Snippet 109

Further Cracks

Sequel to Cracks in the Mirror

Gerne: Angst/Drama/Dark

Pairs: Past one-sided Arkos, Cold Colours (Whitley/Neon), Black Sun (Blake/Sun)

Parody: RWBY

AU-Type: Canon-esque AU (Post Fall of Beacon)

Tags: Character exploration, Somewhat Canon-Complaint with Small Changes, TW: Alcoholism, TW: Death, Dealing with Loss, Internal Strife, Deconstruction, Mental Issues, Sliding into be an AU, Guilt Eats You Alive, Camp Camp Cameo

Note: And I can say with this sequel, that this has slid to be a bit of AU. Especially, with what I plan to do.

-Jaune-

If there was anything that racked Jaune's mind, it was guilt and regret. He regrets having his own head up his ass for so long. He wished he had accepted Pyrrha's help sooner, and there was the thought of his action to fake his way to Beacon. He had thought of the other people that he had denied their deam. Angry he was at the likes of Cinder for killing Pyrrha, but he just could not well it up to go after. He doubted he could even put a scratch on her after last time. All he could do right now is build himself up and keep the team together. He used his chances traveling from village to village learning combat from the locals. One had given him a bit of advice.

"Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless — like water. You put too much force in your force leading to a hard grip. You need to relax before focusing your aura right before the attack. Do that and your strikes will punch more than if you force it."

It was how he discovered his semblance or at least how to actually use it. The realization hit that he literally was sitting on a semblance that could make him a powerful force of nature and the only reason he was not was because of his shoddy aura control. Ruby, Nora, and Ren respectfully tried not to say anything other than support, but Qrow laid it on him thick. So now, here Jaune was…outside of the inn of the village they were staying in.

As he practiced through stances and mediations, his mind was on better times. He could not help it as his memories were now clearly showing that Pyrrha was hinting she wanted him.

"I'm just as dense as Saphron was with her realization." Jaune said with a humorless chuckle. "Maybe, I should call them."

Jaune got out his scroll and made some calls. He knew what was going to get into, but he did not care. He just wanted to hear them again.

-Emerald and Mercury-

"What is wrong with you?"

"YOU MONSTER"

"I WILL PUT YOU THROUGH THAT FUCKING WALL!"

"Shut up!" Emerald screamed trying to silence the sounds around her.

Ever since the Fall of Beacon, Emerald was slowly unraveling over the course of months. She should not have looked down at the destruction or saw the news of deaths.

"You shouldn't have gotten involved with her in the first place!" Her mind said loud and clear.

It was all too late for her…she knew she crossed the line. She wished she did not have to be reminded of it. She kept seeing things…ghosts of people who died in Vale. They were taunting her and calling her names. They begged to be free and that she was holding them hostage. Emerald began to look more and more disheveled by the day and was a twitching mess. She simply stopped coming to Salem's meetings and holed up in her room.

"Cinder, are you sure Emerald can continue to be of use to us?" Salem said crossing her arms.

Cinder nodded as she knew Emerald would keep loyal to her. However, because Cinder could not speak, she had Mercury go check on her. Mercury did not even want to be here. If he knew all this was what was going to get into, he would have planted a bullet between Cinder's eyes right when they met. Was it Tuskon that drove it to this? No, it was the Fall of Beacon. Mercury fashioned himself as one who had a bit of a standard at least…compared his old man. Now? He could not even look at himself in the mirror. He hated what he was dragged into, he hated the fact Cinder goaded him, and he was what he had become. He walked into Emerald's room to find her twitching and looking terrified staring at the wall.

"Stop it! Stop it please! I know that I killed your whole family in the fall, but I had a good reason." Emerald muttered. "STOP REMINDING ME, YOU'RE NOT SUPPOSED TO BE REAL!"

Mercury came up trying to rouse her only for her to freak out.

"Oh my god, they're real!" Emerald screamed bolting out of the room screaming like a banshee.

Mercury had to give chase before she did something crazy.

Emerald had to get away as they kept multiplying around her. People screaming for revenge, crying from their loved ones, and blaming her. Emerald tripped on her own feet and fell on her face. She looked up to the sight of the flaming visages of Penny and Pyrrha stood surging with a searing heat glared at the miserable mochaito.

"THeRe iS nO HoPE foR YOU, BEGOTTEN SOuL!" They screamed as Emerald scrambled to her feet.

"No, no, get away from me!" Emerald said leaping out of a window before Mercury could catch her.

CRUNCH!

Emerald's body hit the lower roof of the castle…unconscious and marring the cracks with blood. Not even unconscuiousness would save her own semblance from eating her alive. Mercury did not need to be a psychologist to realize Emerald is losing her own mind.

"I guess I have to take what I said about illusions being a cool semblance back." Mercury said to himself. "I…I need to the hell out of here."

Next chance he had…he was gone. Emerald was always mentally off the deep end and he did not want to be next.

-Blake-

For Blake, it was nostalgiac. For Sun, paradise. Mengearie had looked all the more gorgeous and Sun took in the sights. Blake had taken Sun to a little café to treat him to drinks.

"Sun, I don't know if I can do this. What if my parents don't want to see me?" Blake said nerouvsly. "They probably hate me."

"Oh, come now, they probably would be happy to see you." Sun said trying to cheer her up.

Blake denied that continuing to sulk and self-loathe. Sun noticed something out of the corner of his eye. They were being watched by another. A shrimpy rat faunus scurried off into the crowd and Sun turned his attention back to Blake.

"Blake, do you know any rat faunus that were in the White Fang?" Sun asked.

"No…why?" Blake asked.

"Uh…never mind." Sun said finishing his shot of Mengearie rum. "So, how about we go see your folks?"

"I need a few more shots. I might as well be hammered." Blake said only for Sun to stop her holding her hand.

"Please, you'll need your senses. I'll be here every step of the way." Sun remarked.

"You're too nice for your own good." Blake said as the two departed for the Belladonna home.

Walking down the path to the center of town caught plenty of glances and glares from the townsfolk who immediately. Blake could not help but sweat nervously knowing she was a polarizing figure. She could feel heart pounding as she took every step which it got louder as she made it to the door. Part of her just wanted to run, but Sun already rang the doorbell. She was bracing for the worse as it opened, but a different voice opened.

She looked around only to feel a tug on her coat and she looked down to see a child looking up at her.

"You didn't tell me you had a little brother." Sun said excitedly.

"I did-AAH!" Blake said before getting a wad of wet paper, gum, and spit smacked her face.

Sun looked ahead to see another child, a badger faunus a bit older than the sibling, holding a slingshot.

"Welcome home, you prodgical asshole." The child said with a snicker. "I've been saving that for you for making Aunt Kali cry. Adrik's got something for you."

"Who's…"

Blake was cut off by her sibling punching her crotch as hard as he could causing her to fall to her knees glaring at the child.

"I'm Adrik Belladonna. Welcome home big sis." Adrik said as Max bolted past Sun and Blake for home.

"That wasn't very nice." Sun remarked.

"It wasn't very nice for her to leave my mom to cry over her." Adrik snarked back.

"Fair enough." Sun said helping Blake up.

Blake and Sun walked in with Adrik to find the place was set up for a party with Kali and Ghira standing up and a cake on the table.

"Welcome home, sweetheart. We're glad you're okay." Kali said tacklehugging her. "We were so scared when Beacon fell."

The fact that they had taken her in with open arms was a wave of relief and it left a desire to make it up to them for what she had done.

"Thanks mom….I'm so glad to be back." Blake said before she realized something, "How did you know I was around Beacon?"

"That would be my doing." The rat faunus said coming out of a dark corner.

"Saki here has keeping tabs on you. We hired him and his family to keep an eye on her after you ran away from home. That's how we knew. We're glad that you finally left the White Fang and tried to atone for your mistakes. We're proud of you, and I'm glad you're happy to meet your brother." Ghira said before noticing Sun. "And who's he?"

"Her boyfriend, apparently." Adrik said. "I opened to the door to them….well."

The sounds he made had both looking redfaced as Sun insisted that was a lie. Blake wished she could choke the little pain.

"I don't know Mr. Sun Wukong, the pictures I got out of you and Blake stay otherwise." Saki teased as Blake looked like she was ready to leap out of the window.

Ghira had his father glare as Sun only for Saki to reveal he was just joking before high fiving Adrik. Saki had left leaving the air awkward for Blake and Sun. Adrik could smirk as he had plans. Pranks to make Blake's time here a bit inconvenient.

(A/N: So, Blake has a little brother. To clear it up, Adrik would be about six or seven years of age. I figured the idea of giving her a sibling would be a rather unqiune take. Emerald's breakdown was something I wanted to explore the implication. A person's own semblance eating them alive.)