Author's notes:
Chapter six is the final chapter, technically, but it has smut scenes. Being my original characters, I'm not even sure if I'll post the last chapter here, but just know I am writing it to complete the story. Maybe if this gets enough demand, I'll post the final chapter. It in very little ways advance the plot and gives you the other kind of wholesome 'plot'. So after this chapter, assume happily ever after. Ronin and Elena return home, Lucas and Melody get married. Something something, they both have families after a certain amount of time.
Chapter Five - Resolution
It was only for a moment, but the Shadow Travel was ice cold. She couldn't feel her fingers. Screams of anguish ring in her ears, despite no longer in Ronin's Shadow verse. The lingering words still haunt her.
"Abandon me. You need to live." Elena couldn't distinguish the source of the voice, but it could have been Ronin or his father. Elena wakes up in a bed. Her body is sore all over. Tabitha lays next to her. She snores like there is no trouble in the world.
"No Sy, I wouldn't like another cinnamon bun...Okay fine….zzzz…." Tabitha munches on her pillow. Elena collects her bearings. They are somewhere in the manor, but Elena can't tell where. Someone enters the room.
"Lady Elena. How are your injuries?" A woman feline faunus asks. Elena has seen her around the manor, but mostly behind the scenes. Namely the kitchen and medical ward.
"You're Katerine, right?" Elena identifies.
"Jed isn't anywhere to be found, so I've assumed his duties." She says. No one else knows what happened last night. Only the traitors have left the estate. Finn learned the secret of the silver eyes. This is bad. Ronin has become expendable and Salem will be after her and Tabitha. Anyone who poses a threat to Her will be taken out. They have to come up with a plan. Elena doesn't intend on dying at the hands of Salem or her forces.
She nudges Tabitha awake.
"Who is this, if I may inquire, m'lady?" Katerine asks. Her tail sways with curiosity.
"She's a friend of Ronin's." Elena says.
"I'm his ex girlfriend." Tabitha corrects. There is a tension in the room.
"I'll prepare breakfast while you two...get ready." The faunus excuses herself. She could sense a storm a brewin' and she didn't have a metaphorical umbrella. Tabitha stretches.
"So, Alister saved both of us instead of picking just one of us. That pisses me off." Tabitha says. Elena stands up. Their silver eyes lock onto each other.
"It was his only option. Sacrifice himself to save both of us." Elena says.
"That means you have become important enough to Alister for him to not abandon you. We may have been broken up, but I won't allow you to steal my man." Tabitha says.
"If I recall correctly, he came back depressed because you wouldn't listen to him. If you had kicked Azrael off your team, we wouldn't be in this mess." Elena says. Tabitha glares at Elena.
"Whatever." Tabitha goes to the bathroom. Elena sits down on the bed. Her heart is racing. Something about Tabitha causes a sort of rivalry between them. Elena doesn't want to lose. Elena holds her Grandmother's letter. She still hasn't opened it, but she's too afraid to read what it says. Just as she is about to lift the seal, Tabitha exits the bathroom. Elena hides the letter.
"You are my rival, Elena. I won't lose." Tabitha declares. Her stomach grumbles.
"I can order the servants to not feed you." Elena says. Tabitha whimpers.
"Please no…" Tabitha clutches her stomach.
"All's fair in love and war. Imagine how Ronin would react seeing you after not having bathed in three days AND as thin as a skeleton." Elena says.
"Let's call a truce until after we rescue Ronin." Tabitha says. Elena chuckles. She's so much like Ronin, but much easier to manage. She lacks Ronin's stubbornness and can admit when she's wrong.
"Let's get some breakfast." Elena says. No signs of damage from the Grimm. For whatever reason, they didn't attack despite being used as a threat. Jed did say something about "Follow my orders and you two will come out of this alive." Elena likes to think he was looking out for them. They eat breakfast. Business as usual throughout the estate. No one seems to miss the presence of Jed and his nephews.
"How is it?" Katerine asks. Tabitha gives a thumb's up with squirrel cheeks.
"Delicious as usual." Elena says.
"Glad to hear it." Katerine smiles as she returns to the kitchen. Katerine's daughter peeks from the kitchen. They close the door behind them. Elena and Tabitha are alone.
"What's the plan?" Tabitha asks.
"We just go to the coordinates Azrael sent us and go gangsta." Elena says.
"That's a terrible plan. I like it. Ronin always likes to be methodical about these types of things. He's not very good at improvising." Tabitha says. Elena thinks back to the Dwarflandia mission and the Goliath mission. Whenever things went wrong, his improvisations were him taking damage.
"If we're going to work together, I need to know your semblance." Elena says.
"Ronin has an amazing semblance. Shadow Manipulation. You have Foresight. Sylas has Undaunted. Mine is lackluster by comparison." Tabitha mutters.
"You can show me." Elena says. Her words are comforting. Tabitha brushes aside Elena's bangs. She kisses her. Tabitha's aura gleams red. It feels so wrong, yet so right. Elena gives into the kiss, but Tabitha pulls away.
"My semblance is Infatuation. So long as I touch someone, they will become my 'slave' in a way. But kissing is the most potent method for me to use my semblance." Tabitha says. Elena's face is red. That was her first kiss. A certain heat radiates in Elena.
"I can see it works regardless of gender." Elena mutters. Tabitha smelled of cinnamon.
"It doesn't work on family." Tabitha says. Elena blinks. She tried it on her brother and father…
"Is that why Ronin..." Elena asks.
"He doesn't know. I wanted to tell him so many times, but I didn't want to hurt him. I was just glad to have him in my life after he left the team, but I couldn't let myself be his woman until I told him about my semblance. " Tabitha admits.
"And that's why I got close to Ronin." Elena smirks.
"Don't think you've won just yet. After all, he and I already did it." Tabitha brags. Elena glares at her in disbelief.
"When?" Elena asks.
"During our prom night. It was magical." Tabitha says. Elena tries to use her semblance to see into Tabitha's past, but to no avail.
"I'll just ask Ronin about it." Elena scoffs.
"He pinned me against the bed and railed me for nine hours straight." Tabitha brags. That sounds awfully familiar to Elena, but she can't pinpoint where she heard or seen that phrase...Wait a minute.
"That's a scene from Fifty Shades of Dust." Elena says. Tabitha's been found out. She sputters in denial.
"If anything, they stole that idea from our sweet moonlight." Tabitha says. Elena stares at her. Tabitha sighs in defeat.
"I can't remember that night very well, but I'm positive Alister took my innocence." Tabitha says.
"Yeah. Right." Elena says deadpan. Tabitha becomes flustered.
"You're a jerk face." Tabitha storms off into the basement, which has now become her room. Elena can see how Ronin feels now. She's more sympathetic to his plight. Elena prepares for the journey to rescue her bodyguard. Eleanor sits down. She furls the letter in her hand. She's been too scared to open it, but if she doesn't open it now, there is no guarantee that she'll read it's contents in the future. She opens the letter.
"Dear Elena,
By the time you read this, I will have passed from this world. I will leave the manor, estate, and massive dust reserve under the manor to you, my grandchild. I wished to have seen your mother one last time, but she never responded to my letters. I can't blame her. Our falling out was horrible. My only regret was that I could not make amends with her sooner. Maybe you and I could have spent more time together. I could teach you the full power of your eyes and your semblance. There is only so much I can teach you through a letter, but whenever I used my semblance to glance into the past of someone, I always thought back to my mother. It's been ages and I can barely remember her face, but it is the saddest memory I possess. My father abandoned us and whenever I think back to her, I remember the reason I strove to be a huntress. To prove that her teachings had not gone to waste and show her that she was a good mother to me. It may be hard, but when utilizing your semblance manifest the saddest memory you can and that should allow you to see into one's past.
In regards to Jedidiah, I know his past. He and his nephews were sent as assassins to kill me. But I was able to defeat them. Instead of killing them, I gave them a choice to work for me instead. Jed had all the opportunities to kill me, but he never did. He even lied to his superior, stating that he was trying to gain more intel on me and my wealth, but he's really just trying to prolong his 'mission'. He is a great ally to you. Trust him and the both of you will return to the manor in one piece. To that end, Tin and Finn will follow his lead.
Stay safe and live long,
Eleanor."
Elena closes the letter. She tucks it with a picture of her Grandmother.
"I'll be back. I promise." Elena says to the inanimate picture. Preparations are complete. Elena and Tabitha will set out for western Atlas in the morning. Later that night, Elena lays in her bed. Tabitha knocks on the door before entering.
"Sorry about earlier. I stepped out of line...kissing you and all that jazz." Tabitha says.
"It wasn't terrible. It was kind of nice." Elena says.
"You're not a lesbian, are you?" Tabitha asks.
"I'm straight...I think." Elena glances at Tabitha.
"That's my semblance talking. You're just experiencing a normal reaction. Don't look too deeply into it." Tabitha says.
"Okay. We have a big day tomorrow. Rescuing Ronin won't be easy." Elena says.
"What's the worst that can happen?" Tabitha asks.
"We die, unleash the wrath of Salem upon the world, and Azrael rapes your dead corpse." Elena says all too casually. Azrael was a fucking creep who sniffed Tabitha's laundry when he though she wasn't looking. She shudders at the thought.
"Yeah, let's not fail this mission." Tabitha says. They get some rest.
Elena prepares an airship, but stops the pilot from boarding.
"We can handle it from here." She says.
"But, M'lady, I must escort you there safely." The pilot refuses. Tabitha places her hand on the pilot and whispers sweet nothings into his ears.
"I suppose I can let you pilot it yourself." The pilot smiles idiotically. They fly from the estate. Elena was top of her homeschool class in piloting. But that isn't saying much. She can manage to fly the ship straight. Tabitha is twitchy in her seat. She's apparently afraid of heights and flying in a death machine defying the logic of reality. Humans should never be up in the sky this high.
"You okay?" Elena asks.
"Peachy." Tabitha says.
"Approaching coordinates." Elena says. A rustic castle is below them. They descend. Elena has Destiny's Misfortune at the ready. Tabitha slips on two leather gloves and cracks her knuckles. White mist radiates from her eyes.
"Let's go." Tabitha says. They enter the castle. The castle is abandoned. Suits of armor line the halls. Light from the sky peaks through cracks in the ceiling and walls. Azrael and Ronin sit at a tea party table. Ronin is tied to a chair with lights beaming down on him. Jed, Finn, and Jim are on a dusty couch snoozing. Etrial and Dylas are playing Oligopoly on the ground. Etriel is a fifteen year old boy with black hair and azure blue eyes. Dylas is a built man with a buzz cut. They both wear black cloaks.
"Look who's here. We've been waiting." Azrael greets the two silver eyed huntresses. Ronin struggles in his chair.
"He's certainly excited." Azrael says.
"Let him go." They say order in unison.
"Azrael. Hurry this up. It's your turn." Dylas whines.
"Yeah. It says in the rules if a player takes longer than five minutes to make a move, they forfeit their properties." Etriel states.
"This is kind of important." Azrael says. Tin snorts and scratches his ear with his foot.
"Yeah, we wouldn't want to disrupt such a serious atmosphere." Etriel says.
"See what I've got to work with?" He asks Ronin. He mumbles profanities at him.
"To be honest, I thought you two were just going to abandon him. I had an elaborate three day torture regiment." Azrael says.
"We had slugs slither on his back yesterday." Etriel reports. Ronin visibly shivers.
"But since you arrived ahead of schedule, I guess I can name my terms for the safe release of Ronin." Azrael says.
"You will release him without any conditions." Elena says.
"Finn isn't being very cooperative. I'll let bygones be bygones if either of you tell me the secret of the silver eyes." Azrael says.
"We got flashlights for eyes. There's your secret." Tabitha says.
"No, stupid girl. I need to know how you access your ability. What is the source of your light? If we know the source, we can extinguish others like you." Azrael states.
"We aren't telling you. Ronin protected my secret for me. It's my turn to protect him." Tabitha says. Azrael motions his hand. Ronin headbutts Azrael from behind, prompting the two to fight. Etriel and Dylas pack up the oligopoly game and draw their weapons. Etriel has a grimoire. Dylas has a claymore.
"Don't kill them. I need to interrogate them. Tabitha especially." Azrael says all too creepily whilst wrestling another man. It sends shudder down her spine. Etriel attacks Elena. Dylas strikes at Tabitha.
Elena counters Etriels attacks. They are both skilled dust users, but Elena has much more experience and it shows. She counters with the exact advantageous dust type of whatever Etriel sends out. Fire gets walled by earth, wind walled by ice, ice melted by flames, earth disassembled by wind. It doesn't help that Elena is weaving dust twice as fast. Every counter is accompanied by a secondary attack. Their battle terraforms the castle. Elena has Etriel cornered. Blue flames envelop him. But Elena saw that coming. She unleashes a massive barrage of ice, wind, earth, and fire dust. They clash with the blue flames. Ice spikes erupt from the ground, striking Etriel. He tanks the strikes with his aura, but his flames weaken. More spikes clank against his aura barrier. Elena forms thousands of tiny ice spears and sends them to the boy. His flames weaken until they are extinguished. His aura dissipates. He collapses to the ground, unconscious. Elena restrains him in an earth prison.
Tabitha evades the strikes of Dylas. He fights like Sylas, but far more skilled. His form is perfect. A single misstep and she'll get cut. He blocks her punches and kicks with his sword, but her barrage is relentless, forcing him back. He swipes at her, but she rolls away. Tabitha is acrobatic and hard to hit. Due to her semblance not being too useful for combat, she's had to focus on training her own skills as a huntress. She mixes up her approach. Dylas was getting used to her Haven style of martial arts. She runs at him. He blocks hher drop kick with his blade, but she springs off of it, disabling his guard for only a moment. Elena blows a supporting wind to close the distance between them. Tabitha pummels him with a triple axle kick. Dylas is sent back reeling. His vision blurry after receiving three kicks to the skull. But Tabitha does not let up. She jukes a punch, causing Dyals to raise his guard. She slips into his left side and cracks a few of his ribs with a decisive blow. His aura black dissipates, but he swats her away. Her aura is vibrant crimson. Dylas' ribs radiate steam. His eyes gleam red.
"You are a worthy opponent, Tabitha Azalea." Dylas says. Black ink forms around his body. An inferno erupts from his mouth. His skin melts until only his bone mask remains. White horns jut from his skull. Jagged teeth grind as he laughs. Dylas turned into an Imp Grimm. His hands launch at Tabitha. She narrowly dodges. They dart into the castle walls, shattering them.
"Dylas you idiot! You almost hit me!" Azrael scolds as he sucker punches Ronin. He grabs Azrael with his feet and slams him into the stone wall. He wriggles one hand free and punches him groin.
"That's what you get for getting too intimate with my ex." Ronin's eyes gleam. Black mist radiates from him. The lights focus on him. His skin is sizzling, but he regenerates faster than the damage can remain. Elena forms an ice cage around Dylas. He thrashes about. Elena and Tabitha regroup while they have time. They let Ronin blow off some steam against the person who has wronged him for the last two years. Also, Ronin looks mighty sexy while kicking Azrael's ass. They both bite their lip as they stare at Ronin's butt. Taut and firm. The roars of the Imp drag them down to Remnant.
"Silver eye time." Tabitha holds a Solar Flare pose from Wyvern Sphere X.
"Light gets refracted in ice, so it won't be as effective until he breaks out. It will also be the most dangerous time to use our eyes." Elena says. The ice starts to crack. Elena composes herself. In her mind, she's been alone and in the darkness.. Her fear of trusting people, her fear of bonding with people, and fear of being abandoned have been eradicated through experiences with her team. The boy of darkness has been her light. Tabitha and Elena's eyes gleam white. Dylas howls in pain as he is eradicated from this world and the next.
"Dylas! Etriel!" Azrael shouts. His eyes gleam red. He grabs Ronin by the face, hurling him across the room.
"I'll feel that in the morning." Ronin says. Elena and Tabitha motion to jump into the fight.
"No. Leave him to me. Just get the airship ready." Ronin says.
"What do we do with the faunuses and sparky over here?" Tabitha asks.
"Put them in the brig. Especially Jed. He's a traitor." Ronin says. Now is not the time to explain Jed's double agent status. Elena moves Etriel to the airship. Tabitha hauls the wolf trio out of the castle. Azrael howls in rage. His Beowolf form is larger and more condensed than normal Beowolves. He is surrounded in bone armor, yet he is unimpeded by its weight. He wields a bone scythe, twirling it between his claws.
"You can live if you assume your form." Azrael says. Ronin's eyes gleam red.
"I'll never abandon my humanity." Ronin says.
"Then death awaits you!" Azrael howls. He appears before Ronin, plunging his claws into his chest. His black aura clanks against the claws. He shadow punches Azrael in the face, knocking him back. Ronin cleaves Azrael, but gets backhanded. His body radiates steam as it heals. Black aura radiates from him.
"How do you have so much aura left?" Azrael questions.
"I am a Ronin." He says. Azrael charges. Slash at Ronin's aura barrier, but is unable to break through it. Or rather his healing is exceeding the damage he is taking. As soon as the cut is made, it is healed. Ronin parries a claw strike and counters with three shadow slices. Azrael loses his arms and foot after being launched into the wall. Blood trickles from his stumps. Ronin stands atop his old comrades body. His demonic eyes gleam with rage. Black ink oozes from his limbs.
"You lose, Alister. Everything is to fulfill Her will." Azrael says. His aura crackles.
"Goodbye, brother." Ronin says. He plunges his blade into Azrael's chest, dusting him. It's over. Ronin drops Grimlock. He collapses from fatigue. He hit his limit a while ago, but pressed on. Team DEAT has been eliminated. The black dust swirls around Ronin. Azrael's chilling cackle fills the air. Ronin's vision blurs before turning black.
Alister was the son of Altean Ronin. He grew up training to become an assassin. His parents had an arranged marriage, but they had natural chemistry, so it was far from a loveless marriage. Salem, or rather her vassals, met with Altean. Recruiting him was a difficult task, for Altean was a prideful man and refused to work under someone. It took the elimination of the Ronin clan and threatening his family to make him kneel under Salem's rule. Alister was inducted into the forces of Salem, training alongside Azrael and the rest of Team DEAT. They were brothers in a sense. They were equals in every sense of the word. However, their rivalry led to a thirst for power. Alister was the first to become a Grimm Spawn, but due to technical errors in the procedure, his form was imperfect. He could not change at will and essentially only took on the form when his feelings of despair reached peak levels. Azrael and Dylas had perfect forms, but could only handle the forms of less powerful Grimm compared to Ronin. However, Azrael's semblance, Spectre, lets him possess other bodies. This is far from the first time he's used his semblance and if given enough time, he becomes one with the body.
A horrendous howl ripples through the air, causing columns to collapse. Elena and Tabitha sprint from the air ship, worried for Ronin. They see him. Demon wings sprout from his back. A forked tail sweeps the ground. Blood red talons and claws crackle as he flexes them. Black smoke radiates from his razor tooth lined mouth. Blood red eyes glare at them. Elena barricades them with an earth wall. Gremlin-Ronin shadow rams the wall, crackling it on impact. His horns are poking through the wall, two holes aimed at Elena. Tabitha is frozen in fear.
"That can't be Ronin…" She mutters. Elena slaps her.
"Snap out of it. We have to keep our distance. He can't maintain that form for very long, so we have to wait it out until help arrives." Elena's hands tremble but she's doing everything she can to keep it together.
"Help?" Tabitha questions. The wall starts to crumble.
"We shouldn't take the airship." Tabitha realizes Elena is right. Ronin is a Grimm. They are huntresses, so they have to keep his attention. They'll have to dust him if he gets too close to a village or town. Everything is in place by the time the wall comes down. Ronin scans the area, but finds nothing. Not even an airship. In the distance, he sees Tabitha. In a blind rage he flies at her, only to find a dead ice dummy in his claws. A dagger pins his tail to the ground. A tailwind pulls Gremlin-Ronin up, but suspended to the ground by his tail. Earth spears pierce his hands and feet. Tabitha rushes Ronin with a flurry of punches and kicks. His armorless body is bludgeoned and broken, but his body radiates steam, fixing his damage. Elena and Tabitha stand next to each other and unleash another wave of light. Ronin howls in pain, but his bony skeleton remains intact. Black muscle and skin regenerates from his near death. New wings erupt from his back and his new tail destroys the spikes restricting his movement. He lunges at them. Elena forms one last earth dome. All of her dust is burnt. Ronin scratches the dome, Bit by bit, it crumbles. Every second could be their last. Tabitha and Elena hold onto each other in fear.
"Coming in hot." Lucas says from Elena's scroll.
"Next time, let us know when you're in the area." Melody says in a huff.
"We're here just to have fun." Rhapsody and Francis wave in the background. A barrage of light crystals hit Ronin. The dome is safe for now. A metallic thud hits the ground. Lucas has donned crystalline armor. He's blindingly brilliant. Ronin backs away from the light being. He turns to fly away, but Lucas forms wings of his own and gives chase. Melody lands the airship near the dome. Elena and Tabitha dust themselves off, removing the rubble from the collapsed dome. Melody rushes to hug Elena.
"Lucas filled us in. Are you okay?" Melody asks.
"I'm more worried about Ronin." Tabitha and Elena say in unison.
"I would be too." Melody gazes at Lucas zooming around in the air. Ronin swipes at Lucas, but he dodges, countering with a blast of light. It decimates Ronin's left arm, but a new limb regenerates.
"That's going to be annoying." Lucas says. He unleashes a brilliant light, scorching the Gremlin, sending him back down to the ground. Lucas forms a thick crystal dome around him. He regroups with the others.
"Ronin has a high regeneration rate. Most Grimm we've faced don't have a resistance to light." Lucas deduces.
"Wait, that thing is a person?" Rhapsody questions.
"I told you this on the way." Melody scolds. Francis nods in agreement.
"How are we going to beat him, without dusting him?" Tabitha asks. Ronin howls in pain from his prison. Elena can practically feel his sadness. A single voice resonates in her mind: "Help me." Tears stream down her face. Images of Malia Ronin reaching for her son. The image of Salem killing her. Lionheart blackmailing him. Tabitha choosing Azrael over him. That collective sadness overwhelms is huddled on the ground in a black void. A black ink possesses him. He winces as Elena approaches. Her light is blinding to him.
"Come back to me, Alister Ronin." Elena says. A red aura pulses in him.
"I'll never leave you again." Tabitha reaches out. The ink wittles away.
"You're too cool to be a villain." Lucas says.
"I won't forgive you if you stay a Grimm." Melody says. Ronin's finger twitches free of the hold Azrael has on him.
"What is this?" Azrael screams in pain.
"You're in my mind." Ronin says as his mouth becomes free of Spectre. Azrael strengthens his grip on Ronin, restricting him from moving.
"You're a being of darkness. You're a traitor to us. To me." Azrael says. Ronin's lights eradicate the influence of Azrael. Ronin breaks free of Spectre. His remaining vestige is mere particles now.
"I may be a being of darkness, but I have embraced the light." Ronin says.
"Don't you abandon me too!" Azrael screams as he dissipates. Ronin walks into the light with his friends. He wakes in nothing but his shorts, kneeling on the ground. Elena and Tabitha cling to him. Lucas and Melody have their hands placed on him. That somewhat explains their presence in his mind...and Finn is there with them. Elena and Tabitha suck up a big sniffle.
"Don't you ever turn into a Grimm again." They say in unison.
"I got more data on Gremlins and Ronin now. So feel free to change anytime. For scientific purposes." Lucas says. Melody jabs him in the side.
"I can't move." Ronin says. The two silver eyed warriors snuggle him harder. His entire body is sore. His arm, butt, and back feel like they are on fire. Basically the areas that Ronin sustained damage hurt. Jed and Tin approach him. Ronin tries to draw Grimlock, but Elena prevents him from moving.
"They're on our side." She says.
"But they were the reason I got abducted." Ronin glares at the wolf faunus.
"Apologies for betraying your trust, but Azrael would have reported my betrayal without hesitation. My nephews' lives would be forfeit." Jed says. Ronin scowls at him.
"You're so sexy when you glare." Tabitha nibbles on his ear. Lucas and company feel awkward at the public display of affection, especially since Ronin is basically naked.
"No fair. I want to nibble his ear too." Elena takes his available ear.
"What is happening?" Ronin questions. Lucas offers him a high five.
"We should get back. We can figure out...whatever this orgy is later." Melody says.
"Technically it's a threeway." Rhapsody corrects. They board the ships and return to Atlas. Elena and Tabitha are sitting in a room. Their truce has ended. So war has been declared. Melody is acting as their mediator. Ronin is nowhere to be found. He can't handle the notion that Elena and Tabitha are advancing towards him sexually. He can't sleep in peace without one of them trying to jump him. His mother always told him to wait after marriage and only pick one girl to love. He's become a chameleon of sorts to avoid interacting with Elena and Tabitha.
"He's going to choose me." Elena says.
"With that flat chest? Bitch please." Tabitha fondles her own breasts. Melody just stares at them. This will set women back fifty years. Fighting over a man, how typical.
"I'm rich." Elena says.
"You lack womanly qualities." Tabitha smirks. Elena turns red from anger.
"Wow. I don't know why I'm here." Melody gets up to leave.
"Wait, we need a civil way to settle this." Elena says.
"It's only because she can't handle being called Flatty." Tabitha says.
"How about sharing him?" Rhapsody enters the room.
"What?" Tabitha and Elena turn pink.
"It's all the rage on ScrollTube-" Francis muffles his girlfriend.
"Excuse her. She doesn't know what she's saying." He carries her out of the room.
Elena and Tabitha glance at each other. They did share a kiss.
"Don't get any weird ideas. In most kingdoms, polyamory is outlawed for several reasons. One king had fifty wifes and inheritance was a complete nightmare to figure out. So, you both need Ronin to decide who to pick." Melody says.
"How about a contest?" Elena says.
"You'd risk Ronin like that? I'm the clear choice." Tabitha says.
"It seems we have a contest for Ronin's hand." Melody says. Elena and Tabitha glare at each other. Sparks fly from their rivalry.
"The rules and date will be set in a few days, so train I guess? How do you train for a seduction contest?" Melody has enough shit to deal with. She leaves the room.
Lucas and Ronin sit in an interrogation room. Jed and his nephews are behind the glass feeding lines to the 'cops'.
"Etriel. My man. My homey. Tell us why Azrael needed to know about the silver eyes and you can go scott free." Lucas says. Etriel remains silent. Ronin tosses files on the desk, one of them with Etriel's younger sister.
"You know that I know where she lives. We had that arts and crafts day together. I can't promise her safety if you refuse to cooperate." Ronin says. Etriel scowls at him. He tries to use his semblance but Atlaseian military has aura restricting bands for criminals. Etriel is basically a powerless fifteen year old.
"What my colleague meant to say is that if you cooperate, we can grant you and your sister immunity from your past transgressions." Lucas says. Etriel laughs.
"It won't matter. Nothing can protect us from Her." Etriel says.
"He's adamant on not confessing." Jed says. Tin and Finn enter the room. They bring Etriel's younger sister.
"Olivia!" Etriel exclaims.
"Brother, what's happening?" The ten year old pigtailed girl looks around confused.
"I'll talk. Just let her go." Etriel says. Finn and Tin escort Olivia out.
"The reason She wanted to know about the silver eyes is because they are the only ones who can foil her plan-" He winces in pain. The air in the room freezes over. A woman's cackle fills the room. Time seems to have stopped. Only Ronin and Etriel move, but the boy is on the ground cringing in pain.
"I commend you for taking down the others, Ronin. Unfortunately for you, They were mere pawns. What I really wanted to collect from their mission was the full potential of the Grimm Spawn. They will make fine soldiers. As it stands now, we know the location of every living silver eyed warrior. All of them are under surveillance. Currently, none of them possess the requirements to thwart my plan, but I have the means to terminate them should they become a threat."
"My lady, may my sister be set free-"
"Etriel. My sweet sweet Etriel. You should have defected with Ronin. He was the only one to catch on with how I handle loose ends." Etriel screams in pain. His aura dissipates from him. He passes out. Ronin's shadows envelop Etriel. Salem cackles.
"You truly are the light in the darkness. One day, that kindness will be your downfall." Salem says. Ronin should be dead for defying her. It's one question he has always had. Why has Salem never killed him herself?
"What's preventing you from terminating me, M'lady?" Ronin says.
"The Ronin were special. They were the only people immune to my influence, but they were susceptible to my force. Your people and the silver eyed ones that is. Of all the women in the world, you had to pick powerful warriors immune to my influence. Individuals who could not be defeated by my available subordinates or influenced by my power. You truly are a handful is what I'd like to say. If it were Tyrion or Hazel, they wouldn't stand a chance...I'm getting off track. As an olive branch between old colleagues, you shall live the remainder of your days in peace so long as you leave my objective alone. Condemn this world to live with those you love." Salem says. In other words, leave team WTCH alone. The main dispatch and Salem's right hand. DEAT was only a group of disposable subordinates.
"I am grateful for your generosity. M'lady." Ronin says.
"I know you are. The two warriors you love will not pose a threat to me so long as you remain docile. Remember that, Ronin. The next time you try to rise up, it will be Tyrion or Hazel knocking on your door" Salem cackles. The chill in the room fades. Time resumes. Olivia runs to her brother's side. Lucas realizes several codes were just broken. He isn't a real cop and can't afford to go to jail.
"Out of the way. Make this man healthy again!" Lucas orders. They rush Etriel out of the room. Ronin falls back on his chair. I have chosen to condemn this world, huh? He thinks back to the two huntresses he has chosen to protect.
"I think it's worth it." Ronin mutters. Static rings in his ear.
"What was that?" Jed asks. Ronin tosses the earpiece across the room in frustration. He leaves. He needs to see them, Elena and Tabitha.
The huntresses are in their shared room. In order to prevent each other from sneaking off to Ronin alone, they are bunking together. Elena is comfortably snuggled in her fluffy bed while Tabitha moves restlessly in her backbreaking sleeping bag. He knocks.
"I need to talk to both of you." Ronin says. Elena and Tabitha wrestle each other to answer the door. Tabitha wins. Her extended arm keeps Elena away.
"Alister. You look handsome as usual." Tabitha compliments.
"We haven't seen you all day. It's like you're avoiding us or something." Elena says.
Ronin sits both of them down on the Cuddle Bear chairs. He paces the room.
"Tabitha, I'll be honest. I left you for dead when I let Azrael go. I'm sorry." Ronin says.
"Water under the bridge. He tried to make a move on me far too many times, but thoughts of you kept me strong." Tabitha says.
"Elena, the main reason I saved you was because I thought you would talk if they got to you. I was going to save only Tabitha otherwise...is what I'd like to say. If it had been a few months ago, that would be my decision in a heartbeat, but you, Elena Vizier, stole my heart. I want to protect you just as I want to protect Tabitha. It honestly isn't fair to either of you if I pick one of you over the other, but you both deserve happiness. When regarding matters of love, I haven't been the most decisive." Ronin says.
"I had to ask him out." Tabitha whispers.
"We already decided to have a contest for your hand." Elena says. Ronin registers what she says. He stares at them, dumbfounded. That's not how they should decide.
"I refuse to participate." Ronin says.
"See, you made him mad, Elena. It means I win." Tabitha's leap in logic is astounding.
"We should decide right here and now who gets Ronin." Elena says. She handcuffs him to the bed. His wrist isn't even bound. He can leave whenever he wants. They both start to strip down.
"Don't I get a say in this?" Ronin asks.
"You can leave if you want." They say in unison. Part of him doesn't allow him to leave. The coveted tricycle...He shakes the thought away. This level of debauchery is dishonoring the Ronin name. With all his might, he wriggles his wrist free and walks out of the room. He avoids eye contact with the two huntresses, to prevent himself from diverting his course.
"You scared him away." Tabitha smirks.
"He honestly can't pick between us, can he?" Elena asks.
"Of course, he'll pick me." Tabitha says.
"Then, why hasn't he?" Elena asks. Tabitha contemplates for a moment.
"Well...so much has happened in the last few days. He needs time to readjust." Tabitha justifies. Her usual confidence is visibly shaken. She can't help but recall her betrayal of him. All the while, Elena was by his side, believing him. Also, she hasn't told him about her semblance. She doesn't even know whether Ronin's feelings towards her are genuine. Elena seems to have accepted Alister without pushing him away in any capacity.
"We should just respect his wishes and let him decide on his own." Elena says.
"That's very mature of you, Elena. Respecting his boundaries…" Elena is gone from the room before Tabitha notices. Ronin and Elena are 'wrestling' in the other room. Tabitha intervenes.
"That's dirty. Attacking Ronin while I was distracted." Tabitha says.
"Let me go!" Ronin says. They give him a stare.
"You're more than strong to force yourself free...if you wanted." They say. The two of them aren't even using much force. It's as if he is submitting of his own volition.
"It took all of my strength to leave the room." Ronin says.
The two huntresses lick their lips. Elena sits on his stomach, but can feel something hit her ass. Tabitha caresses Ronin's growth. He moans.
"Is that so?" They tenderly ask. Elena gets off of him.
"If you want to get leave, now's your only chance." Elena says. Ronin runs out of the room without missing a beat. He pops his head back in the room.
"I'M SORRY!" Ronin cries out as he runs through the halls. It is not for any reasons of the mortal flesh. Lucas threatened to shiv his family jewels if he did anything on the Lumina estate. He would have otherwise caved long ago.
Meanwhile in the Lumina workshop, Lucas fixes his crystal armor. Melody hands him a cup of coffee. He kisses her.
"Elena and Tabitha are hosting a contest for Ronin's hand." Melody chuckles.
"A duel for the affections of Princess Alister Ronin? Let me know when they start." Lucas says.
"It's nothing like that. I have a few ideas. I consulted your mother for the other trials. Necessities to being a wife and all that." Melody says.
"My mother? She wasn't raised in the most equal of times." Lucas says.
"Trials of Cooking, Baby Raising, and Laundry Folding." Melody reads off.
"Sounds about right. What were your ideas?" He asks.
"Trust falls. Interactions whilst sleep deprived. Who will foot the bill. You know stuff like that." Melody says. Compared to trials, those sound like they will be easy...Melody gives him a smile. That same smile is one of mischief. Lucas scowls at her. He recalls there is a tower nearby the estate.
"Mel. What do these trials of yours entail?" Lucas asks.
"Well, they are in no way biased towards Elena because I think she and Ronin make a cute couple that's for sure." Melody says.
"Mel." Lucas scolds.
"Fine. The trust fall will involve the com tower. Ronin will have to catch both of them before they go splat. I'm sure he'll pick Elena. If he saves both of them, I will have them stay up for twenty four hours and poke them with a stick, then lock the three of them in a room for an hour. Ronin is already used to Elena's prickly side, so he'll see her as the more favorable candidate. And if that doesn't work, we're going fine Elena and Tabitha with one million credits. Since Elena is loaded, she'll succeed in that challenge." Melody confesses.
"You're insane. That's why I love you." Lucas says.
"You think it's a good idea?" Melody asks.
"No. It will cause a rift between the three of them that not even Ronin can fix. I can see why he can't decide. If he picks Elena, Tabitha and the rest of team RUST will break his kneecaps. If he picks Tabitha, Elena will be a depressed hobo, likely mooching off of us whenever she's visiting us." Lucas says deduces.
"I think Elena would be a hermit, since she inherited the manor." Melody corrects.
"That's worse. She might become a cat lady and name them all Ronin, doing gods know what to them." Lucas says. Melody pulls out her "How to solve a love triangle magazine".
"It truly is an interesting dilemma." Melody turns to the page to kill the hypotenuse.
"Mel, we can't kill Tabitha." Lucas scolds.
"If it looks like an accident, no one will think otherwise." Melody says. She dons a team Elena shirt and hat. She shows Lucas an Elena doll with a pull string.
"Pick me Ronin-kins." It says in an all too realistic impersonation of Elena.
"I spent my monthly allowance on this merch. I can't have Elena lose." Melody says. Lucas flips through the magazine. Of the twelve pages, there is only one happy way, but are legally and, for all intents and purposes, morally forbidden. Every other option results in one or more parties losing. This is kind of Ronin's fault for being a man whore.
"Where does Elena live?" Lucas asks.
"Outside the kingdoms." Melody says. Lucas closes the magazine. He walks out of the room. He slams down Ronin's broom closet that he has claimed as his refuge.
"YOU FUCKING COWARD! YOU HAVE A CONSENTING TRICYCLE IN YOUR GRASP AND YOU DARE RUN FROM IT! IT'S EVERY MAN's FANTASY TO BE IN YOUR SHOES AND YOU FAIL TO ACCEPT IT?" Lucas screams at Ronin with teary eyes. He is happily with Melody, but if there was a cloning accident where two Melodies lusted after him, he would jump at the chance. Oddly enough, he finds Rhapsody absolutely repulsive. Lucas hates the scent of lavender among other things.
"I didn't do anything, I swear!" Ronin says.
"IF YOU DON'T KNOCK THEM BOTH UP, I WILL PERSONALLY NEUTER YOU MYSELF!" Lucas threatens. Ronin quibbles in fear.
"Yes sir." Ronin darts out of the room. He's blubbering as he runs down the hall.
Melody passes by him.
"What's up with him?" Melody asks.
"I directed him to the righteous path." Lucas says.
Ronin knocks on the door. Elena and Tabitha are rustling in the bed. Elena answers the door. Her hair is messy.
"Tabby, he's back." Elena bites her lip.
"Why does it look like he's about to cry?" Tabitha asks.
"My meat is yours to consume." Ronin says in a very scripted tone.
"This is killing my mood." Tabitha says.
"It isn't for me." Elena growls. The effects of Tabitha's semblance linger on her. Also, a few too many pina coladas has her walking a shaky line. She leans on Tabitha for balance, but the groping is making Tabitha uncomfortable.
"Something is up. You have the same look as when you broke up with me. Someone is blackmailing you again." Tabitha says.
"I'm wearing something black. And you're male." Elena hiccups. Tabitha catches her as she passes out. Elena is tucked in like a child. Ronin and Tabitha sit on the edge of the bed.
"I know we've been acting...competitively over your affections, but do you need someone to talk to?" Tabitha asks.
"Just talking right? And not hand stuff a few minutes later?" Ronin asks.
"That was one time. Sylas wasn't supposed to come back for another hour and my father returned early from his convention." Tabitha turns pink.
"It's honestly good to have you back. I missed you." Ronin says.
"I never stopped thinking about you. It broke my heart to see you with Elena. But she's grown on me as well. I can see why you love her." Tabitha twiddles her fingers.
"I still love you, Tabitha. Everything up to this point, I did to keep you and your family safe. Meeting Elena and developing feelings for her was...I didn't intend to. I just saw another girl who needed help. She had the same empty eyes as you did." Ronin says.
"If you really have to choose between us, you should pick Elena. She deserves it. I have never been completely honest about myself..." Tabitha says.
"I know about your semblance. Sylas told me a long time ago. My feelings towards you are my own. That is what I believe. Nothing on Remnant can cause me to involuntarily defect from Her forces. I chose to do so and that was why I was sent on the path I travelled." Ronin says.
"I love you...Tabitha...Ronin…" Elena mutters.
"She's still under the effects of my semblance." Tabitha chuckles.
"I have to ask...why did you let Azrael join the team?" Ronin asks.
"Sylas thought it was a good idea to put out an ad for a fourth member. Only Azrael showed up. He wasn't a bad person, but his true colors started to show after a year or so. He was getting on my nerves, but Sylas and Undine liked him, so I let him stay." Tabitha explains. Ronin laughs.
"He probably made the other people disappear." Ronin says.
"Looking back now, that's probably what happened." Tabitha chuckles.
"Why did you trust his word over mine then?" Ronin asks. Tabitha hides her face in embarrassment.
"I didn't. I kept pestering him about the truth-"
"You wouldn't have to pester him about the truth if you believed me right away." Ronin says. Tabitha pouts at him. She hits him in the arm with dog-like strength, a step up from Elena, but still not harmful.
"I'm sorry, okay? Sylas told me that if I compromised the team just to get you back, he would move out with Undine." Tabitha says. Ronin pinches her cheeks.
"See? It's not easy being a leader, is it? You were always on my case when I had the job, but you step up and you bow to the whims of your teammates. Call me a liar, I won't care, but I'm not spineless enough to let my teammates step on me." Ronin scolds.
"I'm sawwy." Tabitha says. Elena wakes up.
"Ronin? Tabitha? What are you doing in my bed?" Elena mumbles. The effects of alcohol have worn off and her weird pillow talk has been erased from her memory.
"We're just talking. And only talking." Tabitha says.
"We're catching up and talking about the old days." Ronin says.
"How competent of a leader is Ronin?" Tabitha asks. Elena notices Tabitha's shaky voice. Taking on the mantle of leader, she must be trying to compare her skills to Ronin's. Elena can't help but give a glowing recommendation. It will also help her gain some brownie points towards Ronin.
"He was marvelous. We would be dead without his guidance." Elena smirks. Ronin fist pumps. Tabitha becomes distraught. She recalls the one time TUSA had to capture a monkey and it took them three weeks just to get it. Tabitha blames herself for failing to coordinate her team correctly. Ronin is blushing like a maiden.
"That's more praise than I deserve." Ronin says. He's way too easy. They both think.
"It's getting late, so you should return to your room." Tabitha says.
"Good night." Elena kisses him on the cheek.
"No fair." Tabitha kisses his other cheek. Ronin turns bright pink.
"Good night." Ronin escapes the room. That was too close. His heart is racing. Elena giggles. Tabitha scowls at her.
"You scared him away." They say in unison.
"Jinx, you owe me a soda." They say in unison. They laugh.
"May the best woman win." They say in unison.
"Stop copying me." They can't seem to break their sync. They glare at each other.
"I'm going to sleep."They say in a huff. Elena snuggles in her bed. Tabitha groans as she lays on the hard ground. Elena snickers.
"I'll get plenty of beauty sleep." Elena says.
"You need it, Flatty." Tabitha sneers.
"Hmph." They turn away from each other.
"You have a family and team to fall back on. I don't have anyone like that except Ronin." Elena says.
"Please, you have servants to answer your beck and call. My family was always scraping by and my father has finally been recognized for his work." Tabitha says.
"I met my grandmother's employees a few days ago. Before that, I only had team RELM to fall back. You left Ronin alone and he was still looking out for you, but tell me this. Did you ever really look out for him?" Elena asks.
"We tended his equipment." Tabitha argues.
"That's your job. Did you help him beyond that, even after he left the team?" Elena asks.
"Well no…" Tabitha mutters.
"He trusted me with his secrets and I helped resolve the problems of his past. Meanwhile, you were off fadoodling with the man who took Ronin from you and you forced Ronin to assume that Grimm Spawn form through your bad decisions. MIght I add, you were scared shitless when you saw him." Elena rants.
"Shut up. I know...I know. I've hurt him more than any Grimm could. Because of me, he forfeit his service under Salem and became a target. He kept a close watch on us, even though we didn't do anything for him. He chose to save me, even if it meant his death. There is nothing in this world that can make him forgive me for everything I've done to him, but of course, Alister being Alister, he forgave me anyways. He may not have the heart to do this, so I'll decide for him." Tabitha gets up.
"Where are you going?" Elena says.
"I'm going home. I wish you two well." Tabitha has her hand on the doorknob.
"I was just trash talking. I don't want you to leave." Elena says.
"You shouldn't use the truth if you want to trash talk." Tabitha says.
"Tell Ronin if he wants to talk, he knows where to find me." Tabitha says.
Elena remains silent. Tabitha's expression is one of determination.
"And if he gets sick of you, I'll give him a second chance." Tabitha jests.
"I'll fuck his brains out. He'll be so addicted that he'll never get sick of me." Elena blurts on impulse. She didn't realize what she said until a moment later. Tabitha chuckles.
"I bet you will, Elena. See you, later." Tabitha walks out of the room. She leaves for Haven. Elena notifies Melody that the contest is canceled. A few days later, a letter from Tabitha for Ronin arrives, explaining why she returned home. Elena doesn't know what it said, but it brought Ronin to tears and he didn't mention it again.