Chapter 26
Family Issues
"Speech"
'Thoughts'
Flashback
"Scroll Communications / Tv"
Location / Date / Time Change
Farmhouse
The farmboy walked into the barn, pitchfork in hand. He leaned it against a few bales of hay before walking over to the sink. At a whim, he looked into the mirror and noticed the black cloud fogging up the edges of the glass. He leaned into the sink and stared at it in confusion. "Hello?" Nothing responded to his question. "Keep it together, Oscar."
"Hello, i am proffeser Oz-" A voice said back, shocking Oscar enough to send him into some hay on the floor.
"Oscar!" A female voice shouted from the nearby house. "You be careful. Those tools are expensive!"
Xiao Long House
Glynda sat between Port and Oobleck, her arm in a cast and sling, with a look of disgust on her face. She'd rather be out looking for Roman and figuring out what he was up too. Her broken arm be damned, she would find out what he was up to.
"But that wasn't the best part!" Port shouted as the two teachers, plus Taiyang laughed. "And then, Qrow walks in, wearing a skirt! I-I just started teaching so I didnt know what to do! I just left the room to laugh!" The males laughed while Glynda sipped her tea.
"Yeah, I told him it was kilt!" Tai confessed. "He'd never seen a uniform before so he bought!"
Oobleck chuckled. "That's horrible! What is wrong with you?"
"Hey, I did that jerk a favor!" Tai defended himself. "All the girls loved his legs. But that's not even the best part, after that-"
Port put his foot up on the table. "Like what you see, ladies?" The other two laughed even harder when Port lost his balance and fell over. The laughter died down before they looked over to Glynda, a cold look on her face.
"Why are we here?" She asked. "We should be working to fix Beacon, not laughing to stupid jokes."
"Glynda, you're working yourself to death." Port said. "You haven't eaten a thing since we got here. If you don't pace yourself, you won't be so lucky next time."
"We shouldn't even be talking about that right now." Tai said. "So any way, we were standing in the auditorium, looking at Qrow, in a skirt. Then Ozpin tells us, it's time to work on our landing strategy." The men chuckled at the implication.
"Qrow and Raven were always an... interesting pair, to say the least." Oobleck added.
"That didn't stop young Tai from-" Port started when Glynda stood up.
She walked over to the doorway when Taiyang stopped her. "Where do you think you're going?"
"To clean up the mess the children were dragged into." Glynda answered. "It's our job as Huntsmen, after all."
"Look, I hate to break it to you, but you're in no condition to fight." Tai said back. "Look, we need to have some faith in Ruby and her friends. They're out there, looking for away to stop this."
"And that's supposed to make me feel better!?" Glynda asked. "Look, they are not adults, and they have a long way to go to reach that level."
"If you don't have faith in them, then they never will." The blonde man asked.
"Is that so?" Glynda asked, glaring at Taiyang.
"Yeah, it is!" He butted heads with her.
"Now I see where your daughter gets her naïveté." Glynda said, making Port and Oobleck look at the two worried. "If she truly believes she can stand up to this enemy, I guess she lost some of her brain cells along with her arm."
Oobleck and Port stared at the statement in shock. Taiyang had enough and threw his fist at her. "You bitch!" He hit her arm square on the wrist before Oobleck and Port pulled the two apart. "My daughter is more of a woman then you will ever be!"
"Let go of me!" She pulled herself out of Oobleck's grip and left out the back door, slamming it shut.
"Jeez, what is with her?" Tai asked. "I don't get her at all. My older daughter lost her arm, knocked me out with her prosthetic, and they both left on a journey to Mistral. If anything, I should be upset. But do you see me insulting her family? No, why? Because she doesn't have any!" He shouted the last part out the window.
"You can't blame her." Port said back. "This is an unprecedented time. A Huntsman Academy has never been assulted like this, and she's afraid. But like any emotion, it will fade away. It does in everyone."
"Are you still afraid of mice?" Oobleck asked.
"They are disease carrying flea bags!" Port shouted. "And don't even get me started on their tails. So hairless, it's unnatural!"
"Port, calm down." Oobleck said. "There's no mice here." The three continued their talk until 3 in the morning. "Well, we should be going. Glynda is probably still fuming about what happened." The three headed to the front door and opened it to find Glynda leaning against a tree, Zwei sleeping by her feet.
"Thank you for having us, Tai." Port said. "Even if Glynda won't admit it, she needed this."
"Anytime, guys." The blonde said back.
"It could be a while before we come back." Oobleck confessed. "There is still much to do at Beacon, and we still need to find out what Torchwick is up to."
"I'm... hesitant to ask but, have you hear anything from either of them?" Port asked, making Glynda glance over.
"Not yet." Tai answered, making her shake her head.
"What about going after them?" Oobleck asked. "Trying to bring them back home?"
"We all have responsibilities." Taiyang said back. "School's starting again soon, and I used up all my sick days. Can't wait for them to come home if I don't have one."
With The Group
The seven ex-Beacon students walked through the forest, Ruby once again holding the map. "Alright guys, if we keep up this pace, we can reach the next town before the sun sets."
"That is if it's still there." Jaune said.
"I thought Vergil was the goth one." Aerith said.
"Hey, I'm not that depressing." The swords man said back.
"It WILL be there." Yang spoke up. "This town is bigger than Shion, which means it's better protected. "What's it called, sis?"
Ruby looked down at the map. "Knee... gah... bag... ha..."
"Higenbana." Ren pronounced correctly. "As Yang said, it's a well protected village with a popular inn."
"Yea-oh! No camping in the rain." Nora cheered.
"Good, it'll be nice not to comb bugs out of my hair when I wake up." Yang complained.
"I could always cut it for you." Vergil suggested, earning a soft punch in the face. "It was just an idea."
"Yeah, a bad one." Ruby chuckled. "Hey, does anyone else think it's weird that we haven't seen any Grimm in a while?"
"I guess our luck is changing." Nora suggested. "Onwards and upwards! To Higanbana!"
The others followed her cheer, save for Vergil who didn't care and Ruby who messed it up, again. They walked past a cliff and a Déras watched them. It's white hooves contrasted against the gray stone before leading up to the black fur. The white mask on its face was twisted to the side at its mouth and its two curved horns were coated in matching spikes. The left horns had a line of them going to the tip while the ones on right were just randomly placed.
The flesh around its legs were twisted in a muscle pattern and a gash on its skull went under the left horn. Its red eyes glared at the group before it let out a demonic bleat, that ended when a sword pierced its mouth and sliced upwards. Qrow watched the body fall to the ground as he watched the kids, in front of a herd of dead rams. "Luck, huh?"
Higanbana
Rain poured down just as the group of seven entered the inn. Qrow watched through the window of the bar as Ruby and friends bought rooms for the night. A glass of whisky was placed in front of him, making him look over to the waitress. "You know, I didn't..."
"It's from the lady upstairs." She explained. "With red eyes. Said you wouldn't mind bottom shelf." She looked up to the next level and Qrow followed her eyes. "But, I went ahead and gave you top. Lucky you." She left with a wink as Qrow picked up the rocks glass and walked up the stairs to find his sister, mask on the table.
"Hello, brother." Ignoring the greeting, Qrow walked over and sat down across from her.
"Raven." Qrow finally acknowledge his sister as he held the drink over the wood, glaring at the mask on the table. Raven rolled her eyes as she pulled it back and Qrow put his drink down. "So, what do you want, sis?"
"Is it so wrong for a girl to want to catch up with her family?" She asked back.
"In your case, yes, because you're not doing that." Qrow gripped the glass and waved it around carefully. "So either keep these coming, or we're done here." He took a sip of the drink before putting it back down.
"Does she have it?" Raven asked.
Qrow stared at the drink before twirling his finger around the rim. "Are you aware that Yang lost her arm?"
Raven was starting to get annoyed. "I didn't-"
"Rhetorical question." Qrow interrupted. "I know damn well you know. It's pretty hard to miss a girl with that kinda tech this far from Atlas." He took a sip from his drink and swallowed before chuckling. "It's amazing to me, you talk about family and then carry on like your daughter doesn't exist, let alone that she lost her arm."
"I saved her." Raven said back. "I save that thing-"
"That 'thing' as you call him makes your daughter happy." Qrow glared at her. "And as I recall, you grouped their favors together for a one time deal. 'World's Best Mom' material, right there."
He reached down for his drink and his sister grabbed his wrist. "I warned you that Beacon would fall, and it did. I said Ozpin would fail, and he has. I told you not to trust THAT THING, and I was right. So you tell me; DOES SHE HAVE IT?"
"Remind who said they weren't interested in all of this?" Qrow asked back.
"All I want to know is what we're up against." The female twin answered.
"And which 'we' is that?" Qrow asked with a smirk. A scowl on her face, Raven let go of his hand and sat back down. "Just come back to us, Raven. The only chance we have against Salem is if we all work together."
"You're the traitor here, not me." Raven said back. "The tribe raised us, yet you turned your back on them."
He took another drink before looking her square in the eye. "Small comfort, being raised by killers and thieves."
"They were still your family." Raven said back.
"What is it with you and that word?" He asked. "One day, you can't stand that idea. The next it's all you think about. Yet no matter what day it is, the true meaning of that word always escapes you."
Raven stood up in anger. "I lead our people now, and as such I will do everything to ensure our survival."
"Yeah, I saw your little show." Qrow said back. "And so did everyone in Shion village."
"The strong live and the weak die, those are the rules of the world." Raven told him back.
"Well, you've certainly got someone strong on your side. I've seen what they can do." Qrow said, raising his glass as Raven turned around.
"None of us could have known that it would have come as quick as it did." Raven said.
Qrow lowered his glass and stared at her. "I'm not talking about the Ichabod. And I'm not talking about you either."
Raven turned and chuckled as she put her hand on her mask. "If you don't know where the relic is, then we're done talking."
Qrow reached over and grabbed the mask. "I dont have a clue where the spring maiden is, but if you do, I need you to tell me."
"Why would I ever do that?" Raven asked, pulling her mask away.
"Because if they have control over Natsu, then he's hunting them." Qrow explained. "And if he gets to them before our side does, we're all going to die."
A candle went out as Raven chuckled. "And which 'we' is that?" Raven turned and put her mask on. She picked up her sword next to the wall and delivered a slash, summoning her portal before walking through it.
A glass shattered as Qrow looked over to the waitress staring in fear as the portal closed. "Do me a favor, make this a double." He motioned to his glass and the waitress left.
Higanbana Inn
Yang's Room
The group had split up for the night and managed to get three room rather cheaply. Aerith, Ruby and Nora shared one, the guy's got another and Yang had her own. Sound asleep, Yang missed the sound of Raven opening her portal. Glaring though the mask at the prosthetic limb, Raven sheathed her sword. "This is all that things fault."
Raven reached into her robe and pulled out Natsu's severed tail. "Hopefully, this will end that little fantasy romance." She placed it next to her daughter on the bed. Turning around, she summoned another portal and left.
The Next Morning
A massive scream woke up the whole inn. Ruby and the others rushed into Yang's room and found her on the other side of the room pointing to her bed. They followed her finger and found themselves staring at a large lizards tail. "That's... Natsu's..."
"Yang, this doesn't mean anything." Jaune said, walking over. "Whoever put this here is just trying to scare us."
"And that means we're on the right path." Vergil added, studying the tail. "If I had to guess, Cinder put this here."
"Right, Cinder did this..." Ruby mumbled. Of course she and Yang felt bad for lying to the others, but the truth might splitter the group before they ever get to Haven. If they were going to stop Cinder, they needed all the help they could get.
"So, what do we do with it?" Nora asked, holding the tail by the tip.
"We bury it." Yang snatched the tail out of her hand and walked out of the room. A shallow grave later, the group payed their bill and left the town.
In he bar across the street, Qrow groaned as he woke up form the drinking party he started, curtesy of his sister. He grabbed his head in pain as he counted the glasses on the table. Slowly standing up, Qrow looked out the window and found the inn empty. He stumbled towards the door and shielded his eyes from the bright sun before looking down the road, catching a glimpse of red way down the street. "Not again."
Menagerie Port
The Golden Hind blared its horn loudly as it lowered its drawbridge (A/N: Forgive my lack of nautical knowledge.) to the port. The bell tower rolled as the passengers walked off the ship.
Yasha, Sun and Blake walked towards the ramp and Sun stared at all the Faunus in the market. To call it a busseling metropolis might be much, but there were still a lot of shops. He snapped out of his shock before running after Yasha. "You sure this is gonna work?" He asked, pointing to Sage now with green donkey ears followed them.
"Who's gonna notice one extra Faunus?" The eagle faunus said back. Sage reached them and the four began walking together.
"I've never seen so many Faunus in on place." Sun mumbled in amazement.
"This is the one place everyone can call a home." Blake explained, looking over to a vendor. "No matter who or what they are."
"So then why I have to wear these?" Sage whispered, not wanting the whole market to hear him.
"And is it always this... crowded?" Sun asked, having been bumped into three times.
Blake and Yasha rolled their eyes at the last question. "Yes, it is." The girl nodded as they continued to walked together.
"Can you answer my question, then?" Sage asked. "You just said everyone is welcome here."
"Yeah, but when you're part of the species that tried forced another onto an island made up of two thirds desert, you're bound to have some hostilities build up against you." Yasha explained.
"Wait, what?" Sun walked in front of them and stopped the group. "You guys have all that space left!? Why not use it!? A little sand never hurt anyone."
"This isn't like Vacuo, Wukong." Yasha said back. "The deserts here are full of dangerous wildlife that can kill even the most seasoned Huntsman."
"So, they gave us a crappy island, in the farthest corner of Remnant to try and shut us up?" Sun asked.
"That sums it up pretty well." Blake said.
"Sorry." Sage said for his whole species.
"Yeah, that's really gonna make things better." Yasha sarcastically said back. "Not treating our species as equals, but a simple 'Sorry'."
"We've tried make the best of things." Blake told Sun as they walked up a staircase carved out of a hill. They all reached the top and stared out at the mountains in the horizon. "This is Kuo Kuana."
"Its... beautiful..." Sun whispered in amazement. "Okay, I take it back. This place is awesome! Why would anyone want to leave!?"
"Sun, you're missing the point." Blake snapped back. "This isn't what we were asked for. We asked to be treated the same, as equals. But instead, we were given a small island and told to make do. We've done the best we can, and make a home where any Faunus could feel welcome. But this place, will always be a reminder that we're not equals. That we're just second class."
Sun put his hand on her shoulder, making her look toward him. "Hey, I'm feeling pretty at home."
Yasha scoffed at the phrase before walking down the hill. "You guys do what you want. I'm going to see my sister."
Blake let out a sigh as she agreed with the eagle. "Okay, let's go home."
"Alrigth." Sun pulled her in before pointing to many houses. "Which on is it? That one? Or is it that one? I like the paint job." Blake grabbed his wrist and pointed towards the large house at the base of the hill.
"You, live there?" Sage asked. Blake nodded and Sun let out a gasp in shock. The three walked down the hill and reached the house quickly. Blake reached out to the door handle, but heisitated instead of grabbing it.
"What's wrong?" Sun asked.
"It's just... I didn't exactly leave home on the best of terms." Blake confessed.
"Well, we came all the way here." Sun said back. Blake reached out and banged the handle against the door, creating a loud bang that startled them all and scared Sage's ears off. "Okay, one hundred percent honesty, that's like super intimidating."
The door creaked open as Sage quickly picked up the ears and put them back on as an older looking Blake poked her head out the doorway. "Blake?"
"Hi, mom." Blake nervously answered. Her mom walked out and hugged her tight, much to Blake's shock.
"My baby girl." She whispered before Blake hugged her back.
"Kali!?" A man shouted from inside the house. "Whose there!?" Blake's father walked forward and stared at his daughter. The small smiles went all around as they all sat down for tea.
"We were terrified once we heard the news." Kali told her daughter. "Vale wasn't a perfect Kingdom, but noone deserves that fate. We were so worried."
"Speak for yourself." Her father bragged. "I wasn't worried a bit."
"Ghira, don't lie in front of her." Kali scolded her husband. "He was pacing back and forth for weeks."
"You had nothing to worry about." Sun said back as Blake picked up her cup. "I've seen your daughter in action. She's got some serious moves."
Ghira glared at the monkey Faunus in distrust of his words. "And what do you mean by that, Mr. Wukong?"
Realizing the double entendre in his words, Sun slowly turned to the older man. "I, uh, I mean, well, you see..."
"What he means is he's sparred against her more than enough times." Sage said, saving his friends tail from getting ripped off. "I've seen her fighting against a lot of people in Beacon's training room, and she's one of the best."
"Mr. Ayana." Ghira turned to the hidden human. "If I want your input, I will ask for it. And another thing, take that ridiculous thing off your head."
"How did you know?" Sage asked, making Kali chuckle.
"Do you really think you're the first to try that? Besides, not many Faunus have backwards facing ears." Ghira pointed to the mirror behind him and Sage looked at his reflection.
"Well, it worked for a while." Sage picked them off his head and spun them around before them back on.
"Why are you even wearing that?" Kali asked.
"Isn't their a lot of animosity against humans here?" The human asked confused.
"At first." Ghira answered. "But if that was the case, then we wouldn't have many trading partners here, would we?"
"So why did-" Sage started ask before realizing he's been punked. The whole room could swear they heard a donkey braying as the fake ears fell off. "Oh, that son ofa bitch."
"Why are they here?" Kali asked as Sun broke out into laughter.
"They kinda... just followed me here." Blake answered.
"I see..." Kali chuckled as Sage drank his tea in embarresmant. "They certainly are entertaining."
A bang caught their attention as Sun stopped laughing. "Damn it. I completely forgot about the meeting." Ghira mumbled as Kali grabbed his hand. "Give me a moment." He stood up and walked into the front hallway.
"Is everything okay?" Blake asked.
"Yes, it's just poor timing." Kali nodded, picking up her cup. "It's just getting harder dealing with them."
"Dealing with who?" Blake asked as her mother finished her sip.
"The White Fang." She answered. Blake and Sun jumped up to their feet in shock as Sage coughed down his sip of tea.
The two teen Faunus ran into the hallway. Given the violent redorec against humans and the many reports of unprovoked attacks by the Fang, Sage hid behind the wall as backup, ready to unsheathed his sword. "Dad!" Blake shouted, making her father turn around.
"Blake, what's wrong?" He turned to the two, showing the Fang members in brown robes.
"Miss Belladonna." One member said as they bowed to the two.
"We had no idea you'd returned." The other one with fox ears said.
"What are you doing, talking to these people?" Blake asked.
"This is Corsac and Fennec Albain." Ghira motioned to the fox Faunus respectively. "They represent the White Fang here in Menagerie."
"Those madmen are here!?" Sun shouted.
"Young man, I don't know what you've been told, but let me assure you. We aren't anywhere as vicious as what you would have heard from the media." Fennec said back.
"What we've heard?!" Blake shouted. "We've seen what you've done first hand. You're fanatics who slaughter and maim people!"
Ghira slowly turned back to the two. "What are they talking about?"
"The very thing we came to talk to you about, Your Grace." Corsac said, trying to butter him up.
Kali opened the door and walked up behind Blake as she glared at the two. "Is everything okay?
Sun slowly realized that the parents hadn't heard all of the news of Beacon. "Wait, you mean you didn't hear?"
"Hear what?" Her father asked Blake.
"The White Fang was at the fall of Beacon." Blake stated, shocking the parents. "They attacked innocent people, and let Grimm onto the school grounds."
The reps shared a glance as Ghira turned back to them. "Is this true?"
"Sadly, Your Grace, it is." Fennec nodded in sorrow.
"Don't you dare act-" Blake started when her father cut her off.
"Explain yourselves, now." He ordered the two.
The two looked at each other before Corsac spoke up. "Thought it saddens us to admit it, it has become blatantly clear that the Vale branch of the White Fang no longer cares about following the orders of High Leader Kahn. Instead, they rally themselves behind the rules of one Adam Taurus. I believe you're all familiar with the young adept and his rather... extreme philosophies."
"Well it's not like Beacon was the first attack the Fang did in Vale!" Sun shouted back.
"The Council always had suspicions of a splinter group, but until this incident, they never had any solid proof." Fennec said back.
"'Incident?'" Blake repeated the word with venom in her tone. "People are dead. One of my friends lost her arm and another is missing, maybe even dead, because of him."
"That only makes this tragedy worse." Corsac said with a bow.
"Your Grace, we came here to personally assure you that Brother Taurus and his group do NOT represent the true will of the Fang." Fennec added.
"And what proof do you have of that?" Ghira asked.
"Your skepticism to these claims is completely understandable." Corsac told the elder man. "The Fang has taken a bit more of an, aggressive approach to political matters since you stepped down as High Leader and became the chieftain of Menagerie. But this... slaughter. This is not the way to make our message heard."
"We have ample documents from the council that show several strategies to apprehend and punish these rogue characters." Fennix added. "If you care to review them."
"I will." Ghira nodded. "But that is for another day. Right now, I wish to reconnect with my daughter."
"Of course, Your Grace." Fennec nodded. "We completely understand." The two bowed to him before they turned to Blake. "It was a joy to see you again, young Belladonna. We were heartbroken to hear your departure from the Fang, but we understand that you can no longer support our cause. It is an exhausting fight, after all."
"Who said I'm done fighting?" Blake asked back.
"Well, if you ever wish to come back, you only need to come fight us." Corsac said. "I'm sure sister Ilia would be delighted to know of your return."
Ghira walked over and grabbed the doors. "Goodbye, gentlemen." He closed the door in their faces as Sage walked out from the inner door. Blake pushed him out of the as she marched away in anger.
"Okay, those guys were weird." Sun said, making Blake's father turn to him.
"I truely don't like you." He blatantly said.
"Don't worry." Sage told the older Faunus. "He grows on you."
"Really..." Ghira raised his eyebrow sceptically.
Sage rubbed the back of his head in embarrassment. "I mean... it takes a few months."
Outside the Belladonna House
The two canine Faunus turned and slowly walked down the stairs. "An interesting development, wouldn't you agree brother?" Fennec asked.
"Yes, very interesting." His brother nodded.
"So, shall we inform brother Taurus?" Fennec asked with a smug grin.
"I don't think that will be necessary." Corsac said, watching as Yasha walked across the street into a small house, bags in hand. "But, it certainly wouldn't hurt to be prepared."
Yasha opened the door and was almost tackled to the ground by a blonde haired girl in a pink dress with eyes matching his own. "I told you I was coming, didn't I, Jillian?"
"That just makes me happier!" The little girl shouted. "Let's play, big brother."
"Okay, let's play 'tickle monster!'" He started tickling her ribs, making her laugh. They spent the rest of the day playing board games and such until the night fell. But there was a darker side to this. The whole time they were together, a small red dot stayed on the back of his sister's neck.
Night had fallen and Yasha tucked her sister into bed. She closed her eyes and fell asleep as he looked out the window. A pitch black girl in a White Fang mask stood up and cocked the rifle, letting an empty round fly out before walking away. It was a warning, she could have killed her if she wanted. He walked out the door out and closed it tight.
"May the gods forgive me, for what I have to do." He walked away, loading his knives with pure dust.
Higanbana Tavern
The waitress scrubbed the floor with vigor before she looked up at the sound of footsteps. "Excuse me." Two people, one a black haired girl in a black and white dress with green eyes, and a man in a black trench coat with his hair braided. "We're looking for someone."
His piercing golden eyes scared her before his companion stepped in for front of him. Bowing to the girl, the black haired girl pulled out her Scroll and showed the waitress a snapshot of Ruby.
As cold as Raven is, am I the only who thought 'Esdeath' when she talked about the weak and strong? Given the subtle hatred these twins have, I HIGHLY doubt she would just come out and tell Qrow the spring maiden is with her. But she does have a bit 'Godfather' in her.
You get the joke with the ears? Sage just made an ass out of himself. I originally wrote him with bunny ears, but then insperation just hit me. It's not like Blake is gonna know what happened to Natsu, lying on the ground with a stab wound in her gut.
When ortizale317 first suggested his characters to me, he gave convoluted backgrounds for each one. But after first watching 'Menagerie', this whole idea came into my head. The name Jillian means absolutely nothing to the story, I just randomly thought of it.
On to the Grimm. Yes, I am well aware that the headless horseman story comes from England and the Nuckelavee comes from Scotland, but I counter with this. According to the original legend, Ichabod Crane disappeared after his encounter with the beast. So, this is what happened to him after that headless SOB caught him. As for the Déras, it comes from the Greek translation for the word 'fleece', as in 'The Golden Fleece'. Ya know, Jason and the Argonaughts.
Beta read by Natsu is Awesome.