A/N: Team PASM made it through their first mission, with a little wear and tear, thanks to Qrow and his Semblance. Let us hope that they'll get a different professional Huntsman on their next mission, unless Qrow's Semblance screws that one up as well, lol.
Moving on.
Chapter 12: Selena Akimura
Days have passed since Team PASM completed their mission. They're not the first ones to have finished but they are one of the few who finished quickly. Team CPER finished their mission a day later. Those who finished the mission and returned to Beacon were assigned to the training grounds for half the school time. After that, they're free to spend the rest of their days as they pleased.
By next week, everyone returns to class.
It's early in the morning, the sun barely on the horizon. Selena is in the shower getting cleaned up for the day. The showers are completely empty around this time, so it's the perfect time for an Idol-in-Hiding such as herself. But even in moments like this, she can't waste a single second.
Selena hums a song as she shampoos her hair. After wincing, she drys off her hair and body then puts on her bathrobe. As she makes her leave of the shower room, Selena comes to a pause when she stands in front of a mirror. She takes a good look at herself. No glasses. No hat. No hair in a side ponytail. She is not seeing a reflection of Sherry Farron. This is a rare view for her to see with her own eyes: A reflection of Selena Akimura. Her true identity.
Selena Akimura, daughter of famous Idol and Huntress Elizabeth Akimura. Selena had always been carrying the burden of her mother's fame. Living life in her shadow. Even though Selena enjoys the life of an idol she wishes she could choose her own life, which brings to living her public life as ordinary Sherry Farron.
Lost in thought, Selena finds herself remembering her first week in PASM.
FLASHBACK
"You seemed troubled, Ms. Akimura," Ozpin says.
Selena is within Ozpin's office, in her Sherry Farron disguise. "It's just been a hard time for me to adapt in Beacon, Professor Ozpin." Sherry says. "I mean, I am happy to be here but there are times where I feel unsafe, that people are gonna find out about my true identity."
"Hmm. I see." Ozpin takes a drink of his coffee. "Well, I cannot say for certain I can give you any helpful advice about this situation of yours. But I do wonder one thing: Why do you still wear that disguise?" Selena feels uneasy at the question. "I understand the situation you were under with your identity as Selena Akimura, just as well as I am proud to run a school that accepts individuals from all walks in life. Rich. Poor. Human. Faunus. And yet, you go on walking the life as ordinary Sherry Farron."
"It's true that I am in a world where people would hardly know who I am just by looking at me, but I just can't take that chance. Even my team knows who I am, two of them who already figured it out through my disguise. I'm proud to be an idol, just like my mother. But I want to live in my own life rather than living in my mother's shadow. People fanning over me because of my mother's fame." Selena says.
"We all have complications with the way we choose to live our lives." Ozpin stands from his desk, moves in front of the window looking out. "Let me tell you something I once learned: When I was your age, I was given a life that I did not choose. Instead, it chooses me. From the path I had to follow, I've learned to adapt, and it leads me to life the proud life of the Headmaster of one of the world's finest academies." Ozpin sits back down on his desk. "Now, while your path might be very different from the one I was given, I know that if you put in enough drive you will find your place in the life you have been given."
Selena puts her head down, feeling a little lost. "I'm...not sure I understand what you mean professor, but I will give it try," Selena says.
"Wonderful. Thank you for your time, Ms. Akimura." Ozpin says. Selena smiles and nods then take her to leave but stop when she hears Ozpin continue. "And if you ever need to talk to me...Please don't hesitate to ask."
END OF FLASHBACK
Selena has been able to adapt ever since, with the comfort of her own team. But there are still moments where she feels as though her identity is threatened. Like Instructor Mashika Kirei finds herself suspicious of Selena's appearance. There's heat on her.
Selena snaps herself back into reality. She starts heading out of the bathroom, only right at the exit, she stops and whispers. "We clear?"
"All clear," Marlene says.
Selena and Marlene head back to their dorm room. Patrick is the only one who is in the room. Selena gets dressed up. "She having you on lookout duty again?" Patrick asks.
"Yeah. Even though it's really early with most of everyone asleep she just can't take the chance of showing up and seeing her as Selena." Marlene says.
"Whatever. As long as I'm not doing it. The last thing I need is people going on thinking I'm standing outside of the girl's shower like some creep." Patrick says.
"Oh come on, nobody is gonna think of you like that." Patrick just gives Marlene a glare.
"Peter Kazuto," Patrick says.
Marlene realizes he's right, she knows too well of his dense nature. "Point taken." Selena comes out in her Sherry Farron disguise. "So, Selena, you have anything planned today?" Marlene tries to break the awkwardness from Patrick's threatening presence.
"I'm gonna sing some songs at Uncle's Karaoke Lodge," Selena says. Patrick feels uneased about her going to karaoke. "After that, Uncle invited me to have dinner to celebrate the Lodge's anniversary." Selena makes her leave, Marlene doesn't say anything about Selena's plans but Patrick catches on she's as worried about it as well.
"Inviting her to dinner to celebrate...he wouldn't..." Patrick says to himself.
Marlene still takes notice of what he's said. "Pardon? Did you say something?"
"Nothing. We need to speed this up, especially before this 'Celebrating Dinner.'" Patricks says. "How close are you to decrypting that file?"
"I don't know how close I am but I should be able to get it done," Marlene says.
"Get it done, quickly and immediately." Patrick orders.
Patrick and Marlene resume their decrypting work in the Library.
The day passes by as Selena spends her time in the Karaoke, as Selena Akimura. The Young Idol has fun singing songs to her heart's content. Patrick and Marlene set their focuses on decryption. Patrick grows edgier and edgier as time passes. He knows Gaia is up to something, he's already looking familiar to Patrick and showed signs of a pervert. He knows the man is dangerous, yet he cannot take action. Not without evidence at least.
By late afternoon, Selena had finished with her singing. Once she leaves her room she turns in to Gaia at the counter. "I had a great time, I truly feel safe being myself here."
"It makes me happy to hear that, my dear," Gaia says. "You ready to head out?"
Selena's confused to hear that. "You mean to dinner? It seems a little early. Plus I need to make a change of clothes back at Beacon."
"Relax, we're just gonna stop at my place first. There's something I need to do then we'll head out. You can even change there." Gaia says. Selena agrees to it and then they both left the Karaoke Lodge.
Meanwhile, Marlene is still working on decrypting the file. She is majorly focused, a sign that she's close. Patrick is pacing back and forth, growing impatient of the matter. But he's not the only one. Rayla is following him, only she's mostly protesting about this whole ideal.
"I mean really, this is gone far enough," Rayla says. "What you are doing is an invasion of privacy."
"I'm telling you for the last time, I know he's hiding something. And what's in that file will reveal the truth." Patrick says.
"It sounds to me you are just overreacting." Rayla scoffs. "My word, I can only imagine what Mistress Sherry would think of accusing her uncle of such things. As well Lady Elizabeth for stealing and breaking into her personal information."
"Would you two please keep it down? I'm trying to concentrate!" Marlene shouts frustrated. They both do as Marlene says. Rayla only does it out of force of habit, Maid work. Marlene pours all of her focus and works onto the file. Then finally... "I'm in!" Marlene speed reads over what the file shows, and her expression turns horrible. "Gods...You two are gonna want to see this."
Patrick rushes to behind Marlene to see the file. Rayla just groans in disappointment and decides to take a look as well, only her expression softens once she starts to read it. "Good Lord."
"I knew it!" Patrick turns his attention to Rayla. "I told you he was hiding something."
During their walk through the city, Selena keeps her head down with her head and glasses. She's still wearing her Idol Outfit, didn't think to change back at the Karaoke. Selena and Gaia arrived at Gaia's place, which is only a simple two-story building. They both go inside. The place looks a little messy, a bit cramped.
"Apologizes for the mess, running a Karaoke Lodge takes a lot of my time," Gaia says. "The Bathroom's through the kitchen, door on the right. You can change in there then we'll head out."
"Thanks," Selena says with a smile. Selena goes to the bathroom. She begins changing, but before she gets the chance to undress. Click. She heard the sound of a lock. To her confusion, she tries to open the door but it won't. "Um, Uncle Gaia?" Selena starts to panic, starts banging on the door. "Uncle Gaia!? Something's wrong with this door!"
To make matters worse, gas starts to release within the room. Selena yells louder and bangs harder until the gas overwhelms her, and she collapses, slipping away into unconsciousness.
Time passed on, there's nothing but black and silence. Slowly, Selena starts to regain consciousness. Her vision is still black but her other sense begins to return to her. She feels herself laying on something soft, like a mattress. She tries moving around, but she can't move. Her arms and legs, feel bounded. Her sudden alert heightens her senses.
When she opens her eyes she finds herself in a room. It's a bit hard to see as there's little light coming in, and what visibility there is from the window is showing it's about sunset. Selena finds herself bound and tied on a bed. She struggles to break free but with no effort.
"You have no idea how long I have been waiting for this." The voice startles her. She knows whose voice it is, but the tone of it sounds too dark for her to believe it. Gaia steps closer for Selena to see. To her, he appears as a different man. One who is insane and hungry. Selena lets out a scream, only muffles escaped to her surprise. "I apologize for the gag. I just can't have you screaming for help, now could I?" He quietly lets out crazed laughter.
Selena has never been more scared in her whole life. A helpless situation with someone whom she felt close with being the enemy that has her immobilized. "I must say, I've gotten a lot better at putting on make-up, you look just like your mother." Selena only lets out a confused grunt. With little respect of he has left, Gaia shows a mirror to Selena. Much to her surprise, she is in her Selena Akimura appearance. What's more, she's wearing a lot of make-up. Lipstick, eyeliner, and eye coloring and glitter on her face with a star on one of her cheeks.
Next Gaia gets on the bed, sitting over Selena. The young Idol Huntress panics when he does. "For 20 years I've been wanting your mother, but now I have you. Her own daughter." Gaia takes notice of her scared expression. "Don't worry, darling. Don't be scared. We will have lots of fun. Haha. I will treat you so preciously. As my prized treasure." Selena's eyes widen open hearing that. "So beautiful. My Selena. My Beautiful Selena Akimura. Hahaha.
Gaia moves his face too close to Selena. She gets a clear view of his expression. The insane smile, heavy breathing, and sweaty. His eyes, wild and hungry. She muffles a scream of panic, trying to break free but with no effort.
Slowly, Gaia unbuttons her outfit, the chest bound to happen. Selena tightens her eyes shut, she prays for rescue. From anyone. Anything. But nothing comes, not in the instant. Not a second later. She braces for the worst to come in the condition she's under.
Until...
The window shatters open, startling both Selena and Gaia. In an instant, Gaia is knocked off of Selena. Selena watches what is happening but can't get a good look at who it is that's attacking Gaia. The two of them move and trade blows, knocking each other back and forth too fast. Even Gaia couldn't see who his attacker is.
When he took an opening, knocking his attacker back, Gaia quickly reaches for a weapon. "Why you little-" He swings his weapon, only to have it knocked right out of his hand and pierced the wall, then Gaia takes a hard blow from the bottom of the weapon's hilt and gets knocked down. His attack pins and holds him down, and Gaia gets a clear look at him. "Wha-It's you!"
Selena sees it too. Surprised as well as relieved, her rescuer is her own Team Leader.
Patrick glares right into Gaia's eyes with a hateful expression. "Where is he?!" He says with a snarl.
"I-I...I don't know who you are talking about-" Patrick swiftly jabs one of his swords, extremely close to Gaia's head. Clearly a Death Threat.
"I'm not falling for your Playing Dumb act," Patrick says. "I know you worked with them. I saw it all." Patrick leans in close with an aggressive growl. "I knew you were the one who abducted her!" Gaia's eyes shot wide open in shock. "You set up a meeting with Elizabeth, lured her into a trap. And you just did the same to her own daughter."
Selena heard that. She can't help but felt afraid. "O-okay. Okay buddy, take it easy." Gaia bags. He moves his free hand to his back, clearly moving around searching for something. "We're all reasonable people here, I'm sure we can work this out. Why don't we just relax and talk this-"
Just like that, he quickly throws blinding powder in Patrick's face. Patrick recoils back, groaning in agony, and Gaia uses the opportunity to push him off, and make a run for it. Gaia bursts the door open, only to be ensnared in metal wires. "My, my, my." Rayla approaches the fallen Gaia. "Running away from your own crimes. What terrible manners."
Rayla drags Gaia back into the room, kept him bounded even. Rayla stands beside Patrick. "All yours, Master Patrick."
"Good work." He turns to Rayla with a disapproving look. "And don't call me 'master'! Take care of Selena."
"Gladly." Ralya says.
Patrick kneels down on Gaia. "Now, I'm gonna ask you once more, and you WILL tell me what you know." Patrick swiftly positions both of his blades over Gaia's neck, in an X formation. Gaia whimpers in fear. Patrick leans his face closer, glare into Gaia's Eyes. "Where! Is! HE?!"
Patrick intensely tightens his grip. Rayla works on untying Selena, removes her gag too, as Gaia speaks. "I'm telling you, I don't know who you're talking about. Please, don't kill me. You can't kill me." Patrick feels agitated hearing that. "If you do, you'll only make Selena sad. She belongs to me." Patrick grinds his teeth growling. Selena feels an upset sorrow building up inside of her. "It's fate! It's destiny! She's the daughter of Elizabeth Akimura the sexiest beautiful idol in the world she was my friend my love my greatest treasure." Selena whispers 'stop it' but so quiet no one can hear. "She came here to Vale signed up for my Karaoke Lodge." Patrick's eyes start to change color, Irises turning as red as blood. "Her hair, her body, her scent, she's the same goddess beauty as her mother!" 'Please' Selena whispers, her body softly shaking. Then Patrick's Sclera's slowly turning pitch black. Anger and hatred boil into his body his hands shake with rage as he slowly tightens the blades on the neck, touching even, causing a small drop of blood to come out of Gaia's neck. "Like her mother. Like any idol. She is a treasure that belongs to only me-"
"STOP IT!"
The Loud Shout from Selena's voice has the whole room silent, frozen even. Everyone just turns their attention to Selena, surprised by her sudden outburst. Even Patrick. Even the sudden distracted from his rage caused his eyes to return to normal.
"Please don't..." Selena's pause shows how much she struggles to get the words out. "Please don't speak that way about my mother...About me! We. We are not treasures or pleasurable beings for you to own. We're human beings! Just because we're idols doesn't mean we're possessions without feelings! So..." Selena looks down, struggling to hold back her sorrow building inside of her. "So, please...Just leave us alone!"
"Miss Akimura." Rayla says, astonished. There are no words for what Selena has just said.
After the long pause, Gaia finally speaks. But in shock. "I see. Now." Patrick looks at Gaia surprised. "You rejected me. Just like Elizabeth did. I confessed my love to her, I said to her that she was my whole world, my life, my shining star. I spoke it to her with all my heart...But she turned me down!" His sorrow astonished turns to bitter hatred. "Turned me down! For some Unworthy Bastard!" His rage starts to upset Selena. "You truly are just like you Mother! I hate you!" Tears build up in Selena's eyes. "I HATE YOU, YOU BITCH! YOU UGLY BITCH!" Then screams his loudest: "YOU UGLY MOTHER-" But he gets cuts off when Patrick stomps his foot on Gaia's face, knocking him out cold.
Patrick just looks down at the unconscious man with a disgusted look. "Pathetic." It's all Patrick has to comment.
Seeing it's all over, finally, Selena allows the tears to escape her eyes, sobbing, with Rayla comforting her.
It's been a long night after the events. Rayla and Marlene escort Selena back to Beacon while Patrick stays behind to handle the matters of Gaia.
Selena sits in bed, silent and broken. Akira is the only one who is in the room with her, keeping her company. The two of them pretty much have said nothing, Akira doesn't even know what to say after learning such twisted events.
Finally, the silence breaks when there's a knock on the door. Akira answers it to find Patrick, who gestures her to step outside. Akira tells Selena she'll just be outside for a moment then closes the door behind her.
"How did it go?" Akira asks.
Patrick crosses his arms as he speaks. "He's taken care of, the Police have said they've been after this guy for a long time. We won't see him anymore."
"I can't imagine how Selena's gonna handle it. What he did was unforgivable, but still..." Patrick knows what she's trying to say. "Anyways, do they know about..." Akira makes gestures on her head and face, implying the hat and glasses. In other words: About Selena's Identity.
"No. It took a lot of careful explaining, but I was able to convince them she wasn't the real Selena, but some school girl who was forced to become a look-a-like." Patrick says.
"Probably all you could think of in such a situation," Akira says, and Patrick agrees.
"How is she doing?" Patrick asks.
"Still shaken pretty bad, but she's calmer than she was given what Marlene and Rayla explained." Akira lets out a sigh after a pause. "I still can't believe you two told her about Selena."
"We didn't have any other choice. She was there when we saw the file, and it's not like we could have known it contained everything about Selena's identity. But I don't think it's anything to worry about, she promised not to say anything to anyone. However..." Akira raises her eyebrows at that however comment.
Just then, Clawdia, Earnest, and Peter arrived. "Hey, is it all right if we see her?" Clawdia asks. Patrick and Akira say nothing. They are leading towards rejecting their request. "We only wanted to make sure she's okay."
Akira and Patrick exchange looks. "I suppose it'll be fine," Akira says.
"I doubt it's a good time but I'll okay it if you do." Patrick suddenly turns hostile towards Peter. "Except you. You're staying outside."
"Wait! What!? Why me!?" Everyone just gives Peter an obvious look. He then sighs in defeat. "I know why me...But I'm not gonna do anything like that. Even I know when to behave."
"I know Peter my whole life, and I know he is telling the truth, but I have to agree with Pet-rick." Clawdia says. "It would be best fur mew to wait out here." Peter doesn't like it but he just agrees to go with it.
Everyone except for Peter enters the room to greet Selena. "Hey, are mew okay Selena?" Clawdia asks. Selena jumps and gasps hearing her name. "Marlene told us everything."
Selena's speechless as tears fill in her eyes. "Why?" She asks, her voice breaking. "Why would she...?"
"Rayla insisted we tell them," Patrick says. "We didn't have any other choice, everything just happened so fast. So sudden."
Selena doesn't say anything, just looks down falling into despair. "Please don't feel bad. We promise it won't change anything." Clawdia says. "Look, we don't care if mew are Selena or Sherry. We all think mew are Paw-some."
Earnest sits on the bed of Selena's bed, getting her attention to speak to her. Selena's confused unable to understand his sign language. "He said 'Idol or not you are still our friend, and we won't let anything change that'." Patrick says.
"Oh..." Selena looks down again. "Thanks, guys." Her words sound hollow. This only concerns everyone.
"Why don't we give her some space?" Akira suggests, and everyone agrees.
Everyone starts to leave the room. However, just when Patrick's about to leave, he stops, pulling something gripping his arm. Patrick looks to see it's only Selena. She doesn't say anything, but he wonders if she wants him to stay. He decides to go with it.
Patrick pulls up a chair to sit next to her bed. "You all right?" Patrick asks, trying to break the ice.
"I don't know," Selena says. "It's just...I trusted him. What he did. What he said..." Selena embraces herself, her voice breaking. "I felt so violated." Patrick doesn't say anything. He understands what Selena is going through, yet can't even find the right words to ease her burden. "You were right. I should have listened to you." Selena looks away. "I owe you an apology."
Patrick took a deep breath through the nose, then shook his head. "No. I knew all along he couldn't be trusted. The moment I saw that file with your mother's name, I knew he was hiding something. I should have told you. I'm sorry."
There's nothing but silence between the two of them until Selena speaks. "Can I ask you something?" Patrick looks at Selena. "You were talking to him about working with 'Them'."
"What are you saying?" Patrick asks.
"It's them, isn't it? The Abduction Agency?" Patrick's eyes dart open. "The way you were talking and asked where was this 'He'. I can't help but think." Selena's hands shake, starts sweating. She's clearly very nervous. "Were you...with them?"
Patrick doesn't say anything for a moment. He never talked to anyone about his past, not even to his team. Of course, she would wonder about his behavior towards Gaia. With everything that's happened, he knows she deserves an answer.
"No, I was never with this Agency. But I do know of them." Patrick says. "About what I was saying, I'm looking for someone. The last time I heard about him, he use to work with that organization. So I tried learning more about them, but the research quickly came to a dead-end when I heard they disappeared, about nearly 7 years ago I think it was."
"Oh, I see," Selena says. "I'm sorry for thinking you were with them. It's just..."
"I know," Patrick says. "Your mother was abducted by them."
"And Gaia. He was the one responsible." Selena can feel herself breaking once again. "My mother, she trusted him, loved him like a brother. And he just..."
"Don't let it get to you, Selena. You've been through enough tonight." Patrick says.
Selena nods in agreement. Rayla then enters the room with a tray. On it is a teapot, a cup, and a muffin. She sets the tray on the nightstand next to the bed then pours some tea into the cup. "Here." Rayla hands the cup to Selena. "Some tea to help settle your nerves. I suggest getting a full night's rest too."
"Thanks for the advise, Rayla." Patrick says.
"It's my pleasure," Rayla says with a curtsy. "If you need anything, Mistress Akimura, just call me on my scroll." Rayla makes her leave.
"I should get going as well. You going to be okay on your own?" Patrick asks.
"I think so. Talking to you about it did help, a little bit." Selena says. Patrick begins to take his leave. "Hey, Patrick." He's just about to head out the door but stops. "I may not have told you this but I'm glad it was you I met that night." Patrick wonders what she meant until he figured she's talking about when he found her alone in a room on the First Day. "People often talk about you being scary and cold-hearted. Marlene even once told me about how you treated her when you two were partners in the Emerald Forest. But after learning who I am, how you tried to hunt that Grimm that took Marlene...and rescued me, I feel like you are really a warm and caring kind of guy. It makes me happy to know I have someone like you on my team. Someone I can trust."
Patrick doesn't say anything. He has a hard moment to take in Selena's word. What she said was something he never thought he would hear, let alone from an idol like her of all people.
"Thank you." That was all he can say before he leaves the room. Patrick just stands out in the hallway, leaning his back against the door, lost in thought. He lets out a sign thinking about what Selena just expressed with her feelings. "She truly does have an Idol's Spirit." Patrick looks up to the ceiling. "You're daughter really is something, Elizabeth."