Chapter 2:
Serenity was in the bathroom looking at herself in the mirror raising her shirt up to see her stomach and at the curse mark upon it. She and her sisters was born with this marking and none of her family knew why. Their grandmother thought it had to do with the curse, but the elders didn't have it or the ancestors. The curse tattoo was a swirl around the belly button out around the stomach with arrowheads pointing left right up and down. The tattoo itself was black colored. The only feature of the girls' pale skin that wasn't pale.
She then put her finger up to the top of her scar over her right eye and went down it feeling it and then placed her hand down onto the sink and thought over a lot of things, one thing was the fight with Adam and the odd feeling she had as if feeling sorry for him. But then she thought she may have remembered him earlier in her life but shook her head not wanting to think on it knowing she had to focus on the war to come.
Umbreon was outside of the bathroom and leaned on the wall near the door, knowing Serenity was inside.
"You okay?" She asked.
Serenity not startled as she sensed Umbreon was out there and spoke to answer her.
"A lot on my mind." She said.
"You been sleeping okay?" Umbreon asked.
"Only three hours." Serenity admitted.
Umbreon shook her head and both sisters remained silent for a moment.
"Do you think of dad?" Serenity asked.
"All the time." Umbreon replied.
Sam came in seeing Umbreon and Umbreon put a finger to her lips to remain quiet and Sam nodded and waited.
"I wonder what dad would say if he were here now and ready for war?" Serenity asked putting her clothes on.
"I bet he'd say to all of us to fight on and never give up. Oh and no boys." Umbreon said chuckling.
Serenity had a smile on her face looking at herself in the mirror. "Probably get on his knee's begging us to come back in one piece and probably again reminding us no boys." She said and both sisters laughed.
Serenity walked out and noticed Sam giving a nod to her and looked at Umbreon.
"Alright, we will leave you be. Just be sure to come to the conference, after all its going to be a big one." Umbreon told her and walked off with Sam and both holding hands.
Serenity looked at them holding hands and sat down thinking over relationships and quickly shook her head.
"Nope!" She said to herself standing up and going to do something in her quarters in the Normandy which was docked in the hanger that was in the big fleet station above the planet Palaven.
Qrow was speaking to Maychiro near the airlock as Garrus then approached them.
"The conference is in about an hour. We should get everyone down planet side to the- Uhm... did I interrupt something?" Garrus asked noticing Qrow and Maychiro giving him a mean look.
"We was making out." Maychiro said.
"Oh! Uh, sorry." Garrus said and just stood they're awkwardly looking around.
"We will be there, so go." Qrow said
Garrus quickly nodded and walked fastly away.
Qrow just sighed and looked at May putting his arms back around her waist.
"Relax everyone is going to be okay." Maychiro told him.
"I know but, I can't take any chances." He told her.
Maychiro just patted his head smiling at him with her tongue sticking out.
"Don't do that." Qrow said embarrassingly looking to the side.
"Aww, upset I'm two inches taller than you?" She said to him.
"Psh! You're in heels that- oh." Qrow said looking down seeing she didn't have on heels.
"I don't wear those anyway." She said smirking at him.
"Who cares if your with someone who's six four? Your brother didn't mind." She said to him.
"Hey!" Qrow said as she began to laugh and him irritated.
"Hey dudes. You done having sex?" Mangle asked immediately appearing between them.
"Ah! Oh god don't do that!" Qrow said startled.
Then he noticed some of his nieces walking to the airlock. "Is it time?" Qrow asked.
"Yup! Come on you two." Demencia said grabbing her mother Maychiro's hand and Qrow's yanking them with her.
Back at Earth, standing at the destroyed White House was General Hux and many captains and admirals behind him in lines and in front was the many Star Cerberus soldiers of different variants. The Star Cerberus banner hung over the destroyed White House's front and the surrounding area's wiped out by bombardment. Behind Hux standing was the Illusive Man with his hands behind his back formally with Kai'leng on his right and Adam on his left in formal stance.
"Soon our scientists will unearth the greatest artifact known, the Gateway to the Cosmic Divine Crystalline!" General Hux shouted as his microphone clipped to his collar transmitted to the speakers, and even to speakers on ships above the planet and elsewhere to other divisions on the planet so they all heard.
"We will soon control this galaxy with this mysterious power and bring an end to any rebellion! We are going to make peace and freedom and security to our Empire! We will make everyone obey only one law, our own! The human race will be evolved and improved beyond other species so that all species know who's on top of the pyramid! All galaxies than our own will have no choice with this mysterious power and how we control it to make them be controlled to obey! All units in this galaxy of ours, our people will be here on Earth and in orbit to protect us while we activate the gateway! Give your lives for the Empire, give your lives for our ultimate power of control of the universe! The Alliance that threatens us shall perish by our might and their families will pay and all their friends shall too for their betrayal! We will make sure all living creatures with this power we soon wield shall bow to us forever! The end of the Alliance is coming! All of them will die! Show them that they are nothing but dust compared to us! Destroy them, all of them!" General Hux shouted to all Star Cerberus personnel.
Every soldier rose their fists up. Suddenly there were fireworks in the distance and Hux just grinned looking at all of them.
The Illusive Man stepped up and spoke next.
"I will make this brief as all of you must prepare for the Alliance's coming. Do not fail or your failure is, of course, your deaths. We must show everyone that humanity is the top of all races in the entire universe and that none of us are weak as some species may take us for. Soon I will make our species above all." The Illusive Man said and then noticed Adam behind him and slowly grinned and looked back to the audience.
"I will also make sure that our race improves and isn't like we once was, say racist toward the Faunus. They didn't deserve such degradation." He told everyone
Adam looked at him and had a slow smile appear on his face.
Ardyn watched from a distance with a grin on his face and turned around walking off chuckling to himself. "And so it begins." He said.
Meanwhile at Palaven, the girls were entering the main coliseum on the planet for the meeting, however, just nearby at a fast food place was Mangle and Zarbon.
"Hello, uhm wait aren't you one of the Gorgons as seen on the holonet?" The Turian employee asked.
"Yeah I am dude, but I'm getting my friend here something to eat and drink." Mangle told him.
"Oh my, I'll drink alright... all of him. Oh!" Zarbon said making the employee cringe a bit.
"Okay, so let's see, what do you want Zarbon we don't get long." Mangle told him.
"Right, I just want a small bit. I do not want to gain weight or my butt will get bigger and the men won't be able to control themselves and their heads may explode." Zarbon told her a bit worried.
"Nah no one's head blows up to something like that. That's just in animes." Mangle told him.
"Mangle I meant my other head, Ohhh!" Zarbon shouted.
"Ugh, Zarbon don't say that in public! Stupid kids are around!" Mangle told him.
Everyone in the place was already cringed enough, as well as the Turian boy and his birthday party at the corner.
"Alright, I'll pick for you then." Mangle told him.
"I'll have two number nines, a number nine large, a number six with extra dip, a number seven, two number forty-fives, and a large soda." Mangle said as the Turian just frowned at her.
"Mam we don't get any of that here. We are a dessert shop." The employee told her.
"Oh. Then just give us a small chocolate lava cake." Mangle said looking around realizing where she was.
"Shame I can't eat that, looks good." Mangle said as they waited.
"How come you can't eat food like us but well, sentient meat?" Zarbon asked her.
"Curse from whoever made our family back in ancient times. You know that sort of depressing type of story." Mangle told him.
"Oh, I see." Zarbon said as they both then look and wait for their order.
A few moments later, at the Coliseum, everyone was sitting and waiting for the speech, to begin with, the Prime minister of Palaven waiting at the stand and talking to Luki and McGregor from their kingdoms discussing possibly military strategies.
Almost half of everyone from the alliance was in the Coliseum sitting and talking to one another, even new members of the alliance from the planet Hydaelyn. Miqo'te species of humanoids with cat ears and cat tails speaking to Turian and Hanar's.
Others of the planet the Miqo'tes come from are other humanoid species including humans that came to help. However not very many came to help as they are nervous to be apart of the galactic community.
There were other galactic species offering their aid like the Twi'leks, Trandoshans, and Vorchus which surprised many of the Alliance members. However, only a few of their species came to help the Alliance.
A Volus walked onto the stage to the prime minister handing him a datapad and the prime minister looked at it and nodded.
"Tell them this for me." The prime minister said handing the datapad back after typing something on it. The Volus took it nodding and walked off quickly to the back of the stage through the corridors and approached Qrow who was talking to Taliyo who was showing him recon data from resistance fighters on Earth.
"Excuse me." The Volus told Qrow who looked down at him.
"Yes?" Qrow asked.
"The Prime Minister wants you to read this." The Volus said and Qrow took the datapad reading it and his eyes got a bit wide.
"They want Serenity to give a pep talk speech?" Qrow asked.
"That's what it says." The Volus replied with a shrug.
Taliyo looked between the two and remained silent crossing his arms.
"I will have to tell her then. Sorry, Taliyo how about you show some of the commanders the data you showed me okay?" Qrow said patting his shoulder walking off to the stairs.
"Alright, good luck." Taliyo said as Qrow walked away.
Serenity was in a room with the door locked and finished washing her hands and suddenly heard the voice in her head speak to her.
"You are almost there, hurry." The male voice said.
Before Serenity had time to ask what he meant the door opened.
"Uncle!?" Serenity asked surprised jumping back.
"Sorry kid didn't mean to scare you but the Prime Minister wants you to make the well, make a speech to encourage everyone." Qrow told her.
"Hahahaha!" Serenity laughed nervously and suddenly she fell passed out.
Hearing the drop, Tomoko ran in and sighed. "Why didn't you catch her?"
"Because I didn't think she'd do that." Qrow said rubbing his head cocking an eyebrow up.
Outside Mangle and Zarbon was heading in after Zarbon ate.
"Feel better?" Mangle asked.
"No, now I regret it..." Zarbon said with a sigh.
Mangle just chuckled patting his back. "It's an okay dude, you look handsome all the time to me." Mangle told him.
"Oh thank you Mangle but you do not need to be so kiss ass." Zarbon said smiling.
"How is your future husband?" Zarbon asked her.
"He's at the ship, say I heard they found Noctis and are bringing him to the station first so the medics can evaluate him or something. Don't know much until we go back up there and find out where he's been." Mangle said a bit curious.
Suddenly a man wearing a helmet walked beside them and with them, they walked passed security which thought he was apart of their group.
Mangle turned her head and the man walked the other direction.
Mangle for a moment felt something, a sense a smell about him and before she could go follow she bumped into Roland Hutetsuu.
"Watch it!" Roland roared.
"Hey dude your fat ass body was in the way!" Mangle said growling at him.
"Mangle! Come on let's go sit, sorry Mr Hutetsuu." Zarbon said moving Mangle away from a soon to be fight.
Mangle just sighed and forgot about the man with the helmet.
They sat down as the Prime Minister was finishing what he was saying to everyone.
"So I thank all of you for joining our alliance to stop the control of the Star Cerberus Empire. I understand not many of your kind can be here or want to be. I do not blame them, as this is a life or death scenario. I do not like seeing all of you giving your lives for this cause but I am honored that you are." He said and looked at Admiral Hackett giving him a nod and moving back away from the podium.
Hackett cleared his throat approaching.
"Friends. Before we get into battle strategies I have asked for someone to give a speech. Please applaud for when she gets here." Hackett said and walked back to his seat sitting down.
The Coliseum was seen on holo vids across the Alliance ships to broadcast what was being discussed. However, they would shut them all off and put it on secret channels only in private rooms of their ships for the battle strategies they came up with.
Qrow and Tomoko helped Serenity into the back of the stage and Serenity were fidgeting.
"Look, just pretend they are all, uhhh pretend they are all bugs." Qrow said.
"Oh, that sounds nice! A swarm of bee's at me!" Serenity said trying to get away.
"No stop no!" Qrow said trying to stop her.
"Look you should be honored to make a speech!" Tomoko said struggling to hold her sister.
"How about you both just kill me! End my misery!" Serenity said squirming.
Qrow picked her up and threw her right through the curtain and out into the stage where she was sitting on her butt.
Everyone looked at her a bit oddly.
She got up quickly and made a nervous laugh and a small croak in her throat.
"Oh no. She's stage frighted." Zarbon said to Mangle.
Mangle was recording it smirking. "Hehehe... good blackmail right here." Mangle said.
Kisame was sitting there eating popcorn as Itachi watched Serenity and rubbed his face. "Well, our inspiration is shaking."
"Psh I could give a good speech. I'm better than her." Kisame said munching down.
"You didn't know that Free Willy was just a movie and not a real story." Itachi remarked.
Serenity looked at everyone sweating and before she said anything, the man with the helmet on walked in the front and she looked at him sensing something about him.
The security noticed her eyes and facial expression and looked at the man. The security began to raise their guns slowly.
The man took off his helmet once he saw Serenity eyeing him and it was Fern, her uncle who tried to kill all of them.
Serenity was in shock seeing him thinking he had died and the security forces rose their guns.
"Don't be alarmed please!" Fern shouted.
Qrow ran out of the back and glared at Fern.
"Ah, brother!" Fern said smiling as Qrow ran at him.
Qrow jumped on him and punched him in the face.
"I thought you died!" Qrow yelled.
Serenity kept standing there and noticed everyone was still looking at her even while everything was going on.
"Uhm..." She said nervously.
"Wait, damn it hold on. I am here to tell you all something you need to know." Fern said trying to push Qrow off.
Admiral Hackett walked up.
"Arrest this man." He said to the security forces.
Fern gave Serenity a look and she knew he was serious.
"Wait." Serenity said as they looked at her.
"Speak." Serenity told him.
Fern shrugged the soldiers hand off his shoulder and looked at everyone in the Coliseum.
"The Empire knows you guys are coming! I saw their fleets converging toward Earth. And I learned from a smuggler who managed to escape the planet two days ago that they are nearly done digging up the gateway!" Fern told them all.
Everyone began to talk and show fear in their eyes.
"Are you serious?" Admiral Hackett asked concerned.
"Yes, I am." Fern said.
"I believe him." Qrow said.
"I hate to say it but I do believe him. I sense no deception as I would in our childhood when he stole shit." Qrow said as Fern just shrugged and grinned.
"How did you survive." Qrow asked again.
"Heh please, I felt like I broke every bone in my body but I survived and had to force heal myself. I had to walk out of that damn ravine till I made it to its opening and met some nice Krogans that I had to pay to get a shuttle to Horizon and then later I hear about the mess on Earth-" Fern started to say then he stopped and looked at Serenity who was looking at him.
"Say what you're going to say. I sense people are scared but they need to know the truth or they would walk into a big trap." Fern told Serenity.
Serenity looked at him and everyone began to go silent looking at Serenity in fear and worry then she took a breath and got ready to talk.