Dies Irae Chapter 32: Storm of Sadness, a rwby fanfic

Chapter 32:Storm of Sadness

The Nya-Nya-Kitty-Face review always makes me chuckle a little. Thanks for the laugh, dude. No, I don't go full-on sadist with this story. Salem isn't a character that really has a pleasant view of the world.

"Jaune?"

Saphron's face was serious as she looked into the camera on her Scroll, the early-morning call making his eyes hurt, his ears picking up the sound of Pyrrha getting up, the redhead looking at him, her smile enough to warm his morning. Ren and Nora were still dozing, Nora's leg poking out from her bed.

"Adelheid's family was killed in Argus. Do you think you can come over after classes? She'll need support, I'll do what I can."

He was certain that this was going to be crappy news for him in the future, no matter what. He knew that Adelheid was his sister's best friend, that she was someone who had emotional highs and always seemed to try to avoid the lows.

Saphron trusted her, and mama had been out of contact for a week now, something that he worried about as well, but Adelheid needed him. Saphron had phrased it as a question, but it had been an order.

"I'll be there after classes. I'll pick up something for her from the store. Something sweet makes the sadness go fleet… Wasn't that the little rhyme that Rouge always said?"

Saphron frowned, but didn't comment on it any further, her eyes telling him that this was important, that she was going to be upset if he didn't help her friend out. She had that same way with words that Mama seemed to have when she wanted something, one of the good traits that she seemed to have taken from Mama's guidance.

'A prince and a princess…'

Saphron would look beautiful in a long dress with her hair and makeup done. Her dirty blonde hair would look similar to Mama's lighter blonde, and he'd be making Adelheid feel better.

"She needs your support, Jaune. Be a good little brother and give it to her."

Saphron shut the call off, and Jaune was aware that there would be a change in schedule, as much as he could muster.

"That doesn't sound good… Does there-"

Pyrrha's face turned a little paler at the thought that rose in her mind, as she went from her bed to the Scroll case that she kept, pulling it open, the anti-magnetic cage that she kept it in easily unlocked, her eyes scanning the news headlines.

"Oh no… I need to call mother, if she didn't…"

Her fingers were typing away on the call display, raising it to her ear and waiting for the connection to be made. He got up and laid a hand on her shoulder, trying to raise her spirits at least a little if the case was that her mother had died.

"Pyrrha? Honey, are you okay?"

Visible relief, as the darkness inside him inched away, Pyrrha's eyes looking relieved, as she took a deep breath.

"Mom, I'm… Something happened to Argus, I heard from my- from the young man who is my partner and team leader, that something happened to Argus."

A pretty older woman, looking at her daughter worriedly, before she gasped.

"Oh no… The Grimm… It's… Pyrrha, I'm coming to Vale in two weeks time. Mistral has kept me busy, but it's going to be fine, honey. You're going to be fine, I'll be… I'll be there soon."

Pyrrha looked like she needed to hear that, and he got up from his bed and hugged her. It wasn't intimate, just for the comfort, as her mother made a concerned sound.

"I'm here for you too, Pyrrha. I don't let my friends suffer."

A tragedy, something that he had not been able to be able to prevent. A prince could do nothing, but a queen could do something. His eyes watched calmly as Pyrrha calmed in his embrace, her warmth flooding him, her lips parting, as she held the scroll up.

"My team leader, Mom. I'm… He's a great leader. We're all… I'm sorry, I'm… The house?"

Her mother made a sound, shaking her head.

"Gone, probably. The Grimm will roam that place, just like in Mountain Glenn… It's gone, Pyrrha. Maybe if you can get something of a reclamation going, or if Atlas spares the military to clean it up…"

He hugged Pyrrha closer, and she relaxed, as her mother tried to offer her comfort, Pyrrha's trembling unusual for her.

"I'll make sure that you've got a place to live, Pyrrha. I'm your team leader, we can always find something that would fit the two of you. Ren and Nora don't have a home, so… so I want to make you all someplace to call home."

It was a generous offer, mama would agree with it. It was the duty of a queen or a king to foster those talents and to offer them a title and lands, a home for them to build their own keep, the serfs that they would need to maintain.

Pyrrha smiled at him like she always did when she thought he wasn't looking, her eyes glinting.

"I've got enough money to buy a house, Jaune… You don't have to…"

She was being shy again, and he tried his best to put the smile on her face, her eyes glinting with the hint that she appreciated it, her cheeks pink, her happy little emotions flowing from her into him. She was warm and he was presently hugging her to comfort her.

"You're my partner, Pyrrha."

Her mother spoke quietly.

"I'll see what I can do. We've got insurance, as most people do, but something like Argus just… It may not be covered. I am… We will have to work on things, Pyrrha."

Pyrrha looked at her mother before she nodded quietly.

"Sorry, I was… I was just a little worried. You were coming but Argus was destroyed, so-"

Her mother smiled, as she seemed to light up a little, like her daughter did. Compared to her daughter, Pyrrha's mother looked matured and with that hint of true genuine warmth.

"It's important that people live, in order to make new memories. I will be sad about the loss of our house, but you're still alive. You can become a great Huntress, Pyrrha."

He knew that Pyrrha would be a great Huntress. She was someone who spent time talking, working and training with him, someone who would have his back like a faithful paladin bodyguard, her eyes determined in that fashion that made him feel a shudder of fear sometimes with how devoted those eyes were.

"I will. Mom? Stay safe, please."

He'd have to ask Pyrrha what her mother's name was, since he had not recalled her ever mentioning it. Just calling her a red-haired woman would be like the cast list of some kind of a somewhat popular animated web show.

She must have a name.

"Thank you, Jaune. I'm… I needed that hug."

She had snuggled into him a little, her body pushing against his own, as the sea of darkness was pushed away by the flame. She was flushed, as she kissed him suddenly on the lips, backing away immediately.

"S-sorry, I just… Thank you. I needed that."

She stumbled out of his grasp, nearly falling face-forward with her head onto the side-table next to Nora's current resting place on Ren's bed, scrambling for the bathroom, as he felt his lips, the soft little 'I'm sorry!' as the door to the bathroom shut.

She was distraught, it was all just to thank him. She couldn't have… she couldn't have feelings for him.

This was complicated.

Mom was gone.

Mom was gone and Argus was gone.

Adelheid remembered going to school in Argus, a little primary school that had been on one of the lower lanes of the tram system, three Lien for a back-and-forth ticket, remembering how mom had held her hand for the first few times.

She remembered the good food that always had been on the table, even though they didn't have that much money to spare, knowing that dad would be home again for a month or so, before he'd go out and fight the evil mean Grimm.

"It's going to be alright, Addie."

Saphron was her best friend. The best friend that had been there when she'd felt bad, when she'd gotten drunk and fucked the guy she wasn't supposed to fuck. The woman who'd been raped, who'd been abused, whose father was a cruel man who had raped a baby into her employer.

"Mom… Mom…"

She remembered the frustration that came with how mom had always criticized her reasons for coming home late, when she'd had a bit too much to drink, or when she'd been with a guy and she'd felt happy. The study sessions that had turned into her being on her back, a few hours of bliss and good feelings whilst she was fucked, because she needed it. More alcohol than water, coming home with a hangover and then going to ace her studies.

Dad had approved of her studying to become a marketing expert, a publishing agent for some Huntsman that would be going to rise through the ranks and let her bring in the dough from the marketing efforts. She loved being able to help someone, a… a cute guy.

Neptune Vasilias had a good-looking face, a smile and that hint of something more about him that had drawn her to him, but in comparison to Jaune Arc, the guy was a fuckboy.

A guy who would draw her eyes and was pretty, but who wouldn't… who wouldn't be her hero. Who would be good for a quick shag, who would fuck, but never commit.

"I'm here, Adel. Jaune said he'll be here after classes conclude. We're going to get through this together, Adel."

Saphron was his older sister.

She was his older sister, a cute young man who had looked at her and told her that he would be there to care for her too, who would be the protector of the weak, a Huntsman who would make her feel his comfortable broad back as he stood in front of her.

'He's not up to snuff yet, but he'll be something of a heartthrob.'

Dad had always said that a Huntsman had to be the one who would fight, because all you needed was courage to work your way through the world, as he'd told her to become someone who enjoyed what she did.

He was a cute young man. A hot young man, who she had fucked. If Miss Umbra found out, she'd probably die. She'd probably suffer for a while under the woman's anger, before she'd be disposed of.

'It's not fair!'

Jaune Arc was the gold standard, as far as her sensibilities went. She didn't have a steady partner, she had rules to follow, no sex or drinks for a year. Her boss would kill her and the perks of the job involved Jaune Arc, hot stud-muffin Huntsman in training, with beautiful blue eyes and blonde hair, his sister, her best friend, with blue eyes that she could definitely stand to look into for a long while, and the salary and free living space that she had, as well as all the food that she wanted to eat on the budget of the boss.

"Hey… Do you want me to run you a shower? I'll be right there outside, waiting for you to get out. Everything's going to be okay, Adelheid. You're still alive, I'm not going to let you fall into despair like I was… when things went wrong."

Saphron hurt still, she knew. Her talks with Rouge Arc, after the issue had been cleared up, were more professional, talking about the decisions that she'd made over the course of the time.

"So, whenever you drink, you just feel… light?"

Rouge Arc wearing a set of glasses looked stricter, as Adelheid lounged on the couch, waiting for Rouge to continue. A nod, and Saphron shifted a little.

"It's just… just a craving. I want to feel filled, I want to… be loved, you know?"

Her hookups had been hookups, nothing really to last for a while. She got drunk, she got smashed, she woke up with vomit in her hair and a pleasant sensation.

"Your father, is he very present in your life? Most people who wish to seek solace in alcohol and sex don't have much of a father figure in their life. What does he do?"

He was a huntsman, and Saphron and Rouge made a similar sound.

"Well, Violet is… like that too. Rouge, you should remember that."

A quiet moment, as Rouge gathered herself before asking the next question.

"What does our little brother make you feel?"

Adelheid had remained silent, and she answered after a moment of hesitation.

"He's… He's a huntsman, and he's… Safe. He wouldn't hurt me, he's like a prince on his horse, carrying me away."

Saphron had smiled, as Rouge Arc had made a small note.

"That concludes our session, Miss Blau. I will see you again next week, same time. Bring Saphron too, as well as lunch. Consider that the payment."

She stepped under the shower, washing herself, her Scroll on the side, remembering how good it felt to be loved by a friend, to be with someone who cared for you more than just about what you could do for them. She felt empty, the pain still raw inside her, but there was nothing that she could do about it, aware of the fact that her mother's body laid half-way across the world.

Her mind snapped to her father, as she pulled herself out of the shower, going for her Scroll. He'd told her that in case of emergency, there was a number that she could call, something that would be able to connect to his work Scroll from most connection towers from the CCT, though it was more of an 'official' Scroll than anything else.

Standard Huntsman Issue, she recalled from her promotional material, knowing that the Huntsman Scroll Cases would actually need to be ordered with the JNPR branding, just to show how the kids of the day could be walking around with their very own Pyrrha Nikos JNPR edition Scroll case.

'If… if I can connect to him, perhaps he left Argus. Perhaps he was already out in the field, without having to worry about the relay posts.'

There was the possibility, as with trembling fingers she dialed the number, the seventeen digits that were to locate the Scroll and to connect, watching the bar slowly fill up, and a male voice answer.

"Hello?"

'Dad!'

A smile broke out, as she leaned against the sink.

"Dad? I'm- Argus was destroyed, it was on the news, the Grimm- they- they wiped it off the map. Are you safe? Are you okay?!"

Relief, because her father had sounded okay, that he'd just been somewhere outside of Argus, the man cursing under his breath, someone asking whether everything was alright, a man's voice, speaking gruffly.

"It's my daughter, something's happened to Argus apparently. She's in Vacuo right now, with some kid who hasn't had his balls drop, or- eh, was it a guy, Adelheid?"

He was the best Huntsman that she'd have gotten her hands on, she knew. He was Jaune Arc, partner to the Invincible Girl, the young man who made her tingle all over.

"He's great, daddy. I'm- I'm so happy to hear that you're fine."

She turned on the camera, aware that she was still naked, still just out of the shower, but she had to show her daddy that everything was fine with her, the bathroom looking just like it always did, the two toothbrushes arranged perfectly in the cup, her expression as best as she could make it, as he turned the camera on as well.

A rough-looking building with a few hunting trophies on the wall, the classical Mistralian banner that hung from the wall to proclaim that this was a drinking house, and a cup of something that definitely wasn't orange juice in front of him, his face looking weathered and tired.

'Since when did you start drinking?'

Dad never really drank, so it must've been something that one of his friends was drinking, a rough man sitting next to him, dark hair and brown eyes, as she pulled the towel up to guard her modesty, inasmuch she had some.

"I'm so happy that you're safe, Daddy."

A childish term, as he ran a hand through his blonde hair. With his beard a little scruffier than before, she could almost imagine seeing him in the flesh again, rubbing her cheek against his beard. Her thoughts went to Jaune, about how he'd look with some scruff. He shaved, and he definitely used aftershave afterwards, if the softness of the skin was any indication.

"I'm happy I'm safe as well, princess. I'm just… I'm going to take one more mission, and then I'm coming to you. It's important that I can get things right, to make things alright, sweetheart. Getting a ticket to Vacuo might be pricy, but I've got some money in the bank. Your… Your mother was a good woman, a fine woman."

Her mother was dead, and the relief that had flooded her was now gone.

"I'm… I'm in Vale soon, daddy. The Vytal Festival is in Vale this year, and it's not going to be just any Vytal Festival. It's the fortieth! I'm- I'm working on a campaign for my little Huntsman, he's just amazing. He's got one of his teammates who is from Mistral, another who's… I think she's from Argus too, and PYRRHA FREAKING NIKOS, dad."

Excitement warred with grief, as she could hear Saphron ask whether everything was okay.

"I'm fine, I- I got in touch with dad. I'll be out after I'm done showering, Sis."

Her father's expression changed a little, as her expression shifted a little.

"Best friend, I've adopted her as a sister. She's… She's okay. She's been out of a very bad breakup, dad. Her partner got her pregnant and- and she lost the baby."

The man nodded, his blue eyes looking sharp at something out of the range of the camera, as someone bumped against him, her father's Scroll set down and the man throwing a punch, the crashing sound of someone hitting the floor loud.

"Do that again and I'll kick your ass, you fat bastard. Come on, do it again, I dare you!"

The aggressive language wasn't something that her dad would say around the house, but he was still the dad that had always given her what she wanted for her birthday, the presents that she'd had over the years all lost. Her father's face appeared again.

"Sorry, the people here are kind of rough, Adelheid."

He was her dad. He'd be back with her again, soon enough. It would be a happy moment when she'd get to introduce him to Saphron and Jaune, who were keeping her up and in good spirits. He would love Jaune's way of being a chivalrous gentleman, her cheeks flushing a little at the thought of her just leading him along, a little princess of a woman next to Saphron and Jaune, a prince and a princess of sorts, letting her enjoy their presence and being their… their sister.

'I think you're too kind for this world, Saph.'

"Have you been dating a guy, Adelheid?"

Her father did not agree with her choice in men, she knew, but that didn't matter too much to her.

"No, I'm… I'm under a strict NDA, dad. I can't date or drink, even if I wanted to. It'd bankrupt us- well, it'd bankrupt me."

Selene Umbra was a woman who would bankrupt anyone who violated the terms. A woman who had just had Saphron's angry rape-dad's baby aborted because of some sort of natural effect. She was an older woman, after all. It got harder with age, she guessed.

"Good. You should get your head on straight, sweetheart. Don't go around dating assholes who need me to sort them out. You're worth a lot more than you give yourself credit for, princess."

Her dad knew just what to say, and she smiled.

"I love you, daddy."

Those words she'd never hear Saphron say, given how through she was with her father and his actions. There was nothing that could bring Saphron to the light again, as her father nodded and smiled.

"I love you too, Adelheid. I'll see about getting you someplace. There's some insurance stuff we can try, and I want you to be safe, my little Adel."

He was protective of her, and she knew that. She'd not want to move in with her dad, though. Saph needed her, and she needed Saph. Besties, yep.

"I'll be fine, daddy. Maybe we'll be able to get a house in Vale?"

Her client lived there. Her best friend lived here. Her therapist lived here. She did not want to move to Mistral. That Kingdom was known for shady stuff and she'd rather be in Vale than to be in some place where she wouldn't ever be counted as anything more than a quick shag, a wallet to be robbed or worse.

Argus had been great.

Mistral not so much.

"We'll see, Princess. Vale isn't exactly a place I like to go. Too many snooty people."

She mustered a smile, as she said some more pleasantries, feeling much better now that she knew that her father was alright, shutting the call off after wishing him a nice hunt. He'd be there, coming to visit her in Vale. He'd be home, and she'd be able to show him Saphron and Jaune, and… and if she was lucky, there would be a good chance for Saphron to find a good father figure, rather than some rape-beast who would do such horrible things to his daughter and Miss Umbra.

'I'm lucky with you, Dad.'

Berndt Blau was a man you could trust. That's what he always said when he tucked his weapons in their holders and sat down in his comfortable chair by the fire, ready to get himself relaxed with the news and a mug of hot chocolate.

She emerged from the shower wearing just her underwear, trusting Saphron implicitly, as her big sister wrapped her in a hug, warm against her skin. She smiled, as Saphron hugged her.

"Dad is still alive, and he's coming here. You're going to love him. He's much better than your own, I- I'm sorry. I shouldn't have-"

Saphron shook her head softly, understanding in her eyes, as she guided her to her bedroom again so she could dress herself. Some arrangements had to be made, given the news. Undoubtedly there would be a register for condolences, and Adelheid knew that there were protocols for this type of thing.

It was time to keep on moving, as she looked at herself in the mirror in her room, the red eyes and the expression of grim resolve on her face painting a picture of a woman who was in need of rescue, but one who would not bow before bad circumstances. She had Saphron to catch her, and Jaune Arc to guide onto the path to stardom.

'I'm hot, I'm single and I'm going to mingle!'

She deserved love, just like mom had!

Saphron was her best friend and they were going to enjoy their day together.

Mister Callows had prepared something for breakfast, a hearty meat dish that looked like it would make her fat… but that didn't matter right now.

The glass of orange juice made it go down a lot quicker, as Saphron smiled and laid her hand on hers.

"Everything will be alright, Adel."

Saphron's eyes spotted Jaune before Adelheid spotted him, her expression still a little darker than before. That her father had been alive, out on a mission outside of Argus, was something fortunate, she knew. She'd heard the voice behind the bathroom door, aware that Adelheid was in despair and just waiting for the hammer to drop down on her best friend, the Adelheid that emerged from the bathroom almost reborn, filled with some positivity thanks to that chat.

"Adelheid! I heard, are you okay?"

Her dorky little brother wrapped his arms around Adelheid from behind, Adelheid's eyes closing for a moment as she adjusted to the sudden touch, her teeth flashing in a smile, as she laid her head back, Saphron spotting the symbiosis between the publishing agent and her client, Jaune looming over her protectively, Adelheid staring up at him, her eyes looking up in his own. If Jaune leaned down, he'd be able to kiss Adelheid.

"Better now, Jaune. I'm… Sit, come on, sit down. Let's get you a drink. You need to be well-hydrated, my little money pony."

Saphron noticed the endearment being off, Adelheid's eyes not quite going to Jaune as he sat down, taking the time to think about how Adelheid had been acting, which was still remarkably 'normal' for her. Adelheid hadn't cried much more, but she had been better in mood since hearing her father's voice and assurance.

'Too bad our dad is so bad that I'd rather not see him again.'

Some people were blessed with a good father, and she was blessed with a good little brother and six sisters that were varying shades of wonderful.

"I'm here for you, Adelheid. I won't let you be sad for too long. Pyrrha lost her home in Argus too, and-"

Adelheid looked like she remembered that, her head turning away from Jaune, her expression changing just a little to something which looked like the seeds of care and love had been sown. With how Adelheid seemed to respond, Saphron could just about imagine how it would have been if Jaune had been her age and Adelheid had been the age of Jaune.

'You want someone to love you.'

The feeling wasn't unusual for Saphron to contemplate since she'd been single. She had wanted love, to be craved by someone who would cherish her. Sick feelings of love and lust and more, focusing on those closest to her.

She had goaded, manipulated and ensured that Adelheid would be her partner in bed, forcing her to do as she wished, to keep her alive, out of mama's wrath. If mama knew that Jaune had slept with Adelheid, that she'd broken the rules and fucked Jaune, she wouldn't be happy.

'You're not going to escape, Adelheid.'

She was her best friend, and that was more than Terra could ever claim. Adelheid was just trying to respond to Jaune, turning her head, her hair falling over a shoulder, so innocent, so pure…

It wouldn't be wrong to nudge them along a little. Adelheid was hurt, she was not feeling like she should, Jaune would not be too stressed if there was something to work the pain out… Boys liked sex, she knew. It would be a suggestion, something that would be just between the two of them.

"Jaune? Do you think you could go and get something to drink for yourself? I'm glad that you made it here."

He was a lovable little goof, her little brother. A boy that didn't know the proper way yet how to work a woman's body, even with his mind on things that were of an adult nature, if she had to believe her sisters' word on his girlfriend, some pop star princess or something.

"Sure thing, sis."

Adelheid was still out of it, looking a little lost and afraid of what seemed to be coming her way, Saphron's smile slipping from her lips, changing seats, grabbing her best friend's hand, the sudden touch startling her.

'Alright, Saphron… Time to make use of those skills you've cultivated through the art of wooing girls…'

That wasn't something to talk about in polite company, but she would sow the seeds, if it was needed.

"Addie? Hey, big sis needs her little rambunctious sexy sister to pay attention to her, just for a bit."

Like a child that was lost, Adelheid looked at her with a questioning look, Saphron's face shaping a little smile, like she had been when Adrian had been young, just to give a comfort to him. Adelheid was more affected than she let on, but that would be okay.

"We're both here for you, Adelheid. We've been through a lot of shit together, and I'll never forget the moment you came to visit me. I trust you, and if… if you need Jaune…"

The thought of Adelheid and Jaune together, remembering that moment when she'd seen what Adelheid had gotten up to, the slapping and smacking of flesh together, of Adelheid's eager moans, groans and whimpers with every motion, her baby brother looking like he had enjoyed himself, and the screams that had came with every high that Adelheid had experienced, enough to burn away that hesitation in her mind.

"He's my client, Saphron. I'm…"

Her hand squeezed Adelheid's.

"You need something, Adelheid. Don't you… don't you see? He'd love you. If you ask, he'd… I can ask for you, if you want. He loves me and… and he'd do anything to make me happy, to make you happy."

Her little moron of a brother would. He would hold you and tell you that you were the best sister and that you shouldn't worry about a relationship that'd gone up in flames, because you were his big sister and he would care for you.

Adelheid wasn't as strong as she had been. Mama would have been careful around the topic, so it would come to Saphron to guide her along.

"Client, Saphron, I'm… Miss Umbra warned me. I'm- I'm not supposed to-"

Weakness. Just like Terra had preyed on her feelings and her boyfriend had knocked her up. Saphron could just marvel about how stupid she had been to even consider it. Ex-lovers did not hang around their exes, especially not to a woman who had married another. How many people had Terra Cotta ravished whilst her lover watched?

'I won't let that happen to you, Adelheid.'

Jaune was a bit dull sometimes, but a woman's hand was all that he needed to be put on the straight path towards being the little hero of the family. A family that excluded her father, her mother… her mother not quite apt for the description.

"Is she here, Adel? He knows how to shut up if you treat him nicely. He'll love you just like he loves everyone in the family."

She'd make sure that Adelheid get to feel that love too, because Adelheid would become a member of the family. Just another sister, pushed into place between the twins, similar in age to them, Bear undoubtedly going to do the whole riot act of 'hurt our little brother and we're going to beat you up after that relationship is over, you hear me?!', with Rouge being jealous.

"I'd love you too, Adelheid. He's a moron, but you're…"

Adelheid wasn't feeling like she should, and that was a weakness that Saphron would exploit. She was shaking her head, looking at her bestie.

"Doesn't it seem like a good idea? You can just… you can just take him to bed. Say that it was grief-induced, and then let him take the edge off."

To feel him penetrate her, to be wrapped in his arms, to know that sight of Jaune Arc gasping, as she rolled her hips and then made him moan her name. To kiss the sweat off his skin, the heat still burning in her loins, her fingers dancing over skin.

"No, I said I wouldn't. I'm not… I'm not going to do that."

Adelheid seemed resolute, and Saphron smiled, leaning over and kissing her friend's cheek.

"Good girl… I was testing you."

Adelheid smiled, as she looked down at the half-slice of cake that had been eaten. Something sweet, but it wouldn't soothe her little sis, Saphron knew.

'You need love, Adel.'

Her phone rang, buzzing once and then twice, something that showed that Violet was calling.

"Hello?"

Violet looked seriously at her.

"Get yourself to a toilet or something, we need to chat. It's important."

The look on Violet's face definitely brooked no interruption, as Jaune returned with a pep-schnee, setting it on the table.

"Talk with Fifi, gotta be gone for a moment. Don't go and seduce Adelheid whilst I'm away, Jaune."

She wanted to see him do it. She wanted to see how he'd make Adelheid smile again, to see her be wrapped up in his strong arms and to protect her like she'd felt protected, back when she'd been newly back to Vale.

She entered the women's bathroom, sitting down on a toilet, Violet looking like she definitely needed to take a few more tanning salon visits, her expression not changing one bit, her eyes darkly lit with frustration and anger.

"What's the problem? It's not money, is it?"

Violet shook her head, looking at her with a look.

"Do you know an Absinthe Moor?"

Miss Moor…

Saphron smiled.

"She's my old neighbor from Argus. She's… she's moved to Vale too, I should visit her sometime."

The old woman made the sweetest tea for her, smiling mysteriously and telling her that it was grandma's special.

"I wouldn't do that if I was you. She's… she's not very well. I've been caring for her, it's… it's charity."

That didn't sound like Violet, who wouldn't be doing such a thing out of the kindness of her heart without something serious being leveraged against her, Saphron's expression something that was more concerned than before, as she shifted a little on the toilet seat.

"Are you okay, Violet? If you need help, she's fond of keeping the painkillers in the third red jar in the kitchen. Little round capsules."

Violet looked at her with a serious expression flicking over her features, the expression never quite shifting to something that would be called relaxed. Saphron wondered about that, as Violet seemed to make up her mind.

"I'll… I'll do that. Saphron, if you love me, don't be alone with Absinthe Moor, she's… she's not good for you. You're supposed to be free, happy and in love, big sis. I was just wanting to- I was worried."

Saphron saw the problem. Violet was worried that she'd become a stuffy old lady like Miss Moor, always talking about her days hunting wild animals. Deer and elk and even a wolf once, she'd always said that those were the hardest.

"Don't worry, Fifi. Doggy girl needs to be happy that her big sis is giving her all the attention she needs. I'm a big girl, I can handle myself. Just stay safe, okay?"

A small nod, Violet looking like she wanted to say more, her teeth flashing before they were hidden behind her lips again.

"Mom is cheating on dad. I thought… I thought you should know. After what dad did to miss Umbra, I'm… it's so messed up, Saph. Are we blinded by our family love?"

Saphron knew that Violet needed her advice at a time like this. She always pretended to be a big girl with dreams of becoming an actress, but at times when Rouge was unavailable, they would always come to her as their guiding light.

"Hey… I'm planning on getting Adelheid, you know, the blonde with the modest chest and that horny attitude, I'm planning on getting her with Jaune. If mom and dad aren't… if they aren't good, we can make our own family. We're sisters, Fifi. Jaune loves us."

He'd love Adelheid, and she'd be safely taken care of. Saphron didn't want to come home to the sounds of Adelheid being used by strange men, it made Saphron unnerved. It reminded her of her own situation with Terra and her lover. Better to hear Adelheid moan Jaune's name than some guy who would look at her, and she'd be... she'd be touched again. She'd be touched again and given a baby by a man she didn't love. Adelheid deserved love.

"I hope you know what you're doing, Saph."

Saphron Arc wasn't a quitter. She'd make or break it. Adelheid Blau was going to be her sister in law.

"Anything to make her happy, Fifi. She's my best friend and if she's not into cooch, she'll be getting sausage."

Her eyes glanced back to the direction where Adelheid was, as Violet gave a small smile.

"I knew that you had a wicked bone in your heart, Saph… Come on, what's next? Are you going to warm her pussy up for Jaune? Rouge would take offence to that, you know?"

She wouldn't mind assisting. Adelheid was her best friend and they'd fucked before. The toys that they'd shared definitely were something that best friends would do, if there was such a thing. Saphron never really had many best friends, but Adelheid was special.

"Who knows? She's… We get on really well. I'd like her to be close to me for a long while. She's Jaune's publisher, so she's going to be close, but…"

But Jaune wasn't a sleazy bastard who'd hit it and quit it. He would take responsibility for his actions in the most gentlemanly way, not like dad would have. He was a student at one of the best Huntsman Academies in the Kingdoms, a gallant young man who could make Adelheid gush about him being hot after meeting him for the first time…

'Sometimes, I've got to push the cart down the hill.'

Adelheid was going to be fucking her little brother, even if she had to force-feed her a bottle of vodka and then lock the two of them in Adelheid's bedroom.

Adelheid deserved love, and Saphron would be the best big sister that she could be.

Friends did that for each other.

"Last night, Argus has fallen to the Grimm. My sincere condolences to those who have suffered the loss of a member of their family or an acquaintance or friend. A tragedy that has happened time and time again, for all of us to remember. It was Argus now, and before it was Three Spires, Antioch and Arntak, the Grimm are an ever-present danger within this world. Humanity is not secure, yet with your bravery in the field, there can be a change made."

The Headmaster's face looked tired and haggard, his eyes looking at the students that were gathered. Several of the people who had friends or family in Argus seemed to be crying, distraught by the words of devastation that had been spoken, as Professor Goodwitch spoke some words about counselling sessions that were available, in the case that they were required.

He had classes to go to, though. Saphron had said that Adelheid needed support, and he would lend her his support.

He walked into the café that Adelheid and Saphron had been at, according to Saphron's latest message. Mama hadn't contacted him for a week, but that was normal with her being in an out-of-reach place, according to Tyrian's words. The man was loyal to the woman, yet his eyes had darted to him like a feral beast, ready to strike against his owner. A loyal man to Selene, and not to him.

Adelheid looked like a mess. Sad, a little pathetic and not as vibrant as she had been before, burning with her own flame in the darkness that shrouded his flames, burning like a radiant beacon for him, as he got himself something to drink and Saphron departed, Fifi probably wanting to talk about something important again. Saphron was doing Rouge's job, with a little bit more efficiency than Rouge did, because Rouge was for the 'bad mental cases'.

"So… Adelheid?"

Blue eyes fixated on him, her face twisting into a half-smile, her eyes looking ready to tear up once more with emotion, her fingers tapping against the table, the fork in her hands tapping once more, as he drank some pep-schnee.

"I'm here to help you, if you need it. Saphron really likes you. If my big sister really likes someone, she wants them to be happy."

Adelheid turned a little pink in her cheeks, her head looking away, his hand grabbing Adelheid's own, just like Saphron had done. Adelheid turned her head, gazing at him with the question in her eyes about the why of his touch.

"You're her best friend. You're going to be my publisher and my team's publishing agent. I trust you, Adelheid."

She shivered, as he patted her hand. Like Weiss, she was someone who had that little Atlesian hint to her, her eyes glinting with that faint desperation, just like Weiss. He wasn't supposed to be intimate with her, he knew. This was his sister's best friend, and you didn't do that with your family's best friends.

"You're a little moron according to Saphron."

He'd take that as a compliment, because Saphron definitely wasn't mean-spirited in her words. Not that she'd ever do anything to hurt him, she was his big sister and he would be the one defending her. A prince did not let his sisters hurt, and Adelheid was included with that, if the long-running joke between Saphron and Adelheid was to be believed.

'Saphron never had many friends…'

He was happy for her, as Adelheid looked at him.

"Fuck, I'm… I'm sorry, Jaune. I should focus on producing you, making sure that you're climbing the stairs to stardom without any sort of personal issues cropping up. You're supposed to be making love to some hot starlet, impressed with those cute blonde locks of yours and that whole machismo… Not just… You know?"

He knew, and he didn't blame Adelheid for it. He looked into her eyes and smiled. A prince was the defender of the weak, the defender of his family. He would keep his sister safe, and that included the adopted sister that sat in front of him, suffering from a lack of parents right now.

"You're my publisher, Adelheid. Saphron wouldn't have liked it if I were to leave you in that bathroom and go up on stage, leaving you to be used by men who didn't love you. You weren't at fault. I don't blame you."

Adelheid seemed to freeze, her eyes closing for a moment, the jacket that she wore straightened out with her other hand, the blue blouse that she wore flattering her chest more. Saphron was still in the bathroom, Adelheid needing a moment to gather herself.

"What happened to your family was tragic, but you've got to see the bright things in life, Adelheid. Mama, no, Miss Umbra, she lost her daughters because her husband killed them, and she's now trying to bring good into the world. You need to focus on the future, Adelheid. Whenever you're in danger, I'll do my best to free you. You don't deserve to be hurt because of other people's actions."

A king rewarded those who served him well. Adelheid's eyes had closed, her breathing picking up a little. His hand grabbed a hold of hers and he placed it on his chest. The warmth of life and vitality pulsed among the dark ocean within him, lit up with the touch of the older woman, his sister's best friend.

"I swear, if there's anything I can do to make you smile again and be the Adelheid Blau that I know and care for as one of my big sisters' best friends, I'll do it."

No matter what, Saphron knew better than him how Adelheid functioned, being around Adelheid more than he had, but he could see that Adelheid needed the reinforcement, as he leaned forward and wrapped her in a large hug, the small 'eep' from Adelheid quiet in his ear.

"Thank you."

He smiled and kissed her cheek, chastely. A sister deserved a kiss.

A good friend deserved a kiss.

His sister's lover deserved a kiss too.

Adelheid and Saphron were best friends.

It wasn't fair.

It wasn't fair that her heart was doing a miniature drum solo right now in her chest, pounding away mercilessly with that beat. The pain of losing her mother still hurt, but it wasn't fair. It wasn't fair that he was such a good young man, just like Saphron had been telling her, it wasn't fair that he was her type, that she had fucking masturbated to him so frequently that she'd had a damn good image of what he looked like without clothes on, even if she could remember only barely how good he'd fucked.

Jaune Arc was her type. He was the young man who was related to a woman who was her best friend, a real best friend, not like Artemis had been. Saphron was alive, sometimes a little too eager to get out and do fun stuff with her, and too… too loving.

'Fuck you, Ex-wifey! You hurt her badly.'

She could smell the faint hint of cologne on his skin. Cologne that belonged to a man, as his arms held her close, just letting her linger there. Her shoulders quivered as she felt the tears come from her eyes, leaking into his shirt, as she felt small and tiny.

Mom was gone. Dad was Gods-know-where, but he'd be here. She was crying right now from the stress, as his arms gently rubbed her back, a protective guardian that wouldn't lead her astray, that would protect her from the big bad mean outside world.

He was her client. He was the guy she wasn't supposed to fuck, the guy who she shouldn't be showing how good his meat flute disappeared down her gullet and she'd make him moan the anthem of Vale and Argus.

She was easy, sexually liberated and definitely not shy of tackling several men at the same time. It was fun, alcohol was easy to get and she knew that she was pretty enough to be getting a few men interested in her.

They wouldn't be like him. They wouldn't be like Jaune, but she'd be a good girl. She'd not stray from Selene Umbra's plan. She could wait a year, a little less than a year. Just when Jaune was eighteen and he was old enough to be giving her pussy a work-out, she'd make sure that he'd love her special little tricks.

"Thank you, Jaune."

She tried to say that, but it came up as a 'blank-moo- jawn' through his shirt. Her father would be with her soon, she knew, maybe a month or so out, but he would be there. She'd get to introduce him to Jaune, hint that she was going to seek commitment from him… it was fucked up.

It was fucked up that she wanted to have sex with him, to be held and to hear him whisper in her ear that he'd be there in the morning, that they were going to have breakfast in bed and that she'd just have to relax.

'Fuck. The only guy I like is seventeen, unavailable for me due to contract and the fact that his sister and I are intimate…'

She was let go and looked at him, reminded of her mother and the conversation about how she'd met her father.

"He was a charming man. I was still working, and he was just a guy who sat at the bar, so I walked up to him and asked him how he was doing. We were in bed three hours afterwards and then, three weeks later, he left. We weren't married yet, but with you on the way, we made do. Berndt loves you, Adelheid."

She looked at her mother, who seemed to be lost in her thoughts, thirteen-year-old Adelheid Blau not yet thinking about the future, as dad had just been home for the stretch that he had before missions were needed to keep the finances in the black.

"I want you to look at a man and then see whether he loves you just as much as he loves his family. If you can look at them and say 'They will be good for me', you've got a winner. If he treats you like a princess, you can be sure that he's going to make you be the princess of his heart."

She'd had a lot of sex in her life. It was easy. Get drunk, spread her legs, feel the craving. It was fun and it told her that she was beautiful, that he wasn't someone undesirable. When a guy stuck his dick in you, you felt that urge of something great coming, a hopeful little whimper that turned into a burning flame of desire, more than what she'd ever felt before when she'd been a virgin.

It was different.

It was very different, when she remembered that feeling inside her chest the moment when she'd woken up next to Jaune, thinking that he'd be someone able to stroke the itch inside her, the craving that she'd had for so long. She wanted sex, she needed sex, Saphron was there to look out for her, but she had…

She'd slept with the one person that she should never have even entertained the thought of sleeping with. She had slept and fucked, done all sorts of things that girls kept talking to each other about in their whispered conversations, she'd fucked her best friend's brother, the friend who was like a sister to her, the hurt little bird that continued to beat her wings in hopes for a better future…

And she'd liked it.

By the Gods, she'd liked it, when the haze had cleared away and more of her memory returned about what it had been like to be with him, to be goading him into a new world of sexual hedonism, the alcohol still pumping through her system, burning and brimming with the potential that fought with her rationality at times. She knew that it would be wrong, but she'd done it, she'd fucked, sucked and been with him just like with all of the other guys, but he'd been concerned. He'd been concerned for her more than the guys that she'd met at a bar, or at some party, who'd just hit it and quit it.

He was training to be a Huntsman, his whole team seemed to be nursing a serious crush on him if she'd gauged their reactions to his presence right, and it was wrong of her to have just slammed the hammer of 'let's get drunk and fuck a young man' down on those dreams, but it hadn't been something that she could muster regret about.

Saphron teased her, and Adelheid knew that, as she departed to take the call.

And then he kissed her cheek.

He kissed her cheek and assured her that everything would be alright, she missed her mom and she knew that dad was alive, and she grabbed his head and turned it, pressing her lips down to his own and just holding him, as the frozen coolness of his presence snapped her awake, aware that she was now forcing herself onto Jaune, that she was tonguing his mouth like a lover, that she was giving him more than a publisher should give, but he wasn't resisting.

He gently pushed her away, and the tears came. He'd be disgusted, he'd find it awkward, but he'd been there for her, she just couldn't help herself, as he smiled, his blue eyes looking with that trust.

"Sorry, I'm…"

Trust, belief in her righteousness and the fact that he was here, that he had his arms around her like someone who was to be her family, who she could trust and care for, that urge to make him happy welling up inside him, as the fear wrapped around her.

She pushed him away, aware of what she was doing. She was going to be doing everything that she'd said she'd never do, the therapy wouldn't work, she'd be right back where she started, with Miss Umbra looking at her and the order for her elimination given. The woman had spared her once because Saphron had saved her, but there was no going back now, and she seemed to watch in slow-motion as Jaune laid on his back, the chair having fallen back, as he got up. His arm looked a little awkwardly bent, as he hissed softly in pain, before it straightened out again.

'Don't… don't do this. You're going to ruin your life. He's seventeen, he isn't going to be for you to touch, even if you think he's cute, he's got a dick that'll make your bell ring like a gong and you know that Saphron would support you…'

She had to get back her control.

"Shit, Jaune, are you alright? I just-"

He smiled again and there was that soft sensation in her heart as he looked into her eyes. He wasn't the type of muscle-bound brute that she preferred, nor was he the manly man that seemed to be more or less willing to step up to the plate, to work hard for the family that they'd found together…

He was seventeen, she was hired to make him into the next best thing since sliced bread and grilled cheese, and she was not going to do it.

"It's okay. You're upset by the death of your mother, it's fine. If the great Jaune Arc was downed due to a push from a civilian, it'd be a lame ending to my great heroic tale."

He sounded so hesitant, so calm and yet with that faint hint of something that told her that he had been willing to be hurt so she'd be able to remain intact and wholesome.

It was sweet. She didn't have the dating prospects now that she didn't go out to bars or to socialize. She had her best friend, her publishing job and a very cute young man to publish the hell out of.

"It would, yes."

Saphron's face was amused, as she joined them again, the smell of handsoap stronger now, as Saphron's tongue traced lightly over her lips, a sign that she was going to say something embarrassing, her eyes glinting with that hint of impish delight.

"Well… I guess my little brother has fallen for you."

She did not blush.

She did not blush, and she would deny it if anyone pointed it out, as she looked at the gallant knight, nay, the prince that was getting up again. He needed more muscle and a bit more definition, but she would show him why her gag reflex was near-absent in some cozy and out-of-the-way place if he was up for it.

'No, I'll be polite, happy and making sure that everything goes well. Mom will need to be declared as dead, dad will be around here soon, I hope… So we can get something happening. It's not the time to be thinking about penis right now. I need to show why a Blau doesn't break.'

Her cheeks were perhaps a tint of pink that wasn't natural, but she'd blame the makeup for that! There was just a bit more than half a decade of age difference between the two of them, so… she might need to go and be thinking chaste, pure stuff.

Things would be okay again.

"Aww, look at that blush! Jaune, you'll be making her my sister in law soon, you charming dog!"

She was totally NOT blushing, and Saphron's laugh was totally mean and evil! She was not blushing, as Jaune gave her a look.

'Okay… We've had the whole fiesta, so tomorrow there'll be… We can fit something in the schedule for some sort of appearance in public, do a bit of morale boosting for the Argus people. Pyrrha Nikos is from Argus, so she'll be expected to speak… How to spin it into a PR thing for the whole team…'

Her eyes went to her Scroll, checking it after Jaune had properly sat down again, a message from the Vale Customs Office.

'My stuff arrived!'

Some of the clothes that she couldn't quite pack were there, as well as some knick-knacks to ensure that she would have a homely spot in the new place.

"It is not your duty to live, Terra Cotta, without the knowledge of the hurt that you have visited upon the family that I have chosen to make mine. Dear Saphron… Oh, she burns with hate for you, just as I burn…"

The insect Grimm wriggled, as Terra Cotta shifted a little, pinned to the ground by the claws of the shadow hands that she had created, the raw fear in the woman's eyes enough as the creature in her grip wiggled and writhed, twitching and twisting in her grip. It was what it was, a measure of control. Like the one within Cinder's body, meant to absorb the power of the Fall Maiden, this one would work just as well.

"Open wide, Miss Cotta… Like you did for your 'poor' wife as you swallowed the lies of your former lover. Saphron lost the baby he put inside her, as her father put a baby inside of me, which I lost. It's such a shame, my dear."

The rage had calmed somewhat now, with the pleasure that came with the sight of fear on the woman's face, the darker skin tone compared to her own deathly pallor something exotic, as Terra Cotta's mouth remained shut.

Disbelief, something that seemed to be pain and mental anguish that flashed through the restrained woman's body, her eyes looking at her for guidance, for something that might have been an answer.

"Did you really think that your lover would stick around, Miss Cotta, out of the kindness of his heart? Did you not think that he would not have had a vested interest in keeping little Saphron Arc around, because his former lover had already lost the chance to procreate?"

She had remembered the reports on the fertility issue for Terra Cotta, and the flight records for a pair of people from Argus definitely had been easy to find.

'Never travel commercial if you don't want your details leaked, Miss Cotta…'

The anger within her had simmered to merely frozen wrath, as her fingers lightly pried the woman's jaw open, the strength that had been pushed into the motion through a simple coalescing of power in her fingertips, like diamond-reinforced steel.

Miss Cotta seemed to be unable to discern the validity of the words that she had so nobly spoken, but the terms had been clear. Adrian Cotta was the final product of Terra Cotta, as her fertility had plummeted due to her bringing the little mongrel into the world and then marrying Saphron Arc.

Salem did not care for whether there was truth in the words of her own suspicion or whether it would all be a lie constructed to goad the woman into the mood that she wanted. It would be such a shame to let such ammunition lie.

The insect crawled into the opened mouth and pushed itself into the throat, Terra Cotta struggling with the sudden invasion of the Grimm bug, but that hardly mattered to Salem, as the betrayal worked its magic inside her.

No longer as sure as before, a light touch to the temple of the woman pushed her into the land of unconsciousness, as she walked towards her next objective, the man kept pinned to the wall with several of the stone spikes that she had magicked into being with a flick of her will, her smile warmer, as the anger inside her grew.

"Hello there, Jeremy."

The bindings that held Terra down to the ground were slowly dissolving with her focus directed to the man who was impaled, her fingers dancing a little dance, as the shadowy arms pulled him off the impaling stakes. It was such easy work, but it took such a long time. The Grimm could seize the remnants of Argus as much as they wished, as the negativity would draw them for decades, if not a century. The despair of the people would draw them in, as she had unveiled her might.

They would be scared.

"Who are you?! Why are you doing this?!"

Anger, such a futile emotion for those blessed to govern this world. The look of wrath on the man's face was something that only dressed the problem out, as she could hear the sound of footsteps, the body moving, as Terra Cotta moved like a mannequin with its strings controlled by her fingers.

The Specialist outfit looked rather nice on Miss Cotta. If Saphron wished, she could get one for herself, but first… the lovers had to be reunited.

It was such a shame that the degenerate woman had hurt her little angel. Saphron deserved better, she deserved much better in the family…

"Terra? Come on, sweetheart! Don't you trust me? Sweetheart, please?"

A hand reached out to touch the man's cheek, as the limbs tied him and restrained him, motioning for Terra to come closer. A smile on her lips, as she touched Terra's cheeks. The control was still within her hands, as the man's Semblance tried to wrap around her, and she followed the thread of small magic, to push it back. Its effects, undone. She was just the medium, the channel through which the world was reshaped.

"You… Oh god, how could I have ever… You- No!"

It was such a delightful sight to see the betrayal in Specialist Cotta's eyes, as the reality of the man, a sleazy, no-good untrustworthy fellow, was unveiled. There was no truth for her eyes that could be hidden.

"Terra, sweetheart, don't you trust me?"

The man would lie, time and time again, undoubtedly. Her fingers tapped lightly against Terra's cheek. Her body was under her control, her mouth was under her dominion, but the words were Terra's… without question.

"No! That's so wrong to do to that poor woman! I don't even like women! You- You said that it would be fine, that it would just be a good image for promotion! Everyone knows that people who express themselves differently are given the fast track. We LIED to that woman for years, and I was stupid enough not to question you! Partner for seven years, but- How could you! You betrayed me, just so that the Arc woman could bear your child?!"

The man tried to use his Semblance, but the rightful queen of the world blocked its use, her hand reaching to Terra's side, where a weapon sat.

"He's hurt more women like he hurt poor dear Saphron, Miss Cotta… Use something to bind him, make sure that it looks perfectly fine, so he has no wiggle room or chance to disappear. We have a long trip to make."

It would be wrong to deny her daughter the joys of vengeance…

She checked the time, before she felt the cool rage slowly fade. Within the ruins of a city, Salem calmed herself, as she watched how the former lover of her daughter in spirit of sorts, was tying her own lover up, as the Grimm inside the woman asserted dominance.

It had taken just a small lingering touch to make his Semblance be nullified, after all… What lesser magic these people had, it was all futile against the grand dearth of magic that she held.

Argus would be a testament, as the time registered.

'I hope you will like this gift, Saphron… The guilty must be punished… Oh, I will ensure that they will be ready for your punishment, my daughter.'

Salem has zero fucks to give. She's evil, and Adelheid is conflicted, but trying her best to not be too much of an easy lay. It's not made easy by Saphron trying to interfere wih that, of course.

KNOWLEDGE WARS SPECIAL REPORT

The picture zooms in on the face of Alexandrite Stones again, her countenance grim as she looks at her.

"It's soon time for the Atlas Election ladies and gentlemen! We've got Mister Orange on the line right now, with a special breaking interview, willing to address the good people of Vale about his chances for the Atlas election! Mister Orange, please, address us with your plans! Are you planning to stop the Ironwood Industrial Complex the moment you take office?"

The face of the politician was brutish and the blonde hair on his head looked a little fake, but the look in the man's eyes.

"I'm gonna make Atlas great again! The Faunus will get their jobs back, I'm going to get them ALL jobs!"

The man gesticulated with his hand to the side, as he shifted in his seat, the poster with Orange for Office 80 VY boldly displayed there.

"A great sentiment, Mister Orange! Give the Faunus their jobs, in order to revitalize the economy, to stick it to that darn Hill woman!"

The man on the screen smiled, clearly projecting an image of amusement, his finger pointing right at the camera.

"Damn right, Stones! I'm going to make sure that they'll have jobs to care for their kids, their family and nobody's going to go around and steal this election away from me! I'm going to make sure that there is a job so no kids have to go hungry, that the White Fang, those darn hooligans with their whole riots and protests, screaming about Faunus Lives Matter and stuff, get something to do other than just make a fuss for good and honest people!"

Alexandrite Stones pulled an orange cap with Make Atlas Great Again out, the crispness of the cap definitely showing that it was imported.

"We'd love to do more business, Mister Orange! Trade is good, trade is wonderful!"

The man got up, and the camera shut off for a moment, a set of cat ears very briefly visible, as the sound of something being zipped up was audible and someone not-so-quietly said: 'fix his damn tie, Mich. He looks deplorable.' And someone else responded with a very audible growl.

"A man who is devoted to his Kingdom, people! A real patriot! Faunus Force Five, now in the Knowledge Wars store! Mister Orange?"

The screen appeared once more, a grey-haired woman standing next to the Councillor candidate, looking prim and proper, her eyes giving a stoic look towards the camera.

"My running mate, Michaela Pence. A good woman, who knows what the Faunus community needs! I put a lot of trust in her, because she's got a good head on her shoulders, and is an educated, smart woman! Very smart, I trust her, and that means you all should trust her. "

The Faunus looked unphased, as she nodded.

"We are going to ensure that the Faunus community will no longer be marginalized and given the jobs nobody wants! With Willow Schnee declaring that the Schnee Dust Company will no longer hire the Faunus as workers, due to the horrible death of her youngest child, we have done plenty of market research and will endeavour to pass legislation that will allow Faunus to be accepted to Huntsman Academies, rather than the 'honours system' implemented under General Ironwood."

Alexandrite Stones nodded, whilst the woman continued, turning to Ronald Orange.

"Vote for Ronald Orange, if you wish to see the world change! Make Atlas Great Again and let humanity know that Faunus and Humans can work together! I see something in this man, and you should too! He may be boorish, he may be uncouth and have horrible table manners and definitely called General Ironwood 'General Irondick' once to his face, but he is not someone who will forget the little people! Be they human or Faunus, a vote for Orange is to make Atlas great again!"

Ronald Orange's hand grabbed his running mate by her shoulder, and the woman looked at him and nodded.

"I won't shame you. Won't shame your faith at all, Alex. I'm going to make this Kingdom great again, I'm going to make it the best place in the world, where everyone'll be able to have food on the table and nobody will have to go hungry. Look at me, I've got a belly, I eat well and good, but I don't skimp on things for the people that care for my campaign. Mikey, tell them about the plan."

Michaela Pence looked like she had just seen some flying hamburger.

"Robyn Hill and her crony thief bandits have no policies that they unveil, other than 'Mantle First'. We are still one Kingdom, and we will revitalize the industry! Where the Faunus once have mined Dust, there will be weaving shops. We will be the champions of the industry, so that Atlas can stand at the head of this world, fully self-sufficient!"

The man patted the Faunus her shoulder, Alexandrite having let the two talk for a while, nodding.

"That's amazing. I'd vote for you if I was eligible."

Michaela Pence and Ronald Orange did a simultaneous nod.

"And what of the opposition? There are people who claim that you'd be helping the establishment, Ironwood and his secret Faunus harvesting plan!"

Ronald Orange looked at Alexandrite Stones and he nodded. The man's hands gestured to the camera, Michaela Pence's expression carefully neutral as she schooled her features into the perfect mask of efficiency and calm.

"That's not good, you know? There's too much widdy-waddy business in politics, and when I get the office of Chancellor, I will cut the budget! No money without knowledge of what he's up to! And if that Hill woman wants to go and fund more of those niddy-widdy projects, I say, Bring it on! Atlas is still a democracy. If that woman wants something, I'm just going to grab my pussy here-"

The man went for his running mate, accidentally grabbing a handful of tit due to their size difference, the woman slighter in frame than the tall man.

"And make them have one hell of a bad day. Mikey here is the best woman, and she's ALL woman, let me tell you. If I wasn't entangled with my ex in a legal battle, I'd marry her in a heartbeat. Very fine woman, she is. Very good, strong woman."

Michaela Pence smiled, as her hand grabbed her boss' wrist and then pushed it a little closer. Ronald seemed to notice that he'd grabbed something else than her side, trying to pull his hand away.

"He's worthy of being councillor, brothers and sisters. Like chieftain Belladonna of Menagerie, we must select a worthy leader, one who will grab us by the pussy and be a man rather than some tissue-man who watches his woman he has stolen away from him! The Happy Harpies will not be the one who show raw Faunus vitality! Orange is the way!"

Alexandrite looked visibly uncomfortable, as Ronald Orange seemed to try and pull his hand away. The woman's grip tightened and pushed that hand lower, down to the hip, placing it there and giving a catty smile at the camera.

"Vote Orange for Office, people. A man like this is the one who will be shaking up Atlas' ivory towers! I will be taking it up in the debate against Hill's second and third aide, John Beeten and Camel Hattis. Atlas will get the councilman it deserves!"

Alexandrite cleared her throat.

"Alright, thank you, Miss Pence, Mister Orange… You've got it here, Folks. The first interview with Mister Orange, who will be running for the Atlas Council."

Mister Orange, or Ronald, as he preferred to be called, pulled his hand free, as his running mate grabbed it and pushed it between her legs.

"You've got balls, so use them! A vote for Orange is a vote for progress, ladies and gentlemen!"

The connection cut out and there was a not-so-quiet 'thump' as someone got onto the desk. Alexandrite looked even more awkward now, coughing quietly.

"Oh, this is still on. Good night. We're discussing campaign plans. Bye-bye."

The sound of a zipper sliding down and a low purr coming from the audio feed was definitely not intended, as Alexandrite motioned to the technical crew.

"Mike, we're still live, I'm appreciative of this, but-."

A cat-like hiss came from the audio feed, and there was a lower moan from the man himself.

"No! You're the best hope for the Faunus. If that Hill woman tries to make any move, I'll punch her out and her whole flunkies! You can do it, Ronald. When you gave me hope when I was about to jump, I saw a man who could shake up this whole system. Now shut it and let me work. We're at another media presentation in three hours, and we'll barely make it in time."

The man's confused 'But we're only ten minutes by car' was cut off, as the purring got louder, Alexandrite stones manually cutting the feed.

"Ronald Orange, and his running mate, Michaela Pence, people! Super Faunus Vitality, used by the man himself! Ron the Don, people!"

The image of the running mate forcing her boss' hand down whilst looking like she wanted to throw down with her opposition was definitely something that would stick with the people, but the popular support from the Faunus community for Ronald Orange took people aback when asked.

"Ronald, we love you! You've got my vote!" – Arthur Tanner, IT professional

"A real man can't be stopped by the Happy Harpies! Ron, you're the don!" – Maizie Stern, dog Faunus, unemployed.

"With Pence at his side, we're going to be great again! Go Ron!" – Artemis Morningstar, moth Faunus, professional dog groomer.

"Michaela Pence is a good example of a woman who cares for the Human and Faunus cooperation that the White Fang espouses. I hope that mister Orange can make his promises of economic growth for the Faunus a reality." – Sienna Khan, High Leader of the White Fang.

DO YOU WANT TO BE A BEAST IN THE BEDROOM?! BUY SUPER FAUNUS VITALITY NOW! GREG STONES APPROVES OF THIS MESSAGE! KNOWLEDGE WARS: THE RESISTANCE AGAINST ALL TYRANTS AND EVIL-DOERS!

Adelheid has some lofty intentions of being a good girl… too bad that Saphron is already plotting on getting Adelheid Arc'ed. Poor Adelheid… She was doing so well. She just needs more love. Too bad the only guy who gives her that feeling of being comfortable is the one guy that she's not supposed to go for.

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