A/N: I want to announce that we have a winner for the contest. One of the added writers for RWBYverse, Green, was able to successfully answer the three-part questions. So, the semblances have been decided which will be revealed later on.)
[Cues - Far Away (遥か彼方, Haruka Kanata) – Asian Kung-Fu Generation]
残り:四の影/ Remnant's Four Shadows
Volume 2, Episode 3: Gut Punch Gatling
"What a load of crap." Tempus said changing the channel. "But on the bright side, Volume 6 is done."
Tempus was theorizing that she may be able to send Team YUKI more canon information up to Volume 3 now that is was a halfway point. She got up and turned off the television. If she was going to try to slip past the Brother Gods, she was going to need to get a move on.
The rest of that day was a blur for Yuki after that phone call with the Belladonnas. It had left him with mixed emotions of shame, anger, pity, regret, and a burning desire for shredding a certain woman. Despite this, he and the team let Peach in on the team's secret in the comfort of the Dragon's Den about Tempus and their mission. Peach was skeptical of all this until she joined the team for marathoning Volume 1 of the "show" with them. Then came the explanation of the true power of Yuki's semblance…and the reactions from Professor Peach was probably a bigger extreme then Yuki's to her.
"I think I'm in love because this semblance is incredible. The possibilities to be done with it are endless! If only I was a few years younger, I'd be all over you."
Yuki really wished he had stopped Ivory from saying he was eighteen. Thanks to her, any chance of a familial relationship for him was pretty much moot. Not that she was going to become a crazed fangirl, but Yuki's life was going to be more complicated. And then there was Cologne's letter…he'd read it tomorrow, he was too burnt out today.
|The Next Day, Beacon| (Wednesday – Day 3)
Yuki got up still feeling tired despite having a good night's sleep and dragged himself out of bed. He was clad in his humble pajamas, an oversized t-shirt bearing a grimm skull and blue shorts. He noticed nobody else was in the bedroom, not even Cinnabon.
"[Yuki, my sensors indicate your teammates are all out in the common room. On that note, are you feeling okay? I sense you are still distressed.]" Serena said kindly.
"Of course, I'm still stressed out. Blake is probably unaware her "friend" basically used her like Adam used condoms on her." Yuki responded. "And the dream I had last night was rather odd. It felt like Tempus was trying to reach me."
Yuki shook his head and took up the unopened letter as he exited the bedroom. Team RWBY was still getting used to living with Team YUKI and Weiss had thought it would help to have the "den mother" Professor Peach living with them would help curb Ivory's habits. She was wrong.
"Ivory! You could stand to put on some clothes!" Weiss said facepalming.
Clad merely in a pair of pale blue panties and an apron, Ivory was making pancakes.
"Weiss, I need to cheer up Yuki's mood when he gets up. He hasn't been feeling good since yesterday afternoon." Ivory said earnestly. "You'd do it for the special someone to perk them up."
Weiss stammered and huffed. Ruby was certainly excited…for the chocolate chip pancakes. Yang was wondering if she could pull them that off. Blake was writing all this down for "fanfiction" ideas. Lapis was focus on purifying water out of the sink to make the perfect lemonade while Kelly was brushing Cinnabon.
"Breakfast smells wonderful." Peach said coming out in an oversized t-shirt was a little off the shoulder.
Yang's jaw fell slightly at the sight of Peach's somewhat toned appearance and thought, "Is everyone around here more…jacked?"
"Good, you're awake." Lapis said seeing Yuki come up. "And you look troubled."
"Is something wrong?" Ivory asked concerned.
"Yeah, and I hate to say, but it's going to be a gut punch Gatling gun. I'll start with Blake…your parents called me yesterday." Yuki said as Blake paled. "And they informed me of some disturbing information they were handed from a former member of the White Fang involving you and Ilia."
Blake had thought of her old friend wondering why she was even on a team with humans if she hated them so much.
"It's not pretty, and I won't go into detail out here if you rather me disclose it in private." Yuki said steeled.
"How bad is this?" Blake asked.
"Well, how do I say this politely? Ilia is older than she looks…and is definitely as old as Adam, which makes what I'm about to say really uncomfortable. She apparently has photos of you….and well I think you could guess what she's doing with these…your mom sent what they got from a former Fang member over." Yuki said pulling it up on his scroll. "And for the sake of everyone's sanity, only Blake gets to look at it."
Hearing Ilia was near Adam's age was a shock for Blake but looking at the photos was a knee-jerk feeling. She quickly realized why Yuki would be in sour mood after this, and Blake had a look of visceral disgust. It did not help that one was her in the moment of when she thought she was alone. Ivory peeked over.
"You know, I think Ilia might be right next to Adam in creep factor." Ivory said shaking her head. "Probably even worse considering..."
Blake ran for the nearest trash can and hurled what little bile she had in her body. Yuki promptly had those photos wiped off his scroll, but RWY and the others caught on to what Yuki meant.
"And I'm going to blunt with you all…these next few things I'm going to say DO NOT LEAVE THIS ROOM. At all. Not a word, especially not to Ozpin." Yuki said sniffing out the area near the main door for no eavesdroppers. "Ivory, barricade the door."
Ivory wasted no making a wall of light in front of the door.
"Simply put, you parents paid me to kill Ilia. Anyone got an issue with that?" Yuki said sternly.
"I do, but if whatever she said to my teammate got her to freak out like that. I'm willing to put my reservations about killing people aside." Ruby said with a sigh. "I already signed on with you."
"Ruby, I understand you not wanting to kill people. Such resolve is a rarity, but you will have to still be able to as a huntress. Huntsmen pretty much also function as bounty hunters, and Ilia happens to have a fat one in Menagerie. Seeing she's a criminal and a White Fang member who's currently still active in her membership, I will gladly kill her. Hell, I'm being paid to do it." Yuki said gaining a little grin on his face.
"And I can help by subtly getting the mission data under your folder before Ozpin reads it." Peach said keying away on her scroll.
"But how are you going to even kill her? She's a Haven student and if you…" Weiss said only for Yuki to cut her off saying, "They're fake transcripts. I did my digging. Seems Lionheart did them another favor. Either way, I can't kill her now. That team she's apart of….is involved in something big. Torchwick's antics that you faced, a pawn in the soup that team leader is stirring."
"Ok, how do you know all this?" Yang asked. "You're clearly hiding something…."
"You're right, Xiao Long, and unlike Ozpin and his damn secrets, I will tell you the truth. But promise me something, no one else much know until any one of the team deems it okay." Yuki said. "And I can't tell you all at once, Yang, but in pieces."
Yang nodded, and Yuki cleared his throat. It was a bit early in the game, but he had lain some truth about how he needed up in the picture explaining who Tempus was and the legend of the brother gods.
"So, let me get this straight, you four were picked by the goddess of time to change history. Good lord, history has been completely fucked if you four were picked to save it!" Weiss bellowed. "And why come to us?"
"Because, you four and JPNR are integral to the timeline." Peach explained.
"Wha, how come she knows more about this?" Blake asked.
"Because, she's the den mother of this troop. Plus, it would not aid you if you knew all the details right away anyway. The timeline has already changed drastically if you think about it." Yuki said. "Besides you need to focus on your training."
"Wait, if JPNR is important? Why aren't you training them?" Yang asked.
"They are not that important, plus I refuse to train that loathsome Arc…at the moment." Yuki said venomously alongside Ivory and Kelly.
"Jeez, what did he do to piss you all off?" Yang asked.
"Well I'm glad we agree that he's a total dunce." Weiss said with a smirk.
"That's not why we despise him." Kelly snarled.
Yuki looked to the letter in hand and said, "Oh right, I forgot about this. Ivory, let down the shield."
Ivory complied and Lapis served breakfast. The smell of pancakes wafted throughout the air and would attract a certain hammer maiden. Yuki opened the letter and facepalm letting a curse through his lips.
"Well, I got shit news and shitter news. What do you want to hear first?" Yuki said sardonically.
"The good news!" Nora said kicking in the door. "And some pancakes!"
Not in the mood to hear Nora's voice so early, Yuki got out one of his handguns only for Peach to take it away.
"No, Yuki, you can't." Peach said as Yuki sighed.
"Nora, I have a mounting headache and I would rather you not be so loud in the morning!" Yuki said glaring at her.
"I couldn't help it. These pancakes smell heavenly! Could I please have some? Ren refuses to make me anymore this week." Nora said being hyperactive as usual.
"Gah! If you take some and leave, I'll teach you how to make your own pancakes!" Yuki yelled in frustration.
Nora's eyes widened and she bounced around asking when. Yuki screamed that he'd teach her on Friday evenings, and she was gone with a plate full of pancakes. It was then Yuki realized that he had subjected himself to having Nora around him…on his weekend. His eye twitched and Ivory looked worried.
"Would oral help break the tension? Or would me macking it up with Lapis help?" Ivory offered.
A snort came out of Yuki before he broke out into a laugh of the lewd suggestion. A smile was crawling on his face.
"I needed that. Almost makes up for the shit on this letter." Yuki said with a sigh. "So, the shit news is someone put out a hit on me…and Ruby. Shittier news, it's 20 million each."
Forks clattered on the face as Yang's eyes with blood red wanting details. Yuki read out the letter and Yang was red-hot with her body giving off flames.
"Who put out that hit? Tell me who to punch into mush!" Yang yelled.
"First off, I can't. Kyrus didn't get that information. Seems whoever was smart enough to do it through a meditator…the Spider Syndicate. Mistral-based, so whoever called the hit definitely could be anyone who has a grudge against me. But why Ruby? I can't think of any reason…other than our Silver Eyes. But that's not exactly something that anyone just knows." Yuki said looking in thought. "Plus, we don't know who wants to go through the trouble of wanting us dead."
"I can make some calls to my old running buddy, Syn. See what she can gather." Ivory said getting out her scroll.
As for Team RWBY, they were given the directive to go ahead to class and keep wearing the weights. Yang cooled down for now, but Yuki knew she would want more answers. Blake was not in the best of moods. Guilt racked her mind considering her parents and anger at herself, Ilia, and Adam. On her way to her next class, she ran into Ilia.
"Oh, hey Blake, I…" Ilia said only for Blake to leave a shadow of herself behind.
Her real self was running faster. Yuki had no choice, after getting dressed, but to go with Peach to bring forward the information the hit placed on him and Ruby to Ozpin. As they arrived in his office, Qrow was here with some bandages on his body.
"You!" Qrow said looking down Yuki.
"Whatever, I don't have time for your shit. You want to be Ozpin's lapdog, that's fine. Now piss off." Yuki said going around Qrow to Ozpin's desk. "Ozpin, we have a problem, a big one."
Ozpin raised an eyebrow.
"I have information from a trusted source that someone placed a hit of 20 million lien out on me and Ruby." Yuki said with got Qrow to snap to a more serious state.
"This is most concerning. I assume you have more details." Ozpin said adjusting his glasses.
"The Spider Syndicate's involved as the ones who arranged the deal, but not the ones who called for it. I'm still investigating." Yuki said.
"We do have others gathering information, but I am afraid we are running in blind." Peach said with a pained sigh.
"Well, do what you must. Qrow, I'll need you to stick around and keep an eye out on things here." Ozpin said to Qrow.
"Wait, Rita…is that you?" Qrow asked.
"Qrow." Peach spoke tersely.
"Speaking of which, what's Mao's kid doing here?" Qrow asked Ozpin who looked impassive.
"Are you…you don't know? Has all that alcohol discolored your brain?" Peach asked incredulously shocked he did not know anything. "Yuki, we're done here. Ozpin needs to fill in his faithful ass."
Peach walked out with Yuki following behind him snickering a little in the process. Qrow was laughing too until Ozpin pointed out that the insult was directed at him.
"So, I very well assume you have a plan in mind." Peach said.
"Yeah. Ivory's old friend gave me an idea, Professor Peach." Yuki said. "And it's moments like this I want to smack Raven for having a useful semblance and never using it."
"Ironic that she was always anti-social. And please call me Rita. You are Beacon Staff after all." Peach said as they returned to the Dragon's Den as Ivory got off the phone.
"I got good news. Syn managed to get some info on where the Spiders' base is." Ivory said with relief.
"Good, because I'm going to her." Yuki said tossing off the lab coat on top of couch and slipping on his armor over green sweatshirt.
"Oh right. Portal to your friends. You'd think Raven would be more social to make a more effective use of it." Ivory remarked. "Want me to come?"
"Yes. Rita, do you have a class to teach?" Yuki asked.
"Not for another hour." Peach remarked.
"Lapis is aiding Port, and Kelly's teaching Faunus Sciences. So, I'll be able to come aboard if you let borrow some of your notes." Ivory said.
They were still students…somewhat with most of their coursework online. Yuki agreed and readied himself getting Frostbite on his side. Peach readied Malpractice and Ivory made one last text before getting her swords.
"She's in position." Ivory said putting her scroll in her pocket.
Yuki whipped out a knife and cut open a portal as the trio entered. Meanwhile, Kelly was getting rather passionate into her lecture leaving many trying to keep up. Blake sat idly secretly reading her Ninjas of Love under her copybook only for a paper ball to hit her cat ear and fall between her lap. Blake opened it up to see it was a note from Ilia and the cat faunus twitched. Yang, who sat next to her, took it up and roughly scribbled something down and threw it back to which it hit Emerald on the head.
"Sorry, that was for Ilia." Yang mouthed.
Emerald rolled her eyes and gave it to Ilia who opened it to find a simple message.
-STAY THE FUCK AWAY FROM MY PARTNER, Yang.-
Ilia was stunned letting a squeak that interrupted Kelly's speaking and she turned to Ilia.
"Miss Amitola, passing notes in my class? Really? What because you're a faunus, you think my class is unimportant?" Kelly said with a snarl.
Cinder was sweating and turned to stare down a panicking Ilia.
"I…wasn't…I…" Ilia said only for the paper in her hands to be burned into a crisp.
Kelly briefly flared on a draconic form before returning to normal.
"Clearly you must take me for a joke. Well then, here's a joke of my own. You and your team can spend today with detention." Kelly said darkly.
"But, I can't take detention. I had plans!" Cinder said indignantly.
Cinder had a show to watch. She was not going to miss the new Passions of Paradise Street because of Ilia's antics.
"Professor Usagi, please forgive my teammate. She is new to my team…being a transfer and all that." Cinder said going for appeasement.
"Are you not the leader of Team FAME, Miss Fall?" Kelly asked.
"I thought we were Team MICE." Mercury said with a chuckle.
"Well, Yuki thought it was demeaning and got you a better name for your record. And Miss Fall, you are a leader and you need to be more responsible. I will let this go, but don't expect this mercy again, Cinder." Kelly said.
|Mistral City, Mistral|
Another day in Mistral was pouring in the mountainous city and kingdom. The streets of the poorer parts riddled with raindrops and trash. The kingdom was not exactly seeing good days lately. Lionheart was still being hailed with death threats and the White Fang was suffering due to the lack of funds. It did not help that Sienna had no choice but to tell her "brothers and sisters" of the Fang that the organization was practically broke. Criminals were all smelling blood in the water, and it was a frenzy in the criminal underground.
Not for some. Little Miss Malachite was enjoying her favorite late-morning treat, a banana split with hot fudge, in her usual hangout, the Tuffet Tarry. Or at least, she would be enjoying her treat if not for the newcomer in her bar. She had dyed blonde hair that was not complete having shown her dark blue roots. She had mocha brown skin with slate grey eyes that hinting jadedness in color and personality. She wore a short dark-red one-shoulder dress with a pale blue bandeau top, long black wrist-guards, a purple belt, a red student miniskirt and pair of black boots. She was a pretty slender lady within her mid-twenties also bearing a tattoo of a few black stars on the lower part of her stomach. This was Sandra "Syn" Bailey, Ivory's old friend and fellow stripper. Right now, she was favoring a morning mimosa and was the source of Lil' Miss Malachite's paranoia. Her two trusty bodyguards kept quiet and the bartender was ready at the counter. The silence within the bar was deafening and the Little Miss couldn't take it anymore. She was about to say something only for a portal to tear open across from Syn.
"Hey girl…about time you showed." Syn said as Ivory came out of the portal with Peach and Yuki in tow.
Malachite paled.
"Sorry, I haven't called. So much shit happened that you won't believe. But we need catch up elsewhere. You still living in my old apartment?"
"Keeping the bed warm, babe." Syn said with a saucy grin. "And stained."
"Oh, you bitch." Ivory said leaving the bar with Syn in tow.
Yuki and Peach focused on the mob boss walking up with Serena playing some intimidating music.
[Mood Music: Dragon Ball Z Kai OST – A Mighty Foe]
For the mob boss, the music just made things worse as they walked up without foods. Her bodyguards decided to step in over to be tossed aside like trash and hit the wall. Yuki used the liquids from the liquors to freeze them to the wall as well. The sight of Little Miss Malachite triggered a future flash and seeing how far it was, it was rather sharp. Despite the pain, he looked up at Little Miss Malachite with all the intimidation he could muster.
"I assume you know why we're here." Peach said crossing her arms.
"No…" Little Miss Malachite said weakly.
Peach's response to her was the use of her semblance to morph her left hand into the orange gauntlet and slap the split off the table, hitting the wall. Little Miss Malachite was seriously wondering why she had only those two guarding her today. She should have increased security all considering, but she had not expected this so soon. Yuki got up recovering from his throbbing headache and realizing two things. He had to find either Oscar or Maria, and that fact Salem was fucking human once and Ozpin knew! The anger welling in him was evident in his face and the mob boss was panicking when Yuki smashed the table in two before grabbing her by her collar.
"Listen up, I am not in a good mood right now. Frankly, I want to unload as much rage on someone, anyone right now! But I can and will not let my anger control me. I want information on a few simple things. Who made that fucking hit against me and Ruby? Who accepted the job? And give me a reason I shouldn't smear your blood on the walls." Yuki said as his blue eye flared silver.
"The Church of Salem! The job was taken by Team SICC. And because I'll give you anything you want, just don't kill me." Malachite pleaded.
Yuki froze hearing the mention of the Church of Salem and released the mob bosses.
"What's the Church of Salem?" Peach asked.
"Worshippers who believe that the Grimm has a queen or some nonsense." Little Miss Malachite said getting up. "Crazy bunch of bastards, the lot."
"It's not nonsense. The Grimm Queen is real, very real!" Yuki said seriously. "And seeing you offering anything, I only want information on Team SICC."
"Of course." Little Miss Malachite asked as Yuki freed her bodyguards.
The two were wobbly due to the vodka seeping into their skin and loosening their muscles. So, the rotund boss had to get the manila folder.
"I'm afraid there's not much information on them all. Only Inque really had a record…of note." Little Miss Malachite said as Peach took up the folder.
"Then we're done here." Peach said.
"We are." Yuki said slicing open a portal.
[Mood Music Ends]
The two had left leaving the mob boss to collapse in her chair completely relived for now. She knew she was at heavy risk because it would be either the Church, Team YUKI, or Team SICC that could come to kill her.
"I have got to leave Mistral." Little Miss Malachite said helping her guards. "Vale's out, Vaccuo's a dump, and Altas will freeze my ass off."
It was then she came to a realization and had an idea.
|Beacon, Vale|
Ivory could tell that Yuki was in a real bad mood when he came back to Beacon. He was boiling rage and Ivory knew he was going to blow up on something. Serena was actively trying to process the information rushing through his added memories as Yuki went off to Emerald Forest to blow off some steam. Peach was reading the file they had gotten. Lapis was holding training for Team RWBY nearby through trying water therapy to purge their body of toxins.
"Hey, do you feel that? That's a lot of rage." Ruby said as Lapis snapped her eyes open.
"We should run." Lapis said getting up.
Before they could, an explosion sent a Deathstalker flying through the air before crashing right near them bruised, battered, and begging for death.
"Get over here!" Yuki screeched as a chain of light caught it by a stinger and dragged back into the woods.
Team RWBY could hear the Deathstalker's cries with every punch and slash. At the moment, Nora riding a Grimm was not so insane anymore. Using Adams's semblance, he rapidly hacked it to pieces with Frostbite before walking away.
"Yuki, something's wrong and you need to spill." Lapis said unfazed by Yuki throwing what she saw as a hissy fit.
"Fine." Yuki spat slicing open a portal. "But you four leave."
"Don't have to tell us twice." Weiss said dragging Ruby into the portal as Blake and Yang made their leave with.
When they left, Lapis hugged Yuki and he returned it sighing deeply.
"I got a flash of the future again. Thanks to that pain Ilia, I got to see most of Blake's useless arc in Menagerie and the disaster of her suddenly changing sides. Most of that "Volume 5" really blows and I don't even have all the details. But it's when I saw her." Yuki said before explaining what he saw after meeting Little Miss Malachite.
Lapis pulled away.
"So, Salem was human, and apparently her backstory is tied to Ozpin. Well, I think your father was right." Lapis said as Yuki opened up the book to find the theory list.
Yuki wrote a "confirmed" next to the theory of Salem and Ozpin being tied to each other's backstory.
"And apparently, Cinder still has the maiden powers. I don't even how these idiots haven't even killed her yet." Yuki said with a hiss. "Dragged Neo into this mess too."
"What about that blue genie woman?" Lapis asked.
"Tied to that object. My father wrote about that as well…called it…a Relic. But there's not much on it other than one is placed in each academy! I hate the unclear visions of the future and how fucking unorganized it all is." Yuki ranted.
"[Yuki, I just finished organizing it all. It seems you have pieces of Volume 4-6, but none of the third. Only volumes 1 and 2 are complete.]" Serena said kindly reassuring him.
"Well that's a relief. And on the bright side, I was able to get a few notable names, and a hypocrite to add to my shit list after I copy his semblance." Yuki said.
"And we can discuss that after lunch." Lapis said forming her water wings.
Yuki did the same and they flew off missing the dazed Jaune. He had gotten up having been blown away be the explosion only waking up to see Lapis and Yuki flying away from the scene. Back at Beacon's cafeteria, students were having lunch and team RWBY was at their usual table.
"Blake, can we talk?" Ilia asked concerned.
"Sun! Hey, let's go…to Vale for lunch. I'll buy!" Blake said getting up and dragging Sun away.
"Uh, okay." Sun said with a shrug.
"Wait for me!" Yang said following along.
"Seriously, what's her problem?" Ilia said only for Weiss and Ruby to take their food and leave. "What's your problem?!"
Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren were equally concerned that something was going on and worried about their leader.
"I just got a text from Jaune. He's all right, but he really shouldn't be doing this." Pyrrha said worriedly. "But…at least he's training."
"Still, if he's caught, I don't think Professor Azure will be pleased to know he's been copying off his style." Ren said with a groan.
"Don't worry about Jaune, he won't get caught. He's our fearless leader!" Nora said confidently. "Besides Professor Azure promised me a cooking lesson."
Ren nearly choked on his food before breaking out into laughter that was out of character for him. He would normally pity a person in the state of putting up with Nora, but he did not this time.
|Nightfall|
Team YUKI and Peach had regrouped back in Team YUKI's dorm before going over everything. To say Professor Peach was mad was an understatement, she was sorely tempted to unload a few clips of Malpractice into Ozpin's hide along with a few others.
"Syn called. Apparently, the Spiders are leaving Mistral." Ivory said getting off her scroll.
"Good, then Cinder can't get any aid if we let the bitch live for that long." Kelly said coldly.
"For now, let's focus on the present. There's the Breach if it happens. Considering the drop in WF members, it may not even go down. The Dance is a yes though, we'll have to deal with that. We also need to find out Cinder's plans. Thankfully, I got an inside man." Yuki said confidently.
"Regardless of all this, you four should socialize and take advantage of the time you have. It is fleeting." Peach said. "That's an order."
"All right, I need to go see Ozpin. I can't withhold this information for long." Yuki said waving the manila folder he got. "And I'll go alone."
Yuki left heading up to Ozpin's office in his tower. Entering, he found Ozpin having his evening coffee with Glynda and Qrow at his desk.
"Qrow, have you gathered any information concerning the people who put out the hit?" Yuki said having the folder within his lab coat.
"No. Sadly, my source told me those damn spiders rushed the hell out of Mistral to who knows where." Qrow said bitterly.
"That's a shame. I got this folder off of them before they left though." Yuki said taking the folder out.
"Wha-how?" Qrow said.
"Raven's semblance is so useful when you have friends from all around the world." Yuki said slapping the folder on the desk. "That is why I hate the feathery waste of cells. I had a friend who was able to get to the Spiders, and I merely made a portal to her and got my information. But you're not going to like what I have to say at all."
"I already don't." Qrow said as Glynda ribbed him.
"Any of you familiar with the Church of Salem?" Yuki said which got them all to stiffen.
Ozpin split his coffee, Glynda's glasses fell off her face, and Qrow needed to break out the stronger stuff.
"The Church of Salem?!" Ozpin said aghast.
"Yeah, that's a church that worships her as a goddess along with the Grimm. Their group was only able to form in Mistral because it's government couldn't give less of a shit. You know it's bad when Vaccuo didn't want them in their borders. They didn't spread to Vale neither due to the White Fang back then. Atlas Military had a kill on sight order for them. Simply put, they worship your old enemy. The public only believes it's all folklore though. I have tangled with those cultists a time before my…and my team's "stepping out of the shadows". I believe they are targeting me and Ruby for our Silver Eyes. They are among the many who were hunting for them." Yuki explained. "My team had stopped their previous plan to draw orphans for…making agents of Salem. I'm surprised Iroonwood didn't tell you about that."
Ozpin was terrified and asking himself how the hell did he let this slip under his nose. He even looked to Qrow considering the dusty drunk was in Mistral previously.
"I bet you're thinking how…well they keep underground. The criminals of Mistral knew of them long time. Hell, the woman I got the information from give it up willingly and left Mistral." Yuki mused. "But it's sadly not much."
"Team SICC, huh? Wait…oh no." Qrow said with a groan. "I know her… Isabella "Inque" Clay."
Glynda turned to the drunkard and Yuki raised an eyebrow.
"She was a rather good lay." Qrow said as Yuki face-faulting. "She may want me dead….because I slept with her daughter the day after."
Yuki had no reaction but to bid Ozpin good night and leave. The moment Inque discovered Ruby and Yang had ties to Qrow, she could kill them out of spite. Yuki knew this and was just going to have to up their training. Glynda shook her head in disgust, and Ozpin looked through the records. The emerald wiz was going to have…an interesting phone call with Ironwood later. When Yuki returned to the Dragon's Den, he found everyone waiting for him.
"Peach told us you discovered who's coming after us. You going to tell us?" Ruby asked.
"Ivory'll do it. I need a freaking drink!" Yuki said getting to the bar to pour himself a glass of wine.
"Yuki, what crapped in your cereal?" Lapis asked.
"Ozpin apparently was completely unaware of the Church of the Salem, and two of the assassins coming to kill us have apparently been fucked by Qrow." Yuki said downing his drink. "What was that idiot thinking doing a mother then doing the daughter the day after!"
Ruby was mildly off put by this, but Blake was blushing a storm.
"Real life oyakodon!" Blake thought.
"So, exactly how this is a problem?" Yang asked.
"Because the moment that the mother discovered you two are his nieces, she'll be more inclined to kill you both." Kelly said as Yuki nodded.
Yang's face fell.
"I'm off to bed…" Yuki said dragging himself into the comfort of his bed.
|Mistral|
Within an underground shelter, a team lay in hiding from what little police ran about the nighttime. Team SICC were preparing for the trip…all except one.
"Deanna, aren't going to train or at least prepare for this?" Inque said putting her hands on her hips.
"It's just a brat and some punk." Deanna said lazily reading her magazine.
Inque took the magazine from her and threw it aside before grabbing her daughter by her collar.
"That "punk" happens to deadly enough to kill numerous White Fang members enough to cripple the organization, and that "brat" was admitted two year early into Beacon and it considered a prodigy." Inque said irritated.
"So, we're dealing with a nerd and an animal abuser. Any liquored-up piece of shit with a shotgun at the zoo can kill an animal." Deanna said getting back her magazine.
"Inque, you may want to hear this." Stalker said looking over the information on his computer. "Seems Miss Rose has a tie to your past. You remember Qrow?"
"I remember." Deanna said suggestively as Inque had a look of distaste.
"Don't remember of that loathsome rat with wings. He nearly got all of us imprisoned and had the nerve to fuck my daughter!" Inque roared.
"Apparently, according to records, he's got ties to Ruby." Stalker said as Inque came up.
"Remember what I said about we should only go for Ruby and Yuki. Yeah, I changed my mind. Yang Xiao Long…must die by my hand." Inque said darkly.
Curaré was quietly sharpening her scimitar in thought about this mission. Something about this job did not add up, and there was not enough information on Yuki. She had enough for Ruby that she could plan something, but little to nothing on Yuki. She hated dealing with unknowns. A bit hypocritical being that she lived to be an unknown, but she was an assassin considering one of the most feared who never missed a mark. Well…except for two, those being Summer Rose and Maria Calavera. One that forced her to flee and the other had slipped out of her radar. Curaré got up and left the hideout leaving Deanna to see her go.
"Hey mom, is Curaré a mute or something? Her not speaking is really creepy." Deanna asked.
Inque honestly did not even know what the blue skinned killer's deal was. Curaré was a recent addition to the team only being a part of the team for less than six months and the inky woman was asking herself why Curaré even agreed to join them in the first place. On ground level and hidden under a heavy cloak, she traversed the streets to the bar where the Spiders based themselves and the deal was made. However, she found the bar closed down and empty. She blinked noticed a homeless man coming out of the alley slightly intoxicated. She grabbed by his dirty cloak and pointed at the bar.
"That place? Oh…it closed down. People running it wanted to leave Mistral. Something about not wanting to be here if he comes back." He said tiredly.
Curaré slammed him into the wall wanting more information, but she was told that was all he knew. She could only toss him into the gutter where he belonged before he scampered out. She had broken in and checked the place for any trace of evidence but found nothing useful. They clearly left in a hurry, but not in enough of rush to leave anything important. Curaré had a rotten feeling about this realizing she may need an exit plan in case go wrong. However, she failed a spot check in realizing that homeless guy he threw into the gutter was dead. His murder, a white cat faunus, watched Curaré go.
"Brother Blood must know of this." She said fading into the shadows of the night.
On a sizeable boat sailing away from the kingdom, Little Miss Malachite was able to relax as her plan to leave had went smoothly. Nobody from that cult or Team SICC was none the wiser. She was all the more hopeful to set up shop in Menagerie thinking there she was safe. She was…mostly right.
(A/N: Long, angsty, and tear-jerking. Not my usual styling. There were also plenty of jabs and references literally in this one. From references to shipping and so on. As for how much Yuki (and his team) knows beyond Volume 2, he knows most of Volume 4 and 5 thanks to Ilia, and two episodes of Volume 6 due to Little Miss Malachite. Remember that it only would clearly show scenes they were in and the rest would be fuzzy. I bet you're wondering why I had Little Miss Malachite go to Menagerie. Well, it's simple. This was based on a conversation I had with dudeblade/rwdesstuff where I made the point in that if Raven did not want to get involved in Ozpin and Salem's war, she could go to Menagerie and leave them to war it out while kicked back on the beach. Basically, this is what Little Miss Malachite is doing in leaving Yuki, Ruby, the Church, and Team SICC to war it out. Next few chapters will be what JPDE's "dates" were. Seeing that Ruby, Blake, Velvet, Penny, Glynda, and Raven all tied for third place, we'll need a tie breaker. Leave it with your review in who should take third place. You all got until the Yang chapter and the Twins chapter is completed to vote through your review or PM. One vote per person.
-[Cue: Dragon Ball Kai OST – Next Episode Preview]-
Yang: Hey there, it's Yang. Spending a day with Yuki? Sounds interesting. He did promise some dancing and maybe I should learn more about my mother.
Qrow: Yang, trust me, your mother isn't worth your time.
Yuki: Hey Qrow, Yang and I are supposed to do this chapter! Besides, you still haven't taken back what you said about my father! You also got someone to say about my mom too, you feathery bastard!
Qrow: Plenty.
Peach: Can we focus people?
Kyrus: When am I going to appear again?
Yang: Next time on Remnant's Four Shadows, "Dante and the Dragoness". Don't miss it!
