Well lets see how this meeting goes and let us see if Frenda can hold in the jokes for more then thirty second.
I hope you enjoy.
Normally Beurling's nightmares followed a patten, she would have dreamless sleep, till the nightmare start form and Tomoko would squeeze her and the nightmare would flow away like water, this time the dreams didn't flow away, it stayed, even though Tomoko was there to help.
Beurling ran as hard as she could for the tent, when she reached the burnt and damaged tent, she saw Tomoko lying motionless on the ground with a red puddle around her.
As she reached her partner she dropped to her knees and cradled her "No, no, no, come on Tomoko don't do this please." Beurling pleaded.
Suddenly Tomoko's eyes shot open, but instead of Tomoko's sky-blue eyes, they were a cloudy grey, Beurling then felt Tomoko's cold lifeless hands wrap around her neck.
"You did this to me." Came her deathly wheezing voice.
Beurling jumped up with a start feeling her throat, thankful she couldn't feel any marks or cold hands there.
"Beurling, what happened?" came Tomoko's thankfully normal voice.
Beurling glanced around quickly and was glad she hadn't woken up either Maple or Frenda, looking over at the clock she saw it was four in the morning.
"Just a bad dream, don't worry."
"Was it about Charlotte?" Tomoko asked concerned."It must have been bad to wake you up."
"It's nothing Tomoko, go back to sleep, I'm fine." Beurling sighed as she closed her eyes.
"You always say that."
"I always am, besides, I got you to keep me in check and be my little good luck charm."
"Beurling." Tomoko whined, the brawler knew she found the nickname embarrassing, so she only said it when they were alone.
As Beurling drifted off to sleep again a thought passed her mind 'I've never had a dream like that.' the thought made Beurling hold Tomoko a little tighter.
'That will never happen.' Thought to herself.
(Midday)
After they had finished with breakfast the team boarded a transport to Mantle to meet Tomoko's family.
Maple was spending the journey down looking at the places and buildings of the place with interest while Frenda found the ceiling far more interesting.
"You ok?" Tomoko asked Beurling as they flew down.
"Yeah, the place hasn't changed much since I was last here." Beurling answered as she looked at the drape and almost dead looking buildings, they were far from the finery and grandeur of Atlas, it was like moving from a fairy tale to the real world for Beurling.
Once they had disembarked, they made their way through the streets which were just as drape as the buildings, it looked like someone had sucked the colour out of the world.
As they walked Beurling saw some of the no faunus signs and road that were blocked off for faunus for one reason or another. All the while screens told the people how well Atlas was doing and never once mentioned Mantle at all.
'Nothing's changed then.' Beurling thought to herself.
"This place feels, cold." Maple observed as they walked down the streets "I also feel we're getting a lot of attention."
"It's because me and Frenda are with you two, Mantle isn't your tribe, the people here aren't trying to survive by working together their trying to survive by dog eats dog and survival of the fittest." Beurling explained.
Maple looked around again, before she could say anything the sounds of a cry caught the groups attention.
Looking over Maples shoulder Beurling saw three men dragging a small faunus girl by her neck once she was in the street, they threw her to her pavement.
The girl tried to run back into the alley the men had dragged her out of, only for one of them to trip her up once on the ground again another one of the men pull her back into the street by her black cat tail, making her yelp.
Beurling marched at the trio, not waiting for the others to react "Oi!" Beurling shouted as she reached the three "Why don't you try picking in someone your own size." she shouted with a glare at them.
One of the three looked a little weary he seemed smart enough to know if one person was ready to take on three they were serious bad news or mad and he seemed to be judging whether she was the former or the latter.
In the moment, the men were looking away the faunus girl crawled back into the alley way
The man who had grabbed the faunus's tail however was less concerned by Beurling's presence, in fact he seemed almost annoyed and stormed towards her "Listen sweetheart, we're dealing with some pest control here if you want some…"
Beurling cut him off by grabbing the man's arm twisting it around his back, Beurling then kicked the back of the mans leg by his knee and elbowing him the back of the head making him land face first into the pavement with a crunch as his noise broke.
The second man tried to swing a punch but Beurling ducked and upper cut the man on the chin, the man lying on his back groaning.
Beurling turned to see the third man who had remained still watching the scene, Beurling ignited her flames and man ran for it dragging the second as he went.
The first stood up holding his bleeding noise and ran across the street and shouted how he would get Beurling back for what she did.
'Should be thanking me, I improved your looks.' Beurling spat in her mind.
"Heavy handed again Beurling." Maple sighed "We talked about this."
"You shouldn't be talking to a human like that, you animal!" another man shouted from a club.
"And unless you want to be like the two before you'll butt out of our conversation!" Frenda shouted standing between the man and the two faunus members of the team.
The man had more sense than the two who had tried to fight Beurling and went back inside. Maple looked ready to talk again but Beurling cut her off.
"Look, if that girl or you two tried to intervene, you'd be arrested and they would try and put you in the mines." Beurling growled crossing her arms "I used to do this all the time with Charlotte, Sara and Alia, its instinct for me."
Maple sighed "I understand, but try and keep it in check ok?" Maple let out a breath and looked around the nearby area "Come let's get going before we get another fight."
As the other three walked down street, Beurling glanced down the alley where the girl had run down, she could see the girl hiding behind a bin and peaking her head around the bin to see if it was safe to leave yet.
"Beurling are you ok?" Tomoko asked as she came to Beurling's side and looked down the alley to.
"Yeah," Beurling whispered "I'm just remembering, come on." Beurling sighed as she walked off 'Sorry I can't help you more.' Beurling thought to herself bitterly.
The group kept walking as they rounded the corner to where Tomoko said her home, Beurling felt like someone was watching them, more intently then the normal stares they got.
"You getting that feeling to?" Frenda asked her in a hushed whisper.
"Yeah, had it since we entered the road." Beurling replied looking around.
"Maples had it to, though none of us can see anyone."
"Same, best not mention it, don't want to worry her."
Frenda gave an evil smile, Beurling responded by elbowing her in the side "Leave it."
"Kill joy."
Tomoko came to a stop in front of a single-story building, to the left of the dark grey door was a window.
Tomoko hopped up the pair of steps and opened the door with the rest of the team following behind her, Beurling entered last closing the door behind her.
The home was simple and basic, one door on the right of the corridor they were standing in which led to a sitting room along the other wall were three doors, at the end of corridor was kitchen.
"Mum!" Tomoko shouted out "It me."
Out of the kitchen stood a tall woman with purple hair in a ponytail, her green eyes seemed to be slightly dull compared to her smile that seemed warm, her grey wolf tail wagged slightly, minus the hair colour she looked like an older version of Tomoko, though Beurling noticed she seemed slightly tired like she hadn't got enough sleep recently.
"Tomoko!" she cried as went and embraced her daughter in a big hug "What are you doing here, shouldn't you be at Vacuo?"
"I'm here for the Vytal Festival." Tomoko smiled to her mum.
"And why didn't you tell me?"
"I wanted to surprise you."
"Well you certainly did, now who are these young ladies?"
"My team." Tomoko smiled as she turned to start introducing the team to her mum "Maple my leader, Frenda her partner," Tomoko introduced the others first as she got her, Beurling noticed Tomoko's mum smiled.
"And Beurling." Tomoko's mum interrupted "Your just how I pictured you looking."
Before Beurling could say anything to the comment the door opened and in walked in another blonde faunus, at first glance she could have been Tomoko's twin apart from the wolf ears instead of a wolfs tail, on closer look one could see she had emerald eyes compared to Tomoko's sky-blue eyes, the newcomer's eye was also badly bruised.
The new girl sighed and leaned on the door before she noticed the team's presence in her home.
"Aria, nice timing, look Tomoko's back and she's brought her team."
The girl gave the team a second looked before she smiled when she looked at Beurling "Oh yeah, should have realised, Beurling's exactly like Tomoko described you."
Beurling could see Frenda trying to hold in a laugh out the corner of her eye, as Beurling felt her cheeks heat up "Erm, Tomoko how much did you tell them?" Beurling asked.
"Not that much." Tomoko shyly replied with a blush on her cheeks.
"You mean pretty much everything." Aria countered as she walked around Beurling like she was inspecting her.
"Erm…"
After she had gone around Beurling, Aira smiled and held out her hand, Beurling offered her own hand, only to be pulled in close to Aira "Hurt my sister, I'll hurt you." she whispered, before kissing Beurling on the cheek rather loudly.
"Hey, don't do weird things to my partner!" Tomoko shouted as she grabbed Beurling and pushed her sister and Beurling apart.
"Ooh so defensive sis." Aira smiled at the pair as Tomoko stood between the two glaring at her sister while making a growling like noise and her tail standing up on end, keeping her hand on Beurling.
Beurling glanced over and saw Maple was now trying to stifle a laugh while Frenda was making a stifling giggle and hitting her arm.
Beurling looked down and saw why as she saw where Tomoko's hand was placed "Erm…Tomoko…you can let go now." Beurling stuttered out.
Tomoko turned around and saw where her hand was, her face turned redder than a tomato as she retracted her hand and put it on her neck with her tail wagging furiously "Sorry."
"Aira, don't embarrass you sister in front of her friends."
"Sorry mum." Aira replied, but the smile on her face indicated she wasn't sorry in the least.
Tomoko's mum then let out a small cough "Now for a proper introduction, I'm Tomoko's mum as you can guess, now please call me Kelly and this is Tomoko's big sister Aria."
"Now, Aira how about you take your sister and her team into the living room and I'll make us all some tea." As the team began to move to the front room Kelly stopped Beurling as she walked in "Erm, Beurling I hate to be a bother but could you give me a hand?"
Beurling glanced at Tomoko and saw she was a bit nervous, Beurling gave her a reassuring smile before turning back "Sure Ma'am."
Kelly giggled "Kelly please, ma'am makes me feel old."
"I think mum likes her." Aria muttered to Tomoko.
"Aria!" Tomoko whined, getting a giggle from Frenda and Aria "You're terrible, you know that." Tomoko whined.
"You love me really sis." Aria smiled as she got Tomoko in a head lock and pulled her in to the front room, followed by Frenda and Maple.
"I'll try and keep them in line." Maple smiled to Beurling as she followed Kelly to the kitchen.
Once in the kitchen Beurling suddenly felt a wash of trepidation come over her, as Kelly filled the kettle "Could you get some cups for me?" the older woman asked.
"I know what your thinking." Kelly spoke as Beurling reached for another cup, though Beurling remained silent.
"Your thinking I'm about to warn you being around my daughter, aren't you?"
"It had crossed my mind." Beurling replied dropping her hand to her side, she'd feared she'd get this the minute she agreed to the idea of meeting Tomoko's mother and was now waiting for said warning.
Beurling was surprised to feel a pair of arms wrap around her "Ma'am?" Beurling asked surprised.
"Kelly," the older woman whispered, "And thank you for saving her."
"But…" Beurling started but she felt the arms squeeze her tighter.
"Tomoko told me you blame yourself for what happened, I don't care how she got hurt, just that she was saved and she's here and it's thanks to you, so you have my gratitude."
Beurling was surprised she hadn't expected this when she was asked to come with the older lady, a warning or a smack over the injury Tomoko had suffered.
"I don't deserve it." Beurling muttered biting her bottom lip.
"You do to me." Kelly whispered as she backed away from Beurling who turned to face her "I know you were expecting me to be hostile to you being around Tomoko, given that your human and we're faunus, but from what Tomoko's told me, I don't have anything to worry about with you."
"How much did she say?" Beurling asked nervous.
"Aria wasn't kidding when she said almost everything, though she did say why you only use the last name was your business, though she did say you have a niece."
"Klara."
"Yes that was it, never thought I'd met a human with a faunus niece, now come on the others are likely wondering what's keeping us."
As Beurling took out the last of the cups she heard Kelly coughing rather violently, turning she saw the woman leaning over the sink, turning Beurling saw Kelly wipe a dribble of red off her lips.
Kelly leaned on the sink as she caught her breath "How long have you had the cough?" Beurling asked.
"I know what you're thinking, don't worry, it's not dust poisoning." Kelly replied to the question in Beurling's head "I'm surprised, given that I had to work in the mines to allow Tomoko to go to Shade."
"Let me guess, it wasn't just to pay for her to enter was it?"
"No, leaving Atlas for a faunus is very expensive."
'Not a lot has changed then.' Beurling thought to herself "You said had, are you out of them now?"
"Yes, we are."
"We?"
"Me and Aria, we both had work in the mines for a bit, though thankfully Aria didn't have to work there that long."
"What are you two doing now then?" Beurling asked curious.
"You ever heard of Sneaky's?"
"You mean those underground drink places for faunus, I heard about them but I thought they were a myth."
"No their real, fuanus can't go to normal bars and mine owners don't want their slaves drunk so we made our own, it's how Aira got her black eye she works as one of the guards." Kelly explained.
"How do you get the alcohol?" Beurling asked.
"Oh, we find it here and there, carless racist bar owners leaving poor alcohol barrels around."
Beurling smiled "I'm impressed."
Kelly let out a laugh "Yes, Tomoko did mention your stance on racists."
The two's conversation was interrupted by a knock was heard at the front door "I'll get it!" Kelly shouted as she made her way down the hall.
Beurling got an uneasy feeling so moved to the wall to try and hear what's going on.
"I'm sorry mister, but I'm afraid I don't know what you're talking about." Beurling could hear Kelly say.
"Look, cut the rubbish out, we know you animals stole our supply, now tell us where it is." shouted a man's voice.
Beurling moved into the hall behind Kelly, as she went past, she saw Aira and her team looking nervously out the doorway.
Just then Kelly let out a cry, Beurling turned to see two men standing in the doorway and laying on the floor holding the side of her face.
Beurling charged the two men who hadn't noticed her till she was to close, the first man tried to swing his stick but he misjudged the distance in the panic and ended up hitting the door frame.
The second man tried to bring his pistol up to shoot, but Beurling managed to grab the man's wrist and force his hand upwards, she then kicked him down the pair of steps, dropping his pistol in the process.
The second man decided tried to run but Beurling tripped him up and he fell face first down the steps on to the pavement.
"Are you ok?" Beurling asked Kelly.
Kelly nodded and made to stand up as Aria came to help her mum up, Beurling turned back to the two men, who were still on the floor groaning.
Beurling jumped down and grabbed the one with the stick by the scruff of his neck "Who do you work for?" Beurling asked.
"Oi!" came a female voice down the street "Do you know who your messing with you animal!"
Beurling felt a wave of rage wash over her as she heard the person speak, she'd heard voice before, long ago.
Beurling let go of the man grabbing his stick as she did and walked into the centre of the street to see three men and a woman flanking another woman, with long dark hair.
'Oh, I know exactly who you are!' Beurling spat in her head and she silently took up a fighting stance the stick in hand.
Ooh boy i sense Beurling has a hatered of this person.
Also seems Tomoko has a posessive side.