We'd sat there for at least a solid hour before Mr. Quartz rose.
"It's been nice spending time with you again, but I have to head on home now. It's such a nice day and I have to get some cleaning done. The old place has started to dust up a bit."
I gave a small nod, and with a light smile he slowly trudged off back down the path. I sat there in silence for a solid few minutes until I was sure he was gone. With the coast clear and eyes set back on the grave I called out to the others.
"You can come out now."
Weiss and Sun made their way over from the bushes.
"So... he someone you know?" Sun asked as I cast a quick look back down the dirt road.
"Yeah."
"Cool, cool..." Sun sounded a bit awkward, looking as though he couldn't quite find what he wanted to say.
"He was close with Sienna as well, wasn't he." Weiss picked up where Sun fell short, her statement hitting the nail right on the head. She spoke with clarity and understanding, and yet her eyes shown a flash of empathy, an understanding of what type of pain Mr. Quartz felt; a pain I saw with my own two eyes.
"Very." I let out in a whisper as I faced Sienna's grave once more. "She introduced us to each other, and it also allowed me to help him in a way; at least that's what she said. She was the one to send me to Vale, and unknowingly she was the reason I was able to link-up with the headmaster again. When we first met I could tell both him and Sienna were close. Her death hit him hard, even if he doesn't appear to show it much."
"Oh..." Once again Sun was at a loss for words, but his face showed almost the same style of empathy as Weiss. They knew the feeling well, which seemed to be something all of us shared; question was what had they experienced to know such emotion?
I pushed those feelings aside as I brushed past them; that knowledge was none of my business. "I'm heading back. I've got some things I need to work out."
"Alright... catch you later." Sun spoke as I pushed back through the bushes along the same path as before. I didn't have the energy or want to move through the city again at the moment, and the privacy of which the foliage provided gave me time to calm down from the depressing mood.
I soon found myself back at the Belladonna's, and as I stepped inside I was greeted with the sight of the family trio resting and talking on the couch. Ghira had been the first to notice me, and before I could say anything he waved me over. I obliged and wandered closer, taking a seat on the opposing couch, right next to Blake who looked more relaxed than ever. Whatever was weighing her mind down from before had vanished entirely, and the look of peace strewn about her was almost infectious.
"It's good to see you again Vermillion." The man leaned forward with an extended hand.
"It's nice to see you as well." I grasped it and we shook. Afterwards we leaned back and I let my body rest comfortably against the cushions. "Things have gotten... complicated."
"Yes, I'm well aware." He let out a soft breath and allowed a moment before speaking. "The winds of peace have changed, and from what I've been told the White Fang have taken a turn for the worst." His face grew dark. "And with Sienna gone it would seem there is nobody left to draw them back from their dark path." Sienna's name had an effect on him as I saw his eyes harden, but he held it back.
Blake's tone was uneasy. "Without her there's only one person the White Fang will follow now." She grimaced as the name passed through her lips. "Adam."
Ghira sighed, and a dense fog of fatigue seemed to roll around him. "He has taken things too far, and it would seem the time for waiting has ended. As much as I disagree with the idea of violence it would appear we have no choice in the matter. The boy has only ever shown respect for strength, and understood ideas and faith through battle. Warfare is his language, and bloodshed his ink. If we wish to see his march ended we need to confront him within his element. He won't take us seriously otherwise."
"Two wrongs don't make a right." Blake spoke with bruised - yet unyielding - conviction. "Fighting him head on will just put others in danger. Not everyone in the Fang is as destructive as him; there are plenty who follow him out of fear alone."
"Others do so out of their hatred for Humanity." I spoke as Blake looked to me, a mix of unease and acceptance in her eyes. She knew it was true, and yet it hurt her to acknowledge how a good portion of the group she'd once been a part of had fallen so low. "However at the same time all of them seem to be in agreement with supposedly defending Faunus. Even if it's counter-intuitive they all tell themselves they're doing good for Faunus everywhere; Adam is just playing off of that. He's more in it for revenge against Humans rather than protecting Faunus." My mind wandered back to the slave camp we cleared, and a small part of me could see why Adam's hatred was so strong; had the queen been in control such a thing would have been rooted out and burned.
Ghira looked deep in thought, and Kali linked arms with him. "I know that look, what are you thinking dear?"
"They follow him for various reasons, but deep down still strive for the same end goal." He shook himself, seemingly debating something before looking to us and sharing his mind. "I may have an idea, although it isn't very sound."
"What is it?" Blake asked, looking to brace herself for any bad news.
"You and your mother have told me of the various things they've done, however each event was orchestrated exclusively against Humans. Even the attack on Beacon had them targeting Humans. Even if they ended up going against some Faunus it would be simple for them to justify it as those Faunus being traitors for living alongside Humans. Every move and choice had been against Humans."
"What are you getting at?" I asked, yet I hadn't needed to as I could tell where he was going.
"Perhaps if they were to be faced directly with other Faunus it would cause a sort of shock. Having never been forced to stand against those they wished to fight for it might be enough to ground them for a moment, and halt whatever it is they're attempting."
"That might give us enough time to disarm them." Blake thought aloud, looking back to her father. "But what if it doesn't work? What if they're so set on fighting that they're willing to strike down their own?"
"Then we'd have no choice but to fight." I stated. Blake looked downtrodden, but Ghira sent a nod my way.
"As saddening as it is that would be our only option."
"So we're just playing on the hope that they still have some of their compassion left?" Blake asked as I looked to her.
"If they really are just frightened like you said then this will be the moment to prove it. If they're as murderous as Adam then they'll have no trouble fighting us and other Faunus. It's a gamble, but it's the only one where we could potentially cripple Adam's forces in one fell swoop."
"I don't like it... it doesn't feel right." Blake spoke with apprehension written clearly across her face.
"Nobody said you had to dear." Kali spoke in a motherly tone. "But there are moments where we need to take risks, otherwise everyone will lose. Even if it's a slim chance to come out on top, a slim chance is still better than none."
"I know that, but..." Blake fought back the shaking in her voice, and yet doubt leaked into her words as she spoke. "If this goes wrong people will get hurt, and may even die. What do we do if everything fails?"
Kali stood and took a step towards her daughter, she got down on her knees and took the worried girls hands in her own. She wore a gentle smile as she spoke with bold sincerity. "We push forward, as we have always done."
Blake still looked somewhat uneasy, however a part of her also relented. "Right, just like before."
"So we're set on the plan to force them to question everything?" I asked, receiving a nod of affirmation from all. "Alright, but where do we get a group of Faunus willing and capable to stand against them?"
The question seemed to stall them for a moment, and I couldn't blame them. The idea may have been shaky, but it was the best we had for ending things without bloodshed, however gathering the participants was an entirely different matter. The White Fang already had a suitable reputation as deadly murderers and criminals, with the only positive side being exclusively owned by the slaves liberated from captivity, but they wouldn't be much help either. The slaves freed by the White Fang saw them as heroes, and convincing them to help us take down the group would be nearly impossible.
"Not all of us were keen on Adam's plan, there are plenty still around who'll be glad to help." Our attention was drawn to Ilia as she walked over, taking a spot on Blake's other side. "That might have an effect."
"Ilia? How long have you been here?" Blake asked as the girl shifted uncomfortably.
"Well I was on my way to check up on you and see how you were doing, but when I got here you were already having a moment and I didn't want to interrupt."
"So you were listening in." I let out as she tried to hold back a minor grimace.
"I couldn't help it. You were talking about the Fang and it sounded bad. I'm a spy, and it's kind of hard to break the habit sometimes."
"Don't worry about it, this involves the White Fang and everyone in it after all; I was planning to fill you in on it anyway." Ghira told with a look of calm ease, which soon shifted down into face of thought. "Although I question whether your suggestion will be enough. The White Fang following Adam have already been willing to oust Sienna, so there's no guarantee that a battle between them and the those allies of yours will have quite the effect we need. They might see them as traitors, much like the Faunus at Beacon."
"Oh." Ilia looked a bit less sure now, but with Ghira's words an idea of my own came to mind; a twisted and cruel idea.
"We could use their families." I stated, and drew looks from everyone, with a particularly appalled one directed from Blake.
"Their families... tell me you didn't just say that."
"They have family around here right? If we could get them on the field it'll show just how loyal Adam's supporters are to the cause they believe in. We'll see first hand if they're willing to strike dow-"
A sting of pain rang across my cheek, and the slap echoed across the room. Tears sparkled against her cheeks and the hate in her eyes was only accentuated by the shaking of breath and body. Ilia had taken hold of her, pulling the girl close silently in a soft embrace as Blake quivered in both sorrow and rage. Ilia herself had a hint of anger hidden behind her gaze, but it was burrowed away as she attempted to silently calm Blake. I continued regardless.
"Strike down their loved ones."
"Pretty sure Blake made it know fairly well, but I have to ask: what the fuck?" Ilia's tone was a mix between confusion and unease. "Is your only idea really just putting innocent families in the line of fire. Yes they're related to extremists, but that doesn't mean they share blame."
I said nothing and instead looked to Ghira. It appeared the shock had worn off and a look of conflict danced along his brow. He crossed his arms and hummed.
"Dad?" Blakes voice still shook, and yet a desperation had dripped from the word.
"Dear?" Kali held a similar air of apprehension, however hers was ironed with caution. Ghira looked up, his eyes locked with my own as he spoke with unmistakable clarity. There was a razor sharp edge to his words, and it was clear he meant business.
"That might be the shock we need. Most wish to protect their loved ones, and as much as I hate it you may have just given us what we need."
"DAD!" Blake was silenced as the man raised a had, cutting off all noise as his gaze seemingly hooked itself to my own.
"Make no mistake, I do not make this decision lightly. Listen, and listen well Vermillion: we will try this, but those we wish to put in the line of fire need to do so of their own free will. This must be their decision, and theirs alone." Ghira's voice grew dark, and just barely teased an echo of feral wrath. "However if this goes sour you will defend them, and any deaths brought about by this are entirely your responsibility. Are we clear?"
"Yes." Ghira was not messing around, nor was he happy about the situation. His threat was bright as day; if anything went wrong I would be facing the consequences of it all; The man would make sure of that.
I looked over to Blake, seeing a hint of shock which soon broke down into tears as she was unable to hold back everything. Ilia held her tightly as she let out her soundless cries of rage, and I stood and took a few steps away as Kali moved in to help comfort and calm her daughter. I couldn't blame Blake for hating it, and subsequently me; she had already nearly lost her father, her team, and even herself. Along with that she had truly lost a friend, and now here I was suggesting we risk tearing more families apart. The weight of it all was too much for the girl, and I saw then just how far her care extended. She wanted to help everyone, even when it was near impossible, but she couldn't handle all the carnage brought about from the fighting.
Blake had adopted a drive of hope I'd scarcely seen before, and some small part of me hurt with each of her cries.
I pushed it aside as I made to leave, hoping to clear my head and wonder if I had lost a part of my Humanity for suggesting such drastic actions.
.
.
Pain... it was the only thing she could feel in the moment, guided only by an unwavering desire to succeed.
Desperately she gasped as it flooded throughout her system, and with gritted teeth the woman let it all out as vicious starving flames coated her body and exploded outward. The fire reaped the Grimm surrounding her away, and soon nothing but fading ashes were left in place of the vile creatures.
"Not too terrible I suppose. Your semblance is indeed growing stronger, although you clearly seem worse for wear."
Cinder eyed Watts, and the man merely raised a brow towards her very visible scowl. Arthur Watts, while not the preferred choice, was nonetheless a valuable asset for her current needs, and as much as she hated it she needed his help. Since she'd gained the full extent of the maiden powers Cinder had made it her current objective to master them. Unfortunately such power did not grant total dominion to her overnight. She knew this, and yet the woman could not have foreseen just how difficult wielding such power would be.
They were sporadic, and at points utterly uncontrollable.
Back at Beacon she had been able to use them to an extent, however it had been a heavy struggle and she'd felt like she may have exploded at any point. Things had been much easier with only half the power; almost too easy in a way. Yet rather than wonder if cutting the power in half may have kept the overbearing feel of chaos at bay Cinder instead focused on testing the full extent of her strength.
She could not hold herself consistently at her limits however, and due to this she turned begrudgingly to Watts.
"I know that already." Cinder allowed the scowl to subside. "What of my aura?"
"Seventy-five percent. The mass outburst of heat drained a good fourth of it, but I must admit it was rather powerful." His smirk irked her, but she held her tongue as he continued. "It would seem the maiden's power has enhanced your base semblance and aura to an extent."
Cinder reveled in a feeling of satisfaction at that, however her patience was waning. "Shall we move on then?"
"Not quite yet, it's best to check your alteration first and see if it has grown in strength." The man went to work at something from behind the glass of his little observation chamber, and a panel opened up in the wall; Cinder was not surprised.
The disgraced scientist's lab was equip with various machines and tools, as well as many experiments kept away behind glass containers embedded in the walls. The whole place was incredibly sterile compared to the rest of Salem's castle, with the greatest contrast being the atlesian color-scheme of pure white and light blues. The room and subsequent extended rooms were almost blindingly bright compared to the darkness of the rest of the castle, and yet is was a pleasant change of scenery; although Cinder would never admit that.
She watched as one of Atlas's own Atlesian Knights walked out, albeit with a much more cluttered design.
"Now then: Strike the target with all the force you can muster."
"Are you sure of that Arthur, I might break your little toy?"
"I have several of these, and thanks to their simplicity I can reconstruct them with relative ease." He gave a couple claps. "Now then, show them what you can do."
Cinder scoffed, nevertheless she let loose a quick strike, her arm morphing to blackened bone and stretching to pierce the hunk of scrap metal. Had one blinked they might have missed it, and yet after a quick second of focus Cinder smirked at the gaping hole torn right through the chest of the oversized doll.
"..." Watt's was oddly quiet, and after a moment she saw fit to break the air of irritation that settled.
"Well?"
"You've gained no enhancements in this area."
"What?!" Cinder held back the majority of her shock, and instead replaced it with a mild anger. "What do you mean there are no enhancements?"
"It's as I said, the amount of force you've output from the Grimm side of you is no different then when you first gained the appendage."
Cinder was about to protest, and yet the echo of footsteps zipped shut her lips.
"Arrogance will do you no good my dear, you must temper your expectations with wariness, less you fall victim to it's delusions." Salem's tone was calm, and the soft look she wore brought about an instinctual fear in Cinder's heart.
As it always did.
"Now then." Salem looked over her. "I take it your little schemes are moving along nicely?"
"Yes." Cinder bit back her fear and wore a face of dignity. "I have both the force, and means of obtaining the relic."
"And yet you could not find it at Beacon." Cinder flinched inside, but her face remained steady.
"There were a few complications, however I can guarantee Haven will be different."
"See to it you succeed this time then. Failure would be very disappointing."
"I-I understand." Cinder swore under her breath at having let that stutter slip by, and yet Salem left without a word. Her training would need to be put on hold, as the mission was far more important.
It was time to call in the little birdie's favor.
.
.
Qrow watched as the others headed out, intent to obtain a few disguises.
"Brother."
And it would seem he would have his own problems to deal with.
"Raven." Qrow turned to face his sister, and just as always he fought back his annoyance at her sudden appearance. Near identical to her daughter aside from the pitch black mane and sour attitude, Raven was probably the last person he wanted to see.
"Still Ozpin's lapdog I see." She taunted as he smirked.
"Still running from responsibility I take it?" He shot back, although she appeared unaffected.
"If you spent less time catering to his every whim maybe you'd finally come to see the truth."
"I prefer not to solve every problem by scampering away with my tail between my legs." Qrow crossed his arms. "Now then, I know you didn't just come by just to catch up: What is it you're after this time?"
Raven was silent, and she walked over to the window, peeking out between the curtains for a moment only to face him again. "Where is the boy?"
There it is. "Dead. We lost him back at Beacon, back while your daughter was fighting for her life."
"Yang is strong, she hadn't needed me." Qrow couldn't fight back the scowl at Raven's dismissal of Yang. Even when they were kids she always had that fault, but he let the irritation slide. She was right, Yang didn't need her.
"She's still on the lookout for you, but right now she just has her hands full." Qrow spoke slowly, and gained a hint of satisfaction as he saw his sister's eyes widen.
"You told them, didn't you?"
"Everyone's on an even playing field now."
Raven scowled, and yet it eased. "You don't truly believe him to be gone."
"Pyrrha..." Raven hid her confusion expertly, and he sighed. "The Grimm looking one, said she saw him decapitated and fade away." Qrow's tone was even.
"Is that so?" Raven leaned against the wall. "You remember the old legends though. I have to ask: his name wouldn't just so happen to be Vermillion would it?"
"And if it is?" Qrow knew where this was going, and he didn't like it. "That's common knowledge though, you knew his name for quite a while right?"
"I did." Raven's eyes narrowed as her gaze pierced with the force of a freshly sharpened dagger. "It's the same name as in the tale."
"It's coincidence, those are just stories." Qrow tried to brush the subject away. Raven wasn't having any of it.
"And yet every story has it's origins."
"Ozpin's words?" Qrow chuckled. "Never thought you'd quote the man, considering how you abandoned us."
"Him." Raven's glare was as strong as ever. "I abandoned him, and you should have too, but you were caught up in his long winded schemes. You forget why we were sent to Beacon in the first place."
"To learn how to kill hunters, to protect the tribe." Qrow rolled his eyes. "We've been through this song and dance plenty of times before so let's cut to the chase. What do you want with the boy."
Raven hummed for a moment, and sat on the nearby bed as Qrow did the same across from her. "I still hold some sense of faith in the old legend, and if it is true then he may be the only one capable enough to put a stop to Salem."
"Maybe, maybe not." Qrow leveled a look her way. "Regardless of the validity of the tribe's myth we'll deal with Salem as we always have."
"And look at what that's gotten us." Raven growled. "Nothing. Salem still moves, and death still follows." She went silent for a moment, and Qrow took note of her apprehension.
"What is it Raven, what's happened."
"One of Salem's has contacted me." Qrow was about to speak when she stopped him "She knows the relics are underneath the academies."
"Shit." Qrow couldn't fight back the anger as it leaked across his face, regardless of this Raven continued.
"She wants the chamber opened, and she knows I have the Spring Maiden. She promised to leave the tribe alone if we opened the way for her."
"Do you honestly believe that for even a second?" Qrow asked, already knowing the answer.
"No, but what choice do I have. They can wipe us out in seconds."
Qrow scowled, and yet he had a question. "Why tell me this then?"
"If Salem gets the relics everyone loses. I'll open the way so she leaves me be, but I want you to keep the relic away from them. I don't care where you take it, just run."
Qrow understood what his sister was after. "She'll chase us, leaving you and the others alone. That's what you want right?"
"You were the one who wanted to fight her with Oz. I made no such conviction."
"And your daughter? Are you willing to leave Yang to Salem's mercy?"
"If she's strong she'll be fine, if not..." Raven steadied herself. "Then she was never a Branwen in the first place."
Qrow let his opinion on that display brightly across his face, and yet he calmed his words. "Thanks for the heads up, now get out of my sight."
Raven did so, and yet despite her words Qrow knew it was all a façade. Raven wasn't so eager to throw her daughter away.
It was her fear that allowed her to do so.
Author's note
...
It's all starting to heat up again, some villains, some heroes, and the few stuck between. Can they make it through? Maybe, maybe not, we'll just have to wait and find out.
Until next time.