Hello. If you wonder where I've been for the last two years, please read my notes at the end of this chapter. Enjoy!
The sun was bright and shining softly, as it rose slowly and steadily from the horizon, where the dark sky and the blue sea touched each other. The island of Patch is known for its calming scenery, far from the troubles and wars that happened at the Kingdom of Vale. Rays of orange light bathed the island's surface, recolouring the once green forest. Most people said that the best place to enjoy its beauty is to overlook from one of Patch's cliffs.
But Lèi Cyrus was not there to enjoy the sea breeze or the sunrise. He was there to mourn.
"Good morning, Summer." He kneeled in front of the empty grave; his hand touched the carving of rose, engraved on a white gravestone. Below the emblem it was written: Summer Rose. The name he always muttered in his prayer, the name he remembered when he was lonely. He never expected her name to be written on a piece of marble, at least not before he could be reunited with her. Thus Kindly I Scatter, the phrase was written below her name. Lèi smiled sadly; like a rose until the end, he thought silently.
"Good morning, Mom." Ruby Rose sat beside him; her hand held a white rose. "I brought your friend, an old friend."
"Old indeed," Lèi chuckled by himself, and then sighed contently. 'Friend' was not an enough word to imagine his relationship with the Huntress. Did he love her, if one would ask the question? Lèi could not answer that even after two decades. If he could dig around dictionaries to find the word that could answer that question, he would say that he did have a 'crush' for Summer. Did she felt the same way, if one might wonder? The veteran Huntsman hoped so, at least when they were still together.
"So, how did you two meet?" Ruby spoke to him after she put the rose on the empty grave; the girl and beloved daughter of his 'crush'. Lèi could imagine how happy Summer was when she got her first child. Strangely enough, if someone can imagine feeling adoration with a mix of jealousy, Lèi felt exactly like that. He knew that he honestly felt the same joy as Summer when she had her bundle of happiness; yet his heart was also wrenched with the fact that it was because of someone else.
Lèi kept his silence up for a moment, yet Ruby let him so. Twenty years being apart to find a close friend already gone was hard and would always is. The red-haired girl closed her eyes and remembered that fateful day. Her little self was sleeping in a red wagon, the blonde hair of her sister gleaming in the dark, red monstrous eyes and sharp fangs, and the silhouette of their uncle and protector. Every little thing happened that day was because of their longing for that beloved person.
"There was an organization called Huntsmen Alliance back in our day." The man uncovered the hood that engulfed his head. His silver hair waved slightly by the soft breeze of morning air. "It was formed by the decision of each council from every kingdom, following the aftermath of the Faunus Revolution War. I was one of the commanders."
"My mother was in your command, right?" Ruby asked eagerly. Her father Taiyang might know her mother the best, but it was always fun to hear the opinions and stories from another perspective. Maybe she will learn another side of her mother as viewed by her fellow Huntsman.
"Well, the whole team STRQ was." Lèi shifted from kneeling position to sitting cross-legged which he found to be more comfortable, then he continued. "Summer was only in her first year when she and her team joined. The Alliance was short in manpower so it would be stupid to turn away the volunteers."
"Was she a good Huntress?" Ruby asked automatically. Of course she would ask about Summer's knack for hunting Grimms, Lèi thought to himself while shaking his head. Summer might seem to fit the peacemaker role, but she always has the mentality 'shoot first and never ask' when dealing with the monsters. She is a perfect role model for mothers who also hunt beasts for a living.
"Oh, she was a prodigy." Lèi grinned widely, his brightest expression so far today. Talking about her in front of her daughter made him feel like an uncle or some sort. "She got great eyes and patience. Give her a sniper rifle and you'll feel as safe as being home."
"Hehe, that's the Mom I knew." Ruby chuckled softly, but not as cheerful as Lèi liked it.
"Did Summer go missing when you're still too young?" Lèi asked even when he thought he knew the answer.
"Yeah, I can barely remember those days."
Thought so, Lèi sighed as he put his hand on Ruby's head while patting it gently. He was never good with words of comfort, so he always shows it with physical gestures. Her hair felt smooth and had a hint of rose fragrance to it, which reminded him to that day twenty years ago. The warmth of Summer's body when they hugged, the same smoothness he felt on his chin, that cheerful grin even when they part ways; Lèi could think that a part of Summer's spirit was left in Ruby, which was half-true.
"Sorry I was late!"
The sound of hurried steps took away the attention of Summer's visitors. Lèi looked over his shoulder to see a girl in golden hair, while Ruby perked up when she heard her voice and jumped to embrace her in one swift motion. Is she a friend of Ruby, or maybe one of her relatives? Lèi predicted that they were at least around the same age, although the blonde girl was slightly taller.
"Oh Yang, I've been waiting for you!" Ruby said after she let herself go.
"Sorry, sis. The entrance exam took longer than I expected." Yang sighed from seemingly a busy day. "Some entrants accidentally shot each other and caused a riot. I was caught in the middle trying to separate the fight."
Ah, sisters. That would explain the close bond between the two; although Lèi wondered why Summer did not mention that she had two daughters.
Ruby chuckled, "Hah, more like you kicked them in the butt until everyone involved submit in defeat!"
"You bet! The vice principal basically scolded us all, although she let me go first since I passed." Yang laughed to her own story, and then she finally addressed the man in white cloak. "Are you a friend of mom, Mister?"
"Ah, yes I am." Lèi stood up and offered his hand. "Lèi Cyrus. May I have your name, young lady?"
"Yang Xiao Long," she took the hand and shook it firmly. "Just Yang is fine, though."
Xiao Long? That was Taiyang's surname; if Lèi's memory was to be trusted. If both Ruby and Yang were Taiyang's daughter, why did he gave Ruby her mother's surname? Lèi decided that it was a question that must be addressed with the man in question himself. Lèi could have asked the daughters himself, but he refrained to do so since it seemed to be a sensitive topic.
"Entrance exam, huh?" The huntsman tried to spark up a conversation with Ruby's sister – he was curious anyway. "Are you entering Beacon Academy, if I'm not wrong?"
"Hell yeah, and I aced the practical exam!" The girl beamed with excitement, and Lèi would not argue or doubt her statement by looking at her parents' track record. Being a Huntsman is always a prestige in Remnant, and because of that the occupation mostly becomes family traditions. Yang seemed to follow Taiyang's legacy, according to her colour palette that consist of golden yellow and her metal bracers on her arm that gave the impression that she fought with fists.
"That's quite an achievement, Ms. Yang." Lèi replied.
"Heh, you'll see that I'm just getting started!" Yang laughed and flicked her nose with her right thumb. The man in white shook his head in amusement.
"Oh! Dad and the headmaster wanted to talk to you, but I'll take you there after I pay my respect to Mom first, okay?"
Yang along with her little sister kneels down in front of the gravestone; Lèi gave them as much time as they wanted to stay. He was not quite done himself to be honest. The thoughts of the woman gone without any confirmation, whose memory still lingers in the form of comforting cloth that covered him time to time, left him almost hopeless. Only the vibrant memory of that dream, the one that lead him to her beloved daughter, assured him to hope and find the answer while following anything that fate had to offer for Ruby.
Three steaming hot cups of tea were sat down on the square coffee table. The aroma of jasmine filled the living room with a hint for relaxation and calmness. Sounds of crickets and other kinds of bugs pierced through wooden walls but not loud enough that it became noisy. Warm winds flowed through open windows and danced the curtain ever so gently. Yellow rays of sunlight lighted up the middle of the room, where three certain gentlemen seated without speaking a word or even as much as clearing their throats. The silence was awkward and tense; a contrast with the vibe of the room they were in currently.
Ozpin sat in a lounger, leg crossed, with his cane rested at his right side on the armrest, ready to be pulled out whenever a hint of danger was sensed; but the headmaster was as relaxed as a mammal in hibernation. Taiyang was the opposite, his thumbs were fiddling with each other and his right foot was tapping constantly on a thick carpet, making it less annoying. His eyes were unable to meet the man seated on the sofa next to him. The man in white hair was the one in question. His expression was hard to read, although everyone in the room could at least guess one thing that was on his mind.
"To put it simply," Ozpin finally pierced the thick atmosphere and caught the other two men's attention. "Raven left Taiyang here after Yang was born, and then you and Summer were… romantically involved, if I'm not wrong."
"Well, I…" Taiyang struggles for words.
"Ah, just give it to me straight." Lèi asked him calmly; well, as calm as a heartbroken man could get.
"…we did have a relationship going on." Taiyang shrugged in defeat, and he decided to give everything straight right now. "One thing led to another… and then Summer was expecting a baby."
Lèi listened at him and nodded slowly, and also he made sure to not give him any kind of hostility. Taiyang was a good man, and their relationship was relatively well. At the very least, he was partly glad it was a good man he knew than some strangers he did not recognize.
"Me and Glynda respected Summer's private affair and let her choose when she would give you the news." Ozpin picked up his cup of tea and said before he sipped the beverage, "I am sorry."
"Well, I'm happy for you." Lèi sighed and leaned comfortably at the sofa. His hand combed his bleached hair and he smiled with a mix of bitter and relief. Then, he patted Taiyang's tense shoulder, "Cheer up, bro. I'm not angry or anything."
"Thank you, and I'm sorry." The blonde man relaxed slightly. "I know you have a feeling for Summer, but I still…"
"Indeed, I did have a crush on her." I still do, Lèi thought to himself. "But I never asked her out because I don't have the guts to do it. All fair and square, I guess."
The huntsman in white thought that the thick atmosphere was lifted after he said that, or at the very least he made it clear that there are no 'hard feelings'.
"Okay, Ozpin. You can brief us now."
Ozpin raised an eyebrow.
"You cleared my passport, told me that one of the Maiden is wounded, and crossed all the way to Patch in a private VTOL aircraft." Lèi sighed and took his cup of tea. "You must have at least four plans to make our move. Let's hear it."
"Well, certainly." Ozpin put down his empty cup and then stood up. "Taiyang, may I use your television?"
"No problem, you can connect to the Wi-Fi to access it."
Ozpin pulled out his Scroll device and after a full minute or two of typing and tapping, a collection of pictures popped out on the screen. First, it was a medical photograph of Amber, the Fall Maiden, in her incubator. The left half of her beautiful face was scarred with gruesome patterns. After that, the next picture shows several snapshots of numerous robberies in action by members of White Fang and some unrecognized thugs, but all of them include a known figure of Roman Torchwick. The last picture showed Roman talking with a woman in red dress; her face was not facing the camera.
"I met that lady in red." Lèi remarked.
"Glynda confirmed that. She had suspicions that she was at least involved in the attempted assassination of Lady Amber."
"What about you?" Taiyang asked.
"I trust Glynda's judgement completely." Ozpin threw his Scroll on the lounger he previously sat on. "If Lèi and Glynda cannot stop her, I think she is indeed our main problem."
"What's up with the White Fang?" Lèi asked. "Is this supposed to be Faunus related?"
"Roman was seen using numerous mercenaries to steal almost a quarter of Vale's Dust supply." Ozpin took his Scroll again and tapped on it to show a map full of red marks. "These are the locations that involved at least one White Fang member."
"So, lady in red here is possibly the leader…" Taiyang pointed on her picture.
"…and Roman was her go-to-guy, her number one accomplice…" Lèi continued.
"…using mostly White Fang resources and manpower, maybe in return of monetary support for their cause," Ozpin finished the sentence. "It's quite a big problem."
"Okay, now the plans." Lèi leaned forward and clapped his hands. "Firstly, how many Huntsmen do we have?"
"Team STRQ only has me and Qrow now." Taiyang added. "I don't know about other teams, but they are loyal to Vale and Beacon first. At the very least they would defend this kingdom."
"What about the headmasters?"
"Well, we have an agreement regarding the matter." Ozpin answered. "But I do not expect any form kind of help beside information, or this will turn into political business."
"Fair enough," Lèi nodded in agreement. No help is free, and owing favours from a Kingdom will put Vale and Beacon Academy into unneeded troubles.
"I tried to contact our former team members from Huntsmen Alliance." The headmaster switched the slideshow on television to a list of familiar names. "Most of them had gone to work for their kingdom and are willing to help, but they cannot move freely."
"They can function as sleeper agents and informants when needed." Taiyang concluded and rubbed his stubbed chin. The white huntsman nodded in agreement; it will put less risk to observe and trade information than gathering an army.
"Is that Winter from Schnee family?" Lèi pointed at the mage's name. "The last time I heard of her was that she was promoted in a strategic position in Atlas military."
"Ah, yes. It looks like she saves me an explanation." Ozpin smiled a little. "Basically she is our most influential ally, because she is the right hand woman of General Ironwood of Atlas military."
"I expected no less." Lèi relaxed his posture; he did not realize that he was tense all the time. "Did Qrow still after her?" He asked with a knowing smirk.
"Why do you think he was not here?" Taiyang answered with an amused tone. "I bet he was teasing Winter to death while he was in that snow land."
Never change, Qrow. Lèi silently chuckled. "So, now what's our first step?"
"That is something you should decide." Ozpin replied and reached for his inner pocket of his black suit. He produced a sealed envelope, with Beacon Academy insignia on it. "This is a formal invitation for you."
"Formal invitation…?" Lèi grabbed the piece of paper and silently asked the headmaster's permission to open it. Ozpin nodded and picked up his cane, ready to leave. Inside the envelope was a letter, complete with Ozpin's signature at the bottom. Lèi's eyes were wide open when he read the content of the letter, "Wait a minute…"
"Welcome to Beacon, Professor Lèi Cyrus. I'll brief you tomorrow, 8 in the morning." Ozpin straighten himself and walked through the door. "Don't be late on your first day."
Hello again! Thanks for your support throughout my absence. I am surprised that some of you still Favorited "Thunder of Remnant" up until a few months ago, even though my last update was in 2016. You are awesome.
I go with Valmariel these days, because my old username is my real name, although a generic one. Oops.
Now the answer you were looking for: where was I?
Currently, I'm pursuing Master degree in Computer Science. I got it through full scholarships, which is nice and all. The problem is, apparently the bureaucracy in the university is crap, and because of that I cannot do anything but wait because of binding contracts. I cannot even have a proper full-time job, which means I cannot provide for my family. My father's retired, and my mother's almost certainly retired after we found tumors in her womb. My brother still in high school, so it is up to me to find jobs or we will have no food.
I was so stressed out, and I was thinking that I could not write anymore.
However, things started to pick up. I got part time job as tutor. My mother went through surgery and she was recovering quickly. It's not much, but I think we'll survive.
Lastly, thank YOU for all of your support. Even a click on Favorite/Follow button motivates me to write more, and I will work hard to bring this story to the end.
Oh, the title of this chapter is a music by FLOW; Colors. They're my favorite Japanese band, and I guess some of you will scream "JIBUN WO" at the top of their lungs when they play this on Spotify.
Don't hesitate to leave a review, and thank you so much!