Here we go again with another chapter of Blind Huntsman. This took a while to come out because I was focused on planning and taking a break from writing. I have the rest of this volume planned, and Volume 2 is up next. Then of course after that is the dreaded Volume 3, which is going to be the most intense volume of this story so far.
After that, I am considering ending the story after the Beacon battle. Before anyone freaks out. NO, just because it ends after the Beacon arc doesn't mean that there is not going to be a part 2. Kai will still have his goings into Volume 4-6, just in a story "The Blind Huntsman Part II" Once I get the rest of part one, this story, completed.
Tell me what you guys think.
Beta: CrowSkull
Now let's get right back into it.
The Blind Huntsman
Chapter 51- Volume 1, Episode 18
Taking Notice
Yellow eyes flickered open as the feline faunus Blake stirred slowly awake. Eventually, her mind and body gave up on trying to return to a warm slumbered sleep and she at up in her bed and yawned cutely. From across the room, she could see her teammates Orchid and Ruby still sleeping. The former of the two snoring lightly as her pet flamingo slept beside her, wrapping her up in its long pink wings. She gave up on wondering how her teammate was able to tame a flamingo like that, and after a certain new report the eccentric girl refused to answer any questions.
Pushing that amusing thought to the back of her mind, Blake frowned for a moment as she saw the empty bed of her own partner and leader. For someone who is so dedicated to getting stronger and one who proclaims himself as caring for his friends, he is ironically selfish. Then she remembered what happened to his mother and sister just a few days ago, and she felt guilty for thinking the thoughts she had just thought at that moment. She wasn't sorry for it, but she felt it to be so soon to be thinking such things about him. He had his reasons, and while she was curious, she wasn't going to pry until it was necessary to do so.
She instead decided to focus on freshening herself up while she had the opportunity. With the bathroom all to herself, she didn't have to worry about having to wait until Ruby and Orchid finished their argument which lead to Orchid always falling for Ruby's ultimate move; The Silver Eyed Puppy Eyes (Yes, eye is used twice in two different ways there.) Orchid always pretended to pass out, and Ruby got the shower. Every single day. It was cute and funny to watch at first, but after seeing it every day for the past month, It lost most of its cuteness.
After making her breath feel fresh as it flowed out of her mouth, she took a comfortable warm shower. She was very careful not to use Orchid's soap, which has been marked with a waterproof sticky note that says "Paws off Blake!" The fact that it was specifically targeted toward her apparently was strange, but amusing. That was what she could describe half of her team. The other half, consisting of herself and Kai, would be considered normal if it weren't for Kai's very abnormal times out. Sometimes she would wake up in the middle of the night to use the bathroom and see her leader mysteriously absent from his bed. Ruby and Orchid told her that he trains a lot, but if he really trained as much as she thought at that time then he hardly got any sleep at all. Perhaps four to five hours a night if he was lucky.
The thought of her partner and what she was thinking of him eventually drove her to make the decision to go pick him up herself. As his partner, she saw it her responsibility to make sure things are okay with him. Hopefully he let himself be open around his little sister during the time he was away from them, she could tell that he has been holding something in. She doesn't know what, and is not about to go and try to force it out of him, but she could admit that she could be a better partner. When she was reminded of the moment Kai suggested they go out to go stop the White Fang, her feeling of obligation made way for concern. He hasn't brought it up since besides telling her that he changed his mind. But after this situation with his family being attacked, she mentally scolded herself for being stupid enough to think that it wouldn't affect him.
Ruby and Orchid were going to wake up soon, the alarm was about to go off after all. So just in case freak out if they see that she too is missing from the room, she decided to leave a note on top of one of the desks telling them of what she was doing. The message was short and simple "I am getting Kai, be back soon. -B" She hoped it worked well enough, it would be embarrassing if they made a whole issue about it when they woke up.
From what she overheard the headmaster say to Kai, the room where his little sister was staying wasn't that far from theirs. It was on their floor in fact, and just a few doors down and on the other side of the hallway. When she made it to the door, she waited and pressed an ear against the wood to try and hear if he was possible already awake. As she expected, she heard nothing. As much as she might have felt bad for waking her leader up, he was their leader, so he was expected to deal with such things. Besides, it wasn't her fault he liked to go out at night to train all the time.
Her knuckles racked against the door three times, and after about a minute or so of silence she knocked three more times. She heard something thump to the ground, and froze. "Kai? Are you in there?"
"W-who is it?" A young voice asked through the door. Blake's blood turned to ice as she wondered if she had the wrong room, but realizes quickly that the voice sounded far too young to be anyone else. Not even Ruby had a voice that was so innocent and pure. This had to be Kai's younger sister.
"Are you Malienna?" Blake asked softly, yet loud enough that the little girl would hear her through the door.
"It depends, are you an assassin too?"
Blake balked. She didn't know how to respond to that properly. So apparently Kai's family was attacked by an assassin? Somehow, that seemed to fit Kai's strange ability to surprise her every day, and now there was another thing to bother her mind as she tries to go to sleep at night.
"No." She finally answered the young girl. "My name is Blake… Blake Belladonna. I am your brothers partner."
"But I thought Orchid was his partner?" The little girl said as she cracked the door open, looking at Blake with one of her big silver eyes.
Just like Ruby's… Blake noted as she lowered herself down to the girls level. Perhaps they were related in some way? Maybe. It would certainly explain the brother-sister type of relationship they display whenever they are around each other. If pretty much every other aspect of Kai's body wasn't different from Ruby's, she'd have mistaken them to be siblings already. "They used to be partners, but after they graduated from Signal, they weren't guaranteed to become partners again… and so during initiation, Orchid became Ruby's partner, and I became his."
"So… you're not an assassin?" Malienna replied, opening the door further to reveal another silver eye and a brown fuzzy tail wrapped around her waist. She was no more than three feet tall, and now with a full view of her young rounded face even Blake thought that the girl was rather adorable. The question she asked her a second time made her laugh.
"No, I am not. I am a friend." Blake said with a small smile. She had no experience in being in the older sibling role, but she knew how to talk to children at least. In her previous profession, she needed to know how to speak to others hesitant to join the White Fang and convince them to sign up. It was a skill she regretted developing in the long run, but she soon realized that she could use her speech skills to good and proper use instead of what she was using it for before.
"Sooo, are you his secret girlfriend?" Malienna asked next.
Blake was embarrassed at the insinuation, but quickly recovered. "I am not, no. We are just friends." And she was certain of that, not once did she think of him that way, and she assumes that the inaction was mutual between her and her partner. She also didn't think she'd get questioned like this by a little girl, much less Kai's little sister. The contrast between the two's personalities was interesting. While Kai was more withdrawn and preferred to listen from a distance unless being spoken too directly, his sister was…
"Oh! That's good, because there's this strange lady with blue fire eyes that likes to train with him a lot. I saw her last night, but I pretended to be asleep." Malienna said in a childish giggle.
"E-excuse me?" Blake said, shocked. She didn't think her partner the type to be so bold… and with his sister in the room too!? They were going to have to have a very unfortunate and awkward conversation about boundaries if this was going to become a repeating event…
"She's funny though, I like her. Even if she is a little loud and cusses a lot."
Blake palmed her face and sighed. She did not need to know this, nor did she want to. Whatever Kai did in his spare time was his alone to decide what to do with. Gods, this was like a scene from one of her books, and one that she would rather not have role played in at that. "Look, is your brother awake yet? Class is starting soon and the team is going to need him with us before we can start the day."
"I-I think brother is still napping… can you come back later?" Malienna said shyly, the door slowly closing in and covering part of her face again.
She was getting nervous with her again, Blake quickly noted. It was probably because she spoke more harshly for a moment there due to a certain degree of frustration over something she didn't want to be forced to imagine. Speaking more gently and kindly to the little girl would be the best approach, obviously. So the cat faunus quickly calmed down and relaxed most of the muscles in her body to make herself look slightly smaller.
"Kai is my partner, and the leader of our team. We need him in order to go about our day, Orchid and Ruby are on our team as well, and they are going to miss him if he doesn't show up for them, and if you know Orchid you know that she is going to come get him herself if he doesn't come. She won't be as gentle as I am being." Blake chuckled, and to her relief her attempt at a joke earned a giggle out of the little girl. It worked, it seemed. Now it was up to the final step. "Now can you please let me come in to talk to him?"
"Hm…" Malienna looked like she was thinking hard on whether or not she should let him in. But after eyeing her up and down and whispering something to herself, her face lit up. "Okay!" The little half faunus chirped and swung the door open for her. She was in pajamas and light on her feet. There was also a wide smile on her face as she finally realized that Blake was not there to cause any harm, but there as a friend looking for her partner and leader.
"He's still in bed right now, he's a little tuckered out after whatever he did last night. He didn't even tuck me in…" The young girl pouted and crossed her arms with a huff. Blake nodded to her and thanked her for letting her in, and then slowly stepped up to her partners sleeping form, which was snoring softly into his pillow as he laid on his side. His blindfold was still around his head, covering just one eye. It must have moved as he moved in his sleep.
Her partner looked to be in a state of deep sleep as he practically hugged himself under the covers. Blake almost didn't want to wake him up and let him sleep in. But with the just about an hour and a half to go before they had to get to class, he was going to have to wake up in a few minutes anyway. Her hand found his shoulder and she shook him lightly. She paused when she felt how hot his body felt, even through the covers. That, and the way he winced as she squeezed his shoulder lightly.
"Kai!" Malienna crowed as she poked her brothers nose from the other side of the bed. "It's time to wake up, your partner is here to see you."
"Mmm." He groaned in his sleep. Blake felt his muscles tense up tightly as he slowly came through. She released him as Malienna pulled off his blindfold to reveal tiredly blinking white pupiled silver eyes. Standing up, she gave him the space he needed in order to sit up on his bed. He was shirtless at first sight, which was a sight she was sure many young women would have liked to see for themselves, but he had a few strange marks on his body which Blake zeroed in on immediately. Red streaks clawing down his sides and chest, small bruise marks around his shoulder blades and more red streaks down the center of his back. There was a dark bruise on his right shoulder, which seemed to stab all the way through to the other side. If that didn't arise some suspicion, the strange scent she smelled did, and while she was relieved that it wasn't the smell of certain bodily fluids, she was concerned at what she did smell with her enhanced faunus features.
Her partner smelled of smoke, dust… and blood.
"Blake?" Kai called out to her as he hugged his sister with one arm. "What's wrong, what are you doing here?"
"I should be asking you what's wrong. You have bruises all over your body." Blake pointed out, eyes narrowing even further when Kai winced and ran a hand over the front of his chest as if to cover some of them.
"Training." Kai told her. Somehow, Blake didn't think that was the truth. "Had a rough night, but I'll be fine." He stood up and stretched his body. Blake was able to hear the way his bones creak and pop as the stress built up within them was released. "What time is it?" He asked her, obviously changing the subject.
"Seven. I would have let you sleep longer since you look like you need it, but with class starting in an hour and a half you need time to get ready." Blake's nose scrunched up as the stench grew more fierce. "And shower. Also, don't think that we aren't going to talk about what I noticed here."
"What do you mean?" Kai asked as he prepared himself some clothes to put on after taking a shower. She watched as he felt them up to see which were pants, shirts, underwear, etcetera. Reminding her that he was in fact still blind.
"We'll talk about it later." Blake said as she sat down on one of the beds. She knew he would just try and deflect any prying now, especially with his sister practically glued to his body as well.
Kai nodded to her and went into the bathroom to fix himself up. When he was done, he no longer had the bloody scent that Blake smelled on him before, and she noted that all the wounds on his body were now being covered up by a long sleeved shirt that she knows Kai didn't have before. It was also black and red, and didn't look like it was made in Vale with how primitive it looked. She tilted her head at her partner as she looked him up and down, practically checking him out. He did look good, but the fact remained that he was covering something up with this new get up took away from that look.
"Was that something your 'night partner' gave you?" Blake asked him as he got ready.
Kai seemed surprised. "How did you find out about her?" He asked.
"I told her!" Malienna answered happily. "The lady with the blue fire eyes that was here last night, she left that here for you since your other one was so torn up. She burned that too, now that I think about it."
"Oh," Kai snickered. "That's Vernal, then. Yeah, she's a friend outside of Beacon that I train with every once in a while."
"How did she get into Beacon?" Blake asked, curious.
"She… has her ways." Kai replied hesitantly. "Anyway, let's get back to the others, I wouldn't want Orchid tearing up the place looking for me when she and Ruby wakes up."
Unless Blake wanted to give away that she knew much more, she was inclined to agree. She watched as Kai bent down and scooped up Malienna in a big hug, which the little girl happily reciprocated with childish laughter. After that, they made their way back to their dorm where Ruby and Orchid were having their daily argument on who gets the shower first, when Kai came in, he embraced them both and went on talking about what they were going to do today. Trying the be the leader he was meant to be. Other than at school, there wasn't any other time Kai really acted as a leader. Being the way she was, Blake noticed these things. From here on out as they headed off to breakfast, she made the decision to make sure to pay more attention to what Kai does on a daily basis. One day, it was probably going to come in handy.
Because like her, Kai has his own set of secrets.
Rick sighed and played with his food as he watched his foolish leader try to speak to his partner Nora, and get absolutely shunned for it. After last night, the ginger came to them crying and telling them about how Jaune thought that she was too overbearing, and asking them what she should do. Pyrrha and Rick were vastly disappointed to hear about this turn of events, and almost went to Jaune to teach him a harsh lesson on how to treat his partner. But Nora begged them not too, saying that it wasn't his fault, but hers.
"Typical Nora…" Rick said indignantly. "One day, she is going to be so selfless that she is going to have a mental breakdown."
"I believe she already is, Rick." Pyrrha corrected him. "Or has, just look at her. She isn't even inhaling her food down like she usually does. She is depressed, and it is affecting the entire team. Now Jaune doesn't know what to say or do, and I don't know what either of us can do about it since Nora made us promise not to do anything reckless to her partner."
"It's not like we were going to beat him up or anything." Rick complained, they weren't even all sitting together. Jaune sat near the end of the table by himself, Nora was sitting with Team RWBY next to their leader, Ren, and they were sitting close by Team KRBR, who had just came in a few minutes prior. The only way they could be more divided is if Pyrrha and he also had a falling out, which wasn't going to happen anytime soon, Rick actually liked his partner. A lot. And he was sure Pyrrha felt the same way. "We were just going to talk to him, probably yell at him a bit and make him apologize to Nora. Now he isn't even getting any training, and for someone like him he needs every second of it."
"I would have offered to train him myself, but with you already taken up as my student," Rick groaned about that totally not being the case, but let her move on with her point anyway. "I would hardly have the time to build up a person from… um…"
"You can say it, he won't hear you." Rick laughed. "You were going to say nothing, right?"
"I didn't want to make it sound mean…" Pyrrha said sheepishly.
Rick patted her on the back. "Don't worry about it, if it's the truth and you mean it honestly, then it's all fine and dandy. Look at Brick and I for example. Hey bro!"
"Yeah!?" Brick called back to him.
"I have a better teacher than you!" Rick boasted. Pyrrha went red and tried to stop her partner from going on, but it was too late.
"Bullshit! Weiss is so much of a slave driver it doesn't matter how good Pyrrha is, I feel like I am going to go deaf one day because I've been hearing her voice so much!" Brick said with a laugh.
"Excuse me!?" Weiss shrieked. "If you don't appreciate our training then perhaps I should push you harder you simpleton!"
"See what I mean!?"
"We're still waiting on the day that they hit it off." Yang commented from beside them.
Rick broke out into laughter, and Pyrrha hid her face from view as she giggled into her hands. "See? Just like that." The blue Violet twin boasted as he crossed his arms victoriously.
"I feel like that wasn't at all what you intended, but I shall let you have this victory." Pyrrha said with a smile. That smile faded away as Ren stood up from his seat, and started walking toward Jaune. Even Kai and his team stopped speaking to listen in on what the quiet boy had to say, and Jaune, despite being the larger of the two, shrunk down on himself under Ren's gaze. On the other side of the table, Nora hid her face in her hands and rested her head on the table, covering her ears so she didn't have to hear anything that was about to be said to her partner.
"We need to talk." Ren simply said in that flat tone his voice always has. "Now. Come with me."
Jaune brokenly took in a breath and coughed nervously. But set his food aside to stand up with the other boy. "Yeah… I'll come." He said.
Ren walked past him while grazing his shoulder against the blondes, it wasn't a hard shove or even a soft shove, it was just too shoulders barely grazing each other. Yet that contact made Jaune squirm and shiver as he followed the pink eyed boy. Hanging his head low as he did so, ashamed, as he should be.
"I wondered when that was about to happen." Kai commented as he went back to his food. He said no more, and everyone shared his thoughts. By this time, everyone knew what happened between Jaune and Nora, perhaps not the entire truth, but a good enough portion of it.
"Well… I guess I hope that Ren doesn't kill him too badly." Rick said as he went back to playing with his food.
Pyrrha agreed, she would have loved to help. But she didn't know how. She trusted Ren however, he was a good friend and despite being part of a different team, she knew him well enough to know that he is very intelligent, and wouldn't waste his breath on simply yelling at Jaune. It would do little else then scare him anyway.
Jaune felt a nervous bead of sweat trickle down his face as Ren lead him out of the cafeteria and into the hallway. The other boy in front of them didn't stop there however, they kept walking until they were outside, and only when they came close to the fountain near the center of Beacon did Ren finally stop, and under one of the support columns as well. It was secluded enough, and Jaune's mind went straight to the worst conclusion possible. Ren would be able to beat him here, and it would take some time before anyone would notice, or maybe they wouldn't, and he'd have to drag himself across Beacon to get to the infirmary.
"So…" Jaune started weakly as Ren simply stood there leaning against the pillar with his side turned to him. "What did you-"
"If you ask me what I want from you, I cannot guarantee that I will be able to hold myself back from getting violent with you." Ren said sharply. Then glared at him with those bright purple eyes of his. "Nora, tell me what happened between the two of you. Your side of the story. Now." He said, practically demanding an explanation from him.
Jaune sighed sorrowfully and did as he asked. It wasn't like he really had a choice in the matter anyway. He went on and retold the tale of everything that happened the night before, and with each passing second Jaune kept wondering when Ren was going to cut him off by punching him in the face. Instead, he made him all the more nervous by not reacting at all. He simply stood there and expected him to keep speaking, and by the time Jaune was done explaining his throat was dry and his heart was practically up in his throat with how nervous he was.
"I see." Ren said quietly. "Nora altered no part of her side then, all of it is true. Other than the part about Cardin." He frowned at the blonde boy, glaring at him meaningfully. "She was quiet hurt after yesterday, you know."
"I-I know." Jaune said, hanging his head. "I wanted to apologize right away, but…"
"Cardin has you at his beckon call?" Ren suggested. All Jaune could do was shrugs his shoulders helplessly. "You are a fool, a liar, and a coward." Each word stung, and Jaune sagged his shoulders more and more. His legs felt weak all of a sudden, like he was about to fall over and pass out. "Not only that, but you are also selfish. You lied into Beacon just as Kai hypothesized non-verbally, and with little to no training along with no aura, you would have died if Nora hadn't found you in time."
"I-I know…" Jaune said.
"Do you?" Ren asked, stepping off the wall and getting closer to him. Jaune didn't back away, he was prepared for whatever that was going to come at him. "She saved your life. You owe her your life."
Jaune knew that, and remembered the terrifying scene he found himself in after just barely surviving the landing. He crashed through trees and bushes and was lucky enough to land in a shallow pond that broke his fall. He was barely able to crawl himself out, and when he did he was too exhausted to even lift his sword. After wandering around aimlessly, he came across his first every Grimm. An Ursa Major. Two of them. With no aura, no training on how to use his sword and shield, and no conditioning, he had no chance. But before the Ursai could tear him to pieces, Nora smashed one of their heads like a grape, and broke the others spine and road it down as it died. Jaune was on his hands and knees and lunged toward Nora like a helpless little boy would his mother. Nora caught him and giggled, then asked why he didn't fight. He was forced to admit that he has no aura, and after laughing it off and placing a hand against his face, she chanted to him something magical.
He still remembered the chant. "I, Nora Valkyrie, Queen of all the castles, bestow upon thee rite of passage into mine kingdom. I unlock your power with the power that resides within my bosom, and from here on out, thy shall become my knight in shining armour."
His aura came to life for the first time right then and there, and Nora's first suggestion was that he start working out right away and use his ocean of aura to good use. Putting herself on his back after nearly passing out after unlocking his aura, he ran and ran all the way to the temple, where they officially became partners.
"She also unlocked your aura, did she not?" Ren asked.
"Yes…" Jaune said. He was supposed to be her knight in shining armour, something he's always wanted to be. She gave her that chance, and here he was squandering it.
"Yet you still have not tried to make amends?"
"I-I tried…" Jaune tried.
"Not hard enough, evidently. She moved away from you to sit by me." Ren pointed out.
Jaune sagged even further. "Yeah…" He said in a defeated tone.
Ren sighed. "I can't even find it within myself to be angry with you. I am simply disappointed. She saw potential in you that the rest of us is unable to find, and sacrificed a lot to try and help you. You ruined that chance." When Jaune didn't reply, he continued. "I will be putting an official request to the headmaster to give me control of your team, and expel you from this school."
Jaune widened his eyes. "Wait-"
"I will give you time." Ren continued on with cross arms. "By the time Forever Fall trip is over, if you and Nora have not made up, I will tell Headmaster Ozpin what you really are. I am giving you a second chance against my better judgment." He turned his back on Jaune, and started walking away. "It is your choice on what you decide to do with it."
"Wait!" Jaune exclaimed. Ren stopped, but did not turn to him. Simply lending an ear to what Jaune had to say. "Why are you even giving me a second chance, not that I am not grateful for it, but why are you doing this?"
Ren exhaled through his nose softly. "Nora, even after what happened, cares for you deeply. I do not know how or why, but she will be hurt if you are expelled from the school, and think it is her fault. As her friend, I do not want to have to comfort her in that possibility. I am not doing this for you, but for her." He turned to look at him through one eye. "Do not make me regret this decision."
He walked off without another word, and after he was gone from sight Jaune fell to the floor, sitting down and holding his head in his hands. "I won't," He told himself more than anything. He felt tears burn behind his eyes, but he bit them back. "I won't. I swear it."
"Swear what Jauney boy?" An ominous voice cut in, Jaune froze on the spot. "I was just walking by when I heard something about a second chance, wanna tell me about that?" Cardin said as he and his team walked out from around a corner, each member of that team looking at him with a condescending smirk on their faces.
"I-I…"
"Nah, don't tell me. I like surprises better anyway, I'll just make you tell me later anyway." Cardin said as he pulled Jaune up to his feet with one hand, then draped an arm over his shoulder and squeezed him against his much larger and bulkier body. "Come on buddy, we have class to get to. You wouldn't want to make me late, do you?"
"No." Jaune said right away, and kept pace with them. He hated this, he really did, but he had to bear with it for now. He had too, unless he would lose his ticket and get kicked out of this school.
Ren watched them without them knowing as Cardin and his team bragged about something unimportant, and dragged Jaune along for the ride. He didn't look willing in the slightest, but forced to move with them.
He shook his head, disappointed in what he saw before he went back to meet up with his team and take them to their next class.
"We will all leave for the field task in the Forest of Forever Fall in two days time." Glynda Goodwitch announced to her students. It was strange enough to see her in Ooblecks class of all places, with them being so used to having to listen to the green haired man fast paced yammering about whatever piece of history was on his mind at the time, it was a nice change of pace back to the stern yet attractive teacher from their combat class. Kai however, was internally struggling with the news. He knew it was coming up, but this early?
This is bad, I was going to go out again tomorrow night… He couldn't now, obviously. If he did he would come back tired, and his friends paid enough attention to him to be able to notice something was wrong. Especially if he got hurt again, he was lucky that the explosion he caused at the warehouse the night before was an explosion that he caused, and so the black flames that would have scorched anybody else danced over his skin and aura. But even his resistance has a limit, and he still found himself screamingly sore all over his backside. Every time he moved it hurt, but he was able to manage it.
With an indignant sigh he crossed his shoulders and listened to Rick and Bricks aunt as she went over the rules. Stay with your partner, watch out for Grimm, take some sap from trees yada yada yada. She was treating them like children, and yet he felt like he was the only one to figure it out. Nobody was even asking the obvious questions. Why did they need this sap? Why did they need to participate on this trip? Why didn't they trust them enough to let them take care of themselves? Personally, he found the entire trip pointless, but he couldn't just skip it. Everyone would notice if he was the only one who refused to go, it would attract too much attention.
"Don't worry Kaizy," Orchid said with bright eyes as she patted him on the back. He had to refrain from wincing because of the pain he already felt. "I am bored with this too, just don't make yourself too broody looking."
"I don't brood." Kai corrected, mildly offended.
"Um…" Ruby piped in, laughing nervously. "Yeah, you kinda do. Like, a lot."
"What?" Kai said in disbelief. Him. Brooding. Those two didn't seem to mix well at all. Sure, he thought about the past a lot and wanted revenge against Cinder for killing his father, but that didn't make him a brooder. If anyone was a brooder it was Blake, he always sensed that there was something going on with her internally. She thought a lot, maybe not in the sense of what the term brooding means, but she definitely thought more than he did.
Blake paid mild attention to what the guest speaker was saying. She was more amused with the way Doctor Oobleck sat in the corner of the room with an eager look on his face. Today was a relatively okay day as well, even though that she is a bit suspicious about Kai's nightly activities now. She knows that he's been training, and was embarrassed to admit that her mind went straight to the gutter when his little sister described some of the things he and his training partners do when they meet up. But no one trains so hard that they get bruises all over their body and they are left with half of the amount of hours of sleep a normal person is supposed to get. It would just be impractical. You needed to let your aura heal and mind rest every once in a while, yet she doesn't think she's seen her partner genuinely smile at all, besides the moment where she has seen him with his sister.
She looked to him from the corner of her eye, and despite being blind, Kai seemed to know that she was staring. She wasn't embarrassed at being caught, and simply kept looking. Thinking about what thoughts could possibly be going through his head. The biggest reason why she chose him to be her partner was that she knew she could trust him, and in the past few weeks she has now been considering him one of her closest friends. But despite that, and all the good things she wanted to think about him, Kai was similar to another partner she had. Adam Taurus.
It was hard to believe when she thought of Adam as he was now, but back then before he got the SDC brand on his eye he was actually quite similar to Kai in terms of personality. She didn't know Kai well at all before the attack on Mistral, but from what she was told about him or overheard at the lunch table he was caring, friendly, charming, and a truly skilled warrior. Those traits were what attracted her to Adam once, and now he was the co-leader of a terrorist organization. What would happen when Kai finally snaps, would he end up even worse?
Blake looked away and steeled her resolve. No, she was not going to let another partner turn to the dark side like that. Not again. She trusted Adam to return to the way he was before once, and ended up being dragged into a battle that ended up taking hundreds of lives.
Before she could start paying attention to what Miss Goodwitch was saying again, she felt a hand tap her on the shoulder. She turned around to look into lilac eyes. She recognized her as Yang right away, she was a joyful blonde girl that always set off lame puns. They didn't talk much, so Blake wondered what she wanted.
She got her answer when Yang threw her a folded piece of paper that bounced off of her nose. Blake flinched and bent down over her chair to pick it up. She looked back to Yang with a questioning look, but the other girl simple smirked at her and winked. Rolling her eyes, she unfolded the paper and read it's contents.
"Meet me after class, I need to talk to you about a certain someone."
As subtle as she thought Yang would be capable of, which was absolutely none. Blake looked back to Yang and nodded her head. To which the blonde girl nodded back. The rest of the announcements went by as slowly as she expected it too.
Sneaking away from her team was easy enough. Brick and Weiss asked her where she was going, but after making up the excuse that she left her scroll behind, they let her go. Ren didn't say anything either, but she knew that he knew what was up. They were partners however, which Yang was happy to abuse so that she would be able to talk to Kai's partner, Blake. She was pretty quiet, but she was a friend to her nonetheless. Besides, and partners inherently care for each other, so what she wanted to talk about with her was going to be something that would benefit them both.
As she knew she would, Blake came. She must have given some excuse to the rest of her team since she's come alone as part of the message she didn't include. Yang smiled upon seeing her, and stepped off of the wall to meet her in the middle. The hall was practically empty already, and their talk would seem harmless enough so that even if someone overheard them they'd think nothing of it.
"You wanted me here." Blake said once they met up. "What is it?"
"Didn't you read my message?" Yang asked as if it should have been obvious.
"You said you needed to talk to me about a 'certain someone'. That would mean my partner, I'd assume." Blake said as she crossed her arms.
"Got it in one." Yang said with a chuckle. "Yeah, Kai and I go way back, and recently I and most of our other friends have been worried about him. I'll start off being frank; I heard that talk you two had before, the one about you two going out together with your team to go and stop the White Fang yourselves like a bunch of vigilantes."
Blake widened her eyes slightly, but she gave nothing else away. Denying it would be pointless, since Yang said it with such confidence she knew that the blonde wasn't just pulling something out of nowhere. She had a reason for this, and a good one at that.
"So, knowing that, I just have a simple question to ask you." Yang said. "Have you noticed anything strange about him recently? He's on the same team as my sister, and another great friend of mine, and we all know something is up with him."
"How do you know that?" Blake asked, tilting her head. It took a moment for Yang to realize that she was being sarcastic.
"Oh, so you do got jokes. I see you." Yang snorted. "But yeah, anything you were able to see?"
Blake tilted her head to the other side, and then crossed her arms. Closing herself off to her. Yang's smile faltered as Blake didn't respond to her right away. "You may have known him longer, and have a more meaningful relationship with him than I perhaps ever will, but he is still my partner." Blake proclaimed. "If he doesn't want you to know, then I will not betray his trust."
"So you do know something then." Yang said, catching her on that point.
"I have my suspicions." Blake shrugged her shoulders.
Yang sighed and crossed her arms across her chest. It was clear that she was trying hard not to get loud or physical, and Blake had to commend her for that. She's mistaken the girl to resort to such childish violence if she did not get what she wanted, or just get louder and louder and more obnoxious until she finally gave in and told her everything she knew. She also saw this as pretty convenient timing. Blake had just started having this suspicions very recently, and soon later Yang comes to her with questions. That must mean that Yang has been paying much more attention that she originally thought. Blake wondered if her partner was able to sense that with that ability of his.
"Fine. I'll give you a reason for why I want to know then. Maybe that'll get through to you." Yang said with a dark sigh. Blake stood there with her arms crossed, still waiting. "Besides the facts that he is on my sisters team, and being a good friend of mine as well, in the past Kai has been picked up by a … questionable training mentor and partner."
"Define questionable." Blake requested.
"Questionable as in the one who he's been sneaking out to see is my biological bitch of a mother who abandoned me and my dad when I was just a baby. Oh, and she's a powerful Huntress too, and the leader of some bandit tribe." Yang explained.
Blake's eyes went wide. That was certainly a very specific explanation, and for all she could she could not sense any lies within her words. "A-and the partner?" She asked with a nervous stutter.
"Some rude bitch with some really weird powers, and when I say powerful, I mean powerful. Like she could probably take on the headmaster and win. She could definitely beat that Cinder bitch too." Yang chuckled bitterly. "Raven Branwen and Vernal… something. Those are their names."
Blake recognized those names. Though she didn't admit it. Two years ago Adam warned her to stay away from those two, given how dangerous they were. Raven and some other man fought Sienna, her, and Ilia all at the same time and were winning, and that Vernal woman took on Cinder after being ambushed and still beat her. She was lucky to still be alive. "I see… and they have been training him for how long?"
"About two and a half years at this point." Yang groaned. "He only told me and my dad about it months after the fact, and only when he was forced to explain why Raven saved him specifically and pretty much helped us just because of him. It really hurt at first, and for two months after that we butted heads a lot. I thought that Raven, who's supposed to be my mother, decided to cast me aside for him." She sighed and cut herself off, not wanting to reveal any more of her past. "Anyway, you get the deal. Raven is doing something to Kai besides training him. The guy you see now versus the guy I knew in the past are much different people. You might not have seen it, but-"
"He's changed," Blake filled in for her, Yang nodded her head. "I've heard all about his past thanks to Orchid and Ruby." She chuckled emptily, and uncrossed her arms. "I understand your reasoning, whatever he's doing can't be healthy for him. Just this morning I caught the sight of dozens of bruises littered all over his body, and unless this Raven is pushing him hard, there has to be something else going on."
Yang bristled. "So, does that mean…"
"Yes," Blake nodded her head. "I will betray my partners trust for you, and for his sake as well. I'll tell you everything I've picked up on in these past couple of weeks."
Yang grimaced. "Did you really have to phrase it like that?"
Blake nodded her head, a sly smile stretching across her face. "Yes. Yes I did."
Neo was hurt, but recovering. Roman was more relieved each time the mute inhaled air into her lungs. She was sleeping and bundled up in all kinds of blankets and pillows. It has been a day since she ran into that Stone Face guy, or as he had just figured out recently, The Mother Fucking Blind Huntsman himself. Heh, Roman was amused at the thought, the kid was after revenge for what he heard Cinder did to his father. From what he knew, the kid was able to take off an arm and an eye after she did his daddy in. He didn't know what kind of monster the kid had to be in order to do that to her, but the fact the he managed it was incredibly impressive. He couldn't see himself or even Neo getting that close to hurting her.
Not that he was going to tell her about Little Kai running around with a mask at night, no, he had his own plans with that knowledge.
The other kid, Mercury if he remembered correctly, was also still recovering from that nasty deep gash he had across his chest and shoulder. It looked like Mister Stone Face did him in as well. Serves him right for going after a little girl and a mother that of course would defend her with everything she had. Emerald was taking care of him by the looks of it, she was the one to change his bandages and give him food every once in a while. Cute couple they made, even if nothing was "official" yet.
"You'll get better Neo, I know you will." Roman said as he patted his partner in crime on her forehead, she leaned into his touch instinctively. "Besides, you are going to be a big part of my new upcoming plan." Despite being asleep at the moment, Neo smiled after hearing those words. Even in the poor state she was in now, she understood exactly why he meant.
Of course, nothing good ever lasts, and the door to their little makeshift infirmary opened up. Emerald went down to one knee, and Mercury actually got off his bed to do the same. Roman did no such thing, and Neo wasn't in any condition to even stand. Yet in her sleep she frowned and clung tighter to the sheets. Sensing the monster of a woman that stepped into the room before them.
"Well, well, well, fancy meeting you here." Roman halfheartedly greeted her. "How's it been?"
"You weren't able to stop him, I see." Cinder greeted in her own way, and glared at the girl sleeping in bed, recovering. "Not even she could?"
"Guy was more resourceful than I thought," Roman admitted. "His Huntsman training is apparently even more good than we thought too. Neo hurt him and would have killed him, but in the process he blew up the warehouse. We still got the paladin out though, so all we really lost was a bit of dust and some worthless animals."
"And your little pet is out of action for the time being as well, I see." Cinder sneered. "You've disappointed me, Roman. Don't think you two are out of this just yet either." She snapped toward Emerald and Mercury, who sagged their necks and shoulders even further in submission. "As I warned you, I will have to step in to deal with this threat myself. I thought of sending Adam or one of Sienna's elites, but I will not be wasting any more time on relying on other people." A burst of flame came out of her one remaining eye, and her bandaged left arm raised to reveal a ball of flame that could be released to kill them all at a seconds notice. Her other eye, the one under the Grimm mask, glowed an intimidating red. Even Roman knelt at the sight of that, he'd rather not have to face her wrath.
"I have an inkling of when this Stone Face will attack next," Cinder said with a snarl. "For as good as he apparently is, if he does not make me sweat, then I will make you all burn as punishment for your weakness."
Roman wanted to desperately hope that she was bluffing, but he knew she would definitely go through with it. Cinder was a cruel woman like that. When she left the room and them alone, he went back to care for his partner. "Yeah," He whispered to her. "We are definitely going to have to do something about that."
Whelp, there is that chapter. I like this chapter, I really do. I am also sorry that this took so long for me to write, I took a short break and wrote down a lot of plans for future chapters. Needless to say, I need to plan a lot more since this is still in Volume 1. But don't worry, with this new pace that I am setting now Volume 1 will be over by chapter 60. That is for sure… I hope.
He'll try, I'll make sure of that, don't worry. -CrowSkull.
Please review and let me know what you think of the story!
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