A/N: Aaaand we're back.
Still on vacation, internet is spotty out here; hopefully this uploads properly.
My team and I were curious to see what Volume 9 would do with Jaune, and so we waited. That wait is now over.
My health has been...better. Between back and breathing problems I'm feeling the pains of being old.
I still refuse to take those bloody muscle relaxers. Not a chance.
With my fifteen year anniversary on this site finally here, I find myself reflecting on the little things in life. What was once a lazy pastime meant for me and a few friends really grew and evolved over time. There are days when I look back on the last fifteen years here and I wonder if anyone will remember me; if I made an impact, despite never making a single cent on any of these stories. Some days were happier than others, and some stories I enjoyed writing WAY too much; to the point where I'd stay up all night working on them.
And of course, there are times when I look to the future and wonder what will become of things when I'm gone.
Of course, I try not to dwell on the latter overmuch; I'm still alive and still writing. In an ideal world, I'd like to keep doing so for as long as I can. But old age is catching up to me and these days, the world is filled with so much madness and death. Feels like everyone's lost their minds sometimes. Even before that, so many friends and fellow writers I once knew are gone, now. Will I still be here in twenty years? Ten? Five? Its a chilling thought. But for now, I'm still here, still writing.
No Q&A this time, folks complained. Sorry.
So here we go. The fate of this story depends on you, the reader. Your feedback determines the fate of this tale, and many others.
I'm just a humble author trying to make his way in this wild world, one word at a time.
Time and feedback will determine if this remains a story. Simple as that.
In other words...its up to YOU, the reader. Do let me know~!
Lets see if you get the references here...
Minor verbatim from RWBY~!
"Wake not the sleeping dragon.Stir not the storm.
Anger not the man who turns the other cheek.
Lest you be utterly destroyed."
~A proverb.
Just a Little Payback
It wasn't hard to find a lead on the White Fang.
Jaune almost wished it wasn't; if only because it might give Blake a chance to return and reconcile with her team.
But no, she remained doggedly determined -oh, the irony!- to seek them out wherever they while, and while he sensed a story there, he knew better than to pry. In hindsight he really should have. It might've saved him a great deal of trouble down the road. Again, finding them proved easy. Almost ludicrously so; just a matter of putting one's ear to the ground. Where they even trying to hide? Didn't feel like it. One lead led to another soon enough, and they found themselves in a stakeout at the the docks.
Waiting.
Waiting and waiting.
Waiting some more, now.
Once again, he prayed their quarry wouldn't show. It would be so much easier if this was someone else, some other Valean gang at work here. Blake wasn't about to leave without proof of course, so he settled in to wait with her, despite Kurama's vocal protests. One of them would watch the docks every two hours, giving the other a chance rest before rotating in again. That had been two hours ago. It was growing dark and still no sign of any ne'er-do-wells
"Really, you're too soft for your own good. She doesn't need our help."
Child and his sisters would've said the same. Jaune disagreed categorically. 'She really does. If we leave her alone, she's going to do something stupid.'
"You can't save everyone from themselves. Not even your father could."
He lifted his chin. "Then I'll just have try harder than him, won't I?"
"There's that Uzumaki confidence again...
A pale hand jostled his shoulder. "...Jaune? Are you awake?"
Ooops. Better open his eyes now before Blake though he'd nodded off.
He did so quickly, opening them with a sigh. "Anything?"
"No..." Blake didn't look away from the shipping containers. "The works have offloaded all the crates from the boat and left half an hour ago, now they're just...sitting there.
As where they. Waiting.
"What were you doing?" Curiosity killed the cat, Blake. Always with the questions.
"Meditating." Not a lie, technically. "Helps focus my mind."
"I'm surprised." her ears twitched atop her head, conveying her confusion. She really did look better without the bow. "I didn't think you were the type."
"Oh?" Maybe he embraced the banter all too eagerly; but he was desperate. Anything to distract him from staring at boxes all night long. "What type did you think I was?"
"The type to rush in without a second thought." her reply was candid as ever. "You showed as much during your spars with Weiss and Yang." her bow twitched again. "You don't hold back in anything you do...
"R-Right...
Heat speared through his face.
Oh, Blake. If only she knew just how much he was restraining himself.
...at least, that's what I thought." Blake glanced back to the docks quickly, and finding them silent still, looked his way once more. "You're surprisingly thoughtful." It was a struggle to keep his eyes on hers and not her still twitching ears. He really wanted to touch them. Ah, but she was still speaking and he must attend. "Most of our kind wouldn't stop to help a stranger, but you did, you helped me without a second thought."
Did she still think he was a Faunus? Damn dad's whiskered cheeks. Inheriting them caused him all sorts of problems. Maybe he should tell her...no, that would cause too many problems right now. Maybe later.
"Do you always do that?" she asked, drawing him forth from his reverie. "Rush in without a second thought?
He grinned despite himself. "Not always. Sometimes I like to make friends."
"Is that what we are, now?" She scoffed looked away from him again, missing his wince. Had he made a mistake? He was just trying to be friendly...
"Jaune."
Hmm? he looked back.
Golden eyes met his, half-lidded and intent.
"I...appreciate this." she spoke slowly, measuring the words with great care. "Really. I owe you one."
"You don't-
"I do." the heat in her voice told him all he needed to know; she wouldn't take no for an answer. "I'll find a way to make this up to you, somehow."
"Hey, what're friends for?"
The ghost of a smile touched her pale face. His heart skipped a beat.
She chewed on her words for a moment before speaking. "Say, I usually don't do this sort of thing, but there's the school dance coming up-
A sudden gust of hot air shattered the moment and swallowed her words. The gale would've blown them down if they weren't already laying prone; with it came the telltale rush of a bullhead, then another, followed by a third. A trio of them swept in, searchlights roaming in the gloom. One dove low to reconnoiter, then landed and disgorged a landing ramp. A number of masked men and woman disembarked, weapons in hand. Even from here he could see saw the bloody red logo etched into the back of their uniforms.
Blake must have as well. Oh, no.
Jaune almost didn't want to ask. "Is that them?
"Yes...its them." He heard Blake swallow beside him. "I think deep down I knew, I just didn't want to be right...
"Hey!" a new -and strangely familiar voice hallooed from below. Torchwick? Why was he here? "What's the hold up?! We're not exactly the most inconspicuous bunch of thieves at the moment, so why don't you animals try to pick up the pace? Trust me when I say you don't want me to motivate you..."
Blake scooted closer, saw him, and hissed.
"This isn't right. The White Fang would never work with a human...especially not one like that."
Jaune knew what she was going to do before she even climbed to her feet. He grabbed her wrist before she could fling herself off the edge.
"Blake, no."
"Blake, yes!" she rounded on him, eyes wild, unable to tear free from his iron grip. "I trusted you before-now its your turn to trust me. I have to talk with them; which means I need you to stay up here and keep an eye on things." Here, she offered her scroll to him. "If anything happens, call Ruby and...tell her I'm sorry."
"That's beyond reckless! You're going to get yourself killed!"
Her voice rose in anguish. "I have to do something!"
"For the love of...!
Kurama pushed a torrent of golden chakra into his right his hand and forced his fingers open against his will. The very second he did, Blake dropped her scroll at his feet, gave him a grateful look and bolted. In an instant she slipped away, vaulted off the shipping container, and vanished into the maze of cargo containers.
Jaune recoiled, clutching at his wrist, feeling betrayed. "What was that for?!"
"To teach you a lesson." Kurama snapped, stonewalling him. "Sometimes you have to let people make mistakes. Its the only way they'll learn."
Swearing softly to himself, he crouched down, snatched up hr unlocked his scroll, and punched in a number.
It connected almost immediately. "Blake?! Where are you?!
"She's at the docks! Get over here! Now!"
"Jaune?! How did you-
He hung up just as quickly.
It didn't take Blake long to get the drop on Torchwick; his back was to her and he was too busy berating the grunts to notice her. He did, however, notice Gambol Shroud biting under his neck. Aura crackled angrily and the smooth criminal stiffened, all but jerking his chin upward to avoid what might've otherwise been a messy decapitation.
"Nobody move!"
"Oh for f-easy there, little lady! Lets not do anything we'll regret."
"Brothers of the white fang!" she glared at each of the grunts in turn. "Why are you aiding this scum?!
Torcwhick tittered." Didn't you get the memo, kitty-cat? The white fang and I are going in on...joint business venture together."
"Tell me what it is before I take off your head and an end to your little operation!"
Jaune's sixth sense bridled a moment before it happened; three more bullheads swept in from the clouds, engines roaring.
Roman laughed over the noise. "Wouldn't exactly call it a little operation there, puss in heels...
He angled his cane down and fired, blasting Blake clean off her feet.
All hell broke loose as the rest opened fire.
"Aaaaand that's my cue."
Technically speaking he'd done as she asked. He'd called someone from Beacon. It counted. Better safe than sorry.
Jaune leaped down after her.
Besides, it was just a few untrained grunts. Bad guys. No real skill.
What could possibly go wrong...
.
..
...yup. You guessed it.
Jaune jinxed it.
Jinxed it hard.
(.0.0.0.)
Ruby heard the explosion.
Saw the rising smoke in the distance.
Well, three guesses as to where Blake and Jaune were.
First two didn't count.
"Aw, crapbaskets...
(.0.0.0.)
"On your left!"
The warning came a second too late as Roman unleashed a dust round on Jaune's position, forcing him to duck somewhere between shield-bashing one White Fang Grunt and slamming Crocea Mors down on another. The last was still falling as he pivoted, desperately trying to bring his shield around to tank it with his aura...
.
..
...only for the shot to curve wide, missing him by an wide margin.
Not so Blake.
She vaulted away from the first shot, backflipped from another, used her semblance to skirt a third, and took off running.
Roman stalked after her with a scowl, shooting as he went. "Here kitty, kitty, kitty...
"Blake!"
Jaune spared her a quick glance, only to brunt as a blade bounced off his armored back. No pain, but his aura had taken an unnecessary hit just now.
"She's fine! Focus up!"
Crocea Mors sang as it struck with the flat edge, both cracking the man's mask and send him crashing down to join his fellows. Two more rushed him and he backhanded them away with his shield. He heard bones crack as they tumbled to the floor. Ignore it. Harden your heart to it. These people knew what they were getting into.
He waded into another group, sword swinging...with restraint. Even then his "opponents" cried out and broke like so much glass.
'Close your heart to it...
It would've been simple to use his mecashift, conjure the light blade within, and cut them apart. Dead men told no tales and all that. Almost tempting, really. But he wouldn't. He'd become many things since running away from home. A murderer wasn't one of them. So he restrained himself, limited himself, trusting in Blake to apprehend Torchwick while he dealt with the chaff.
But there were just so many...ad he was losing his patience.
The next one to rush him found themselves swept clean off their feet. Enough! His temper sparked slammed his shield down, creating a shockwave. From there pushed chakra through it and forced it to bend with his will. Rounded earthen pillars sprouted from the floor, swatting the last of them aside like so many straw dolls. No one got up after that. Just as well, too. He didn't want to bust out anything more destructive than what he'd just used.
Someone crashed into his back and bounced off, staggering him. He pivoted again, expecting an attack from one of the grunts he must've missed.
Instead he found a very familiar faunus slumped at his feet with a groan. She was clutching her side, bearing an ugly burn against her hip.
His eyes bulged. "Blake?!"
"Sorry about your friend," came a familiar crooning voice. "Guess that's what you get for letting the cat out of the bag. "Up close, Roman Torchwick lived up to his reputation; if said reputation was a smug, arrogant arse. "Care to try your luck, kid?" He looked to the bullheads still circling above. "Or can we call it a night? Come quietly and you won't be harmed.
Blake tried rise and failed. "No...you can't...!"
Of course she wouldn't give up. Then again, neither could he.
Crocea Mors unfurled once more as he took up his stance. "We'll have to refuse."
"You are not the brightest bulb in the bunch are you, kid-waitaminute." his visible eye narrowed on them for reasons he couldn't understand. "A sword and shield, eh? So you're the one she told me about." a wry grin touched his lips. "I thought you'd be...bigger. Your mama not give you enough milk or something?"
"Did you hear what he just said?
...get 'em."
Instinct seized the will and he ceded reason happily; stepping in with an overhand sweep, forcing Roman to parry with his cane, and brought his shield around. Bastard tried to catch it with an open hand and grapple it away, only for him to collapse it back into a sheathe and deck him in the schnoz. Blood burst. Cartilage cracked. Down he went.
"Counteroffer." Jaune planted a boot on his throat. "Surrender and you'll be treated with dignity."
"You hero types. Always so noble." Torchwick had the good grace to grin despite his bloody nose. "Unfortunately for you, I'm not alone." he slammed two fingers into his mouth and whistled. "Neo!"
Jaune heard the sound of shattering glass behind him and whirled.
A pair of mismatched eyes filled his vision.
Then she was on him.
He had to step off Roman just to defend himself! What in blazes was she?! A fighter that small shouldn't be this strong!
"Size matters not...
Clearly so; because this girl was a human blender, chipping down his aura bit by brutal bit. An acrobatic monster that knew neither mercy nor quarter. She actually got a few good hits in! Usually he favored the brute force approach by practice to conceal his skill as much and style, but against someone like Neo, he may as well have been swinging a stick around.
He wasn't fighting to kill. She was. Therein lie the rub.
It was a rare day indeed when he actually had to try. But to use everything here would surely reveal him as more than a mere huntsman in training.
Neo was good. Very good. In terms of sheer agility she'd give his younger sisters trouble...however!
He caught her by the wrist and she folded it around gracefully, twisting her body in a manner that just should be possible to kick him in the face. He took the blow on his chin and slammed a knee into her solar plexus, trying to launch her back, only for her to open her parasol and float to the ground. What was she, Marry Poppins or something?!
"You're pretty good...
She landed and sketched a bow.
He didn't have time for this. "Do we have to fight...?
Roman's counterpart touched a finger to her chin, considering.
Jaune knew that look all too well. He had too many sisters not to. "What do I have to do make you go away?"
Her eyes lit up. Her finger swept up to her cheek. His own darkened in realization.
"Now wait just a second-
"Hey!"
Why was everyone interrupting him tonight?!
All eyes turned toward a nearby dust container. A familiar figure stood perched upon it, scythe in hand.
"Ruby!"
.
..
...and no one else.
Where in blazes was everyone?!
She swept Crescent Rose down with intent and glared silver daggers at Roman.
"Oh, hello Red!" the object of her ire catcalled up at her. "Isn't it past your bedtime?"
Penny poked her head around her shoulder, concerning him further. "Ruby, are these your friends? They seem rather rude...
She glanced her way. "Penny, get back!"
Roman's cane flew up.
An awful crack filled the air.
Ruby went back, crashing into Penny, crying out in pain.
Torchwick laughed. "Nothing personal, kiddo...
Jaune didn't see what happened next. Didn't hear a word. He didn't have to. Didn't need to. All the colors of the world fell away. There was only him, the little hellion before him, and the laughing lunatic who had just shot his friend. A red haze fell over his vision. He heard something hammer in his ears, a steady pounding noise that he didn't recognize -not at first- one that grew louder with each passing moment.
Oh. He knew now. It was his own heartbeat.
Break. Kill them. Pulverize their corpses!
He started forward. Neo got in his way again. Crocea Mors slammed down, forcing her to dodge or be split in half. Rather than face him head on, she twisted under him and disarmed him with a flick of the wrist. Crocea Mors and his shield slipped out his grasp and skidded across the docks. He paid little attention to them.
If she thought losing his weapon would stop him, she had another thing coming. He didn't need his sword to WRING HER NECK.
"Oi!" Kurama's voice sounded so faint now, distant, spoken from fa away. "Jaune! Focus! don't lose control!"
It was no use.
A switch flipped in the back of his head.
Focus. Cast aside all unnecessary thoughts. Don't think about failure. Fear is a nuisance. Discard it.
He gathered his chakra and aura into himself, into his body, kneaded it into his very muscles. They bunched and tensed, bristling beneath his armor. He stood a little taller as his wounds closed. Chakra crackled over his body, creating a haze of blue sparks as the wind began to pick up.
"Oh, c'mon! What the hell is this?!" Roman yanked his hat down to keep it from being blown away. "These kids just keep getting weirder...
"Weird?" the hoarseness of Jaune's own voice surprised him. Had he always sounded like this? "Is that all this is to you? A game?"
"No," Torchwick tutted at him, "This a heist. You meddling kids got in the way. Its your own damn fault."
The last tenuous thread of Jaune's self control snapped with an audible twang.
Blue eyes shimmered into a twisted shade of slitted scarlet. "I won't let you get away with this...
Roman rolled his eyes. "Shakin' in my boots, kid. Neo, finish him off.
Jaune took a long breath through his nose, inhaling deeply, filling his lungs with power. Neo hesitated before him, perhaps sensing the sudden upswing in strength. Rookie mistake. He recalled a distant lesson Dad had taught him. When you saw someone about to pull out their ace, power up, or use some dangerous new technique, you didn't stand their gawping like an idiot. You attacked.
By that logic the solution was simple. Just...let it go. Attack.
Jaune threw his head back and screamed.
The world erupted into red light.
(.0.0.0.)
LOUD!
Neo clamped both hands over her ears in a vain attempt to stifle the noise. No dice. It was everywhere, howling in her ears, rattling her teeth, searing her very soul. The cry shook shook the world around her, seared the waters of the docks like a great typhoon. It was the roar of a beast pretending to be a boy, a monster masquerading as a man. Now the facade fell away and she found herself wishing her dear dumb-dumb hadn't been so dumb as to shoot that girl. She'd clearly meant something to
Mercifully the screaming ended as quickly as it began.
The silence that followed was worse. Far worse.
"..."
Jaune Arc-or Blondie, as she'd taken to calling him- didn't look all that different now that he'd finished his little tantrum. Sure his eyes had been blue a second ago. Now they were red, almost like that of a Grimm but slitted, and his hair had gone all glowing with that weird aura of his, like it was on fire or something, swaying in breeze as a flame might. But beyond that he looked entirely the same. She wouldn't be fooled. Changing the color of your eyes didn't do anything.
She stepped in, tricked him into swiping at an illusion, then swept in on his flank to skewer him where he stood.
Imagine her surprise then when her next thrust went wide.
Blondie took a sharp step aside.
His palm swept up.
Neo's her world went sideways, sending her sprawling to the docks.
"...?!"
She scrambled upright, narrowly evading a punch that drilled the space where her head had been only a moment before.
No way. There was just no way. You didn't get stronger by screaming. It just wasn't done. How did that make a lick of sense?! HOW?!
An unseen blow found her gut, folded her in half, and send her skipping across the docks like a flung stone.
Momentum was not merciful.
Something had changed. No, he had changed. Gone was the fumbling boy who'd been holding back. In his place...she didn't know what to call this. His moves, once sloppy and awkward were suddenly smooth and crisp, hauntingly so. It was like he'd become a completely different person.
And then he was before her. Oh, gods. She hadn't even seen him move.
"You should be proud." His voice had dropped an octave, deepening to a low, bestial growl as he loomed over her, casting her in his shadow. "Only my old man has ever made me this angry before."
Neo stepped back, eyes flickering.
A hand caught her wrist, wrenching it upright painfully. "Its over, Neo. You're done."
What followed was not a fight; a fight was something she could understand, but this was not that. Clenched knuckles barreled into the side of her face, and even as she spun she crashed into another. Up became down and suddenly down became the business end of a dust crate.
He left her there, wedged her against the metal, and waded toward Roman.
To his credit, her partner in crime knew when he was beat. He had the good sense to raise his hands and make space; because he certainly didn't have her speed or grace to avoid a punch to the face. "No, wait just a minute! I surrender! Lets be reasonable about this-
THOOM!
A rousing roundhouse thundered into his jaw. He dropped like a sack of potatoes. Neo winced. He was still alive after that...probably...? Then she had other concerns; because Blondie turned, noticed she was still conscious and walked her way. His face was blank, no not quite. The faintest hint of a smile played at the corner of his mouth.
"What's wrong? he tilted his head, hair swaying in the eerie aura crackling around him. "Is that all you've got?"
It made him look different. Smug. Sinister. Savage.
Exciting~!
Neo leaped at him again, grinning as he stood his ground. He parried her blade with a wrist, then his palm, now his elbow, batting her blade aside with almost callous ease...until finally, it could take no more. Her sword struck his chest and shattered with a tortured wail of steel, leaving her clutching a ruined hilt.
Okay, this was fine. She could still fight hand to hand. Just needed to distract him, grab Roman and-OW! It was like punching a brick wall! What was he made of, pure metal?!
Clenched knuckles filled the entirety of Neo's vision.
Her lips parted in a single, soundless:
"Oh."
Blondie beat her left, right, center and sideways. Dominated her. Manhandled her. Tossed her around like a rank amateur with callous ease.
Wasted and gasping for air, she staggered to the right, then leaped back and up in a desperate bid to gain some distance. It was no use. Even as she dove toward roman, Blondie stepped in and drove his knee up into her chin in a crackle of blue lightning. Her teeth clicked together painfully then she found herself airborne once more; tumbling end over end.
He met her there in the air, hands locked over his head, and smashed her into the ground, cratering the docks.
Neo's aura fizzled out, unable to take anymore. Exhaustion rushed in, darkening her vision at the edges.
She'd never lost this badly before. Not even Cinder had beaten her and Roman like this.
For him, it was duty. For her, it was love, terror, and awe at first sight.
What was his name again? Remember. She had to remember.
Aha! Arc. Jaune Arc. She would remember that name.
Jaune Arc had no idea what he'd unleashed.
A/N: Aaaand scene.
Had a bit of fun poking at DBZ with the references there.
As ever, we're sticking with the tried and true "Embers" rule.
If folks don't like this, it won't be continued. Meaning that if the story itself ain't popular, if folks don't like it...well, I'll not continue it. So by all means, speak up! Your voice matters! Make yourself heard! As ever, reviews are the fuel that sustain me. Without them I cannot write a single word. Simple as that. I'm working two jobs, trying to keep a roof over my family's head, and at the end of the day this is very much a HOBBY. I simply don't have time to write a story no one likes, and feedback sustains me...
Once again, reviews are my fuel. Without them I simply cannot write.
So in the Immortal Words of Atlas...
...Review...Would You Kindly?
And enjoy the previews.
POTENTIAL ONES!
Soooo! Tell me what you want to see~!
(FUTURE! Previews)
She wasn't moving.
Was that a good thing?
Jaune raised a boot over Neo's head, ready to bring it crashing down. This was what she deserved, what all of them deserved...!
"Cousin~!
He blinked, snapped out of his rage.
"Penny?! What're you doing here?! Its dangerous-
"Do not worry, cousin!" she bounded backward on her heels, ducked under a blade, then kicked its owner away. "I am combat ready!
Twisting and spinning she moved among them, more a dance then a real fight. It was like watching Pyrrha. No, not quite Pyrrha, but different. All flowing grace and right in your face. The White Fang didn't stand a chance.
Gonna let her hog all the glory?
"Nah." He cracked his knuckles and waded in. Neo was down.
That just left Roman...and the grunts.
What a lovely day.
They'd taken them captive. Roman and Neo both.
How incredibly...vexing. Arc had become an annoyance.
"Cinder? What should we do?"
...nothing. He'd kill you if it came to a fight.
That kid? He's an idiot. No way would he stand a chance-
Her eyes flashed.
"Yes, ma'am. Sorry, ma'am."
The Fall Maiden was here. She had to be. The power would be hers this time.
But where the devil was she?!
"I'd like you to meet Amber."
The girl glared at him from her bed. "He looks weak."
"You're right, Cardin." he growled, hoisting them upright. "You're not a man... you're a pig. Now let me hear your squeal!"
"Jaune?" What did she mean by take you back.
Geh. Leave it to Ruby to notice.
Nora made a noise reminiscent of wedding bells.
Jaune felt his face flash with fire.
Even he wasn't that dense.
And yet.
The world went white.
"What's wrong, Jaune?"
"Dad?"
He looked...well, he looked like shit.
Was it really him? A vision of him? The ideal he strove towards? He couldn't be sure.
"How are you doing this...?
Long-range communication jutsu. Burns through chakra like crazy, but it has its uses, provided you know where your target is. Now that I know where you are its pretty simple. Listen to me, Jaune. I know we've had our differences in the past. That's no fault of yours. I'm the the one to blame for that. But you?
You have incredible power; you just don't realize it. You've learned to use your aura and chakra together in ways your sister's cant even imagine. Because, at the end of the day, you're more than just my son. You're me when I was young. You see a problem? Something that needs fixing? You run right at it and to hell with the consequences. You smash down any obstacles in your way.
"Dad-
"So why are you hesitating now?" a finger poked his chest. "Is it fear? Doubt? Regret? None of those things? I can't answer that for you. But I can tell you this. If you don't do fight with everything you have, sooner or later, your friends are going to die. That Blake girl is going die. Ruby is gonna die. Pyrrha will die. Are you going to let that happen? Or you going to fail?"
...no.
That's right." A smug grin stretched across his face. "You're better than that. You're better than them. You're better than me!
"Wait! Is it really you?
"You're my son. That hasn't changed, even if I'm angry with you.
"Does it matter?"
Just do what you always do. Face your problems head on. Run towards it! Full speed ahead!
Grit your teeth! Plant your feet! AND EAT! THAT! HORSE!
...yes, sir."
She closed the door behind her and blocked it with her body. Locked it now, for good measure. "Can we talk?"
"Aren't we doing that right now?"
She squirmed a little in place.
R&R~!