, sadly."
She mustered a weak look to her face, as she looked into Saphron Arc's eyes. "And then, your father had a drink." The horror in the girl's eyes, as 'Selene Umbra' confirmed everything.
"He dragged me to the bedchambers in my own suite, and... did things." The girl looked sick. Salem couldn't blame the girl for feeling like that. It was after all, unpleasant to imagine it.
"He wasn't gentle. He was a beast, driving himself into me and ejaculating, taking his sick and perverse pleasure."
The girl looked worse... and she knew that the cracks had been torn and pried open wide. Saphron Arc was vulnerable... Just as vulnerable as an innocent girl should be.
"Your brother is a good young man." Her eyes met with the young woman, as they stopped at a stand that sold confectionery.
"Would you like a sweet?"
A distraction, at the time when emotions ran high. A gesture of kindness from a woman who had been hurt, ingratiating herself even more within the woman's mind. Kindness to war with brutality...
"... I would, Miss Umbra."
The soft voice with which she spoke was telling that Saphron Arc was at a low spot again. She looked at the vendor and then smiled.
"What would you like, my dear?"
Her voice was a little louder, as she looked at the face of the woman manning the stand, now snapped to attention. Saphron was a child in comparison to herself, and she was vulnerable now.
"I've... I've really liked cherry."
As a child with its parent would, she pointed towards a set of cherry canes, as Salem smiled, rubbing Saphron's head.
"We'll take a cherry stick and some gumdrops, please." She let the woman fill a bag with the gumdrops and then handed the card over.
"I hope that you and your daughter have a good day."
Salem's smile didn't fade, whilst Saphron looked stunned for a moment, before she was handed her cherry stick. The confectionery was sweet, good for the memories to fade just a touch.
"Have a good day yourself. Saphron? Let's continue, my dear."
The lower lip quivered softly, the adult woman looking like she was going to cry.
'Oh... The kind words of a stranger, hitting closer to home than you'd like...'
"We have more to talk about, my dear." The look of tenderness in those eyes was soft, as Saphron Arc moved. Her gaze was downcast.
"I guess we really must look like a mother and a daughter..."
The soft words were perfectly audible over the hubbub of the market, and Salem's hand gently took Saphron's.
"Every lost little girl needs a mother, Saphron."
The girl was fragile now, as tears came once more. Shock would do that to a child, she knew. She'd educated several children a few times, before she had chosen different ventures.
"Fight." The words were calm, spoken with a hint of deadly force, the child throwing itself into the fray again. These children hardly had much to their name save their bodies, their bloodline as filthy and muddled as the commoners of her day and age of rule.
The child was savagely torn apart, yet she felt nothing. There was no connection, no single spark of care inside her, just a cold cool distance. They were not fit to have the title of nobility, nor were they apt to rule. A single crowd of ragamuffins, perhaps fit to inherit the gift...
"Fight." The next one leapt into the arena, as the Beowolves tore apart its fellow, a war cry shouted, as the juvenile Beowolves raised their head. Some of the children were screaming and blubbering like weaklings... They would never be able to understand, or be strong enough to make the world shake and shiver.
"Fight." The next child joined the arena, aware of the pack of Grimm that stood at the only exit. It was to die or to triumph... But it was not an unfair game. If they showed the grit, they would be raised to the status of something truly wondrous...
"He... He calls you mama..." The words were soft, as blue eyes looked at her with hope in them.
"Can I... Can... Please?"
Salem smiled, rubbing over the girl's back. "I don't hold your father's actions against you, my dear Saphron."
"Thank you, mama."
The little surge of joy was enough, as Saphron Arc enjoyed her candy, Salem's hand brushing over her back.
"I will make sure that you are happy again once more, my dear daughter..."
Her voice was soft, at a pitch that was understanding, kind. To the outside world, it was a mother and her daughter, gently speaking about something, the people of the market only passing by, Salem's words soft and comforting to an eager, despairing ear.
"Your brother loves you as well... He's going to be a support in this bad time..."
The soft hum of assent from Saphron was enough, as Salem knew that the girl had fallen.
"Thank you, mama." The girl saw her as a motherly figure, at least on some level.
'When you have nobody to turn to and the one you were supposed to trust in betrays you...'
"You're going to be alright, sweetheart." The words were of comfort, as a mother spoke to her daughter. A flash of her third daughter, her eyes so sweet and gentle, as Saphron Arc shuddered under the barrage of emotions.
'I will be waiting to pick you up and give you purpose.'
"I'm going to make sure that you have all that you need..."
A promise that she would keep. If she gave her word, she would keep it, though people might not enjoy the way that she gave them what they needed. A smile on her lips that was as beautiful as it was terrifying, as her hand caressed Saphron's back.
'No... You're going to be fine again...'
The girl had spoken about being raped and used by her 'partner' and her male lover... Absinthe had already intimated something like that, though it definitely had originated from the man's Semblance that evoked trust.
"Thank you, Miss Umb... Mama." She smiled at the girl and then kissed her on the cheeks three times.
"I want nothing but the best for you and your brother, Saphron."
The smile on the lovely girl's lips was brighter, as she was suddenly hugged. The close contact was definitely something that she hadn't expected, but she worked with it. "Think of me as the mother who you've known only for a while... and I will think of you as my daughter..."
She chose the words particularly to get the girl's state a little better... A maternal figure for those who needed her to be one, a goddess for others... An aunt who would lavish a gift upon them when they were good children...
"I wish I'd..."
The girl nuzzled against her like the lost little girl she was at this moment in time and Salem smiled softly. Some people were staring, but the cool look that she sent their way to 'mind their own business' dissuaded that. "I wish I'd known what a wonderful person you were... I... Dad..."
"You're going to be fine..." She would ensure that Saphron Arc would climb out of that deep dark hole...
"You've got a brother who loves you, and in me... A mother."
Assurances of comfort and warmth were the best for children who had lost the faith and trust in their parents...
'All goes according to plan...'
Saphron was going to go home to Vale... The surprising friendship between her and Miss Blau would continue... And her precious prince would become a man worthy of a queen.
'Jaune... You will be the emperor that has forged an empire, and I will make it so.'
She kissed Saphron Arc's forehead, the girl shuddering lightly. "You're going to come home and he'll be waiting there, with your sisters and your mother... and you're going to be fine. Your father would probably be... ill-pleased, at hearing that you've met with me."
The shudder that went through the girl was fierce. She looked up at her, as she squeezed just a touch harder. "I'll... I'll not tell. You're... You're so nice and warm. Thank you, mama." The words had been spoken three times, three words at once. A combination that brought warmth to her mind, her eyes looking into the eyes of the young woman.
"I will love you, as a daughter of my blood."
The words weren't a lie. She would. She loved her little prince, and this hurt and broken girl would be loved as well. Less, but still...
"It'll be our little secret, Saphron."
The girl was hers. Her dirty blonde hair was still a touch messy, her eyes were red, but they craved for the love of a mother.
"Yes... Adelheid and I are going to be shopping for a dress... Do you... do you want to go dress shopping with me too?"
There was a plea there, as the girl looked at her with eyes that yearned for something...
"When I am back in Vale, of course. It will be a few weeks time, as I have an appointment at Atlas... But we'll make sure that you look really pretty." The happy little smile on Saphron's face suited her.
'Jaune will be happy to see his sister smile once more.'
The tragedy continues... Cyanide 'They-Who-Write-Dark-Stuff' Sins updates Dies Irae! THE CROWD GOES WILD! (With rotten tomatoes being thrown.)
Next chapter: Saphron! Jaune! Saphron's return! Training Montage!