Setting: Ebony's Airship
The time has finally come. Team VRSZ's adventure in the kingdom of Atlas has ended. Remus, Silver, Zelts, Lily, and Azura were successful in finding Violet and bringing her back home.
Though, the bringing her back-home part was mostly done by an unlikely ally, Ebony Vantablack, who had her own plans that were all accomplished thanks to her manipulation and cunning. Now she had permission and the authority to travel to any of the kingdoms she wanted and work as a diplomat. She also gained a new retainer with Zinnia Underland, the dutiful former Atlas Specialist who was also Violet's older cousin. Ebony also had Dr. Lupa under her protection after blackmailing General Ironwood and she planned to return the scientist to Patch. In a way, Ebony has done much more than everyone else.
Right now, everyone was aboard Ebony's airship where they were flying back to Vacuo which would be a two-day flight. Team VRSZ, Lily and Azura had their own rooms on the second floor while Ebony, Blood, Zinnia, and Dr. Lupa stayed on the first floor. It was agreed by all how important it was to keep Remus and Lupa separate. The Blue Flicker must never know what happened to his surrogate mother in Atlas. He wouldn't be able to handle it. Dr. Lupa decided it was best for her to stay in her room for the remainder of the flight so she wouldn't bump into him. The others walked around or stayed in their rooms during this flight.
The broken moon was in the sky as stars decorated the night sky. Azura turned in early and so did Silver. Remus was in his room as well, but he was staring at the other half of Romulus that wasn't destroyed and was thinking hard about something. Blood was in the room that served as the common grounds area where he was having a surprisingly pleasant conversation with Zelts and was being properly introduced to Lily. Violet was having her own talk with Lupa, where they discussed their shared problems in Atlas and about Remus.
Ebony was piloting the airship herself. She enjoyed flying especially when she could control which direction she flew. The Vantablack was alone for most of the day but was joined by Zinnia. She saw her newest addition enter and Ebony smiled.
"Come to check on me? Don't worry. I won't fall asleep on the job. Been flying this airship for my aunt when she was still around," Ebony said with confidant eyes.
Zinnia didn't respond and her face was stoic. Ebony figured she would have to get used to that for some time before the young woman eased up around her and the charming Vantablack tried to do that right now.
"Zinnia, I'd like to tell you something."
"What is it, ma'am," Zinnia responded formally.
"Don't ever call me ma'am. We're around the same age," Ebony said seriously before continuing. "I know you just got here, but I'm naming you my confidant."
Zinnia was very surprised by this promotion. She didn't know what she did to deserve this, especially since she just joined Ebony a couple hours ago.
"I'm sorry? Me?" Zinnia asked, still not believing what she just heard Ebony say.
"Yeah, you. I've always planned on making you my second-in-command. You're not happy with that?"
"N-no! That's not what I'm saying! It's just… what about Blood?"
"Hmm… Ash and I's relationship is built on an obligation than willingness. Also, I want my right-hand to be someone who will question my authority. Not as an attempt to constantly overthrow me, but to make sure I'm doing right by what I say."
"That's what you want?" Zinnia asked, understanding what Ebony was saying.
"I don't want or need blind loyalty. A free thinker with a strong will like you is perfect to be my confidant. I'm counting on you, Zinnia," Ebony said with a cheery demeanor.
"Thank you… my lady," Zinnia responded, choosing to address her differently instead of saying ma'am.
"Just call me Ebony. Also, trust goes both ways. I can't expect you to be by my side without showing that I'll stand by yours. So, I'm going to tell you something I've never told anyone else."
Zinnia didn't know what Ebony could say that was so secretive she didn't tell another soul about. It was making her a little nervous, but hid it behind her steely gaze.
"My semblance. I call it Charm. When it's active, I can influence the minds of others by speaking to them. In a way, it makes me a master of persuasion. It makes people do things I want them to and they believe they've done so of their own free will. Pretty scary, huh?"
"…Is that how you got all the things you wanted in Atlas?" Zinnia asked, feeling like she was fooled all along. "Is that how you got me to agree to come with you?"
"I'll admit, I used it here and there when talking to the high council to keep things moving forward. However, I don't rely on it all the time. I prefer to get results my own way. Just like how I asked you if you want to join me. Remember what I said? I don't want or need blind loyalty," she answered honestly.
"Charm sounds like a very tricky semblance. I don't a lot of people getting past it," Zinnia said.
"Oh, there is one way to get past it. My aunt knew about it. She was the only person in the world that knew and now I'm about to tell you. The fact that you're aware of Charm means you won't by caught by it."
"What does that mean?"
"There's no sign or indication when my semblance is active, but as long as you are aware of it when I'm talking, you're mentally guarded against it. Is that a good enough secret for you?" Ebony concluded with a happy face.
"…So, a person has to be on guard when she's speaking at all times. That's an obvious weakness, but rather difficult to do. To focus on Charm while performing other tasks can be too much for some people. And the fact that she doesn't use it all the time can put a mental strain on anyone constantly on guard. It really is a frightening semblance," Zinnia thought to herself.
"Now you know about my semblance and how to beat it. You're the only person in the world who knows it, Zinnia, meaning we can talk to each other as equals. That's how much faith I have in you as we grow as partners," Ebony said.
"It's late, get some rest. We'll be landing in Vacuo tomorrow," Ebony told Zinnia.
"Yes… Lady Ebony," Zinnia addressed before leaving.
"Hmm…she used my first name. That's a start," the charming Vantablack said to herself, feeling satisfied with the talk she had with her confidant.
The Next Day
Everyone was trying to keep themselves busy while they waited for the flight to be over. Violet, Lily, Remus and Silver were in the common area. Blood was there too, but he wasn't with engaging with everyone. He stood by the window were his gaze was fixed. He kept his mind on the shape of the clouds and thought about flying through them. Blood wanted to avoid getting into a conversation about his allegiance with the others. This plan was thwarted by Silver who spoke up abruptly.
"Are we going to avoid the elephant in the room?" Silver shouted out for everyone to hear.
No one said anything at first, but Remus looked around the common area before saying, "I don't see an elephant in here. Where is it?"
"Dammit, Remus. That's not what I- Forget it!" Silver groaned as he pinched the bridge of his nose. "Why are we here with Blood like nothing happened between us? He's a turncoat!"
Blood didn't say anything because he didn't believe there wasn't anything to say. Silver was right. Lily felt out of place in this conversation. She had just met Blood and he seemed like a very nice person to her. Remus had conflicting feelings about the faunus. He didn't know what to do so he kept those thoughts to himself.
"It's more complicated than you think, Silver," Violet told her teammate.
"How?" he asked.
"… I don't know. We never really got to that point and it seems like he can't say."
"Then how can you be sure you can trust him?"
"Can you really talk about trust after the Greyhound incident?" Violet asked, knowing it would shut him up.
"How long were you holding onto that?" Silver asked her.
"A long time," Violet answered nonchalantly.
"…Fair enough," he answered, dropping the subject.
"What's the commotion about?" Ebony said, entering the common grounds with Zinnia by her side.
"Please tell me someone's flying this thing?" Silver asked, feeling worried.
"This airship has its own auto-pilot system. It's perfectly safe. Now, why are you hounding my Ash?" she asked Silver in a tone similar to an adult talking down to a child.
"Don't think so poorly of Ash. All of you are friends. I'm sure he explained why he's with me."
"No, he hasn't," Silver retorted.
Blood looked at Ebony with a slightly confused look. He had no idea he could talk about his deal with Ebony and she wouldn't be upset about it. The charming Vantablack's casual demeanor proved he had no idea how to read her. She was impossible.
"During the attack on Fortuna, Clair was in a bit of a predicament and at my mercy. Blood was there and he begged me to let her go. We came to an agreement that I'll let Blood take my cousin safely out of Fortuna and he'd return as one of my retainers until I say so or if my actions somehow harm Clair. Our alliance is based solely on that deal nothing more," Ebony explained.
"…"
"…"
No one knew what to say.
They never got the full story and now they heard it. Silver felt like a jerk for accusing his friend for betraying them. If the roles were reversed and it was Bianca, he'd do the same thing. Violet was relieved and so was Lily. Violet knew there was something more complex involved with their relationship. Lily was just glad that the tension in the room died. Remus felt better. He felt like he could still call Blood his friend, something he was glad wouldn't change. Blood looked to Ebony and felt grateful to her for removing this burden off his shoulders. He was glad his friends no longer looked at him with doubtful eyes.
"So, can all of you behave yourselves while I fly this thing? Good," Ebony said, answering for them in a sweet tone.
"What is her game?" Silver asked aloud.
He looked to Blood for any insight on the peculiar woman and he only shrugged. Even he couldn't' figure out her thought process. She was hard to read.
Ebony walked out of the common area to return to her flying with Zinnia following a few paces behind her. Something was eating at Lily and she felt like now was the best time to ask now that Ebony wasn't in the room anymore.
"Do you guys know where she's taking us?"
"Back to Vacuo," Violet answered. "We had an agreement."
"I know that, but exactly where in Vacuo?" Lily's questioned grabbed the attention of everyone, Blood included.
"You guys told me your home, Fortuna, was destroyed, so where else would she take us?"
None of the members of VRSZ knew of any other place they could go to in Vacuo. Maybe Virago since that was the last place the boys were and due to the close ties between Clair and Saffron. Violet glanced over at Blood who shrugged because he didn't know either.
Could this be a trap? Violet didn't think so. She didn't know a whole lot about Ebony, but she seems to be the type of person to keep her end of a bargain. The question still remained: where was she taking them?
Setting: Vacuo
The airship made its smooth flight over the seas with the eastern land of Samus in eyesight. Violet, Zelts, Silver, Remus, and Azura all looked out whatever window they could to get a good view of their homeland. They noticed the stark difference between Vacuo and Atlas. The blistering heat compared to the frigid cold and the barren wasteland compared to the bustling cities. Completely different. They've been gone for so long, they were actually surprised to see it again.
None of them were happier to be back than Violet. When she first returned to her family's home, she thought it was the end of her time as a free woman, as a member of Team VRSZ, and as Violet Tulipe, but she couldn't have been happier when her boys came to bring here back. It showed just how much she meant to them and the feeling was mutual. Violet didn't know if she ever said it to them, but she loved them all, dearly.
"Finally! We're home!" Silver shouted in relief. "Ha! I never thought I'd be happy to see nothing but sand again."
"It's good to be back," Zelts replied with a smile.
Azura didn't say anything. She just looked out the window and contemplated what she would do once she reached the ground.
Lily didn't feel the same as the others. She didn't have a lot of fond memories in Vacuo. It reminded her of Never-End and she wanted to distance herself from that horror as much as she could. She was wondering how she could go back to Patch and how to break the news to Zelts.
Remus gazed out the window and looked at the sand and wondered aloud, "I wonder what the others are doing?"
"I don't know," Violet answered. "Your guess is as good as mine. What were they doing before you guys left?"
Silver and Zelts glanced at each other before Zelts answered with, "We were all saying goodbye to Team CLSH. Cerise and the others were enrolling into Shade Academy. We left a few days after. I'm sure what Clair is doing now."
Violet looked a little saddened by what he said about Team CLSH.
"Oh, I didn't get to see them off…"
"We'll see them again," Silver interjected to brighten her mood. "It's not like they're gone forever. We're bound to run into them in the future."
A small grin formed on Violet's face at the chance of running into their juniors again. "Yeah, you're right. Probably won't even recognize them when we see them."
"Hmm… Their hair color is rather distinctive. I'm sure we'll know who they are when we-"
"Argh! Remus, she just meant they'll be- ah forget it!" Silver shouted, disregarding his friend's lack of understanding certain terms.
Violet couldn't help but laugh at their antics. She really missed them.
"Attention all passengers, we'll be landing soon. Gather your things and prepare to disembark," Ebony said on the intercom, saying it like she was having fun.
"Seriously, where is she taking us?" Silver asked, hoping someone could give him an answer.
Setting: Vacuo Desert
The airship was finally landing. Ebony hoped her passengers were happy with their flight and was a little sad she didn't get to mingle with them as much as she wanted to. However, she knew better than anyone that time is fleeting, plus she promised someone else to be at this location on time and Ebony liked to be known as someone who kept their word.
Near the airships' landing spot was a black vehicle and a person standing in front of it. It looked like a car, but it didn't have any wheels and the structure was unique. It was unknown what type of vehicle it really was, but the owner was all too familiar. Watching the airship land on the ground was Clair de Lune Vantablack, the former monarch of Fortuna.
She was dressed more casually than she usually does. Clair had on black denim shorts and a white, sleeveless, ruffled neck blouse. She had a necklace with sparkling, silver crescent moon pendant, a sliver bracelet on her right wrist, and black and white converse. Her blouse had a breast pocket and in that pocket was the short sword pen Sterling gave her. She kept it on her person as a memento and her choice of weapon.
The airship landed and opened up a bridge for people to exit the flying vehicle. It didn't take long for the members of VRSZ to walk out. Silver was the first to exit the airship. He fell to his knees once he was on the ground and started kissing it, saying how much he missed Vacuo. He eventually stopped kissing the sand and started spitting it out of his mouth. The others followed after him and they all laid their eyes on Clair who smiled at them.
"Clair!" Remus shouted in joy.
He ran over to his friend and gave her a big hug and she returned the favor. Clair was happy to see him again after all this time as well as the others, but her feelings for them were eclipsed by seeing her best friend Violet. Neither of them had seen each other since the destruction of Fortuna and Clair had been worrying about Violet this whole time. She was glad to see her friend was safe and sound, though she was surprised to see her with a blond pixie cut. She felt like the purple hair suited her better. Clair released herself from Remus's embrace and approached the others.
"Pfttt… pft…. Hey Clair," Silver said, sitting on the ground and spitting sand out his mouth then resumed kissing.
"It's good to see you again," she replied then chuckled at him.
Clair walked past him while ruffling his hair then went to the others. Zelts smiled when he saw her, but stepped aside so she and Violet could reunite after all this time. He knew she was glad all of them were back, but she was being polite by speaking to the others first instead of going directly to Violet. It was a courtesy Clair was grateful for.
"Clair, I'm so-" Violet's words were halted when her friend embraced her in a big hug.
Arms wrapped tightly around Violet and she could easily understand the emotions the former monarch was feeling. Violet was lifting her right arm to pat her best friend on the back, but her own feelings overcame her and she transitioned from a pat to a hug. The two women embraced each other. No words were spoken but a lot was said between them in this tender moment.
Azura and Lily walked off the airship and watched the two of them hug while coming down. Lily thought it was sweet and Azura didn't think anything of it. Actually, she was wondering why Silver was on his hands and knees and kissing the sand. It was so weird, but it was all Azura could look at.
Violet and Clair loosened their hold on the other so they could look each other in the face. Violet smiled a little and so did Clair until she moved in and kissed Violet on the corner of her lips. This shocked the Flower greatly and she took a huge step back while jerking her head away from her friend. She brought her fist up to her face and wiped the spot Clair kissed before gawking at her. Clair giggled and looked like she was having fun which upset Violet even more.
"WHY?!" Violet shouted.
Things were back to normal between them.
"I haven't seen you in so long, I thought it was necessary. Besides, you're not the only one I'm aiming for," Clair said before turning her attention to Zelts.
The knight stiffened because he didn't know what to do. This was how Clair showed affection to friends, but he believed he shouldn't accept it because Lily was here. His hesitation cost him because Clair was already in front of him. She cupped the left side of his face then kissed him on the right cheek. It was a peck so Zelts didn't think it was so bad. Lily watched and didn't get jealous either. She heard about Clair from Zelts and knew she could get like this. She actually found Zelts's dumbfounded reaction rather funny.
The next person Clair was pursuing was Silver. He finally ceased his kissing of Vacuo and rose to his feet. He was about to ask what everyone was doing, but when he turned around to look at them, the first thing he saw was Clair. She grabbed the back of his head and tilted it forward so she could kiss him square on the forehead. If anything, she got him to stop kissing the ground.
"Uuuuuhhhh…." Silver was stunned by this action and she giggled.
Clair pet his head then walked over to Remus who knew what was coming but also knew he couldn't avoid it. He was already blushing before she wrapped her arms around him and it only got worse when she planted her lips on his cheek. He's never had experience with such intimacy so he didn't know the proper way to respond. Once Clair kissed him, Remus ducked his head to avoid her eyesight and she thought it was cute.
She turned around toward the others and walked to Azura and Lily. Neither of them was expecting to receive the same treatment and Azura wasn't having it. When Clair got close to Azura, the female Cobalt raised her hand up and placed it on Clair's chest, keeping her at arm's length.
"That's okay. I don't do kisses," Azura said firmly.
"Ah," Clair faked whined, but got over it instantly.
She turned to Lily who didn't know what to do if Clair kissed her. She figured she'd have to accept it a properly introduce herself. The two hugged each other, Clair kissed her on the cheek then the two parted.
"I take it you're Lily? Zelts speaks about you so much, but his description doesn't do you justice. You're much prettier than he let on," Clair complimented.
"Thank you so much. It's nice to finally meet you too," Lily said with a smile.
The group of friends were together at last, but the moment didn't last long. The other passengers of the airship were exiting the vehicle and joined the others. The only one who didn't come out was Dr. Lupa. They stood on the drawbridge while Azura, Lily, and Clair were standing. Ebony's eyes were on her cousin and she had a pleased expression. Zinnia scanned the area to see if there was anything to hidden but saw nothing. Blood had his eyes set only on Clair. He wasn't expecting to see her this quickly after returning to Vacuo. He didn't know what to do or say.
Clair looked up to see the three of them together and her gaze was on Blood who seemed to feel uncomfortable with her looking at him. Her face changed from happy to something unknown and unreadable. She wasn't angry with him, but she didn't know if she should be happy either. Clair was dealing with a situation she has never experienced. It was confusing for both of them.
The others felt the awkward tension and didn't know what to say or how to properly tell Clair about Blood's deal. VRSZ was going to tell her about it, but now they wondered if Blood was going to tell her or not. The person that finally broke the ice was Ebony.
"Well, this awkward. Clair, let's clear the air between us. Ash is with me now as part of our deal to keep you safe. You won't get him back just yet."
"Blood," Clair wanted confirmation from him and he did in the form of a nod.
She walked up to him and placed a caring hand on his shoulder. He wasn't expecting that nor the kiss to the check. She pulled back and smiled warmly at him before saying, "Be careful out there."
The bat faunus kept his usual composure now that he had Clair's understanding then said, "I will. I'll be back someday."
The moment between them came to an unfortunate end when Clair needed to speak with her cousin. The two Vantablacks stood before one another and none of the others thought of interfering on their potential conversation. Blood stepped down from the bridge to join the others on the ground while Zinnia took a couple steps back to stay behind Ebony in case she needed to act.
Clair's face was stoic while Ebony's was whimsical. The first to move was Clair and she did so by raising her hand for her cousin to shake. "Thank you for the Lien you sent after the destruction of Fortuna. You and the rest of the family have been so supportive. It really means a lot to me."
Ebony shook Clair hand then said, "Think nothing of it. Family helps family after all. I'm glad to see you're doing well after our aunt's attack."
"And I'm pleased to hear negotiations in Atlas went well. It's nice to see a diplomat in the family. Will you be starting here in Vacuo?" Clair asked.
This was one of the first times anyone has ever surprised Ebony. She only became a diplomat yesterday and Clair knew about that somehow. What's more impressive about this was the fact of the CCT being down, prevented global communications between kingdoms. Clair's ability to gather information was on another level.
Ebony found an adversary and rival in the form of her cousin and it made her giddy.
"I wish to start here, if Vacuo will have me," Ebony responded.
They both had happy looks but neither really seemed to like the other as they led on. To everyone around them, their dynamic seemed to portray a rivalry, but also something else like a clash between siblings.
"Well, it's about time we go. I brought your lovely friends back as promised and now I bid you farewell. I hope we can build a lasting relationship," Ebony said in a delighted tone.
"Likewise. And if you ever come to our new home, I'd love to give you a tour," Clair responded in kindness, but it was hard to tell if it was genuine or not.
"Ash, Zinnia, it's time to go."
Blood glanced at everyone before moving to board the airship. Everyone on VRSZ wished him luck, Azura nodded in recognition and Lily looked at Ebony.
"Ebony!" Lily called out.
"Yes?"
"You're going to Patch next, right?"
"Do you want a lift home?" Ebony offered.
Lily didn't answer her. She turned to Zelts and hoped he could understand that she wanted to return home.
"I'm sorry Zelts," she told him in a pleading tone.
"For what?" he asked.
"You're not upset I don't want to stay in Vacuo with you?" she questioned.
"I never expected you to. You hate fighting more than anyone else and you didn't want to fight again after Never-End. How can I be upset with you?" If anything, I should apologize for asking you to fight with us," Zelts admitted.
"You asked me to help a friend. How could I say no to that?" Lily told him.
Zelts wrapped his arms around Lily and they embraced each other lovingly before kissing each other. Everyone else liked the moment, but none more than Ebony who was imaging she was the one kissing Zelts and they were using tongue. The lewd expression didn't go unnoticed by Blood and Zinnia who grabbed their liege by her arms and dragged her back to the airship. Lily and Zelts stopped kissing and she left his arms, following the others into the airship.
And as quickly as they appeared, Ebony and her group departed, flying through the sky with Patch as their destination to drop off Lily and Dr. Lupa. Zelts watched the airship leave with a sense of longing and Silver pit a hand on his friend's shoulder.
"Hey… you, you good?" Silver asked his friend.
"No, but I will be," Zelts assured him.
Silver smirked before saying, "Good to hear because the two of us have some grooming to do."
"Grooming?"
"Yeah. I gotta get some gel for my hair and get it back to the way it was. And you need to shave of the beard you grew," Silver said with an amused look.
Zelts couldn't help but smile. "Do I really have to?"
"It worked in Atlas, but your face is gonna be sweating nonstop in Vacuo. Not a lot of people here have the 'lumberjack' look."
Chuckling to Silver's joke and stroking his beard, Zelts said. "You might be right. Time for a shave."
"Then are we ready to go?" Clair asked them, waiting for their conversation to be over.
"Yes please, I'm ready to get out of here," Azura stated bluntly.
Clair pulled out car keys from her pocket and pressed a button. The car-like vehicle activated and began to slightly change in appearance. The metal plates where the wheels should be were raised slightly then began to release some kind of exhaust. The vehicle began to rise from the sand and the members of VRSZ could see what it was. Clair's car was redesigned into a hovercar.
"So cool!" Silver commented with mesmerized eyes.
"Someone got some new perks," Violet said to Clair as she walked to the vehicle.
"Wheels and sand don't mix. Onyx was more than happy to tinker with my car. Now, Let's go home. You all have people waiting for you."
Everyone got in the hovercar which had seats for all of them. It could hold six passengers with three seats in front and three in back. Clair sat in the driver's seat with Violet beside her. Remus, Silver, Azura, and Zelts sat in the back. The hovercar began to move and it did so faster than the members of VRSZ were expecting. It was much faster than a regular car.
"Finally, we're going home," Violet said relieved and Clair chuckled a little.
"Speaking of home, where is home?" Silver asked. "Fortuna's gone. Unless you rebuilt the city while we were away."
Clair shook her head then said, "No. Fortuna is no more. It's in the past and I want to move forward. A lot has changed since you guys been gone."
"I'd think so if we've been gone for over two months," Zelts commented.
"So, where are we going?" Remus asked.
Clair answered, "To a place that's new and still growing. It's called Nexus."
Next Chapter: Welcome to Nexus
The relationship between Clair and Ebony is complex, but it is based on the original 'Frenemy' relationship I was going to have for Violet and Clair when I first created the characters. They don't hate each other, but they aren't friends either and don't trust the other. There is a bit of respect between them, but that's probably the only nice thing they'd say about the other. If anything, Clair and Ebony will have a sort of rivalry where they try to one-up the other.
With Clair and Violet against Ebony and Zinnia, both sides have a Vanatblack and an Underland. I purposely did this so they'd mirror each other. Originally, Ebony wanted to recruit Azura, but the female Cobalt had no desire to be around her. If she did recruit Azura, then both sides would also have a Cobalt.
Vacuo is a place that is changing like the shifting sands and a lot has changed in the two and a half months Team VRSZ has been gone. Next chapter will establish those changes, where the team stands, and whether or not the they can adapt to them.
