Author's note: We're starting off with Sirena's kids today. Because I say so.
It's also a shorter chapter, focusing entirely on Sirena and her children. Again, because I say so.
Srebro and Biser sat in what was called a police station, their hands on the cold metal of the chairs they were given, while the police made sure the thief couldn't escape. A man sat on another chair, apparently also waiting for something. He wore rust brown boots with red straps, black jeans, a red hooded pullover, and a brown hat. A device in his pant pocket beeped, he pulled it out and gasped.
"I have to go, Grimm are coming," the man said, got up, put the device away again and left. The woman behind the front desk simply raised her right hand, without looking away from the stack of papers in front of her. Srebro and Biser noticed two large wings on his back, which looked unlike any they had seen before. The twins also jumped up, and were out the door before anyone could say anything.
~o~
Outside the city, Srebro and Biser saw the man shoot needles from the devices on his wrists, which got stuck inside Grimm and exploded shortly after. The Grimm on the surface looked very different from the ones under water, but they were still Grimm, so the boys knew what to do. Both activated their auras again, and Biser took a look around with his Breaking Point semblance.
"Dodge, then attack," Biser said, and Srebro jumped aside as a Boarbatusk rolled towards him. The Grimm came to a stop and was dazed, allowing Srebro to jam a sharp rock into its soft belly and kill it.
"What are you two doing here?" The man asked when he noticed the boys.
"Helping," Srebro answered.
"Then at least arm yourselves," the man said and tossed the two of them a dagger each, which he had kept hidden under his pullover, along with several more. They were regular daggers, nothing special, just a curved metal blade attacked to a hilt. The boys caught the weapons, and the man went back to killing Grimm.
"Why did that man take something that wasn't his?" Srebro asked after decapitating a Beowolf.
"Some people just are like that," the man answered, "When he gets out, he'll steal again. No changing that."
"You can change people," Biser said, getting a bit upset already, "My mother said so." He killed a Beowolf and set his sights on the next one.
"Hate to break it to you, but that's wrong," the man said, "Once a bad person, always a bad person." Biser was shocked for a moment, but quickly recomposed himself. He trusted his mother more than some surface-dweller.
"You're wrong!" Biser shouted, calmed down and said, "My mother said I was a bad person before. She saved me, and now I am a good person. Now my life has a purpose, and once I find it, I will save people and atone for my past sins." The man seemed somewhat surprised by something when he heard what Biser said, and was tackled by a Big Ursa. Srebro took Biser's dagger and activated his Inheritance semblance again. He rushed the Grimm and delivered a quick series of cuts to its neck, eventually carving through it and decapitating the Grimm.
"How did you do that?" The man asked as he started to get up.
"I will be clear," Srebro said when they were both on eye level, "That my brother is not to be insulted like this." He stared the man in the eyes with pure determination, and the man hesitated for a moment before getting up.
"Sorry," the man said, "But there is still one thing I need to know."
"And what?" Biser asked.
"You're about five years old," the man said and asked, "How can you have any past sins to atone for?"
"I just do," Biser answered, "They are my sins, and I must bear their burden."
"You seem really worked up about this," the man said and asked, "Want to talk about it?"
"No, but we don't have time anyway," Biser answered and looked at the Grimm that approached them. Following his brother's instruction, Srebro used his enhanced agility and small body to jump onto a Deathstalker's back and run up its tail. He cut its stinger off and fell onto it, driving it into its body with a palm thrust and aura shockwave.
"H- how?" The man asked, staring in disbelief.
"I see the weakness of all I gaze upon," Biser answered.
"And I have the strength of my forefathers," Srebro said. Just as the Deathstalker died, Srebro's aura broke again, due to him using his semblance too much and without any training. However, instead of focusing on him, the Grimm all seemed to gang up on Biser, who had his eyes closed and focused on all the anger he had experienced in his life, starting with being rejected as crown prince despite being the first-born. When the Grimm came close enough, he unleashed all the anger as a burst of blinding light, turning the Grimm into stone. Srebro and the man both covered their eyes, Srebro due to the agreement they had, and the man out of reflex. When both opened their eyes again, they saw that Biser was unconscious and on the ground, and that the Grimm were only partially petrified.
"What happened?" The man asked and rushed over to Biser.
"He's fine," Srebro answered, walked over to his brother and asked, "Did you look into the light?" The Grimm around them began to crack.
"No," the man answered and said, "But I can't kill them now. Their stone shells are too hard for my needles to pierce, and they're too close for me to get rid of them all." Just as the first Grimm on the edge of the area was about to break free, it was taken out by a lightning blast from a white orb. It slowly floated towards the middle of the area, stopped as it hit a partially petrified Grimm, and killed it as soon as the stone shell broke. The process repeated until the orb reached the trio, which it then began to circle.
"Private Abimbola Gold from the Atlas military, at your service," Abimbola said, "You can call me Abby, though." She wore the regular Atlas military uniform that every soldier wore, and followed the orb through its path.
"Atlas military?" The man asked, "I thought Ironwood abandoned the world after what he did in Vale."
"The General was merely preparing to save the world," Abby said.
"He can do that by taking his guns and shooting right between his own eyes," the man said, "That way, he gets the biggest threat to society out of the way." The Grimm slowly broke free from their stone shells, but were taken out by the orb as soon as they did so.
"You're wrong," Srebro said, "This orb is a Combat Drone. It is the mark of a true warrior who will stop at nothing to save the people that depend on them. This Ironwood man may have done horrible things, but everyone can change, and he did enough to earn the blessing of our queen. He cannot be a bad person any more."
"Wait, you two are Sirena's people?" Abby asked in shock.
"That explains a whole lot," the man said and asked, "But, why are you here?" Before the children could answer, a red portal opened, and Sirena walked out of it.
"Because I wanted to see what would happen," Sirena said, "Otherwise, I would've brought them back much sooner. Now come." She picked up Biser, and gestured her other child to follow her. They disappeared into the portal and were gone, leaving Abby and Swara to themselves. The orb tried to follow them, but as soon as the portal closed, it stopped moving and turned around. Abby quickly summoned a new Combat Drone, this time a stationary one, to take care of the remaining Grimm.
~o~
When Biser woke up, he saw that he was moving, and that his mother was carrying him. He groaned, catching Sirena's attention. She turned around and headed towards a conference room to have a little chat with the twins. She let Biser down and he sat down on a chair next to his brother, with Sirena sitting on a chair opposite of the two.
"So, why were you on the surface again?" Sirena asked.
"I wanted to see father," Srebro answered.
"I told you he didn't want to see you," Sirena said, "I explained our laws to him, and he said that if we had boys, he wanted you to stay with me. Three years later, when we met again for the first time, he didn't ask about you two. He has his reasons for his decisions, and since he doesn't question other people's reasons, we should give him the same respect, and just trust that he knows what is best." She wasn't upset, or hurt, but hid her surprise that a surface-dweller had so little interest in their children.
"Then why did you question our reasons for going to the surface?" Biser asked.
"Because you were told not to go," Sirena answered, "I cannot allow Salem to know of your existence. Right now, Salem thinks I have no heir, meaning she believes I will avoid death for the sake of my people. I have told her unaware spy of my Rejuvenation semblance, meaning she now knows I can prolong my life for as long as I choose. She thinks I will not interfere if doing so would cost me my life. She does not expect me to get involved when things get too dangerous, and that is our biggest advantage right now."
"So, why can't we go as long as we keep our heritage a secret?" Srebro asked.
"Because there are people who hunt us," Sirena answered, mostly looking at Biser, "People who lost their way, were tempted by the darkness, and lured onto the path to damnation by false promises. They will try to hurt you, and I have already fulfilled my life's purpose, so my days in this world are numbered."
"Sorry," Biser said.
"It's fine," Sirena said, "I saved you from that path, and gave you a better life. I hold none of your past actions against you, and I didn't do it back then, either."
"But why can't I learn about my ancestors?" Srebro asked.
"Because you have no need," Sirena answered.
"I do, actually," Srebro said, "I unlocked my semblance earlier today. It made me better at fighting, just like what you told us about father. I felt his wisdom and experience guiding me during that battle." Sirena brought a hand to her chin and became thoughtful. She didn't use any of her semblances, by choice, and instead decided for herself what she should do.
"Alright," Sirena said, "I will learn about your ancestors, and tell you what I found out upon my return. Until then, you two are in charge of this kingdom." She got up and informed one of her guards of her decision, then left the kingdom and swam to the surface once more. Along the way, she tried to come up with a good way to protect her people, but nothing seemed to be working. No single person, or group thereof, had the semblances she would need. So, she decided to test fusions. But first, she had something else to take care of.
~o~
Swimming along the trade route to Mistral, Sirena saw some of her soldiers deliver goo crates to Lake Matsu. She walked out of the lake and headed straight for Raven's camp, and arrived shortly after nightfall. The bandits welcomed her, and she was let through to their leader.
"Sirena, you're back," Raven said and asked, "Did you want something?"
"Yes, I want to offer you a deal," Sirena answered, "I can make your tribe strong enough to keep up with huntsmen."
"What is in it for you?" Raven asked.
"Magic," Sirena answered, "Give me the magic Ozpin gave you."
"And in return, my tribesmen will be stronger?" Raven asked.
"Yes," Sirena answered, "By tomorrow, they will be as capable as though they just graduated from Beacon Academy. Provided they are old enough, of course. Those younger than that will have to wait until their twenty-first birthday. But as long as you stay leader of this tribe, or someone you chose as your successor, the tribe will be strong. They will also learn to enter their soul core."
"Alright then," Raven said, "Thank you." Sirena held out her left hand, and Raven took it with hers. Raven felt the sting of the Pact semblance, and the emblem appeared on her palm for a few seconds. Raven's maiden powers, and her ability to turn into an animal, both erupted from her body and traveled along her arm in a display of light and raw magic, and disappeared into Sirena's chest.
"And thus, the pact is sealed," Sirena said. A final wave of energy blew through the camp as the two let go of the other's hand, pulling the sleeping bandits into a dream that would train them to fight, and let them unlock their semblances. Sirena turned to leave.
"So, why are you helping me?" Raven asked, and Sirena stopped and turned around again.
"Because you're scared," Sirena answered, "I experience your fear as though it were my own. Especially since I helped cause it. It is in my nature to fight against what scares me, and in doing so, I protect those whose fear I share. You have the semblance of a hero. No matter where, no matter when, you can be by the side of those you hold dear."
"It's not just for my powers?" Raven asked.
"Normally, it would be," Sirena answered, "I would have killed you and taken your powers for myself, had Ruby not decided to offer you her help. We all fight the same enemy, and it is time for us to work together. All of us. Next time when Ruby and Penny fuse, go and copy their fusion's semblance. Then use it with yours as conduit to aid your allies from afar. There will also be another fusion, which you must bring here and have use her silver eyes. Have as many of your men copy her semblance as possible. But now, I must leave."
"Wait," Raven said and asked, "Where are you going? And what is that other fusion's semblance?"
"I am heading to Menagerie, for another project I am working on," Sirena answered, "And I do not know what the other semblance does. Not yet, at least. But I do know that it is the one I need, and that having your tribe share it does not interfere with my goals." She used Petal Burst to rush back to Lake Matsu, where she stopped at the shore. Going through the list of candidates, and having Flawless Tactics help find out who would use them the most beneficial to her cause, Sirena eventually decided to share the spring maiden powers, with therianthropy, with Nora.
"May whoever holds this power be the bane of Grimm," Sirena thought, "And be unable to use these powers to aid Salem." She used Enchantment on the maiden powers, then used Ability Share to give Nora access to those powers, and turned into a nailed dugong as she entered the water. This form was slower than her normal one, and could not stay under water for as long, but she figured she might as well use the ability she gained. However, she quickly realized that the fine hairs along her body were much more sensitive than those on her faunus body, and allowed for almost as much spacial awareness as her aura-based hydrographic sense. The small nails at the ends of her fins were not exactly unwelcome, either.
Author's note: Yep, the guys met their grandpa and don't even know it.
Also, the reason Argent never asked about the kids is because he was completely wasted when he made them. Sirena doesn't know that though, since Argent seemed fine.
Abby is optimistic and idealistic, and sees the military in about the same light Ruby sees huntsmen.
And we got a new spring maiden, but without the previous one dying.
Why is Sirena a dugong, you ask? Because they're closest to what inspired legends of mermaids, which were originally the same as sirens, which she is based on. And yes, mermaids and sirens used to be the same creature.