Welcome to a new Chapter for May shadows guide us, Authors Note at the end of the chapter, read it.
Being the heir to an old family, noble, rich, or Hunter alike meant that you had to learn at least some of the courtesies that came with it. For Weiss, that was learning how to run the Schnee family accounts, for Jaune and Tristram, learning how to lead a force under arms and running a town or village, for Yang Xiao Long and Lie Ren, they had to learn how to carry on their family legacies, the Xiao Long fire and the Ren honor.
Ruby Rose had to learn how to manage a kingdom that had sat dormant for over a century, which had the effect of overwhelming the young Huntress with just how much she OWNED. "So you're saying that this is all yours?" Weiss had seen this as something to compare to, which then turned out to make what her family own look like a pile of rocks, which is what Dust is. "Yep, apparently we had more territory on Anima but that was ceded for the colonies belonging to Menagerie, as I was told." Weiss shuddered, if this alone is what the Rose family owned then her father would attempt anything to get it, something Weiss did not approve of.
"Though in comparison to Jaune, I actually have fewer people living on our lands, that and they're mostly Vampyres." Ruby had been talking to Weiss about how she was going to run her soon to be kingdom and the partners had come to the conclusion that the Lords should run their lands as Ruby ruled in the soon to be resettled Rosewood in the border territory between the northernmost parts of Vale and Vacuo, an act that had pleased both governments as Vacuo wanted closer relations to the Vampyres and actually knowing the capital of those who were currently bleeding to keep the grimm out was definitely a first step in the right direction.
Weiss had heard of many a council meeting addressing the lands owned by the Vampyres and what to do with it, which was very quickly being decided that since their kingdom would soon re emerge they would allow the Vampyres to hold and rule over their own territory, for fear of the Vampyres abandoning them completely they had brokered an agreement seeing the immortal race establish villages and outposts on the borders of the kingdoms while the wanderers that had served King Thorn in the past would mainly resettle the town of Rosewood and the surrounding territory while the Vampyres who lived in the already established holdings in each kingdom would remain there unless they decided otherwise.
The more normal nobles in Vale had argued otherwise, only to be shouted down by the majority seeing as how Vale was still mustering her armies to a better standard than before when they served as police officers and the like. Meanwhile there were the upper class in Atlas, following her father for the most part in throwing a fit over all the lost profit that could have been made through exploiting the isolated Vampyres.
While Weiss was thinking on the more political effects of the Rose holdings Ruby, Blake and Yang had been talking about where they should go between Rosewood and Menagerie. "I would rather be away from my mother when she finds out that dad is alive." Blake argued, seemingly calm but still giving off worry.
"C'mon Blakey it'll be fine, we can just wander around while they sort it out." Yang countered, with Ruby also siding with Yang, Weiss was Blake's last hope for avoiding what she had christened 'The ultimate tornado of doom' that was her mother finding out her father lived and had not once returned home to help her manage the many clans that occupied Menagerie and were ruled by her as Chieftess.
"I side with Ruby and Yang in this, I feel that meeting the people who my father has oppressed for so long and declaring my intentions upon inheriting should calm some of the more nervous people who are in Menagerie." Blake slumped onto her bed, defeated she huffed and sat up after a moment of thought.
"Alright, but if she destroys me with sheer force of will then I am going to haunt the rest of you!" Blake declared much to Yang's amusement. "Then I guess I'll have to be haunted by a ghost Blake." Yang stated as she shrugged.
Blake groaned as Ruby took out her scroll and began the process of signing up for the supply escort mission to Menagerie.
The sun shone brightly as Ashford and Blake stood on the deck of the airship that was taking them and others to Menagerie. "I mean, will she tear my head off? I'm concerned she may not even want to talk to me." Blake rolled her eyes as her father thought of all the ways this could go wrong.
Whitley had become another constant addition to what Ashford and Grimoire had called the 'Rose Court' seeing as how it also had team JNPR and their new unexpected fifth member. The young man was talking with Yang and Ruby off to the side, talking about their childhoods and the like to break the ice.
"Dad, I am ninety percent sure that Mom will not tear your head off… well at least not immediately." Ashford paled as he thought of all the excuses he could possibly make. They could see the Island of Menagerie in the distance, with at least three other ships following theirs the small convoy was probably the largest group of vessels to approach Menagerie with supplies since it becoming it's own minor kingdom.
The first gangplanks were lowered as the Vampyric contingent began to unload while Ashford, wearing his old clothes that he had fixed as much as possible lead team RWBY and his apprentice towards the center of town. They only made it to the square when Kali Belladonna caught them.
"Ashford? Is that you?" Kali Belladonna stood stock still in shock, seeing her dead husband leading a group of teenagers, among them her daughter through town.
"Hello Kali, It's good to be back." Kali stared at him for a moment, noting his tinted eyes before looking over at Blake, "One moment dear."
She stepped forward and as Ashford had expected, decked him hard enough to send him off the ground with a most satisfying sound of his nose crunching. "Yeah, I deserved that… ow."
Ashford began to sit up when Kali grabbed him by his collar, "That was for not telling us you were alive." and dragged him into an embrace. "And this is for finally coming back."
After a brief amount of time introductions were made whereupon Kali met the two rogue Schnee's her daughter had befriended. "You must be Weiss and Whitely, a pleasure to see that Nicholas's sense of equality made it through your father's gauntlet."
While Weiss had greeted Kali the same as Yang and Ruby Whiteley greeted her in a more, Gentlemanly manner left over from his father's influence. Which served to amuse Kali a slight amount as she guided them into the Belladonna house which was to both Ashford and Blake's surprise, being partially used as a shelter for refugees, many of whom looked tired and beaten down.
"Their from Anima, the invasion there caused a wave of refugees to flee in any direction they could, these are the only ones who made it to us." Ashford's teeth ground against each other as he thought of the conflict, it may be going well militarily but for the civilian population it had torn normality apart and left thousands in the streets and wilderness for the Grimm and White Fang to feast upon.
Whitely was looking around at the survivors from Anima, Humans and Faunus taken in in the aftermath of Minstrel's violent fall, wondering how this had occurred. If he was going to be learning from the Belladonnas it would likely be best for him to help them as well. "Is there anything I can do?" Kali smiled at the youngest Schnee, pondering herself what he would be able to do.
"We need more space to put people, it has always been a problem but now more than ever we're running out of places to put people and it's driving the clan council and I insane." Whitely looked over from where he was standing and politely stepped forward,
"Mam? What is the clan council? My father was quite adamant that I not learn about Menagerie other than a few minor facts, or what he considered facts, especially when I began to show an interest in the political mayhem caused by the battle at Beacon." Kali nodded in understanding, many people were not aware there was a council, but there had to be someone to watch the Chief or Chieftess so the council was formed to do so.
"The clan council is our way of counteracting my power in case I go crazy, no thanks to you two," She stated, glaring at Ashford and Blake, "It is also in place to run the administrative parts of Menagerie, like lists of people, occupations, etcetera, granted they are rather inexperienced." Whitely nodded as he looked his notepad over.
"Might I be able to assist in sorting through the information with them?" Kali nodded gesturing for one of the idle Faunus to guide Whitely to the Administrative headquarters while she caught up with her daughter.
The first thing Whitely noticed about the Administrative headquarters was how utterly shambly it was, the roof was falling apart, the door had no lock and the walls were falling apart as well. How the building had lasted this long was a miracle but Whitely would deal with that later, now he had to get into his voluntary role as Administrative support.
He knocked on the door gently, fearing it would fall and to his credit it did not, for a moment. The crash did elicit responses from the workplaces inhabitants, stirring a man sleeping on the hammock in the center of the room from his slumber and startling the two young looking fauni who were at the computers. "Sorry this door seems rather, flimsy."
"Who are you and what are doing here criticizing my door?" Whitely turned to respond and found that he had difficulty responding as a Faunus woman glared down at him from the steps up to the next floor. She was garbed in a white button up shirt over a purple suit vest that had a snake print pattern dancing across it, she also wore a grey knee length skirt with many pockets sewn into it.
"Aine Qetesh, personnel information collection head. What can I do for you Schnee?" Whitely nodded and straightened.
"I'm here to assist your administrative group with organization and supply organization from Vale and Mantle." The woman raised a brow to him, before walking in a slow circle around him, observing him with teal slitted eyes.
"Seeking redemption for your family?" Whitely snorted a smile coming to his face.
"For grampa Nicholas and my sisters, my parents are not good examples of Schnee's, we are rather independent about who we listen to." Aine smirked.
"Good, now let's get to it then, ." She walked back upstairs to her office, boots thumping on the floorboards until they were overhead.
"That was quick, boss already likes him." Whitely turned with a raised brow towards the lounging workers. "Don't dissapoint kid, seems she likes you quite a bit." The man rolled over and dozed some more as Whitely went off to work.
In a dark, shadowed cell beneath Chains Gate, a man turned beast gnaws at his shackled hand, trying to thin the flesh enough for him to pull free from the chain and to escape into the sunshine above. His stump of a right arm hangs limply, a jagged bone jutting out of the bloodied bandage.
He smiled to himself in triumph, his hand slipped through the slick iron shakle and he limped towards the door, eyes blazing as he picked up and threw a rock into his former corner of the cell, the guard outside startled and opened the door, wearily marching in, he could see the dog ears rotating on the man's head, moving hair aside as he scanned the cell before Adam's improvised weapon, his own jagged bone from his arm, tore through the faunus's spine, killing him instantly. Adam hissed in pain and tore the key's from the man's hands, he limped out of his cell, quietly starting chaos as he escaped into Vale by releasing the other White Fang survivors.
He knew they would not last long but they would suffice as a distraction.
He had escaped Vale by the time the day was out, a small band of survivors had gotten out alongside him and they had made it to sea without much trouble. Adam needed to hide somewhere, and Menagerie was looking like one of the prime locations to do so, at least for , after he had recovered he would go to Brutus, the coward owed him immortality, to bring the humans low, to create an ultimate force against those he had encountered at Beacon, he would need an army, bigger than his last.
Alright guys imma be honest , I need some new input on the story, the plot, the shebang. So I'm putting a question out, who would like to be my Beta? To read what I've written and hell who knows maybe get attached into a the main doc that I'm using to write this on google docs. I hope you all have a nice day, imma do some other writing for a bit until I get a beta, peace.
