"I managed to get myself stable enough after that so I could find my way back to Mistral to get actual medical help and to let my aura recharge after... what had just happened. But... even after that, the mass amount of aura I had couldn't heal everything..." Baren softly spoke as she and the others walked down a path. Her arm resting across her chest as she gently held onto her ribs. Beside her, Kagami stood close. Elise behind her with Cheyenne to her right and Kris to her right. Nihilus, Thanaton and Val walking behind them.
"I mean, I'm pretty sure no one's aura can regrow a limb." Kris glanced over at her with a raised eyebrow. Her long red coat unbuttoned as she kept her hands in her pockets.
"That's not what I mean. I already know I'm never getting me arm back." She glared down at her. "It's gone. Forever. And I don't deserve a fancy mechanical one like Nero had. I deserve to live with my mistakes. If not for punishment for being so arrogant and cocky, then to remember everything. No one is undefeatable. Nobody is untouchable no matter what it looks like. There is always someone out there who is better than you. And there is someone out there who is better than them. Always."
"Sooo... you mean the scar on your face then?" The redhead asked as Nihilus glanced up from behind. He kept quiet, slowly eyeing the old warrior before looking back down with his brow slightly furrowed. His hands in his hoodie pockets.
"No." She let out an irritated groan before reaching up to rub her face. "That's not..." She took a deep breath, closing her eyes for a moment before exhaling. She glanced down, staring at the handle of her weapon for a moment. "When I was stabbed, I suppose you could say I got lucky. Or not. Or just a cruel twist of fate. It missed every vital organ and artery and even my spinal cord... but, it managed to... it went straight through..."
"You can't have children, can you?" Cheyenne spoke up after being quiet for a long time.
The pinkette took a deep breath, slowly nodding back at her. "That's exactly what happened."
Kris went silent, looking down at her feet with each step she took. Pulling her hands out of her pockets, they came together as her fingers began to fidget with each other. "I was stabbed during the Fall of Beacon... three times actually with a claw... my sister luckily showed up... I think I would have died there if she hadn't... I guess fate didn't want my story to end there..."
Baren blinked, glancing back at the young girl for a moment. Her stone cold expression gone for a moment before it quickly returned. She looked away, facing forward again with a soft exhale. "Fate works in mysterious ways. I still don't understand it."
"When... when we first met in the woods. You know, when you attacked us," Elise took a deep breath. "I called you a bandit. And I'm sorry. I didn't know." She looked up at her before quickly looking away as she rubbed her arm. Kagami's sword still on her back.
"I know. It's alright." She looked back at three the girls for a moment before looking to her left towards Kagami. She very faintly smiled, draping her arm over the quiet jadette. The three of them weren't as bad as she originally thought. Perhaps they would do Kagami well anyway.
"So what happened after your body was able to heal? You said you were in Mistral. How did you end up in the outskirts of eastern Sanus? And why start calling yourself Baren instead of Blaire?" The deer Faunus asked while tilting her head.
"Well, first," The pinkette smirked, letting out a very low chuckle. "First, I fell into a depression. I began drinking. I spent all my savings on sake and any I could scrounge up from anything from petty bar fights to begging for lien. I may have survived, but after everything was able to process... I gave up. I hated living. I hated breathing. I hated existing. I condemned the world and anyone and everyone who ever existed. But I couldn't find it in me to get rid of myself. So I drank and drank." She smiled a little more. "I never told anyone what happened next. I assume Kagami felt like it was my business and if I wanted to tell her I would." She gently squeezed the girl's shoulder. "But as I said, I don't understand fate. It works in strange ways. And one day, I was sitting on the ground drinking while leaning beside a building and-" She was cut off, her eyes closing at the soft scream that came from behind her.
"Oh my Oum! Is that Mistral!?" Elise bounced, her eyes wide as the kingdom came into view. "It looks so amazing! And beautiful! And I thought Vale was astonishing!"
"I'll... have to admit..." Kris looked over, her eyes wide as well. "I have never seen anything like this before. My mother's house was huge but this place..."
"It's beautiful." Cheyenne finished for her. Her shoulders rolled back as she stared.
"Maybe a later time then..." Baren trailed off as she glanced down at Kagami. Though she was silent, she too couldn't help but look up and stare in awe at the Kingdom of Mistral. Her expression soft as she stared with wide eyes, her mouth slightly cracked open. The eight of them had just traveled halfway across Remnant. They were on a whole new continent.
Inside the Kingdom of Mistral in a small tavern, Elise stretched out her arms before collapsing on a very large bed. "Oum! That feels so nice!" Her stomach then growled as she rolled onto her back. "That was so exhausting and tiring... I need food."
"You always need food." Kris chuckled with an exhale, sitting beside her on the bed. "But I agree. Traveling to a whole different kingdom is exhausting."
Seeing both of the twins staring outside through a window, Cheyenne smiled as she sat across from Kris. "Has it changed since you two were here last?" She softly asked.
"It... It's changed a lot." Nihilus spoke up, momentarily at a loss for words.
"It really has..." Thanaton agreed, standing beside him.
"Well," Baren let out a yawn, stretching out her arm and shoulder as Kagami sat down in a chair next to a desk. "While the six of you rest up, Val and I are going to see if we can find anyone who knows anything about Sakuya Aoigane or Aquilus. Whichever she's going by. But all of you stay here." Her voice hardened momentarily. "We'll be back soon."
As the two pinkettes walked out and closed the door behind, Val faintly smiled while looking up at the old warrior. "You really worry about them, don't you?"
"No." She corrected her. "I just simply don't want the same thing that happened to my team to happen to them. They're hopeful and optimistic. They could change a lot of lives in this world. They can't do that if they're dead though." She softly exhaled, glancing down at her feet. "Besides, I promised someone I'd take care of Kagami before she was even born."
"Did her mother tell you to watch her?" Her head tilted a bit.
She shook her head. "No. It's much more complicated than that. This woman is gone now too. But she was gifted with the ability to see flashes of the future. She's the one that asked me to protect her in her adventures."
Val gave a very slow nod, crossing her arms. "You care a lot about her, don't you?" She asked. "Like she's your own daughter. Since you can't have children yourself."
She sighed, giving a very slow nod. " I suppose. She and someone else are the closest I'll ever have to my own family."
"Who's the other?" Her eyebrows raised.
"Another woman who I taught how to fight and wield a katana one handed. And another long story." Baren replied. "For another time."
Walking around their room, Elise let out a heavy sigh while swinging her arms. "This is so boring! They have been gone for hours! And all we are doing is just sitting here!" She continued to complain. "Why can't we go out and do something? Like relax somewhere peaceful outside! It's not like we'd get in trouble just by sitting!"
"We are in a whole new Kingdom. And a beautiful one at that." Kris held up a hand while still sitting on the bed. "What's wrong with a little sightseeing?"
"Wow." Cheyenne let out a small chuckle while combing her hair. "Are you guys agreeing on something again?" She flashed a smile.
As the redhead rolled her eyes, the brunet let out a small scoff before glancing at her team leader. She exhaled slowly before her face lit up with a smile. "Hey." She smiled more while eyeing the twins. "What if we went to the beach?"
"A beach?" Nihilus tilted his head with a raised eyebrow while glancing around. "You know you were told to stay here, right?" He and his sister sitting beside each other on the bed.
"And you are a criminal who broke rules all the time. What's the problem here?" She huffed while crossing her arms and narrowing her eyes at him.
He rolled his eyes as Thanaton smiled and slowly stood up. "It sounds kind of fun." She yawned and stretched out her arms. "There's a whole Kingdom out there that needs exploring."
"I like her." Elise chuckled, pointing at the purple haired young woman with a smile.
"Alright, alright." Cheyenne waved her hands a bit. "We'll go for a walk around the beach and come right back. And bring our weapons just in case." She held up a finger. "Before Baren or Val come back."
"Sweet." Kris jumped up, her jacket swaying against her movement. "I wonder what things I could buy with my mother's credit card... I remember the number and pin and she never changes it." She let out a small chuckle.
Nihilus blinked, raising and eyebrow at Thanaton before softly sighing as he stood up. "I guess there's no harm in a simple walk. Despite how easily the four of you run into trouble."
"Woo!" Elise bounced with a bright smile before stepping over towards Kagami. She smiled more, holding out her hand. "Come on. The fresh air will help clear your mind." She locked eyes with her, giving a reassuring nod.
Walking down a sandy shore of Mistral, Elise couldn't help but smile as the crisp scent of water struck her nose. She exhaled, closing her eyes as she felt her feet sink into the sand. Along with her rifle and baton, she also still had Kagami's sword strapped to her back."I miss the smell of... not a city or machinery. I miss it a lot."
"It is rather peaceful out here." Cheyenne smiled to herself while looking across the rippling water. Her jacket back at the inn as the warm sun shined down upon her white shirt."I wish we had something like this in Natus when I was growing up. I feel like a lot more people would be more happy then." She smiled more, holding several towels in her arms.
"My mother's private pool parties have nothing on this view." Kris added. Her trench coat off as she held onto an inflatable ball. "We've done a lot though. We deserve some sort of break. And this place... this place seems just right for that."
"What do you think, Kagami?" The brunet asked, looking back at her team leader with a bright smile. Hearing nothing in response from the jadette, she softly sighed to herself and looked away.
"What do you think, big brother?" Thanaton purred, looking up at her blue haired brother with a smile. Her arms behind her back as she nudged him.
He rolled his eyes, looking around before just barely smiling. "I guess it's nice." He muttered, siding his hands into his pockets. "I just can't shake this strange feeling."
"What do you mean strange feeling?" She tilted her head.
"Nothing, nothing." Nihilus shook his head, glancing behind him before giving a small shrug. "It's nothing. Just a little uneasy being back here. That's it."
"Okay?" She raised an eyebrow, tilting her head before shaking it with a sigh. "Whatever."
As the group began to set things up, He kept his hands in his pockets. His brow still slightly furrowed as he kept glancing around. He could feel it. Someone was watching them. A just barely and very faintly familiar aura. But who? Who was there to stalk them in the Kingdom of Mistral, so close to Haven Academy as well. He blinked once, quickly snapping his head around. "Hey... hey!" He shouted, his eyes flashing gold.
He shot across the beach as time around him froze. Snatching Cheyenne's wrist, he pulled her away. Everything regaining color as time resumed. Just as a large rock crashed into the ground where the Faunus once stood, a small silver hair formed over his dark blue hair. He painted softly, slowly standing back up straight.
Shaken, Cheyenne stumbled slightly while rapidly looking around. Kagami and Kris both jumping to their feet as they turned around. Thanaton smiled, letting out an amused quiet sound as she turned to look back. "I do like trouble..." She whispered.
"What's the big deal?" Elise shot to her feet, handing going back to gently touch her rifle. "Who's there?! What do you want?!" She demanded in a shout.
"You have... a lot of nerves to show your faces around here." A harsh and raspy male voice spoke up."Do you think after everything you have done that I would just forget about you?!" He snapped, a young man they never thought they would see again stepped forward. His large black combat boots crunching against the sand. Faded black jeans with a few tears in them too long for his legs, the cuffs torn and shredded from being stepped on. He had a black denim zipper jacket, sleeves and hood a dark grey, unzipped and over a plain white shirt. Both his sleeves pushed up to reveal a gauntlet on both forearms. With two black spiked elbow pads and three smaller spiked on his shoulders, his shere size and weight towered above the others. His pale soft pink skin hardened like stone as his eyes glared tiredly and exhausted. His unmistakable, one of a kind and hideous nose standing out more than ever.
"Prac?" Cheyenne softly spoke while taking a step forward.
"Shut up!" The only surviving Varken brother snapped, every muscle in his giant form flexing against his clothes. "You've been running around... playing games this whole time. Pretending like there isn't any consequence for anything you ever do! And now you're hanging around with them..." He eyed the two twins.
"Things are much more complicated than that." Elise held out her arms. "Things have changed a lot since the Battle of Beacon."
"Oh I know. I know things have changed..." He snarled back. His hands tightening into fists as his gauntlets lit up. His right arm gaining tints of red as his left arm gained tints of blue. Dust radiating throughout both of the weapons. "I'm going to make sure you pay for their deaths!"
"Wait! We didn't even have anything to do with that!" Kris shouted back. "A lot of people were lost during that night! Huntsmen, soldiers, civilians and students alike!"
"No!" He snapped, throwing his arms down while flashing his teeth. "It was your fault! And her plan! And now I'm going to make you pay for it!" As his arms went down, the sand underneath Nihilus seemed to turn into liquid. His entire body being swallowed up and buried underneath the sand before he even had the chance to respond.
"Nihilus!" Thanaton shouted, falling to her knees as she began to rapidly dig in the sand for her brother. "Nihilus! Hold on! Hang in there!" Her fingers going through the sand like claws.
"Oh shit..." Elise let out in a quiet mutter, pulling out her rifle while taking aim. As she did, the ground gave away underneath her too. Though, rather than falling into the sand, she felt her body being snatched away. Hitting the ground and sliding, she let out a soft grunt. Glancing up, she faintly smiled when she saw Kagami was the one that saved her from being devoured by sand.
Sprinting behind him, Kris locked the curved edge of one of her weapons with Prac's ankle. "You need to calm down!" She shouted. "We don't want to fight you! You're our friend!"
Stumbling, he glanced around and glared back at her. "We are NOT friends!" He shouted back, grabbing her weapon and jerking her towards him. He spun around on his feet, leaving impressions in the sand. He brought his right arm back, the gauntlet engulfed in flames as he swung it forward. His fist striking her chest and sending her flying back into several rocks that cracked upon her impact. Her head striking the stone before she slowly slid down to the ground unconscious with her weapons scattered. "Especially not you!" He turned to glare at Cheyenne.
"Prac! Listen! What happened to Fid and Fif was an accident!" The Faunus shouted, holding out her arms in defense. "It wasn't our fault! It wasn't your fault!"
"Don't tell me who's fault it is!" He snarled back at her. "I already know who's fault it is!" Sliding his right foot back, he pushed off with it. His large feet stomping against the sand.
Rapidly and shakily breathing, Thanaton's fingers ran through her brother's sandy hair as she dug out his head. "Nihilus! Nihilus!" She shouted despite being less than a foot from him.
Tossing his head back, he began to cough heavily. His temples throbbing as he kept both his eyes shut tight. He tried to breathe, his mouth slightly open before he began to cough again. "Than... Thana..." He choked on the word, struggling. His chest was burning in agonizing pain. His lungs being refused oxygen and being compressed. His heart radiating a painful throb with each heartbeat. "I... sand's... pressing... can't... breathe in..." He coughed between words, opening one eye only to quickly close it when he saw his world spinning.
"What...?" She blinked, trailing off as her eyes widened. "No, no, no... shit, shit, shit!" Her jaw clenched as her eyes watered faintly. "Come on! No, no!" She shouted, her hands clawing at the sand in front of his torso. "Hold on!"
As Elise fired one of her darts, Kagami took a few shallow breaths as she stood upright. Watching as ice exploded in a blast in front Prac which in return made him stumble slightly, she glanced at Nihilus as his sister rapidly threw sand back. He slowly opened one eye again, his blue iris filled with a rare expression of fear. She quickly looked back over, staring at Prac who's pink eyes narrowed as he let out a quiet growl.
She began to breathe more rapidly, her eyes going towards Nihilus once again. She needed to act. Right now. She didn't have the time. He didn't have the time. But she needed a way to help him. She looked back at Prac. His gauntlets glowing brighter with red and blue. Her chest began to visibly rise and fall as she looked back and forth between the two. What if she made the wrong choice? Her hands began to sweat as her mouth felt dry. She clenched her jaw, flashing her teeth as she looked between them even faster. Her eyes locking with each of theirs multiple times before she lowered her head. She closed her eyes, pressing her hands against her face.
Her shoulders squared as she slid her right foot back. The world around her draining from color as everything froze. She sharply inhaled, raising her head up. As her eyes opened, her left was gold as her right one was pink. She ran to the side, sliding across the ground. She knelt down in front of the twins, pushing her fingers into the sand in front of Nihilus. Pulling her arm back, the sand was taken out like it was a solid mass. With her left arm, she grabbed the front of his hoodie, pulling him out as she stood. Setting him aside, the golden eye faded to blue as the world around her regained color. Everything moving again as the sand she was holding fell back to the ground in a pile. The hole he had been in filling up.
She took a single step back then blinked. Her eyes then shot wide as a pain drove through every nerve in her body. She went stiff, both her eyes fading back to their pale green. She wasn't even able to let out a cry of pain as her entire aura was depleted. She closed her eyes, her body falling limp. She fell to the ground, collapsing with a small thud.
Thanaton blinked, her brows furrowed as she looked around confused. Hearing her brother cough, she scattered over towards him while slightly sitting him. "Nihilus! Nihilus!" She held onto him rather tight while pulling him up a bit more.
"Quit... yelling..." He quietly hissed, opening his eyes slowly to yell.
She let out a soft and quiet exhale, slowly shaking her head.
"Prac! Listen! Please!" Cheyenne bit her lip, her eyebrows furrowing. "We don't want to fight you! I don't want to fight you!" She held out her arms. "I know what happened is hard but... we were all there during The Fall. We all watched people get hurt and die. That doesn't mean you have to become like the monsters that cause it."
"I'm not becoming like them! I'm avenging my brothers! And putting those monsters and those that help them where they belong!" He shouted while charging forward.
She let out a quiet exhale, closing her eyes as her shoulders lowering. "I know you're not a monster..." She mumbled softly.
"Shut up!" He yelled back, keeping up his charge. He brought both arms back, slamming his fist together with a heavy rumble. A shockwave spreading around the area as a cloud of steam consumed the two.
"Chey!" Elise cried out, rushing forward with her air compressed rifle in both hands. She then skidded to a stop, hearing a feminine scream. She clenched her weapon tighter, sliding one foot as her body tensed. After a moment, Cheyenne was flung from the cloud of steam. Her body tumbling against the ground before she fell still.
Growling, Prac slowly stepped out of the steam. His gaze going towards Elise. He snarled, flashing his teeth while the gauntlets on his arms grew brighter. "Your turn..." His glare hardened as he approached her.
She blinked, gulping as she stepped back. She put her rifle behind her, pulling out her baton while raising her arms. She glanced around, eyeing Thanaton as she continued to help her brother who was now somehow out of the sand with Kagami on the ground. She tilted her head, blinking before grunting as she blocked a flaming fist. Her feet sliding back against the sand.
The two made eye contact as Prac pushed harder against her baton. His size alone overwhelming her strength. He brought his other arm back, a burst of water striking her. The impact of the punch cracking her baton as she was sent flying back.
She groaned, pushing herself up a bit. Raising her baton, she blinked as the cracks slowly grew and fell apart. Her eyes went wide as she glanced up at the brute walking towards her. She swallowed heavily while biting her lip and standing up. She reached behind her, narrowing her eyes as she gripped Kagami's sword. She slowly slid it out with a soft exhale, holding it up in front of herself.
"Do you even know how to use that?" He half chuckled while approaching her. As she went to strike, he reached out with both hands. His fingers wrapping firmly around the blade. He jerked it out of her grasp, tossing it to the side as he raised his foot.
Groaning with a headache, Kagami's vision swirled around as she slowly opened her eyes. Screams and shouts echoing inside her head. She slowly stood up, breathing soft as she fell back down to one knee. Her head pounding as she closed her eyes again.
Scooting backwards across the ground, Elise was rapidly breathing as she pulled her rifle in front of her. Pulling out a large chuck of the ground, Prac raised it while pressing his hand against it. The rock lighting up in flames. He let out a harsh war cry, kicking the flaming rock towards her.
She closed her eyes, bracing herself.
There once was a leader, so strong and bold
Slowly, a pale hand reached down towards the scattered sword. Fingers sliding across the sand and wrapping around the hilt. Hesitant at first, the hand eventually gripped it tight. Holding it firmly.
Her will made of iron, and heart of gold
Taking a very deep breath, Kagami closed her eyes for a moment as she inhaled. She stood up straight, rolling her shoulders back as she pushed out her chest and exhaled.
Nothing could break her, nothing could knock her
She slid one foot back, pushing off and sprinting ahead. Switching her grip to reverse, she slid across the sand before standing back up in front of Elise. She raised her weapon, closing both eyes.
She was tall like mountains, maybe higher
She slid one foot back to better balance herself as the rock collided with her sword. The blade humming as flames danced around. The rock split in two and falling beside her. She took a few deep breaths, the bandages on her arms slightly singed. She glanced back, eyeing Elise who stared back up at her. "Are you okay?" She very quietly asked.
The brunet smiled brightly back before giving a quick nod. "Never better."
"Good." She turned away, twirling her sword into a hammer grip as she readied herself. She felt her hands tremble slightly before she exhaled and gripped her weapon tighter. "I need you to stop the flames and water he attacks with. I can't myself. My aura... it's gone."
"What?" Elise asked, standing up. "How?"
"I... I'm not sure." She slowly narrowed her eyes. "Just do it. I'm trusting you."
She let out a small exhale, pulling back slightly while sorting through her assortment of Dust darts. "You can count on me." She smiled more.
So long as they remained standing by her
"You think you can stop me with that puny sword?" Prac let out a small snicker before snarling as he ran towards her. "I'll break it like a twig or piece of hay!" He swung his right arm forward, sending a fireball straight towards her.
She never ran, each time standing ready
Kagami softly exhaled, standing her ground. A blue dart hitting the flaming ball. As the two collided, it burst into a cloud of steam. She slowly and calmly stepped out of the cloud, her eyes locked on Prac as she raised her weapon again.
Her blade in hand, grip held firm and steady
He let out a sharp war cry, pulling up several smaller pieces of the earth before he began to kick them in her direction. His face twisting in pure rage and hatred.
Always in the front, ready to defend
Quickly moving, she dodged between the rocks. Only blocking when she had no other choice. The hum of her sword growing louder with each impact. She finally ran forward, her eyes narrowing.
He snarled back, clenching his left wrist which was soon engulfed in water. He raised it, going for a strike only to grunt as a dart struck his arm. The water freezing over and turning into an ice that ecased his gauntlet and arm.
Letting out a battle cry of her own, Kagami brought her foot around, round house kicking his left arm away from his chest while bringing her sword down. The blade coming in contact with the ice. As it shattered, the gauntlet itself too cracked before falling off his arm. She pulled back slightly, letting the tip of her blade drop as she held it in a reverse grip to block.
He threw his right arm towards her, his hand engulfed in flames. As he did, another dart struck. The flames bursting into steam as his fist struck her blade. The two both grunted, Kagami's feet sliding back slightly in the sand. The steam wrapping around both of them.
Kept moving forward, till the very end
Blinking, Elise lowered her weapon slightly as her shoulders rolled back. She quickly looked around, her jaw tightening. She quickly took aim again, watching as Kagami slid backwards on her feet out of the steam.
She may have had moments where she faltered
Watching as Prac ran out towards her friend, she narrowed her eyes while gripping her rifle tight. His right gauntlet needed to go. She let out a quiet groan to herself, her breathing sharpening as she saw the large brute kick another rock towards Kagami. She slashed through it, only to be struck in the chest by his left hand. She skidded back, driving her sword into the ground as she knelt down to stop.
Fallen on her knees, perception altered
"Think, think. Think." She repeatedly told herself as she saw the gauntlet lit up in a bright red before bursting into flames. She then flashed a smile, reaching down and grabbing a different dart. In a matter of seconds, she had reloaded and took aim again. "Kagami! Brace yourself!" She shouted.
The weight of the world far too much to bare
The jadette blinked, eyeing her teammate before looking up at the young man charging at her. She took a deep breath, keeping herself on her knees. She ducked her head down, her shoulders rising around her neck as her fingers tightly wrapped around the handle of her sword.
Elise took a deep breath, aiming down her sight. She attempted to slow her breathing to steady herself although it didn't do much with her heart pounding inside her chest. The feeling only making it harder for her to breathe easily. Gently squeezing the trigger, she held her breath as she fired.
Flying through the air, a yellow marked Dust dart made its way towards towards Prac. He had his right arm pulled back, hand tightly wrapped into a fist. He blinked, glancing over as the shot made a quiet echo. His brow furrowed as his head tilted at the sight of the dart before his eyes widened.
Despite his arm moving, the dart's tip perfectly hit one of the red Dust veins on his gauntlet. The heat from the flames and already reacting Dust inside igniting the lightning Dust within the dart. Electricity shot through his weapon, triggering the rest of the Dust inside it. The gauntlet exploding in a massive swarm of flames that engulfed Prac.
But she need not worry for they were there
Letting out a rageful scream, the large brute tore his gauntlet from his arm. He stumbled out of the flames, patting down his shoulders with heavy breathing. His aura flickering multiple times before it faded away completely. He let out a low snarl, glancing up.
Lifting her to her feet, out of the dark
Breathing softly as a few flames brushed past her, Kagami slowly rose. She rolled her shoulders back, keeping her sword in her right hand. She narrowed her eyes, sliding one foot back as she glared back at him. Her chest just faintly rising and falling.
Just in time for a brand new story arc
Prac growled deeply, flashing his teeth. "Do you think this is going to stop me? I'm going to tear you apart! All of you! Down to the hairs on your chins!" He shouted, running towards her.
Though in return she would save them as well
Exhaling, she held up her left hand towards Elise to tell her silently to stop her attacks. She spun her sword, gripping it tight in a reverse grip as she fell into a defensive stance. She sidestepped, avoiding a punch while she blocked the second with her sword. "You need to stop." She calmly stated.
He growled, shoving her backwards. His shoulders squaring as he stomped forward. "You do not get to tell me what I need to do." He snapped.
"Well someone does." She shot back, deflecting his blows with the flat side of her sword. "You are letting yourself be overcome with misguided hatred and anger." She took several steps back. "Which leads you only to listen to yourself. And right now, that's the worst thing you can do." She let out a small grunt, being shoved away.
"Shut up!" He roared, sliding a foot back against the sand as he charged. She softly exhaled back, taking swift a step to the side. She raised her arm, bashing the hilt against the back of his head. As he stumbled forward, she swiped at his legs with hers. He came crashing to the ground with a loud thud. His chin hitting the ground as he closed his eyes. As he rolled over, he froze as the sword impaled the sand next to his shoulder. His eyes going wide for a moment before slowly narrowing. "Why don't you just kill me too?" He sharply snarled at her.
"Because, that's not the right thing to do. And neither is what you're doing her." She stared down at him, her jaw clenching. Keeping her head held up high, she leaned down slightly. "And you know it."
"What would you know about doing the right thing?" He shifted around slightly. "You helped those that killed my brothers. You're just as guilty of murdering them as they are."
She took a very deep breath, letting her shoulders fall slightly. "No. I'm not. The only ones you can blame for their deaths is the Grimm themselves. They're the ones that did it. If you want to avenge them, go back and finish your training as a Huntsmen and slay those beasts. Choosing to go after others that you know nothing about and blame without reason makes you no better than the Grimm that took them from you. Life isn't a fairy tale or some story we're told as kids. It's harsh and terrible and full of painful events. Happy endings don't have to happen. Sometimes, you're just not meant to have a happy ending. You're meant to give someone else theirs." She pulled her weapon out of the ground, stepping away from him as she sheathed her sword. She turned around, slowly walking away. "That doesn't mean you should stop trying to find yours though. There's an infinite amount of possibilities you can think of, and an infinite more after that. There's something out there for you. Don't stop until you find it."
From a hard, freezing, and fiery hell
Elise blinked very slowly, smiling with a soft exhale as she put her rifle away. This wasn't exactly how she wanted to make Kagami feel better, but it helped. And she was going to be there right by her side to help the rest of the way. She wasn't a monster for what she did, and now she was accepting that too.
There once was a leader, so strong and bold
Who had a tale with her friends to unfold
Letting out a small exhale as she set a pencil down and closed her green book, Kagami leaned back in the chair while rubbing her sore muscles. She slowly glanced back, seeing Nihilus resting under the covers of a bed as Thanaton sat next to him. This was the second time she saw her brother like this. Sitting on the ground beside the bed, Cheyenne and Kris were both leaning back. Their legs outstretched as they kept their eyes shut.
"What are you thinking about?" Elise asked, a plate piled high with food in her hands as she began to devour it.
"I'm... not exactly sure." She mumbled back while glancing at her book. "A lot I suppose."
"Well," The brunet stepped over, holding out a sandwich to her. "Eating makes me think better."
She rolled her eyes, taking the sandwich. "Food makes everything better for you."
"Yeaaah." She chuckled faintly with a grin. "But..." She trailed off a little. "Are you... okay from you know what?"
The jadette went silent, taking a deep breath before nodding. "I think so. Well, not so much as okay... but getting there." She glanced at her, flashing a small smile.
"Good." She nodded back. "Because-" She blinked, stopping herself as sirens sounded outside. She glanced around, looking through the window. Her eyes slowly going wide. "Whoa... it looks like something's going down at Haven Academy."
"Like bad something?" She stood up.
"I think so. There's police." She mumbled quietly as the door to their room slowly opened. She then jumped, feeling her wrist being grabbed and pulled.
"We're back!" Val announced as she entered. "We-" She stopped, blinking at the three resting and the now opened window. "Um..."
Baren glanced around before slowly looking at Thanaton who stared back at her. "Where... is Kagami and Elise? And why are they like... that?" She pointed towards the purple haired woman.
"Um... you see," Thanaton quickly glanced around before standing up and pointing at the window. "It was all their fault. Those two idiots! Elise and Kagami! I had zero to do with it!" She waved her hands back and forth in defense.
The one armed warrior sighed, reaching up to pinch the bridge of her nose. "Of course it is..."