"I hate it. I don't like being here one bit and I'm really not sure why they have meetings here anyway. He boasts that it's so much safer than it used to be, but I'm pretty sure that on the drive here from the airport we passed at least one dead body, and I don't really care if it's someone that the government had to put in their place or not. We should never, and I mean never, hold another meeting here in Mistral. Granted, it is scenic and they have turned themselves around a lot, I just get a bad vibe, you know what I mean? Yeah, it is nice in the summer months, but just think of all of the bandits and thieves sitting outside of Haven just waiting to come here and rob us blind. You don't have that in Vacuo, at least everyone has a mutual respect for their own kind anyway. And it's so far away, the other end of Remnant! I'll be lucky if I get to see my wife before the weekend is over! And once again, all of this could just be done over video conference or email or something similar," Dorian complained.
"Do you ever stop griping?" She asked him as they passed through the last security checkpoint and were greeted by a hallway that led to a waterfall. "Besides, I think that Sterling has done a fine job here." Dorian formed a mouth with his hand and mocked her.
"I think that Sterling has done a fine job here," Dorian parroted. "I'm glad that you're happy Olesia, I really am, but that guy rubs me the wrong way." Olesia blushed. "What?"
"Nothing," she replied sheepishly. Dorian sighed and shook his head, gesturing for her to walk in front of him. They rounded the waterfall to find that they were the last ones to arrive at the meeting, Siobhan and Sterling were laughing with each other as they entered, Olesia smiling shyly at Sterling who gave her a single wave and she found her seat. Kitsune whispered to Winter and they prepared a stack of papers as Ruby and Qrow seemed a bit more nervous than usual. Dorian reviewed their papers as Ruby stood.
"I would first like to start by turning the attention towards Sterling," Ruby said. Sterling stood, he looked at a loss for words and red as he searched for what he wanted to tell them. "It's my understanding from Coco that two of the men that Alexander Latherus put away are at large once again because the security at your maximum level prison failed to contain them during separate escapes." Ruby's eyes flickered. "It wasn't even the same escape, that I'd be able to understand, but two separate occasions?"
"I understand what Latherus meant to this council, and I have been working day and night to try and find out what happened. I haven't slept well since the second break out," Sterling told them. "It doesn't trouble me so much that it was two of the biggest criminals that have ever plagued Mistral. What troubles me more is that they were both caught by Alexander."
"While that is troubling, I actually find it more troubling that there are two madmen on the loose regardless of who put them in there," Qrow replied. "I think maybe you should get your priorities straight."
"What he meant to say was that it should be of some interest that they were both men that Alexander caught, shouldn't it?" Siobhan interjected standing up.
"A lot of people at the max security prison were put away by Latherus, that would be like saying isn't it strange that Ruby killed this Beowulf and Salem, for example?" Qrow asked.
"But you do understand the chance of it, don't you?" Sterling asked. Qrow sighed and took a deep breath.
"Yes, I do, but I'm more concerned about the fact that Quake could have gone toe to toe with my wife," Qrow told them.
"Who was she facing instead at that time?" Siobhan asked.
"Siobhan," Sterling said with a stern look. She sat with her arms folded. Olesia didn't understand, why had the two of them been so out of sync recently?
"No, Siobhan has a point, there are loose ends that we need to tie up as well in Atlas, but I think that the situation was handled with care and due diligence by my men who seem to be in dire need of training, and Kitsune," Winter told them. "Anything to report on in Vale?"
"It would seem that my niece and another party who shall remain unnamed for the time being stumbled across a supply warehouse for Stardust," Ruby told them. "Paris and Quake were not there when the police returned, but they did confiscate a considerable amount of Dust and lien."
"Did you say Quake?" Kitsune asked. Ruby nodded. "So he's working with Admon and Stardust."
"Or Admon is working with Stardust, I'd almost find that more accurate at the rate they're growing," Sterling pointed out.
"Were growing," Qrow said. "Team NITE put Mercury behind bars."
"That's not going to stop them completely," Dorian added.
"No, but it should slow them down," Ruby said.
"Is there anything else going on in Vale that should be noted in today's meeting?" Winter asked. Ruby rubbed the back of her neck and bent her legs slightly.
"Well?" Siobhan asked.
"There might have been a break-in at the school," Ruby blurted out.
"What?!" Sterling blurted out.
"I thought that Coco was taking care of the security there," Winter asked.
"She is, but she's been having trouble up to this point finding someone who is suitable for the job," Ruby told them. "It's possible that some information might have been stolen but we're still looking into it. It appears as though it may have been footage from training sessions."
"Who would steal that?" Olesia asked.
"With everyone coming back into the mix, it could be anyone," Qrow said.
"Before Qrow and I finish, I'd like to say that the tournament was a major success. I trust that all of you watched it online?" Ruby asked. They all nodded.
"Orin seems promising," Winter said showing her bias.
"I think that niece of yours looked good out there," Sterling said. "She made a couple of mistakes that could have been avoided, but it's all a part of the learning process."
"Yeah," Ruby boasted with a smile. "She's pretty good."
"So, what does Vacuo have to report out on?" Sterling asked smiling at Olesia.
"There's not much going on, to be honest," Olesia told them. "Ever since the Mistral forces moved into the kingdom things have been quiet. There are a few leads we've been able to look into even."
"Maybe you should worry a little more about your kingdom than hers," Winter told Sterling. He nodded at them.
"Of course," he replied.
"Okay then," Ruby said. "If that's everything then we'll meet back up in a couple of months," Ruby said. "We'll work on Stardust. Sterling, no more prison breaks. Winter and Kitsune, great job with Menagerie, but we need to catch Admon. Olesia…" Ruby paused for a moment. "For once I've got nothing. You're all dismissed." They broke up, Qrow and his wife talking with Ruby and Kitsune who seemed to be enjoying themselves, and Olesia walked casually over to Sterling. Siobhan was in the middle of speaking with him, staring hard at Olesia as she stopped across from them.
"Did you need something?" Siobhan asked.
"You're free to go," Sterling told his second. "I have a few things that I need to talk to Olesia about." Her face flared with heat and she stared at him until he directed her towards the door with his eyes. She was displeased, huffing and puffing as her heels clicked away and Sterling watched her as she left.
"Is this going to take a while?" Dorian asked.
"You can take the first flight out to Vale, I'll follow you shortly," Olesia told him. Dorian leaned around her to look at her face before grabbing her by the arm which was met by protest.
"I need a word with her," Dorian told Sterling over Olesia's shoulder. He pulled her aside and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, hunching over. "Don't do anything stupid!"
"Define stupid," Olesia told him.
"There's something off here!" Dorian exclaimed.
"I know that when we were kids you held me in high regard and kind of took care of me to an extent, but I'm a grown woman now, I can do things by myself and make my own choices," Olesia told him. "Take your flight back now. If you get to Vale early enough you might make it home early tomorrow morning. Tell Reese that I said hello, okay?" Dorian nodded and glanced back at Sterling.
"Be smart," he told her.
"I always try to be," she replied. He left her and she returned to Sterling who took her by the arm and proceeded to slowly leave with her. Olesia glanced back for a moment at Ruby who gave her the thumbs up and a wink.
"How do you feel about getting some authentic Mistrali cuisine," Sterling asked as he gently tugged on her while they walked side by side.
"I guess that I'd have to see it first, I've never had it before," Olesia replied.
"It's to die for," he told her. "I think you'll like it quite a bit and once we finish there we can head back through Haven for a walk." She nodded.
"That sounds like a great plan," She told him.
"Probably the best plan to be honest," Sterling said. She raised an eyebrow.
"That's debatable," she fired back.
"What if I have it in writing?" He asked her. She laughed.
"I think you'd be bluffing," she replied.
"And I think you'd owe me a walk around the gardens in the city square after dinner," he said. She shoved him.
"Alright, you're on," she agreed. He stopped, releasing her arm and removing a piece of paper that had the itinerary for their evening typed out on it. Across the top, in pen, he had scrawled "Best Plan Ever." She read it over a few times before looking up at him. "I guess I lost."
"You guess?" He asked. She smirked.
"Okay, I admit it, I lost." She conceded. He gave her his arm again and she hooked her own through it.
"Victory feels good, doesn't it?" He asked.
"I didn't win," she reminded him. They pushed through the door and he stepped out into the busy street. It was a bold move hiding their meeting place in plain sight, but since the council had been established, it had never been found.
"But didn't your loss feel more like a victory?" He asked. "Or would you rather forgo our walk?"
"I'd very much enjoy a walk with you," she informed him as she looked to her left and right. It was like Shade, but it felt less dangerous. The people seemed genuine and she didn't feel like she would be jumped, even if he hadn't been with her. She could let her guard down and be completely safe.
"If we walk, there's a chance you won't get a ship out," he told her.
"I can always stay at an inn," she said coyly nudging him again. He gasped.
"Ma'am, I would never…" He started.
"Of course not. Not a true gentleman like you," she teased. They laughed for a bit, enjoying each other's company as they made their way towards the restaurant and she looked up at him. "It's strange. You're like a different person outside of the council."
"I don't know if that's entirely accurate," he told her. "I just feel that a woman should be treated differently than the way I handle my military or kingdom." He stopped in front of the hut. "Here we are."
"How did you even find this place the first time?" She asked.
"I know my kingdom well," he informed her. After dinner and a drink or two later they took leave and walked slowly around the garden in the moonlight, Sterling walking a few steps ahead of her. "Once Strakh has been captured, what will you do?" She thought about it for a moment and shrugged.
"I'll finally be able to finish the expansion around the school and give my people more livable space," she told him. "I just want my people to be happy." She looked at him excited. "I have ideas for living arrangements that are cheaper so that even the poor can make it by in Shade!"
"That's what I like about you," Sterling told her. "You know exactly what you want."
"And what do you want?" She asked. He stopped and walked to her, caressing her chin.
"Peace," he said as he kissed her gently on the lips. She followed after him as he pulled away, out of breath as he smiled and brushed her bangs away. "You weren't really planning on staying at an inn tonight, were you?"
"No," she replied out of breath.
"Blake, for the last time, can you just tone it down a little bit," Yang asked as her wife put her scroll away once more and they headed to the movie theater from the park. "How are we supposed to enjoy ourselves if you keep calling Neela to find out how Shadow is doing every couple of minutes?"
"What if something happens?" Blake asked. Yang shook her head and held Blake tight.
"Nothing is going to happen," Yang assured her. "Neela is watching Shadow with Eliana. The worst thing that might happen is that Neela can't say no to either of them and they eat way too much sugar before bedtime. Neela's overly capable for this job, she even remembers the lullaby. You let Neela take care of her sister, and let me take care of you tonight. We've been needing some time away from everything, just the two of us." Blake sighed and checked her scroll again.
"I know, I know," Blake said.
"I worry too," Yang told her. "Worrying a healthy amount is normal. Worrying to the point of calling Neela every five minutes is a little on the excessive side."
"It hasn't been every five minutes," Blake debated. Yang rolled her eyes as she stopped in the middle of the sidewalk and cocked her hip.
"Go back through your phone history and tell me that it isn't every five minutes," Yang instructed her. "Do it." Blake put it back in her pocket and walked past Yang. "Can't do it, can you?" Blake didn't stop and Yang hustled to catch up with her. "Look, I know that everything going on has us on edge, but this is our chance to get away from everything just for one night. That's all."
"I'll try Yang," Blake said. "I just…"
"Somebody help me and call the police!" A man yelled. Yang turned around and spotted two White Fang members, they shoved past Blake and Yang and rushed down a side alley. Blake took off after them.
"Wait up!" Yang called. She followed them from the back, Blake gaining on them quickly and slamming one of them to the wall. The other turned to open fire, Blake's formed a clone that leapt towards him and took the bullets, shattering as Yang's fist connected with his jaw through the clone. Blake pinned the young Faunus hard as he swung his fists at her but with little to no luck.
"What do the two of you think that you're doing?" Blake asked him. He sneered, trying in desperation to fire his gun at her, but she had his arms pinned hard and Yang grabbed the weapon, tossing it away. "I'm a Faunus like you. Calm down for a moment."
"Not like us," the deer Faunus protested. "You love the humans!" He complained.
"Blake, come on, just let him go," Yang told her.
"Where's the real heist taking place? I know exactly how this works, I know that the two of you are just the grunts that were sent here to cause a fuss while the actually hit happens elsewhere," Blake told him. "Spit it out and maybe I won't hurt you too badly."
"Blake, that's enough, the police can handle this," Yang told her. Blake didn't hear Yang, too focused on the task before her and she pulled him back before slamming him against the wall again. Yang's words finally found her, as if delayed.
"I was in the Fang, leaving this to the police isn't a smart idea," Blake informed her.
"Blake," Yang said quietly.
"Let me do this!" Blake demanded. She slammed him again before forming a rock clone and punching a large dent into the wall beside him. "Where!?"
"There's no heist!" He yelled. "It's not a heist!"
"What is it then?" Blake asked.
"We were instructed to distract a high-value target," he cried out. Blake's earth clone collapsed and she looked at him.
"What?" She asked.
"We were told that there was a high-value target that had been spotted around the market district, and all we were supposed to do was distract it for a bit," he said. Blake looked at Yang before there was a collective sound of guns being raised, White Fang surrounded them on the rooftops. Blake looked green in color and fell to a knee releasing the boy and allowing him to run. Yang shook Blake.
"Blake!" Yang called out.
And as I set out upon this world and deliver the justice mankind so greatly deserves, I will make it my mission to destroy everything you love… Starting with her.
Blake's mind fell blank before waking quickly in a dream-like state, time was frozen and Yang had just spotted her from outside of the cafeteria. If I had never gotten involved with them in the first place neither of us would have had to experience all of this pain. She looked at Adam who stood above her, a smirk worn on his face, his blade ready to take her. Would it ever truly end? We killed Adam, we defeated the Fang, yet here we are again at the beginning. They're back Yang, we can't stop them.
GET AWAY FROM HER!
"Blake! Please!" Yang yelled at her. Blake never left her knees once, staring hard at the ground as the air around them filled with laughter that Yang found uncomfortable and at the end of the alleyway stood Athena.
"Yang Xiao Long," Athena said as if calling her out. "It's a shame that my brother only took your arm. Had he taken… say… your head, he might still be here with us." Athena took a step forward and Yang stepped between Blake and Athena, Athena planting her feet and lifting the sword. "Do you really want to try Wilt again?"
"Stop," Blake rasped. Athena leaned down and cupped her ear despite being at least ten feet away from Blake still.
"I don't care if it costs me my other arm, all of my limbs, or my life!" Yang shouted, her eyes red around the edges before slowly filling, her hair dancing about in flames as she stood tall. "You will not hurt my wife again." Athena laughed, the same chilling laugh that had filled the empty side street as before and Yang half expected all of the other Faunus to join in before Athena stopped abruptly and shook her head.
"No," Athena said. "No, I will hurt both of you to make you pay for what you stole from me."
"Your brother deserved to die," Yang argued. She rushed Athena, pulling her fist back and swinging in for a punishing blow when Athena was replaced by Blake and Yang pulled back, trying to slide to a stop. She lost her balance, tumbling and landing on her side, sliding away across the pavement.
"In that case, I guess Ozpin got what he deserved too," Athena told them. "Every radical deserves to die, right?"
"Ozpin didn't kill innocent people…" Yang began.
"Didn't he?" Athena asked. "I know the story about your wizard. I know how long he's been around. I know that he led a war that brought with it the destruction of almost two entire kingdoms. Mistral was in shambles after the Great War, and if not for Atlas' technology, they probably wouldn't have pulled through." Athena chuckled. "Yet, my brother wanted to help the Faunus ascend to their rightful place in this world as your Ozpin intended, and you called him a heretic and struck him down."
"He treated his own kind like they were nothing! Like they were expendable! I'm under the impression that you've been doing the same, had you sent these two Faunus after anyone else, they'd likely be dead now," Yang shouted at her as she leapt to her feet.
"I'm a firm believer of evolution," Athena told her. "If they didn't survive against you and Blake, then they wouldn't have helped further our kind anyway. If the weak die it only strengthens the gene pool and gives the Faunus a better chance of surviving in a world that hates us."
"Because of what the Fang is doing!" Yang yelled. "The government is making headway in including Faunus in every aspect of society, even the head of Vacuo is a Faunus. You're winning your rights! Don't mess it up by coming in here and making demands that it move faster! And if you are going to, don't silence your requests with violence."
"This is Remnant, you stupid human! Violence is the only thing that produces any real results!" Athena shouted. Blake still remained stunned in the same place as she had started.
"Then fight me," Yang told her.
"Kill you?" Athena asked. "Don't be absurd, I have plans for the two of you to suffer and that can't happen if you're dead." Athena teleported to Blake, switching places with Yang and she knelt down, whispering in the cat's ear. "Just imagine everything that my brother ever did to cause you pain and multiply it exponentially. I never liked you, from the moment that Adam brought you home, I knew that I had to save him." Athena grabbed Blake by the hair and pulled her in, Yang prepared to rush in but stopped short as Athena held her sword to Blake's neck. "What shall I take from you that you love?"
"Go to hell," Blake managed.
"Oh good," Athena replied. "She's still…" Blake's body became water and burst like a water balloon as her knuckles crashed into Athena's temple and the girl scrambled back. "Finally. I was starting to worry about you Blake. I thought that maybe the killer in you had gone soft."
"I don't kill anymore," Blake told her. "Your brother left us no choice."
"There's always a choice," Athena said. "But it doesn't matter now. The die has been cast. All that we can do now is play our part." Blake shook, despite mustering the strength to move, her memories still haunted her and fear still threatened to get the better of her.
"Yang," Blake said.
"Way ahead of you," Yang said. Yang's gauntlets fell from the sky, fitting perfectly without having to make any adjustments and she caught Gambol Shroud as well, tossing it to Blake. "Drones courtesy of the Atlas Military and the preprogrammed distress signal in my scroll that I sent to Coco. Feeling a little bit more afraid now?" Athena brushed her off.
"There is nothing that the two of you could do that would scare me, but now is not our time," Athena said. "Let us see if Blake and her human deserve to live, shall we?" Athena teleported up to the rooftop, she was replaced by Ebony and Crimson.
"Who do we have here?" Yang asked.
"Stay sharp Yang, it's been a while," Blake told her. "We've only been facing off against amateurs recently."
"Speak for yourself," Yang told her. "The kids in most of my classes are about to graduate." Crimson rushed in first, Blake caught her hand, twisting her wrist hard and prying the mimic rod away, letting it roll to Yang as they struggled against each other for a moment. Blake swung her blade upward from her side as Crimson broke free and avoided the cleaver, headbutting Blake in the chin which forced her to take a few steps back. As Yang picked up Crimson's weapon it was knocked out of her hand by Ebony's daggers, Yang deflected them with her wrist on the way back. Yang motioned for Ebony to come in for an attack. "Come on."
"Crimson!" Ebony shouted. Her abilities took her under Yang who front flipped away with the assistance of her Gauntlets, blasting the shadowy substance as she was upside down and landing on her feet, deflecting the daggers again before ducking, Ebony had approached her to attempt hand to hand. Yang's eyes lit up and she grinned hard as her fist came up, a single Dust enhanced shot fired through Ebony's chin and she collapsed into a shadow, appearing from the ground where the rod was. She tossed it to Crimson who caught it over Blake's shoulder, running it across Blake's blade before leaping away and using her copy of Gambol Shroud to open fire. Blake blocked the bullets with her cleaver as she threw her pistol back to Yang who caught it.
"This is the fun part!" Yang called out. The soldiers watched from above without interfering as Blake pulled Yang along, stopping short of where Athena expected and planting her feet. She rodeoed the ribbon and threw Blake at Athena with superhuman force, Blake crashed through Ebony as the woman teleported at the last moment and left Blake with one of her handmaidens. "What's the matter, Athena?" Yang took a quick step towards Crimson before launching herself in the opposite direction, her fist meeting Wilt's blade as Athena slid back and swapped with Crimson once more.
"A mistake you won't make twice," Blake said. Gravity Dust exploded as Athena appeared, throwing her away and she crashed into one of the brick walls on either side of the alley, muttering something under her breath as she noted how they'd done it. Yang's quick step towards Crimson called Athena out on her bluff, allowing Blake to take aim. Athena couldn't teleport with Ebony as she was unsure of where the girl had gone. A blast of dark energy tossed Blake off of the roof but she found herself quickly and swung down with the assistance of her gun. She swung through Athena who ducked, her feet planting against Yang's fists and launching back for Athena who did the only thing she could to get out of the way and the decision was met with Crimson being run through by Blake's katana.
"No!" Athena yelled. Blake withdrew her sword, deflecting Athena as she attempted to attack her from behind, Yang placing a blow in her ribs that sent her sprawling. Athena reeled, a gleam in her eye for just a moment as Yang realized what she was planning but was too late to warn Blake.
"Blake!" Yang shouted. Athena traded places with Yang, aiming Blush into Blake's back. Blake cried out in pain as she attempted a block, another blast from Blush sent her tumbling to Yang. Athena teleported again with her blade ready to repay the injury done to Crimson but Yang blasted her away.
"What's the matter, can't play by your own rules?" Blake asked grimacing in pain. Athena found her feet, dashing past Blake as she opened fire on the redhead. Athena quickly scooped up Crimson and teleported to the top of the buildings, leaving behind an initiate who shook in fear as Athena waved for them to leave and as quickly as they had shown up, they were gone.
"So that happened," Yang said as she rejoined her wife and the one Faunus that remained sprinted away from them as fast as he could. "So glad that I brought you out here to have a quiet relaxing night away from it all," Yang smirked. "I have to admit, we still have it. I'm more than a little turned on right now."
"We're going home," Blake said as she shoved past Yang and made her way towards the docks.
"Babe," Yang said grabbing her arm and trying to comfort her.
"That's not going to be enough right now! How are you not freaking out?!" Blake asked her. "Athena Taurus just tried to take us out, and somehow you're going on like nothing even happened!"
"What else am I supposed to do about it!?" Yang asked exploding. "Should I just turn back into you from high school?! Would it help me to stress about it constantly and lose hours of sleep over it?! We just have to pony up and keep moving forward! Shadow is going to be fine, and if Athena shows up again we're gonna kick the shit out of her, we've got her running scared, but I can't let the past and the 'what if's' dictate whether or not I'm going to enjoy life." Blake looked at Yang hurt, her ears falling slightly as Yang wrapped her up in her arms. "I know it's not easy for you to just let go… but please… just for tonight."
"Okay," Blake replied into her chest. Yang pulled her back and wiped the tears from her eyes, taking her hand and leading her to the theater.
"Come on kitty cat. I'll even let you call Neela if you'd like to check on Shadow," Yang told her.
"Now?" Blake asked. Yang nodded. "And again before the movie starts?"
"Don't push it, babe."
Seems Athena is getting restless. Next week we reach the halfway point of Year 1! Chapter 72 - Standard Field Mission!
A big thank you to Carlomontie, Nliast, Y8ay8a, Sa-Dui, Diyaru4500, Demize00Zero, TheCipherNine, SketchHungry, Ookaminoki, Lightning-in-my-Hand, and Dishwasher1910. All of their artwork can be found at Deviantart, you can search Silent-Celica and under my favorites tab, I have a collection for NITE.
Until next week, stay classy!