All right we are back in business. We need a happy chapter and we need one now so here comes that happy chapter!
Also, YAY 200 followers! Thanks so much for the support of this story! I hope in continues to get such a wonderful reception!
Reviews:
Minnidog118: Sorry to disappoint but this won't be the last we hear of Ruby.
Potato man the semi omnipotent: I know, right? Quite the terrifying prospect isn't it.
Dekuton: Glad to hear you liked it, especially if you yourself are a father, just means I'm doing it right! As someone who isn't a father it's kind of difficult to write out Mason's reactions, so any info/feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Ecoolasice: Well hold on because cannon is on its way.
Xeano: Glad you like the story! It means more than you know to hear someone say they like what you are doing!
Midnight Ruins: Glad you like it! Also, I'm a huge fan of your own Destiny/RWBY crossover. Haven't had a chance to read the rewrite yet but keep up the good work!
Ddragon21: Yeah sorry but Summer won't be coming back, at least for how I have things planned out at the moment but I'm glad you're enjoying the story!
Now onto the story!
Chapter 8: A Familiar Festival
~Cinder age: 10 Ruby age: 5 Mason age: Unknown, Estimated 32~
"Come on dad!" Cinder was jumping in front of Mason's ship excitedly. "Hurry up or we're going to miss the festival!"
Mason strode over in a black long sleeve sweater and a pair of old jeans. Wrapped around his neck covering the lower part of his face was a black and orange scarf. "Calm down kid. The festival lasts for a few days. Missing a couple minutes won't mean anything."
Cinder stopped jumping and puffed her cheeks in a pout. "But daaaaad it's Halloween tonight! I don't want to miss all the candy!"
Mason sweat dropped. "Right… how could I possibly forget your insatiable sweet tooth."
"Exactly! So hurry up!" Cinder started jumping again.
Sighing in resignation, Mason Made his way over to his ship and the family of two flew off towards the city of Vale.
…
1 hour later
…
Slowly the Fatal Vision descended onto one of the many vacant launchpads. After the engines cooled a figure made his way towards the ship. A hiss could be heard as a set of stairs deployed beneath the belly of the ship and out stepped Cinder and Mason. The figure approached and waved towards them.
"About time you two showed up!" The figure waved.
The man stopped in front of the two and let a fanged smile spread across his face. Black hair was slicked back, and he was covered in white make up. His eyes were yellow and vertically slit giving him a creepy look. The man was wearing a set of red robes over a black button up shirt and brown pants.
"Uh who're you?" Cinder cocked an eyebrow.
"Wow Tukson. You really went all out this year, didn't you?" Mason smirked under his scarf.
"Wait." Cinder's eyes widened. "UNCLE TUKSON?"
Tukson smiled. "The one and- GAH!"
Tukson soon found himself on the ground tackled in a hug. "I missed you!"
"Alright, alright I missed you too Cinder." Tukson laughed. "Now can you get off me? You're messing up my costume."
"Oh whoops." Cinder awkwardly laughed as she got off her uncle. "Sorry."
"Don't worry about it." Tukson shook his head as he got up and dusted himself off. "You both ready to head into the city for the festival?"
"YES!" Cinder shouted and jumped in the air.
Mason smiled again. "Guess that answers your question. Let's go scare some people."
Tukson frowned. "Mason… we don't need a repeat of last year when you literally floated off of the ground, turned you head around a full 360 degrees, and then proceeded to scream like a banshee."
"Oh come on. It was one time." Mason pouted as the trio made their way into Vale proper.
"And that one time nearly caused a riot dad." Cinder admonished her father.
"Fine… I won't do it again…" Mason rolled his eyes and pulled his scarf up a bit further over his face.
The trio kept walking as Tukson spoke again. "So Cinder what are you supposed to be this year?"
"Guess." Cinder smiled.
Cinder ran a head and stopped. She turned around showing off her costume. She was colored in mostly dull orange clothing. with orange face paint and an orange wig.
"I bet you're the Fall Maiden again aren't you." Tukson smiled.
"Yep." Cinder grinned and walked back to the others.
"You go as the Fall Maiden every year Cinder. Don't you think you should go as something else?" Tukson asked.
Mason laughed. "Good luck trying to get her not to. Ever since I bought that book from your store years ago she's always wanted to be the fall maiden."
"Yeah what dad said. And the Fall Maiden is so cool!" Cinder skipped along. "She can fly, has awesome fire powers like me and dad, can create lightning, and can change the trees to pretty colors! She's just so amazing!"
"You seem to admire her quite a bit." Tukson laughed.
"Admire her?" Cinder tilted her head. "No not really. I just think that the powers she has are really cool. Man, if I had those powers I could do all sorts of fun stuff! Besides. How can I admire her if I've never actually met her?"
"Because the maidens are supposed to go around and bring the seasons and bring joy to those around them? Seems pretty admirable to me." Tukson said.
"Well what's to admire about that? The bringing of the season is her job so she should just do it. And the whole bringing joy to those around her wholly depends on what she's like as a person so if I haven't met her then how do I know if she's not some raging bitch who's just doing her job." Cinder shrugged.
"Cinder, language please. We're in public." Mason lightly scolded.
"Sorry." She sheepishly rubbed the back of her neck.
"Sounds to me you admire her power more than you do the actual idea of the fall maiden." Tukson sweat dropped.
"Yup cause if I had that power I bet I could finally beat dad in one of our spares!" Cinder smiled at the idea.
Mason laughed. "Even if you had all four maiden's powers you would still be centuries behind my skill level."
Cinder puffed her cheeks in a pout. "You say that now but one day I'll be a hunter even stronger than you are."
Mason ruffled her hair a bit with his hand. "Keep dreaming kid."
Cinder replied by sticking her out her tongue.
Mason laughed. "Come on we're almost to the main square. We don't want to miss the opening of the festival."
Together the three walked into the main square of Vale. The large open area of the city was completely decorated to celebrate Halloween and the following harvest festivals. Orange string lights hung from buildings and lampposts while various food stands could be found all around selling delicious fall foods. People and faunus alike were dressed in costumes ranging from the local legends to more recent and popular characters. Some were dressed as creatures of grimm and others were dressed as huntsmen and huntresses. In the center of the large square was a stage decorated with fake trees, pumpkins and fall colored leaves. Street performers were everywhere showing their skill while everyone waited for the official opening of the festival.
Taking a deep sniff of the air Mason sighed. "I love the smell of cinnamon sugar donuts. Anyone want one there's a stand right over there."
Cinder squealed in delight and rushed over to the stand while Tukson shrugged and followed.
The three bought their donuts and stood off to the side to enjoy their snacks.
"Oooohhh that's it." Mason moaned in delight. "Traveler do I wish I could have these year-round."
"You can." Tukson said in-between bites. "They aren't that hard to make."
"Yeah but then they lose that special 'its fall and everything is pretty' feeling." Mason said finishing his donut.
Meanwhile cinder held a flaming finger up to her donut and lightly toasted it before comping down happily. Mason and Tukson watched with interest.
"Cinder what was that for?" Tukson asked.
Cinder shrugged. "There're better warm."
Mason licked the sugar off his fingers. "Well you're not wrong."
The little group sat down on a nearby bench and listened to the bustling, jovial atmosphere.
"Tukson? Is that you?" Someone said from off to the side.
Tukson and Mason turned to the side to see three people dressed up in costume.
One was a large man wearing a set of denim overalls, construction boots, a red and black plaid flannel shirt and had a grey beanie on his head. He had a gruff face and a magnificent black beard. He looked like the perfect lumberjack complete with rubber ax at his side.
Next to him was a woman who had short black hair and a pair of black cat ears and yellow eyes. She was dressed in a bloody white dress with a large bloody gash in her abdomen and had pale make-up all over her exposed skin.
Holding the woman's hand was a small girl with cat ears just like her mother only she was dressed in all black and had a plastic sword on her back.
"Uh… Do you know these people Tukson?" Mason turned to look at Tukson.
Tukson stood up and turned towards the other three. "Ghira! Kali! What brings you to Vale?"
"I guess you do…" Mason said under his breath while Cinder sat silently eating another donut.
"Oh you know just in town on business before we head back to Menagerie." The woman, Kali, said with a smile.
"Well I'm glad you were able to make it to the festival." Tukson returned the smile.
"Agreed." Said Ghira as he scooped up his daughter in his arms. "It's been to long since we were able to enjoy a festival as a family."
"Hello Blake." Tukson wave at the small girl who shyly waved back.
"Who're your friends Tukson?" Mason stood up and strode over, Cinder following him.
"Oh Mason. This is Ghira and Kali Belladonna and that's their daughter Blake." Tukson waved to the family.
"Pleasure to meet you. The name's Mason Fall and this is my daughter Cinder." Mason stuck his hand out.
"The pleasure is ours." Ghira said with a smile while he took Mason's hand in a vice grip and shook it. Mason returned it. "So where's this daughter you mentioned?"
"Hmm?" Mason looked behind himself and found Cinder trying to hide behind his legs. "Oh! She's right here. She's a bit shy around new people. Come on out Cinder they aren't going to hurt you."
Cinder slowly stepped out from behind Mason and introduced herself. "H-hello. My names Cinder Fall. It's very nice to meet you."
"Oh aren't you just the cutest thing." Kali clapped her hands together and smiled.
Cinder looked down and fidgeted with her fingers, embarrassed. "T-thank you miss."
"so what's everyone supposed to be? I'm assuming everyone's in costume?" Mason asked.
"Oh nothing to fancy." Kali smiled. "My husband and I decided to go as a family that had a tragic romantic falling out that ended in with the death of the wife in a cruel twist of fate."
"She means we're going as an ax murderer and his victim." Ghira deadpanned.
Kali lightly punched his arm. "Oh your no fun. What's life without a little bit of romance."
Tukson laughed. "You two never change do you. Well I've gone for the classic vampire look. And unless I missed my guess I bet Blake there is a ninja."
Blake shyly nodded her ears twitching slightly.
Smiling under his scarf Mason pointed to Cinder. "Well Cinder here went as the fall maiden, fire powers included."
Cinder looked up and smiled as she lit her fingers on fire.
"Oh very cool." Kali said.
"What about you Mason?" Tukson said. "You must have gone as something. It's not like you to miss a chance to dress up."
Mason snickered. "Oh I came as something alright."
Mason started to undo the scarf that covered his lower face. As the cloth dropped away everyone minus Cinder stepped back. Where masons lower jaw should have been was only his jaw bone. Pale white bone and teeth wreathed in blue flame chattered in silent laughter as mason looked at the horrified faces of those around him.
Sliding the sleeves of his shirt up past his elbow revealed the pale bones of his for arms instead of normal human flesh.
"What?" Mason's blue boney face chattered. "Never seen the living dead before?"
"Daaad stop your scaring them!" Cinder whined as she lightly hit him.
"Fine…" Mason raised a hand to his neck and flipped a hidden switch in his shirt. His face and arms flickered for a moment before the exposed bone was replaced with normal human skin. "That better?"
"Yes." Cinder said.
An awkward silence persisted for a moment before Tukson facepalmed. "Dammit Mason. I already told you we don't want a repeat of last year."
"How did you do that?" Ghira asked questioningly.
"Localized holograms." Mason smiled. "They can do some pretty cool things. Watch this."
Mason flipped the switch under his shirt again only this time instead of bone his head turned into that of a fish. Its big eyes wandering aimlessly. "Pretty cool huh?"
"Amazing." Kali said looking composed, but her eyes clearly showed she was holding back from pouncing on the fish head. Blake on the other hand was actively struggling against her father's arms.
Turning off the hologram Masons fish head returned to his normal human one.
"How did you get such advanced technology Mr. Fall?" Ghira asked. "I've never seen anything like that before."
Mason grinned. "Made it myself. It's the only one in the world as far as I'm aware of."
"You must be quite the scientist if you were able to make such an advanced piece of equipment."
"Eh." Mason shrugged. "It's just a hobby really. Most of my time is taken up with this little monster right here." Mason rubbed Cinder's hair.
Kali smiled. "I bet you've done a wonderful job raising her."
"I would hope so although she has seemed to have picked up my penchant for snark." Mason said. "You three should stop by for dinner before the festival is over. Get out of the city and enjoy the forests a bit before you head back to Menagerie."
"We'd love to." Kali said. "Would you like us to bring anything?"
"Nah, I got it covered unless you have any special requests." Mason said.
Ghira chuckled. "Well as you might have seen, little Blake here has a preference for fish I'm sure she'd appreciate it if there was fish for her to eat." Blakes ears perked a bit at the mention of fish.
Mason nodded. "I can do that."
A loud tapping noise was heard from the stage as a man tapped a microphone to test if it was on.
"Well it seems they are about to open the festival, so we best be going." Ghira said. "It was good to see you Tukson and you Mason."
"Oh right!" Mason said. "You guys need the address."
Mason reached into his pocket and wrote down where he lived on a small slip of paper. Passing it to Ghira he said. "It's some ways outside of Vale in the woods so it might be difficult to find me. Give me or Tukson a call if you can't find my house."
Ghira nodded. "We'll see you tomorrow for dinner then."
"I'll look forward to it." Mason smiled shaking Ghira's hand, both with less of a vice grip than before.
The Belladonna family turned and left heading towards the stage just as the speaker began the opening ceremony.
"You know." Mason turned to Tukson. "I never expected the leaders of the White Fang to be so nice. Or have such an adorable daughter."
"They are wonderful people who just want the best for their friends and family." Tukson nodded. "It's a shame they are stepping down from leading the White Fang soon since Ghira was nominated to be chief of Menagerie."
"Well enough standing around." Mason said. "what do you guys say we go and join in on the festivities and do some trick-or-treating."
Cinder and Tukson nodded and the trio made their way into the crowd just as the speaker announced the festival open and speakers began playing the Monster Mash.
AN
Two weeks I said… This will be up on Halloween I said… Midterms won't get in the way I said…
Boy was I wrong.
Anyway, I hope everyone enjoyed this little Halloween themed chapter.
In case, anyone was wondering, Mason's 'costume' was a modification of the blue skull from the first festival of the lost in Destiny 1. Cinder's was based of the book rendition of the Fall Maiden not Amber since we don't know she exists yet.
Hope everyone is enjoying the story and don't forget to leave a review or PM me.
Hope everyone had a great Halloween and is having a good schoolyear.
Have a good one Everyone!
-Zeak-
Edit: Is anyone opposed to me bringing in characters from other franchises? They would all be tailored to fit the RWBYverse and wouldn't be OP. just curious since I had an idea I might like to explore. If not I'll just have to make OCs.
