So… Yeah… RGQC here. I hope you're okay with the events of the previous chapter. Now, it's time to see the aftermath. Let me just say that you can expect things to… go down for Jade and his family. What will happen? Well, only time will tell. But yeah, I hope you enjoy this story as much as I did writing it. I wonder if you guys are okay with the change of theme? Just curious, nothing more.
But, like always, comments from the previous chapters will be addressed before we begin!
BrimazKing: Thanks! Jade will be alright, yes, but I'll say that it will take a while because it is just the beginning. But fret not, as with time, all scars will heal, but they will remain and change how one sees the world. As for Blake… Let's just say she will NOT take this well once the news reaches her.
Especially with what I planned down the road…
DragonL0RD: It's okay if you have nothing to say about the previous chapter. It must have been overwhelming for you, I think. Thanks for pointing that out; it has been corrected!
RealSteal: Yup. And let's just say that Jade's view of… everything will change. Though he may start to adopt the same ideology of his tormentors and twist them… I doubt people can go through something as traumatising as this and leave unscathed. As for Jade's emblem, I have some ideas, but I'll take your suggestions from my ideas list.
Fenrir's Fang96: Yup. This will change him, for better or worse. Do stick by. I think you'll like what I have in stall. Also, don't worry about Azim. He will be dealt with eventually.
Alright. Now that the reviews are addressed and out of the way, it's time to get this show on the road and deal with the incident's aftermath!
With all my other stories, I do not own RWBY. Only the OCs in this story are my creation, while the rest belong to Rooster Teeth. (Well... not for long, I suppose... with the shutting down and stuff…)
A minute had only passed since Melo's old partner escaped with Jade in hand and left the dying and dead behind in what used to be the Evergarden's office, and things were getting even more hectic as Melo wasted no time grabbing Azim by the throat in a blind rage and slamming him against the nearby wall without care as his victim chokes for breath. "There's hell to pay for this! Because of you, my son is in the hands of bandit scum!" Melo was basically raging at this point as he had his sword against Azim's throat as he gasped for breath with defiance under Melo's death grip.
"I'll… do anything… to save my family from animal scum like you…"
"Scum? SCUM?!" Melo's rage reaches its limit and bursts as he pulls his blade back with full intention to kill this bastard before him, but even before he can swing his sword to take Azim's head off his shoulders, someone calls and stops him.
"Mr Grayson, please stop!"
Leathad's arm rests on Melo's arm as Melo murderously glares at her for daring to stop justice from being enacted. At the same time, the surviving maids attend to the dying and dead, as well as Amranth, who is sobbing loudly on her knees as she clutches onto Bianca close to her chest. "We have failed in our duty to protect our Mistress and your family. Yes. But killing him will not resolve your pain nor return your son."
She continues calmly as she quickly glances sadly at Dianth's corpse lying on the floor in her own blood with tears in her eyes. "What do you expect me to do?! I can't just let him go unharmed and alive! It's because of him that I lost my son to bandits! It's because of him that we have all gone through this! No. He must pay for everything..." Melo's voice remained poisonous as he glared back at Azim, who struggled to get Melo's hand off his neck.
"I understand. But let him live, please, so he can face justice," Leathad begged as she shook her head in disappointment at Azim, who still stubbornly tried to struggle free. "I suggest you attend to Mrs Grayson. She needs your console. Allow me to deal with him…"
…
Melo glares at Leathad for what feels like hours, but in reality, only a few seconds have passed. He hates it. He hates this. Even after everything, she's right. Killing Azim won't fix this issue. Besides, he still has a wife and daughter to protect. He will hunt again for his son, but Melo must now see them off here and back home for their safety.
"Tch! Very well…" Without looking at the scum in his hand, Melo drops him as he leaves to attend to his grieving wife while Leathad remains by as she stares at her master. Well, not anymore after this unforgivable act. Azim gasped for breath as his neck ached from Melo's tight grip, and it was so tight and suffocating that a handprint could be seen on him.
"Your actions do you no favour, Azim. Putting not only Amranth's family into harm when they pose no threat but killing your mother as well is unforgivable." The housekeeper bluntly states. "You said you wish to save your family, yet your actions do not match your words. You'll rot in prison for this once you're taken into court."
"I… I didn't mean to shoot her… It was never my intention..." Leathad raised an unconvinced eyebrow at Azim, who was now looking stunned at his dead mother on the floor as a pair of maids placed a cloth over her face. How can he say this when he walked into the office with a gun and didn't hesitate to shoot her?
"But you did. Not only that, but you brought bandits into Mugunghwa on purpose because of your unjustified hate. In addition, you sick them on your half-sister's family, who would have left this place hastily if it wasn't for your shortsighted actions. Because of this, you stained the Evergarden name, and now her son is in the hands of slaving bandits." She says with a disturbingly calm tone before narrowing her eyes.
"You said you wished to protect your family from scum? The only scum I see is the one before me."
Glancing at another pair of maids to her left, Leathad nods at them. "Take him away." Without any objections, while simultaneously silently glaring at Azim, the maids nod before grabbing Azim by the arms and taking him away.
"Hey! Let go of me this instant! That's an order!" He tried to order his maids to let go of his arms, but neither listened while they continued glaring and took him away from the office in ruins. "Why aren't you listening to me? You serve me, remember!?"
Had Azim realised his actions earlier, he would have been aware that his actions had made him lose the respect of his maids, as every single one of them now regarded him with distaste over the killing of his own mother, even if it was an accident and for trying to get rid of his half-sister and her family through the use of bandits.
With him out of the way, Leathad found her eyes gazing at Melo kneeling before his wife and doing his best to calm her down. Not only had she and the maids underneath her failed their job of serving and protecting their mistress, but she also failed her promise to protect Amranth's family. Such… actions demand some form of compensation. But now Amranth is her foremost concern more than her duties.
"Dear… I need you to take Bianca and head back to Menagerie," Melo says as he gently wipes the tears off his wife's face. Even so, Amranth is still emotional, and leaving this place sounds appealing. But... what about Jade? Abandoning her son hits her the wrong way hard.
"But what about our baby boy? What about you? What are you going to do? We can't just abandon him!" She could only tearfully argue back as her husband nodded with a precarious look.
"I know, but it's too dangerous here. That's why I need you to take Bianca and go back home while I go and find our son. Even if it takes days, weeks, months or even years. I'll find our kitten and bring him back home. I swear it."
"Alone?" Amranth could only feel hope and dread. "Will you be alright? I don't want to lose you too…"
"I will be fine, but your and our daughter's safety is my priority now. Once you leave for Menagerie, I can prepare to look for our son. So please, I refuse to give up now. Will you trust me so I can get him back?" Melo asks softly, and Amranth nods her head.
The couple gently leans in and nuzzles their foreheads against one another. "I promise… I'll get Jade back…" Melo mutters softly while Bianca sleeps softly in Amranth's arms after tiring herself out from crying too much.
"Please do…"
A cough then caught the Graysons' attention, during which Leathad slowly shuffled towards her. "Amranth… I am so sorry. We failed you, and we failed your mother." Her blue eyes slowly closed, and shame rested on her soul. "Such failure on our part demands compensation. Therefore," Leathad and the few maids still the room knees before Amranth and her husband to their surprise.
"We pledge our loyalty and service to you, with Lady Dianth's death at the hands of her son and his arrest to face justice for his crimes. Only you are the remaining living Evergarden left, and we follow where you go."
Hearing Leathad's oath shocked Amranth, who could only glance at her dear husband, who was also stunned by her proclamation. After all, from the looks of it, Leathad and the maids who follow her would likely never take no for an answer. Even then, where would they stay? Her home is only large enough for her family, and they do not have a mansion like the Belladonnas.
"Where would you even stay? Our house will not be large enough to accommodate you all, nor would we be able to feed all of you," Melo points out, yet Leathad doesn't seem bothered by that fact.
"Due to Lady Dianth's death and her son's arrest, all assets belonging to him will be given to you," Leathad glances at Amranth. "The assets assigned to him have been revoked as per Lady Dianth's will should Azim do anything to you."
I see…" Amranth could only be speechless about the whole situation before a while squad of policemen and a single Huntsman entered the room. Now, they must all testify about what will happen before discussing the details with Leathad and settling on other businesses. Only after they are done with that can the Graysons do what they wish to do.
Elsewhere…
In a cage far from civilisation, Jade woke up shocked and confused about what was happening. And the first thing he noticed was that something was covering the right portion of his face, and then it hit him. Everything that had happened before he was rendered unconscious replayed in his mind.
How everything was supposed to be a fun trip to see his grandmother turn into catastrophe. He remembers the dread and hysteria he was in and how he hurt people to protect himself and his mummy. How he was forced to fight for his life and everything his father prepared for him was not enough…
And then he…
He…
He killed someone…
Jade felt so cold when that memory replayed over and over his head because, to him, all life is precious in his eyes, and he just killed someone accidentally when he slashed the bandit's throat! And then a throbbing pain on the right side of his face reminded him that he was wounded as well. That evil man sliced his face! Jade shudders at how he felt a sharp pain on his face and how he couldn't see out of his right eye after that, and tears slowly drip down his only eye as he begins to sob.
How?
How did everything go so wrong in a single day?
Jade's hand shuddered as he brushed his face to feel some sort of cloth damp with his blood covering his wound. Did… that evil man patch him up? And where is he now? It was then that he felt something around his neck! And while the cat Faunus could not see it, he could feel it securely around his neck with metal loops.
"Where am I?" Jade wondered as he looked around to see that he was in a cage, resting on a mattress and a poor-quality blanket. But that wasn't all. It was clear to him that his cage was in a large tent, but what terrified him was that there were other cages with their own occupants. Injured Human and Faunus children with bandages on their bodies and around the same age as he was were in those cages, and many of their eyes were hollow and devoid of life.
Their bodies were riddled with scars from constant beatings alongside their ragged clothes as they seemed to stare out to somewhere, and Jade could only dread every second of it. This was his fate should he stick here! He needs to get out of here!
But how?!
"!?" His ears perked when he picked up the sound of footsteps as he scampered to the opposite side of the cage with terror flooding through his veins. It wasn't long before a woman walked in. Wearing what could be a simple tunic and shorts with slippers, she had hazel hair hanging loosely in a ponytail and brown eyes. But what was most catching about her was the metal collar around her neck, the bags underneath her, and the resigned look in her eyes.
Even more in her hands was a tray containing all sorts of medical equipment, which Jade recognised, including bandages, ointments, pills and other medical necessities. Jade watched with fear and curiosity as the woman approached his cage and kneeled. But the lifeless look in her eyes was quickly replaced with surprise upon seeing Jade watching her fearfully.
"Shhhhh… I'm not here to hurt you. You're new here. Are you?" Her voice was soft and comforting, but Jade did not believe a second of it. He just stares and refuses to move an inch towards but away instead. "Please, I'm only here to check on your injuries. You were hurt badly, and if it weren't for me, you would have bled out."
Yet despite the comforting aura the woman before him radiated, Jade didn't believe a second of it and hissed out like a cat with his ears flat back against his head when she tried to reach out for him. "I'm not here to hurt you. I promise…" The woman whispers again before grabbing a bottle of water from her backpack and some biscuits.
"You've been unconscious for days. You're probably hungry, are you?" she whispered again. As if by command, Jade felt his stomach grumble for food with his eyes shooting all over the place suspiciously before slowly reaching out and snatching the biscuit from her hands and devouring them.
"I'm sorry this happened to you…" Jade continues to narrow his eyes with suspicion at the woman before him. She has just given him food, but can she be trusted? Who's to say she's with the evil man who took him from his family? He just wants to go home away from this. "I wish I could do much to help you and everyone escape. But this is keeping me here." The woman said as she tugged the metal collar on her neck dejectedly.
"So please, let me have a look at you." She begged again, but Jade still refused to move.
Still scared out of his mind, he continued munching on the biscuits as she sat and watched him. Only after Jade had finished eating did the cat Faunus finally decide she could be trusted to tend to his injuries if nothing else.
So, the cat Faunus slowly moved closer and allowed the woman to check and replace his bandages.
And she did as she removed the bloodied bandages around his head to reveal a horrible wound underneath it that was still raw and bleeding, and Jade could only wince at the pulsing pain. The laceration on his face goes from just above his right eyebrow through his eye and ends just above the jaw. It is still bleeding but had to be changed since the bandage was soaked in his blood.
In addition, it is likely Jade will never be able to see out of his right eye again since it is heavily damaged to the point of uselessness. If he can afford it, he would need a new prosthetic eye to see out of his right eye again. Picking out a cotton wipe with alcohol on it, she began wiping away the blood still staining Jade's face, though he whimpered in pain when she accidentally wiped too close to the open wound. "It's okay. This will sting only for a little bit, and then it will be over," she assured him before she finished cleaning up his wound and bandaging his face again minutes later. Once she was done redressing his injury, she asked as she handed the little cat Faunus a bottle of water.
"If I may ask, what is your name?" Jade pauses while drinking his water before taking it out of his mouth. A frown remains before he nods, opens his mouth, and…
...
Nothing.
Nothing came out of his lips to the shock of the little cat Faunus and the woman's confusion. Before long, Jade clutched his throat and tried to force himself to speak again, but nothing came out. Confusion quickly turned to panic as he repeatedly tried to say something, just something to prove that he could talk!
But like before, nothing came out.
It was as if he lost his voice after the incident!
"Ah! I see that he's awake."
Jade immediately felt cold. He knows- He knows that voice…
That's the voice of the evil bandit man who kidnapped him from his parents! What is he doing here now?! Jade felt incredibly cold again as he shuffled away from the sound, even though it was pointless since he couldn't escape. "How's the brat doing?"
Jade continues to shiver with helplessness as the woman reluctantly stands to address him. "I have redressed his wounds, but it will still take days before any signs of recovery will show. They're still quite fresh. In addition… He…"
The woman could only drone on towards the end before Harl himself pressures her to continue. "Go on, don't keep me waiting…"
"He appears to have lost the ability to speak. I believe the traumatic experience he had undergone rendered him mute." She sighed while Harl raised a curious eyebrow before bending down to see the same brat who got the jump on him. The little cat Faunus, who was now stuck in a cage and terrified out of his mind. There was nothing he could do to defend himself, and all he could do was hiss fearfully when Harl tried to reach over with his hand.
"Really? All from that head bump I gave ya?"
"Potentially. Either physical or psychological trauma a child endures can cause them to become mute as a coping mechanism." The woman says again while Harl stands up and faces her. "I… advise we give him some time to heal. The injuries he suffered could be aggravated and become worse, should you… train him… now…"
"Are you trying to lecture me?"
"No… Just an advice, should you want him alive…"
Harl's eyes seemingly dug into the woman's own before nodding. "Very well. See that he recovers from his injuries. It would be a waste for someone of his potential to die from an infection. I have foreseen the future he will play in what's to come..." And so, Harl left the tent as the woman sighed in relief. She isn't doing this of her free will, and seeing so many children captured and have their wills broken is heartbreaking.
But as long as this collar remains on her neck, there's nothing she can do for them unless she wants to die from it.
When she knelt down to check on Jade, it was clear that all the initial reputation she'd built moments ago had been lost. Jade was now actively afraid and would hiss loudly should she try to touch or comfort him. "I'm sorry. You may think I am one of them, but I have no choice with this collar."
It wasn't a lie.
She was once a volunteer medic before that horrid man kidnapped her and put her to work treating all the prisoners the tribe captured as battle thralls once they learned of her medical skills. She had tried to get some of the children out, and it worked for a time before she was eventually caught, and she was severely punished for it with faint scars beneath her clothes. Even more, she had tried breaking them out of the cells so many times that Harl had built an explosive collar and forced her to wear it to get her to stop.
She could only sigh in response. If only she could do more for these children… "I suppose I'll introduce myself. My name is Seraphina. May I know yours?" Yet Jade didn't budge in the slightest. He stared fearfully at her, and Seraphina knew she would have to work hard to keep the little cat Faunus from breaking.
Despite all that, she could tell that beneath all the fear he was showing, there was defiance in his eyes.
The will to live and keep fighting even if swallowed by fear.
But how long can his will hold one before it cracks and wanes?
Many children who came before him showed the same determination. Still, they eventually fell into despair and became broken shadows that just fought each other for the entertainment of their masters.
While it took a while for Jade to trust her fully again after that, he finally did and reciprocated by drawing his name on the dirt floor before him. "Jade, huh? That's a nice name." Seraphina smiled before she sighed. "I have to get going now. I've done what I need to do. See you in a bit." That was all she said before picking up the tray and making her leave.
Jade felt the cold winds blow against his face as he watched Seraphina push through the mesh, leaving him alone in his cage with the other broken prisoners. The little cat Faunus found himself grabbing the scarf Blake made for him and staring at them. He hasn't forgotten about it.
How would she react to his kidnapping? Not well, most likely. He wants to go home, be away from all this with his family, and return to the happy memories he used to have.
But most of all…
To be with the girl he promised to come back. After all, Blake promised to wait until he came back.
No matter how long that might be.
Jade felt another sob coming by as he curled up and clutched onto the scarf as close as he could. "I don't know if anyone can hear me, but… Mummy, Daddy, please find me. I don't want to be here anymore… I don't want to be scared alone… Don't leave me…"
Melo POV
It's been days since that incident, and things have been resolved quickly. That scum Azim's now rotting in jail for his murder of his own mother and bringing bandits over after a quick court case since this incident was big news in Mugunghwa. Good. But it comes as a surprise to me that the case was resolved quickly in favour of putting him into jail for fifty years for murder and working with bandits.
I suspect Leathad is partially responsible since she has many connections in this town, and Azim apparently has had a negative reputation among the locals for years. His anti-Faunus rhetoric had pissed off many of the people except for a small few who shared his views. My fellow people were one of the more vocal ones in the courts about his clear hatred.
I've learned that this wasn't the first time that scum tried to restrict the freedom or get rid of my people entirely from Mugunghwa. He had tried to do this numerous times before, but his mother always intercepted and vetoed his proposal since she had the last word on any new laws as mayor.
Though I had hoped to pay him back personally for all the pain he caused and for losing my son to Harl, of all people.
I can't believe it.
Harl's back as a bandit.
It's… hard to believe that after all these years of not seeing him, that fucker's back and appears to become a leader of a tribe of slaving bandits. I don't know how that happens, but I must find him and settle our score. I failed my team before when I couldn't find him.
Now that he's back, I have a target again.
But first, I need to get my dear and our daughter out of here, and then I can go hunting for Harl. "Dear?" I turn to see my wife worrying about me. "You've been quiet. Too quiet for some time now. Are you alright?" Am I that obvious that I'm not alright? Well… that's true. I have not ever since days ago.
I was escorting her to the airport when she spoke to me, and knowing that my dear wife would demand answers from me, I sighed. "No… I'm thinking about my next move. It's been a while since I worked alone as a Huntsman since we moved to Menagerie. I'll need the information to track Harl's and our kitten's locations." My wife could only look down at our daughter sleeping calmly before looking back at me.
"How long do you think this will take?"
"As I said, it will most likely take a couple of weeks or months, perhaps even years. I'm not going to lie." Based on everything I know so far, this is the most optimistic prediction I can make. I may even have to rely on some… unconventional connections I have in Mistrial to find him. They failed me once, but I'm willing to try again if it means I can get my son back.
I'll do everything possible to see him return to me in one piece.
A moment of silence passed before she continued, "I've been thinking… about Leathad." I could see that my wife was still unsure about something. A while back, she came to us with an interesting offer to stay in Dianth's home (May she know peace in death) as an alternative to returning to Menagerie. But she wholeheartedly refused, and I couldn't blame her.
After everything that has happened here and throughout her childhood, my wife wants nothing to do with it and wishes to return to our simple home away from everything, and I understand. Despite that, Leathad requested that since our home could not house everyone, she would join us and act as Bianca's nanny while the rest would disband until a new mayor could be elected.
This suitable compromise was satisfactory to both of us, as she could protect and assist my wife and daughter while I looked for Jade.
"What about her?"
"It's… I don't know how everyone's going to react to this… To have a human staying in our home days later." I see… Yes… Many Faunus in Menagerie simply want to be left alone from discrimination, and some have grievances against humanity. And it cannot be denied that humans have come from the other Kingdoms before to do trade, but nothing more than that. To have one staying with us… might cause some unintentional conflict.
However, I'm more concerned about how Kali's daughter will react to this news. Not well, I know for sure. I could only pray that things work out. "I'm sure things will work out in the end, and if the others are against it, I'm sure Kali and Ghira won't mind." I did my best to assure her, but the worry did not go away.
"Then… What about Blake? What should I say to her?" I wonder the same thing… "How can I explain to her that our son had been kidnapped by bandits? Don't you remember? They proclaimed their love for one another not too long ago." I felt a sigh coming in before I decided to pull her into a hug in my attempt to comfort her.
"I know it will be difficult. But… we can't hide it from them, especially from her. It will go sour quickly, yes. Though it is better than lying to their faces. They deserve the truth." I could see my wife's ears sinking in resignation.
"This will be the last time we see each other in a while, huh?" Her beautiful eyes met mine, and I could only nod my head.
"Yeah. You should get going. The airship isn't going to wait for you." Yet my dear wife did not move at all. She held my daughter close to herself before leaning in and kissing me on the lips. I could never get tired of this. I felt our kiss deepen for a moment before we finally broke apart, and my dear gave me a worried look.
"I know… Do your best to get our child back. But do NOT forget about your safety. I can't afford to lose you too after everything that has happened to us…"
"I get it. I won't let you or our son down."
"I know… Good luck."
With a final hug, I watched as my dear wife departed for the airport. I wished her a safe journey. With a final nod, I turned and left. I had preparations to make for my trip to Mistral. I have an old acquaintance to meet and a weapon to get fixed before the hunt begins again.
And then…Harl.
I'm coming for you, bastard.
And cut!
After the aftermath, things are now building up. Azim gets a taste of justice and is in prison (for now…). Amranth, with Bianca in hand, is now heading back to Menagerie for their safety and informing the Belladonnas what happened, while Melo has some preparations to make before going on the hunt for his partner again.
Also, a glimpse into Jade's current situation and… new condition. Don't worry. If you were wondering, he won't stay mute forever, just for his time here.
Well, I don't really have anything else to say. So, if you enjoy this story and wish to show your support for more in the future, Follow and Favourite this story. While you're at it, leave a review of your thoughts on this chapter. I want to know how you feel about it.
With that, I'll see you all in the next chapter. Please let me know what you think of this one!
RGQC out!