A/N: Chapter 63 of REKT. Enjoy!
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters or teams of RWBY, they belong to Rooster Teeth and Monty Oum. What I do own are the characters and teams of my OCs: REKT, GTSY, KACE and DAZE. I also claim Ingrid, Teo, Reina's parents and aunt as well.
Special thanks to the reviewers and to the readers who Fav/Alert this story, I really appreciate it.
Chapter 63: Sea Dragon Battle
Out at sea...
Blake continued to have little conversations here and there with the captain whenever she came out onto the deck, feeling more and more reclusive to the point where she didn't want to converse with him anymore; she almost swiped out at him, but held herself back at the last minute. The man then got the hint and decided to leave her to her own devices, mingling with the other passengers. The ex-huntress spent most of her time, leaning against the railings with a faraway gaze on her face; she would still jump now and then when kids rushed past screaming with elation. Deep down she knew she wasn't okay, and she prayed that only time could heal her.
Keep calm...gotta keep calm. Just breathe...There's no reason...no reason he would be on the boat... She continues to remind herself, her hands curling tight against the railing. Her ears, forever expressing her bottled emotions, flicking back and forth almost as if they were on alert. Sometimes they would fold back, sometimes they would perk up in shock. One time, she nearly toppled over with eyes wide as dinner plates, a hand clasped over her chest as though she had seen an unwanted ghost. After a few minutes, she rose shakily to her feet and shuffled back inside, no doubt back to her cabin.
Kairos and Sun kept very close eyes on their friend as well as the other passengers, staying out of sight from the captain. In order to fuel their bodies with nourishment, Sun utilized his elite skills as a stowaway to sneak a few pieces of fruit from the kitchen or table stands. The two faunus fell into a routine of taking shifts stationed outside of her cabin during the nights, no doubt subjected to some nights of loud crying and possible screaming being muffled by a pillow. Sun almost busted down the door to console her, stating that he wanted to be there for her, but then the noise settled down and the boy assumed that Blake fell back to sleep.
"No doubt she's been traumatized by the events." He would tell Kairos, looking extremely concerned once his shift was over. The female faunus could understand his feelings because she also heard her share of Blake's painful cries; she too, wanted nothing more to bust down the door and console her friend. "It hits her when she's very vulnerable, and she's the most vulnerable when she's asleep."
"We're all tender and vulnerable at this time, there's no doubt in my mind. To be honest, I'm amazed she's kept her hurt to herself and not mingle with the others." Her tail wiggled back and forth briefly, her eyes narrowed in thought. "Although...if she continues to exhibit this sort of behavior..."
"You thinking there will be Grimms coming for this boat?" Sun questions her, his own mind whirling in thoughts and ideas. He knew how the creatures worked, how they were addicted to negative emotions. "But we haven't seen a soul since we've been on this entire boat, not to mention we have no clue if there are aquatic creatures. Do you think Blake's emotions are strong enough to bring something out here?"
"Who knows...but we'll continue to keep a vigilant eye on things." with that, she leaves the conversation to take her stand outside Blake's room and allowed Sun to rest.
As the day slowly turned into midday, the sky turning from blue to orange, the bubbling on the water's surface caught Blake's attention while she was roaming silently around the boat. When she looked over out of curiosity, she was greeted with the sight of pure black scales, and a part of the large serpentine body still covered by the water. Slowly the black scales gave way to vibrant red fins, the clear membrane of the skin glistening in the setting sun. Not too far from the head of the boat, a large muzzle burst through the surface followed by the upper half of the creature.
"GRIMM!" Massive shouting filled the air as crew members ran around, corralling passengers into the lower levels so they are protected. The captain rushed out of the control room with his first mate by his side. Together they looked up as the Grimm glared at the tiny transportation, its yellow eyes glowing brightly and its teeth bared.
"Well, what do you know...I've never seen a creature quite like that. This will go down in the history books for sure!" The captain growled and tightened his hat upon his head, eyes sparkling with the challenge to fell the beast before him. "Very well then, if it's a fight it wants, it's a fight it'll get. Prepare for battle!"
"Sir!" First mate snapped to attention and ran back to the control room, their hastened footsteps pounding against the floor boards. Throwing open the door, they rushed to the panels and fiddled with the knobs and buttons. The captain stormed through the opened door and stood a stand behind the wheel, determined to keep his boat and all his passengers alive. "All cannons ready to fire on order!"
"Very well then! Don't shoot yet until we have a clear shot, there's no way we'll waste precious material!"
"Yes, sir!"
Blake for her part, never hesitated to draw Gambol Shroud and charged into battle, hoping that the adrenaline rushing through her body could keep her mind off things. Using the railing as a springboard, she launches herself right at the sea creature. The Grimm roared at her approach and snapped its teeth, rearing its head back like a serpent. Thinking quickly, Blake conjured up a shadow clone in her stead to take the bite, vanishing just as quickly as it was created.
With the flick of a wrist, she send her weapon flying across the threshold and the blade embedded itself into the creature's nose. It let out a scream in agony and thrashed about trying to shake off the huntress, eventually dislodging the weapon. Not detoured by the fact, Blake continues to attack relentlessly, falling back on her instincts and lashing out with all she had. Managing to get behind the monster she fired rounds that ricochet off the hard skin.
"Huntress! Any damages on the creature?!" One of the sailors asks her once she landed back on the boat with a scowl on her face.
"No, the scales are really tough!" She replies as she comes up to a kneeling position, popping out the empty magazine of dust and replacing it with a dust-filled magazine. "But if I continue to hammer against the same spot, I'll be able to crack it!"
"Watch out! That thing's about to blow!" Another sailor pointed as the creature began to charge up what seemed to be a yellow beam of energy. "Prepare to hit the deck!"
"RED BURST!" A red figure appeared soaring through the sky with a trailing flame, colliding with the beam of energy that shot out from the creature's maw. Both attacks collided with each other, resulting in a huge explosion. The boat was pushed away due to the force, creating some distance between it and the creature.
"Whew! Is that entrance flashy enough? Takes guts to get back into the swing of things, doesn't it Blake?" Kairos spoke up, twirling Lancelot over her head before lowering it so the tip is aimed at the Grimm. The creature hissed with anger, shaking its head to get rid of the damage. "So...mind telling us who your new friend is?"
"Oh man, thought I could do something flashy too!" Sun complains playfully, standing beside his fellow faunus with his own weapon in hand. "Try not to hog all the fun, you know? Some of us want a crack at that thing too!"
"Why the hell are you two here?!" Blake gasped in absolute shock, gazing at her two friends. Never in her mind did she think she would see anyone recognizable on the ship with her. "Were...were you two following me?!"
"Well, it looks like you could use all the help you can get." Kairos replied before gesturing to the Grimm. "Do you see how massive that creature is?! There's no way in hell you could take it on by yourself."
"Yeah...also hold onto that question about following because we're gonna be kicking ass now!" Sun says, noticing that the sea creature was about ready to strike. However, in everyone's horror, the fins along the spin elongated into a pair of large wings. With a loud roar, it quickly took to the skies to avoid the potential cannon fires and glared down at the boat. "Oh come on! Get back down here so I can whack you!"
"B-But...I mean-! This is..."
"Don't worry about the short stuff, we'll be more than happy to answer whatever it is that you have." Kairos said as she landed beside Blake, the cat faunus still trying to wrap her head around what is going on. This was probably the first time Blake has ever been tongue tied, well, according to Kairos' knowledge. "Let us lend you a couple of hands for the time being."
"Grrrrrrrrrroarrrrrrrr!"
"Yeah, yeah we hear ya!" Sun states almost in an annoyed manner as he backed away from the splash of water that sprayed upon the deck, his tail twitching back and forth when the Grimm roared with anger. "No need to shout!"
"C'mon then, this battle is just getting heated!" Kairos grins, feeling her left leg illuminate with the flare of Aura pulsing through her body. "I've always wanted to try and skewer Grimm this huge into a kebab!"
Inside the control room...
"What's the situation out there now?" The captain yelled, holding on tight to the steering wheel as the uneven waters began to rough house the vessel. His crew worked around him at a bustling pace, scurrying back and forth shouting out various reports. "Grrrr! What is with this fight?"
"Sir! We've gotten addition help from two unidentified passengers!"
"What?! Unidentified?!" He turns to address one of his staffers with one eyebrow raised in mild surprise. "Where in the world did they come from? I scoured every inch of this ship, and yet I've never seen them...what are they magicians?"
"They appear to be huntsmen and they sneaked onto the vessel before we pulled out of the docks back in Vale! Based on how they were quick to respond, I'm wagering a guess they're all friends."
"Sir, this battle could be pushed into our favor! We have the advantage with three hunters on our side!" First mate turned to look at their captain, a knowing glint in their eyes. "Besides, none of us have that much experience in dealing with the Grimm before. So lucky us with this batch of passengers!"
"Indeed we are." The captain strode back out, witnessing Blake firing as the Grimm flew about, growling under her breath when her bullets couldn't hit her target. Sun was firing as well, getting slightly aggravated so he attempted to change up his tactic. Taking a running start, he threw himself just as the creature flew past on the left side, gripping onto the fins. Kairos who was stationed on top of the boat's bow, using her tail for balance as she continuously fired off rounds of bullets while the creature flew around the boat. The dust casings pinged off the hard scales, forcing the huntress to switch styles.
"Whoa! Watch the fire balls!" Sun yelled as the heat nearly caressed his back, pressing himself closer against the slimy, wet scales. "I don't want to get cooked just yet!"
"I'm trying not to hit you! Besides, I have a much larger target in sight!" Kairos yelled back, taking aim once more and fired one directed at the head. The creature roared and in response, slapped its tail hard against the boat. The sudden jolt knocked everyone off balance, and the first mate fought to keep the vessel from tipping over by gripping on tight to the steering wheel. "That thing's not making anything easy..."
"Doesn't mean we're giving up here." Blake shouted, lifting an arm to shield herself from the ocean's spray as the waters were tossed about violently. Oh, how she hated getting wet.
"Then what do you suggest?" Just as the creature breezed past on the right, Sun hopped off and regrouped with his friends. "I'm all ears!"
"Huntsman! Huntresses!" All three turned to see the captain who had stepped outside, that steely gaze still prominent on his face. First mate was right there beside him, their gaze filled with determination to jump at a moment's notice. "Night is beginning to set soon! With how dark that creature's scales are, I don't doubt most of us can't see that well!"
"You heard the man! I myself would like to kick some ass while there is still light in the sky!" Sun grinned broadly, turning to face the sea dragon. "Besides, doesn't it seem like we've played long enough? Anyone got a good plan or what? Preferably one that doesn't involve getting slammed into the rocks..."
We could probably use the long bow of the ship to impale the creature. Blake thought, her eyes darting back and forth as a plan formed within her mind. And then, while the creature is stranded on the tip a good cannonball to the face would end the battle!
"Guess it's time to call for some reinforcement! More hands are better than one!" Sun's enthusiastic voice pierced through her thoughts, and she looks over to see him using his Semblance to create three identical copies. The other two could see the Aura being distributed evenly among the huntsmen. "Alright! We're ready to go!"
"That'll be a bit difficult since it has the capability of flying!" Kairos was shouting back when her eyes widened with a spark of enlightenment. She turned to see the creature beating its wings in the air, no doubt anticipating their next move. "...that's it. We need to cut off its wings. Doesn't have to be both – I mean that would be ideal – but at least one so it could hinder its movement."
"Then throw me...errr...us! Technically it's me...anyways! We'll try and keep that thing steady!" Sun stood confidently near the bow of the ship, turning his back towards the dragon. One of his copies rushed forward and gripped the monkey's muscular forearm. With a loud grunt, Sun threw his copy as hard as he could. The sea dragon angrily lunged forward, attempting to snap its mouth around the clone. But it nabbed onto one of the long whisker and held on, narrowly avoiding the fangs.
Swinging its body up, it managed to grab onto the other whisker and pulled hard; the creature wailed with anguish and thrashed about trying to dislodge its rider. Sun accidentally missed on his second throw, the clone disappearing before it could hit the water. Muttering something colorful underneath his breath, the monkey faunus didn't miss his target with his last clone who held onto the creature's left wing. The behavior of the creature turns frantic once it realized that it couldn't use its wing to the fullest extent.
"Alright! It's my turn!" Eyeballing the distance and getting his timing right, Sun took a running start and leaped off the bow. He managed to catch the tail end and climb his way up the body till he was closer to the head. "Not sure if I told you all this..." His voice continued to fade in and out, but their faunus ears managed to hear his voice clearly. "But this is really...difficult!"
"You think this will work?" Blake asks, her eyes trained on the Grimm with Sun and his clones hanging on for as long as he could. "I won't lie, I'm feeling a little doubtful."
"Dunno, it's most likely our first time seeing a Grimm quite like this." Kairos replies, her sword held tightly in her hand and waits for the right time to act. "But that's a part of the thrill on taking this career. So, I can understand how it feels a bit much. Besides," The faunus turned to her friend and added, "we've handled worse. We survived the fall of Beacon, so this little serpent is absolutely nothing in comparison!"
Blake took the time to internalize the words and closed her eyes for a brief minute, recollecting all the events and day-to-day interactions she had experienced herself. All the missions she had gone on with her teammates, all the bickering and laughter, all the times spent in class. The corners of her mouth slowly curling into a slight smile, and she nodded her head.
"Yeah...that guy is nothing special."
"I'll go first then!" Cracking a grin, Kairos took a leap off the bow as the Grimm wheeled past, digging her blade into the body and using the handle as a foothold. The serpent no doubt made it extremely difficult trying to shake her off, however the erratic movements nearly drove the blade deeper. Keeping a tight grip on the handle, she began running towards the head and dragged the blade through in order to make a long mark.
"It's about god damn time!" Sun yelled loudly, looking over his shoulder to see the other faunus running up to meet him. "I was wondering when you and Blake decide to join!"
"Yeah yeah! Just hold that right wing steady for me!" Kairos shouted, pulling Lancelot out and took aim at her target. Adjusting his grip to restrict the movement, Sun watched as the blade cleaved the appendage clean in half, the dismembered wing fluttering down into the sea below. The sea dragon screamed with pain, thrashing harder and managed to throw Sun and his clones off. Grabbing onto his forearm, the clone threw Sun back onto the ship before disappearing.
"Shoot, we got to pin it down before it could counter attack!"
"Not all is lost!" Kairos yells from where she hauled herself out of the sea, standing on a nearby rock structure with a smile on her face. The momentum of her strike sent her barreling right into the sea, so her clothes were a bit damp and plastered to her skin. "You see, that big boy is struggling to stay in the air!"
"Then it will no doubt attempt to attack by sea! Just like how it did when we first met it!" Sun states once he regains his bearing, hanging on the railing with his tail wiggling back and forth. "We'll have to corral it into a tight space so its movements are restricted!"
"Grrrrrrrrrrrrr!" Enraged with wounds that prevented it from taking flight, it opened its jaw attempting to fire off another energy beam. Sensing the incoming charge, the monkey faunus immediately perched himself to where the captain and crew could see him. Lifting both arms, he began to make gestures in hopes to convey his message.
"What's he waving about? Does he think he's funny?" The captain questions.
"Not at all, Sir! He's telling us to move the boat back!" Another staff member shouted, watching the faunus with interest. "The creature's prepared to fire off a beam of energy and he's afraid that his friends wouldn't make it in time to deflect it!"
"All right then, you heard him!" The captain shouted, pulling the lever into reverse. "Hang on!"
FWOOOOOOSH!
The beam of light crashed in the front of the vessel as it propelled backwards, a large wall of water rising up to the sky to create a barrier between them. Blake was definitely not a happy camper with the deluge of liquid falling down onto the deck, her ears laying flat against her head. Sun on the other hand, was grinning ear to ear and appreciated the cool liquid against his skin.
"While we avoided much of the blast, starboard defenses are down! It could be a side-effect or something!" First mate reported after they looked at the numbers. "Lucky for us, the heavy cannon is still online!"
"However, the creature is still moving too fast!" A male sailor spoke up.
"And the engines?"
"Fully functional, captain!"
"Huntsman! Huntress!" The captain opened the window and yelled out, getting Sun and Blake's attention. "You've already clipped its one wing! Now draw it out towards the bow, so we can harpoon it like a whale!"
"Kairos! Did you get all that?! We have to pierce its body with the pointy end of this ship!" Sun asks, getting a thumbs up in return. "Okay then, how are we going to lure it? It still has its one functional wing..."
"I'll clip it, just need one chance." Blake answers, watching as a fire ball struck the creature in the face. Angrily, it diverted its attention to the huntress as she jumps across the various rock structures jutting out from the water. Flapping its single wing with vigor, it went after its target. Sun and Blake held on as the ship jerked forward, gunning after both characters. "Sun, you're gonna have to throw me."
"Consider it done!" Sun used his power to make a clone of himself and waited for the right moment. The pistons and gears of the ship engine were pumping as hard as it could. Rocks and debris continued to fall into the sea as the creature continued its rampage, not at all fazed with crashing into things. Sensing his chance, he held her arm and with his strength threw her towards the creature.
He then threw his clone after her. The two of them soared through the air, getting close since Kairos came to a halt, waiting for the creature to catch up. Needing to gain enough height, Sun's clone held onto Blake and threw her higher into the air before disappearing. The cat faunus somersaulted into the air before righting herself, spotting the Grimm below her. Pulling Gambol Shroud out of its sheath, she began to fall. Sensing someone approaching from above, the sea dragon tilted its head up and saw Blake coming towards it. Flapping its wing, it rose to meet her.
"Eat this!" Blake dug her blade into the appendage, cutting straight through the bone and dismembered her opponent. With a strangled cry the creature fell back, slamming into the sea and disappeared underneath the waves. For Blake, she scrambled and tried to right herself. The wind shrieking pass her ears as she tumbled through the air and prepared for a solid landing. However, with a large grin on his face, Sun appeared on the scene and held out both hands to catch her without much effort. His knees did buckle a bit, but he stood firm. "Phew..."
"Nice of you...to drop in!" The monkey faunus says cheekily, looking at the faunus in his arms. "Aren't I the greatest or what?"
"Ugh, whatever." She huffed with mild annoyance, rolling her eyes at him. The two of them didn't stay together for too long as the Grimm rose from the depths and crashed through the rocks, snarling angrily at them. Putting Blake down, the two of them immediately took off running and evading the jaws of death.
"Doesn't this remind you of that time we ran away from Torchwick back when we burst through their hideout?!" Sun yelled, somersaulting forward as the rock he was standing on was reduced to rubble by the creature's tail. "Oh man! Oh man! This brings back some memories!"
"Watch out!" Blake swept Sun off his feet as the head of the Grimm rammed through the rocks. The two huntsmen scrambled for a hold, watching as the dragon circled around their hiding spot. Two open wounds that indicated where its wings would have been laid open for all to see. Opening its maw, it began to charge up a beam to blow its prey away. However, it never got the chance to fire again when the spear tip of the ship slammed into its body.
"Bulls-eye!" Kairos crowed from where she stood on the ship. She managed to get her way back to the vessel and took a breather, letting her friends take the spot light. The Grimm struggled and clawed at the ship, snapping its jaw in defiance. "Say goodnight!"
"Fire!" The captain's voice filtered through the intercom, slamming his fist against the panel.
KA-BOOM!
The cannon attached towards the forward bow disengaged and went off, blowing the upper half of the creature to smithereens. With one last shudder, the headless body slumped forward and didn't disintegrate on the spot; the huntresses and huntsman noticed it immediately, and came to the conclusion that perhaps the creatures they once killed were evolving without explanation.
By nightfall...
The water has calmed down drastically as the ship continued on its way, with the pure reflection of the broken moon hanging high in the sky. Some of the passengers came out to bask a little in the moonlight, assured by both Sun and Kairos that they had nothing to worry about. Blake kept away while she watches her friends converse with a few more passengers, one arm wrapped around the other. There was no doubt she was shocked to see not one, but two familiar faces who aided her in the fight.
"Yeah, take care of yourselves! Seriously, it was no big deal at all!" Sun was saying, winking and smiling to show how positive he could be after a battle. The female faunus he was talking to giggled while her potential male spouse just grins in response. "We'll take it from here!"
"Were you always a charmer luring his unsuspecting clients by sweet talking?" Kairos teased him as they walked to where Blake was loitering, Lancelot strapped in its rightful place behind her back. "Or does it just comes with your charisma and outgoing personality?"
"Hey, I'm just doing what I can to keep the party going." The monkey faunus retorted, feigning hurt by clutching his chest. "We are on a boat, after all. Time to live a bit, you know!" Kairos merely dipped her head in agreement, knowing that once Sun had his mind on something, he won't stop.
"You'd think they'd never seen a fight before..."
"They were below deck while we were handling it, they may not have witnessed the entire show."
"Seriously, what are you two doing here?" Blake did try to be angry at them, but in actuality she was beyond shocked.
"Diggin' the new outfit, by the way. Did you have time to shop for that?" Sun comments before pointing to her exposed ears. "Never did like the bow. I thought I told you that after we first met."
"Sun!"
"Ouch!" He winced when she slapped his hand harshly. Leaning over, he mumbles whilst rubbing his wound, "She surely packs a punch..."
"I'll ask once again, have you two been following and spying on me all this time?!"
"...I saw you run off. The night Beacon fell." Sun told her, getting a reaction out of her that Kairos did not miss. "Once we landed in Vale, you kinda checked on everyone before high-tailing it out. Actually when I saw you run across the rooftops, your bow was already gone."
"I had to run. I couldn't stay even if I wanted to. You wouldn't understand."
"No, I get it. I absolutely get it." He says, getting her attention once more. Kairos as well, looked at him with surprise. "The moment you left, I knew exactly what you were doing."
"R-Really?" She asks him, the smallest hint of a smile began to form on her face.
"Yeah! You're going on a one woman rampage against the White Fang!" Sun exclaimed with enthusiasm, like he answered a question on a test correctly. The elation on Blake's face immediately turned into a disgruntled frown, the other faunus tried her best in holding back her laughter.
"...what?!" Blake questions, ears laying flat against her head.
"You've always felt like the Fang was your fight. They show up, trash your school, hurt your friends; it makes perfect sense to me!" Sun explains.
"I can't believe this..."
"There's no way in hell I'm letting you do this alone." The male continues to speak, "It's an honorable approach, for sure, but you're gonna need someone watching your back. Perhaps two people if you get lucky." He wraps an arm around her shoulders and adds, "That's where we come in! Faunus gotta stick together after all!"
"You're so...so wrong Sun." She pushes him away and begins to walk the other way, wrapping an arm around herself in a self hug. "You're so very wrong."
"Could you leave us for a while, Sun?" Kairos asked him when he attempted to say something else, keeping her eyes solely on Blake's turned back; hearing the tone of voice sent a spark of uneasiness running down the cat faunus' back, almost like she was unsure what was going to happen. "There's something I would like to talk to her about. Don't worry, it shouldn't take long."
"Oh...uh, sure! No problem!" Sun said after a few minutes as Blake turned to look over her shoulder, glancing between the two females slightly worried. He did want to stay and retort that anything that could be said to Blake could also be said in front of him; however, the logical side of his mind persuaded him to leave them be. He figured he didn't want to come between two arguing females if he could help it, and he could always ask Kairos later. "I..uh...I'm gonna go and chat with the captain a bit. Perhaps, mingle with the others..."
"Yup. Have fun up at the front, don't party so hard now. Wouldn't want to fish you out of the sea if you fall overboard." Kairos smiled faintly, watching the monkey faunus walk away with a small skip in his steps. Once he disappeared she led Blake to the opposite end of the ship, the vacant area that gives off a sense of privacy and seclusion. Both huntresses leaned against the railing, feeling the salty breeze comb through their hairs, and gazed out at the vast sea. A few minutes passed without any of them speaking.
"...well, then..." Blake decided to take the first plunge in breaking the silence. She kept her gaze on her friend before continuing with, "What is it that you want to say?"
"That night back in the infirmary room, when you were about to bolt without leaving Yang anything...I told you you were being inconsiderate of Yang's feelings and that you shouldn't leave her behind." Kairos said, turning to look at Blake who looked as if she had been slapped in the face. "You digressed back into your cowardly self, not letting any one know about your problems. I may not have been there as much as she has in your time of need, but even I know that you and Yang were inseparable and share a bond that not many could possibly understand."
"...I..." Blake glanced away, her ears laying flat against her head. Wow...this conversation is tougher than I imagined.
"You told us back in Mountain Glenn during our mission that you had no problems running away from things related to your past. Throughout the three years at Beacon, with everything we've been through up to the tournament, Yang did everything she could to show you that she trusted you completely; hell, even Weiss told you straight up that you go to your teammates when you have troubles instead of going to either Sun or I. Weiss – everyone's beloved resident Ice Queen and a Schnee who's family has a racial vendetta against the entire Faunus race – trusted you enough as a teammate and friend to put down her racism. Now Yang didn't have to prove that she loves you, because she is, as you said, your partner; she already loves you more than the other two...unconditional love if I may add."
Yang...loves me unconditionally? Blake thought back to the times she and Yang locked eyes, when they shared classes, even the stupid puns that she deeply appreciated. Her chemistry with the brawler ran deeper than she could understand on the surface level. Is that...true? Was that how you viewed us, Yang? Did I misinterpret...the nature of our relationship?
"Do you have no shame, Blake?" Kairos asks, sensing the gears clash within Blake's mind. The sense to flee, standing up against her tormented past, and the guilt were all contradicting and butting heads against one another. "Because running away, seems like a huge middle finger and a disrespect to your team."
"What about you then? Why are you here?" The other faunus deflected quickly, scowling for extra measure.
"I was asked to." Kairos promptly replied, the corners of her mouth turning down into a frown. "Trust me when I say that I wasn't thrilled at the idea of leaving my leader behind, but I didn't wish to go against Reina's orders. She was looking out for my well-being, so in a sense, my predicament is almost like yours."
Except you didn't run away...you didn't run base on your own selfish motives. The negative statement angrily wedged itself to the forefront of Blake's mind.
"Except I didn't run away, but that's not the point here." The other female faunus turned back to glance out at the water before continuing, "You wanna know something? That huntsman, Qrow Branwen, told me a little bit about Yang's past as well as her mother when he helped me catch up with Sun."
"He told you...about her mother?" Blake parroted back with interest, her ears twitching slightly at the mention of Yang's past. "But...that kind of private knowledge was shared only between Yang and I...back when she said she'd save me a dance..."
"Yeah I assumed that was the case when the rest of us weren't allowed to speak with you, Yang did say she was enough to get you to come. So that's why I told him that while I appreciate the information, I thought it wasn't appropriate for him to tell me. If I want to know something about someone's past, I want to hear it from their own mouths. But Qrow merely gave me a foundation of what kind of person Yang's mother is before telling me what his sister wanted to say. Remember how we split up on the train Torchwick was in control? Back then, it was Yang and I against Neo."
"...yeah, I remember." Blake nodded her head in agreement.
"Yang got knocked out. She thought she was strong enough to fight one-on-one, but when her life was about to be taken I stepped in. The fight didn't go as well as I thought it would and I honestly thought we'd die. That was until she showed up to save us."
"Her mother, right?"
"Mmmhmm...however, when she saved us she never said anything. Not one single word or noise. I noticed that she looked at Yang the longest before she disappeared. Her message to me was one that perplexed me, not something a mother would say. It was like she had been detached from Yang for so long, she didn't know how to convey a sense of warmth. I won't lie I had chills."
"...what did she say?"
"She says that she was slightly grateful for saving Yang, but that I should not do it again. She warns me that Yang should learn to fight her own battles on her own, and if I intend on stepping into her daughter's fights then she'll come after me herself and no doubt kill me." Kairos breathed out and closed her eyes. "Honestly, in that one brief encounter I knew that that woman was extremely dangerous. She had this...aura about her that didn't sit right with me. It's hard to describe..."
"...Kairos..."
"Well, that's enough of that. Hopefully I don't have to face her any time soon." Kairos reopens her eyes and turned to face her friend. "So then, tell me exactly why you ran. Tell me what you hope to accomplish by being on this ship. Where is it heading?"
"I just needed to figure some things out. There's no way I could have if I had stayed back with everyone...and I ran to save her. I couldn't let Adam have his way."
"You know we can all help you in your fight against the White Fang."
"B-But I...I'm not going to fight, this ship ride isn't for that purpose." Blake replies in a whisper, almost like she was trying to convince herself. "Besides, the White Fang is my problem and mine alone. I'll take full responsibility for my own actions."
"That's bullshit and you know it. What can you hope of achieving something as huge as fixing the White Fang on your own?" Kairos had raised her voice slightly, staring at Blake and almost pleaded with her to see what was wrong. "Make up your damn mind, you're sending Sun and I mixed signals! Back when your ears were shown, you fought against the White Fang, and now you're telling me you're not fighting against them?! How can we help you to our fullest potential if you don't convey your thoughts clearly?"
"I never ASKED for help! From you or anybody else!" Blake screams back, her ears laying flat against her head. "These are MY problems to deal with! I can handle things on my own!"
"You're doing a pretty damn good job doing such action..."
"Who the hell asked for your opinion?!" Blake once again deflects angrily, folding her arms across her chest. If Kairos wasn't busy scolding her friend, she could wager the cat faunus was like a brat throwing a tantrum. "If you're here to antagonize me for the duration of the trip, then I don't want to hear it."
"...have you ever thought that we have all sworn to protect the world from evils that tend to do it harm?" Blake's ears perked up at the words, and she glanced at the other faunus with surprise. Kairos was keeping her voice calm now, no longer attempting to get her friend riled up. Nobody on the ship wanted another creature to be dealt with, the Sea Dragon was enough to be a huge pain in the ass. "These problems are going to be affecting all of us. No matter where we go, no matter what we do...our enemies will always follow whether or not it relates to you."
"T-That is..."
"Think about this for a moment. When we split up back at the school grounds during the invasion, if Weiss or I had gone right instead, what do you think would have happened?" Kairos watches calmly as Blake mulled over the question. Once she sees the realization don on her face, the faunus continued speaking, "That's right, either one of us would have stumbled across the person you saw...and we would've been slaughtered no questions asked."
Blake kept her lips shut, but there was no question that she couldn't bring herself to imagine someone else close to her actually dying. She actually felt sick to her stomach, morbid images of her friends laying by her feet with indescribable wounds dealt by a burning red sword flashing through her mind one by one. A gentle touch on her shoulder felt like a shock and she no doubt jumped, getting a sympathetic smile from her companion.
"Sorry, I understand just how difficult it is for you to talk about this topic. I believe I grilled you long enough for the evening, don't want to lose my voice by tomorrow. You're more than welcome to come and mingle with us, or you can get lost in your thoughts, your choice." Kairos removed her hand and began to walk off, stating over her shoulder, "Just to let you know, we may have to have some more conversations quite like this in the near future. Bottling up emotions is not a good thing, so...I'll be here and Sun will be here when you decide to move forward."
