"Why is it always climb to the top of a mountain?!" Kris heavily exhaled as she trudged along up a rather steep incline. "You must carry Madame Cerrone up the mountain! You must climb to the top of the highest mountain and find a dagger in a stone! Why can't anything ever be on the same level ground as where you are?!"
Letting out a very soft chuckle, Baren eyed her. "You complain an awful lot for someone who wanted to become a Huntress."
"Oh shut up!" The short girl shot back at her with a cold glare.
Seeing Val clearly uneasy and uncomfortable, Kagami took a deep breath while slowing her pace to be side by side with her. "You're not okay, are you?" She softly asked as her brows furrowed.
"I feel like I'm about to throw up." She quietly responded. "Every bone in my body is shaking. My lungs feel like they're giving in and being cut off. Every single nerve in my body is sending me into this feeling of needing to run. And did I mention I feel like throwing up?"
She sighed, giving a slow nod while resting her hands in her pockets. Once again, her sword was tightly strapped across her back. "Well... I'm not exactly sure how to help, but," She looked forward at the two Aquilus twins. "Remember this is for them. Not you. So just... try to keep everything together for their sake. It's obvious you care about them a lot."
"Well... Valentine was the one that kidnapped them. When she wasn't in control of my body, I did my best to try and raise them. Not replace their parents... but be there for them. Help them learn." The gentle pink haired woman sighed. "I just..."
"You still feel guilty?" She glanced at her.
She slowly nodded back, keeping her head low.
"Well, that feeling may never go away." The jadette glanced up at the sky. "It may stick with you the rest of your life. Just don't let it consume you, alright?" She flashed a small smile.
She let out a quiet scoff, shaking her head while crossing her arms. "You're young, but you're still rather wise." She smiled slightly back.
"And with a lot more to learn." She turned her head to look forward again.
With her stomach twisting in knots, Thanaton struggled to breathe properly. With trembling hands, she chewed on her nails. Her entire composure the complete opposite from what it usually is. She let out a soft sound, reaching up to rub her eyes harshly.
"Hey..." Cheyenne spoke softly, reaching out to put a hand on the young woman's shoulder. "Just remember to breathe, okay? I know it's not easy."
"Shut up!" She jerked away. "You don't understand at all!"
"You sure about that?" The Faunus stepped a bit closer. "Remember Maya and I both went home to our parents not knowing if they were there or still alive too. I was kidnapped from my family by Faunus slave smugglers before being rescued by members of the White Fang. I was terrified about going home for years. But I met my team and they made me realize I'm not alone and they'll be there by my side no matter what happens. They helped both of us go home."
With her hands still shaking, she brushed her purple hair behind her ear while trying to compose herself. I-I just... what if they're dead? What if this woman is just some crazy woman? What if I never get to know what happened after we were taken? Wh-What if..." She clenched her jaw, her vision blurring slightly. "What if..."
"Enough of those what if scenarios." She reached out, grabbing her hand with a soft smile. "What if they are there? What if your parents have been looking all over for you? What if you finally get to see them again? What if you finally get to collapse in your mother's embrace again? Hm?" Her head tilted slightly.
She sniffled, using her free hand to reach up and rub her eyes. "I'm scared..." She softly let out, her voice cracking as she swallowed. All her confidence, all her destructive and hyperactive nature, all of that was gone and replaced with a timid and terrified demeanor.
"I know. But it will be okay." She squeezed her hand tighter. "We'll be here for you. Both of you."
"Come on!" Elise held out her arms. "Aren't you a wee bit on edge? Or uneasy? Or anything!"
Glancing at her, Nihilus raised an eyebrow. He kept his hands in his hoodie pockets as he gave her a shrug. "We don't even know if this woman is my mother. Or if my father is still there. There's no point it getting all worked up over nothing."
"Oh my Ouuum..." She reached up to rub her face. "Do you have any emotions at all? Are you sure you're okay? Like for sure for sure?" She reached over, poking at him.
He let out a quiet sigh, looking back over at her. "The only thing I feel at the moment is annoyed." His eyes narrowed like daggers.
"Oh." The brunet blinked, slowly pulling back. "Right..." She trailed off, her eyes widening at a small cozy house sitting on the edge of a cliff. "Whoa..."
With her ears twitching, Baren stopped in her walk as a few others past her. Her eyes narrowed as she reached out, calmly catching an arrow midair. The tip a few centimeters from Val's face which made the younger pinkette gasp loudly with wide entire group going still.
Shrouded in a blue kimono and a black cloak, a rather young looking woman with straight dark blue narrowed her blue eyes. "You." She let out in a breath, raising her arms that held a bow, she notched another arrow and pulled it back. She slowly inhaled, shifting the weight on her legs.
"Oh... crap." Elise blinked once while stepping to the side.
Dropping the first arrow, Baren sighed as she moved in front of the other pinkette. Quickly raising her left hand, she caught the second one. Her eyes locking on the arrow tip before she raised an eyebrow. "I don't feel like dealing with this. Someone do something."
"Okay, okay." Kagami motioned her hands for everyone to stay calm. She took a deep breath, stepping towards the woman. "Mrs. Aoigane?" She softly asked. "I'm-"
"Don't talk to me!" She snapped back, holding out her hand. A bracelet on her arm glowing purple as did the arrow at Baren's feet. The arrow quickly shot back to her hand as she raised both arms and prepared to fire.
"Wait! Wait, please!" She insisted, holding her ground as she motioned her hands. "We-"
"I said don't talk to me!" She went to release the arrow before the tension she had on the string slowly. Her arms lower as her expression shifted.
Standing between the two, Nihilus had both his hands out in an attempt to call them both off. He took a deep breath, quietly exhaling. He slowly glanced up, his gaze turning towards the woman. "...mom...?" His voice was low and quiet.
Sakuya stared back for a few seconds, her shoulders rising and falling a bit. Gritting her teeth, she suddenly took aim at the two pinkettes again. "What's the meaning of this?! What kind of trickery are you playing with my mind this time?!" She flashed her teeth.
Swallowing heavily, Val trembled as she pushed herself and hid behind Baren. The old warrior rolling her eyes as she flicked the second arrow away.
"No... no." Nihilus reassured. He took another deep breath, slowly unzipping his hoodie and sliding it off. Underneath, he reached behind his back and grabbed his dark blue shirt. Pulling it off, he let his arms rest at his sides. His eyes locking with hers.
Blinking very slowly, she heavily swallowed as her arms fell. Her bow and arrow dropping onto the ground. "Nihilus...?" She very quietly asked. Her eyes slowly widened as she raised her hands and pressed them over her mouth. Her eyes locked on the young man's chest.
"No way..." Elise trailed off with wide eyes.
Kris appearing just like her. "Is that..."
"That scar..." Cheyenne
"Birthmark." Nihilus corrected. On his chest on the left side appeared a four point star that was poorly made with uneven lines and smaller marks spreading out from it the center of it. "The first born in a long line of families have been given it. As well as some ability to alter time in some form. It's been that way for generations. There's no pretending about the mark."
"The Mark of Time..." Sakuya trailed off, her hands beginning to shake. "You're..." She took a small step back, looking amongst the crowd. Her eyes meeting the purple haired young woman. "Thanaton... you too..." Her head then turned towards the two pinkettes. "I don't... I don't understand. Why is she... how are you two... who are these..."
"We'll explain in a little, just... don't keep shooting my friends." He smiled towards her, giving a nod as he began to put his shirt back on. "We can both explain our stories. Without anyone getting hurt. Alright?"
"I'm not talking to her." Her expression hardened as she pointed towards Val. "That... that bitch burned half our house! Shot me and left me for dead! Kidnapped you and your sister! Drove your father into drinking himself to his death! And YOU want me ME to talk to her?!" She took a step towards said woman as she hid herself further behind the unfazed Baren. "Do you think for one-"
She was cut off, blinking rapidly as a purple blur slammed into her. Completely shaking, Thanaton had her arms wrapped around her as tight as she could. Tears swelling up in her eyes as she sniffled and pressed her head into her chest. "Is... is dad really gone...?" She quietly asked while being muffled.
She blinked, glancing down at her daughter. "Yes." She softly sighed, wrapping her arms around her while gently rubbing the back of her head. "My... you've grown a lot." She softly chuckled while brushing her hair.
She let out a quiet sound back, squeezing her tighter as her body began to tremble more. Her brother smiling as he slid his hoodie back on. He then blinked, glancing over at the others. "Is... something the problem?" He raised an eyebrow.
"Your birthmark..." Kris stuttered slightly. "It's the Mark of Time..."
"You have a time manipulation semblance..." Elise blinked very slowly.
Blinking, he eyed their leader. "Did you never tell them I could stop time?"
Kagami blinked, giving a small shrug. "It seemed obvious. I don't get it... what's going on?" She glanced around confused.
"That's right... you were resting when we were watching Rainbow Time Dancers." Cheyenne blinked slowly, reaching up to rub her chin. "This... is crazy..."
"Oh not this again." He rolled his eyes before reaching up to rub his forehead.
"What?" The jadette blinked confused.
"A stupid children's story my great great grandfather, Royland Geralt Biv, wrote about our family's strange heriditary semblance and our weird birthmarks. He wrote it for his daughter before the Great War began when tension between Kingdoms was high. But because of the Great War it became very widely popular since he added so much color and individuality in it." He shook his head while reaching back behind his head to scratch it. "I thought that series was long since dead." He heavily exhaled.
"Wait do this entire time you knew he could stop time and you didn't tell us?" Kris half shouted while glaring at her team leader.
"Wait, wait, wait." Elise shook her head before holding out her arms. "So are you like... is RTD just a story your great great grandfather wrote or they like, related to your? Your ancestors?"
He flashed a smile, rolling his eyes as he glanced away. "I guess that's for you to figure out on your own, isn't?" He let out a very quiet chuckle, turning around to walk towards his mother and sister.
The brunet blinked, deadpanning as her shoulders slightly dropped. "I don't... I don't know anymore. What... what just happened?"
"I feel so shaken on the inside." Kris muttered quietly.
"I was not expecting that..." Cheyenne trailed off.
Kagami raised an eyebrow at her friends, slowly tilting her head. "I don't understand what the big deal is here?"
"We're going to need to make you read these books or watch these movies at some point." Elise sighed, shaking her head.
Taking a deep breath, Nihilus moved his hands behind his back. "Can we talk now, please, mom?" He eyed her.
Sakuya took a deep breath like him, still gently soothing her daughter. "Fine. But... tell your friends to leave."
He closed his eyes for a moment, eyeing team MACE. "You four have done your job. You can leave now." He muttered, his voice going quiet for a moment.
"Wait, do you mean like, goodbye?" Cheyenne's brow furrowed slightly as her shoulders squared.
"What else? You brought us back home. You did what you set out to do." He glanced away.
"But just like that? Goodbye after all that? After killing that Alpha Geist together?" Elise bit down on her lip.
"Don't forget kidnapping and everything." Kagami added with a small grin.
He rolled his eyes. "Well what else would it be other than goodbye?" He cocked his head to the side.
"It's... not goodbye..." Thanaton slowly pulled away from her mother, rubbing her eyes while sniffling. She turned around, facing the team with a small smile. "It's just later... not goodbye, it's later... until we meet again..."
Kris scoffed, crossing her arms. "I thought you didn't like us?" She smirked towards her.
The purple haired young woman rolled her eyes, looking away. "Whatever... you guys are still losers. I don't care. You can just leave already." She jumped slightly, her mother's hand rubbing her shoulder.
"Then it's later." Kagami moved forward, holding out her hand towards Nihilus. "Until we meet again." She smiled softly.
He glanced at her, keeping his eyes averted before finally smiling as he reached out to grab her hand back. "It'll only be a matter of time until we do again." He gave her a nod.
She took a deep breath, slowly nodding back to him while pulling her hand away.
As the group began to make their way back down the mountain, Val glanced back. Watching the two siblings being reunited with their mother. The family that Valentine tore apart. She took a very deep breath, turning away while softly smiling. At least they were back together. She glanced back once more, Nihilus' eyes meeting hers.
He smiled genuinely towards her, giving her a nod. He closed his eyes, softly waving before turning around as he made his way back towards the slightly damaged home.
Her face shot red as she quickly looked away. Her vision blurring slightly before she reached up to rub her eyes.
"Don't worry." Baren reassured her, glancing down. "They'll be alright. And they won't forget you. People never forget people that made them feel different."
She inhaled, smiling before looking away as she brushed her hair behind her ear.
Later on that day, as team MACE and Baren went their own way, Val was walking down the streets of Mistral. Without the Aquilus twins in her life, she didn't know exactly what to do with her life. She had always been with them and trying to raise them. She passed by several shops before stopping by a small flower shop. She exhaled softly, slowly tilting her head at a small bunch of flowers. Two of them were blue while a third one in between them was purple. She let out a quiet sound, glancing away while faintly smiling. She then blinked, noticing a sign in the window. A help wanted sign. She glanced around at the kingdom for a moment before moving her hands behind her back. She slowly went towards the door, smiling as she stepped inside.
She couldn't exactly get all the years back that she lost, but she could at least start anew.