King: This had to happen. There was no other way this could go. That said, I changed a few things around. Okay, quite a few things. This is how their world plays out, though. Hope you enjoy~
Inspiration: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic
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Yang took a breath. "Why did we have to see that again?"
King appeared and floated down toward her, "What you do in her place?"
"What?"
"What would you do? Your sibling had turned against you. Your situation is life and death. Would you fight?"
"I…" Yang's gaze fell and her breathing hitched, "I don't know. I want to do the right thing… So, I want to say that I'd stop anyone who tries to hurt people. But I don't know…"
King had no face, but they could swear he grinned, "It's the kind of thing you never know until it happens to you. Now, my next question. If that happened and if you stopped your sibling, only for them to return to try again… Could you forgive them?" King disappeared before answer came and the screen picked up what he'd set up.
The Sun Princess Yang sat upon her throne. She was looking over the paperwork for the Summer Sun Celebration to be held in the small village of Patch. She'd been working since morning to make sure preparations were complete at the castle but needed someone to go in person to check on the work in Patch. She wanted to go herself, but the needs of her people took precedence over her own whims.
Thankfully, she'd find herself able to deal with two issues at once. The doors to her throne room opened to reveal Blake Belladonna, dressed in attire that just shouted 'bookworm,' running up toward her. "Princess Yang! I need to speak to you."
"An odd way to address a princess." Roman leaned back and placed his hands behind his head.
Qrow chuckled, "It is a little familiar…"
Blake raised an eyebrow seeing her appear, but soon remembered the situation. Yang may try to hold this over her and use it as teasing fair.
Blake was Yang's star student and, if Blake could get past her own hang ups about station, her friend. The fact that she didn't stand on ceremony means whatever she had to say was urgent.
Yang stood from her seat, "What is it, Blake?"
Blake seemed to catch up to herself and quickly bowed toward the Princess, "I'm sorry your majesty! But this is important!"
Yang crossed her arms and grinned, "So I've gathered."
Blake cleared her throat and pulled a chart out of her messenger bag, "I've been studying the magical etching on the Moon. It's been reacting to something! I believe the old stories about Tantabus may just be true!"
Blake was taken aback, "What on… Why I know what happened?"
One thousand years had passed since that night, and it still haunted Yang.
No one actually expected Yang to have lived that thousand years.
Yang let out an impressed whistle, "Damn! I look good for being quadruple digits~"
Yang smiled, however. No one else really believed it happened. It had quickly just turned to stories and legends. A part of that hurt since it meant they forgot Jaune was even real! But she held her tongue for now. After all, no one really kept track of her age, so they forgot she was there for it. "Are you certain?"
"Ma'am… It gets worse. The magical seal is weakening! Tantabus is breaking out!"
This actually caught Yang off guard.
As well as everyone in the audience.
Yang took a moment before answering. "You're certain of this?"
"Yes, ma'am! I hypothesize that Tantabus will break from his seal and return to remnant soon!"
Yang had a plan forming in her mind. Blake was a recluse and a loner, but it was clear she was meant to do great things. Yang just had to put her on the right patch. So, for now, best to keep this secret. Knowing her, she'll still pursue the issu,e which is what Yang wanted from her.
The eyes of the inner circle turned toward Ozpin. There was too much that was familiar about that.
"Blake… You expect me to believe that the old fairy tale, is real?"
"Ma'am? We have magic! A third of the population can fly using auric wings!"
"Yes, so it seems odd that we still have such fairy tales, no?"
"I…"
"Blake. What you're telling me is to believe a fairy tale," I was there! "For… What reason?"
"Princess, we need to take this seriously!"
I am! Believe me I am! "If it turns out such an outlandish story is real, we will deal with it. For now, we need to deal with matters at hand. I need you to travel to the town of Patch and ensure their preparations for our event is running on time."
"Ma'am!"
"Blake. You will be representing me in the town. Is this understood?"
"I… Yes! Ma'am! I won't let you down!" Blake ran off to prepare for her journey to Patch.
Ironwood smirked, "Starting to have flashbacks here, Oz…"
Ozpin rolled his eyes, "At yet, we remain. I don't like it, but some things are best left unsaid."
"I know, Oz. Believe me, I know."
Yang sat back down and smiled. Blake was always earnest, if a bit distant. She knew that her student would give this task her all. And… if she just so happened to come out of her shell and actually make friends? Win-win~
Yang's smile fell. If what Blake was saying was true, however, she had to be prepared. She had no doubt that Jaune still hated her. He had, no doubt, spent these thousand years simmering in his hatred. She had every reason to believe that he would try to kill her again. She took a deep breath before standing again, her gaze set off to her repaired stained-glass window. Yang had to finish her preparations for tomorrow's sunrise. It was set to be an eventful day. The moon rose once more into the sky, the symbol of a thousand years now gone from its face.
All involved could see where this was going, or so they thought~
The dawn of the next celebration~ Yang woke up earlier than usual to make her way to Patch. When she stepped onto the earth beneath her, a voice greeted her, "Hello again, sister." Tantabus stood before her with his arms crossed before him. "Did you miss me?"
It was a threat, she was well aware, but she did. She missed him more than anything. Her voice never carried her answer as she was swallowed by magical power.
Tantabus stood before a ball of dark energy. He would deal with her soon enough, make her pay for sending him to the moon. Right now, he needed to find the Maiden Stones and ensure no one could stop him.
Yang's eyes fell downward. A part of her couldn't blame him, but there had to be a way to save him, right?
But first… He disappeared into a cloud of midnight blue smoke and made his way to the very event that awaited Yang. He arrived through this miasma of midnight, revealing himself once again to the world, complete with a laugh.
The mayor, one Peter Port, incredulously pointed up toward him, "Who are you and what have you done with our Princess?!"
Port laughed. He'd never seen himself in a role of politician, but his attire definitely made a case. "Hey, Bart! I seem to have the stereotypical, old-timey mayor look."
Oobleck adjusted his glasses, "I could see that. Probably the mustache."
This got Port to laugh.
Tantabus laughed, "What? Has my time spent on the Moon these years taken away my crown? Am I not longer royal enough for you all?!"
"What are you talking about?! Where is the Princess?!"
Tantabus growled. "You people never change… But I'm feeling fair. Tell you what, if you can find the Maiden Stones within the next hour, I will release her. Fail, and I shall reign over as I should always have!"
"Tantabus!" Blake pushed through the crowd and glared toward the Prince of Nightmares, "We will stop you, you realize that, right?"
"You will try." He disappeared into his cloud of night and stars. He reappeared before the orb of magic holding his sister. He created a small wisp of magic, "Follow that girl. Ensure she fails her mission." The wisp flew off to follow its orders. Tantabus could easily tell that the Stones remained in the castle, but they remained dormant and hidden away. He would never find them alone, but to have these fools work for him should make this easier.
"That's quite devious." Penny's head tilted, "but why would he not just go the castle to look as well?"
Tantabus glared toward the orb of magic. A part of him pained by the situation he placed on her, but it was overshadowed by his anger. Now was his time! The night shall reign eternal! Tantabus laughed to himself. "Soon, sister, I will give you what you deserve for what you've done to me!"
He was met with silence. She couldn't talk to him from within the orb.
"ANSWER ME!"
She couldn't answer him. He knew that. He took a breath and calmed himself again.
"Damn you! Damn you and your stupid followers! DAMN YOU AND DAMN THIS KINGDOM!"
Weiss's eyes narrowed, "He seems to be breaking down."
Blake nodded, "He was sealed in the Moon for a thousand years… alone."
This just made Yang feel worse.
The wisp returned, its mission failed. It seemed as if it begged for mercy, only to be dissipated immediately.
"Damn it. I won't let you shine over me again, sister… I WON'T BE THE SHADOW ANYMORE!" His tone fell, and his fists clenched, "I won't go back to the Moon… If you want to stop me… Your little protégé will have to kill me. Do you think she has what it takes? To do what you failed to?"
Yang clung to her chair. There has to be another way, right?
No answer.
Tantabus's fist slammed into the orb. "Fine! I'll deal with this myself!" He disappeared into smoke as the orb seemed to crack. After a moment, the camera panned in to show Yang's fist break through the magic.
This concerned the blonde brawler. Sure, she was happy she escaped, but the method was a little unnerving. It made her think that they may fight again, and if they did… She might have to kill him like he said.
The scene flew off to show Tantabus appearing before an old castle. A crumbling reminder of what was. It was the castle he once called home. And now it was a broken ruin for a broken home. "Fitting…" Tantabus flew off as a wraith and into the castle.
He moved like the wind and found Blake, Ilia, Weiss, and Ruby in the old throne room, the apparatus holding the Stones revealed. Jaune stormed ahead and broke their line, pushing them all to the ground. He stood before the Stones and took one of the dormant gems in hand. If he shattered just one, they'd all be useless! This was his chance! He chucked the stone toward the ground as hard as he could, only to have Blake save the gem by catching it.
Ruby chuckled, "Nice catch Blake!"
Blake, however, didn't agree, "If it landed farther away, maybe…"
"Huh?"
"DAMN YOU!" Tantabus slammed his heel into Blake's hand, trying to get rid of these gems. "JUST LET ME BREAK THEM! LET ME WIN, DAMN IT! I WILL NOT GO BACK!"
Qrow groaned, "He sounds like a spoiled child."
"No…" Glynda sighed, "He's a desperate man. If those Stones go off, he'll be trapped again. Think about it, a thousand years of solitude…"
Qrow thought about it for a while before he nodded, "Fair point."
"Jaune!"
Tantabus's head snapped to the entrance as Yang stood before him. "No… NO! Not again! I won't let you send me off again! I'd rather fall to them! At least then, you would finally know what its like to be overshadowed! That you'll know what it's like to be forgotten!"
Blake and her group were all confused. They didn't know Yang was over a thousand years old. They didn't know what was playing out before them.
"You think you can just send me off again?!" Tantabus pointed his opened palm toward Blake, who was still on the ground and shielding the gem, fully intent on blowing her head off. "You think I'll let you just send me away to ignore me?!"
Yang's teeth hurt as she clenched them harder, tears starting to form, I wouldn't…
"JAUNE!" Tears fell from Yang's eyes. "Listen to me… please…"
"NO! I am Tantabus, Lord of Nightmares! You will address me as such!"
"No, you're not! You're Jaune Arc. Prince of the Night. My younger brother!"
"Why ignore me for so long?! Why forget me when I ruled alongside you?! Why send me to the Moon?! Do you know what I've been through?!"
Yang knew… She knew what it was like to be abandoned, but she had to get over that young. But she didn't know what it was like to be pushed off like that. To be alone for so long. She still had her family… She had Ruby and their dad. But her counterpart… She didn't have anyone.
"Loneliness. Isolation. Unable to communicate with others as you lose your mind. That no matter how many people are around you, you feel alone. I don't know what it's like to be overshadowed… But I know what it's like live without my light. Jaune…" Yang took a step forward.
Tantabus stepped backward.
"I've had to live a thousand years alone…"
Tantabus growled, "So this is about you now?!"
"No. This is about us. I lost my brother. I… I've had something to say to you for a thousand years…"
"Let me guess. 'Goodbye?'"
"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for not being there when you needed me. I'm sorry for casting you aside. I'm sorry, Jaune…"
Blake squeezed herself out from under Jaune's foot and moved off toward the apparatus.
"You think you can fool me?! This is a distraction!" Jaune lashed out and charged toward Yang, fully intent on continuing their fight. He created a sword made of magical energy and swung downward. The screen cut to black for a moment.
Ruby jumped in her chair, "Please be okay. Please be okay. Please be okay!"
Yang shook in her chair, waiting for what was to come.
The sword of magic fell onto the ground in the darkness, shattering into shards of light. The camera panned up to show Yang moved through Tantabus's guard, grabbing him in an embrace. "I'm sorry… I'm so sorry… I've been an awful sister! I have no excuse for what I've done!"
Tantabus's eyes seemed to soften. After a moment, tears fell from his own. The darkness of his armor began to fade. His features realigning to how he used to be. Jaune stood in his sister's arms, stunned. The full force of his actions fell onto his conscience. "I…"
"I can't make up for what I've done! I can't ask you to forgive me… Just… please come back."
Jaune broke down, his arms wrapping around Yang as tears flowed down.
The screen went white. Yang's voice carried through a voice over, "A thousand years ago, I would ignore my brother. I cast him into darkness of my shadow and never cast light into his life. A thousand years later, I finally made my peace with him. I have so many mistakes to make up for."
The screen started to form, showing a glowing, stain-glass sun. As it pulled back, it revealed a moon not to far from it. It continued and showed a new stain-glass window to replace her old version. The new glass formed Yang and Jaune side-by-side. Both wore their crowns and formed their grand design together.
Yang let a few tears fall. She was so happy to know things worked out. That their family wasn't broken anymore… Tai and Ruby moved in for a family hug, prompting Yang to chuckle. She was thankful for so much in that moment.
"And… I think this is a nice start. Don't you?"
"Yang!" Jaune's voice followed after this, "Where's the throne room?! I can't find anything in this place! A thousand years and people never learned to build castles that make sense?!"
"Oh! Right. Hang on Jaune!"
Their voices faded as the screen lingered. A family reunited. A world made whole again. Their story was now over, and another would come to the forefront of the people's minds. But right now, all was right with the world.
Yang smiled, happy to know there was a happy ending for their world.