The Mist Pt. III
-17 years ago-
"Locked away by her cruel father, the princess was born with an unimaginable power that was inherited by both men and women alike. But even with those powers, it never stopped her father from keeping her from the outside world. For this, the princess craves for freedom."
"That's a bit too much to lock away kids, is it, Dad?" A young Sage asked.
"It is. It's just a fairytale, Sage. But for what's real is that no parent should lock away kids because it prevents them from growing up. When you become a man, I know you will do better than me." Tamaku told his son. And ruffles his hair.
"When you and Mom meet, was it like a fairytale?" Sage asked.
"To me, kiddo. It was forbidden love that brought you to this world. A love never meant to be. But you brought joy to us both, and none of it matters anymore. If you look at the sun, that's how I see her." Tamaku said to his son while watching the sun rising in the morning. Sage watches, and his father was right. It will let him see what his mother was like, destructive but also bright as the sun. When there is darkness, there is also light.
The next night, Sage went to sleep. Tucked into his bed after feeling tired of hearing the story. Then Sai watched from the window outside his bedroom. She carefully opens it without making any noise. She cannot stay for long, but wants to see how well her son is doing.
As she takes a look at him, he sleeps peacefully as he snores. It makes Sai smile to see him healthy and well. She then oeans closer to his face and kissed him on the forehead. Sage wasn't sure what was making him feel joy, but he smiled after Sai kissed him, as if it were just a dream to him.
-Beacon Academy, 8 Years Ago-
Winter, in her romper with a red top and white bottom for the homecoming dance, due to her dislike for formal dresses, was standing in the balcony alone. While her team was having a time of their life, it was rather a waste of time for her.
"I take it dancing was never your thing." Winter turned to see Jupiter was in a tux. Hiding something behind his back. Jupiter then paused as Winter turned. But seeing her in the romper makes him see a different light in her. Seeing her silver-white hair glow against the moonlight. "Whoa."
Winter sees the look on his face and hugged herself in embarrassment. "What are you staring at?"
"N-nothing! It's just...you look glowing tonight." Jupiter stammered. Winter knew he would never stammered whenever he talks to girls. "Don't you have any girls to dance with?" Winter scoffed.
"Some dude punched me in the face for dancing with his girlfriend. Thought I'd give up for tonight." Jupiter gestures to the black eye from the guy he received earlier before seeing Winter. Winter allows Jupiter to join her, they stood next to each other to look at the sight of the night. "How come you're not joining in on the fun. Least I'm not the only one."
"Those kind of fun activities are not my suit. Men only saw me as a prize to be recon with. And I hate it."
Winter and Jupiter sighed as they stared at the broken moon. The reminder of broken hope. Seeing each other will not tell a certain doom they will face in the future. "You know, for a Schnee. You have a lot of guts. Never saw any girls like you before."
"Wise words, for a Vasilias. But I am a woman, not a girl." Winter then shifted her attention to him. Her heels clicked when she turned around. Jupiter then fixed his tie and then notices a red rose sitting in front of the balcony along with other flowers and picks it up. Then he held the rose in front of Winter. "Here." He cleared his throat.
"What is this?" Winter asked.
"I'm offering you this dance." Jupiter replied. Winter hesitates looking at his hand. The way he gave her that look, she wasn't sure if this is a trick. "Not a chance." Winter said, crossing her arms.
"Come on, it will be fun. There's no point of enjoying this night if you keep staring from the balcony. Then again, it would be great to dance under the stars." But true to her dignity, she simply walks away. She will never let a man get in the way, and suffer like how her mother had with her father.
"I'd rather take sparring in the combat classes. See you around, Vasilias." Winter walks away to meet with two of her teammates, Perseus Nire, and Natalie Andromeda, who came to the balcony to check on how Winter was doing despite hating homecoming dances.
"Winter, you seemed a bit glum. One minute a boy asked you to dance, and you turned it down." Said Natalie. Holding onto Perseus' arm. Winter assumed they had been a couple long before they became an official team. But has to admit that they were an adorable pair.
If Winter had not been wishing to not let men into her life, things would have been different,maybe to find a person who would like her the way she is. Jupiter may have been one of those boys, but not the one she would choose. After all, he was a player when he had gotten to Haven. She turned back to him to see two girls talking to him.
"Natalie, even if I wanted to. I cannot let myself be fooled." Winter said to her.
"Perhaps you wouldn't. But don't close your heart over a vow you make, Lady Schnee." Perseus advised. Winter held out her hand. "Please, Perseus. Just call me Winter. I'd rather be like everyone else."
"Very well. But I hope you would take this to heart and enjoy what we had." Perseus told her. Letting Winter join him and Natalie, including their fourth teammate, Deshiro Kaze.
Perseus is a dark-haired young man with muscular features, Natalie is a beautiful, brown haired lady with dandelion eyes. Deshiro is a silver-haired young man whose hair was half-inch long and tied down. They treated Winter, their leader with respect. Loyal to the end, together, they are Team WNND.
-Anima, 8 Months Ago-
Perseus Nire, now promoted to Captain, was sitting in the cafe with Winter. Though he respects General Ironwood, his loyalty is with Winter and Team WNND. After Beacon fell, they caught up on what to do next. "Callows has been apprehended after sightings in Vale. He's been causing us nothing but terror. If it were up to the General, would be better if he'd be executed."
"The way you put it sounds insane. At least Weiss didn't encounter him during the fall." Winter sighs as she took a sip of her tea. Perseus is her close friend and thought she was destined to be the next General of Atlas. Not because she is a Schnee. But because she has great insights of war.
"Still worried about her even if she was brought back?" Asked Perseus.
"I won't lie. I had been. My concern was that Father won't let her into the world again if Beacon was repaired. The nerve of him." Winter scoffed at the mention of her father. She wished she let Weiss live with her to not let their father get a grasp of her again.
"If it's any consolation. She won't be in your father's grasp for long. General Ironwood made you leader, not because you're a Schnee. But because you were above that name. You broke the chains. It should be up to your sister to decide whether she wants to break hers, or not."
Perseus then looked at her directly. Winter grew silent. She knew he was right. It is not up to her if she wants her sister out of the domain. But Weiss should be the one to choose. "I hope you're right. I heard you're getting married to Natalie now. Congratulations." Winter said.
"It was supposed to be a surprise. But she expected you to be in a bridesmaid dress instead of a romper. After all, you're now her maid of honor." Perseus remarks.
Winter facepalms at the mention of a dress. "You have got to be kidding me. I don't feel comfortable in those. Oh, well. Since it's your and Natalie's day for your wedding. Remind me to get her a gift." Winter said.
-Mist Hollows-
Ruby was panting while searching for Ren and Nora who wandered off after seeing illusions. Little did she know was that Emerald was playing with their heads with her semblance. "Ren, Nora! Jaune! Anybody!" Ruby called, worried for her missing teammates. It was nothing but white clouds surrounding the area.
Ruby springs out her scythe in case any Grimm comes around. She turns to every direction when she hears a hiss. She whimpered as her senses became at a wary level.
"I know you're scared, little girl." A voice so soothing, but also creeping. Ruby knew she cannot trust the voice. And thought it was an illusion in the mist. "Come with me and I will take that pain away."
"Who's there?" Ruby breathed, before she takes another step. Turning around, again and again to make sure nothing gets to her.
"Little Red, Little Red. How your legs are trembling so much. How frightened you really are."
"Whoever you are, come out, now!" Ruby demanded. Only to hear the swift of the movement. The rsutling bushes and leaves from the trees. Ruby closes her eyes, remebering the lessons in Beacon during the blindfold challenge thanks to Ren's guidance.
Not all of us are lucky. But the more you feel the movement, the better you can tell who's behind you.
Ruby kept her eyes closed to feel any sign of movement. She can feel that it was fast, almost fatster than Blake. "Little Red..." The voice is trying to distract her, but Ruby remians firm that she cannot let a voice distract her.
She can sense the breeze rushing through her skin, and then she feels the enemy is getting closer. Then her eye snapped opened. "There." She spins her scythe backwards, knocking the enemy away from her. Ruby then shifts her weapon into a sniper gun. It was Zerena, the leader of the Black Vipers. "You're one of the Black Vipers aren't you?!" Ruby asked.
"That'sssss correct, ssssss." Zerena hissed with her snake tongue sticking out. Since she is a snake faunus. "What do you want from me?!"
"I don't want to hurt you. But you might make use for us Viperssssss." Zerena said. "I ssssaw you with your sssscythe. I recognized those movessss. It looksss like Mr. Branwen taught you well."
Ruby was astonished to heard the mention of her uncle. "How did you know my uncle?" Ruby asked, remaining in a stance should she attack again.
"You sssee." Zerena then presses the trigger on her whip. And shifts it into a scythe similar to Ruby's, only it was jaded green and extra blades. "You are not hisss only ssstudent." Zerena spins it around and pins the blade to the ground to demonstrate.
"Caussse now, I am the master." Zerena said before engaging into battle. Leaving Ruby stunned to see another scythe wielder, since there weren't so many on Remnant.
-Island of Patch-
Yang was meditating with her grandmother in near the waterfalls. While Kim was to remain focus on getting Yang her fighting spirit back, Yang wasn't sure otherwise. Then Kim spoke to Yang as they were about to make the next move. "Now on to the next method, Yang." Kim said to her granddaughter. They both get up from the rocks they're sitting on.
The next practice was on Tai chi. "If you can feel the fire of rage, then you must balance it with the calms of water."
Yang follows through. She then heard no one or nothing. Nothing but an empty space, where no one was around. No sound was around her. All she can feel was a chill swaying her own arms.
No eyes around her. But she feels an eerie presence. Someone who Yang wishes to not hear from again. She then heard a laugh, and then another voice.
"Yang?" Yang opened her eyes and sees Ruby standing in front of her. She hadn't seen her when she left for Mistral. "Ruby? When did you...?"
Then there was the familiar laugh again. The next comes Ruby battling the red bull faunus, Adam. The one responsible for her lost arm. Yang felt nothing but frozen at first, the sight of him makes her panic.
Remembering of her missing arm. Yang wasn't sure what to do but watches as Ruby using her scythe to fend against him. Until Adam's hair glowed red and used his blade to slash Ruby's chest.
Ruby's eyes grew wide, it was a quick pain and fast death. Yang grasped onto her hair. "Ruby!" Yang screamed as her sister fell to the ground. Yang then ran towards her body and held onto her close and sobbed.
"Ruby, I'm sorry. I am so so sorry!" Yang cried in agony, feeling useless now that without an arm. Then Adam walked into her and upheld his blade. And laughed to see the pain of others. Yang looks up in fear and anger. "You'll join her for sure." Adam said and then made a slicing move.
Yang then wakes up to reality, her hair glowed and eyes glowed red and her remaining fist clashes with a tree nearby. Kim and Taiyang were astonished to see her this way. Yang turned to her family, seeing the looks of shock.
"Yang? Are you okay?" Taiyang asked, approaching her. Then tries to reach her. But Yang felt nothing more than anger, not just at herself, but also her father. For spending most of his life moping instead of being an emotional support for her and her sister. Yang slapped away his hand.
Taiyang was shocked to notice this side of Yang. She never pushed away her family like this. But he can tell that her anger was at him this time. Kim then walks towards her son. "Taiyang, I think you'll make her feel worse. Perhaps you'd be giving her space."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Yang said.
"What?" Taiyang said.
"That Ruby and I aren't your only kids? What did Mom do to take my other sister? I spent most of my childhood, caring her Ruby so that she don't have to be sad with her mom gone!" Yang then stomped towards her father.
"Yang, what has gotten into you?"
"Dear, use your words." Kim said, unafraid of her granddaughter's rage. But Yang spun to her in a rage. "No! He needs to hear this! I am sick and tired of being the adult Ruby needed because you spent most of your life moping around and not paying attention to us when we needed you! I never gotten a chance to be a kid and I can't take those years back! I miss Summer too, but you haven't gotten a grip for us! How long are you gonna shut us out! You're our dad! You're supposed to be there for us!"
Yang finally said what her father needed to hear. But was taken aback for what she already let out of her chest. Her hair no longer sizzles in flames, and her eyes changed back to lilac color.
Taiyang heard what he needed to hear and hung his head in shame. He lived to work and care for his children, but he failed to see that what he needed all along was to be there for them when they needed emotional support dealing with losses. In the end, he failed Summer, he failed Yang and Ruby. And just as he heard from his mother, he failed in any way. And the loss of Yang's arm is what started his fatherly worrying all over again. It was as if time had stopped for him. Like the joy he had before will never be given back.
"I'm sorry." Taiyang apologized. Kim places a hand on Yang's shoulder. "Let's go home and eat. You've done enough for today." She leads her family back to the Xiao Long house.
-Temple of Ren, 12 years ago-
A year after Kuroyuri was massecred, Mai lit the lanterns in her dojo, while young Mi, Ren and Nora sat on the floor. "Gather, my children. For what am I about to tell you the story my brother and I were told long ago."
"A story, Master? Yay!" Nora cheered.
"Just call me Mai, Nora, or mother if you want to, you have became part of the family since we found both you and Lie. Hopefully this will teach you on how to face your fears when the future depends on you all, your children, and your children's children." Mai said as she sat down in front of the children. Even with a nephew and daughter, Mai grew to love Nora as a daughter as well. Feeling her family complete again. But still misses her twin brother after a year had passed.
"I haven't heard a story for a long time, Auntie." Ren adds. Mi then turned to her cousin.
"It was the one Grandfather Liu Ren had been telling to our parents for years." Mi said.
"Yes, it is how it came to the inspiration of huntsman and huntresses. This is the story of "The Children of the Hunter." Mai then flips a book open to the first page. "Long ago, there lived a huntsman in the swamps of Mistral. But he was no ordinary hunter. He was a hunter of the creatures of Grimm. He feared no one, not even a soulless monster. And like their father, his children posses different kinds of semblances."
Mai then flips to the next page as she continues reading. Nora's eyes sparkled as her mother figure tells the story. This story had reminded Ren of how his father would tell him about taking action. "Father, why are you the only one who hunts them?" Asked the hunter's eldest daughter." Mai continued.
"My semblance tells me when the Grimm are near. And I have a duty to protect them." He replied. "One day, I hope you will use all your semblances to help them too."
-Present-
Sage was carrying Jaune on his back while Ren, Scarlet and Nora were trying to search fir Ruby, with Ren trying to track her aura. Shoji was sniffing for any signs of Ruby's scent.
"Ruby!" Nora called. Then sighs, feeling bad for running off when seeing an illusion of her mother. "This is ny fault. I thought I saw my mom. But I knew it was just an illusion, hut it feels so real." She lamented.
"Nora, it's natural to feel what isn't real, to be real. We all have some losses we wish to see again. In the end it just blinds us." Sage says while making sure Jaune doesn't fell off from his back.
"How's Jaune?" Asked Ren. Sage could feel Jaune's heartbeat while he was on his back as he has yet to wake up. "He's breathing. At least he's resting for now."
"I never seen Jaune like this before. He's like a clumsy, lovable, not bright, but full of light kind of guy. But when Emerald showed up, his eyes and voice seem to be full of amger and hate." Nora stated. Shaken by the way Jaune acted towards Emerald.
"So what, it's about time Emerald knows how anyone can retaliate." Said Scarlet oressing his fist into his palm. "Serves those criminals right for messing with Beacon."
"Scarlet!" Nora shouted.
"What, Jaune should be like like this when it comes to our enemies up head. Serves Emerald right for stealing my wallet and for destroying Beacon. We see Mercury, we can also give him hell!" Scarlet smirk. Impressed with Jaune changing his ways.
"No, retaliation won't make it right. We have to stop them. Not cause any more pain." Ren said.
Scarlet huffed folding his arms. "Scarlet, you take Jaune." Sage ordered. "What?!" Scarlet jerked his head to him. Though not leader material, he knows his teammates' needs. Scarlet jerked his head to the two. "Just do it." Sage repeated.
Scarlet grumbled and walked towards Sage to give him a hand to lift Jaune off his back and have him on his instead. Sage walks over to a tree and ties a ribbon on a trunk.
"What's with the ribbons tied to every tree nearby?" Nora asked.
"Breadcrumbs. In case we get lost." Sage replied after tying the final knot on a tree. Leaving the ribbon hanging.
"That's smart and all. But what if the Vipers or the White Fang found it to track us down?" Asked Nora.
"Then we'll be ready," Ren replied. While focusing on tracking Ruby to make sure she is safe. Itdybe bad enough if her family lost her. Like how he lost his parents. "We need to find Ruby. Who knows what could happen to her." Ren said.
"Ruby is a tough fighter in Beacon. Heck, she beat Cardin in combat class, remember?" Nora stated, remebering how Ruby handled herself in a match against Cardin, overseen by Professor Goodwitch.
"Except the enemies were not at the same level as Cardin. Let's not forget those Vipers were ex-hubtsmen before us. Stronger than us, far more than Cardin. If those Vipers get any close to Ruby, they could capture her, or worse, kill her, or try to lure her into joining the Vipers. We can't let that happen. We need to act fast." Ren said, worrying.
"Ren, the least we can do is worry less of death and focus on finding Ruby." Sage said, not wanting to let his team lose their minds of fear and death. The least he can try was to calm them down.
"Sage, what was that knock out Jaune with your own hand?" Asked Ren.
"This has never happened before. But I think my semblance had evolved when Jaune attacked Emerald." Sage theorized.
"Evolved?" Nora raised an eyebrow.
"When your aura and progressed further to a new level, you unlock a new ability to your semblance." Sage said. "Never thought it actually happens, but my dad told me about it when I was a kid."
"Wonder what new ability I sill get when I evolve. Probably speed to take out every last villain in Remnant."
"That's not how it works." Sage said. Scarlet groaned. But before they can argue, they heard gunshots. They knew it could mean one thing.
"Gunshots? It's got to be Ruby." Nora stated. The group rushed towards the noise of the gunshots to follow before it's too late.
Ruby was still alone fighting Zerena. Never would she had faced another scythe wielder before in her life. But to Zerena's advantage, the mist in the forest was beginning to mess with her head. But she had better control to use against Ruby.
The first illusion she was facing was her sister, Yang, holding a scythe. "Ruby, Ruby, Ruby." "Yang" said teasingly. Holding onto her scythe. "You weren't anywhere fast enough to keep my arm from being cut off."
She mades an upper-slash and only makes a cit on a tree trunck when Ruby avoids it. Rolling behind, only for her to hit her back agaonst another tree.
Then she uses her semblance to speed away from her opponent. Only for Zerena to turn into Weiss makinf a sldeadly spin as Ruby spun back at her to counter. Only to be blown away by forge like a wind.
"Too bad, you're still just a child. Getting into Beacon while screwing up your progress. When the world ends, it will be a burden placed upon you forever." The illusion of Weiss taunted her a smirk. "You're no leader, you're a failure."
"Weiss" charged ahead before switching into anform of Blake to make spinning swipes. Ruby counters back as she shifts in the back and fores her sniper at Zerena, still as an illusion of Blake.
"You wanna know something? You can't save everyone. I could've stayed in the Whote Famg of I had to. Being in your team made me weak all over again. And I have to live with it for the rest of my life." "Blake" retorted.
Ruby tried to get her mind off her teammates, as she knew they would never thought of her as weak, pathetoc and useless to save anyone. But her heart beats of sadness and fear.
She uses her speed in a form of rose pedals. Zippin on one branch after another. Then shoots her opponent again. Only for Zerena to deflect with her scythe.
"You're quick Ruby Rossse. But not quick enough." Zerena hissed as she transformed her scythe into a bazooka. Firing at the spot Ruby was at.
Ruby was quick to jump off before being blown away by the explosion. Ruby turned around to see the illusion of Yang again.
"The thing is. You should've stayed at Signal when you had a chance, Little sis." She taunted before spiraling downward. Only for Ruby to spin and sped around Zerena to exhaut her sight.
"Oh, and what's the deal with your sunshades?! Isn't it foggy to be wearing those?!" Ruby taunted back. The illusion turned into Weiss again, and charges closer to Ruby and combat her from thrusting each way.
"Stop using the illusions of my team, gloomy!" Ruby retorted as she fires her snupet again. But this time using her semblance to her advantage. Then she cjangef into Blake. The mist was too much for Ruby to see.
"Too bad." Said Zerena ad she knocks Ruby away with her air-slash. Then she kicks Ruby by the stomach and then swings downward. Causing Ruby to tumble back as her aura rubs out. She thwn attempts to get up, but to no avail as her aura flickers.
Zerena was about to make a finishing blow on Ruby until she was startled by gun shots. "Get the bloody hell away from her, Viper!" Scarlet showed up pointing his gun at Zerena who hissed in response and he keeps giring from her. Only to leap on one of the trees and sped off.
"Ruby!" Nora called and hugged her. "Nora? What happened?"
"That Viper almost got you when we went looking from you!" Nora parted from Ruby.
"You alright?" Asked Sage. Ruby got up while trying to process for what happened. But then she sees Jaune on Sage's back. "Jaune...is he...?"
"He's fine. He's just unconscious. What happened?"
"That woman, she also wields a scythe. Said to have trained with my uncle." Ruby said.
"Your uncle?" Ren asked. Ruby nodded. "The techniques were similar to my uncles. I thinl she was somehow connected more than we realized."
"Let's head back to the inn and retract on what happened today." Sage said. The others nodded and went back to the end together. But Ruby cannot help but thought about the event. With Zerena being a scythe wielder. There's no telling if she was just as a theeat as Cinder.
Jaune was rested on a bed while recovering from Sage's unlockable skill in his semblance. But then he woke up amd noticed the group. "What happened?"
"Jaune, we were worried about you." Nora said sittinf beside him along with Ren.
"Do you remember what happened?" Ren asked. Jaune was lost in thought, but the. he remebred he was going after Emerald. But then Sage lets her get away and somehow knocked him unconscious.
"Emerald. Sage, why did you let her get away, I could've taken her out." Jaune lashed out.But Ren and Nora hold him down to keeo him from going as far as to be insane.
"Taking someone's life won't make you any better than Cinder." Sage aruged.
"In case you forgotten! She helped destroy Beacon!" Jaune shouts back. Referring to Emerald.
"I know, Jaune! But maybe there is more to the story." Ren said, thinking about what Emerald said about hus family ruining her life. Wondering if his father made a mistake that led her to hate him.
"What do you mean! She attacked you, and tried to kill you!" Jaune said.
"She did, but I think there has to be a reason." Ren argued back.
"Guys, stop it!" The boys turned to look at Ruby. Who was staring at the wondow as it rains again. She then turned back to her team. "We found one of Cinder's faction once, and we can find them again. But maybe Ren was right, if Emerald had some vendetta against him, we should find out why first." Ruby then turned her attention to Jaune.
"And Jaune, we will get Cinder. But not the way you expected. For Pyrrha, and Penny. And everyone we lost in Vale." Ruby stated. Nora then came out of another room she went to check in earlier.
"Sun and Blake are gone again." Nora said, disheartening.
"What?!" Everyone shouted, they just had Sun and Blake back, only to lose them again.
"Blake..." Ruby sighed.
"And just when our so-called "leader" came back! He left again!" Scarlet growled.
"We'll worry about that later. Rignt now, I think it's bwst we will let them be for awhile." Sage said, Shoji woofed in agreement. Sahe petted him in reaponse.
"Maybe you're right." Ruby said, but Scarlet didn't agreed as he was still angry at Sun for ruining the team.
"Sun this, Sun that! Next time I see him, I'm gonna give him a knuckle sandwich!" Scarlet snarled squishjng his knuckles.