On the Spruce family farm, there was not nearly as many electronics as the inner city of Vale. There were no fancy projectors or street lights. Not even a Dust powered oven or screens of any sorts. There was a wooden stove and a fireplace for warmth in the winter. And of course, lamps to light the way in the darkness of night. One could only imaging the confusion of anyone who lived on this farm when they came to the heart of a big city.
Well, for Cheyenne, Kris, and Eleanor, that problem was a reality.
"So what... does this thing do exactly?" Klein asked while holding a television remote. He tilted his head some, scratching it a bit. He was currently sitting on a couch in an apartment in Vale which he now would he living in.
"Okay, look." Cheyenne reached over, moving his arm and pointing it at the T.V. "I know this is hard to get use to, but press the red button."
"Okay...?" He looked up, pressing said button. He then flinched as the screen lit up with wide eyes. "Whoa..." His eyes sparkled at the color sceme that danced across the television. "That's... really cool... what is this?"
"Right now, it's the news." The deer Faunus mumbled.
"Vox... News... huh? Is it any good?" He asked, looking up at her.
Seeing the report on the Fall of Beacon and the Attack on Vale, Cheyenne simply nodded. "Yeah, it's alright."
"So this is called a... microwave...?" Klein asked while in the kitchen. He blinked several times, trying to open the handleless door. "How do I open it?"
"Okay, look." Kris reached over, pressing on a small bottom button which popped the door open. "There."
"Oh my!" He jumped back before slowly leaning forward again. "What does... this box even do?"
"Ummm, here." Kris climbed on top of the counter and opened a cabinet. On a top shelf, she pulled out a box of popcorn. Reaching in, she pulled out a bag and tossed it to him. "Set this in there and set it for a minute and a half."
"Uh... alright..." He set the bag inside, closing the door. He then blinked, pressing the numbers one, then three and zero. He tilted his head some, pressing the start button. He nearly jumped out of his shoes as the microwave began to hum and turned on. "Holy..." He crossed his arms, leaning forward a little to close and watched the bag turn.
"You shouldn't look... that... close..." The red head sighed, shaking her head some. "Never mind."
"Okay! Okay! Okay! Don't do that!" Eleanor shouted, waving her hands around.
Blinking rapidly, Klein slowly set down the vacuum he was holding down. "So... I'm not suppose to hold it up?"
"No, no, no." She sighed again, grabbing his large arm. "You push it around, like this." She led his hand around. "Like this?"
"Oh. Okay." The large man nodded. "And when I push this around, it cleans things, correct?"
"Yep." His wife stepped back and sighed some. "You're... learning really fast." She smiled weakly before it vanished.
Hours later, the three females plopped down on the couch with heavy sighs of relief. Each of them had slightly messy hair and clothes that showed how exhausted they were.
"He's in the bathroom right now..." Eleanor mumbled, leaning her head back. "We will have some time..."
"Good..." Kris quietly spoke. "I never knew someone could know so little..."
"Same here..." Cheyenne muttered back, leaning across the arm rest.
When the door handle started to turn on the front door, each of them perked their heads up. As the door slwoly opened up, Kagami stepped in with Elise over her shoulder. "She's out cold." The jade haired girl mumbled while kicking the door shut. "I think crying took a lot out of her." She shifted her hand a bit, gently patting the brunet's shoulder. "That, or she was too lazy to walk." She chuckled some.
"So, how's she doing?" Kris asked softly.
"Better." Kagami nodded, stepping towards a recliner and setting Elise in it. "She's doing better."
Eleanor gave a soft sigh, her hands holding each other in her lap. "Neither of us really wanted to tell her... without some preparation... but she's just so determined sometimes... and wants to know answers immediately." She looked down, shaking her head. "She probably hates us now..."
"That's not true." Cheyenne looked up at her. "She's just hurt at the moment. She could never stop loving you guys."
Eleanor smiled, nodding slowly. She then flinched, hearing her husband yell.
"Hey honey!" Klein called from the bathroom. "These mirrors up here are split apart and move! And behind them there are shelves! It's so cool!"
Kagami smiled, looking at the three. "Has he been like this all day?"
"Yes." The three of them all responded at once.
The next morning, team MACE was back at it again with training from Julia. Though, it took a little longer to get there. The group had spent the night in Elise's parent's new apartment and when they left, Eleanor wouldn't stop talking and naming every single thing that could go wrong. Eventually though, the team made it out.
Because of that, the team decided to spend the night back at the Atlas Captain's base.
"And that is why you never see parents or adult figures on stories where children or teenagers run around saving the world." Elise mumbled, yawning as she stretched out her arms while laying in her bed. "Parents are usually too protective and don't want their kids running aroumd being reckless. That's why most stories have orphans or parents that left. Even the Rainbow Time Dancers didn't even have their parents around much! Well... there was Sky and Indy's mother... but she didn't pry into their lives much and actually helped them about when one got hurt. But to make my point their father left them! Well sorta... he was a business man and always gone... and-" She was cut off.
"Elise." Kagami took a deep breath, clearly exhausted from the day of training. "We are all trying to sleep. I knpw you are a book and story enthusiasts... but please."
"We all want to sleep!" Kris snapped, curling up aggressively in her bed. "So everyone shut up!"
As the team fell fast asleep, near the edge of the city a group of bandits stood and circled around. With his face illuminated,the green haired man known as Shinrin spoke. "Okay, listen up. This pathetic excuse for a kingdom is in tatters. Tomorrow, we'll send in a few scouts to see what would be best for the taking. Until then, the rest of you lay low. Understand?" He nodded some, hearing murmurs of agreement. "Good. Jade?"
"Yeah?" Said young woman looked up, brushing some of her green hair nehind her ear.
"You're coming with me." He flashed a smiled, one which his daughter returned.
The next day, the members of team MACE were helping out a soup restaurant hand out free lunch for those living in Vale.
"And here you." Cheyenne smiled, handing a small bowl of noodles and chicken to a Faunus girl with a small alligator tail.
The small Faunus smiled up at her, nodding before rushing off. Elise tilted her head some, smilimg at the small girl who ran off. "She's adorable."
"She's the reason why Huntresses and Huntsmen keep fighting and protecting." Kagami spoke up, handing an elderly womam a bowl of clam chowder.
"Thank you." She nearly spoke in a whisper.
"Here," Kris stepped up, grabbing the boel from the woman and helping her walk. "I'll help you. Where are you going?"
"Just over here..." She muttered, leading the red head.
"This just goes to show," Elise smiled, crossing her arms and looking at Cheyenne and Kagami. "Even in the darkest times, humans and Faunus alike will come together. It's really sweet." She smiled a little more.
"Ain't that true..." Kagami mumbled as Kris came back.
"So there isn't any more people out there." The red head said. "And the owner says we can take a quick break if we want." She eyed the old man who nodded back with a soft grunt.
"Anyone want to take a walk?" Cheyenne asked.
"Sounds nice. We haven't taken an actual walk in a long time. Well..." She chuckled some. "We haven't even taken a normal walk. We always get into some trouble-OW!" She yelped, grabbing her arm.
"Don't jinx it!" Kris snapped, pulling back her fist. She then sighed. "I would kinda like a nice walk. And only a walk."
"I wouldn't mind one either." Kagami added.
Cheyenne rolled her eyes, following the group out. "We don't exactly not get into trouble though..." She whispered to herself.
As the group began to take their walk down the sidewalk, it only lasted a couple minutes before Kris glsnced across the street, noticing a figure cloaked on black walking in the other direction. "Did you see that?"
"Huh?" Cheyenne looked over, blinking a few times. "What?"
"The person in the black cloak." The red head pointed out.
Elise blinked a bit, narrowing her eyes some at said person. Her eyes then widened, the black cloak flowing past and showing one of the figure's ankles. There, three Bs were tattooed in gothic writing. "Oh no..."
"Oh no what?" Kagami glanced over at her.
"It's... the BBB..." She gulped a bit. "Mama only told me a few stories about them, mainly as warnings. Mama knew a lot about a bunch of different bandit groups. It was pretty cool."
"A warning?" Cheyenne raised an eyebrow.
"Yeah..." The brunet nodded. "The BBB, or Bad Blood Bandits are some pretty unsettling people. Decades ago, they were the Bad Blood Brothers, a group of only guys, but after some... heavy loses... they started allwoing females and changed Brothers to Bandits. They're not very friendly at all..." She shook her head.
"So what are they doing here?" Kagami asked, her eyes glancing to the sheathed sword on her back. Earlier, they had decided to take their weapons while giving put the bowls of soup to let people know there was still people out there protecting them.
To the question, Elise's eyes slowly opened wide. "They always send out scouts..." She muttered, looking back at her friends. "Of one is here, there is plenty more to follow!"
"Well then." Kris gave a sigh, crossing her arms. "Look what you've done. You've went and jinxed it. Jack ass."
Elise growled softly, glaring at the red head.
"Come on, guys, relax." Kagami pushed them apart. "We have bigger things to deal with." She smiled. "Let's go." The group immediately turned around, running behind and following the black cloaked figure.
As said figure stepped into an alley, MACE slowly corssed the street and hid behind the edge of the building, peaking inside.
"This is so boring..." The cloaked figure mumbled in a feminine voice. "Dad said he would be here..." She grumbled.
"Well he's clearly not..." Elise whispered. She then flinched, the clocked female twisting around to look at her and her team. "Shoot." She half yelped.
"Elise!" Kris snapped, pulling out her weapons as she bolted forward. "I greatly hate you!"
"Come on!" Cheyenne called, running after Kris. Elise soon followed and behind her Kagami.
"Well at least I get some fun while a wait." A wicked grin formed under the black hood. As Kris jumped up and brought her csndy can weapons down, the hooded figure pulled out a long bowie knife from under her cloak, blocking them both with ease.
Gritting her teeth, Kris pressed a button on her weapons, letting the blades fly out.
Her opponent jerked her head to the left, ducking and dodging away before bribing her arm around to slash at the red head who jumped back just in the knick of time so the blade wouldn't slice her torso oepn.
Over Kiris, Cheyenne hauled herself above her and jumped up. She raised her gun, taking aim. A blast of ice Dust suddenly shot through the air.
The cloaked figured jumped back, the blast striking her blade. She quickly let go, the weapon being concealed in ice which would most likely froze he hand as well. "Well damn..." She muttered.
"Incoming!" Elise shouted, sliding across the ground past the woman, her weapon raised. She flashed a grin and fired a red colored dart.
The hooded woman quickly ducked down, holding out her cloak. Said fabric was struck by the dart which exploded. The fabric catching fire. "Well hell..." She grumbled, reaching to the back of her cloak and pulling it off. She gave a sigh, it flying all around her as she dropped it onto the ground.
With eyes shut and green hair swaying back and forth above her shoulders, she sighed and dropped her arms. "I actually liked that cloak." She wore a pair of black tennis shoes and a socks that were barely even visible. She had on a pair of jeans, the right pants leg cut nearly off it was so short with holes here and there on it. Her shirt was nothing more than a thin and extremely form fittimg tight shirt that showed off a little too much cleavage as well as a pair of wrist protectors on.
She sighed, raising her head as she opened her eyes. "I hope all of you are happy now."
Kris, Cheyenne, and Elise all froze on place, their eyes wide.
"What..." Kris mumbled.
Cheyenne shook her head some, stepping back. "...the..."
"...hell..." Elise murmured.
The three of them quickly looked back at Kagami. Said girl blinked several times, staring at the young woman in front of her. "You have got to be kidding me..." She mumbled.
Blinking rapidly, the green haired young woman flashed a smile, her tea green eyes narrowing at the pair in front of her. "So there is more with out blood?"
Kagami shook her head, quickly raising her sword. "Who are you? Now!"
"Isn't it clear?" She reached into her pants, pulling out a large butterfly knife. "I'm a little Monomane like you. Jade Monomane to be correct."
Silence fell across the group as Kagami gritted her teeth. "Yet you use your gift for evil deeds..."
"And I'm assuming you use them for good." Jade chuckled, lowering her stance. "Now come dance."
Growling softly, the jade haired girl bolted forward while the jade haired woman did the same.
Kris and Cheyenne both stepped back, eyes wide. "Bloody hell..." Elise muttered to herself as she too stepped back.
Both the blades clashed, the two struggling to push each other back. Kagami gritted her teeth, glaring into Jade's eyes. She had no idea about the chain reaction she was about to cause.
Kagami blinked, her eyes changing a darker color as she pulled back and gave off a cry.
Jad too glared back, her eyes going darker as she jumped up.
Kagami did the same, the two of them pushing themselves off each other and into the walls of the alley. They then launched themselves upwards, blinking as their eyes went to an even darker shade of green.
The two clashed blades again, shoving each other back into the walls. Hey both grunted, the sides of the wall slightly cracking as they kicked off and forced themselves towards each other again. Once again, their eyes darkening.
They continued this sequence several times, swapping sides every noow and then as debris from the walls fell to the ground.
On the ground, Elise blinked rapidly with limp arms. "Holy... frickin'... hell..." Was all she could get out as the two jadettes jumped up onto the top of a roof.
Grunting softly with near dark green eyes, the two of them growled, glaring at each other. They both gave off a cry, bolting forward. When their blades locked, Kagami took the chance to side swipe Jade's feet.
The young woman grunted, her back hitting the roof as Kagami managed to disarm her. She kicked the butterfly knife away, only to jump back and dodge several throwing knives.
Glaring, Jade blinked as her eyes went even a darker shade of green. She reached into her shoe, pulling out several more throwing knives. She quickly tossed them, letting Kagami ne distracted by them. She then reached into her waistband, pulling out a dagger.
Kagami blinked, her eyes going into a near black shade of green as she caught a glimmer of light reflecting off the dagger. She twisted around, barely blocking the blade in time.
Jade growled softly, pressing as hard as she could. When her blade started to crack, she pulled back, letting it shatter as she brought her legs around, kicking Kagami's sword from her hand.
The two then glared at each other, raising there fist. "I'm out of blades." Jade narrowed her eyes.
"And I only have one." Kagami half smirked.
The two bolted at each other, crying out as their fist struck each other. They traded blows, blocking each and every one that the other threw at them. Eventually, the each started to pants, sweat forming.
Suddenly the two both felt their feet leave the roof of the building. In their time fighting, they two were so far distracted they hadn't even noticed how close they were getting to the edge.
"Damn it!" Jade shouted, preparing herself to land.
Kagami gritted her teeth, pressing her feet against the front of the building and pushing herself forward some. She landed on the ground a couple seconds before Jade, and having done so, she brought her legs up and kicked the jade haired young woman across the street.
Jade snarled, jer head snapping up as she dug her hands and feet into the ground. They two glared, jumping up and charging towards the center of the street. They bother cried out, trading several blows.
They then both blinked, a car horn sounding. They looked to the side, eyes widening at the large truck heading straight towards them. Both growled, glaring back at each other. They jumped up, feet colliding with each other as they pushed themselves away, just in time for the vehicle to miss them.
Kagami slid across the sidewalk, quickly looking up. Wasting no time, she lunged forward and bolted across the street.
Jade herself stood, brushing herself off with a growl. She glared up, watching as the truck passed by. Her eyes then widened as Kagami charged at her.
Kagami collided with her, both grunting heavily as they stumbled back into another alley.
They both panted heavily, rising up to their hands and knees. "Bloody hell..." Kagami quietly mumbled, shaking her head with a groan as the dark green changed back to the pale color it was before. She then grunted, a hand grabbing her neck and shoving her up against a wall.
Gritting her teeth, Jade growled softly with tea green eyes once again.
Shutting one eye, the young Huntress in training shut one eye. Growling back, she kicked her feet up, wrapping it around Jade's neck. Suddenly, the young woman landed on her back with a heavy grunt.
Both jade haired girls slowly stood up, shoulders rising and falling. Jade though, she seemed to be smiling. "You're... rather good at this..."
"You're planning to attack a city that has already lost so much..." She slowly raised her fist. "Of course I'm going to fight as hard as I can with you..."
"Hmmm..." She narrowed her eyes some. Both of them knew that neither had the strength to copy the other at the moment. With the chain reaction of infinitely increasing power, it was a miracle either had the strength to fight. She held out her hands, slamming her right hand in a fist into a flat hand palm of her right hand. A small glow coming from her.
Kagami gritted her teeth, shifting slightly. She then blinked, a red dot appearing on her chest. "What...?"
"D-Dad! No!" Jade snapped, the glow vanishing.
The red dot quickly vanished before a man cloaked in a dark green hood jumped down. Crossing his arms under his cloak. Shinrin raised an eyebrow at his daughter. "Why? She was clearly getting the upper hand on you."
"She wasn't. And I have a proposition she can't refuse." She smiled.
Taking a step back, Kagami narrowed her eyes. "And what is that?"
"You're leader, right?" Jade smirked, looking at her father. "Whatever you say goes, correct?"
"Yes..." He half groaned.
"Well," She crossed her own arms, her breathing slowly becoming normal once looked at Kagami, smiling. "I haven't had a fight like that in years. So..." She took a step forward. "Three days from now. Meet me at the docks. If you win, how about I leave you to your good little deeds, and if I win, well we let me have fun."
Blinking slowly, Kagami grinded her teeth. "Give me one good reason why I should believe a whole group of bandits would just leave a city like this alone?"
"Because, you said it yourself. I am a bandit." She held out her arms. "I'm not some low life criminal. I do have some honor."
"Jade, I cann't exactly-" Shinrin started before he was cut off.
"Dad!" Jade snapped, glaring at him. "If I lose, we leave. Got it? But if I win, we get to attack." She smiled. "And how many times have I lost?"
"Zero... but-" He was cut off again. This time, he sighed.
"It's final. There are plenty other small villiages we can find." She smiled, looking back at Kagami. "It will be like that worthless tournament that no one got to see the champion this time." She smirked, tipping her head. "I hope you're ready, you good little Monomane."
Kagami watched with wide eyes, still breathing slightly heavy as the two apperently blood relitives of her's ran off. She slowly dropped to her knees, holding herself up with her hands. She only glanced up when she heard footsteps.
"For the love of Oum..." Elise gulped, Cheyenne and Kris behind her. She held out a hand, helping her leader to her feet. "It's like you're in a cartoon! Or an anime! Expecially with that kind of fighting and the whole three days before and end of the universe battle! Dude! That's so cool! I'm honestly jealous!"
Kagami raised an eyebrow, chuckling softly as she shook her head. "I..." Her smiled slowly became uneasy. "I'm not jealous, I'm extremely tired..."