Halo, it's time for the newest chapter. Enjoy the reading.
The light of the morning sun strongly illuminated the room of the inn where our heroes were staying and although it was still very early, many people were awake. Mike was one of those who woke up early in the morning, unusually for him, got dressed and headed for the exit.
- Where are you going? - His friend Lance called him from behind.
- To the hospital to my father. – Mike answered with determination.
- You want that, Lance offered. - I go with you?
- Maybe... it wouldn't hurt.
- What wouldn't hurt?! - Ruby appeared from the end of the corridor. - Where are you going?!
- We visit Mike's father in the hospital. - Lance replied. - We'll be gone for a while.
- Can I go with you?
- Sure, - Mike replied. – the more the better.
- I don't think it's safe for you to leave. - And even Qrow joined in, ruffling Ruby's hair and taking a drink from his flask. - I'm going to watch over you. The others will stay here until then.
The small group, Mike, Lance, Ruby, and Qrow left the house, turning down the street to head for the nether regions. Mike was more determined than anything.
- Tell me, - Ruby whispered to Lance. – wasn't his father actually dead?
- He also found out the truth only a few days ago. - Answered. – His father left him and didn't even look at him for years.
- That's terrible. - Ruby couldn't imagine what it would feel like to be abandoned by her father.
- Maybe it was the best he could do. - Qrow joined the conversation as if he knew exactly what he was talking about. – There are some men who are simply not suitable for fathers and the best thing they can do is entrust the child to someone who will be in good hands.
- But he could have visited him. - Ruby shot back. - He could have been part of his life.
- Ruby, - Qrow took out his flask again. - the relationship between adults is complicated. We don't know why Tubby's father left him. It might also have put him in danger if he accepted that he was his real father.
- His… - Ruby looked at Lance in confusion. – real father? - Qrow, as someone who just realized he said something he probably shouldn't have and shook his head.
- I mean, if he would really have his father!
- I thought... - Mike, who heard everything all along, turned back to his friends. - he left me because I wasn't the boy he wanted.
- Never think about that! - Lance immediately put his hand on her shoulder. - If he didn't even look at you for years, then he doesn't even deserve to you be sad about him! You are a teammate and friend I wouldn't trade for anyone else!
- Lance... - Mike was touched by his friend's loyalty.
- You're right! - Ruby joined her. - A father who isn't part of his child's life doesn't deserve forgiveness!
- Um… that's a bit… - Qrow felt a little bad at Ruby's words.
- Come on Uncle Qrow, - Ruby poked her uncle in the side. - don't you think otherwise?! It's true that you're not my father but you've been there quite a few times! You taught me a lot of things and always protected me when dad wasn't there!
- Yes… - Qrow looked up at the sky and smiled. - I guess… I'm not that bad.
After barely a quarter of an hour of walking, the team found the hospital in Mistral, to which a flight of stairs led. The doors opened automatically as they approached them, the inside filled with a sterile, hospital smell and white lights.
- Shall we go with you or wait? - Lance asked before they went to the front desk.
- Stay, - Mike answered. – I have to solve this alone.
- All right. We'll wait here. - Lance, Ruby, and Qrow sat in the waiting area and watched as Mike spoke to the receptionist.
- Good day, - Mike greeted, his heart pounding in his throat from nervousness. He doesn't know what he will say when he sees his father or what his father will say about visiting him for the first time in so long. - I came to visit Mr. Marvin Birmingham.
- A moment. – The woman typed the name into the computer but she answered disappointedly. - I'm so sorry but Mr. Birmingham has passed away.
- What?! - Mike's heart skipped a beat and he shook his head in confusion. - When?!
- An hour ago. Have my condolences.
Mike went back to his friends in shock and sat next to Lance.
- So? - Lance asked. - What happened?
- He's dead. – The rest of the team also looked at him in shock but with sympathy.
- I'm so sorry. - Ruby sat next to him. - I can't imagine how terrible it must be.
- An hour ago. - They could feel Mike's blaming himself. - If I had woke up earlier or...
- Stop! - Lance talked him out of blaming himself again. - Don't even think about that!
- It's just... it's a strange feeling to mourn someone you thought was dead for years, then you find out he's alive but when you'd meet him... he's dead.
- Maybe... - Lance tried to comfort him but a doctor came with a letter in his hand.
- Excuse me, did you want to visit Mr. Marvin Birmingham?
- Yes. - Mike looked up. - I'm his son.
- I was his treating doctor and he spent his last hours with me. - He handed the letter to Mike. - He asked me to deliver this letter to his only son.
Mike reached for the envelope as if it were a holy relic, opened it but stopped just before he was about to take it out.
- Well, - Lance didn't understand why he hesitated. - don't you take it out?
- I don't know if I should take it out?
- What are you talking about? - Ruby didn't understand either. - Your father's last words.
- That's why. - Mike squeezed the paper envelope tightly. - My father, who abandoned me and my mother. Why should I give him a chance to explain himself? - He could have talked to me many times but he didn't even bother to visit me. - Mike decided not to read his father's letter, he just put the envelope in his pocket.
- Mike, if I got a letter like this from my mother... - Ruby tried to convince him, but Lance silenced her by putting a hand on her shoulder.
- Mike, you might change your mind later.
- Maybe. - Mike wasn't sure. - Let's go back.
The road back was quieter, no one said a word, Qrow was just lost in his thoughts, while Ruby and Lance just stared at their fat friend worriedly.
- Tell me… - Lance tried. – if you could have talked to him… what would you have said to him?
- Hm, - Mike didn't know what to say. – I would have asked him why he left us and why he didn't visit us?
- And what do you think, - Ruby joined in. - what would he has answered?
- I don't know. He might have just made excuses or said something that would break my heart. My mother was very angry when I found out he was still alive. She said he did something very bad and that's why he left us.
- Maybe he wanted to apologize. - Lance guessed.
- And tell you he loves you. - Ruby joined in.
- I don't know. - Mike wasn't so sure. - I'd like to believe that, but I can't forgive him for leaving me.
As they returned to the apartment, Mike took out the envelope again, sat down on the kitchen table, and stared at it for a while, wondering if he should read it. Finally, he decided not to read it and left the open envelope on the table.
Ruby went out into the garden where they usually practiced, where her sister and Weiss had an emotional conversation.
The volunteer recruitment and signature gathering didn't go as planned at all, and by evening, Lynda, Blake, and Sun returned to the Belladonna mansion defeated, but not yet giving up on convincing the Menagerie residents that it was worth fighting to protect Haven Academy.
- Do you think we will succeed? - Lynda just sat down in an armchair, rubbing her forehead. She was uncertain about the future.
- I don't know, - Sun was more determined than his friend. – but we have to try. – The monkey faunus sensed that something was troubling the dog faunus companion. – You're thinking about Luna and Mandy, right?
- Is that so obvious? - Lynda raised her head.
- I'm sure there's still hope for them. - Sun encouraged. – Blake's right, we need to be there helping them get back on the right way. - Lynda just smiled at Sun, relieved, though still at a loss.
- Thank you.
- You're welcome. – Sun also just grinned, then turned towards the balcony where Blake went. - Blake, are you ready?
- I'm going right now! – She spoke back but at least 2 minutes passed but Blake didn't come back. Sun got up impatiently and went after her.
- Well, shall we continue the recruitment or what?! There's still a whole city district we haven't been to yet!
- We can't give up! - Lynda joined in but Blake seemed worried about something.
- Are you okay? – Sun worried and Blake answered after a pause.
- Yes, I have to take care of something before that but I'll meet you there. - Her voice was normal but her facial expression suggested that there was something wrong and she nodded her head towards the entrance so that they could talk there.
- What happened? – Lynda asked after they got inside the house and Blake showed them a small piece of paper.
- Ilia wants to meet me, alone, to tell me something.
- The chameleon girl who injured Sun? - Lynda noticed.
- This is a trap! - Sun thought so too.
- Of course, it's a trap. - Blake admitted, surprising her friends but what she said next was even more so. - But I have to go.
- What?!
- You can't do it!
- Yes, I can! - Blake was determined. - I know she's trying to trap me but this is the only way I can talk to her and make her come to her senses! - She clenched her fists and closed her eyes. - I have to go to help her.
- You can't go alone! - Sun didn't want to hear about it.
- I didn't even plan to go alone. - Blake smiled confidently at her friends.
- Are we following you from the shadows? – Lynda guessed, before she put one hand on her hip and Blake just nodded.
Blake was the first to leave the mansion in the night, Sun and Lynda followed ten minutes later, so that if they were watched online, they wouldn't be able to tell that they were following her. Sun followed Blake, hiding on the right side of the street, Lynda on the left side, in complete silence, so as not to be spotted. The streets were quiet and deserted, which wasn't a natural sight for Sun and Lynda in Menagerie but it was very late, so it couldn't be unusual.
Blake walked towards an alley in the market and stopped at its entrance.
- Ilia? - She called her friend.
- I'm here. - She answered her and Blake immediately took out her sword. The chameleon faunus girl came forward with raised hands, disguising herself. As soon as she got close enough to Blake, she dropped her disguise and looked normal again.
- Ilia, I know you're afraid but you don't have to. - Blake lowered her weapon and tried to talk to her. - Me and my family can protect you.
- I'm sorry. - Ilia still held her hands up, closed her eyes and looked to the side repentantly.
- We can still fix it if you help us stop Corsec and Fennec. - Blake offered hopefully, before Ilia's face hardened and guilt was replaced by anger.
- No. I mean, I'm sorry. - She clenched one of her hands into a fist as a sign.
The signal was followed by a screeching of wings as a bat-faunus man lunged at Blake from the air. He pushed her to the ground, causing Gumbo Shroud fell out of her hand and unable to stand up. The man dismounted and she tried to stand up but three other faunus appeared behind the man, two men and a woman.
- Wait... - Before she could say anything, the woman shot out a sticky spider web from her hand, which tied him up and pushed Blake to the ground again.
- I got her. - The woman smiled smugly.
- Well done, Sister Triva. – The bat-man praised his companion and turned to Ilia. - And from you too, Ilia. – He took the whip sword from his belt and handed it back to Ilia.
- Ilia! - Blake shook her head in frustration. - What are you doing?!
- I tried to warn you, Blake. – She could feel the regret in Ilia's voice. - I'm sorry…
- Don't you dare come with this! - Blake felt anger as well as disappointment.
- But I am! - Ilia retorted. - I'm really sorry it had to turn out this way but you and your family are only holding back the faunus!
- By trying to protect people?! - Blake was completely outraged, as if she had been accused of something stupid. - What kind of world do you live in, where the solution is to kill innocent people?!
- The same one you're in! - Ilia nailed it. - There is no such thing as innocent in this world! There's no such as the 'right thing'! Only what's best for us! Humans are going to keep hating faunus and you just stand by and let all these horrible things happen to us! - She yelled as she approached Blake. - But you know what makes their hatred go away?! - She pointed the tip of her sword to her throat. - Fear! - She took a pause and continued in a slightly calmer tone. - I don't like to hurt others but I must tell you that it's brought results!
- Yes. – Blake wasn't scared at all by the blade pointed at her throat, she just looked up at her former friend with contempt. - And look what it turned you into. - Ilia lowered her sword and looked to the side repentantly but shook her head and was determined again.
- We all had to make sacrifices for the greater good. No matter how much it hurts.
- And do you think killing me serves the greater good?!
- No. – Ilia sighed, as if she really didn't want to do what she was about to do. - But your family, does. – Blake looked terrified for the first time, her heart began to beat violently and she looked at Ilia pleadingly.
- You wouldn't dare... You can't! – Blake tried with all her might to get out of the spider's web but it wouldn't let her. - I won't let you!
- I know. That's why we're sending you to Mistral. – Ilia explained as if she already knew that Blake would say this but her last words even made Blake's blood freeze. - To Adam.
- Ilia, please! - Blake pleaded. - You don't have to do that! This isn't you!
- Yes! Yes, I am! - Ilia leaned forward angrily but her voice was full of regret. - Unfortunately, you were too involved with Adam to notice. I was always jealous of the way you looked at him. - She looked at Blake sadly as her freckles turned pink in confusion, making it clear that Ilia loved Blake a long time ago. - I wish you had looked at me like that. - She shook her head, her freckles changed back and her eyes turned red in anger. - But we can still get what we want! - After her eyes changed back, she looked towards her companions. - Yima and Saber, you're coming with me! - She looked at the other two. - And you take her to the port!
- Come on, traitor! - The spider faunus Triva started to pull her but Blake resisted and cried out loudly.
- NO!
Like two watchdogs, at the signal, Sun and Lynda jumped out of the darkness, Sun kicked the man in the chest causing him to fall to the ground, Lynda attacked Triva with lightning speed and sent her to the ground as well.
- Thanks for the rescue! - Blake only picked up her weapon with a trembling voice.
- Thanks for the invitation. - Sun crossed his arms confidently.
- Are you okay? - Lynda was worried, looking a little scared.
- No! You heard Ilia! Call the police and come back!
- Immediately!
- I'm going ahead! – Lynda had already activated her Semblance and was already sliding forward but as soon as she turned the first corner, she immediately stopped and looked in shock at the man standing in her way. - Of course, you're showing up now, Saber.
The man, who was already in his mid-40s, was wearing brown leather boots, black pants with tears in several places, a brown polo shirt and a stretched black leather jacket. He had brown, cat-like eyes, long, light brown, greasy, tangled hair here and there, an untidy beard and sharp, predatory teeth. Lynda knew all too well and drew her blades.
- Did I miss you, kid? - The man snarled and growled as he took out his double-edged sword and began to swing it.
- Just as much as a piece of sh*t! - Lynda pointed her blades at him. - Get out of my way, I have no f*cking time for you right now!
- But I don't have the patience to wait any longer! – The man insisted and made it clear that he didn't want to find a peaceful solution at all.
- Who's that?! – Sun and Blake caught up with Lynda but they were surprised to see Saber too.
- Another White Fang faunus?! - Blake guessed.
- You're wrong, kid. - Saber told her. - I don't care if those fools in the White Fang start a suicide campaign. - He was furiously focused only on Lynda. - All I care about is killing her.
- Not if it's up to us! - Sun took out his battle staff.
- Sun, - Lynda warned them. – he was sent here to hold us up!
- Very good. – Saber smiled evilly and looked over the team. - The three little pigs, I can create a perfect slaughter.
- No! - Lynda put her arms in front of her friends to hold them back.
- Lynda, - Blake didn't understand. – what are you…
- He wants me. – Lynda knew exactly what she had to do and looked towards Saber. - Right? - He didn't even have to answer, because it was clear. - If I stay here, will you let them move forward?
- Maybe you have a death wish? - Saber laughed.
- No, only my friends have urgent business and don't have time to mess with you.
- Then go. - Saber signaled. - I wasn't interested in them.
- Lynda, - Sun didn't want to leave her here. - you can't stand against him alone.
- But I'll have to. - Lynda didn't back down.
- This man is dangerous, - Blake wasn't happy also that she had to leave her here. - who knows what he can do.
- I know exactly. That's why I have to stay. - Lynda's eyes showed no fear or regret. - Go!
Blake and Sun looked at each other for a while and understood that there was nothing they could do to convince Lynda to come with them and that they didn't have time to stay and fight Saber, so they continued their journey without Lynda, back to the Belladonna mansion. Saber didn't care about them at all as they ran past him, just heading towards Lynda.
- So, you choose the cowards way out? - Saber growled.
- Why would this be a cowardly way out? - Lynda shook her head in confusion.
- Because suicide is the escape of cowards. – Saber was sure of his victory before Lynda raised her blades after a moment of silence and pointed at him again.
- I admit, that was good.
For the rest of the day most of the team preferred to rest, but in the courtyard Jaune and Lance were still practicing their swordsmanship. Crocea Mors and Golden Sting clashed, then they met again and again, Jaune swing his weapon more and more powerfully and even made Lance had to fight and this time, he was the first who try to push the Red Knight back with his shield.
Although he managed to force Lance back a few steps, he was still physically superior to him but even so, it took a serious effort for him to push back the ever developing Jaune.
- Well, you've improved a lot in a relatively short time. - Lance lowered his weapons and panted appreciatively.
- I had a good teacher. - Jaune just rested his sword on his shoulder.
- Sit down for a while and we'll try again later. - Lance suggested but someone who had been watching them interrupted.
- How about another opponent? – She was currently the only member of team RWBY who had a sword.
- Weiss? – The two boys only now realized that the Schnee girl had been watching them for some time.
- What are you doing here? - Lance hardly understood either.
- I was just watching you practice and I was thinking, - She drew her sword, Myrtenaster. – can I get in? - The two boys looked at each other in confusion before Lance spoke.
- Of course... - Although he didn't really understand what she wanted to do. - Jaune, you rest for a while, I'll deal with Weiss. – Lance also raised his sword, next to which made Myrtenaster looked like a thin little toothpick.
- Don't hold back. - Weiss confidently pointed her sword forward, indicating to Lance that he was free to attack.
- I'm warning you, - Lance gripped his sword tightly and raised it. – this isn't ballet or dance class.
Lance struck from above with his sword, but Weiss didn't defend it, only dodged it, then slashed to the side but Weiss dodged again Lance's big and strong sword with a flexible backward bend but the knight didn't give up, he just aggressively tried to hit the much smaller, a white-haired girl who could dodge heavy and hard blows with the grace of a ballet dancer and the speed of a cat.
Although Lance was no slouch despite his size, it was clear that Weiss was too fast for him. In another blow, which was more of a stab, Weiss pirouetted to Lance's right side and was able to land a blow with her sword blade in the knight's shoulder but Lance reacted quickly, raising his sword quickly and Golden Sting and Myrtenaster met each other.
Instead of trying to resist, which Lance expected, Weiss let the force of the blow spin her so that she was right in front of Lance. Lance's sword was too short to reach and he wouldn't be able to hit with his shield and he was a perfect target for Weiss but there was one thing she hadn't expected.
Lance transformed the Golden Sting into a spear, which was long enough to reach Weiss and force her to jump to the side, in front of Lance's shield, Scarlet Rook, successfully knocking her back but managed to stay on her feet.
- You are good. - Lance panted after turning his weapon back into a sword. - Quick and graceful, I'll admit. But if you're want to defeat me, you're going to need some strength. - Weiss didn't answer, she just stuck her sword into the ground and started concentrating hard. - Are you tired from that?
- Um…Lance… - Jaune looked nervously at something behind Lance's back before the Red Knight turned and could hardly believe his eyes.
- Is that strong enough for you? – Weiss stood up again and pointed her sword at Lance.
- Well... - Lance looked in amazement at the ice knight in white armor thrice his size and height, who was holding a huge white broadsword in its hand. - maybe that will do.
The ice knight struck down at Red, who raised his shield to ward off the blow. The summoned knight's attack was strong, even Lance had to bend his knees and transform Scarlet Rook to withstand the attack.
As soon as he pushed the ice ball back, Lance turned his shield and charged at the summoned knight, his blows were strong enough to knock the ice knight back but Weiss didn't stop there, she summoned a pile of runes around Lance and then one below herself, which made to shoot herself out towards her opponent.
Lance didn't even have time to react when Weiss slashed his armor from behind, he turned around but there was no one behind him but he was hit by another blow from the right and then from the left causing him to stagger back a little, then he looked up to see Weiss, as she slides towards him from a rune, with a sword pointed forward, which he only managed to dodge at the last moment.
It wasn't over yet because Weiss attacked from the right again but Lance dodged this attack as well, then jumped over to another rune, which allowed Lance to attack from behind, but this time Lance raised his shield, which she went at full speed and fell to the ground. Lance pointed the tip of his sword at her but when he saw a shadow above him, he quickly turned back to block the ice knight's sword with his shield, which was about to slice down him again from above.
- I'm getting really bored of this! – Lance pushed the knight's sword back again but Weiss summoned more runes around him. - Couldn't you come up with some other tactic?
- Will that do it? – This time, Weiss didn't shoot herself, but ice shards from all directions towards Lance, against which the Red Knight had to pull himself together and transform his shield again. His armor absorbed the brunt of this attack, but still managed to damage his aura.
The knight was about to attack again, he approached Lance and hit him again with a strong blow but Lance preferred to avoid it but the knight quickly swang its sword and now struck its opponent from the side, which he was forced to defend with his shield again. Lance began to push the knight's sword back for the third time but this time another rune appeared beneath him and an invisible force pulled him down, helping the knight to push him down and he tumbled and fell to the ground.
- Okay… - Lance shook his head as he hit the ground. – this knight of yours is a real annoyance! - He stood up and charged towards the knight, who returned to face Weiss.
The summoned knight prepared for another powerful attack but Lance somersaulted away from its massive sword and struck two full force blows at his legs, causing it to stagger backwards. Another rune appeared under Lance's feet, which he jumped off as fast as he could but he was wrong again, it wasn't a gravity rune, it was a summoner and a stinging chain came out of it, catching his right arm.
Lance detached the shield from his left arm, took the sword from his right hand and cut the chain, causing it to turn back into snowflakes that blown away, then transformed it into a spear that pierced the summoned knight's chest, pushing it away with the wind after it was destroyed.
Lance was already panting from exhaustion but he still spun the spear in both hands at lightning speed and charged towards Weiss. Weiss knew she didn't have time to summon another knight, so she only summoned small ice obstacles in front of Lance, which he quickly dodged or broke through and was only a few meters away from the defenseless Weiss, who would not have been able to dodge his attack.
At the last moment, a defender stood in the way of Lance's spearhead. Weiss slowly opened her eyes to see Jaune smiling and deflecting Lance's attack with his shield.
- Jaune? - Jaune just confidently looked back at the white-haired girl and winked at her.
- I was nearby and thought I'd drop by. – He shot another lame pick-up line, which Weiss found annoying in Beacon but now it's cute and she's just glad he saved her from an unpleasant blow.
- The heroic knight and the fair maiden in trouble. - Lance just laughed and pulled his spear back and spun it around.
- Very funny. – Weiss just lifted Myrtenaster and spun the revolving Dust container in it.
Jaune and Weiss attacked him from two sides at the same time, Jaune went to the right, he wanted to attack with his sword and distract Lance while Weiss used her sword to summon smaller firebombs and rain them down on Lance. The bombs hit Lance, who was unable to fend them off without his shield, his armor was damaged and his helmet fell off.
Lance was already exhausted and panting but he didn't give up yet and this time he attacked Weiss because he thought she was more dangerous. However, instead of stopping to fight him, Weiss launched herself into the air with a gravity rune, directly behind Jaune. Lance charged again but Weiss spun the revolving dust container again and used her sword to summon rock barriers to slow Lance, who again dodged the rocks in front of him or used his spear to jump over them.
Either way, Lance and Jaune clashed and seemed to be equal opponents, as Lance was nearing the end of his powers while Jaune was still at full strength. Jaune charged hard, but Lance kept jabbing at him with his spear, forcing him to retreat. It occurred to Jaune that if he combined his shield and sword, he would have a stronger sword to fight Lance better with.
Unfortunately, that's exactly what his opponent was thinking, so he grabbed his left arm, wrapped it around his two hands and the spear, detached the shield from his arm and threw it far away and kicked him in the back, almost causing him fall off.
Jaune only had his one-handed sword left, which he couldn't use to effectively defend against Lance, and he couldn't counterattack at all. Weiss thought about how she could help but when she looked at the ground, she saw equipment that could help her.
- Jaune! – He threw a gravity rune towards Lance's fallen shield and, although it was heavier than his own, he was able to effectively block Lance's next attack and with the power of surprise he landed a successful attack in his side, causing a red flash to appear around him, which only indicated that that Lance ran out of aura and fell to the ground.
As Lance tried to stand up, he was met with the tips of Weiss and Jaune's swords.
- I think... - Lance was reluctant to admit. - you defeated me.
- That's it! – Weiss was out of herself and immediately threw herself around Jaune's neck and hugged him.
- We are quite a good team. - Jaune returned the hug.
- That was a great battle! - Ruby and the rest of the team, who had come out to watch the fight in the meantime, were beside themselves that they were able to beat Lance.
- Aren't you romantic? - Yang scoffed as Jaune and Weiss hugged. Although Jaune didn't mind at all, Weiss's face turned beet red and she quickly pushed the boy away.
- No way! - She turned away in blush and crossed her arms. - Just surprised how much Jaune has improved!
- Yeah. – It was also clear to Lance, who was picking himself up from the ground.
- I'M SERIOUS! - Weiss countered, but her face was still a fiery red. - THERE IS NOTHING BETWEEN US!
- Okay, - Jaune just raised his arms as if he just wanted to calm the girl. - we understood.
- It was a good little workout. - Lance just examined the damage to his armor. - I'll have to take it to get it fixed.
- Sorry about your armor. - Weiss just realized that it would probably cost a lot to fix it. – I didn't bring much money with me, so…
- Hey, - Lance stopped her. - no problem, we'll solve it.
- Anyway, - Nora came out of the building with a letter in her hand. - have you seen this letter?
- I don't think you should have read it. - Ren joined her.
- Come on, - Nora waved. - why not?
- Because it's Mike's father's last words, which he hasn't read yet and maybe he didn't want to. - Lance gave the answer, and the girl just turned pale at how much disrespect she had just committed.
- I told you. – Ren wasn't smug, but he had his say on why Nora didn't listen to him. - And maybe you shouldn't have told the others either.
- What shouldn't you have told? – At this moment, Mike stepped out into the garden and saw the letter in Nora's hand. - Nora... Is that...
- Mike... - Nora didn't know what she could have said but she clearly felt terrible.
- Did you read it?! - Mike looked angry for the first time. - Why did you do it?
- It was on the table! - Nora defended herself. - Unfolded! I thought it was no big deal!
- Well, it's a big deal! - Mike crossed his arms offended. - Who else did you tell?
- Well… just for Ren. - Nora nervously clutched the letter in her hand, she was clearly lying.
- To Ruby, - Ren continued. - to Yang, Oscar, Ozpin, Qrow, and now Jaune, Weiss, and Lance.
- So, - Mike began rubbing his forehead nervously. – apart from me, everyone here knows what my father's last words to me were?!
- Mike... - Lance tried to calm him down.
- No! - Mike, on the other hand, didn't let him. - I didn't want to give him a chance to explain himself, he got that chance with you! Just... leave me alone! - He went back into the house angrily, straight to his room. The others realized how much they had hurt their friend and looked at each other awkwardly.
- Are you still going to tell us? – Weiss asked and Nora told them the contents of the letter as well.
Thank you for reading. Please sign it to follow and as favourite and don't forget to write reviews.
