A Re-cut Gem

Chpt 3

Emerald grimaced slightly as she flexed her new fingers while gently rolling her wrists. The one thing she had come to dread when reattaching her arms was the pins and needles feeling that came with the synthetic nerves making connection.

"Everything in working order there Em?"

Emerald looked up from concentrating on her arms to see Pyrrha standing next to her with a slight hint of concern on her face. She still found it slightly odd that her field of direct view now stretched to cover her sides thanks to her additional eyes. Emerald smiled and nodded slightly, without needing to turn to 'face' Pyrrha. "Yeah, just working out the feeling of first connection with the nerves. Other than that these things almost feel like my original arms."

"That is wonderful to hear! I'm glad you like them, Yang will be pleased that she has another satisfied customer." Pyrrha smiled but her statement caused Emerald's head to snap in her direction as her eyes widened.

"Wait, tall blonde and brutish made these things? She never came across as the delicate engineering type for what I've seen and heard of her."

Jaune chuckled gently as he snapped the latches closed on the case that now contained Emerald's old arms, causing both women to look at him. "Yeah, that is the first thing most people tend to notice about her but they'd be wrong thinking that is all that to her. Beneath that yellow mass of hair is an astute and quite active mind. After breaking... three arms I think?, she got tired of buying replacements and started building and designing her own. After the dust settled from our fight with Salem and her followers Yang took her new little past time and turned it into quite the business, well when she isn't out on hunts."

"I am honestly surprised at that" stated Emerald as she shook her head. "Though I guess I never really got to know her before... Well before I started having second thoughts about my 'friends'." The thought brought the realization she would be now seeing, if not working with, so many people that she had caused pain and suffering. In all honesty it was more than a little intimidating.

The sound of Jaune's gauntlet clad hand slapping gently on the case of her arms brought Emerald out of her thoughts as looked towards her. "So Emerald, what do you want to do with these things? Not saying I'm an expert on the matter but they seemed to be in good condition if not a little crude, do you want to keep them?"

"Yeah, I'll hang on to them. Always nice to have back ups in case these new ones need maintenance." Emerald stated, motioning to her new arms. "So can I ask where I will be staying? I mean it wouldn't be the first time I've lived on the streets but I would think you would have like some sleaze motel I can crash in for the time being or something."

"Oh nothing of the sort Emerald. We would never let you stay in such a place while we could do anything about it." Pyrrha stated kindly as the small pile of boxes and containers became shrouded in a slight haze before floating slightly off the ground. " We have an extra room in our house on Patch which you can stay in until you're back on your feet, er, talons."

Emerald opened her mouth to protest but was cut of by when Pyrrha raised a finger in warning. "I won't be taking a no for a answer either. Trust me on this Emerald, the world isn't exactly very excepting of the Shaded. Even for Jaune and I, we still receive more that a few looks just by walking down the street."

Emerald could hear the sadness in Pyrrha's voice even as she wore a smile on her face though it didn't reach her eyes. Emerald never really considered just how much being a Shaded had affected Pyrrha. She would never be able to have the normal life she so desperately had wanted when they first had met. Oddly, Emerald realized she wouldn't be able to have a normal life either and it caused a small weight to settle in her chest.

"Meh, a human's version of 'normal' is just plain boring." Jaune stated as her wrapped an arm around his wife's shoulder and pulled her closer before planting a kiss on her temple, banishing the sadness that lingered in her eyes in a instant. "I prefer our definition of 'normal'. Which is to say completely unpredictable and full of people who should be committed, ourselves included. Wouldn't want it any other way."

Emerald couldn't help but chuckle as the trio left the room and headed out into the halls. Jaune still amazed her in how he could brighten the mood, not unlike a red haired scythe wielder. Three chatted idly as they made there way through the semi-crowded halls, not paying attention to the glances and looks that they and the pile of floating luggage and boxes received as they exited the build.

Jaune ambled walked to the back of a small covered pickup truck, the stickers and license plate announcing it as a rental, and opening the back hatch and tailgate before the floating pile of boxes neatly stored themselves away. The faint glow that had been shrouding them fade as Pyrrha gave a contented smile. "There we go, all set for the trip to the airdocks."

"That semblance of yours must comes in awful handy for you even outside of gutting Grimm." Emerald quipped as Jaune shut the truck back up before taking out a scroll from one of several pouches arrayed on his twin belts and looking at messages and missed calls.

Pyrrha nodded happily as she left Jaune to his business for the moment"Indeed it does, Jaune had the brilliant idea of placing metal plates on a lot of objects around the house. I can easily move just about anything around and nothing is out of my reach. "

"Though it is a firm house rule that sharp objects are forbidden from being floated around the house." Jaune added from the side while texting, causing Pyrrha to blush as a guilty look crossed her face before hanging her head slightly.

"Oh, I smell a juicy story in this house rule. C'mon Jaune-boy, I could use a good piece of dirt on miss saintly here." Emerald could only smile as Pyrrha's face turn the same shade as her hair and she covered her face as Jaune replied.

"She nearly cut my tail off with Milo when she forgot it in the bedroom as she was going out the front door for a hunt. I may not have had it that long but I am somewhat attached to it, metaphorically and literally speaking." Both Emerald and Pyrrha couldn't respond, one laughing too hard to breath properly and the other out of sheer embarrassment. The preoccupied trio didn't notice the pair of figures that were walking up to them until the beret clad of the pair announced their arrival.

"When you said you wanted to meet up for a shopping trip and to catch up, you failed to mentioned that you would bringing along a terrorist along for the trip P-money." The voice caused Emerald to stiffen before she slowly turned her head to get the speaker into her field of view. Sweat began to bead on the back of her neck as Coco glared death over the top of her shades at her while Velvet wore a conflicted look standing silently just behind her long time friend. "Would you care to explain?"

Pyrrha took several steps forward and placed a hand defensively on Emerald's shoulder as look of anger crossed her face. The touch served to unfreeze Emerald, allowing her to fully turn around but remained quiet as Pyrrha returned the hostile glare. "Coco, I politely ask that you not refer to Emerald as a Terrorist again. She is trying to leave that behind her and start a new life. I will not pretend to say she has not done terrible things but she has been given the chance to try and make things right!"

"S-she DID help Pyrrha and gave us the edge to take on Salem, Coco. If the councils pardoned her then shouldn't we give her a chance?" Velvet asked quietly from behind Coco, earning a glare from her former leader that caused her to squeak and rabbit ears to droop.

"You would actually want to give that manipulative little harpy a chance after all she's done?! She made Pyrrha kill Penny for fuck's sake!"Coco almost yelled at Velvet causing both Emerald and Pyrrha to take a step forward.

"Hey, don't yell at your friend, your problem is with me!" Emerald shouted in defense of the innocent Faunus woman as Pyrrha nodded in agreement before speaking up. "Emerald's right, don't yell at Velvet. Emerald might of made me kill Penny but she did get better!"

"You DO realize that defense would only works in Penny's case, right Pyrrha?" Coco deadpanned as she returned her glare glare to Emerald. Pyrrha went to respond but stopped with her mouth slightly open when she realize that Coco did make a point. Thankfully she was saved further embarrassment as Jaune stepped in after having kept quite.

"Now ladies, let's keep things civil here." Jaune's slightly raised tone held a commanding edge that caused the four huntresses to look to him. His face wore a look that said he would not tolerate any interruption as he continued.

"Pyrrha, there are some things that Emerald is going to have to face and accept about her past as she moves on. We can't always be there to defend her nor is it possible in some cases. Some of her actions and decisions she can try to make right but form others she has to live with them as her burden. All we can do is try and help make that burden one that won't crush her but we can't carry it for her, no mater how much we might want to."

Pyrrha's face softened into one of sad acceptance at her husband's words before she sighed and nodded her head in acknowledgement. The look on Jaune's face morphed to one of apology as he rested a hand on her shoulder before giving it a slight squeeze of comfort before returning to one of a commanding officer.

"Coco, I know you have a more personal grievance than most against Emerald and I am not going to say it isn't somewhat warranted nor that you must drop it. That said, Pyrrha, Ruby, and I all owe or lives to Emerald and it is only because of her and the information we gained from her turning against Cinder that we were able to defeat her and Salem. She has been given the chance to try and start life anew and I ask you as your friend and comrade-in-arms that you give her that chance. I'm not asking you to become her best friend or for you to instantly forgive her here and now but at least give her a chance."

Coco meet Jaune's even gaze with her own for several moments, the seconds stretched long by the tension. It was Coco who blinked first and with a frustrated sigh nodded her agreement which caused Jaune to give a small smile of thanks. The few brief moments of silence silence that followed felt longer that they were before Emerald broke it with a meek question.

"Sooo... Clothes shopping a good topic to talk about? I wouldn't mind some help since I don't really have an idea of what is in fashion these days." Her attempt at levity was met by mixed levels of amusement before Jaune handed Emerald a new scroll and made his excuses as for why he couldn't tag along earning a grumble from his wife as she would have to carry her own bags.

As the group of huntresses began to head away from the courthouse towards the shopping district Emerald noticed Jaune taking off his gauntlets before gently placing a hand gently on Coco's shoulder to hold her back. He saw Emerald and the others stop to look at him as well as the questioning look on Coco's face and smiled gently to them all. "Don't worry guys, I just need to talk to Coco about a few hunters guild things before I let her go."

"Go ahead guys, it shouldn't take too long, I'll catch up in a bit after I finish with vomit-man here." Coco gave a smiled and shooed the group onward before turning to Jaune and dropping the smile as the group moved out of ear shot. "OK big guy, what do you REALLY want to talk about. Going to say you will make me pay if I don't get along with your new little jailbird friend?"

Coco winced as the hand Jaune had on her shoulder tightened as he looked into Coco's eyes and the steel that was in his gaze caused her own to widen. "Actually it was about THAT and the Harpy comment you made earlier. Now I will give you the benefit of the doubt and believe that you aren't aware of some of words that are quickly becoming derogatory to we Shaded. Harpy happens to be one of the more offensive towards Shaded women with avian traits."

Coco gulped as she watched the whites of Jaune's eyes clouded to orbs of obsidian and his ocean blue irises turn to a dull glowing red. "However, given your close and long friendship with Velvet and several other Faunus I would think you would be more than aware of just how belittling and demeaning your 'pet' names can be when they are said in malice. You may not have meant them to convey a specieist meaning but as a Shaded that has been on the receiving end of such insults that is a hard thing NOT to see. I don't care that you have cause to attack Emerald personally but when people see a HUNTRESS throw insulting terms at a Shaded woman it only serves to enforce the belief that it is safe and acceptable for them to follow suit. I will let it go this time Coco, but if I ever hear you using such a tone or words with Emerald or any Shaded, friend or not we will be having more than just words. Do I make myself clear?"

Coco could only nod mutely as she was fixed in place by Jaune's stare. She had known Jaune had it in him to be intimidating but this was a side she had never seen and would be more than happy to avoid seeing ever again. Jaune released his grip on Coco's shoulder as his eyes returned to their normal coloration and gave her a curt nod in return.

It was several minutes before Coco caught up with the rest of her friends and she still was still a little shaken by her encounter with an angry Jaune. It didn't take Pyrrha long to see her friend's state and left Velvet and Emerald to bond over the shared annoyance of finding apparel to wear with appendages that stuck out from their bodies in a human dominated world.

"Coco are you alright? I had figured Jaune had held you back to talk about the names that you called Emerald but if this is how shaken up you are I think he might have went a little too far." Pyrrha said while placing a comforting hand on her friends shoulder which cause Coco to jump slightly.

"Y-yeah, he gave me the details about my little unintended specieism against your friend. Just remind me never to get on his bad side again, he is terrifying when his eyes go all Grimm." This last statement caused Pyrrha to gasp gently.

"He let his Grimm side show?! Oh I will be having words with him when we get home. Your tone and intended meaning with those remakes aside he didn't have to go that far! I apologize for my husband's action's Coco he tends to get extremely defensive about how people treat us." Pyrrha's face fell as she became somewhat lost in thought.

Coco saw Pyrrha's look and recognized it, Velvet used to wear it all the time at Beacon. It was one that told of constant harassment and the toll it took on a person."It really is that bad for your species, isn't it?" Now that Coco sourced just what had made Jaune so volatile she began to notice the signs as they walked.

People gave the group a wide berth, the packed crowd separating in front of them like a bow wave. The looks that many shot at Pyrrha and Emerald we filled with fear, disgust and hatred. It then clicked that not only could Pyrrha and Emerald SEE these looks and subtle actions but could literally FEEL the emotions that must be coming from the crowd. Pyrrha nodded gently as she read the realization that crossed Coco's face.

"It really is Coco, more than you could possibly understand as a human. It's one of the reason's our species tends to be rather reclusive and insular."

Coco looked at the Emerald and Velvet and saw the concern on Velvet's face. The Rabbit Faunus had most likely heard the conversation and also saw the hurt in Emerald's eyes as well. Coco sighed and shook her head at her own actions. She may not like Emerald but Jaune was right, using her new species as a point of attack was out of line. Just how many times had she had to come to Velvet's defensive while they were at Beacon from such actions?

"Now I feel like a hypocrite and an ass, terrific..." Coco hung her head as she wiped her hand down her face in frustration. "I'll make it a point not say anything that might come across offensive but I'm not gonna say we can be friends."

"I don't expect us to become BFFs or anything Coco, not after some of the stuff I've done." Coco winced physically as she realized that Emerald had over heard her last statement and looked to see Emerald's slightly turned head look at her with he left eyes and small smile on her face. "I will settle for 'not going to murder me in my sleep for vengeance'."

Coco raised an eyebrow as she looked at Emerald questioningly with a ghost of a smile hovering at the corners of her mouth. "Do I really come across as the murder you in your sleep type? If I am going to kill you for vengeance I guarantee that you will be awake, you will armed and you will be facing me."

Emerald nodded and gave a thumbs up towards the fashionista. "Good to know, now I will give up the life of a fighter and never lift a weapon again." Her comment caused both Velvet and Pyrrha to snicker gently and earned a annoyed look from Coco causing Emerald to hold up her hands in a placating manner. "OK, still to early in the 'relationship' for jokes I see. Well once I get a new set of weapons I wouldn't be opposed to a re-match, as long as you don't actively try to kill me."

"Well let's not get ahead of ourselves, we first need to get you some new clothing that we can then heavily modify." Pyrrha hurriedly said steering the conversation back into safer waters. "So Coco, It has been a while since I last went shopping in Vale. Do you know any places that won't break the bank but have a good selection?"

Coco tapped her finger against her chin in thought before nodding. "Yeah, I think I know of a few. Used to visit them a lot when I was still in Beacon and didn't have the income for the higher end stuff. Still stop buy the places every now again, choices are pretty good for the price range."

"Splendid to hear, lead the way Coco." Pyrrha smiled and motioned for her friend to take the lead. Coco nodded as she picked up her pace slightly, pulling up even with Emerald and Velvet. The rabbit eared woman did place herself between the to as a bit of a buffer, and kept the conversation light by focusing on the more mundane topics as the grouped traveled.

Thankfully for the two Shaded women the walk didn't take all that long though the two were both somewhat uncomfortable from the negative emotions their very presence generated. The store was located in a closed plaza that housed other clothing and attire stores as well as several cafes and miscellaneous store fronts. The crowd that filled the was as mixed as any other shopping hub in Vale but due to a few of the clothing stores pandering to Hunter's in their selection of apparel there was noticeable number of hunters and hunters-in-training in the mix, some even in the Beacon uniform.

Velvet couldn't help but notice that many of the hunters-in-train were looking at Pyrrha and Emerald like they would a Beowulf, some even absentmindedly reaching for non-existent weapons. She shook her head gently and sighed at the site hating that her friends were treated like this."You would think a Goliath had lumber in the way some of them are acting..."

"It can't be helped really Velvet, the Shaded whose minds don't survive the transformation and mental assault of the Shade parasite end up as little more than half-feral barbarians and sadly they out number those of use who have survived." Pyrrha stated sadly as the group entered a shop named
La chasseuse voilée with Coco in walking in as if it was her home.

In side a woman with ebony black hair done in side a elaborate weave sat behind the counter idly working on a archaic but functional loom. Oddly she wore a floor length wine red ball gown and a somewhat odd looking corset that none the less accented the dress perfectly as she worked. She was in coming into the twilight years of middle age but wore its signs gracefully and upon seeing Coco her gently lined face lit up like a candle.

"Coco? Oh Darling it has been far to long! I thought you had forsaken my establishment when you went off to Mistral to help with that awful terrorist group all that time ago." The aging woman rose from her work station and practically glided around the counter to embrace Coco, the pair exchange quick kisses to both cheeks.

"I would never abandon one of my favorite places or you Charlotte! Honestly I am hurt you would even conceive the idea." Coco feigned a hurt look that caused the older woman to laugh before giving her a playful shove.

It was then that Charlotte noticed the others as they stood several steps behind Coco. To both Pyrrha's and Emerald's surprise the woman's smile did not even falter as she looked the two Shaded in the eyes. "Oh you brought friends as well, and some rather stunning ones at that! Come dear, don't leave an old woman in the dark, introductions are in order I would think."

Coco smiled and pulled Velvet forward by the wrist before grasping her by the shoulders in front of her. "Well obviously you know this cutie right here, you did help us with our graduation dresses. As for these two ladies the red headed one is none other than my good friend Pyrrha Arkos and the one next to her is her friend Emerald Sustrai. Girls, this lovely woman her is Charlotte Webb, owner of La chasseuse voilée and seamstress extrodinare."

Pyrrha gave a radiant smile and bowed politely in greet. "A pleasure to meet you Mrs. Webb, you have quite the shop here. Our friend Emerald here is in need of some new clothing and Coco recommended we stop here." Pyrrha motioned to Emerald who gave a small smile and a cheerful wave.

"Emerald Sustrai... I feel I've heard that name before, hmmm." Charlotte stated as she walked over to Emerald, examining her intently which caused Emerald to lean back slightly as a worried looked crossed the other faces.

"Wait! I remember now! You were the one that beat Coco and that hunky partner of hers! Weren't you with that vile woman that caused that whole disaster." Charlotte's statement but all the girls on edge and caused a look of dread to creep across Emerald's face.

"Um, well... kinda yeah." Emerald quite admitted and sighed, not even a few hours out of the clink and already people were noticing her despite her shift in species. "B-but I didn't really know what her plan was at the time and by the time I found out it was too late to stop. I turned against them and well, that is how I ended up like this..." Emerald extended her wings slightly and motioned to them.

Charlotte turned from her examination of the Shaded woman a looked to Coco who gave her a thumbs up and a small nod. Charlotte sighed and gave a small shrug. "Well if Coco hasn't turned you into a fine past with that handbag of hers and you are friends with the legendary Mrs. Arkos I suppose it means you are trustworthy. Your little story also tells me why you are in those ghastly state made street clothes."

"So you knew she was a released prisoner from when she came in then Charlotte?" Pyrrha asked curiously as Emerald sagged visibly finally being out of the seamstress's gaze. This relief was short lived as Charlotte grabbed her by the wrist and dragged her to the front counter.

Charlotte nodded as she looked over her shoulder at Pyrrha as she moved back around the counter, grabbing a measuring tape and notepad. "Well of course dear, I've had a lot of former White fang members in the shop after they've gotten out on parole so I see her kind of clothing in her quite a bit really."

"I had guessed you were a rather open minded individual when you didn't bat an eye at Pyrrha and I. I'm actually surprised to find a Faunus friendly, let alone a Shaded friendly, shop this close to downtown." Emerald smiled, gently as Charlotte got to taking her measurements.

Pyrrha nodded in agreement at Emerald's words as she slowly walked through the racks and shelves of clothing browsing. "I would have to agree with Emerald, most shops are hesitant to let Shaded even stand in front of their doors sad as it is. One would think that after the White Fang being turned into a terrorist group people would learn, but I've been to Faunus run shops that have turned me away..."

Charlotte gave a rather unladylike snort of disgust at hear that. "Those hypocrites, I remember what it was like to be treated like I was little more than an animal, I doubt I could forget even if I tried."

"Pyrrha peaked around a shirt she held up in her hands with a inquisitive look on her face. "I thought you might be a Faunus but I didn't want to appear rude. Might ask what your heritage is Mrs. Webb?"

Charlotte laughed gently as she finished measuring the base of Emerald's wings and moved to her waist, looking into the mirror of the fitting station at Pyrrha's reflection. "Please dear, not so formal, you and your friend here can call me Charlotte. As to my heritage I am proud to say I am a Spider Faunus."

At her statement Charlotte's 'corset' unwrapped itself from around her torso, extending into four charcoal black spider legs. Both Pyrrha and Emerald blinked in surprise but neither reacted past what a person might do when shown a hidden tattoo. "I honestly don't like wrapping them up like I do but if I kept them extended I would have to walk sideways all around my shop. And done with the measurements!"

Emerald nodded and hopped off the small raised platform but yelped as she was tugged sideways by Charlotte who had a glint of mischief in her eyes. "Now on to the fun part, come with me dear and let us see just what we can do with this lovely figure of yours" Both the Faunus and the Shaded disappear into the isles of clothing, the protests of the latter becoming more muffled the further in the two went.

As they watched the spectacle with amused grins on their faces the three remaining women continued to browse the selection the story had to offer. It wasn't long however until Velvet remembered a question that had been on her mind and the Rabbit Faunus made her way to Pyrrha who was thumbing through several leather belts.

"Pyrrha, since Emerald is occupied I just want to ask, have you told her about Praetoria yet?"

Pyrrha flinched visibly before sighing and shaking her head. "No, not yet. I really should, shouldn't?"

Velvet frowned and nodded. "It wouldn't be fair if the first time Emerald finds out about your daughter is when she gets tackled by one of her infamous flying surprise hugs. Honestly I don't know why you've kept it from her this long."

Pyrrha sighed and set the belts she had been looking at down before turning around and looking her friend in the eye. "Velvet, me and Jaune kept Praetoria a secret from Emerald because she was already going through so much already in her life. It would have made her time in prison that much harder. She would have told us to stop helping her and take spend the time with our daughter instead, even though we barely saw her once a month if at that. After her parole hearing was set and her defence we had planned on telling her but we didn't get the chance as a good time never seem to present itself."

Velvet sighed and shook her head before giving her Pyrrha a stern look which Pyrrha shrank away from with a guilty look on her face. "Well you should keep it hidden any longer. She is free and among friends, now is as good as you are going to get."

Pyrrha smiled and nodded but as she turned around to head back and tell Emerald a commotion arose from the dressing rooms and the Woman in question's voice echoed from the back.

"H-hey! watch where your are sticking those pins and stop grabbing my- GAH! personal space! PERSONAL SPACE!"

Velvet and Pyrrha shared a glance at each other before looking questionably at Coco who had a wide grin plastered on her face. "I might have neglected to mention that Charlotte can get a little handsy when she is helping fit your clothing. I guess it completely slipped my mind."

Velvet sighed and pinched the bridge of her nose as the sounds of the scuffle continued to come from the dress. "Well, maybe it can wait a little longer. Maybe you can tell her after lunch and a nice, soothing cup of tea."

Pyrrha sighed and nodded in agreement before the trio headed back to help their friend from the grasp of the salacious seamstress.