Welp, this chapter was long due but good to be back, making one for this story! We got some… artists who want to do a commission, which is quite surprising since I have others PMing me as well. Don't know what's going on, but I'm scared since I never attracted this much attention, you know? Anywho, there will be some time skipping happening in this chapter, so heads up.
And just like before, comments!
Singular Ash: Well, there are time skips happening here and will be more in the next few chapters.
Fenrir's Fang96: Yep, Raven's the type of person to me to jump in to say hi then leaves without a second thought. I can't say that things will get brighter from here on, but it will in time for Amranth and her family. Melo won't rest until he either saves his son, or die trying.
And yes, all this playing out will affect Blake and Jade very much, I'd say.
With that, we're done with the comments, and It's time we get this chapter on the roll!
As usual, I do not own RWBY, only my OCs in this story. RWBY belongs to Viz Media now.
"Again!"
Harl's voice echoed the training field, with his bandits all watching as their leader trained his pet. It has been a few months since that day, and Jade's wounds have healed enough that he's recovered enough for training, and it's going poorly for the little cat Faunus.
Unlike his village clothing Jade usually wears in Kuo Kuana, Harl has given him a new set that's reflective of his status as his pet. Now wearing a sleeveless leather vest in dark brown with a plain white shirt underneath, with bits of leather armour over his limbs as well. The little cat Faunus was also given shorts and shoes befitting of his attire, but most importantly, is his face.
Jade now has a specially made metallic black eyepatch made from several rectangular segments that cover at least a third of his face, held together by leather strings and wrapped comfortably around his head without brushing against his cat ears. Furthermore, the segments cover just enough of his face to hide most of the scarring he received, though not enough to cover it fully.
Groaning from the throbbing pain, the cat Faunus could only slowly push himself off the ground with bruises littering his body, unlike his training against his father, at least he lets him rest for a moment when his muscles burned from the physical exertion. But Harl? He doesn't see nor care and insists on resuming the fight even if Jade's about to collapse from exhaustion any second now.
It did not help that he is still scared of everything that has happened, and his sleep has still been plagued with constant nightmares that won't leave him alone.
What kind of lesson is he trying to teach by acting so cruelly? Jade couldn't understand why.
Even more, this kind of beating has been going on for months, with Harl beating him until he can no longer stand before letting him rest for the day for treatment and resuming the beating the next.
As Jade settles into his position, he emits a gentle growl, despite the overwhelming fatigue that has overtaken him like a torrent of heavy bricks. The apprehension that Faunus has felt about everything from his capture to the accidental death he caused to the incredibly stressful situation he is currently in is gradually being replaced by another feeling.
Frustration.
As much as he feared this man who not only hurt him but violently trained him, Jade refuses to take it lying down nor let this pointless beating continue! And every day is getting incredibly aggravating from the constant abuse he's endured at the hands of his tormentor.
If his 'master' so insists on giving him his all, Jade will oblige to buy time for his father to find and rescue him.
Even though he's scared, he won't give up until then.
He can't give up.
Just for a glimmer of a chance to go home and see those he loves.
Recouping his breath, the little cat Faunus charges towards Harl with his hand gripping on tightly onto his sword, and once he's close, he dodges to the side over his 'master's' overhead attack before planting his foot onto his halberd. Seeing an opportunity, Jade took the chance and sent a slash to Harl's exposed side.
But to his shock, Harl saw it coming and swiftly brought his hand up and caught the blade just inches from his face!
His orange aura, flaring out a bit as soon as he catches the blade.
Seeing that his gamble had failed, Jade could only let out a silent gasp while Harl quickly hummed, "That's the fire, the determination I saw months back." In fact, he almost sounded pleased with what had just happened. "But if you are to survive the trials to come! You gotta work harder than that!"
In an instant, Harl threw Jade's weapon and, by extent, his balance aside before ramming his knee full force into the cat Faunus's chest and sending him flying back while choking on the pain before crashing onto the ground.
Feeling the overwhelming pain from his chest, Jade could only curl up while on the floor while choking on tears. "This hurts so much! Why? Why do I have to go through all this? Where did everything go so wrong?" A soft groan left the little Faunus's lips before he gritted his teeth. "No! I must stay strong, so daddy can save me! It has been months, I think, but I can't give up now! Not when he's looking for me! I just know it!"
Either through sheer willpower or stubbornness, Jade's body visibility shuddered from the pain before he slowly began to push himself back up, as everyone watching was sure the little cat Faunus had suffered either cracks or fractures in his ribs. Even then, it came to all as a shock to see not fear in the little cat Faunus's eye, but a burning determination instead.
Even more so when dark green energies washed over the cat Faunus to the audible surprise of pretty much everyone. Including Jade, who blinked in surprise while witnessing this new feeling and the pain in his chest and exhaustion fading away.
Furthermore, he felt more powerful.
More connected to something he'd never experienced before. Something he learned back in Menagerie from his father.
"Is this… aura? My aura? I unlocked my aura? How?" Jade's mind blanked out for a second while murmurs spread among the audience witnessing it.
"He unlocked his aura. He actually unlocked his aura!" One bandit yells out in utter disbelief.
"H-how? This has never happened here before."
"Even then, I don't think he has control over it…"
"What a glorious display to see a weakling becoming worthy to become the strong."
While all this talking happened, Harl had his arms folded, all while bearing a smirk. He had planned to push him to his limits to unlock his aura this way for months now, ever since Jade was healthy enough to fight. Now that he has done it, now they can move on to the real training…
"Just as I expected." He hums out and earns the attention of everyone plus Jade, who quickly gets into his stance with his aura still shimmering brightly. "I see... this is the first time he calls his aura out, and he has no experience with it. If he continues on like this with no training on how to wield it properly, he'll burn himself out. But it'll serve as a good test to see how extensive his aura is."
"Draw your weapon, let's see how far you can go." Harl barks out before twirling his halberd and charging in. He's been going easy on Jade over the concern of accidentally killing the cat Faunus since he still has plans for him. But to see him unlocking his aura, he can push him further than ever before.
Seeing his master moving in for an attack and the feeling of his strength coming back to him, Jade felt himself hesitate for a moment. Despite everything, Jade still feels fearful of his master, and to see him this eager as soon as he somehow unlocks his aura, scares the little cat Faunus.
Yet, despite it all, the little Faunus's determination and hope to keep going flairs inside him as Jade immediately draws his blade and parries Harl's strike, though the attack did force him to his knees, however. "Most fascinating… Is it the urge of survival that drives you forward?" The bandit leader murmurs as he elbows Jade in the face to see his aura flickering upon impact?
"No… It's your resolve, your willpower, that gives you the strength to stand and subconsciously unlock your aura." Jade takes several steps backwards upon recovering before he is forced into a defensive stance as he desperately dodges or redirects Harl's relentless barrage of attacks away from him.
Though it's clear to all present that Jade's burning himself and his aura out fast just to barely keep up with his master due to his lack of experience and control with it.
"And I'll break it, so you can unleash your full potential! There is a fire within you, begging to be released," Harl speaks openly as a final strike from the side disarms Jade's sword from his hand as the little cat Faunus lets out a silent gasp with his eye widening.
"And under my wing, I'll set it FREE!" With a yell, Harl suddenly pulls a portion of his halberd's shaft out as it suddenly changes into a multi-barrelled shotgun, while the rest changes into a curved sabre in his other hand.
Without any time for any reaction, the bandit leader fires it point-blank into Jade's chest, which instantly shatters what's left of the little cat Faunus's aura and sends him flying before crashing against the ground again on his back while unconscious upon impact.
"This is only the start, and I know you'll have what it takes to stand, should your resolve remain strong." Harl finishes off with his eyes shimmering in a shade of rainbow as it fades away as he looks at his bandits.
"Someone take him back to the infirmary and have him patched up. And be gentle with him. Got it?" He orders as two of his bandits nodded their heads and did as they were told, while everyone else dispersed from the arena. While all that was happening, another bandit covered in a black cloak shuffled towards his leader and knees.
"Boss, I have news that requires your attention. Our tributary groups are being attacked by someone, with none of them having returned to camp days later. I suspect whoever's attacking them is leaving no survivors in their wake."
"I see…" Harl hums as if expecting that this person is their old buddy now on a rampage. "How many of our tributary groups have been silenced?" He asks as his messenger grows silent from the nervousness building up within him.
"Four of them. Should we call them back so we can take care of this upstart?"
…
"No."
"What?" The man in the black cloak baulks in shock, only to see Harl walking away, completely nonplussed that someone is killing these boys.
"If they all die to one person, then they are unworthy to be part of my tribe. Whoever they are, let them continue their purpose. It's doing us a favour in culling the weak from our ranks."
"I-If you say so, boss…"
The man bows as he takes his leave, while Harl stares into the skies above. "Already beginning your rampage to get your son back, huh, Melo? You've already lost seeking my tribe out, old buddy. Fear not, I'll deal with you myself, when the time comes."
Melo POV
"If you're not going to tell me where your tribe is, then what good are you?" I spat and stabbed the bandit through the neck without giving him the time or breath to beg for his pathetic life. I've already hunted down three, with this group being the fourth belonging to my partner's tribe, with others unintentionally as they belonged to other bandit tribes that infest this continent.
How many of them are there?
Every time I reached where Harl's tribe members could be, it turned out to be a false flag, with another tribe over there instead of Harl's. Even more unfortunate for me, those who are from his tribe I managed to attack and beat proved resistant to telling me where Harl's location was.
Even when I resorted to unconventional tactics to get information out of them.
I do not enjoy using such methods of information gathering, but I'll do what it takes to find my son.
Pulling Alpha out of this scum's bleeding throat, I flicked it to the side to rid it of tainted blood as I sheathed it and pulled out my scroll to look at where I should head next. This is getting frustrating, it has been months now, and I'm nowhere closer to finding my son!
Who knows what that bastard's putting my him through!
Doesn't help that I haven't been sleeping much the past few months, Perfect Vigour has been keeping me going through the days without rest aside from taking short naps whenever I can before moving out again. If my dear were here, she would've been chastising me for pushing myself this hard.
I would agree with her, but I'm making no progress on finding Harl and by extent, the location of my son. And every day, I don't know the damage he's doing to my baby kitten. It doesn't help my case that these bandits move fast.
The fact that they use horses to get around makes it even more of a pain to catch them. Of course, I took one of them and used it but even then, I couldn't keep going since it needs time to rest. Damn it all…
It's even stranger since there's this crow, fairly large for its kind, watching me recently, and I can't help but suspect that it's been studying me for some time now. Clicking my tongue and looking up into the trees, I can see that bird staring at my work as I keep my scroll, there's no point of me lingering here since there's more of Harl's bandits to track and hunt.
Yet, as I kept Alpha and prepared to move on, that crow suddenly took off into the air and flew behind a tree. But to my shock, as soon as that bird vanished behind that tree, a woman wearing an outfit consisting of a V-neck black and red kimono top with a black pleated skirt that has black shorts underneath, with a series of beaded necklaces.
She also adorns a red Obi sash around her waist, accompanied by a red tasset wrapped around her waist that carries her weapon's sheath. Additionally, a long black object, possibly made of fur or feathers, is attached to it, and a red and white bandana material appears to hang behind her. Her forearms bear red armoured gauntlets that protrude outwards, as well as black fingerless gloves. She also wore black mid-thigh high boots with armour plating and red splatter patterns, as well as black heels.
But the most defining feature is the full-face mask that resembles a Grimm! And only one bandit scum notoriously wears that.
Raven Branwen!
The most infamous of all bandits in Anima, her tribe known for pillaging villages and leaving the rest to die from the Grimm. But why is she here? And what does she want from me?
Instantly drawing Alpha, I got into my stance as that bandit slowly walked towards me. Normally, I would engage her. However, I know through the roots of rumours how skilled and dangerous she is, and going up against her will be more hassle than worth.
Especially since much of her skills and abilities she uses is shrouded in mystery. I don't fancy myself going up against her unscathed should we fight.
"Raven Branwen… What do you want?" I growled while narrowing my eyes at her, yet, all I got was a curious hum from her as she didn't even answer my demands.
"I see the resemblance now… You must be that boy's father…" Resemblance? Boy's father? Wait, is she talking about Jade! My eyes widened as I felt my body slacking slightly in shock.
She's seen my son.
Ignoring my reaction, Raven continues. "You've made quite the talk for a while now, you know? A lone Huntsman going on a hunting spree and taking down groups of bandits by his lonesome without rest. Not bad, not bad at all…" She continued as she brought her hands up and gave slow claps my way. Seriously, what is she here for?
"Again, what do you want from me, Raven Branwen?" I asked again, as she simply chuckled at me.
"A simple deal, really." She says as she slowly walks towards me with her hand still on her Ōdachi. "I want you to keep going with what you're doing and dismantle the Smo Tribe by killing their leader for me."
Dismantle the Smo tribe?
So, Raven wants me to do what I've been doing for months to get my son back from Harl? I fail to see how this can be made into a deal unless she has something I don't have. Nor do I have the time to waste time talking to bandit scum. "What is it for me? What do I get for doing your dirty work?" I said as my grip on Alpha never wavers while Raven simply pauses.
"You get your little boy back from him. I happen to know where his tribe is already. Is that not enough?" She knows where Harl's tribe is? And by extension… Jade! I can get my son back with this!
But why?
Why would the most infamous bandit on this continent want my help? "Why tell me this?" My eyes narrow down in suspicion as the bandit leader takes off her mask, and I am rewarded with her blood-red eyes looking into mine.
"The Smo tribe's influence and territory has been growing ever larger the past few years until they could rival mine. They are a threat to me, but I have a non-aggression pact with them and I can't get rid of them, that's where you come in. You kill their leader, and the tribe will disband or join mine."
"Thus increasing your tribe's strength, influence in Anima and removing a potential competitor. Heh. Devious." I couldn't help but compliment her as she put her mask on while I slowly brought Alpha down. "So I'm just a pawn to you in your game of chess with the Smo tribe, isn't it?" I noted.
"If it gets what you want, do you care?" Then she counters my response and honestly, no, not really.
My interests are to get my son back and never ever return to this place. If she can provide me with Harl's location, even if I'm just a chess piece in her game, then so be it. This isn't the first time I've worked with people I hate, and if I have to do it to save my kitten, then I'll do what needs to be done.
"Guess I don't." I mutter just loud enough for the Branwen leader to hear as I sheath Alpha away, but still keeping my guard open just in case. "Tell me what you know of the tribe's location." I make my request as I swear Raven's smiling under her mask as she purrs.
"Good… Normally, you can, but it's suicidal to do that. So, I suggest luring him out of his camp, and this is what you have to do."
Back in the Menagerie, life has moved on and things didn't go as hopeful as it should have been, the White Fang, who had begun voicing for a more violent approach has got increasingly louder by the day and even more so when they caught wind of what happened to Jade and the Grayson family.
To say the least, Sienna has begun organising more rallies in Kuo Kuana about how Ghira's unwillingness to use violence to protect their own people has cost one of his closest friends' child a most tragic fate at the hand of slaving bandits. The only plus side is that they prohibited and condemned any harassment of Leathad since she's innocent and did her best as a servant of the Grayson family.
As for Blake, after learning what happened months back, she has begun attending more of Sienna's rally without her parents and has grown incredibly cold and borderline hostile towards Leathad since, in the little cat's eyes, she failed to protect the boy she fell for.
And that was unforgivable in her eyes.
Understandably, the Belladonnas were incredibly worried about the sudden shift in their daughter's attitude, since it was clear that Blake's still grieving over Jade's situation. As were Amranth and Leathad since, Blake has begun cutting herself off from her parents and would regularly be seen training by her lonesome, refusing to speak to anyone or locked away in her room.
Except to eat or use the bathroom.
"I'm worried about your daughter, Kali." Amranth says with her ears drooping down as she and Kali were having tea together in the living room. Amranth's overall mood has improved over the months and with Leathad by her side, she can keep it together just enough that she can now be seen going out of her house and interacting with her friends and even returning to her job as a nurse.
It still, however, didn't help her that she worries about her husband and baby kitten's heath, since it had been months at this point since she had last heard from them.
"I know… My baby girl's been acting out ever since she learned what happened. I'm worried about her; she won't talk to me or Ghira about it." Kali sighs as she takes a sip of tea. "I even caught her leaving her room to go out to train alone or sneak off to a White Fang rally at night."
"Then… Why didn't you try to stop her?" Amranth asks before her dear friend shook her head.
"My baby girl's still grieving Amranth, it's not everyday someone of her age falls for someone only to lose them like that. I do not want to exert additional pressure on her in a manner that could potentially cause her to distance herself from us. But know that Ghira and I will always be there for her." Kali explains with a sombre look with her eyes closed.
Are you not concerned that this could lead her down the wrong path because she is grieving and mixing with the wrong crowd? Especially with the group under following under Sienna?" Amranth points out as Kali agrees.
"It could. Which is why Ghira has some of our guards follow her and report anything they've seen back to us." Kali lets out a soft sigh, "I hope Melo will find Jade and bring him back, I miss seeing my daughter happy, and seeing both our family happy."
Kali mutters as Blake leaned against the pillar not too far away in her morning gown while listening to her mother's conversation with her friend. Ever since that day, she's been a ball of emotions. Worry over Jade's safety. Fury and resentment over Leathad's failure to protect Jade and his family. Helplessness that she couldn't do anything to help save the boy she loved, and hope that Melo will save him from bandits and bring him home.
Deep in her heart, Blake longed to have Jade back again by her side. It feels like there is a hole inside her where he should have been, after all, both she and him were inseparable since the day they were babies. Everything from playing to studying to training, Jade was by her side.
And without him, Blake felt empty.
Alone.
Even with her parents doing everything to help her, it's not enough to help her deal with his kidnapping.
Silently sniffing with her ears down, Blake gently takes a photo out from her pocket which shows the day everyone celebrating her early tenth birthday. How happy everyone was with Jade smiling alongside her with a wonderful cake made just for her. After her time of listening was over, Blake silently left the room without Amranth or her mother noticing her as she made her way outside for a walk.
Perhaps she can find something to take her mind off the pain.
Thus, the daughter of the chieftain found herself walking down the dirt streets of Kuo Kuana towards the beach, or she would have had she not stumbled across Adam leaning against a nearby wooden vendor wall with a cup of fruit juice in hand and bandages wrapped around his face to cover his scar.
Frankly, Blake had seen him numerous times with Sienna whenever she goes to her rallies, but they never really talked at all since Adam doesn't seem like the talking type while she's still grieving on the inside. However, seeing the various fruits on display at the nearby vendor made her wish to have one to quench her thirst, especially since today was notably hotter than usual.
Walking over to the stall, it was run by a Faunus she knew well in his forties who happened to be a Fruit bat Faunus with bat wings on his back. The Faunus in question happens to wear a simple brown vest with shorts and slippers, and grey hair on his head. "Oh! Blake, it's good to see you again! It has been a while since you had a drink at my stall after…"
The man cheerfully greets upon encountering a familiar face before his tone audibly droned out towards the end of his speech before awkwardly scratching the back of his head since he knew that it's a sensitive topic for her. "that happened."
Yet, despite the awkwardness in the air, Blake smiled at him with a small bow. This fruit juice stall was always one of her favourites to go to with Jade. "Yeah, but it's nice to see you, Mr Nocturne. Can I have some papaya milk with ice?"
"Sure can do. And there's no need to pay for this one, Blake. It's in the house."
"Really? I have the Lien to pay for this one." The cat Faunus was about to protest, but the Bat Faunus gently waves her off.
"As much as I like Lien as any other vendor, I must insist that you don't need to pay for this drink. And… I wish I can do more to help you." Nocturne says as he begins making Blake her drink, while Adam can be seen silently watching the whole thing while sipping from his cup.
With the conversation over, Blake found herself standing next to Adam under the shade as she waited for her drink. In fact, the silence didn't last long before the young bull Faunus suddenly decided to speak. "You were close to him?" He asks as Blake glances at him with narrow eyes.
"You're not aware of what happened?"
Not everything. Only that something tragic happened to someone you care about." Adam admits as Blake ponders for a moment in silence as she nods her head and wipes a tear from her eye.
"He… He was someone more than that. Someone I knew since we were just kittens… I… I confessed to him not too long ago, and he accepted it… Before that happened… Now I don't even know he's alright…"
"Oh." Adam's singular eye widens in shock and a tinge of horror at what she meant. The boy she loved is now in a tragic situation, and she can do anything about it. "I didn't mean to upset you."
"It's- It's okay." She sniffled. A moment of silence went by except for the sound of the blending going to work before Blake spoke again when a thought reached a mind. "How do you feel about Humans?"
Adam visibly tensed upon hearing the question but chose not to let his emotions get the best. "I despite the Schnees for what they've done to me and their inhuman treatment of our people. But as part of the Fang, I only want to see justice be done and our rights as equals achieved." His eye narrows down as a spark of hate can be seen in it before calming down and glancing at Blake.
"Why?"
"I-I don't know…"
"You don't know?" Adam could only glance at Blake, who continued staring out into the sea.
"I don't know. I just feel so lost without him… I wanted to hate that Human when I learned that she failed to protect him and his family. The thing is, she doesn't deserve it because she did her best, and I know Jade would be mad at me for being made at her." The little cat Faunus lets out a sombre sight. "But I can't help but hold her responsible for failing to protect him."
"I see." Adam remembered the rumours about a human coming to Kuo Kuana and serving the Graysons, and he cannot lie that he wanted her out of his place. However, Sienna forbade anyone from harassing her since she is serving a Faunus.
"Do you… want to talk about him?" Blake blinks as she glances at Adam, who is glancing at her. "For all I know, it could make you feel better."
Blake could only gulp and give a small smile. "I… I guess it would be nice to talk about him…."
And… Cut! About time, I finished getting a chapter out and yeah. Just more stuff happening and a time skip since I figured that it's time for one to happen (Don't worry, there are more chapters to come before we eventually arrive at canon.) and more small stories happening.
As you can no doubt tell, Jade has finally unlocked his aura through sheer will and as a result, he has no control over and inevitably burns out. Don't worry, as time passes, he will have more control over his aura, and perhaps I dare say… unlock a semblance. But I'm getting ahead of myself.
Next, Melo and Raven. What's there to say that Raven really doesn't like Harl and wants him gone. But thanks to some non-aggression pacts, she has to resort to other methods. So why not use a Huntsman on a murderous rampage to get his son back as a proxy? Yeah, just wanted to expand on Raven's character as someone who can be crafty when she's not being a coward.
And lastly, Blake. I mean, what is there to say? Her acting out of character from the previous chapters is because she's still trying to emotionally deal with what happened to Jade overseas and, thus, suddenly Adam! Who's a decent person here and not the crazed murderous psychopath we knew!
I like to think that Adam was relatively normal for Blake to actually fall for him.
And before you all ask, no. She and Adam will not hook up, just like they did in canon. Jade would probably murder him should he find out about that.
With that, I'll see you all in the next chapter. Please let me know what you think of this one because I took time to nail it the way I wanted it to be!
RGQC out!