(A/N): In the wake of all the drama on Mata Nui, y'all didn't really think I'd forgotten about the plots on Remnant right? For those who were itching to see Winter reach her breaking point, this is that part. For those who were waiting to hear about the history of Theodore and Petra, this is that part. And for those who were hoping to see Emerald and Ilia being cute together…okay, that one might have just been me, but this is definitely that part! (Even got to reuse Ilia's date outfit from an earlier story I wrote, that being "Date Night" for DrAmishMD's reader-submitted Tales from the Avenger story collection…hey, if it works it works right?)
This is one of those chapters that had parts planned and prewritten months in advance, back when I was first coming up with ideas for Dutiful Destruction, and I'm especially proud of how it turned out. Enjoy!
Content warnings: child mistreatment, shouting matches, meltdowns, references of past emotional abuse, and discussions of death.
"Ugh, quit fussing Em! I swear, you act like I'm trying to strangle you with a snake…which isn't even the weirdest way I've killed a Grimm, believe it or not."
Emerald huffed at Maria's remark, bending a little lower to let her elderly roommate reach a tie secured by an impossibly-messy knot. The stars hung outside the window of their Shade dorm room, witnesses to her squirms and struggles. Normally she wouldn't be caught dead in half of what she was wearing right now - that being a mint-green puffy dress shirt with short sleeves and a popped collar, slate-gray silken capris, and sandals as green as her namesake. Fancy clothes, she'd learned in her youth, were far too stifling and inflexible for a thief who needed to stay on the move, and tore very easily under such activity. Whether it was ridiculous gowns and dresses for ladies, or stiff uncomfortable suits and tuxedos for gentlemen, she hated both equally. Sure, they fetched a pretty Lien at her usual fences, but good luck keeping them intact long enough to make a sale - even if most pawn shops were willing to buy tattered jackets and scuffed shoes, their customers were usually a lot more discerning. But for her first proper date with Ilia Amitola, Emerald was willing to suffer the curse of wearing fancy clothes. Including this stupid tie.
Maria's mechanical eyes clicked and whirred as her hands deftly undid the latest attempt at what she'd called a "Windsor knot" - why did rich people have to have names for everything? - and corrected her mistake. Every instinct in Emerald's mind screamed at her to reel away and run, to kick the little old lady right in the face and bolt out the nearest window. But she tamped down on that part of her mind, focusing instead on the butterflies fluttering around in her stomach. She was doing this for Ilia. She was doing this for Ilia. She was doing this for Ilia. And since she had no idea how to tie one of those strangulation hazards that men and tomboys seemed so fond of, she reluctantly allowed her roommate to help.
"Aaaaand…done!" Gloved little hands slid the completed knot up until it rested against the lump in Emerald's throat. "There, see? That wasn't so bad now, was it?"
A noncommittal groan escaped her lips as she stood back up, chafing under the topmost button right under her chin. Gods, if the Grimm weren't the biggest danger to most men, their sense of fashion would certainly be vying for that spot. "Ugh…haven't even left the dorm room, and I'm already regretting this. I must look like an idiot…"
"Nonsense, you look lovely." Maria produced a little hand mirror from her purse and showed Emerald her own reflection, showing her well-brushed hair and freshly-washed face and the cute little olive-green beret capping her head. She did look good…not that she'd say it aloud, of course.
"Yeah, yeah," she said dismissively instead. "It's only 'cause Coco and Velvet have such a good eye for fashion and patching up second-hand rags that I don't look like a dumpster fire." Huh. That almost sounded like a compliment. She'd have to buy the fashionista something nice as thanks…and as apologies for knocking her out cold during the Vytal Tournament.
Maria barked a laugh as she stowed the mirror. "You kidding me? If I'd looked half as good as you back when I was your age, I would've had every Huntsman and Huntress in Anima eating from the palm of my hand. And I was already quite the looker…"
"Oh gods please stop." The last thing Emerald needed right now was to imagine a time when Maria Calavera, shriveled prune of a woman, had been hot. Her heart was racing fast enough as it was.
"Point is you're gorgeous, Emerald." The old lady's voice became softer and more sincere, holding one hand in both of hers. "It's not vain to realize it, and it's not arrogant to let others see it. And if you're worried about what Ilia's going to think, don't. You could wear a paper bag over your head, and she'd still think you were the most beautiful Huntress alive. She adores you. Even someone with fake eyes can see that."
It took all her willpower to keep herself from crying, settling for allowing a single tear to pool in her eye as she squeezed those old hands. "Yeah…I know. I…I adore her too, Maria. That's why I don't wanna mess this up, y'know? I wanna give her my best…"
Maria gave an understanding smile at her former enemy, patting the back of her hand twice in comfort. "You already are, kid. You're giving her you. Long as you're honest with those feelings, with both yourself and her, you won't mess this up. If you can't trust yourself, then trust me. You've got this."
The pep talk settled into her gut like a warm fire on a chilly night, setting her nerves at ease just that much more. "Thanks…I appreciate it. And I appreciate your help."
…odd. Saying "thank you" and meaning it didn't feel like she was trying to spit out glass anymore. That was a good sign, right?
"My pleasure, Emerald." Despite having optics instead of irises, Maria's eyes twinkled all the same. "Now, I'd ask if you'd let me do your makeup…but I'm pretty sure that would end with me getting kicked through the wall, and I've tasted enough plaster in my lifetime."
That got a snort out of the former thief. "Yeah, figured I'd rock the 'all-natural' look tonight. Besides, Ilia should be here any minute now -"
Knock knock knock.
Her heart leapt into her throat. How did people keep doing that?
"Sounds like that minute's already here," said Maria with a bemused chuckle. "Go on, kiddo. Knock 'em dead."
Emerald swallowed the lump in her throat once more and gave her best attempt at a smile. "Thanks again, Maria…I'll probably be back late tonight, so I'll try not to make too much noise on the way in. I know how cranky you get when I wake you up."
"Don't worry, I'll wear my earplugs when I go to bed." One optic winked. "Just in case you'd like to bring Ilia back here, to…'continue' the date."
Heat rushed to her face and nearly burned off her eyelashes. "Oh my gods you're the worst."
Maria's cackle, and the brief bout of banter, gave her the courage to approach the door and open it - revealing the source of all her nerves tonight in the best way possible.
Oh…wow.
She knew that Ilia Amitola didn't like wearing dresses, so the fact that she didn't show up in an eye-popping ballroom gown wasn't surprising. What was surprising was just how well-dressed she was - as well-dressed as Emerald herself, if not moreso. The chameleon Faunus wore a silky white blouse with a short-sleeved black blazer, paired with loose-fitting gray dress pants and black shoes with silver buckles. A rainbow-colored scarf and a matching bracelet provided the only color in the outfit itself; the rest of it came from the young woman wearing the clothes, with long ginger-red hair hanging in free loose curls while her freckles burned bright pink.
"Hey Em," said Ilia with a coy smile, hands hidden behind her back as one foot anxiously tapped her foot against the ground. "You look great."
"You look amazing," mumbled Emerald, not daring to look away from the goddess standing outside her doorway. "Just…wow. I, uh…" Dammit, why did it hurt so much to talk with a dry mouth?
Her date just laughed softly and pulled her into a hug, her cheek naturally resting against Emerald's shoulder. "It feels nice that we're finally doing this. Got an idea of where to go tonight?"
Emerald just nodded in agreement. Coffee outings and sharing patrol paths were nice enough, but an actual proper date night was a luxury they could only afford now. "Found this great restaurant in the Wind District with Yang and Weiss a few months back. They have the best cheesecake in the whole damn desert. I was thinking we could go there? My treat."
Ilia grinned and withdrew while keeping one hand glued to hers, flashing a smile that made women everywhere weak at the knees (including Emerald herself, of course). "That sounds amazing. Lead the way, Em."
No longer bothering to hide her blush, Emerald smiled back and did just that.
The Grimm, Salem, the Skrall, Cinder, her own myriad insecurities…they could all wait tonight, Emerald decided.
Tonight would be about Ilia and Ilia alone, and she vowed nothing would change that.
Winter Schnee was not in a good mood these days.
Granted, that alone wasn't an uncommon occasion, especially considering the circumstances of the last few months. But she was in a particularly foul mood tonight as she soared over the city of Vacuo on an all-too-familiar path, cutting a blue streak across the night sky and gazing down with tired eyes. Stars and buildings seemed to bleed together, the mobs of people below looked even more faceless than usual, and every biting wind felt stronger than usual against her face. None of that helped her feel better. None of that made her racing mind slow down or think with any more clarity.
Three days. Three days since her interview with Lisa Lavender had aired for all of Remnant. Three days since she'd made a fool of herself on live television. Three days since the floodgates had opened on all the atrocities committed by Atlas in its final hours, three days of dodging follow-up questions from glorified tabloid reporters, three days of seeing her displaced countrymen relive the trauma any time local news stations replayed clips of her story.
Three days of heightened Grimm activity in the region, as the full truth about her Kingdom finally came to light with all the fear and unrest she'd expected. Three days of throwing herself into mission after mission, barely sleeping, barely eating, barely even coming home between flights. Three days of constantly slinging fireballs, bringing down rain, and disrupting sandstorms. Three days of slaying Grimm and defending caravans. Three days of the people she rescued scorning her and hating her more than they did before, now that they knew what Ironwood had really done - and how long Winter had stood idly by and let it happen.
Three days since Robyn had kissed her on the cheek, without warning or permission.
Three days since they'd last seen or spoken to each other.
Her brow furrowed as her mind returned yet again to that moment, heart thundering in her chest. Why had Robyn done that? Had she fallen in love with the Winter Maiden? If so, why? Why would she complicate one of the few friendships Winter had these days? Was this her intent from the start? To lull her into a false sense of companionship, only to pounce on her when she was emotionally vulnerable -
No. No, Robyn wouldn't…couldn't do that. She was too kind for that. Too good for that.
Maybe it was nothing, she told herself for what felt like the millionth time. Maybe it truly meant nothing. It was…just a sign of friendship. Of deep friendship. Some people kiss friends on the cheek, right? I believe that's a common greeting in parts of Vale.
Ba-dum. Ba-dum.
Although…I've never seen Robyn kiss any of her other friends. Certainly not her Happy Huntresses…
Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum.
Gods her lips were so soft…so warm, gentle, and yet…
BA-DUM. BA-DUM. BA-DUM.
Anger surged as she glared daggers at her treacherous heart. Stop pounding, or I'm going to rip you out myself!
Thankfully the drum in her chest heeded her command and went back to its usual rhythm, albeit with a familiar hollow ache. It seemed to realize what the rest of Winter already knew: that whatever affection Robyn had for the Winter Maiden, it couldn't be returned. Even if Winter loved her back…even if she did have those feelings…there was too much at stake to muddy the waters with a relationship doomed to fail if it ever started.
Robyn Hill deserved a better partner than a Maiden.
Better than her.
She shook her head to clear the matter from her mind, focusing only on her destination. Shade Academy. Petra had called about a half-hour ago to set up another magic lesson that very evening, oddly enthusiastic and cheery and holding back giggles. Why the sudden interest in learning how to be a Maiden again, after spending more than a week being coddled by Emerald and the people of Bara Magna? And why the insistence on coming as soon as possible? Winter didn't know, but she hoped the lesson wouldn't take long. There were so many other things she could be doing tonight. So many other things she should be doing.
If that fool of a Headmaster had just taught her about being a Maiden earlier, none of this would be necessary.
Her blood started to boil once more as her anger at Theodore spiked, but she tamped down on it with a few deep breaths. No need to start the lessons mad, especially when that anger was directed at the girl's father and not at the Summer Maiden herself.
A few moments later the courtyard came into view, a big sandy expanse with faded paint and faint sparring rings on the ground. At this distance she could see that Petra was already running in circles with a massive black dog and a blue-armored alien, her laughter unheard by anyone else except the Maiden. Most of the staff had gone home for the day, and the rest had retired to the depths of their offices. All the students were either out on assignment or relaxing in their dorm rooms. Even Headmaster Theodore was absent, off on a regularly-scheduled patrol along the Glass District walls miles from his school. No one but them tonight, just like Winter preferred. The fewer eyes watching these lessons, the better.
The girl spotted her in the sky and started waving, her cheers drowned out by deafening barks. No turning back now. Winter descended and cut the magic with only a little bit of a stumble, which was a better landing than most of her touchdowns these days.
"Hi Miss Winter!" said the young brunette with a giggle, freckles and hazel eyes practically aglow with mirth.
"Bork!" A dog as big as a Boarbatusk ran over and dipped his head with front paws extended, a clear invitation to play.
"Oh, uh…hey there!" The leather-skinned alien put away whatever he'd been fidgeting with, stowing it into his armor with a sheepish expression.
Winter allowed a faint smile to break through her mask as she nodded to her charge. "Good evening, Petra. Toto." She scratched the eager dog behind the ears, feeling him lean into her palm and lick her forearm. "Berix. And…"
She blinked. "Wait. Where's Emerald? Isn't she supposed to be on guard duty during your lessons?"
"Oh, Em's out on a date with Miss Ilia tonight," said Petra with a sly grin. "Mister Berix said he can handle the whole guarding thing this time, all by himself. Normally I would've waited to do the lesson tomorrow so she could see, but I just couldn't wait that long! I just had to call you!"
The elder Maiden raised an eyebrow. There were a lot of reasons why Petra would be this excited, but most of them weren't relevant to the scope of their lessons. Could it be that she'd made some progress during her break? That she'd secured some mastery of her magic? It was a stretch, but Winter didn't dismiss the possibility entirely.
"Then let's begin immediately," she intoned coolly as she folded her hands behind her back, adopting the mannerisms of her Academy professors. "We've taken a rather lengthy break, so there's much to catch up on. I trust that you've been practicing your forms since our last lesson?"
Petra puffed out her chest. "Yep, I sure have! I did the sitting thing, the breathing thing, and even the dancing thing every single day during my break! Mister Berix saw it all, right?"
The blue-armored Agori nodded. "That's right! In fact…that's why we called you on such short notice. You see, she was practicing in her room just this morning, and after going at it for a few hours -"
"Mister Berix, you're telling it all wrong! Lemme tell it!"
Berix chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Right, of course. Go ahead, then."
"So anyway, I was practicing in my room this morning, and after going at it for a few hours -"
"How is that any different from what I said?"
"I made fire!" squealed the little Maiden excitedly. "I actually made fire shoot outta my hands! I almost burned Toto's tail! Berix had to get a water bucket! Dad was so proud of me! I spent the whole day practicing and doing it over and over again and I did it a bunch more times after that, so I think I've got it figured out! I got my first spell! I did magic, Miss Winter!"
Winter's heart almost leapt out of her chest, but she tempered her potential excitement and kept her cold, professional mask up. "Show me."
After taking a few deep breaths - good form, practically flawless - Petra closed her eyes and took one practiced step after another. Her footwork was precise, her movements were snappy and fluid, and her arms were making all the right motions. At the end of her dance the little Summer Maiden thrust her arms forward, let out a mighty yell…
…and shot a few flickering embers out of two outstretched palms, which gently bobbed in place as Petra cupped her hands together.
Toto barked happily, practically standing up on his hind legs while his tail whipped up a storm stronger than his owner's magic. Berix whooped and clapped. Petra's grin returned as she jumped for joy, waving her "fire" around in her hands like a triumphant flag.
"See? Didya see that? Do you see this? Fire! I made fire! I can do the fire thing! Soon ALL my enemies will burn to dust, mwahahahahaha!" The biggest, goofiest grin snapped around to face her. "Heehee, sorry, couldn't resist! Mister Berix gave me a lot of cookies today."
"Hey, don't drag me into your delusions!" The Agori huffed and folded his arms across his metal chest. "Besides, it wasn't that many…only a dozen or so."
Petra ignored his comment as the rest of her whirled to face her teacher, paltry sparks still floating like fireflies around her fingertips. "Pretty cool, huh? I did magic! I'm doing magic! Isn't that great, Miss Winter?"
The Winter Maiden's brow furrowed as her anger burned. All that training…all that effort…and this was all they had to show for it? Winter was burning herself down to the bone for this gods-damned Kingdom, and here her sister-in-magic was getting excited over mastering a cantrip?!
Petra must have sensed her growing frustration, because her enthusiasm was swiftly snuffed out - as were the cinders that hovered in the night.
"…M-miss Winter…?"
"It's not good enough," she said in a clipped tone as she started pacing around a stunned Petra.
That put the little Summer Maiden on the defensive, who furrowed her brow and kept spinning around to keep Winter in front of her. "Huh? Whaddya mean it's not good enough? I did it! I did the thing! I made magic! That's what you wanted, isn't it?!"
Toto whined and laid down on the floor, doing his best to dispel the tension by acting cute and failing miserably.
She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Yes, you managed to channel some amount of magic. But at this point in your training you should be able to summon an entire blast of flame, not just a few paltry sparks. Your 'fire' is barely more than cold ash - a spell like that wouldn't scare off a Sulfur Fish, much less a full swarm."
"But at least it's something!" Her student shook her head. "It's more than I could do a week ago! Isn't that why we're here? Why we're even doing this? Why are you being such a b - why aren't you happy?!"
"It's not about that. If this is all we have to show for the training we've done so far, then Remnant might as well not even have a Summer Maiden!" Winter seethed, her anger boiling with each heavy step she took. "If Salem comes for you…if Cinder comes for you…then party tricks like that won't save you! We'll need to do more to prepare you for what's to come…I've clearly been too lenient in your training, but no more. Now's the time for more lessons, more exercises, more drastic measures -"
"What kind of drastic measures are we talking about?" asked Berix warily.
"Stay out of this!" snapped the Maiden, with so much force that the Agori flinched and nearly stumbled back.
"Don't yell at him!" shouted Petra. "He's been helping me more than you have!"
Piercing steel-blue snapped back to the defiant student. "He's not a Maiden, Petra! He's not even human! He can't help with this!" The last thing Winter wanted was a shouting match with a little girl, but with her building rage she couldn't stop herself.
Toto started running around and yelping with all his might, calling for help the only way he knew how. But no one was around. It was just them. And his barking was maddening, only fueling the meltdown between the two angry Maidens.
"But he's my friend, and he's actually nice!" Tears welled up in angry hazel eyes. "Why can't you be nice, too? Why do you keep pushing and yelling at me?! I'm doing my best - !"
"Because your best isn't good enough!" Winter's voice was deafening, even in her own ears. "You need to be better, Petra! Your life depends on how well you can fight using your powers, and how quickly you can channel magic! If you can't do that, you'll die! Don't you understand that? This isn't just some game - it's a matter of life and death!"
Berix stammered as he raised a hand. "Um, hey, that's…a pretty strong word there. Maybe we should see if we can find a nicer one to -" His argument was cut off with a glare augmented by blue flames, freezing him in place better than the Maiden powers ever could.
"Well then maybe I should die!" Petra screamed back, nearly drowning out Toto's frantic howls. "Maybe then the power will actually go to someone useful! That's how it works, right? Isn't that what you really want?!"
Winter's eyes widened, then narrowed. "Don't you dare say something like that!"
"It's true, though!" shouted the suddenly red-faced child. "You don't care about me! You never did! I'm just some kid, right? What do I matter?! You just want your stupid Summer Maiden so that everyone else can keep that stupid sword safe, so that stupid Salem can't blow up the stupid planet! She's stupid! You're stupid! Everything is stupid!"
Had Winter's mind not been addled by stress and rage and fatigue, she would have noticed something during Petra's tirade. She would have seen hazel-gold sparks around her eyes flickering in and out of existence, straining to burn like wet firewood in a rainstorm. Yet all that she saw in that moment was a child throwing a temper tantrum, and so she marched right up in her face and responded in kind - and ended up committing the biggest mistake in her life.
"You miserable little brat!" she snapped harshly, roaring as she raised a hand in fury. "If all I wanted was your power, I would have killed you myself! And if you don't shape up or do this right, I still might have to…!"
Winter froze as soon as she heard the words leaving her mouth, as soon as she noticed that her eyes were suddenly ablaze with magic, but by then it was far too late. Petra fell back and scrambled away at first, like any child being screamed at…then the actual meaning behind the outburst sank in, and all those embers around her eyes died out like a candle buried in sand.
…oh no. What have I…?
It all played out in slow-motion on the face of the young, emotional Summer Maiden as she lay on the sandy ground, staring up at her with teary eyes. Shock at the idea that her mentor had already considered killing her, followed by horror at the implication that she hadn't ruled it out completely. Then…fear. Pure, brazen fear. Not of death, not of Salem or Cinder, but of her. Winter hadn't meant it as a threat, only meant to state the facts of a worst-case scenario…but with her tone and the sudden surge of magic, how could her student interpret it as anything else?
But what broke her heart most of all was the look of absolute betrayal, as Petra came to the conclusion that Winter absolutely would murder her if it came down to it.
And once upon a time, when the elder Schnee had allowed herself to be Ironwood's unquestioning little soldier, she might not have been entirely wrong.
…what have I done? What am I doing?
Winter felt a single tear slip down her own cheek as she forced back the rest. "…we're done with the magic lessons, Petra. Completely. I…"
She wanted to make things right. Wanted to reassure Petra that no, she would not kill a child for the Summer Maiden powers. Wanted to say that she was sorry for screaming and being angry. Wanted to congratulate her on making fire earlier. But anytime she opened her mouth, anytime she reached over to offer an apologetic touch, her fellow Maiden flinched and covered her ears with a bitter wail. Berix snapped out of his stunned trance and scrambled for a Scroll, likely to call for help. Even Toto stopped barking and rushed to his little friend's side, putting himself between the Maidens with raised hackles and bared teeth. The gentle giant's rare fury was on full display as he snarled and growled at Winter, showing full intent to bite and attack if she came any closer.
The damage had already been done, she realized. Whatever trust she'd managed to build with Theodore's daughter, she'd shattered it all with a single outburst. Petra was afraid of her now. Petra hated her now.
Just like everyone else in Vacuo.
So she took one more shuddering breath and rocketed away without another word, leaving behind a cowering Berix, an angry Toto, and a heartbroken Petra.
In Emerald's opinion, the date was going extremely well.
The restaurant was as classy as she remembered, and even better with just the two of them visiting. The food was delicious, the wine was sweet but not too strong, and the cheesecake was just short of divine. And all of it was made better by Ilia's near-constant smile and glow, as she let her hair down in every sense of the word. They talked about everything and nothing all at once. She only slipped up and said something embarrassing once or twice, and each time she was met with the most beautiful, song-like laughter she'd ever heard. And all throughout dinner, throughout the appetizers and the main course and the dessert and the conversation, their hands never drifted far from each other.
After the meal, the pair didn't have a clear destination in mind, so they opted to just walk around Vacuo and enjoy the brisk night air. Their wandering eventually took them up to an old parapet overlooking the district, the only intact part of an ancient castle that had long crumbled away and been replaced with shops and water tanks. They just stood there for a long time, watching the stars shimmer overhead, and basked in the light of the shattered moon and the warmth of their woven fingers.
It was the best night she'd had in a while.
Of course, since the universe was predisposed to hate Emerald and her happiness, the other shoe dropped hard and fast.
The first buzz of her Scroll vibrating in her pocket went ignored. Then the second. And the third. Ilia didn't make any motion to check her own device, and there weren't any loud screams, so it wasn't a Kingdom-wide emergency - which meant that Emerald could wait to check it until after she'd given the chameleon Faunus all the attention she deserved. Maybe if she even played it cool, Ilia would have no idea -
"Aren't you going to answer that?" asked Ilia, taking her eyes off the stars to give Emerald a quizzical stare. "I can hear it buzzing all the way from over here…it must be important, if someone's tried to reach you seventeen times now."
…right. Faunus. Better hearing than most humans. With a grumble under her breath Emerald pulled out the Scroll and opened the hard-light screen, ready to explode on whoever was interrupting her and her date. But when she saw a veritable wall of messages from Berix's number, all of them an incomprehensible mess of misspelled words and symbols, that anger turned to concern.
Especially when she saw one common word in every message, spelled in every way except the correct one.
Petra.
"It's Berix," she said after a moment, answering Ilia's unspoken question. "I…think he's trying to tell me something about Petra? He said earlier that she wanted to have a lesson with Winter tonight, but he told me he'd have security handled by himself. I don't know why he's texting me - he knows he's supposed to call the emergency line if there's an attack, so what could be…"
A new message came in just as she was scrolling. Short, simple, full of dread and typos in equal measure.
PERTA5 UPSET. I D N;T KN0W W#ATT ODO.
"Pretty sure this one's supposed to say 'Petra's upset, I don't know what to do.'" That was one sentiment Emerald agreed with as she looked helplessly at her date, as her heart warred between the two girls that mattered to her more than anything. "Ilia…"
"Go," whispered the Faunus with an understanding smile. "We can reschedule. I think Petra needs you more than I do right now."
A pit formed in her stomach as she averted her gaze. "Dammit…I'm the worst. Finally bringing you out on a date, just to ditch you in the end. I'm so sorry…I get it if you never wanna see me again, after dancing around this kinda stuff and screwing up so much -"
But that was all Emerald could say before Ilia leaned in and kissed her on the lips.
At first she didn't know how to react. Hell, she was pretty sure she forgot how to breathe in that moment. But eventually instinct kicked in and she puckered up to return the kiss, gasping sharply as she leaned and melted into the palm cradling her face. Her hands slid around Ilia's waist. Another set of fingers trailed up her arms before possessively clasping the back of her neck. Even with closed eyes, she could sense the chameleon changing colors as the kiss deepened, hair and skin shifting between pinks and silvers and deep oranges.
After a long moment that felt too short, Ilia pulled away with a breathy chuckle and deep scarlet freckles, opening her eyes to reveal lovestruck magenta in place of blue. Emerald's lips followed her halfway, still puckered and open and hungry for more. Her heart thundered in her chest. Her face felt like it was about to burst into flames. When she dared to match Ilia's longing gaze with one of her own, she felt a warmth she never dared imagine was possible.
Surprisingly, she felt no urge to run away.
Not when hands like these held her close.
"Mmm…" she cooed softly, looking pleadingly at her date. "Okay…come on. You can't expect me to just leave after a kiss like that."
Ilia let out a husky laugh as she drew a line with her thumb along Emerald's jaw. "Consider it an…appetizer for the main course, Emmy," she breathed with a warm grin. "The rest, you'll get as a reward for doing the right thing."
Wow. Wow. She had no idea a human heart even could race that fast. "…you're gonna be the death of me at this rate, Amitola," she groused with a wistful sigh. "And somehow, I'm okay with that."
Nevertheless, Emerald disentangled from Ilia and vaulted off the parapet with a faint blush on her face and determination in her heart, quickly texting Berix back before leaping across the rooftops of Vacuo.
On my way.
The door to the Schnee house almost shattered with how forcefully she slammed into it. Her landing was painful and inelegant, more of a stumbling shamble than a proper touchdown. Winter's eyes burned not with magic, but with tears she desperately held in. Every part of her ached and teetered on the verge of falling apart, her heart first and foremost. Still, she kept moving. Kept a stiff lip as she marched through halls that felt too familiar and yet not familiar enough.
Klein immediately looked up from his vain attempts at sweeping sand out of the main entrance. Albus's ears perked up. Whitley's head poked out from his lab upstairs. She paid no mind to any of them, said nothing, did nothing to ease their growing concern. She just marched to her room, nearly bashed her door down, then slammed it hard enough to rattle the entire house.
Only when she was alone did she finally fall apart.
A frustrated scream rang out and ripped her throat up from within. Why was she like this? Why did she keep messing up?! First it was Ironwood. Then it was all of Atlas. Then it was Weiss, Robyn, Mother, Whitley, Klein, so many others. All the people she'd failed. All the relationships she'd screwed up. All the good, kind souls that'd wasted their time and love caring about a broken soldier like her. All the folks that deserved better. Better than her.
And now Petra was on that list, and it was entirely Winter's fault.
The little Maiden's horrified, tear-stained face burned itself into her mind, all Winter could see anytime she closed her eyes. Hot, angry streams of sorrow spilled from her own eyes, blinding her and refreshing that image and cutting fresh wounds in her heart all over again. Why had she lashed out like that? Petra had been so happy to show her teacher what she could do, regardless of how small an achievement, and all she'd gotten was trauma and threats. How could she have been so cruel? Why had she been so cruel?
Because I'm not good enough, either!
Her jacket felt like it was going to strangle her. She tore it off and threw it against the wall. The hairband pulled against her brain. It was ripped out of the ponytail alongside a few strands of silver-white. Winter threw herself into her half-shattered bed without even taking off her boots, grabbing a dusty old pillow and burying her face into its lumpy surface. More tears. More screams. Her nose was bleeding and running from how hard she wept. Her breaths were little more than shallow, wheezing gasps. She didn't care. She barely felt the warm, sticky fluid as it mingled with tears and stained her clothes. All she could feel was sorrow, shame, and anger.
Anger at Petra. Anger at the world. Anger at herself.
Why had Penny picked her to be the Winter Maiden, when she couldn't do anything right?!
The moment Emerald leapt into the Shade Academy courtyard, she knew why Berix had frantically tried to get ahold of her.
Petra sat half-buried in the sand while curled up into a ball, hugging her legs to her chest and burying her tear-stained face into dirty knees. Berix paced frantically while biting the tips of his metallic fingers, pure panic in his optics. And Toto was growling and barking at every shadow that got too close - before turning that aggression and protectiveness onto her.
"Grrrarf! Arf! Arf arf arf! GrrrrrARF!" Unlike his usual barks, this barrage of sound was anything but kind.
"Easy, boy, it's just me. You know me, right?" Emerald spoke softly and knelt with hands raised, letting the guarded dog approach and sniff her. When he gave a chuff of approval (and another growl, just so she didn't get too comfortable), she made her way over to the little Maiden and sat down next to her. Petra didn't even react to her presence at first. Didn't look up at her. Didn't say anything, apart from letting out a few more raw sobs.
"Thank goodness you're here," Berix said as he finally turned her way. "I've been trying to talk to Petra, trying to help her feel better, but she wouldn't even talk to me. Or Toto. Or anyone. She's just been sitting there, doing that…crying thing."
"I can see that," said the former thief. "What the hell happened, Berix? Where's Winter?"
"She flew off," answered the anxious Agori. "Right after she and Petra had an argument…a bad one. She, uh…well…"
"She said she was gonna kill me if I didn't get better at the magic thing!" wailed Petra, the screams drawing a fresh wave of tears and gasps. "But I can't get better at the magic thing! I don't know what to do!"
Alarm shot through her alongside a thousand other emotions. Anger. Frustration. Guilt. Wrath. But she forced all of them down and reached out to Petra, laying a hand gently on her head and giving her hair a light ruffle. Something she'd done before several times, usually with a lot of internal cringing, but now it was done deliberately and confidently.
"Shh…" whispered Emerald gently, soothing tones and gestures coming more easily than she realized. "You don't have to think about that now. I'm right here. I'm not gonna let anything happen, okay? You're safe. You're not alone. You're gonna be alright. I've got you, Petra. I've got you."
Petra gave a few more sniffles as she leaned into the familiar sensation, then fell into Emerald's lap with a tired little flop. Every part of her mind screamed to run away. She ignored them and kept patting the Summer Maiden's head, kept whispering words of comfort, kept listening to Berix as he gave a play-by-play of the disastrous lesson.
And all the while, Emerald's heart broke for both the Maidens that got hurt tonight.
Winter wasn't sure how long she'd laid there, crying and screaming and cursing herself. But eventually the sound of her bedroom door slowly creaking open pierced her misery, cutting through the noise of her sobs and wails. She wanted to pull her face from the pillow and scream at whoever intruded, to demand that they leave her in her misery. But she was tired. So tired. Too tired to care. Too tired to fight. Too tired to even look their way. Whoever entered sat down at the edge of her bed and laid a warm hand on her shuddering back, one that trailed up to her messy, tousled hair.
"Oh, Winter…"
Her heart froze as she recognized the voice. "Mother…" she whimpered, a fresh wave of tears and blood spilling. Salt and iron tinged her lips. Her face must've been an absolute mess of red by now. Willow just gently pried her head away from the ruined pillow, handkerchief ready to dry her eyes and pinch her running, bleeding nose.
"I…I ruined everything," she sobbed with a shake of her head. "Petra, she…she was so excited to show me her fire, so eager to make me happy…and I got angry that it wasn't enough. That she wasn't…me. We shouted at each other, we…screamed at each other…and I told her…that I…" Winter hiccuped. "That I would kill her to keep her power safe. I said that to a child, Mother. A child…"
If Willow was appalled by her actions, she hid it well. She just kept running one hand through her hair, just kept wiping her face with the other. For all the good it did, as fresh tears kept flowing all the same.
"She's afraid of me now. She might never use her magic now, never be the Maiden Vacuo deserves and needs. Because of me. Because I said I'd kill her for her power. Just like I almost did with Fria…"
The thought of the Winter Maiden before her, bedridden yet brimming with power and warmth, floated into her mind and broke her heart all over again. "Fria taught me everything I know about the Maidens. About their magic, their purpose, their history. She was wonderful and loving, and came to see me as a granddaughter of her own. She was everything a Maiden should be. Everything…I'm not…"
More tears welled in her eyes as memories flooded, unbidden, into her soul. "And then, the night before Salem arrived, Iron…the General ordered me to extract her powers. I knew it was wrong, that it was cruel, but I barely even paused before going to do just that. I went to Fria that last time with every intent to kill her…to kill a woman who'd shown me nothing but kindness I didn't deserve."
"But you never got to her, did you?" Willow's voice was soft, gentle, surprisingly calm for the horrors her daughter was rattling off. "Weiss said that Cinder ended up ambushing you on the way there. By the time she and Ruby came to help, Fria had already passed on and given the power to Penny. You don't know for sure if you would've followed through with that order, Winter. You don't know what would've happened."
"Don't I?" She scoffed and spat, rolling over to face the darkness yet again. "I'm not a good person, Mother. You know that. Whitley knows that. Everyone knows that. And I was even worse back then - I was cold, calculating, and content to follow orders I knew were wrong. In his eyes, it was the most pragmatic choice, morality be damned. And as his little pet soldier I was going to obey, like I always did…"
A renewed wave of bitter sobs rang out, choking her words and nearly drowning them out with misery. "That's all I do. I break things, I abandon everything and everyone I care about, because I'm only thinking of myself or what others tell me to do." Another hiccup wracked her chest. "Fria, Penny, Weiss, Whitley…you. And now Petra, and Theodore, and everyone else in Vacuo waiting for their Maiden. I failed them. I failed them all. I don't deserve this kind of power, Mother. I don't even deserve to be…to be…to be ali -"
But that thought was silenced as her mother pulled her close, forcing the broken soldier into a hug that was wasted on her. Winter didn't have the strength to return it, or the presence of mind to object. She just wailed and wept and wished she was someone else, months of strain in Vacuo and decades of stress in Atlas flowing like a burst dam.
And with no words of comfort strong enough to console her crumbling daughter, Willow Schnee just held onto Winter until sleep finally claimed them both.
To Emerald's relief, things had finally reached a tenuous state of calm.
She sat on the sandy ground of Shade Academy's training courtyard, one hand still on Petra's shuddering form as she leaned back on the other palm for support. It had taken a lot of consoling and comforting, but eventually the Summer Maiden had cried herself to sleep right on Emerald's lap, and she didn't feel brave enough to try moving her. Toto lay down sprawled out next to her with his chin on her thigh and his nose pressed against Petra's crown, clearly concerned about his little friend while also slightly jealous that she was getting more pets than him. For the moment, at least, things were peaceful.
"Is she here? Is she okay?"
Emerald looked up to see a frazzled-looking man running across the courtyard, falling to his knees in front of her with a heavy slump and multiple sharp gasps. The usually-dapper Headmaster Theodore looked an absolute mess; beads of sweat clung to his skin, his cape was halfway to falling off his shoulders, and his oily hair was tousled messily. Had he run the entire way across the city to Shade, from the outer walls of the Glass District? That spoke volumes about his stamina, if nothing else…as well as his desperation and concern.
Toto rose from his spot and wagged his tail, happily going over and licking his master's face. Theodore groaned and gagged before pushing the dog's snout away, nevertheless giving him some appreciative chin scratches before looking back down at his daughter. He winced and grimaced as the behemoth of a beast crawled into his lap next, evidently choosing him as his new cuddle partner - a fate the Headmaster begrudgingly accepted no matter how much his joints popped.
"Yeah, she's just sleeping now," reported Emerald as her hand moved to the shoulder of the slumbering Maiden. She hastily recapped what she'd gleaned from Berix about the argument, watching as Theodore's face contorted and twisted with a thousand emotions. Eventually the Headmaster hung his head and sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"I was afraid something like this might happen eventually," he groaned. "That's why I always asked Winter to hold lessons while I was at Shade, so I could be on hand if there was an incident. I don't know why she thought it would be a good idea to pick these lessons back up tonight…she knew I was out on patrol along the Glass District walls."
"Pretty sure it was Petra's call to have the lesson here and now," guessed the former thief. "She was so excited about being able to do a little bit of magic, she wanted to show her teacher right away. I don't think Winter came here with any plans to hurt Petra while you were out - even if it ended up turning out that way."
Emerald was surprised how generous she was being towards Winter, especially considering the sorry, sobbing state Petra had been in. Then again, maybe it wasn't surprising - she'd been watching the Winter Maiden build up to a mental breakdown over the last few months, especially in the last few weeks without Weiss around to ground her. Tonight wasn't the start of the Specialist falling apart. It was just the inevitable conclusion, and now they were all left living in the aftermath.
Not that it excused the way she'd hurt Petra, of course. Nothing could justify that.
"Yeah, I guess that's true," mused Theodore as he shook his head. "Still, I'm definitely gonna need to let Ozzie know about this…and have a talk with Winter about what happened tonight. Not really looking forward to either of those chats, if I'm being honest. Regardless, after I saw Berix's messages I got here as soon as there was a lull in the Grimm waves. I'm assuming you did the same, just faster?"
She nodded, deciding to leave out the fact that she left a date to come here - her ruffled dress clothes and hastily-undone tie said that loudly enough. "Yeah…I arrived about an hour ago and helped calm her down. She wasn't physically hurt, but she was an emotional wreck and absolutely exhausted. Hell, she practically cried herself to sleep as soon as she crawled into my lap." Emerald laughed softly. "I sent Berix out to find some blankets and pillows and one of those inflatable mattresses, but he hasn't come back yet. So either he got confused by what I asked for, or he's out on a 'collecting' spree. My money's on the latter, frankly."
Theodore gave his usual chuckle, though there was no mirth in his tone this time. "Ah, no surprise there…it's probably a fool's errand, anyways. Something tells me Petra'd prefer sleeping right there if she had a choice." A charming smile shone down on Emerald. "She adores you, y'know. You're practically a big sister, as far as she's concerned. I've never seen her get close to anyone besides me or Toto before…and she's not like this with any of your other friends. Not even Yang or Jaune."
"I know," said Emerald with a bitter sigh. "And that scares me."
The Headmaster of Shade raised an eyebrow. "Why's that? If you're alright with me asking, of course."
With another slow sigh she looked down at Petra, who even while sleeping buried her face deep into her thigh.
"I just…the way I catch her looking at me sometimes, with absolute wonder and admiration in her eyes…it reminds me too much of the way I used to revere someone in my old life. Someone I worshiped and followed without question before I finally broke away from Salem's inner circle. You know who I'm talking about, right?"
Theodore nodded slowly and sagely. He seemed to understand that Emerald didn't want to say her name - she didn't want to give that bitch any more power over her than she already had, even months after she'd broken away from her grip.
"It's not the same, of course," she continued. "I was an orphan who fell head-over-heels for the first woman who promised I'd never go hungry again, but I know how much living like that screwed with my head. I did so many terrible things under Cind…under her…and she held them over my head like she was counting favors. I gave so much of my heart over to her, and it took me so long to realize that she never would…that she never could give it back. As much as Salem terrified me, I stayed because I thought she needed me - and because she'd managed to convince me that I needed her."
Emerald shook her head bitterly. "It took the fall of two gods-damned Kingdoms to tear the wool from my eyes, to wake up to the fact that she never cared about me. That she manipulated me, that she hurt me, and that I still thought she was the light of my world no matter how many times she left me in the dark. And when…when Petra looks at me like that, all wide-eyed and awestruck and affectionate, I keep wondering if I…if I'm…"
"If you're just repeating the cycle of abuse," guessed Theo quietly.
Crimson eyes squeezed shut. "…yeah," she whispered painfully.
Theodore hummed thoughtfully for a moment, letting silence settle between them. Emerald didn't feel much like talking anymore, so she settled for watching Petra's back rise and fall with each gentle snore and each shuddering breath. She looked so vulnerable…so small and helpless…and yet, somewhere within her flesh and blood burned an ancient power that men and women alike would kill for.
Not long enough ago, she might've been one of them.
"Let me ask you a question, Emerald," said the Headmaster with a surprisingly gentle inflection. "If you were the one having a breakdown tonight…the one who'd been crying and hurt…do you think your old idol would've dropped everything and come running to comfort you?"
The former thief scoffed. "Of course not. She would've just found me hours later and told me to suck it up. Or she would've just said that 'pain builds character' or that 'failure brokers its own reward' or -"
…oh.
Oh.
Theodore gave an irritatingly wry smile. "I think that's the answer to your question right there, kid. Petra cares about you…and you care about her. So long as you remember that, and weigh your own actions against your former lady, I don't think you have any reason to fear following in her footsteps. You may be a diamond in the rough…but you're still a diamond, right down to your core. And Petra can see that better than anyone. That's gotta be a good sign, right?"
Emerald laughed softly at the analogy, then sighed as she reached down and stroked the sleeping Petra's hair - something her "savior" had never dared to do. It was…nice. The little girl's hair was unwashed and full of sand, yet it still glided across her fingertips like freshly-spun velvet. At first the girl's breath hitched at the touch, and Emerald nearly drew her hand back in shock, but after a few seconds Petra mumbled and relaxed, her frame feeling a little less tense than it had moments earlier.
"…yeah, I guess it is," she finally admitted quietly. "My head might know it…but my heart can't help but worry sometimes, y'know?"
Another bitter, humorless chuckle escaped the Headmaster's lips. "Oh, believe me. I know exactly how that feels."
…right. If being a surrogate sibling to the most important little girl in Vacuo made her nervous, Emerald could only imagine how nerve-wracking being her father must've been. How terrifying it must be to let others spend time alone with her. To let her spend time with Petra, considering her past.
Why did it have to be this way?
"You're probably wondering how a sweet little blossom like her got mixed up in all this," he said morosely after another silent spell. "How my dear Pumpkin ended up becoming the Summer Maiden."
Emerald blinked slowly as she looked up, one hand never straying far from Petra's hair. "That is…one of many questions I've had, yeah."
"Then let's start at the beginning." Theodore shifted his posture and forced Toto to lay down next to him, likely to keep his legs from getting crushed. "Normally I'd open with asking you what your favorite fairy tale is, but I think we're a bit past that point."
She smirked.
"Anyway, our tale picks up not long after the end of The Story of the Seasons - you know the one. Legend says that after the wizard gave the sisters their powers and sent them on their way, Summer came to Vacuo just in time for the ancient oasis to finally give up the ghost about a thousand years ago. At that point she wandered the sands alongside our ancestors, giving aid to people in need and slaying Grimm with her magic. The Summer Maiden's been something of a folk hero for us since the days of at least King Malik - she was revered just as much as the Brother Gods, but unlike those glowbags folks knew she was still here. Many went to seek her out. Sometimes they found her. More often, she found them."
"Wait…" said Emerald with a raised eyebrow. "Vacuo knew the Summer Maiden was real? Like, the whole time? I thought the other Kingdoms always tried to keep that little tidbit a secret, so their Maidens wouldn't be hunted by dangerous people."
Like me.
Theodore gave yet another humorless laugh. "Vacuo's already plenty dangerous, whether you're a Maiden or not. Sure, the ruling parties didn't exactly broadcast her current identity, or outright confirm whether or not she was real before Ruby's message to the whole world…but folks around here always knew that someone with magic walked among them. Stories from travelers always find their way across the sand, 'specially when those stories were about women bending fire, ice, thunder, and wind to their command. The Summer Maidens of the past knew they had incredible power; why try to hide it, when surviving to see the next sun was never a guarantee?"
That…made a depressing amount of sense.
"Because Vacuo was so dangerous after the oasis dried up, with the specter of death looming over every dune, the Summer Maiden power changed by necessity. The other Maiden powers bonded with their host's Aura for life, passing along to a new soul only when the old one passed on. Ours, on the other hand, learned how to transfer itself under the blessing of the current wielder, consuming a whole bunch of Aura to make the journey early without death ever being on the table. That way, the previous host always had a say in who got to be their successor, rather than risking their dying thoughts sending the power scattering gods-only-know where."
Theodore gave a wry smile. "If you ever saw that ugly-ass 'Aura Transfer' machine that ol' Jimmy hauled into Ozzie's basement at Beacon…well, that's where he got the original idea to start researching it. From stories about the Summer Maiden power hopping bodies and souls early, like a tick jumping from one camel to another."
Emerald hummed thoughtfully. That sounded like an incredibly useful adaptation. Passing along Maiden powers early, instead of waiting for death…how much simpler would things have been in Atlas if the Winter Maiden power could do that, too? And would Amber have been able to protect the soul of the Fall Maiden before Cinder ever siphoned it?
"Of course, it wasn't a perfect process," continued the Headmaster. "Any Summer Maiden who gave up their magic that way gave it up for good, along with a pretty big chunk of Aura that never bounced back. They were giving away a piece of their soul, after all, literally and physically. And, of course, they'd need a lot of Aura to pull off that particular trick, and a decent mastery of their own soul energy on top of that. If they tried doing it with an empty tank, or if it was never even activated somehow, the strain would've killed them during the process…and then they'd be right back at square one."
Of course there was always another shoe ready to drop. Or several, in this case. Emerald sighed in frustration.
"So without an active Aura, that option's off the table for Petra," she mused bitterly as she looked down at the sleeping Maiden once more.
"Unfortunately, yes." Theodore shook his head slowly. "Of the dozen or so past Maidens who we know for sure passed the torch early, half of them only did it when they were old and gray and ready to retire from the Huntress life - which is already a rare enough circumstance in Vacuo. The other half only did it when they were in the middle of a battle they knew they wouldn't make it out of, or if they were dying of thirst out in the desert with no rescue in sight. All the rest of 'em never got a chance, or preferred to let fate have its proper say. So the usual rules have been in play for most of Vacuo's history as a desert hellscape - perfect transfer to the new host if it's a young lady in their dying thoughts, someone completely random if it's a guy or some old grandma, the whole nine yards."
He let his words hang in the air for a moment longer, then spoke in a noticeably quieter voice.
"…the Summer Maiden directly before Petra was one of those old-fashioned types, and someone really special. Wendy Zephyr. My wife."
Wait, what?
"You…you were married?" Emerald looked up at Theodore with widened eyes. "You were married to a Summer Maiden?"
"Well don't act too surprised now," said the brawler with a forced chuckle. "A handsome mug like mine can't exactly stay single forever."
Toto chuffed and rolled his eyes.
"Hey, at least I don't slobber everywhere." The old Headmaster sighed, then smiled wistfully. "Wendy was…an angel, walking the face of Remnant. You would've loved her. A powerful Huntress, a loving wife, a true paragon of virtue and glory…she carried the burden of being the Summer Maiden with respect and a warm smile. Everywhere she went, she turned dust storms into gentle rains, and made beautiful flowers grow in the driest of desert sands. Folks called her the Jewel of Vacuo, and although they didn't always accept her help, they were grateful whenever she joined a hunt or a caravan escort. And when it was just the two of us, in a warm tent on a cold night under the stars, she was -"
Emerald held up a hand. "I, uh…don't know if I need to know that part of the story."
Again Theodore chuckled with a soft blush. "Right right, sorry. You spend so many decades with someone, the lines start to blur between what is and isn't appropriate to share in company."
He sighed once more, his smile fading somewhat. "There was only one thing she ever wanted that the powers couldn't bring her: a child. More than anything else she wanted to bring new life into the world, wanted to settle down from a career of conflict and embrace motherhood. We tried so many times to make that happen…many, many, many times…and nothing ever came of any of them no matter what we did. It was like Vacuo itself fought to keep her from having a baby. But we were fighters - we fought back. For over twenty years."
Theodore's gaze fell on the child sleeping in Emerald's lap. "When she finally found out one day that she was going to have little Petra here, we were both beyond ecstatic. Her Maiden powers must've sensed that she had a baby on board, 'cause they simmered down to the point that she could barely make her eyes do the glowy thing - probably to keep from hurting the kid, if I had to guess. So Wendy kept a lower profile during those days, and didn't go on hunts as much, while I settled down and focused on my duties as Shade's headmaster. Heck, I even built a secret room for her and her coming baby right in my office, so that I'd never be too far away from them - and so that they'd have the safest possible home in all of Vacuo. We dreamt about being parents, imagined the wonderful lives ahead of us, and put all our hopes for the future on our darling little Pumpkin."
His smile vanished as he took an unsteady breath. "On the day of the delivery, right as Wendy was about to give birth, there were…complications. Bad ones."
Emerald's heart sank. Toto whimpered in sympathy.
"Everything happened…so fast." Theodore's breathing grew shallow and his throat tightened. "The doctors did everything they could, but it just…wasn't enough. Wendy's Aura…her very soul essence…it started treating her own body like a parasite, started tearing her apart from the inside. It wasn't like when some Huntresses give birth, where sometimes they heal too fast to get the baby out…this was like the opposite. Her own Aura was killing her, and no amount of drugs could stop the internal bleeding. It was a miracle that she even managed to deliver Petra, who by all accounts was a perfectly healthy and normal baby girl when she came out. But that miracle wasn't enough to save Wendy after giving birth. I don't think any miracle could've been enough."
His gentle tone wavered as tears began to well up. "Wendy, she…she stayed alive just long enough to see me cradling our girl in my arms. She got a chance to greet that naked, screaming little babe with her own eyes for just one second…and the next, she was gone."
"I'm so sorry," whispered Emerald. What else could she say?
She waited patiently for Theodore to compose himself, which took about a minute of sniffling and scratching Toto behind the ears. "I devoted myself to two things from that moment on: my work and my daughter. I raised Petra the way I thought was best - oh, I spoiled her so much you have no idea - all while keeping Shade running and helping Ozzie with his shadow war and keeping an eye on the Maidens. Our next task, after burying Wendy, was finding out who she'd pegged as her successor in her last moments, finding the lucky girl that got the magic touch. But when we started making sweeps to find out where the power went, alarm bells started ringing in everyone's heads…started pointing to an idea none of us wanted to consider.
"We searched every settlement in Vacuo at least twice, looking for where the Summer Maiden power had gone, and came up dry each time. But we kept looking anyway. It had to be out there somewhere, right? Surely it would've passed to someone else randomly. Surely a Maiden dying in childbirth had happened before, without their kid being next up on the magical chopping block. Surely fate wouldn't be that cruel…right?"
Given how tightly his hand was balling into a fist, Emerald knew the answer already.
"The Summer Maiden power went to Petra when she was a baby," she intoned as the pieces fit together in her mind, "and she's had it for her whole life. All because Wendy's last thoughts…"
"…were of her brand new daughter," finished the Headmaster, tears now freely flowing down his face. "Our brand new daughter."
Emerald reached out and took his hands in hers, squeezing gently. He sniffled and brought her knuckles to his eyes with an appreciative nod, pressing their skin together gently yet firmly. Toto whined and laid his head in his master's lap, resting his snout on shuddering legs. It was hard to see Vacuo's greatest Huntsman, a hero of a thousand battles, brought so low and vulnerable by grief and bittersweet memories, and yet that very act made him seem so much more human in her eyes.
"Hah…sorry…" he choked. "I…haven't told this story very often. Not even Ozzie knows the whole truth yet…though he's probably figured it out for himself by now."
"It's okay, sir," she said reassuringly, giving him a gentle smile. "I imagine this isn't easy to talk about, or think about. And…I think I understand why you've always been so intent on keeping her hidden as the first line of defense. Why you never taught her how to use the Maiden powers. You wanted her to be safe."
Theodore nodded as he wiped his misting eyes, lowering Emerald's hand away from his face. "Yeah…pretty much. As far as Vacuo knew, the Summer Maiden power finally disappeared alongside Wendy, or it went somewhere far away from the Kingdom of Vacuo. I never could tell Ozzie about what really happened - figured that if he was keeping secrets I didn't know about, then maybe I'd be allowed to have a few of my own. And since the Maidens are the only way into the Vaults, that meant if Petra couldn't get at the Sword…"
"…then nobody could," finished Emerald with a hum.
Another nod. "I thought that if I could keep her close to my heart, unaware of the power inside her, it'd be enough to keep the big one away. Salem had never actively pursued the Relics until the attack on Beacon, after all, and she'd never stepped into the limelight herself until her siege on Atlas. So I hoped…I prayed…that it wouldn't come to this. That Pumpkin could just have a normal life, without being a pawn in this stupid game."
He sighed once again and shook his head. "But Winter, Ozzie, and everyone else is right. Things are different now. More dangerous. Less certain. Petra, she…she needs to learn how to use her powers now. When Cinder comes for her, she needs to be able to protect herself. She needs to be able to -"
"No."
Emerald's eyes narrowed as she laid a hand on Petra's head. "That shouldn't be why she learns this power. She can find her own path as a Maiden, she can do as much magic as she wants. But that shouldn't be her responsibility. When Cinder comes for her…I will protect her."
She didn't know where this surge of confidence and courage came from, making her feel strong enough to say that name, but she embraced it and took advantage of it. Theodore tilted his head. Toto's ears perked up. Even Petra seemed to shift in her lap.
"I…like I said, I've done a lot of things I'm not proud of," she admitted. "For too long I've stood back and let that monster do whatever she wanted - or worse, I did it for her. I never fought her, never grew a spine, never wanted anything more than a love she'd never give me. But that one night in Atlas, with Ruby and Oscar and Penny and everyone else…it showed me there was a bigger world than Cinder. A bigger world full of good, nice people like Petra here. People that look up to me. People that want me in their life. People that…care about me. People that it'd hurt to let down. People that it'd hurt more to lose."
Emerald shook her head and sighed, sifting through bitter memories to find a common thread linking them together. "Cinder, she…I don't think she's ever had that. Ever wanted that. The world was cruel to her when she was young, so she grew up to be even crueler, and pay back every bit of suffering she experienced and then some. She's hurt so many people. Killed so many people. Good, decent people whose only crime was standing between her and whatever shiny new thing she wanted. I can't do anything for the lives she's already ended, but I can make sure that she never hurts anyone again."
Crimson eyes burned with resolve. "She stole Fall's power for herself, blindly attacked Spring, and came too close to getting Winter. Even if it takes my dying breath, I won't let her even come near Summer. This cycle of abuse…of pain and blood and misery…it stops here. It stops with me."
Her declaration hung in the cool night air for a moment, as Theodore took those words to heart with misting eyes. Emerald herself was surprised for a moment. That kind of speech was something Ruby Rose did all the time, something she probably could have drafted and recited in her sleep. Those words should've been coming from a warrior-poet, not a street rat like her who got lucky…and yet, somehow, they felt right all the same.
Maybe she really was getting better at this whole "being a good person" thing.
Maybe she really could be a heroic Huntress like the folks around her.
And maybe…just maybe…it really would be fine to let herself get attached to the little Maiden in her lap, after all.
"I…thank you, Emerald," said the Headmaster with a wistful smile and a proud gaze. "It means the world to hear you say that. I was so scared whenever Ozzie asked about her, so worried he'd see through my lies, so afraid that letting her meet with you all would just break her. But I could've never dreamed she'd have someone like you in her life. Someone who cares about her, someone who'd do anything to protect her. You might doubt yourself, but in my eyes? You're exactly the kind of person that Petra's always needed."
The feeling of acceptance washing over her felt as warm and welcoming as Ilia's kiss earlier, for completely different reasons. "Yeah…maybe I am," she admitted softly. Then, with a wry smile, she added, "Or maybe I just really like hanging out with her dog. I'm still figuring that out."
Toto wagged his tail and gave the biggest, dopiest grin his face could manage.
"Hah, well, let's not take that one off the table completely." Theodore chuckled, then looked down at his daughter with a bittersweet smile. "Right now, I'm just glad that my Pumpkin is so happy with you. That she finally got the big sister she always wanted. That she got you."
Emerald tucked one long strand of hair out of the sleeping child's face, then watched for a moment as Petra snored softly in her lap.
"Me too, sir," she finally whispered with the warmest smile in her life. "Me too."
(A/N): And there we go. The mystery of how Petra became the Summer Maiden, revealed at long last. That final dialogue and story between Emerald and Theodore is something I've been sitting on for close to two years at this point, and it's really edifying to FINALLY share it with you all. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I enjoyed writing it!
As usual, thanks to Ethereal23 for helping me with some of Winter's dialogue and internal thoughts, especially her scenes at the Schnee house with and without Willow there to comfort her. I originally had something different planned for her post-meltdown perspectives, but I ended up not going through with that after talking with Ethereal, who convinced me to pivot in a different, much stronger direction instead. Winter's part of this story isn't over yet, don't worry - she might've hit rock-bottom now, but the only place left to go is up…it might just take a little bit of time for her to rebuild herself, now that she's completely broken down.
Next chapter's a bit of an interesting one as we head back to Mata Nui again, as we veer once again into territory that didn't really have a canon equivalent in the original BIONICLE storyline (similar to the attack on Ta-Koro we saw in Destiny's Divide). See you then!