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Happy Endings Are For Children
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"You think you know me."
.
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"The goal of this meditation is not to seek peace of mind. It is to contemplate, this one reminds you, while looking into your eternally struggling face."
"…"
"You must search your soul for the answers you seek."
"…"
The sound of a stream hitting snow could be heard.
"Focus on the question and the abstract."
"…"
The stream of liquid became erratic, and almost closer.
"Shut out all distractions. Know only the search."
"…"
"—Almost there…" they heard Mercury grunt in the distance.
"Ignore the idiotic one that—"
"MERCURY! Can you stop pissing so loud?! In fact, just hold it in! Hold it in, and DIE!" Emerald shrieked at the top of her lungs.
"Whoa! Hey, Em, Maz. Didn't see you guys there."
In the middle of the snowy wilderness, Masa and Emerald faced each other in another failed session of meditation. Not too far away, Mercury was taking a leak in the snow. And closer to the hummer parked nearby, Neo was giving Yang a small trim.
"YANG!" Emerald hollered. "You were supposed to be keeping an eye on him!"
"I'm not gonna watch him take a piss!" she heard Yang yell back.
"—Guys, I totally just finished writing my initials in the snow. Come, look!"
""JUST DIE!"" Emerald and Yang yelled simultaneously.
A chain sickle lashed out and almost took Mercury's head, prompting the young delinquent to make a run for it.
When Emerald sat down again, she did so with searing frustration.
"Masa, I gotta tell ya. Don't think this new age, soul searchy, hipster bullshit is the way to go. I just want to talk to my Semblance like Yang does."
"Being able to converse with one's Semblance is an extremely rare trait. There is no clear indication of its requirements. It is also not the sole method of mastering your Semblance—as your exceptional, but juvenile partner has repeatedly demonstrated."
"It's not like Mercury's Semblance is all that complicated. He kicks really hard and he flies. Big figure there."
"Indeed, a simple soul. But just the same, there came a defining point in his life, his own very Semblance Trial, if you will. He met his challenge, found his answer, and 'passed'. You must do the same, this one repeats for what may be the thousandth time."
"I know, Maz! You keep telling me to look for an answer, but I can't find one—no matter how long I sit my ass in the freezing snow. The only thing I'm finding are the icicles growing between my butt cheeks!"
"An abundance of time and patience is required. Contemplation rarely provides full answer. You must piece together the small hints you uncover."
*Boop*
Emerald's scroll received a message. When she opened the file, she sighed with annoyance.
"Merc just sent me a picture of his initials in the snow."
"…It still astounds this one how your group displays such high functionality in crucial moments, but the definition of discord elsewhere."
"Yeah, we're just one screwy family that loves to kill each other."
"And Miss Yang's precarious inclusion in your band of misfits never fails to astonish."
"Oh, Yang definitely exhibited like, low-key Stockholm syndrome when she first joined up. Now… eh," Emerald shrugged.
"You are obsessed with mastering your Semblance for their sake."
"More like, my survival."
"Lies," Masa responded flatly. "More and more lies. One lie after another, after another. This is why you may never master your Semblance, Miss Emerald, this one says with a much more dire tone."
"Hey, I know I can get it. I just need the right method. And you're not making this any easier. I don't know the answer, but my Semblance might! And what the hell does lying have to do with my Semblance anyway? What the hell do you know about me?"
"You lie. You must discover and acknowledge the basis of your soul. That is what a Semblance is after all, this one lectures. But you continue to waste this one's time with your endless falsities. You hide and you run because you hate who you are. Or you are afraid of what dwells in your heart of hearts."
"I'm not afraid of anything, and I don't hate myself! I mean, have you met me?"
"You have referenced Miss Yang and Mister Mercury through the course of your training. But they have faced an increasing number of trials to gain their abilities—the rite they possess to their Semblances. The same can be said of Miss Neo."
An uncharacteristic temper was rising in Masa's tone.
"The challenges they face give insight into their identities. They face them honestly and sincerely,"
"I face challenges all the time! I almost died recently!" Emerald argued back.
"And what have you gained from such an experience?"
"I dunno. Plan better, probably? Maybe wear more fire-retardant clothing?"
"More sarcasm, more lies, more hiding." Masa inched closer. "You deny who you are. You pass yourself as strong and detached, but you are nothing of the kind."
"You don't know shit about me or anyone else. Just because you stare all dead-eyed at everyone and creep them the fuck out, you think that gives you some sort of all-mystical knowhow of someone's soul? I'm starting to wonder if you really know anything about Semblances to begin with."
Masa stood abruptly.
"Never has this one met an individual so adverse to their own self."
"You will never master your Semblance. Nor do you deserve it!"
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X
.
As Masa made her way back to the hummer, she saw Yang draw strength into her arm.
The prosthetic glowed with an old furnace of power. Its afterburners adjusted in propulsion at subtle angles, almost like a bird shifting its wings. Yang's hair and scarf flared with bright embers.
She loosed a straight punch, and sent all the snow in the vicinity flying.
"—Are you kidding me?!" they heard Emerald shout in the distance, as she was just avalanched by a wall of snow.
"This one's weaker than the last model, isn't it?" Yang questioned on Masa's approach.
"The prosthetic is only a replacement until a true weapon can be forged. Also, this one asks what you hope to accomplish by burning what little Aura you possess."
"I thought I could train the efficiency. There has to be some way to fight like I used to without relying on Dust or Bane."
"A plight you would not face, had you followed the plan this one laid for you."
"Hahaha…" Yang scratched the back of her head. "Sorry. I appreciate that you tried to help me out, though."
*Sigh* "No, my previous statement was unnecessary. You chose your own path, and for that, this one has no word or sway."
"Aw, thanks for understanding, Masa."
"But this one derives satisfaction in saying this is your exact comeuppance for not following the predicted scenario. Also, there is no way to train your Aura in the way you imagine."
"Guh...!"
"You cannot train how much blood flows through your body. You also, cannot train your body to produce more blood cells than needed. Aura is similar to that. Which is exactly why Dust and Bane are important catalysts. No one can fight capably on Aura alone."
Under normal circumstances, that is…
"Great," Yang hung her head. "So, what can I do? I'm just gonna be handicapped forever? Not gonna happen. There's a way—I just haven't thought of it yet."
"Hmph. Perhaps, you could stand to administer your leader with a dose of that wisdom, this one ponders if such a syringe could be engineered."
"I take it Em's Semblance training isn't going great?"
"…It is proceeding appallingly."
"—Hey, so, when are we gonna hit the road again?" Mercury asked, lying on the roof of the Hummer. "I mean, I don't think there any more goons chasing us this far, but I can't say the same for Vulcan. Or are we staking our knife in the floor and finishing this?"
"Nah. Neo's recon cleared us," Yang shrugged. "Besides, we can't drive any farther southwest than this."
"Why's that?"
"There's this thing called the Bermuda Sphere close by," Yang replied, readying herself to be made fun of. "Anything caught in it disappears without a trace."
"What? That sounds so made-up."
"Tell that to the airships and people who go missing there all the time. There's rumors it could be a Nightmare-class Grimm, but no one really knows for sure. Normally, I wouldn't mind seeing what it's all about, but with me and Em, like this? Not so smart, yeah?"
"Psh! Where's your sense of reckless abandon, Xiao Long?"
"Maybe, some of it got knocked out when your cousin blindsided us with a lava hammer."
"…Fair 'nuff. Well, wake me up if shit hits the fan again. I'll be napping."
Yang made sure to toss a snowball on the roof, before turning to an approaching Neo. Apparently, the girl had gone off to hunt some food, after finishing her partner's trim. A row of freshly caught fish and wildlife hung on a rope she carried with her.
"(Dinner!)"
.
X
.
With the skies turning dark, Team ENMY and Masa huddled around the campfire to eat their meals. In the circle surrounding the warm heat, Yang and Mercury looked shifty-eyed between their leader and the engineer.
"I wonder what happened with them," Yang whispered.
"I dunno. Maybe they're faking it?" Mercury whispered back.
"What? Why would they be faking it?"
"You and Em were faking it that one time you tricked Neo and me."
"Gotta let that go, Merc. First of all, that was a life-or-death ruse. Second—they're not. Something happened during training today."
"Or they're on their—wait. No. That's not it."
"…Their what?" Yang stopped midchew.
"Nothing. I just know that's not it."
…
Mercury shifted uncomfortably in his seat, but Yang continued to eye him intensely with an accusing glare.
"Were you about to say what I think you were about to say?"
"No."
"Meeerc?"
"…Maybe."
"Gross. MERC! Agh! Wait! What did you mean, when you said you knew that wasn't it?"
"I don't get it."
"I mean, how do you know?"
"…It's not the right week."
"Oh, god!"
"What?"
"You keep track of our…" Yang pressed her hand against her eyelids. "You keep track of when we—"
"Yeah, well, I am the only guy her," Mercury tried to defend himself. "Even I'm not dumb enough to not notice when some people's moods change, or go to the bathroom more often."
"Mercury. What. The. Hell!"
"Hey, look! I didn't bring it up. YOU did. I was trying to pass it off, but no. Blondie wants to ask if Mercury knows when—You guys know all kinds of weird shit about me, too!"
"—We can hear you, you nasty fuck," Emerald said across the fire.
"—Very audibly, this one adds," Masa added.
Even Neo was making a face, that communicated Mercury was the scum of the earth.
"Okay! That's not fair! We all know the weirdest, grossest crap about each other!" Mercury stood, while making his case. "Like how Em and I both know not to be around when Yang and Neo want some 'alone time,'" he air-quoted.
"This is not going to a good place," Yang shook her head.
"Or how about when we act like we don't know when Neo rips a fart? But we always know, cause they're always silent, and they smell freakin' hellacious."
Neo stared wide-eyed with distraught, then looked to Yang for confirmation.
"It is pretty potent for someone your size. Might be the all the dairy you eat."
Neo froze like she'd eaten a live bug.
"And, you guys!" Mercury continued, unable to stop himself. "You guys know that I sniff and try on other people's shoes when they're not looking, cause reasons."
"That is true," Yang nodded. "You got a weird thing for feet, dude. I always wanted to ask, was it before or after you lost your legs."
"Before. We also know! Emerald talks to Cinder in her sleep—and not in the 'I miss you', pure maiden kind of way. But the sensual, thirsty kind that makes everyone super uncomfortable!"
"…I don't deny these allegations," Emerald replied, while crossing her arms.
"—And do you have anything to reveal of this one?" Masa spoke up, sure there was nothing unseemly in her conduct.
"…There is that thing where you pretend the weapons talk to each other, like a kid playing with dolls, when you think no one's looking."
What little expression Masa showed on her face, stiffened with distinct abruptness.
Mercury took a look around the circle.
"Maybe, this wasn't such a good idea."
"""YOU THINK?!""" Emerald, Yang, and Neo silently said.
"Anywho!" Mercury went into a big fake-ass yawn. "I'm gonna… I'm gonna go now. Sleep. Go sleep… Y'know. Early worm gets the bird, and all that."
"Wrong saying, Merc," Yang called.
"G'night!"
And Mercury practically sprinted for the hummer.
…
Left in awkward silence, Yang burst into laughter, while clutching her sides.
"That was an awesome train wreck! Ahaha…ha…man," she wiped a tear from her eye.
Neo was headbutting her side repeatedly, seemingly anguished by her embarrassment.
"Oh, come here you. I don't care if your farts rival most biohazardous materials."
Neo punched her sides repeatedly.
"Ow! O-o-okay. Me and Neo are gonna head to bed, too."
And with that, the pair left as well.
Only Masa and Emerald sat alone. For a long time, nothing but the wood's burning crackles filled the space. Emerald continuously poked the fire with a stick.
"…To be fair, we actually thought it was kinda adorable, Maz—"
"Silence. This one requests silence."
"It's like you were talking to imaginary friends."
"Enough."
"Honestly, it's not as bad as some other stuff."
"This one is conflicted over which was better: knowing that you all knew, or never knowing that fact."
"Yeah. Mercury has a way of bringing the shitstorms—in and outside of fights."
"This one will remember to make his next maintenance check excessively excruciating. Penny, make note of it."
[The note is made, Doctor.]
"Hey, look on the bright side, it got us talking again," Emerald grinned. "We were wearing thin on each other back there."
The engineer went silent with momentary contemplation. There was a strangeness to Mercury's rant, besides the obvious. A suspiciousness that lingered.
"…How much of that was contrived?" Masa asked.
"Caught on to that, have we?"
"Miss Yang certainly facilitated Mister Mercury's outburst quite well."
"That, she did."
"It was staged, then?"
"Maybe. Maybe not," Emerald shrugged. "If Yang did it on purpose, I can proudly say she learned it all from me. If she didn't, well… One of the things that blinds people to each other's differences is a common source of annoyance."
"Hm. Indeed. This one is beginning to believe Mister Mercury was a mere scapegoat. Penny, make note to exact the same excruciating procedure for Miss Yang."
[Noted, Doctor.]
…
"So…" Emerald swirled around the water in her cup. "I wasn't the only one who got all hot and angry when we were talking about Semblances. Did something happen with yours?"
"No," Masa denied. "But this one did remember a bitter story from long ago."
"Huh." Emerald tossed the water from her cup and did the same with Masa's. She then, took out a bottle of whiskey from behind the log she sat on, pouring a modest amount for both of them.
"Tell me about it."
The barest of chuckles escaped the hollow-eyed engineer.
"You should count yourself fortunate, Miss Emerald. Both you and I, and each of your friends." She took a generous sip and felt a smoothness burn her throat. "Even if they are not mastered, there are those who go through life never once utilizing their Semblance—never unlocking even a clue of their soul's potential."
"…Didn't know there was anyone like that. Guess, it puts things in a certain perspective."
"Hm," Masa nodded.
"I knew of one such individual…"
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X
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She was one of the most brilliant minds I ever had the good fortune of meeting. One, whom I respected from the depths of my heart.
…
Her life began in a noble household.
Alongside her brother, the girl grew up wanting for nothing. However, her parents did not spoil her. Too often had they seen what happened to children crippled by their family's prestige and riches. In fact, for most of the sibling's lives leading up to adulthood, they took the last names of lower vassal families.
They entered school normally, the girl earning especially good grades in athletics and stratagem. She was the textbook definition of a prodigy.
As they progressed through the Huntsmen and Huntress curriculum, the girl acquired an aptitude for a variety of different techniques. Her prowess for being able to use multiple types of weapons was unmatched. She earned top marks in her combat assessments.
When entering intermediate grades, those who had yet to awaken their Auras had theirs unlocked. The siblings were no exception, and true to form, they both possessed an exceptional amount.
…
It is most common to discover one's Semblance during pubescent years. The reason being, the body and soul go through a process of rapid change during that section of one's lifetime.
Semblances reflect a person's true character, or it can be an adaptation developed to cope with their environment.
While her fellow classmates, her peers that she once surpassed and even her own brother, discovered their Semblances… my friend did not.
She was never too stubborn to seek help when she needed it.
I was honored she asked me. In return, I did everything I could to find her answer. How many sleepless nights we had pouring over every book in every library…
I'd do a hundred times over if that was what it took.
But alas, we never found a solution.
Surely, anyone would normally be crushed by such a fact.
A Semblance is more than just an ability. It is a person's source of pride. Without it, it is something akin to an incompleteness.
The girl had many expectations bestowed upon her. She was predicted to be the greatest Huntress ever produced. Destined to live the life of a hero among heroes.
And then…nothing.
Hmph.
…
The doubts, the backtalk, the words whispered behind closed doors. Such things would normally break a person…
Not her.
She would not break.
Through some stubborn form of sheer will, she completed her graduation solely on her skills. It was a triumphant feat. She was granted the title of Huntress. And she knew joy from all her painstaking efforts.
But that happiness did not last.
As the missions she fulfilled grew in difficulty, the girl began to learn her limits. There were such Grimm, such warriors of a darker kind that wielded strength she could not compete with.
Many will say that was the start of her degradation. How far only her pure martial skill and Aura could take her. But I believe that wasn't so.
She never gave in to her depression for long. She wanted to make the best use of her talents. To serve her Kingdom to her fullest abilities.
Because of her famous intellect, and a little help from her brother, she gained a prestigious position. The girl, now a woman, had found her calling… She became Headmaster of her alma mater.
And she was brilliant.
She raised students that would one day go on to save Remnant a hundred times over. She taught them not only to survive the trials evil, but of life itself. I venture to say she saved more young lives that way, than she would, had she become a "true" Huntress.
During that time, she met another kindred soul.
One she fell deeply in love with…
And experienced true happiness.
…
…
"Okay," Emerald worded slowly. "But where's the rest of it?"
"This one is not sure by your meaning," Masa replied.
"The story," she repeated, and threw some snacks into her mouth. "Where's the rest of it?"
"…How do you know that is not the end of the tale?"
"A feeling." Emerald crushed the bag and sucked the end of her fingers. "That, and the fact that Haven's Headmaster isn't a woman or fits the bill. So, is that really the end of the story, Maz?"
"…No. But this one sometimes wishes it was."
"Hmm," Emerald sniffed bitterly.
"'Happily ever afters are for children."
.
.
At that moment, Masa caught a glimpse. An image of a poor girl, dressed in rags, sitting in the cold. So many passerbys, strode and strode past, never sparing a glance at the abandoned creature. A sewer rat in their eyes.
One who told herself stories of faraway places and faraway names just to keep herself alive at night. They kept the bad things away. They kept her from falling into despair.
Masa blinked, and the image was gone. Only Emerald sat across from her. The illumination from the campfire casting flickering shadows.
The doctor closed her eyes, as she continued with her tale…
…
—Despite being the greatest Headmaster of her time, my friend did not receive her due recognition.
Beacon was long famed as the best academy in Remnant. That tradition was only continued by its Headmaster. A genius. A legendary Huntsman in his own right.
Ozpin…
They proclaimed him everything she was not—everything she failed to achieve.
Her flaws glared in the spotlight shone in comparison.
She didn't take part in the greatest defenses against the most monstrous Grimm.
She took a job teaching children, lecturing them on bad behavior, calling their parents.
That was what they said about her. Nothing in the fact she dedicated her gifts to the safety of their future.
To invest in the future, in knowledge itself. There is no more noble an aspiration.
But try to ask fools to see that…
Even then, it did not break her.
The woman carried on with her duty, did what she loved, what she believed in. Those who knew her knew. She was nothing flawed. She was a warrior. She was a Huntress. She was loved.
Her husband hated the way his wife was treated—to have the woman he cared for diminished by the sole fact of not having her Semblance.
I used to despise the man for thinking that way. I used to ask, why could he not simply be proud of his wife? That was all she needed. But thinking on it more, I could understand that he loved her so deeply, he couldn't allow her poor treatment to continue.
It was an unfortunate sentiment, as time proved.
My friend's husband was a brilliant scientist and avid researcher of Grimm. He was marveled by the power the dark creatures wielded without using anything resembling a Semblance. He theorized it may have been due to their connection to the Never Realm…
And in that, tragedy was born.
He begged his wife to take part in his experiment. To find a way to grant her power unquestioned by anyone.
To that end, the woman had her body modified…
A monstrosity born part-Grimm and part-human.
My best friend.
Was gone.
…
"And that is where the story ends, Miss Emerald," Masa said with a heavy voice. Sorrow dripping from her lips.
Emerald continued looking into the fire.
"What was her name?"
"…Victoria Stein."
"I'll remember her story." Emerald got up from her seat. "Coming, Maz? It's getting late."
"In a little while, Miss Emerald."
…
"You didn't fail her, Masa. I'm sorry about what I said before… Don't stay out here too long, okay?"
"Yes. In a little while, Miss Emerald.
Just a little while."
…
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X
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When Team ENMY and Masa woke the next day, they were met with an unbelievable sight.
"Uh… guys?" Yang blurted. "Am I still dreaming?"
Neo pinched her butt.
"Ow! Okay. Not dreaming. So, how long were we asleep?"
"Not that long, lion queen," Emerald took in the sight beside her.
Contrary to the night before, the surrounding area was no longer covered in snow. In fact, from the lush greenery and overgrown vegetation, one would never describe the current season as Winter. But the scenery before them refused to become a mirage.
Yang plucked a flower off the ground and looked at it. Such a small thing would die, much less grow in freezing temperatures.
"But…how? I mean, Em. Haha, real funny if this is a hallucination."
"Of course it's not, you idiot! Why would I hallucinate something so stupid?"
"Then, how is it already—"
Suddenly, the flower in Yang's hand sparked with electricity. Not only that, but their surroundings were starting to take the appearance of a lightning storm. Pillars of surging energy began to erupt between ground and sky.
"OKAY! THIS IS OFFICIALLY ONE OF THE FREAKIEST THINGS EVER!" Emerald shouted. "WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!"
It was then, Emerald noticed Masa. While everyone was in a state of confusion, the good doctor was calm. It went beyond her usual expressionlessness. There was no mistake. Masa had expected this very situation.
"Maz! What is this?!"
The engineer simply pointed. The team followed her finger to a silhouette appearing in the distance.
A grotesque woman with Grimm-like limbs attached, walked across the forest. From her back sprouted wings made of gears and what looked to be weapons. Screws and bolts riddled her body from head to toe, and it seemed she was the primary source of the lightning storm around her.
"That's… her," Emerald gave a hushed mutter. "She's the one we've been looking for—the key to saving Cinder."
…
"The Spring Maiden."