Author Note: This series of tales from the Ruinverse was inspired by MajorBrony95, who helped create scenarios for at least one or more of the future tales and brought the concept into reality. Just wanted to put that up there, so enjoy the next tale.
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The screen flickered to life as purple hooked chains erupted from the top and a dull silver colored book from the inkly abyss, which opened up as silver light bathed the screen once more…ready to tell another tale once more.
Tales of the Ruinverse: Chapter Two: Tale of False Comfort
Timeline: Blackened Motives
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-Remnant, Menagerie, Kuo Kuana, Belladonna Residence-
The sun set in the distance, signaling the end of a long and humid day on the island, as a figure walked towards the large estate's doors and opened them.
"Kali? I'm home." called out the leader of the White Fang, Ghira Belladonna, as he walked into his home, exhausted and very tired from a long week of disrupting anti faunus trafficking sects across Anima.
As for him...he just wanted to rest, take his mind off everything.
"Oh Ghira." smiled a tall pale skinned woman with short black hair, yellow eyes, large black cat ears with white fur on the sides sporting two gold piercings on the right ear and one on the left ear, a G cup chest and large ass, wearing a black shrug sporting a long sleeve on the right arm and a short sleeve on the left arm, a gold-leaf trim adorning the shrug's front opening, long black arm warmers that went to the middle finger, a purple band on the top of the left warmer, gold bangles on the left wrist, a black hakama, a black and gold sash that went behind her sporting a gold flower-shaped buckle at the end, white tabi socks and black sandals, who quickly walked over to the faunus and hugged him.
This is Kali Belladonna, beautiful wife and soul mate to White Fang's creator.
"How was your day dear?"
"Long." Ghira groaned while expelling a heavy sigh. "And stressful."
"Oh my poor Ghirapoo."
He blushed at the 'pet' name as he sat down on the couch. "Kali, please."
"Don't be like that. I'm just worried about you." She said while sitting on his lap. "Especially after that mission."
He sighed. "I know, but it was either letting the human hit me or letting Adam strike him down...and I'm not so sure if that was even the right choice."
"Do you want me to run you a bath?"
"Yes."
"With me~?" She purred while Ghira blushed, knowing his wife's horny nature, especially when she was worried about him.
"Uh...m-maybe later." He gulped before looking away, his expression becoming serious in an instant. "Kali."
"Yes?"
"Am I doing the right thing?"
"What do you mean dear?"
He sighed while placing his right hand on his face. "Is it right to advocate for peace between our species and humanity?"
"Of course it is Ghira." Kali said while rubbing her husband's cheek. "It is the right of all species to be free, even if it doesn't happen at first."
"And that is the problem, no matter how many times we try, the Kingdoms still think of us as second class citizens, animals." Ghira frowned. "It's like we're fighting a losing fight no matter how much we try."
Kali looked at her husband with sympathy, knowing that his words rang true.
For untold centuries, humanity has feared and hated the faunus for their strange appearances and unique links to the gods of old, which humanity lacks. Wars, persecution and hate was all humanity has given them, even after many faunus served under different Kingdoms during the Great War.
In the eyes of her brethren, Menagerie is an island both sacred and gilded. A sign that humanity will never accept them...yet there are some that wish for peace between the species, even if briefly.
"Kali...should I change the policies of the White Fang to fit Sienna's view? Should we bare our fangs at humanity?"
"No Ghira. If we go that way, then we'll just prove the humans right." Kali said with a frown. "Negotiation and understanding is the right way."
"But what about those within our ranks, the younger generation? What would they believe in more, the tactics of an 'old fool' or a warmonger?"
"Well, that's why they need you, to help guide them."
"...still, I'm not sure."
Kali stroked Ghira's chin and kissed it. "Oh Ghira, you worry too much. Humanity and the faunus will live together in peace. I know it will."
Ghira sighed heavily. "I should hope so."
As the cat faunus looked upon her husband's face, a thought of inspiration took hold of her mind, one that might help her husband's mental state greatly.
"Ghira dear, maybe we should take a vacation."
"Eh?"
"You know, head out to one of the other Kingdoms and relax. It might help get Blake to trust people more if she interacted with the rest of the world."
"I'm not sure..." Ghira said while looking his wife in the eyes. "The White Fang need me for a rally in Atlas next week and Blake...I really don't think it's a good idea to let her-"
"Nonsense, she needs the experience. She can't live on Menagerie all her life, what if she finds a man later on? Or even a girl?"
"Like I would even let her date!" he frowned with parental fury.
"Ghira." Kali frowned. "Don't be like that."
"But-"
"Blake is only ten. Stop worrying about her relationship status." She frowned while pinching his left earlobe lightly. "It only ages you faster."
"Ow! But it's my job!" Ghira yelled in pain while Kali deadpanned at him.
"Not when she's ten." she sighed before letting go of her husband's ear and clapped her hands together. "I got it, why not all three of us head to Atlas next week, you can be at the rally and afterwards we can relax and see the sights."
"I...alright, we'll go." He said with a sigh, knowing his wife is stubborn about certain things.
"Great, I'll tell Blake when she comes home from school." She smiled before giving her husband a small kiss on the chin. "Now, I'll get the bath ready."
As she walked out of the room, Ghira felt...a strange sensation over taking him, as if this...might be the last time they will interact with each other.
'Just what is going on? This is a normal day…why am I feeling like this?' he thought before Kali poked her head out from behind a corner.
"My offer still stands~"
"KALI!"
(Sometime later)
-Solitas, Atlas-
"Daddy." Blake said, her tiny ears folded down as she held onto her strong father's back like a lifeline. "It stinks here."
"That's because it's a city, it always smells." he said with a chuckle, knowing this was his daughter's first time in a major city, even if it was also one of its most...racially charged.
"I want to go home."
"Now, now, Blake, your mother thinks this is a good way for you to meet other kids."
"Mmmm." she pouted before sticking her tongue at her father, making Kali, who was walking right next to her husband, chuckle at her.
"Blake dear, try and behave." Kali said with a smile.
"Mmmmmmm." she huffed cutely while digging her face deeper into Ghira's back.
'Stubborn like her mother.' he thought before noticing a rather large parade float docked near one of the warehouses of lower Atlas, one decorated with white, purple and black...with a rather large paper-mache statue of Ghira himself on it. "...is that supposed to be me?"
"Apparently so." Kali said while seeing that the statue's face was missing an eye and lacking the beard she came to adore.
"It doesn't look anything like me."
"Mmmm, maybe if it was trimmed near the back. You are balding back there."
"What!? No I'm-"
"Just kidding~" Kali chuckled as Ghira groaned in embarrassment. "You really need to lighten up."
"...perhaps." he sighed before the three faunus walked closer to the parade float, a group of White Fang members moving about around the sides, making quick repairs before the big event.
"Oh, High Leader Ghira." one of the members said, her gecko-like eyes widening at the sight of the group's early arrival. "Welcome...um...it's not quite ready yet." 'Shit! And we were just about to get more paint for the eye!'
"I can see that." Ghira deadpanned while Blake looked up, saw the statue, and blinked.
"Why is daddy's face weird?"
He groaned in embarrassment while the gecko faunus gulped.
"Um...just um...wait here while I get my...superior." she said quickly before running away, making Kali snicker at her nervous nature. 'SHIT!'
"Relax Ghira, they'll make your face look brand new." Kali said while chuckling at her husband.
"Mmmm." he huffed while looking upon the statue, only to see a flash of something dreadful.
A cold hard face, covered in black aura and hate, in place of the statue's original face, deep purple glitches forming near the sides as Ghira quickly shook his head and...saw nothing.
'What was...no, it was just nerves. Nothing more.' he thought while his heart raced, seemingly feeling the fear and dread of his visions.
(Later)
Music rang across the busy Atlasian streets as the White Fang, holding banners and flags of their proud organization, moved down the near empty streets, the parade float moving slowly to allow the statue's magnificence to be seen.
All the while Ghira was waving to the people, his family standing next to him in a show of 'benevolence'...although Blake was getting tired of waving to the humans, and was nervous too.
"Daddy? How much longer?"
"Just a few more hours dear."
"But daddy, I'm bored." she pouted while looking at the jeers with disdain.
"It'll be alright Blake, just bare with it for now." he said while looking out into the crowd, feeling the pit of his stomach 'twisting' from a sense of uncertainty.
And for good reason, since he was in the heart of anti Faunus politics, a place where the faunus were treated even lower than the lowest beggar and a single human life was greater than all the lives of the entire faunus species.
So much so he was expecting a scene to break out.
'I hope this doesn't turn out badly...for my health's sake.'
But as he looked upon the crowd...he noticed the same purple glitches forming across the street itself, the faces of humans and faunus becoming distorted to reveal the bloodied remains of partially mauled skulls.
His eyes widened before shaking his head and noting they looked fine. 'What the...what was that?'
"Dear?" Kali whispered, catching his attention. "Are you ok?"
"Uh, yeah yeah, I'm...fine." He said while feeling rather...unnerved by the experience.
"Are you sure?" she asked while in the crowd, a figure, obscured by both the crowd and by darkness, started moving their right arm towards the ground with a single rock in their hands.
"I'm fine. Just a little overwhelmed." he said while noticing an armed Atlasian patrol truck moving towards the float. "Oh no."
As the truck stopped in the middle of the festival, several armed Atlasian Huntsmen and Specialists got out and stood at the ready.
"High Leader Belladonna, I implore you to stand down." said one of the Specialists while holding a pistol near his breast.
"What is the meaning of this?"
"Your little festival is a public nuisance."
"But we already established the festival and got the permits."
The Specialist frowned, having not heard any of this when he mobilized the Huntsmen for another 'faunus riot'.
However, in that moment of confusion, a woman, one with bat-like ears on her head, moved towards the front of the crowd and threw the rock at the Specialist.
"DEATH TO ALL HUMANS!"
SQUISH!
In that instant, the world became red with blood as the Specialist, the rock hitting the middle of his face, fell dead on the asphalt.
"Oh my gods!"
"That faunus killed Specialist Aron!"
"Open fire! This is a White Fang coup!"
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
Soon people started to scream in horror and run away from the bloodbath.
BANG!
BANG!
BANG!
Bullets rang across the streets as both humans and faunus were caught in the line of fire, the White Fang members in attendance trying their best to get the innocent away from the carnage.
Yet, even they fell into the jaws of death as Ghira quickly used his bulk and strength to carry his family away from the Specialists.
However, after a few blocks of running...he noticed something that not even his years of experience would prepare him for...
The dead bullet ridden corpses of his...wife and child, blood dripping from the open wounds as their faces were twisted into an expression of agony and fear.
"No...no...no no no no no!" He said in shock, eyes widening as he felt the world crumbling around him. "Kali. Blake. Wake up, wake up!"
The sound of gunfire rang in his ears as the bodies of his wife and child laid still in his trembling arms.
"No...nonononononono!" He cried out in anguish as his body became coated in a thick tar-like aura.
BANG!
BANG!
"It's the faunus! Kill him!" yelled several Atlasian Specialists, crazed by the bloodshed and seeing the Belladonna as a 'scapegoat'.
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" He screamed as the black aura shot out from his body and covered the Specialists, turning them into lifeless mummies in the process.
"Shit! Kill him!" yelled a Specialist before seeing Ghira turning his head towards him, his eyes filled with rage and malice.
"You...DIE!" Ghira roared before the 'aura' started to lash out against everyone, human or faunus, as he rushed towards the Specialist.
"AHH! KILL THAT BEAST!"
BAM!
BAM!
BAM!
Soon, the Specialists began to fall like slaughtered pigs, being sliced and cut into tiny pieces.
"YOU SHALL ALL DIE!" he roared as the black aura covered the screen and everything went black.
