Fangs of the Exiles

Rated M

Rwby

Summary:

Life is not about what happens to you, but what you make of it... At least that's what everyone says. Two faunus will answer whose way is right, carrying the will of a titanic kingdom while the other, the spirit of one who shouldn't exist. Forgotten, their paths will cross, for better or worse.

A/N:

Here's the final chapter of Volume 7! The next one will take place during the time frame of Volumes 8 and 9, preferably the second half of the former. The main characters will be Aganju and Blake exploring their recovery from the previous chapter as they try to return to Atlas for their friends. There's a lot of mapping that will go into this so please be patient with the next update.

Without spoilers, the following characters will be getting the spotlight during the next arc:

Nora

Pyrrha

Salem

Team SMK

and the trio of Winter, Sango, & Elm

For now, I hope you enjoy the chapter and I'll see you all next time!

Chapter 27: Throne of Titans-5

Atlas held firm throughout the evacuation attempts. Their assistance made the never-ending endeavor to assemble the Mantle citizens considerably easier. Despite their success to date, the general summoned Ruby and the others back to Atlas. The three groups dispersed after the sudden recall, which had no justification or explanation.

While Team RWBY and four of the Ace-Ops waited in Ironwood's office, Team JNPR left to get Oscar. The renowned military veteran gave a briefing, but it was more of a reprimand. The general had more than his fair share of advice, so the collaboration was immediately shot down on all fronts. Despite the protests of the females, he felt that after the day he was having, there was no longer any place for what he considered to be a weakness. He was long past the point of blindly trusting anyone after dealing with Watts, finding the glass chess piece left on his desk, and seeing Salem for the first time.

"There is only one thing we can do at this point..." he replied harshly.

"I'm sure there's another way," Blake offered.

"If we waste any more time, Salem will be at our doorstep! I won't let Atlas become like Beacon or Haven!"

"But sir... What about the people? You can't just abandon them..."

"Blake's right," Ruby added. "What would the council say?!"

Ironwood contemplated that inquest for a moment, his eyes a reflection of his resolve.

"Nothing... They won't have anything to say after I declare marshall law."

The four's faces flared up in terror. If he executed the command, they were all aware of what it would mean. He would be walking away from the city below, leaving the people who were still in Mantle to die at the hands of the terrifying Grimm that had already overrun the old kingdom. He'd be forsaking the people under his protection as well. Despite being aware of this, his resolve remained steadfast.

"We are saving as many as we can... and you're standing in our way."

Any trace of the compassionate man they had previously known was now completely gone. Only a calculating, emotionless soldier returned their gaze; there was no sign of compromise in his posture. The final warning before severe action was to be taken against them were the icy blue eyes that gazed back.

"Guys! We've got a huge problem!" Jaune's voice broke the thick tension that permeated Ironwood's office. "It's... It's Team..."

The warrior's silver eyes darted back and forth between the device and the general, who fixed him with an icy gaze that grew increasingly intense. Without uttering a word, he challenged the young woman to take action, establishing his authority and drawing a clear boundary. Her next move would determine if she was willing to cross that line.

What would she do?

Mantle was in chaos. Atlas fared no better.

Many of her inhabitants were being taken to designated shelters if they were unable to reach their homes. With the increased security presence, a single soul managed to sneak past this protection by blending into the city's nighttime shadows. He pressed his back to a wall, forcing a roar of agony back down to his gullet just as a group of soldiers rushed by.

What the hell happened here?

This was made even worse by the frigid wind pounding against his lacerations and bruises.

Aganju would endure the torment, grateful that it was far less painful than his previous persecutor. It wasn't the most intelligent idea, but he had little choice in the matter. All he knew was that something was going on and he needed to get back to Atlas to tell them about Cinder's plan, or hopefully put a stop to it. Still unable to generate his aura, he forced himself to press on, sticking close to the shadows.

His throat felt like he'd been swallowing burning coal and his legs felt like they'd give out at any moment. Neither of those things would stop him from reaching his destination.

Atlas Academy.

As Aganju approached the school, the towering building loomed larger and larger. Despite narrowly escaping a few security drones, he managed to reach his destination without incident. However, he knew that the most challenging part of his mission was yet to come. A deep growl escaped him, the loudest he had made since his escape from captivity.

He needed to board an airship to reach the academy itself, and it just so happened to be guarded by Atlas drones.

Fuck my life...

[Atlas Academy-Medical Wing]

As Cinder's shoes reverberated across the lonely corridor, her Grimm's arm twitched. The only lighting in the hallway was some dimly lit red lamps, which indicated that there had been an intruder break-in and foretold the arrival of the woman. The hallway was virtually pitch black. Any unlucky person caught in her path was swiftly taken care of. When she killed one of the Atlesian staff members, she moved quickly.

Their cries for sympathy were ignored, and one by one, the amber-eyed damsel executed them.

"Now, where could that winter maiden be?" she asked rhetorically.

She believed that if she followed the special operative's trail, she would eventually find the reward she was so desperate to obtain. When her theory was confirmed, joy danced behind those flaming eyes. She only needed to assert her right to what was rightfully hers.

A couple more agents made an effort to stop her, but their screams of pain and panic only served to motivate her. As they lay on the formerly stainless floor, they fell victim to the Grimm's grasp, their inner cries to Oum unfulfilled.

"Pathetic..."

She will not permit this to ruin her mood as she gazed up to see a site she was well familiar with. She was quickly recognized as Ironwood's right hand due to her slate blue eyes and snow-white hair pulled back in a bun. Cinder, though, remembered her for a different reason. She recounted her only visit to the Schnee Manor with her mother. The illegitimate daughter of a once arrogant and corrupt businessman flared her nostrils at the anxious firstborn before burning her hand on fire.

She grinned sadistically as she hurled the blazing ball at the woman. Winter rushed back into the chamber she had left, but despite the enormity of the blazing sphere, she managed to evade it. Nevertheless, Cinder didn't give much of a damn because she saw the assault as more of a proclamation of her existence than an actual harm-inflicting assault. Nevertheless, it had enough force to collapse most of the wall and the entire entrance.

She turned the corner, seeing that her 'sibling' was not alone.

"We meet again, Winter..." She chuckled softly. "It's been a while since we last met, hasn't it?"

Winter watched as the raven-haired woman flexed her hideous arm. Instead of sizing up her adversary out of concern that she wouldn't be able to formulate a cogent response, she opted to speak up directly. Winter made every effort to suppress the feeling, but after feeling the force of what she could only interpret as a "warning shot," she was left hoping that her stern expression would be sufficient to mask her fear.

It was one thing to hide one's emotions, but it was ultimately futile to someone who could sense its presence. As the grotesque appendage absorbed the very essence of terror, Cinder noticed that her left arm was trembling hungrily. She was able to almost taste the Atlesian soldier's anxiety as a result. She licked her lips hungrily before recognizing the elderly woman, who had been encased in a pod.

This can't be the Winter Maiden... She pondered at the state of the helpless victim before turning back to the two. "I assume you both know why I'm here, correct? So, will you give her up voluntarily?"

"I think you know the answer to that..." the android announced, defiance flashing at the woman.

Cinder turn to the 'girl', finally acknowledging her presence. She was well aware of who Penny Polendina was; she was partly responsible for her initial demise after all. To see that she had been repaired left a sour taste in her mouth.

"I expected you of all people to know better than to take me on, girl. Given what happened last time, I wouldn't expect you to be so eager to get destroyed again."

"I'm not running away..."

Cinder sighed in disappointment. "Then, all that's left is to figure out which one of Ironwood's puppets gets to die first. The girl who got everything or a robot with no heart? Either way, there won't be much left of either of you."

After reaching the school (more like sneaking in through the back), Aganju felt little comfort despite his accomplishment. He held no remorse for destroying the robots, but once he stepped foot in the main hall, his stomach began to lurch. His sensitive ears followed suit as footsteps rang in his ear. By now, his only option was to find a place to hide.

Hiding behind a statue, he could hear multiple voices. When one of them sounded familiar, he nearly revealed himself. Thankfully, his weakened state kept him rooted, especially with what he heard next.

"How are preparations with the Amity Project?"

"The scientists are working diligently to get the satellite up and running. Dust numbers are more than adequate to keep Atlas out of her clutches for generations if need be."

Sango?! That bastard is still slumming up with the general?

"And what about the obstacles?"

"Kairi was able to restrain one of them, though Marik marked them, so it's only a matter of time before we locate them. That girl, Pyrrha, assumed it was noble to sacrifice herself so her little friends could escape. All she did was postpone the inevitable."

Aganju watched as the general nodded in understanding before continuing.

"Be sure to check in with the Ace-Ops after they've handled Team RWBY. Were there any stragglers?"

"We can't find that Oscar kid, and the ram girl is missing as well. There's still no word on Aganju though..."

"Can your team locate them, Sango?"

"With the mental link I planted, Marik and I will..." Kairi's air of confidence flinched for a moment as if sensing something. Her eyes grew as she turned toward the main stairwell; Aganju's hiding spot. When she was asked what was the matter, she silently raised a finger. "Someone's here..."

Shit. Shit. SHIT!

For the first time, Aganju felt fear blanket him. He had no armor. No weapon. Hell, his aura still hadn't been reactivated! He was injured and exhausted. What could he do against four adversaries?

The noise of hard shoes on the floor grew louder as did his heartbeat. Once Kairi caught him, it would be over!

"Kairi!" he heard the panther's voice break the steady sound. "We have reports of a sudden influx of unknown Grimm near the school! Your paranoia will have to wait!"

Aganju remained still as the vixen pouted before complying. The general excused himself while the trio rushed to the courtyard. It would be several minutes before he even thought to move for fear that it was all a trick. Deep breaths were few but welcome as he endured the boiling pain. His head began to swim again, but one constant remained:

I have to tell the others...

If what Kairi said was true, then each of them had been marked by Team SMK and could be targeted by the malicious group. Well... Almost everyone. He wasn't sure, but the fox didn't feel any different mentally.

Kairi would've known I was hiding here! Her semblance should've given me away entirely, but she could only guess. Is there some limitation to her ability?

The pain from his suffering soon caught up to Aganju.

His body began to tremble, and he was urged to stop by mild convulsions. He gnashed his teeth in an attempt to smother the agony that is surging through him. It was of little use as his body grew heavy and fatigue once more claimed his faculties. But he needed some time to recuperate.

"Not now..." he growled softly. "I need to..."

Before Aganju could finish his thought, his ears rang with a familiar scream. Pushing past the pain, he tore his ravaged body from the statue, clumsily hitting his injured side on the granite, causing it to bleed. Ignoring this, he started sprinting once more, against his mind's protests. Every step he took was a task in and of itself but he was determined to ignore it.

Despite this, he kept down the deserted hallways until he could hear the sounds. As he rounded the corner, he discovered Ruby engaging Harriet Bree. It seems that despite being confined, the Ace-Ops member managed to hold her own against the scythe wielder. Despite Ruby having a minor advantage over her Atlesian opponent despite having less experience, their test of speed was a formidable challenge to witness.

What the hell is going on?

The red-hooded huntress heard his groan and turned to see. The exhibition in front of her caused the silver eyes to expand in amazement and horror. Contrarily, an unwitting Harriet seized the chance to profit from the situation and increased the speed within her body to surprise the girl.

Before Ruby could react, she found herself tasting the bottom of the speedster's boots, sailing into a wall with a devastating crunch.

"Ruby!" his eyes shot wide at such a dirty move. His gaze then turned to a squirming Harriet, anger overshadowing any other emotion he may have felt previously. "You...!"

Harriet was caught off guard by a sharp elbow to her jaw. Despite her usual speed, chasing Ruby Rose drained her energy and caused her aura to shatter, leaving her unconscious on the floor. Satisfied, Aganju soon picked up the sound of another battle in progress.

Rushing as best he could, he found Blake and Yang engaged in combat with their former instructor. While the woman was durable, even she fell to the combined might of the pair. As her body crashed into the floor, any air of concern would be replaced with relief as the two cheered the other for a perfectly synced attack. It was a cute scene, the scene of his sister and girlfriend not yet noticing his presence. Soon, his eyes would fall upon the image of Weiss Schnee dragging a bound Marrow.

"I've got mine! How about... you guys?"

Yang and Blake smiled at their friend, but Weiss's smirk vanished quickly. Her eyes widened and her jaw dropped, prompting the pair to put their guards up again. They were unprepared for what they saw.

A crooked grin; Pain straining his lips.

Eyes dimmed from only Oum knew what.

A body dirtied with grotesque wounds and hemoglobin.

Drooping ears and a frail swinging tail.

A semi-conscious Ruby Rose riding on his back.

"A-Aganju?"

"Hey, guys..."

The trio rushed over to him. Their relief was matched only by their questions regarding the damage he'd sustained during his absence. Some part of him knew that he couldn't answer all of them, but he didn't have to either as before one emotional inquiry concluded, another one trounced it. The anxious energy soon ceased once a certain scythe-wielder began to stir.

"What happened?" she groaned, clutching her head. As her vision began to clear, she noticed the misty eyes of her sister and friends. "Why is everyone crying?"

"Look at who's carrying you, dolt," Weiss giggled.

Ruby spotted her brother and let out an excited squeal, causing him to stumble and hit the wall.

"Oops..."

"Way to go, Ruby..." Weiss flicked the girl's shoulder while Blake and Yang rushed over to his side.

Upon further inspection, the blonde began to notice an even larger issue as the canine slowly began to come to.

"Why haven't you activated your aura?"

Whether it was from the lack of energy or his shame, Aganju was unable to summon the words needed to explain thoroughly. Only a crestfallen frown could give them the answers they sought, he hoped. He simply shook his head, taking deep inhales as he felt his body beginning to give in to the injuries he sustained previously. Blake did her best to try and interpret the vulpine but it was a task nonetheless.

From what she could deduce, whatever was happening with his body, the now reddish-purple chunk of flesh appeared to be the culprit.

"Did Tyrian do this to you?"

Aganju slowly nodded but parted his lips to speak.

"...C...Cinder."

"Cinder's here?!" Ruby clenched her fists, her body starting to shake.

"If that's the case, then there's no doubt that she's here for..." Weiss stopped mid-sentence when a terrible realization hit her. "Winter!"

"You three go! Someone should stay and help Aganju get out of here."

Blake's teammates didn't like the idea proposed but a determined glare ended any riposte. Their leader assessed the situation, and yielding to the demand, she and the others prepared to leave only for a massive explosion to erupt on the far end of the academy.

The feline lowered her head, smiling softly in an attempt to give off some confidence before they split up. Once the others left, her true feelings began to surface as did Aganju's, their predicament forcing them to sigh dejectedly. Up close, she could see the extent of his wounds. The lacerations and bruises were nothing compared to the stench of seared flesh.

"How bad is it?"

"Real bad..."

"Can you walk?" she carefully traced each cut and burn with her eyes.

"I'm just exhausted. Cinder did a number on me."

Aganju was withholding important details, but she knew better than to pry. Using all her strength, she helped him to his feet and led them away from their allies. Each lane was terrifying, knowing they couldn't defend themselves. They cautiously made their way through several corridors until they reached the main hangar.

The brothers were silently thanked by the pair as multiple footsteps thundered down that passageway mere minutes after they arrived. They held tight to the shadows as one straggler peeked in. The air hitched in their lungs, but the two didn't utter a sound until the soldier left to join his team. For now, they were safe.

With a place to hide, they took shelter behind some airships that required repair. Once they got settled, the signs of Aganju's true state began to surface.

He was breathing quickly and heavily. He experienced sporadic and slight convulsions in his body. His lips were dry and cracked. His eyes were now glazed over. The area around his right eye had been burned severely, no doubt as revenge from the fire-wielding bitch. The effects of toxicity and dehydration he was experiencing, in addition to the wounds, were without a doubt present.

"Stay still..." she cooed in his ear, lying his head gently against her lap. "Don't overexert yourself."

"B-But..."

"No buts. You're in no condition to argue. We just need to remain hidden until we can get to the others."

Even though he was in excruciating pain, Aganju couldn't help but smile at the command.

"Okay. You win, Dr. Belladonna. Just... Just make sure you take... take care of yourself too!"

Blake was unable to control the slight grin that tickled her throat, regardless of the danger that lurked about. How on earth could someone who was coping with so much yet manage to check on her well-being? She couldn't imagine harboring such fortitude and conviction after going through what he had. While keeping a watchful gaze on Aganju, her thoughts started to go into deep, murky realms.

Little did she know, the fox had noticed her forlorn expression.

"Blake?" his voice was now devoid of power and confidence, replaced with frailty.

"I'm sorry..."

Aganju spared a weary glance at the feline faunus, confusion temporarily distracting him from the pain.

"I should've gone with you when you left for Mantle." Tears began brimming in her eyes. "I wish I could've gone to that meeting with you. Maybe then, I might've left with you and Nora."

"Blake."

"I could've backed you up! Pyrrha was so worried! I..."

"Blake..."

"You wouldn't have gotten hurt and maybe we could've talked about..." She bit her tongue to evade saying too much. However, the damage had been done and now, the vulpine was curious to hear what was on her mind. Barely catching her face light up, his instincts caught on to what she was alluding to.

Silence permeated the room now, pressing the gravity of the unspoken rest on them both. Blake felt her chest tighten; This was not the appropriate time for her to be expressing intimate feelings. They were in danger, marked as fugitives by Ironwood themselves. They were locked out of communicating with each other and any false move could result in their capture.

"Does... Does Pyrrha know?" she shook her head, refusing to look him in the eye. "Well, I guess it's something for us to talk about if we get out of here."

That gloom soon morphed into perplexity.

"What are you talking about?!" Her ear jerked at such a bold notion. She instantly clamped a hand over her mouth, earning a snicker from the vulpine. Had he not already been injured, she would've done so herself, if only to deal with the humiliating feeling inside. "If you need to talk to anyone after we reunite, it's Pyrrha!"

"Fair enough..." he couldn't help but chuckle bitterly.

"Be that as it may, I'm in no rush to talk about anything serious until I figure out what the fuck Tyrian did to me..."

Blake nodded in agreement, her ears splaying slightly from the gauche subject.

"So, where would that leave us now?"

"We figure out a way to get out of here and hopefully find our friends. I think I'm getting my second wind now."

Blake refused to move, calling his bluff. She wasn't foolish enough to believe that a few minutes of reprieve would be enough to regain his senses, especially when his aura hadn't returned. Her fingers grazed the disfigured marking on his chest, shaking away the naughty thoughts that started to form in her mind.

This is no time for that, Blake! She scolded herself. Even if we were to agree with the idea, Aganju's still in need of medical care!

Blake called his bluff and stood her ground. She wasn't naive enough to think that a brief respite would be sufficient for him to recover his faculties, especially since his aura hadn't reappeared. Her fingertips lightly touched the deformed mark on his chest as she shook the impure ideas that had begun to emerge in her head.

Maybe that talk won't be so bad...

The tender moment would soon give way to the abrupt opening of the large double doors to the hangar. They both froze where they were, neither wanting to alert the individual to their location. Where passion just reigned supreme, fear had now usurped its position. By the sound of things, the lone pair of footsteps gave them enough reprieve to figure out that there was only one person inside the room with them.

Was it Ruby? Yang? Weiss? Was it one of their allies? That seemed unlikely. Given that they were all considered criminals by Ironwood, there was little chance that any member of the group would isolate themselves just to find them.

Speaking of the general, could their 'visitor' be the head honcho himself?

Knowing that Cinder was here didn't make matters pleasant either, but the time for consideration was drawing ever so closer. If that was the case, Aganju had no problem sending the feline faunus away and holding them off. Sure, there was the possibility of facing multiple soldiers, but he would be willing to sacrifice himself for her sake.

Winter? She was protecting the maiden.

Penny? She had to be with Winter.

Neither had a clue as to who was in the hangar with them and at that point, that didn't matter. Aganju felt her hand slip into his own, showing that Blake wasn't going to abandon him. In response, he gave it a gentle squeeze, revealing that he understood. With a narrow gaze, they watched as a shadow grew larger.

Waiting to find out, the pair noticed someone about to reach them when a familiar sound ripped through the air behind them. Soon, there was no trace of Aganju, Blake, or the mysterious figure who ventured inside. Less than a minute later, the hangar was swarmed with Atlesian Knights, their guns at the ready. Under direct orders from the general, they checked every nook and cranny of the place. The airships. Behind shipping boxes. Even the nearby closet.

"Sir, there's nothing here..."

The single quality that is common across every living creature on this planet, is fear; it's funny then that as common as fear is, we so easily underestimate its power.

Ruby and the others were able to flee from the city in the sky despite everything that was occurring throughout the realm. Sadly, there was a high price to pay for their departure. To begin with, during their skirmish, they had lost track of the Lamp of Knowledge, Qrow, and Oscar. Ren was the most upset of all the Team JNPR members over everything that had happened on their end of things.

Unbeknownst to them, Qrow had found himself arrested after witnessing the death of his friend, Clover. He'd join Pyrrha who was easily handled by Team SMK.

Whether one would attribute bad timing or just a beating of the minds gone wrong, the self-proclaimed "bad luck charm" felt his heartbreak as he just stared at the charm in his hand. He hid things well, but there was no denying that despite their battle and difference of perspective, it all started with Ironwood's order to have them all arrested.

Lastly, with communications locked down, there was no way for anyone to communicate technologically. This proved to be a major issue when trying to find Aganju and Blake. After splitting up, it appeared that he'd seemingly disappeared off of the map, or at least, that's the story Yang told everyone when they arrived to pick them up. Ruby and the others had shared that the faunus was, in fact, alive but, that his condition was severe. While everyone was none too pleased, Pyrrha was hit the hardest by this news.

At least he was with someone she could trust to look after him.

In truth, the warrior still carried a wave of guilt for not atoning for her role in their altercation. Along with Penny and Pietro, she was happy to at least be with her friends again, having their comforting energy to aid her.

Fear of growing close to someone, the subsequent fear of loss, fear of failure; and as more people depend on you, those fears can take on greater power.

Cinder let out a furious roar before returning to her hideout within the kingdom of Atlas. However, she found nothing aside from a broken door and the lingering stench of burning flesh and blood. No hostage. No relic. No power of the winter maiden.

Her Grimm's arm twitched as flames poured from her lips with every exhale.

Once again, Cinder found herself with nothing. She had failed to acquire another maiden power, losing it to an android. Her attempt to seek revenge by killing Winter Schnee, who was responsible for her current state, had also failed. Cinder knew that her mistress, Salem, had lost faith in her after her defeat at Haven. She wondered what else she could do.

Neopolitan's presence gave the woman a much-needed break. She watched as the dapper young woman knelt regally, presenting the Lamp of Knowledge. The woman snatched the object without gratitude, her mood turning increasingly arrogant.

Needless to say, this did not sit well with Neo, though, she wasn't too broken up about it either. In truth, her mind began to construct more pleasant thoughts given what she had experienced before returning to the hotel.

Fear itself isn't worthy of concern, it is who we become while in its clutches. Will you be proud of that person? Will you forgive them? Will you understand why they felt the need to do the things they did? Will you even recognize them? Or will the person staring back at you be the very thing you should have feared from the start?

I suppose we all find out sooner or later.

If one had never heard about things beyond its shores, they'd never know that a war was brewing across the world of Remnant. The sun peaked through the trees, creating a glowing rain upon the parts of the earth that it touched. Of course, the island's most notable residential venue found itself bathed in the full glow of the solar rays from above.

Inside, a man's chest rose and fell with a methodical beat, a calmness sweeping over his features. The soothing sounds of the birds' songs create the atmosphere for a calm day. He gave a quiet yawn before starting to move about in the cozy blankets that were kissing his body. Nothing was more important to him than to continue his peaceful slumber. He had no idea where he was and neither did he care. His skull came into violent contact with his head. He was no longer in total anguish, although his body was still somewhat sore.

He opened one eye, scanning the place before shutting it again. It didn't matter where he was with random trinkets, books, and figurines around.

"I was wondering when you were going to wake up." The bedroom door opened a short time after that, allowing the strong scent of ginger tea and ramen to caress his nose. He made no direct acknowledgment aside from a shocked expression as the woman entered with the items on a tray. Her skin was pale white but her eyes were more than recognizable. "I was hoping that you'd be awake."

Raven?!

Indeed, the young man was gazing at the image of Raven Branwen, his birth mother. Unlike before, however, she seemed different. Gone were the warriors' armor. In their place, the woman now sported a simple crimson t-shirt and black leggings. Her hair, while slightly shorter (down to just past her shoulders), now rested in a simple ponytail.

Even her signature scowl was gone, serving to scare the faunus even more. Nonetheless, he wasn't about to lose his senses just because he wasn't prepared for this specific scenario.

"I-I'm not hungry..." he lied. His growling stomach betrayed him shortly after the petty display of pride.

"It seems your body says otherwise. Now, don't be a stubborn brat and eat." She placed the tray over his lap and folded her arms under her bosom. In defiance, he stared at the meal, eyeing the woman suspiciously. Raven didn't bother to hide her eye roll from the boy at this point. "I didn't cook the food. My husband did... So, you're safe."

"Are you sure?" he deadpanned.

He expected the woman to yell or curse him out. So, you'd be forgiving of him for nearly jumping out of his skin when the woman averted her eyes from him. The arrogant woman he knew before appeared to be nothing more than a ghost of the woman he was seeing now. Even when she finally looked back at him, she looked remorseful.

"I'm sorry."

"I don't-"

"Aganju?"

Both estranged mother and son turned to the door. The feminine voice was not only familiar but adored as well. A girl with cat ears entered the room with a warm smile and a pure gaze in her eyes. She was accompanied by a blond-haired man who bore an uncanny resemblance to Yang.

"Blake!"

"You're finally awake!"

"What happened to me? What's going on here?" he asked, clutching his head when the throbbing returned.

The trio exchanged glances at each other before focusing on the vulpine.

"Raven/I saved us/you," they answered in unison.