Big Issues
AN: Got another update for you all and this will start to hit some of the feels again! Also, art has been made and posted for a particular heartwarming scene on my DeviantArt account. Also, thanks to Sentinel103 for the follow of this series. I hope you all enjoy!
Home
"Not bad Ruby!" Denko called out to the younger girl. He and the rotund reaper were sparing outside the house, clashing blades time and again for yet another round. As much as the blonde was smiling, his excitement for the action and thrill of combat clear for all to see, Ruby grit her teeth and came at him harder trying for a clean hit.
Nearby, Yang watched the two fighting in the snow as she drank from a large mug of hot chocolate to keep warm. Just because she has plenty of natural insulation and admittedly, more now than when she came home, that didn't mean she was warm. The multiple layers she was wearing made her look bigger than normal and the fact that one arm had been in a sling since her return from Beacon made it difficult to close her jacket. And to be unable to do nothing but watch others do the things she loved, to run around, fight, and train… the waiting to heal was making her cranky and found some relief with snacks.
Not that Ruby was much better, the events of the Fall of Beacon having hit the girl very hard. It wasn't that she had been ignorant of the harshness of the world- despite the over protectiveness of her father and sister, even Denko and Itazura at times- her ambition and training to be a Huntress had seen to that detail.
But to have seen so much destruction and death in one night, confronting one of those causing the problems in Vale, Roman Torchwick, and defeating him had done little to settle the girl. Having heard that Emerald and Mercury had gotten away, nobody had heard from Neo, and Cinder was unaccounted for. Ozpin had been declared dead, her friend Penny gone, Beacon closed for the foreseeable future, and thousands of civilians were casualties of the invasion.
Overall, it was far from what she had expected when she went to Beacon. No one could have anticipated that someone would use the Vytal Festival and Tournament to spread so much division and death around the world when they were supposed to celebrate the end of those times.
But with practice winding down for the day, Ruby ran off into the forest as she had been doing for some time. There she may find the occasional Grimm or simply go for a run through the trees. The blondes were content to retreat into the warmth of the home, more than likely to get fresh hot drinks and sit on the couch together for a movie before getting dinner started.
A few minutes of hiking through the snow and dormant trees, making sure that she wasn't followed, Ruby reached the nearest road with a large boulder on the side that served as a landmark. The only life she saw on her way beyond the footprints of rabbits and the island's small deer population in the snow were a few blackbirds in the trees. She was used to the occasional bird from the local flock around her home following her around, seemingly waiting for her to feed it.
Eventually, she found a familiar figure in a black hoody and blue jeans with white armor walking up to the rock. "Jaune!" Her face lit up at seeing her friend from Beacon, the blonde smiled as he saw the red cloak coming at him, spreading his arms for a hug which was gladly received and returned.
"Do you think your team is ready to go?" Ruby asks once they separated.
"We will be by the end of the month. Pyrrha is working on rebuilding her sword now that she's back on her feet and back into training again." He could clearly recall when the tall redhead was able to walk without assistance of a brace or crutch, the way she smiled in joy. He didn't care that she hobbled a few steps before needing to be caught by him, though not without falling to the floor with her on top of him. It may have said something that she was as heavy then as when she was wearing her full armor the night she was hurt.
He found that he'd take the wind being knocked out of himself like that all day to see her smile. It was the beginning of a fresh start for the partners, with him helping with her rehabilitation whenever he could. Cleanup efforts in Vale hadn't slowed down much, though there were some blocks by now that had been fully cleared and had been covered over by more permanent buildings than the tents to help the people in the camps get through the winter easier. Not that the camps were abandoned, just that the eldest and those with younger families moved in first.
Huntsmen and Huntresses were welcomed inside to warm up, but unless injured were usually the ones out in the tents until more construction was done. Even then, at least the tents they used now had more layers of defense against the elements thanks to the civilians not needing them and teams like JNPR would erect several layers of walls with the other tents around their own.
It was slow going, but Vale was recovering block by block. It had been a shock to see a group of former White Fang assisting with the efforts, their tracking bracelets and issued prisoner attire making them stand out but their help was welcome. Even the Xiong crime family was going above and beyond with their assistance, though the rumor was that they were cutting a deal with the Vale Council to give them more freedom to run their business. Needless to say, Junior knew when he held the cards, a sizable building filled with refugees, an armed gang at his call, and an extensive information network… there were a few things worth overlooking so long as they didn't push too much.
"Will you have enough supplies? I could get some things ready for you."
"As much as I don't want to dump our troubles on you… I think that would be best." He scratches the back of his head. He had gotten fairly used to being dependable over the past two, nearly three months. Having to push some of the burden onto his friend wasn't something that he liked but she was offering and capable, certainly more capable than he was as he dug around in rubble most days.
"Okay, give me the list of what you have and I'll see what I can do." A few minutes later, the lists were transferred and they caught up on some small talk. Unfortunately, it was already starting to get late and Jaune needed to get back to camp and Ruby needed to go home before anyone got worried.
"It was nice seeing you again." Ruby mutters into his chest as they hugged goodbye.
"Yeah, good seeing you too." The taller man squeezed her back before they separated. "I suppose we'll see each other again in two weeks to make sure we have everything?"
"Yep!" The young girl was nearly looking excited again, getting her life back together as she wanted it to be. "I'll see you all then!"
The pair smiled at each other, remembering the past two times they met up in secret like this. The first time was down by the docks in Patch where Ruby had nearly run into her friend. After getting caught up, they had hatched a plan and selected a new meeting place, the rock by the road near her home. The next time had been a bit of an update and confirmation of the decision of the team on the mainland. Now, they were making final preparations. Maybe the next time, they would have everything required and would pick up whatever else may be needed on the way.
A large black bird cawing and flying between them sent the two stumbling backwards from each other and falling into the snow. The friends looked at the other in surprise at what had just happened and broke out into laughter. It was a good way to leave until the next time they came together.
—-
The island of Menagerie was large, nearly large enough to be considered a continent itself. To the common populace around the world, it was. While it wasn't the homeland of the Faunus, it was the greatest concentration of the species in the world; their true origins lost to history thanks to centuries of slavery and hunting for 'sport' by the worst of humans.
The land had been gifted to the Faunus after the Faunus War, where the species had fought back against their former masters nearly all over the world. Nearly being the key word; the deserts of Vacuo were 'welcoming' to anyone who could survive there. The other end of Sanus in the Kingdom of Vale, things were a bit mixed as the Faunus had been largely considered slaves but in practice, they were indentured servants.
The continent of Anima is the largest landmass on Remnant, giving many places for Faunus to set up their own settlements… provided they could survive the Grimm. But in the Kingdom of Mistral, classes in society were rather strict and few Faunus were able to work their way up the ladder, the rest relegated to essentially being slaves even when they were free. But in Atlas- Mantle at the time- Faunus weren't even second-class citizens. More often than not, they were the property of businesses and the quickly growing wealthy class. Otherwise, those that were free were even less fortunate than the humans who were wage-slaves to the same corporate masters.
After the War, many places had to rebuild and with the gift of land of their own to rule as they saw fit, many Faunus jumped at the chance to exercise their freedoms. Unfortunately, just because they had the land that didn't mean that it was good land. Some of those who had made the trip from around the world, braving the dangers of crossing the continents and oceans, saw what they were given and turned away for other established settlements- Vale and Vacuo being the top choices other than rural communities of Mistral.
It had taken a few years, but eventually the Faunus had organized themselves to establish a home on Menagerie as well as a voice to the rest of the world. The White Fang being their arm to the kingdoms of Vacuo, Vale, Mistral, and Atlas to fight for more than simple freedom from slavery, but to have all of the same rights as any human anywhere.
The White Fang had been the organized resistance to the continued racism around the world. Boycotting businesses that refused them service, protesting in public areas, handing out flyers and making speeches where they could to those who would listen to their requests for equality. And while the progress was slow, it was progress.
But for some, that progress was too slow…
—-
It had been two days since the battle with the Sea Feilong when the ship and its passengers arrived at the port on Menagerie. During that time, Blake had played nurse to Sun, finding that giving him back rubs helped him recover enough to walk normally, though combat was a few days of rest away. A few comments about her cool, magic hands made her blush, more so than the act of straddling his legs to get a good position to give him her treatment. Not to mention her belly rubbing against his tail… and lower.
She had to make sure that 'Ninjas of Love' was buried deep into her belongings to try to keep her mind from being flooded by certain scenes… as unsuccessful as it was. She is nineteen after all, certain hormones were strong at that age.
Itazura had wisely kept her mouth shut about the situation, one trip up the flagpole by her pants was enough and she was sure that Sun would claim that the pain would be worth doing it again. Instead, she kept herself occupied helping the crew repair the cannons in case of another attack.
With the several dozen passengers disembarking from the ship, the old Captain seeing everyone off personally. Blake, Sun, and Itazura were among the last to leave, shaking hands with the old man as they went and were welcome to sail again with him.
As they walked, Sun was glad that they didn't have much to carry in the first place as his back was feeling the slight strain from his personal supplies. The girls carried their own things, not simply because he was injured but out of their self-reliance and that they didn't have much to weigh them down in the first place.
Yet they could barely make it down the ramp where they stopped to look around, only partially because Sun no longer had to concentrate on walking down the gangplank safely. On the level ground of the pier, they could see their first sights of Kuo Kuana.
Small stands were set up along the docks, just far enough away to allow the sailors and fishermen to work and move things unimpeded, selling goods of all sorts as they occasionally called out special deals for limited stock- some of that coming straight from the boats to their stalls. Further onto the land, other stalls were set up to trade other commodities from clothes to jewelry to toys to other handcrafted items. Beyond the docks and the small beachfront market that served as the gateway to Menagerie, a tall set of stone stairs climbed a tall hill that acted as a defensive measure from the sea, on top of which a few huts could be seen and more than a few Faunus easily climbing up and over the stone walkway from either direction, indicating that there was much more than what was in front of them now.
As they walked, slowly as that was all that Sun could really handle at the moment, there was something that the monkey boy noticed quite well. "Is it always…so crowded here?" He had to ask as he grimaced while having to step around a third person before they even reached the stairs.
Blake looked back at the blonde, her ears drooping a bit. "When you take an entire species and put them on an island that's two thirds desert… yes, yes, it is." There was some resentment in her tone at that, yet it was dropped as she took his elbow to assist him up the stairs.
"A little desert never hurt anyone." Sun tried to be positive about the comment, Itazura glancing at him for his input. She knew how dangerous the sands of Vacuo are and the many hazards the people dealt with on a normal day, and she didn't even grow up there, just attended Shade Academy.
'Then again, he's the one who grew up there, he's probably just used to it.' The fox thinks to herself as she turns her focus to the people around them.
"These aren't like the deserts of Vacuo, Sun. There are Grimm more dangerous here than anywhere else." Blake counters, though to her friends, she sounded like there was a bit of bias that one has from being raised on a story without really seeing it in reality. They let her be, for now.
"So…" Sun tries to fill the silence as they climb the hill with the usual residents easily passing them by. He recalled his history textbooks and what Blake had told him in their many conversations. "After the War, they gave us a whole island with barely any place to live on just to shut us up?"
Blake paused at his extremely abbreviated version of events. Even Itazura stopped and turned back to look at him. "That's… that sums it up well enough." The cat sighs with drooping ears. Even Itazura's mechanical ears were low, mimicking natural ears as if she were born with them. For both Sun and Itazura, their tails hung before twitching with some irritation.
"Jerks." Sun scoffs as he pushes on with the climb.
It may have looked odd to see a young man like himself needing help up the stairs but it was the one who was assisting him that drew eyes. For most, if they saw a woman of her girth climbing the stairs, there would be someone needed to help her almost all of the way. Yet it was she who was providing the assistance while their far thinner friend seemed content to split the foot traffic around them from the upper levels, letting the pair move at their own slow but steady pace.
Sun may have been in pain from his strained back, but that was dulled thanks to a combination of medicine and excitement, though having Blake pulling him up a little certainly helped. A few beads of sweat dotted his brow as he climbed, he had little problem dealing with heat- having dealt with much higher temperatures in Vacuo on the regular- but the added humidity from the forests and ocean around them was making him uncomfortable. Hopefully, the breeze he saw blowing the colorful banners and trees at the top was cool.
The cat gave him a softer look as she hefted her softened body up the stairs. The weeks of being confined to the boat with limited exercises and plenty of fish didn't help her keep up her normal levels of fitness, even if the first week or two she was prevented from doing much to give her stab wound time to heal. She was glad that she had as much skin exposed right now to help her cool off but several flights of stairs would make anyone breath like they are jogging, even if they didn't plump up rapidly rather recently.
Itazura had little issues climbing the stairs, especially at the pace her team was setting. Then again, she was alone in not being affected by The Issue that added inches to their waistlines. She wasn't going to call them out on the slower pace, they were still moving steadily after all, and one was injured. At the same time, she'd be the first to see the settlement at the peak of the hill.
And what a sight it was when they reached the top of the stairs and took a few steps away from the edges and moved to the side of the walkway to let others pass.
Tropical flora stretched from the beach to the mountains in the east with a few small gaps indicating where waterways lay. Otherwise, most of the gaps in the trees were largely filled by the roofs of the many homes that lined the roads of Kuo Kuana proper. Most of them were painted in bright colors to distinguish them from others, creating odd patterns when seen from above against the backdrop of green and connected by the nearly white stone slabs of the main roads and the lighter browns of the dirt roads and paths that crossed through the large village.
It truly was a near tropical paradise for the few thousand resident Faunus that called Menagerie home. There were a few much smaller settlements along the coast, mostly for fishing, but the vast majority of the population resided here.
And while Blake looked over her home and took in the familiar sights of the older buildings and took note of the many newer ones that had been erected in the past five or so years since had been here last, Sun and Itazura were openly stunned at the sight.
"Okay!" The blonde turns to Blake with a wide grin. "I take it all back. This place is amazing! Why would anyone want to leave a place like this?"
"Sun! The point was that we don't have the space!" Blake whipped back at him.
"But you guys have done amazing stuff with what you have already!" He fired back, still excited from the view.
That made Blake pause and look back at Kuo Kuana. From their vantage point, she could see several places where new buildings were under construction, a few being repaired, even a few that were clearly getting additions. The last time she had been home, nearly seven years ago, the village was less than half its current size. Even the stone stairs they had just climbed were barely had the first slabs being laid then; the road being little more than dirt with logs laid across to create simple stairs and prevent mudslides every time it rained. The port was nowhere as expansive as it is today, nor did they have so many boats available. Even trade from the other kingdoms had been next to nonexistent back then.
"But we could have so much more…" She sighs, her earlier thoughts fading from her.
Sun wrapped an arm over her shoulders with a smile that mostly hid the slight pain from the action. "But you have to start somewhere." He tells her, making her calm down as they look over the village. "And it looks to me like this is a great start that isn't about to slow down anytime soon."
Itazura was content to let them have their moment together, simply keeping an ear out for what they were saying as she looked around the peaceful island and the colors that created a work of abstract art. This seemed like a place that she had hoped for as a child, where she wished she could have been when she was young and didn't have to endure the cruelty of Grelod in Honorhall Orphanage.
'But if I hadn't been there, I wouldn't have known my brother. Or…' She twitched her ears, the near silent servos within them a clear reminder of their mechanical nature to replace the natural ones she had been robbed of. It wasn't the first time that she had thought about if things were different in her life but every time, she was reminded that she'd be a different person than she is now. If she still had her parents, would she have become a Huntress? If she and Denko hadn't run into Qrow in Vale, would they still be on the streets? What if Denko hadn't unlocked his semblance back at the orphanage when she was about to have her tail cut off?
So many things that could have been different but after what she had gone through so far being the only definite version of her life she could truly know, she wouldn't change much of anything.
"So… which house is yours?" Sun's voice cut through her thoughts as the excitement returned to him. He still had his arm around Blake and was using the other to point at different homes. "Can we see it from here?"
"Sort of…" Blake's vague answer set off some red flags in the fox's head, her ears standing up straight as a result.
"Is it that one?" Sun asks, pointing to one far to the left. "Or maybe that one? I love the paint job on it." He points to the right of the main road. "Maybe that one?" That one had to be just to continue the joking around as he had simply pointed at a random building that happened to be someone's shed.
Blake let loose a small giggle, a combination of her amusement at his antics and embarrassment. With a slight blush, she took his outstretched arm and redirected it slowly. "How about… that one." She stopped his finger when it was pointing straight down the road and aimed at the easily largest structure on the island that dominated its own block with the size of the building and the grounds that surrounded it.
Sun and Itazura were stunned silent at that revelation as they turned to look at the cat. Blake had a small nervous grin and her cheeks turning red, pulling her arms close to herself and under her chin. Sun's arm moved to point back to the girl in his arm, his question silent but clear, and Blake nodded in confirmation.
It was at that point that Blake was released, only for Sun to hold his head as he realized that Blake was practically a princess with her own mansion. Itazura wasn't much better as she let her arms drop and hang loose as she sagged, not expecting that at all.
—-
The walk down the road to the mansion was a long one. Not only did the home look much larger up close but because Blake grew more apprehensive as they drew closer. More than enough that Itazura found herself having to stop and wait a few times and for Sun to put his arm over the cat's soft shoulders for continued support. Through the contact and watching her, he could see her face change as her thoughts varied and she twitched at points like she was about to flee.
Then came the stairs at the main entrance, where both Sun and Blake hesitated and needed the subtle encouragement from Itazura at the top waving them up.
At the same time, it was understandable why they were nervous. Blake hadn't seen her parents in years and the last time hadn't been on good terms, with her yelling at them in anger with more than a few insults before running away to be with Adam and throwing herself into the more violent methods that the White Fang had begun to use. For Sun… he was the guy bringing their daughter home nearly three times bigger than the last time they saw her in person and he had his arm over her shoulders for comfort.
Finally on the large landing under the roof of the entryway, the sun now off their heads and standing right in front of the very large doors, Blake took a deep breath and let it out after a few seconds. With her nerves steeled as much as they were going to be and fighting the urges to simply run thanks to Sun's presence, she slipped free of his arm and approached the bronze knocker shaped like a panther's head with a ring in its mouth.
She reached up to grab the ring, only to pause just before touching it and look back to see that Sun and Itazura had backed up a step or two to give her some space as this was her moment. And both were giving her encouraging smiles and Sun adding a thumbs up.
That was enough for Blake to weakly smile and with a quick breath, gripped the ring and slammed the knocker onto the plate. The contact created a large bang that echoed through the home and could easily be heard through the grounds, including the entryway where they stood. Blake was quick to back away from the door but stood ready, but extremely nervous as she was conflicted with her desire to run in shame, and to finally see her parents after coming so far with support.
—-
Kali Belladonna was occupying herself by preparing lunch for herself and her husband. With him busy in his study, he had a habit of losing sense of time and she had to remind him to eat. But she was just getting started when her ears perked up as she heard the door knocker being used. Setting down the cups that she was holding on the counter, she left the kitchen to answer the door. In the back of her mind, she wondered if her husband even took notice of the knock.
She opened the door a few inches to see who it was, an old habit from her younger days when she was never sure if someone was going to attack… no matter how long she lived in Menagerie and how safe it was. But after seeing just who was on the other side, she opened the door fully and stepped through, eyes wide in disbelief.
"Blake?"
"Hi, Mom." The younger woman embarrassingly raises a single hand to wave, barely able to look at her.
That was all it took for Kali to close the distance and embrace her daughter with both arms wrapping around her shoulders, tears in the corners of her eyes. She may not have been able to see that Blake's eyes had gone wide in surprise, not expecting this reaction, but she had felt the girl stiffen through their contact. Then to the mother's joy, her daughter began to wrap her arms around her, making them both relax as the hug continued.
When they separated to get a true look at each other, Sun and Itazura were finally able to get a good look at Blake's mother. Standing at the same height as her daughter and it was easy to see where Blake got her looks from, simply being an older version of her daughter and she had aged gracefully. Standing close, it was noted that she had larger cat ears on her head, though if that was simply a part of her age or not was debatable, and those ears were pierced to have two golden earrings on her right and one on her left. Her hair is short, just reaching her chin and very wavy.
She is wearing a black shrug with gold accents with the right arm reaching her wrist while the left barely reached her shoulder. Both arms were covered with black warmers that extended from the loop around her middle fingers to her upper arms, where the left arm has a deep purple wrap around her bicep and a pair of gold bangles on the wrist. A simple white sleeveless haori with light gray hem that left a small window to her chest between the shrug and itself wrapped around her body and extended far enough that it could be seen in the open sides of her black hakama, her clothes held to her thanks to a black and gold belt around her waist that had the ends trailing down behind her like a tail, ended with a golden flower buckle on the end. On her feet, she is wearing black sandals and white tabi socks.
"Blake." Kali quietly says before giving her daughter another squeeze, one that was gladly returned without hesitation.
"Kali?" A deep voice calls from inside the home. The four outside look through the door to see a large man walking into the hall, stopping when he sees the door left wide open. But it was who he saw through the door that made his breathing hitch in his throat.
Likewise, Blake had gotten nervous again as Kali moved to her left side so Ghira could get a clear look at her. "Hi, Dad." Was all the young girl could get out, her voice forcing him to step outside for a better view for confirmation.
While Kali was reaching behind Blake as if presenting her, her right hand barely reaching around to Blake's arm while her left hand was on her shoulder. Kali wore a bright smile that her family was together again.
With Ghira now outside and in the natural light of the sun, as shaded as it was under the roof above them, Sun and Itazura could get a proper view of the man. The most defining feature of the man is his sheer size, standing head and shoulders taller than Sun, his black hair swept back and large, thick beard well kept, contrasting with the amber eyes that his wife and daughter shared with him. He is wearing a dark violet coat with white fur trim long enough to reach his knees and left open to expose his hairy chest. On his legs, he wears a simple pair of beige pants with a slightly darker sash as a belt, though that was held by a very large silver buckle that looked as though it came from armor meant for someone with a more average stature.
On his left shoulder, a silver spalder was held in place with a leather strap around the arm and had a pair of curved bars across his chest to a clasp on the other side of his coat, holding it from flapping in the wind. On his feet, he wears black boots with white toes that have the appearance of claws at the tips.
"Blake?" She heard him say, prompting her to nod, feeling like she was about to be scolded as when she was much younger and getting into trouble. Before she knew it, his great arms were around her in a tight but gentle hug, capable of gathering his wife in the process.
"Dad… Mom… I'm home." Blake managed to get out, letting some tears leak from her eyes as she did her best to return the affection of her parents.
—-
A few minutes later, the family and friends were sitting down at the low table of the Belladonna dining room enjoying cups of freshly brewed tea. Ghira is large enough that he dominated one side by himself while Kali took another where she was happy to set out a tray of snacks to go with the tea. Itazura sat opposite of the patriarch while Blake and Sun sat together across from Kali.
"So, you're our daughter's friends?" Ghira asks as he sips from his cup, one that looked almost comically small for someone of his size.
"Yes, we met at Beacon around the start of the second semester." Itazura answers.
"I had actually got there a few weeks earlier and ran into Blake fresh off the boat." Sun scratches the back of his head with a smile.
"How did… how did you recognize me?" Blake asks, playing with the hem of her jacket and pulling it a little tighter to ensure the scar was hidden.
"Do you really think we wouldn't know our own daughter when we saw her?" Kali playfully asks, pushing the tray a little closer to the teens. "If it helps you, we didn't really know that you had gotten into Beacon until we saw you on the television participating in the Vytal Tournament."
"I must say, it was quite the shock to see what had happened at all of the schools but they did make an announcement to explain things. And we saw the opening ceremonies where they gave you the medicine." Ghira adds.
"Did we put on a good show for you?" Sun asks, thinking twice about putting his hand on Blake's shoulder as he normally would have, and not doing so.
"We made sure to watch Blake's fights." The man responds, his tone making it clear that he had little interest in the matches of anyone else.
"She sure has some great moves, right?"
"And just what do you mean by that, Mr. Wukong?" The large man lowered his voice to a near growl as he leaned over, easily dwarfing the blonde while sitting.
Sun began to really regret not sitting on the other side of Blake, and he didn't want to think of her as a meat shield either. He just found that actually meeting the father of the girl he was very close to was extremely intimidating and his usual ways of coping with the stress, like being in contact with her, were sure to only worsen the situation. And so he began to ramble without any real coherent thoughts behind his words.
While that was going on, the women at the table began to have a meeting of their own. Kali leaned over the table and raised her hand to hide her mouth from her husband. "And why is he here again?"
Blake's ears fell flat to her head with embarrassment as Itazura's only seemed to perk up even more than they already were to listen to both conversations. "He's… been helping me with… a lot of stuff since we met."
That certainly garnered her mother's interest, especially if her ears focused directly on her daughter as her eyes turned to the boy next to her who continued to jam his foot in his mouth under the intense scrutiny of Ghira.
"I like him." Kai says after a quick examination of the monkey boy, almost making her wish she were a younger woman but settling on seeing how close he was with Blake.
"Mom!" The youngest cat nearly yelled at her mother as a blush overtook her face.
Itazura simply sat back to watch the family drama, measuring when the best time to drop a few hints to the parents about the activities of their daughter and the boy she brought home. If anything was sure, it was that things were not going to be dull. And she was sure that Kali would be willing to pay for the pictures on her scroll if given the opportunity.
Then there was a knock from the door and Ghira suddenly pounded a fist on the table, scaring everyone but Kali, who took his other arm in her hands to visibly calm him. "Oh! I forgot about the meeting!" With a grunt, he rose to his feet and left the room to answer the door.
"Meeting? With who?" Blake asks, genuinely curious as to what her parents had been up to while they were apart. They hadn't really gotten past introductions yet and she wanted to catch up on things. Without thinking about it, she bit into the cookie in her hand, the second one so far in the short time she'd been home.
Kali was completely relaxed, taking her husband's little outburst in stride along with the question, taking a long sip from her cup before responding. "The White Fang of course."
The reaction to that revelation was far from what she had expected, the three teens jumping to their feet in alarm with concerned faces before they ran out to follow after Ghira. That was all that it took for her curiosity to be piqued and she followed after them.
Standing just outside the front door, talking peacefully to Ghira were a pair of Faunus. Not only were they dressed the same but both bore the same features making one assume they were twins, though the difference in their height called some question to that.
The taller of the pair has a bushy brown fox tail while the other has a pair of large fox ears. Both have darker skin and brown eyes, clean shaven with what hair that could be seen being dark brown. They wore similar red hoods with white accenting lines that reached down over their shoulders like short cloaks. Interestingly, those hoods were stylized to look like the snout of a fox, further giving that appearance by the shorter brother's ears poking through slits in the hood.
They wore a black tunic that reached low on their waists with white hems and gold clasps, a pair of white detached sleeves that ended with black fingerless gloves that covered their wrists and half of their forearms. Likewise, their white pants were loose and pleated, gathered at the knees by black material rising from their black sandals.
"Dad!" Blake shouts as she runs down the hall.
"What are those psychos doing here?" Sun wasn't exactly hiding how he felt about the White Fang, not after the attack on Beacon. Itazura remained silent as she followed closely, keeping an eye on everything going on.
But their arrival did bring the conversation between the three men to an abrupt end. Especially with the shorter man addressing Sun directly. "Young man, I don't know what you've heard about our organization, but I assure you that we are nothing like how the general media portray us."
"Are you kidding me!?" Blake and Sun shout out together, both moving into positions to fight with Sun ready to attack barehanded as he normally begins while Blake stopped short of gripping Gambol Shroud. Even Itazura was subtly moving her hands to her twin shotguns.
Kali arrived just in time to see Ghira turn serious and look to the brothers. "What are they talking about?" His tone held no room for argument.
"You mean you don't know?" Sun's outburst drew attention back to him, though only Itazura caught that the Albain brothers shared a look that was one of silent communication.
Blake decided to jump in and fill in some of the basics. "The White Fang attacked the Vytal Festival! They were dropping Grimm into the school and attacking anyone in sight! I fought against dozens of them that night alone!"
Kali was shocked to her core at the news while Ghira grew grim. The large panther man turned to the fox duo. "Is this true?" His tone let them know that they were one wrong word away from him snapping in anger and they were still well within his long reach.
They shared a final quick glance before the taller one, Corsac, spoke. "Regrettably, sir, it is. Our meeting today was to go over that specifically. It appears that a splinter group has emerged within our ranks and that is what participated in the attack in Vale. However, we are doing everything that we can to track down this group so that they may be brought to justice."
"As you know." Fennec adds to the conversation, just as softly spoken and calm as his brother. "Our search has been drastically slowed by the malfunctioning of the Cross Continental Transmit system since the attack on Beacon. It takes a long time for messages to be passed from here or the High Leader to our loyal agents within the Vale Branch."
Ghira narrowed his eyes. "I see."
"We shall keep you up to date with our progress as the search continues." Corsac informs the older man despite the glare directed at him. "Should we share our current information with you now?"
Ghira looked back to his family and guests, the sight of which helped to calm and remind him of what was happening before the brothers arrived. "That will have to wait, at least until tomorrow. Right now, I wish to catch up with my family."
The brothers looked to each other again, holding another silent conversation with nothing but a glance. "Very well. Let us know when you are ready and we shall have everything prepared for you." Fennec responds neutrally.
"Thank you, gentlemen. Is there anything else?" Ghira asks, one hand already on the door ready to slam it shut if needed.
"Sister Blake, it is good to see you again after all this time." Fennec addresses the young cat directly.
"Sister Ilia will be delighted to hear of your return to Menagerie." Corsac adds. "Though we understand why you have left the White Fang. It is a wearying fight, afterall."
"Who said that I'm done fighting?" Blake glares back at him, making it clear that she can tell he's not telling them everything.
"Very well. I do hope you enjoy your time on our peaceful island home." Fennec offers their final words with a small smile. With that, the brothers turned as one and descended the stairs away from the home, walking in sync and hands clasped as if in prayer.
Behind them, Ghira closed both of the front doors together, the heavy wood slamming shut and the echoes could be heard for a few seconds through the home.
"Those guys give me the creeps." Sun comments, drawing a snort from Itazura.
"You're not the only one." Blake scoffs as she hugs herself.
—-
"Winter?" Weiss asks as she stands by her sister's room. The mission to repair the wall around Mantle, at least that section for now, was completed and they had returned to home base until the next mission. That also meant that they were back in Atlas itself, though in the military base/ Huntsman Academy she had many layers of defense from her father's clutches, she was still much closer to the Schnee Manor than she preferred. Being able to see the building and grounds from a few windows in the barracks was a constant reminder. Thankfully not from her room.
"You may enter."
Weiss enters her sister's room, noting that nothing had changed since she had been here when they had returned from Beacon. Walls and ceiling are stark white, the thin carpeted floor a light blue. The bed is immaculately prepared for inspection, white pillow and blue sheets. The desk where Winter was sitting at to write a report, polished steel and topped with wood stained a light gray. But everywhere one looked, the floor, desk, pillow, sheets, door, and wall, the symbol of Atlas was prominent as it was everywhere else in the Academy.
Winter turned around to face her in the swiveling chair, though since it was night and after the curfew, she was wearing her pajamas consisting of a simple button-down long sleeve shirt and pants that have just enough blue to not be considered white. It was among the few things in the room that didn't bear the symbol of Atlas but the Schnee snowflake crest.
"Is something troubling you?"
Weiss made sure the door was closed before sitting on the bed, wearing her usual nightgown but added a pair of matching pants for warmth and modesty. With her hair down, it reached to her calves and she didn't have to think about moving the white strands so that she didn't accidentally sit on herself.
"I… I was starting to wonder… have you heard anything from Mother?"
Winter hadn't been expecting the question but with how her sister was asking combined with her looks- massive weight gain aside- she felt transported back in time to when they were young and living at home as a family. Or as close as their father would allow their family to be, always trying to test his children for the one to be molded by him into the perfect heir to his legacy.
Needless to say, she had cast that opportunity away several years ago to join the Atlas Military and worked her way up the ranks through her skill. She may have used the Schnee name on occasion, but she had a reputation of being cold and dependable with an exemplary service record… the name was more of a final intimidation tactic for the most stubborn she faced. Though she found respect for those who didn't give a damn for that final part.
"Winter?"
The elder sibling's eyes widened in shock. 'Must have been too caught up in my own thoughts.' She mentally scolds herself.
"Sorry, I wasn't expecting that sort of question this late." She apologizes, watching as Weiss accepts it without question. She always did take her words seriously and Winter found herself in the habit of not being able to lie to her sister. A bit of withholding information maybe or a clever excuse, but never a lie. Their brother on the other hand… not so much.
"But I have not heard from her myself. Though Klein is glad that you are doing well."
Weiss smiled at the mental image of the family butler, the man who was her dearest friend until she left for Beacon and became part of Team RWBY. "I'm guessing he is doing well himself?"
"As much as he can without us there to liven the Manor." Winter smirks. This was among the few times that she would allow herself to joke about family, most of the time comments were deflected or turned into witty high-brow retorts.
This was one that got Weiss to giggle, Winter soon following after her since they were in private.
"I do miss him." The younger sister admits sadly.
"Do you want to go back to see him?" The question made Weiss' head snap up. "I'll take that as a yes."
"But father…"
"I'm sure I can find an opportune time for us to visit. I do have some connections afterall."
It may have been brief, but Winter did see the tears and smile on her sister's face right before she was nearly tackled off the chair. She just barely was able to keep them from falling to the floor before returning the embrace.
—-
General James Ironwood had returned to Atlas some time ago. He had personally overseen the return flight of the Atlesian battleships that had been shot down during the Fall of Beacon. Each ship had taken extensive damage though none so much as his flagship. He was actually surprised that his surviving soldiers had managed to get it airborne at all, even then it required the other ships to tow it back to Atlas. Last time he heard anything about it, it was being completely dismantled and rebuilt to ensure that damaged components were replaced and weren't going to be a liability.
But he marched through the corridors with practiced ease, having done so for many years since he was a student himself. But this time, he was moving towards the more restricted areas, even from the standard military personnel.
This was the high security labs of Atlas, where only a select few were granted clearance to enter, most of those being the scientists and engineers who worked here. Even James didn't come here often, his duties keeping him too occupied unless the top scientists requested a meeting. Most often, they would come to his office and show videos of the results of their work to update him on their tasks and get clearance for more funding and materials. More often than not, their work spanned many fields and thus required diverse resources… and that paid off greatly when they devoted their efforts into combating The Issue.
He stopped by a certain door that scanned him for his identity before he was allowed entry. This lab often wound up becoming living quarters since the man here would get lost in his work. James knew the man was one who preferred to keep busy and a challenge, just as much as he put his talents into helping those that needed it. The right side of James' body was proof of his skills and devotion.
"Pietro?"
"Ah, James! How are you?" Pietro Polendina walks out of the small 'kitchen' in the lab. The man is definitely showing his age, his hair grey and receding, though he has a well-kept beard and mustache. Unlike many of the other scientists, he wore a simple cream-colored button-up shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, a dark red vest worn over that. His mustard-colored pants and leather boots and belt covered his lower half, though the large pink bow under his chin stood out against his outfit and dark skin.
Though the biggest surprise to most who met the man for the first time had to be the chair he sat in. It wasn't a normal chair or a wheelchair, but one that had four articulating legs that easily moved him around, the green seat keeping him comfortable where he sat while the metal was painted white with black joints and a few yellow accents.
Pietro held a large mug of steaming liquid, coffee by the smell of it, as his chair walked him closer so that the men could shake hands.
"I'm doing well, Pietro. Thank you for asking." James returned to parade rest out of habit once the greeting ended. "But I came by to personally see how she is doing."
Immediately, Pietro's good mood faded, though he guided the General to the back of his personal lab, passing through two security checks in the process. But once they are through, James sees the sealed chamber that held the body of a young woman within. Her eyes were shut as she 'slept'.
Yet beyond the copper-colored hair on her head, and the freckles on her cheeks, there was something a bit off from what most would expect. The girl wasn't exactly in one piece, her left arm connected to her shoulder by a few wires, as was the upper left side of her chest to the lower right that had her torso and right arm. Her waist still held her legs but more wires tethered her lower half to her torso.
Unseen from him, there were more wires plugged into her back. The small backpack and collection of swords on a desk nearby were noticed, as were the small stack of clothes beside them. The girl in the chamber wearing what could pass as a swimsuit that preserved her modesty, even if one could see inside her.
"As you can see, Penny was heavily damaged during that fight." Pietro tells him sadly. "Granted, she is in much better condition than I expected. Her memory and aura cores were sealed and put into hibernation modes soon after the accident."
"Ah yes, that is a good thing. And you can rebuild her?"
"With her cores intact, her own person will have been preserved. But yes, I can rebuild her. I could use the time to help improve her during this time."
"Any chance you would know how long that would take to finish?"
"Just a few weeks to get everything in order and she will be back on her feet."
James looks back at Penny in her chamber, remembering clearly that night where he saw the accident happen in person. In his life in the military, he had seen many things that were gruesome… and watched Penny being torn apart by the wires that connected her Floating Array to her backpack. The only thing making the scene bearable was the fact that Penny didn't have blood and guts to be splattered across the arena.
He blinked and saw Amber in her chamber, once when she was being kept from death by the medical intervention, he was able to provide. Another blink and he saw the former Maiden in the Vault under Beacon with the arrow in her chest and long gone cold.
Another blink and he saw the small funeral that he, Glynda, Qrow, Anya, and Talon had for Amber on the school grounds in the private cemetery. What was left of Ozpin was buried as well, in a slightly different spot reserved for the faculty who preferred to have been buried close to the school.
He had to shake his head to pull himself from the past, he had helped Glynda get back on her feet and deal with the Vale Council before leaving with his men. "That's good, Mantle will need a Guardian with the way things have been going lately."
"Just one question before you go." Pietro begins, catching the General mid-stride and he looks back to the older man. "Just who was it to recover my daughter? How did they know how to seal her correctly? Penny didn't do that on her own."
James turns to give Pietro his full attention, with a wry smile. "Actually, you have an old patient of yours to thank for that. Though for how she managed to save Penny… she was the one to discover the mole virus within the systems of the CCT that even got into my scroll. Apparently, she had been piggybacking the infiltrators work to uncover their identity and found the schematics for Penny within that were meant to ensure she was well maintained.
While the infiltrator had used Penny's true nature to their advantage, our little helper had used that knowledge to preserve her before collecting her body for you." James explains. "Though she had focused on her body, one of Penny's swords seems to be unaccounted for."
"I see."
—-
Ruby ran the cleaning rag over the titanium blade once more. She had spent the last hour ensuring that every joint was in complete working order, all lubricants applied as needed, the edge sharp enough to split hair dropped on it, and the entire weapon fully cleaned and polished so that she could see her face clearly.
She let out a sigh, one of satisfaction that the job was done before letting out another, this of sadness as she ran her fingers over the green on black symbol on the hilt of the sword.
AN: How many of you would have guessed that I didn't once look at the original episode during the writing of this chapter? But then again, as close as it is to canon, it isn't. But I do hope you all have enjoyed this chapter. As always, reviews are welcome. Art is in my DA.