Flashback: Continent of Anima, Unknown Location
Months before reuniting with Qrow and team RNJR in Oniyuri, Link, having already done his time in Sanus, home of what used to be Beacon Academy. The young man channeled his anger and coldness towards fighting assassins, Grimm, and White Fang soldiers… Purposely hunting them down, rather than being hunted himself. Lastly, he traveled to the ruins that was the small village of Garanda, silently honored the people, then decided to move on from Garanda, Beacon, and the entire continent of Sanus. Nearly a month before his fateful reunion with team RNJR, the masked and still mute Link finds himself in the many, many, many endless forests of Anima. He explores the terrain and wipes out any Grimm in his path, blindly traveling through forests, trails, hills, mountains, villages, and towns, with no clear direction but a clear objective, to avenge those he has lost. However, the silent blond's traveling is about to come to a halt when he enters and attempts to simply pass through the village of Kubota, a small, yet open village with plenty of houses, stores, a blacksmith shop, and a building larger than the rest, for the authority figure of this village. Although small, it contains plenty of inhabitants, most of them human, some faunus, and many armed with weapons…
"Stop right there, stranger."
These aggressive words are muttered with a deep voice belonging to a burly man about a foot taller than Link, not the tallest individual he has seen, but certainly someone with superior size and strength. This man wears brown boots with a steel toe, orange pants, a navy blue vest that partially covers his chest, but no undershirt, exposing his well built physique, a bulky chest, abs, and broad shoulders. Additionally, he wears a green headband, has a full brown beard, tanned skin, dark blue eyes, and long brown hair tied into a ponytail that touches his shoulders
"..." Link does not respond, instead he stands completely still, his face hidden by a wooden mask, only the boy's dark blue eyes are visible; he opens his mouth to speak, but no words are heard. (...I… do not… want… trouble...)
"You're not from around here, aren't you, son?"
Link shakes his head, but suddenly jolts when his ears twitch, sensing trouble. He looks over his shoulder and spots ten people, five men, three women, and two teenagers, both boys, with various weapons: Shortswords, machetes, knives, staffs, and pistols that clearly have dust in them
(...Was… he… distracting me?) He narrows his eyes and shifts his feet, getting into a defensive stance, but wisely does not reach for his weapons, showing he is not hostile
"Stand down!" The tall mall commands. "I will ask-!"
"What's your name, kid?!" A different man shouts
"Maybe he's deaf?" A woman lowers her gun whilst letting out a gasp
"That's impossible!" The same man retorts. "He just responded to Mayor Hyato with a head shake!"
"So he just doesn't wanna talk?" One of the two boys shouts as he grips his shortsword, then foolishly charges forward. "I'll make him talk!"
"No Lumi! Don't be an idiot!"
The tall man, identified as Hyato, lunges forward to stop the boy from attacking the stranger that could be harmless or dangerous
Grab!
To save Hyato the time, Link allows the younger teenager to charge and take a swing at him. The masked blonde side steps and gently grabs Lumi's arm with one hand, while disarming him with his other hand. The disarming by Link happens quicker than Lumi sloppily swinging the blade that comes nowhere near touching the masked young man
"Let him go!" One of the other three women shrieks, making it apparent she has ties to the boy
(...O-Okay…) Link nods, holds onto the short sword, but releases the boy, who scurries back to the group of nine
"Give me my sword back!"
"Be quiet!" Hyato shouts, an action that instantly shuts the boy up, "You're lucky to even be alive right now" He clears his throat, eyes focused on the masked individual in front of him. "You're pretty fast for an average looking person. Are you a huntsman by any chance?"
(...Technically… no, but… I feel… like I… probably can… be… considered one…) Link shakes his head and calmly returns to his neutral stance, this time raising his hands
"Are you…" Hyato narrows both eyes. "...passing by?"
"..." Link nods, then gently tosses the confiscated short sword back to the teenager, but with little power so the blade lands by his feet. (...Yes…)
"We don't know that! He could be dangerous!"
"Be quiet, Haala!" Hyato shakes his head
"B-But! Did you see how he handled my son?!" Haala desperately pleas
"If he was going to harm your son, he would have already done it."
These words are emitted by a much calmer person with a gentle voice. The person steps out from behind the tall man, revealing herself to be a young woman with the same complexion as Hyato. For her lower half, she wears brown boots and white pants held by an old brown belt. Furthermore, she wears a beige top, a brown strap across her chest that holds her weapon of choice, a shortsword, and she also wears golden gauntlets on both hands. The young woman is significantly shorter than Hyato, and a few inches shorter than Link. She has the same dark blue eyes, though her hair is orange and trails down to her lower back, she bears a warm smile, and this alone eases the tension in the air between the group of ten armed villagers, Link, and Hyato
"Dad. You haven't figured it out?" She turns to Link, then points to her mouth and neck. "You cannot speak, right?"
(...F-Finally…) Link nods whilst pointing at his own neck
"Oh." Hyato sighs, facepalms, and shakes his head. "I should have picked up on that sooner. Someone get this masked man a pen and paper!"
"It's okay." She giggles whilst smacking her father's arm, then points at her own face while gesturing to the stranger in front of them. "Mister, can you remove the mask?"
Having nearly combated with a villager and showing he can be dangerous, the rest of the group laughs at the girl's request. But to their utter shock, Link nods and quickly remove the wooden mask with his left hand, revealing his cold and angry expression with furrowed brows
"You're not a man… you look about my daughter's age." Hyato mumbles. "Why hide under a mask?"
"He's still mute dad." The girl giggles
"S-Sorry."
Both he and his daughter laugh amongst each other, which draws in more of a crowd whose eyes are all on Link. It only takes a minute for a young man with a rifle to approach Link with a pen and paper
"Write your name, boy." Hyato mutters. "And since you are already writing, ask us any questions you want answered."
(...V-Very… well.) Link nods in agreement, then writes his name, two questions and walks up to the pair before handing the paper to the tanned redhead
"Oh for me? Sweet." She reads the paper, then looks back up at Link
"Well? What does it say?" Hyato asks
"Ahem!" The girl clears her throat before prominently shouting. "Listen up everybody! Our mystery man has a name, and it's Link! Let's show him what Kubota is about, by treating him with the utmost love and respect like he is one of our own."
The crowd murmurs and chatters among themselves, taking in the new information they just learned
"As for his questions." She smiles. "He asked for my name. Well Link, my name is Myeong, but you can call me May."
"How is he going to call you that?" Hyato covers his mouth, attempting to hide his laughter
"SHUT UP!" Myeong gasps. "I can't believe you got me, ugh!"
(...They… are both… f-funny…) Link does his best to lift the corners of his mouth, but sadly fails
"His other question is do we have and sell yellow dust?" The ginger young woman turns to her father
"It's called lightning dust and I'm afraid not, Link." Hyato frowns. "Since the events that transpired at Beacon Academy, getting our hands on dust has been near impossible. We are rationing what we have left, so even if you had all the lien in the world, our village needs the dust more."
(...I… u-understand...) Link nods
"And his last question is about your mayoral duties." Myeong says with a calm tone
"Well, think of it as more of a leadership role. I just didn't want people calling me leader or master, so I requested they call me mayor instead." The tall man chuckles. "Anything else, young man?"
Link shakes his head and points at the terrain behind the father and daughter, making his intention to leave clear. What is behind them is more forests behind the quaint village of Kubota. Immediately, Myeong shakes her head and looks at her father for assistance
"Look, aside from the menacing look and the mask, you seem like a strong kid with a good heart." Hyato smiles. "Why don't you stick around for a few days? You look like death."
"Yeah you should totally crash here, at least three days. If not a week. Or as long as you want." Myeong jumps for joy. "Pleaseee?"
However, Link almost instantaneously shakes his head as deep down, the last thing he needs is to settle down in another small village, given his previous experience
"Aw, come onnn. Do we need to bribe you or something?"
"Myeong!" Hyato narrows his eyes
"I'm being serious. Maybe there's something that can entice him to stay." Myeong turns to Link and smiles with flushed cheeks. "Free food? A place to stay? Maybe we can sharpen and hone your sword? New clothes? I see you have a bow and arrow. I fancy myself as a little bit of a weapons geek, maybe I can help you make some modifications?" Her eyes grow in size with each suggestion, a chipper and energetic nature beaming from the young woman. "If you're strong like my dad thinks you are based on that earlier scuffle, maybe you can help us deal with some White Fang issues."
"He doesn't have to help us with that!" The tall man shakes his head. "Quiet down Myeong."
(...W-White Fang?) Link tilts his head in confusion and intrigue
"Ooooh, he hates the White Fang too!" She smirks
"Who doesn't nowadays?" Hyato scoffs. "It's nothing personal against the faunus of course, but the organization is rotten. Their cause… what used to be a fight for equality, has turned into terrorism and violence."
"Plus, they keep harassing us for money, resources and land." Myeong rolls her eyes. "What do you say, Link? I know the first impression of our village wasn't great, but we'll be good hosts. I promise."
"..." Link turns to gauge what the rest of the villagers think, and it seems like a significant difference as most happily cheer, while others simply walk away. (...I… hope t-their… expectat-tions… a-aren't set… high… because o-of… one exchange…)
He then nods, agreeing to stay temporarily in Kubota, much to the delight of the ginger girl and her father, who gladly welcome him with open arms. Unable to speak, Link follows along with the father-daughter duo as they take him on an hour-long tour around the village. Along the way, Link is greeted by many of the people and introduced to others who are hesitant. Many, if not all of the villagers own animals as well, such as dogs, cats, chickens, and horses. Next, the blond is shown where every shop is, ranging from restaurants, clothing stores, a bar, blacksmith, and more. Along the way, he purchases a green cloak from the clothing store, to hide his clothes, weapons, and conceal his identity more efficiently. Last but not least, he is taken to the largest building in the village, Hyato and Myeong's home, but also the building known as 'town hall', seeing as the former is the village's mayor, and unsurprisingly they also own animals, a small stable's worth of horses in their 'backyard' that is gated with a wooden fence; some have saddles on them while others are bare
"Are you going to be okay with just him?" Hyato asks
"Yes dad, he seems like he has a good heart." Myeong smiles. "Just as you said earlier."
(...I'm standing… r-right here…) The blonde boy internally sighs
"Okay, you kids have fun with the horses. We'll be having dinner soon, I hope you're hungry."
With those polite words, Hyato departs, and as soon as Myeong and Link step into the backyard, the horses quickly sprint to them, with the familiar sight of the ginger girl being the main factor behind this
"Do you like horses?" Myeong asks
(...I have… never seen… a horse… b-but… in some… way I… feel like… I have… b-before…) Link nods, despite having never interacted or ridden one before
"Cool." She smiles whilst petting all of her beloved animals. "Mushroom stew and pork chops are likely what's for dinner. My dad cannot get enough of his pork chops, and me? I love any stew."
(...Mushroom stew?) He quietly exhales
Link's expression drops, the specific mention of mushroom stew brings back the warm memories he has of Garanda, when his first best friend, Ray, happily watched him devour a bowl of the stew made by her mother, Morgan…
"Hello?" Myeong's pouts. "L-Link?"
"...!" Link's eyes widen, he blinks, then turns to the girl, and shakes his head, informing her that she was not heard
"I said you have a friend." She giggles while nodding her head to one of the horses with a white mane that is staring at the blond with intrigue
(...Oh…) Link nods, attempts to smile at the gentle animal but when that does not work, he immediately raises his hand and pets the horse
"Her name is Eve." Myeong mumbles as she pets the other horses. "But now I'm kind of spooked to be honest with you. She normally only lets me caress her. No other villager, not even my dad can even extend their hand before Eve makes a run for it. You've been here for two seconds and she not only lets you pet her, but actually seems to like you."
(...I see… good h-horsie…)
To the delight of the ginger young woman, the corners of Link's mouth twitch, slightly perking, and although there is no smile, it indicates that he is happy
"Do you wanna ride with me?" She smiles. "We can start here in the backyard since you've never ridden before, but then we can go up and down the village."
(...Mhm…) Link nods, the horse that likes him conveniently already has a saddle on its back
"Sweet, let's do this!" Myeon quickly gets on a male horse with a swift jump and climb. "This is Toh, he actually happens to be Eve's older sibling."
(...W-Whoa… t-that… was fast…) Link's jaw drops as he attempts to figure out how to get on, he turns to his new friend for help. (...May?)
"Hehehe, I can't do everything for you." She giggles
Myeong then watches in amusement as it takes the blond swordsman nearly five minutes to figure out how to scale the average sized horse, but eventually Link struggles his way to a successful mount
"Finally! You took forever slowpoke." Myeong nods. "Follow me."
"SO! Do we have a deal?!"
Unfortunately… Before they can go horseback riding, the shout of a familiar voice to both Myeong and Link startles them both
(...I k-know… that voice… Adam!) He frowns
"Great… the White Fang is back already." Myeong sighs. "Our fun is gonna have to wait, but follow me anyway."
The daughter of the mayor leans forward, taps on the horse's body with her heels, and points forward. Instantly, the horse begins trotting in a circle to pick up speed before taking off!
(...Wow…) Link does the same, and the female horse quickly repeats the same actions
"HUP!" Myeong shouts, prompting her horse to jump over the wooden fence. "Crap, Link can't speak!"
Desperately, she turns around and attempts to shout at Eve, but finds herself gasping instead when Link and Eve are right behind her, not requiring a verbal command to make her jump
"Awww, I think she really likes him. Too bad he has to leave at some point…" She sighs. "Look at me… this guy hasn't even been here a day and I'm already 'missing' him."
They ride past the town hall building, head into the village and quickly find where the commotion is taking place, near the 'entrance' of the open village. Hyato, along with many of the villagers, are having a face off with Adam Taurus, a high ranking member of the White Fang, and four soldiers with rifles. Myeong bites her lip, anxious of the conversation in progress, and Link quickly puts on his mask, aware that his sighting would immediately start a fight
"We already told you loud and clear, NO!" Hyato crosses both arms and narrows his eyes. "You come into my village with a small fleet, armed like you own us. How dare you?!"
"And you're a fool for believing this is all I can bring." Adam smirks. "I have soldiers everywhere, but you don't know where they are, and with no walls to protect your village, who knows when we'll attack? It could be right now, tomorrow at dawn, at midnight, the choice is ours."
"Then why not attack already?" The tall man scoffs as he towers over Adam
Around this time, Myeong and Link arrive, quietly descend from their horses and move in between the crowd to get closer and closer to Hyato
"Because I'm making this simple for all of us." He shakes his head. "We can kill all of you with ease. I brought my brothers to protect you, not me. If I were to attack, they are here to try and restrain me."
"Right." Hyato rolls his eyes. "We're not giving up anything to you. Not even a loaf of bread."
"Then you're a dead man!" Adam chuckles. "You, your daughter, your darling wife who isn't here to protect you, all of your people, even my fellow faunus who I'm ashamed to call brothers and sisters because they are on the wrong side of history!"
"Shut up!" Lumi, the ambitious but delusional teenager draws his short sword and charges forward. "I'll show you who the dead man really is!"
"No son!" Haala sprints after her son in fear
"Damn it boy!" Hyato gasps
"Perfect! The blood shedding begins with this child!" Adam grabs the signature weapons on his left hip, 'Wilt and Blush', draws the red sword, and the present smile on his face morphs into an evil grin
Dash!
Moving faster than Lumi's mother Haala and the village's leader Hyato, Link quickly slides in front of Lumi with both arms extended, back turned to the White Fang members. He effectively separates the younger teenager from Adam with plenty of distance between them
"How did he move so fast?" Myeong initially gasps, but then squeals in excitement whilst noticing Link's boots glow with a faint golden color for a few seconds. "Is that… dust?"
"Good job, boy." Hyato nods at the blond, then grabs Lumi by his arm and drags the villager back to his mother
"Who the hell are you? I don't remember seeing you the last time I paid this dump a visit?"
Adam narrows his eyes, but does not recognize his enemy from the past because of the green cloak covering his head, upper body, and nearly both legs; the only piece of clothing Adam can see are brown boots
"...!" Link looks over his shoulder, anger quickly building up
"Hidden behind a cloak and masked? What are you? An assassin?" Adam tilts his head in confusion
Not being able to respond, Link makes the conscious decision to not turn around, as the front of his clothes could be revealed
"No. Assassins don't willingly protect pests, even with payment. I see…" He chuckles. "Did you hire a huntsman, foolish man?"
(...He thinks… I'm a… h-huntsman?... Idiot…)
"That's right!" Hyato shouts, playing along with Adam's confusion. "We figured you'd try and intimidate us with an army or at the very least, a militia. So I hired a huntsman from Mistral."
"What are you doing, dad?" Myeong's eyes widened in shock. "This could work and scare them off or end in disaster!"
"You just guaranteed your own death, stupid human!" Adam rolls his eyes under his mask. "But… this does not require my attention."
The commanding faunus turns to the soldier on his left, who is only an inch shorter than him, in general White Fang attire, his faunus features being a lion's ears, mane, and a tail
"Goban, I will leave this to you. You're in charge of taking over this village." Adam lowers his voice. "Tomorrow, you and hundreds of brothers will take this place by force. Do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, high leader!" Goban nods
(...Adam… is… high leader?... W-What about… Sienna?)
"We're leaving now." Adam snarks before turning around and storming away, his four soldiers following closely behind. "Congratulations on running your village into the ground, fool."
None of the Kubota villagers say a word as the five White Fang members leave. Link balls up his fists, furious for not attacking Adam, but knows deep down the safety of the villagers must come first
"Now then!" Haala, the frantic mother says as she drags her son by the arm and marches him to Link. "What do you say, Lumi?"
"Mother, do I have to?" Lumi sighs
"Yes. He could've hurt you after that reckless attack of yours earlier. And he just saved you from certain death."
"O-Okay, that's fair." The teenager who looks no older than fifteen years old lets out another sigh before locating Link's eyes and smiling. "I'm sorry. For attacking you earlier, we've had some issues with strangers causing us harm. And thank you for saving me."
Link removes his mask, slots it under his belt, and extends his left hand, his way of making a peace offering
"Awww." Myeong giggles
"Thanks for the second chance." Lumi quickly shakes his hand
"What do we do now?" A villager turns to Hyato for guidance. "You heard him? They seem like they could attack us at any moment. We should act first, no?"
"Correct." Hyato nods. "Everyone listen up and if someone isn't present, spread the word. Stay on guard. That man is right, he could have people anywhere and since our village is open, we cannot possibly watch every inch of our village. Additionally, I need a volunteer to follow those White Fang members. If they are close, find out where and how close they are to the village."
"I volunteer, sir!"
These words come from a tall young man who steps forward out of the crowd. He has long blonde hair, a slim build, and carries a long metal hammer with a spiked top
"Kikou, yes. You are the perfect person to spy on anyone, you've always been our fastest warrior." Hyato nods. "Follow them and be careful."
"Yes sir!"
Kikou returns the nod before he slowly exits the village, allowing the White Fang members to gain some distance, while making sure they he does not lose sight of them
"Everyone else returns to your previous activities." Hyato nods. "When Kikou returns I will figure out what is next."
And with only his words to go by, the villagers surprisingly accept them as all of them return home or what they were previously doing. This does not include Link and Myeong however, due to the tanned girl shaking her head and deciding that she, along with her new friend, are still going horseback riding around the village. Myeong, on top of Toh, leads the way while Link, who rides Eve, is right behind them. Forty-five minutes pass, and after covering the entirety of the village, Myeong leads Link to the blacksmith of the town. Both teenagers calmly dismount their horses and walk to the entrance
"This can be our last stop before we head home. The owner is really nice." Myeong nods as she and her friend enter the shop. "His name is-!"
"Myeong! What brings you here?" The man behind the counter delightfully smiles. "Is that a friend?"
"Duhhh! I thought the whole village witnessed him entering or confronting the White Fang with my dad." Myeong giggles. "But since you never get sunlight, here goes nothin! Uncle Cyrus… without further ado, this is Link. He's a ummm, temporary guest? Anyway, we'll figure that part out later. My father and I also have a feeling he's an amazing fighter."
(...Uncle?) Link raises an eyebrow in confusion
"Is that so? Better than your mother?" Cyrus crosses his arms, curious
"Hmmm, that's to be determined." She flushes in embarrassment. "I haven't seen Link in a real fight, but he can definitely look after himself."
"And I'm just messing with you." Cyrus laughs. "I saw the White Fang coming in here not too long ago. This Link kid saved that idiot Lumi from getting butchered."
"HEY!"
Unbeknownst to Link and Myeong, the aforementioned Lumi is in the shop as well, getting his sword sharpened by an employee in the shop
"O-Oh, sorry Lumi!" She giggles
"Yeah yeah… I know I'm dumb." Lumi shrugs
"No you're not, just a little hotheaded is all." Myeong leans closer to Link, carefully lowering her voice to a whisper. "Also, Cyrus is not actually my uncle, but he's close to my family and has known me since I was a baby… so he's practically my uncle."
(...how… sweet…) Link internally chuckles
"Anyway, the blond saved the idiot." Cyrus nods as he turns his attention to the visitor. "Jokes aside, your speed was impressive."
(...t-thank… you…) Link gracefully returns the nod
"He sure did." Myeong's eyes widen in fear while she slowly nods. "So why did you just pretend not to know Link?"
"You want my real answer?" The blacksmith's laugh fades but a smile remains present. "To mess with you."
"Ugh! You suck!" She rolls her eyes
"And I love you too, kid." Cyrus chuckles. "What can I do for you?"
"Nothing really, I'm just showing Link around the village." Myeong speaks with a chipper tone. "He might leave soon but you know, may as well give him a reason to come back one day, right?"
"I can get down with that." He nods. "Hey… do you really think the White Fang is going to attack us?"
Myeong audibly gasps at the question
"Should we really be discussing that right now?" She shakes her head
"Don't tell me you're scared?" Cyrus raises his eyebrows in shock. "You're the daughter of Hyato and-!"
"Yes, you've told me before, my mom and dad are the two toughest people you've ever met." Myeong sighs. "I just don't want to discuss the possibility of a battle that may or may not be the end of our village when I'm trying to show Link a good time."
"Please." Lumi interjects as he slowly swings his sword to practice. "The new guy has clearly been in many fights. If he can shut me down with ease and move as fast as he did, some White Fang freaks are probably nothing to him."
"Lumi!" Cyrus shakes his head. "Be careful who you call freaks!"
"B-But!" The boy gasps, understanding his error. "I only meant the White Fang as in the organization, not every faunus-!"
"Yes, I understand what you mean." Cyrus nods. "However, others may not, so be very clear when you call someone a freak."
"Sorry. In my head, the White Fang is separate from the faunus as a whole but…" Lumi sighs. "I get it, thanks."
"No problem."
"Hey!" Lumi turns towards Myeong and Link. "Now that you're here."
He approaches the two of them, sword in hand. Link narrows his eyes and slides his right arm protectively in front of Myeong out of sheer instinct
"Whoa whoa! I am not gonna fight or harm anybody." Lumi gasps and quickly shakes his head. "I need some advice, that's all."
"It's okay Link." Myeong whispers. "Lumi is just ambitious, trust me. We've sparred many times and he's never beaten me."
"Hey!" Lumi blushes
"Hehe, sorry." Myeong smiles. "What's up?"
"Well…" He turns to Link specifically. "What can I do to get better?"
(...h-he's asking… m-me?) Link turns to the tanned girl in disbelief
"Wellll, he's waiting." Myeong grins. "But just to make things clear, Lumi. Our guest and new friend here cannot speak."
"O-Oh, sorry." Lumi bows his head in shame. "Maybe he can point me in the right direction then?"
"I don't see why not, c'mon Link." Myeong nudges his arm. "Aside from being reckless and charging at every opponent in front of him, what can Lumi do to get stronger?"
"Hey! I do not just run at every opponent."
"Wrong!" Cyrus bursts into laughter. "Your own mother criticizes you for that."
"...Oh…" Lumi slowly lifts his head, though his eyes remain on the floor. "Maybe I do have a lot of work to do."
Tap! Tap!
Suddenly, a sharp metal roughly pokes the boy's arm. He flinches and looks up and to his relief it is not a sharp object piercing him, but Link's shield instead. The mute blond nods, draws his sword, points to his shield and then begins emulating his fighting style from Beacon Academy as he leans his body forward but moves his feet backwards. In the span of a few seconds, Link shows Lumi the way he moves side to side, sliding backward, feinting forward to draw an attack only to pull back and counter with a swing. Then, to really complete the brief demonstration, Link shows off his evasive techniques such as slipping attacks with agility, rolling backward and to the side, a single backflip, and of course, his mid air spins and rolls. In the end, Link hardly breaks a sweat despite moving a lot and in a confined space. The blond puts away his weapons, then glances at Myeong, expecting her to know what to say
"Did you understand, Lumi?" She asks. "Or do I need to explain it to you."
"I think I understand. Yeahhh, okay!" Lumi nods. "The new guy is saying I should invest in getting a shield and rather than aggressively attack, I should fight more defensively."
"Annnd to be smart. Myeong smiles. "Straight forward aggression with a shortsword and your build is never going to work. Get yourself a shield, let the opponent come to you, make them miss, and the second they make a mistake… bang!"
"I see." Lumi turns to Cyrus. "Give me the best shield you have available, money is not an issue!"
"You got it. I'll do you one better, I can make a new shield that beats everything I currently have." Cyrus nods. "Come back tomorrow to pick up. Is that okay?"
"Sure!" Lumi nods, "Thanks! I should get going now before my mother gets worried, thank you again." He turns to Link and Myeong. "All of you. It really means a lot. I'm going to get my shield tomorrow and train my butt off!"
"Right on! Train hard, Lumi!" Myeong nods in excitement
She, along with Link and Cyrus, watch the cheerful teenager run out of the shop and sprint home. As soon as the door closes, the latter of the three clears his throat
"So… where did you learn to fight?" Cyrus asks
"Cyrus! Let's not interrogate him?" Myeong places both hands on her hips, tilting her head in annoyance
"What? He's helping our people when he doesn't even know us. He's a good kid that'll more than likely answer anything we ask." The blacksmith smiles at Link. "Maybe you already knew how to fight? That or you're self-taught."
(...S-Something like… that…) Link nods, in spite of being given two options
"Fine, but maybe don't ask so many questions." Myeong rolls her eyes. "Ask one."
"Okay." Cyrus nods. "You didn't specify so I will ask a layered question."
"Asshole!" She sighs, laughing as she has been outsmarted
"Did you go to an Academy?" He asks
Link calmly nods, maintaining eye contact with the village's blacksmith
"Very well." Cyrus rubs his chin. "Ah screw the primary academies, you probably went to one of the big name schools, didn't you?"
Another nod is drawn from the mute blond
"You don't look like a rich snob so we can rule out Atlas Academy. If you went to Haven you wouldn't be here right now… Did you attend Shade Academy?"
(...almost… had… i-it…) Link shakes his head
"Dang it, you're a Beacon brat!" Cyrus groans. "I thought I was going to get it right."
"It's okay, you narrowed it down pretty well and had a fifty-fifty chance." Myeong nods. "But wow… Beacon Academy huh? What are you doing all the way out here?"
"Miss Myeong… didn't you hear?"
"Hear what?" She raises an eyebrow. "I know they were in a big battle right? But that wouldn't explain Link's presence, school should be out of session by now."
"Oh… I thought your mother would have told you considering she got the information but…" Cyrus sighs. "Beacon lost the battle, the school is no more."
"NO WAY!" Myeong gasps, then turns to Link. "I'm so sorry."
(...It is… o-okay…)
"Everything's gonna be okay. Those Beacon kids put up a great fight for inexperienced students who didn't see it coming." Cyrus nods. "And they're all going to do great things, whether Beacon is rebuilt soon or not."
"That's a… nice and positive way to think about it." The panic stricken girl slowly exhales to calm her breathing
(...Indeed…) Link nods again
"Anywayyy, this has been nice." Myeong smiles. "I showed Link all around the village, but some places got more attention than others, like this one."
"Really? A blacksmith shop? Why?" Cyrus grins
"Isn't it obvious? I respect you and you're really nice, duh!" She rapidly wags her head. "You know I love you like family. Why do you have to make me say it?"
"Because it's funny and it never gets old either." The blacksmith chuckles. "Your old man and I got back a long time and I'm glad his daughter is just as cool."
"Thank you, but I'm actually cooler than my dad if you didn't know." Myeong winks. "Cya tomorrow Cyrus!"
"Have a nice rest of your day, May!" Cyrus waves. "You too Link, enjoy your stay here in Kubota, for as long as you want."
Myeong and Link both wave as they depart the village's Blacksmith shop, and with another quick ride on Eve and Toh, the pair return the respective horses they are riding to the backyard of Myeong's family home, which is also known as the village's town hall, before entering the former's home. Once inside, Link is given a quick tour by his new friend, culminating with him getting his own room, a small guest room with a bed, mirror, and nightstand, but a room nonetheless. Twenty minutes later, after being given time to settle down and relax, Link joins Myeong, Hyato, four male villagers, one female villager, and the four maids who each respectively cook and clean for the town hall building
"How's the food, dear?" Hyato turns to her daughter
"Delicious." Myeong nods, glances at the villagers, maids, then to Link, and an idea pops in her head, "Oops! I just realized you're all not familiar with one another. And since you're all somewhat familiar with Link…" Her eyes remain on the blond boy's. "Link, allow me to introduce you to these lovely people eating with us."
She clears her throat, extends her arm, and starts her introductions by waving her hand imposingly over the five villagers who are dinner guests
"My fellow villagers sitting with us are Alon, Kuro, Stephen, Falk and Zora." Myeong smiles. "They are… basically what you could call our village's council."
While introducing them, Myeong points out that the four men and one woman all happen to be faunus. In respective order, bull horns, deer antlers, fox ears, badger claws, and a jaguar tail are visible on each of the individuals sat at the table
"How many times have I told you…?" Hyato sighs. "There is no council-!"
"CONTRARY TO WHAT MY DAD SAYS!" She quickly cuts him off. "We do kinda have a council that makes decisions for the village, it isn't only my dad. And believe me when I say that it helps, running an entire village alone sounds like too much work."
The five faunus smile, wave, and politely greet Link with small hello's and hi's. The latter simply nods in return to each greeting
"And these incredible women…" Myeong nods at the maids sitting at the grand table with them. "...Are Xia, Aster, Val, and Cheree, each of them basically can do it all. Their cooking is the best in the world, they can clean the whole place in a second. They do repairs and maintenance, you name it and they can do it. We would be doomed without them."
"Please, you're far too kind, Miss Myeong." Val giggle as she drinks wine out of a glass
"Nah, more like not kind enough." The ginger girl smiles brightly. "They live here with my dad and I, and we pay them very well too."
"Too much even." Aster chimes in
"Nonsense." Hyato shakes his head. "The lien you receive is well earned, trust me."
"Thank you." She smiles. "Your family is so kind and generous to us."
Link emits a quiet gasp and quickly scribbles on a piece of paper, then slides it Myeong for her to answer loud or privately
"Yes?" She leans to her left and immediately lights up. "That's right, the creepy White Fang mentioned mom. Can I tell Link about her, dad?"
"Of course. It's the least I can do after using the young man to intimidate those men." Hyato nods. "My apologies, Link. I assumed if I mentioned a huntsman or huntress, those savages of the White Fang would back off."
"And it did work, there is no shame in that." Zora, a 'councilwoman' says with a chipper tone. "Excellent work Mayor Hyato."
"While that may be true, I still feel guilty. If it didn't work, it would've put Link in a fight he did not need to be in." Hyato sighs. "My wife's name is Kota, she is a professional huntress, licensed, graduated from Haven Academy and everything. Right now she is on her way to Mistral to get us more dust."
"..." Link nods
Satisfied by the answer, he retracts the paper to write once more, then presents it to Myeong again
"What other question does he have now?" Stephen asks as he finishes his bowl of stew. "We're an open book."
"No question." Myeong gushes in happiness. "Link just says that if the White Fang attacks, he will fight with no and do what it takes to defeat them."
"Wow…" Falk's jaw drops. "Are you being serious?"
(...O-Of course… w-why would… I lie?) Link nods again
"Well if we only have you for a limited amount of time like Hyato says, hopefully they attack soon." Alon chuckles
"More like let's hope they don't attack at all so that way Link's help will not even be needed." Hyato sighs. "I do not want any of us to get involved in a fight we can avoid."
"But dad… you heard them." Myeong sighs. "The White Fang really wants to take our village and likely turn it into a base of operations or a camp for their own soldiers."
"I won't let that happen, none of us will." The tall man nods, a look of determination prominent in his eyes. "Thank you, Link. You do not have to do anything, you're a guest in our village, but it means a lot to me that you would do that. Can I make one request?"
(...Of course…) The blond boy listens carefully
"If we do get in a fight, make sure my daughter is safe. Protect her with your life." Hyato chuckles. "Kota and Myeong mean everything to me. I prioritize my girl's lives before my own."
"D-Dad…" Myeong playfully rolls her eyes
(...Y-Yes… I will…) Link turns Myeong and looks her in the eyes as he definitively nods
"Thanks." She smiles
Despite Link's silence, the rest of dinner flows smoothly, with everyone else conversing amongst themselves, then out loud, the main topic to nobody's surprise being the White Fang confrontation. In the middle of that discussion, Link's heroic actions are mentioned by Myeong and praised by everyone sitting at the table. Soon enough, the small group finishes their meals and the invited guests depart. Alon, Kuro, Stephen, Falk and Zora leave. Xia and Aster clean the table, while Val, and Cheree go elsewhere. Hyato and Meyong remain at the table, waiting for their scout Kikou to return. As for Link, he politely nods at the father and daughter before he leaves for the room given to him. Inside, he quickly makes himself comfortable in his own way, which is to simply take off his sword, shield, bow, arrows, brown pouch, and boots. Next, Link's sit on his bed, closes his eyes, and faces the ceiling. That is until he cannot feel himself able to move, indicating something is about to happen
(...N-NO!...) Link's eyes shoot open. (...S-STOP! AHHH!)
Unfortunately, it is far too late to prevent anything as his body is completely paralyzed and the world around him begins to wash away as if it were a dream. What comes next is a sad, twisted, and dark vision. It is the same vision he has seen thousands of times with Pyrrha and Cinder at the top of Beacon Tower. Or in other words, nothing short of a nightmare…
…
The Following Day
Link opens his eyes approximately three or four hours after dawn, but not because the young man managed to sleep through the night. Instead, it is due to the fact the dark visions finally ended. Link then finds himself lying in bed, contrary to when he was sitting in bed
Knock! Knock! Knock!
"Are you awake, Link?" Myeong mumbles
Link turns to his right and opens his mouth to say 'yes', but no sound is made. Annoyed, he sits up and slides to the edge 'his' bed
Creeeeaaak!
Myeong opens the door and immediately bursts into laughter when spotting Link
"I'm so sorry. I knocked and called for you… as if you could answer." She blushes in embarrassment. "But I'm glad you're awake. Kikou reported back to my father, there is a small camp of White Fang soldiers a fair distance from the village. The fella with the red hair, mask over his eyes, and red sword is gone, looks like he really handed the reins to someone else."
(...What a… s-shame…) Link closes his eyes in anger, but nods to give her a response
"Some of my people are setting up our own camp nearby, not far from the village, but close to the White Fang camp. Think of it as a fort of some sort, we have barriers, sandbags, fences, weapons. Would that technically be a fort or a camp? Who knows..." Myeong nods, "Is it a bit much? Maybe, but we have to be ready for the worst. They just started setting up about twenty minutes ago." She gasps in excitement. "Oh hey! Check this out!"
The tanned skin ginger girl then pulls out a metal baton from her left pocket and hands it to Link, who raises an eyebrow in confusion. He looks at the baton, the metal and color look familiar, as does one of the two buttons on it
"Cmonnn! Press it already!"
Link nods, clicks on the unfamiliar button… And in a matter of seconds, the baton transforms into his familiar steel bow, signifying that it has been modified yet again. First by Ruby all the way back at Beacon Academy, and now by Myeong here in Kubota
(...W-Wow… Now I… do not… h-have to… carry it… on my… back…)
"Do you like it? My dad and I worked on it." She smiles brightly. "We took a look at all your weapons and Link… your sword and shield? Wowww we have never seen weapons so perfectly forged and the strength of them both as well? I was blown away."
(...Normally… I would… dislike… the idea… o-of… y-you… taking my… weapons but…) Link raises his left hand and gives Myeong a big thumbs up, knowing he cannot smile. (...T-Thank you… May…)
"I knew you'd like it!" Myeong happily claps. "We also made you something too."
Myeong reaches into her right pocket and retrieves six small items, one of them is a familiar weapon to Link as it is one of his throwing knives he obtained while part of the Black Hawks. The other five have the same design, shape, and length as his throwing knives, but they glow bright yellow
(...W-What is… t-this?...)
"I know you're probably wondering what these are." She giggles tremendously. "Rather than just using our dust the way the rest of the world does, we also like to make dust into complete weapons. And that's what we did here. You use lightning dust when fighting… correct?"
Link's eyes widen in shock, as not many people have pointed out the dust embedded in his clothes. Impressed and surprised, he nods at the friendly Myeong
"Sweeet!" Myeong happily nods. "I knew it. Yeah so here you go. We are low on dust, but you are our special guest. My dad and I decided you deserved something from us."
Myeong eagerly returns the physical steel throwing knife and hands over the dust knives to Link, who nods to show his gratitude
(...Thank you… May…)
"And hey… Cheree also stopped by, noticed you sleeping while sitting, so she helped get you settled in bed. Is that okay?"
(...Mhm…) The blond boy nods, feeling no need to correct her about the fact that he was not sleeping
"She said you were having a nightmare and were shaking a lot. Is that true?"
"..." Link sighs and reluctantly nods
"Aw, I'm sorry."
Myeong closes the distance between them, wraps both arms around Link, and gently hugs the blond, who appears sad to her but in reality, is cold and numb to seemingly everything. However, this hug from what is practically a stranger makes him feel warm and slightly happy, something he has not felt in a long time. With the change in energy, Link does not wrap an arm around the young woman, but does lean into the hug, and the two new friends remain this way a minute straight… Soon turning into multiple minutes as time carries on…
Knock! Knock! BANG!
Until their moment of peace and tranquility is interrupted by two knocks and a bang. Xia, one of the maids, quickly rushes inside the guest room!
"Miss Myeong! Mister Link! There's an emergency and your father sent a message for both of you!"
"You don't have to say miss when you address me, Xia." Myeon quickly breaks off from the hug to turn and face the woman. "What's the matter?"
"It's happening, the White Fang is attempting a siege! Your father says they greatly outnumber us!"
"What?!" Myeong gasps and feels her back to make sure her shortsword is there. "Who's all there?"
"Everyone who is fighting." Xia gulps in fear. "I-It's not looking good."
Myeong silently turns to Link with tears forming in her eyes, but out of sheer anger and not sadness
"Will you come with me to fight for my village?"
(...I will…) Link nods, puts on his boots, rises to his feet and rapidly puts on all his gear
"Good, you two better get going, horses are ready for you to take and get there as soon as possible!" Xia nods
"Thank you, Xia. Take care of our home." Myeong smiles. "If I don't come back, you can have all my belongings."
"Don't speak like that!" The maid gasps and immediately slaps the dramatic girl on the shoulder
"I'm just kidding!" Myeong winks. "See you soon. Come on Link!"
Without another word, both she and Link sprint out of the town hall building that is also the house of Hyato, Kota, and Myeong. Conveniently, the same horses as last night, Toh and Eve, are saddled and ready for the two teenagers to ride them. Myeong gets on Toh with ease, and Link does not face the same struggles as he runs and leaps to get on the horse in his own way. Myeong commands her horse to run to the selected battlefield, Link follows closely behind as his horse follows the one ahead of them
…
Ten minutes later… Myeong and Link arrive at the battlefield, where the terrain is mostly flat with some massive boulders scattered throughout the lands, and an elevation towards the White Fang's side. The base of Kubota is sloppily built where a forest ends. Ahead of them is all the flat land that eventually elevates. Link and Myeong get off their horses, who both trot away to the area with other horses. The sight is not pretty, hundreds of White Fang soldiers are lined up like a firing squad in a long vertical line, covering all the possible space, ensuring there is no sneak attack possible. Behind one row of soldiers with guns is yet another row of soldiers with guns, lined up the exact same way. A third row is behind them, and lastly there is Goban, the lion faunus that Adam put in charge of conquering Kubota
"Oh no…" Myeong nervous exhales
She looks around, and her village's forces are indeed outnumbered and the fight has already commenced as multiple White Fang soldiers are reloading their guns, while several men on the side of Kubota are dragging others off the battlefield and deep into their camp. Myeong spots her father giving commands to retreat whilst frantically flexing his arm, visually signaling those who can see him to fall back
"It can't be." Myeong gasps and turns to what she thinks is a nearby soldier, but actually happens to be someone even more special to her. "Cyrus! W-We… l-lost?"
"No, but your father ordered us to retreat and return to the village." Cyrus dejectedly speaks. "He said the White Fang caught on to our attempt at staying two steps ahead and attacked now, long before we were ready."
"What is our plan when we return to the village?" She asks
"Kubota is our territory, we know all the ins and outs, we can defend and fight better there." He nods
"Understood. Hear that Link?" Myeong turns around, expecting the blond boy to be directly behind her, only to be completely gone. "LINK! Where did you go?!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! CRACK! CRACK! POP!
The gunfire from the White Fang soldiers sends the forces of Kubota into an even faster retreat, and spooks the horses to the point where most of them scatter. Link, unfazed by the shots or the plan to retreat, is not satisfied by this decision and moves towards the fight. Knowing the outnumbered and dejected forces of Kubota need a spark, kick on the behind, or any sort of motivation, he marches forward and away from Myeong and Cyrus. Instead, Link heads straight for the battlefield as every soldier around him jogs or runs in the opposite direction
"New guy! The orders are to retreat, don't bother." Kikou, the tall man who scouted and followed the White Fang back to their camp, places a hand on Link's chest. "Follow us, we know the way back."
(...No!...) Link aggressively pushes the young man's hand away and marches forward
Five more soldiers attempt to stop Link in his tracks, but he shrugs off hands and pushes through the people stopping him. The blond swordsman considers removing the cloak off his back, but ultimately does not, he notices soldiers attempting to pull Eve away, and knows what he must do next; especially with this small time window as all the White Fang soldiers reload their guns. Link promptly runs with a quick burst of speed, leaps, lands on Eve, then lightly kicks her body with his heels while leaning forward. The female horse rises on its hindlegs, letting out a loud 'NEIGH!' and sprints forward!
"LINK!" Myeong gasps
"What is he doing?!" Cyrus shouts with all his might. "KID!"
Eve, the majestic mare, leaps over a wooden barricade with Link, the mute hero on her back, they ride fearlessly at the White Fang soldiers attempting to invade and take over Kubota
(...t-they're… a-about to… s-shoot!...) Link clenches his jaw as he attempts to guide Eve behind one of the boulders with a body lean and kick with only his right foot
The valiant horse continues sprinting forward, but sensing Link's physical commands, Eve changes course and takes cover behind a giant boulder. Link grips the reins of his horse and promptly dismounts it as the command for the White Fang soldiers to fire loudly echoes through the open area
(...need… to give… Eve… the c-chance… to escape…)
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! CRACK! CRACK! POP!
(...NOW!...)
Aware of how little time he has, Link opens his right hand and slaps one of Eve's hind legs! The horse emits another loud 'NEIGH!' before she runs out of cover from behind the boulder and to the right, sprinting east and slowly circling back to the Kubota troops. Meanwhile, Link exits his cover to the left, his clothes and weapons glowing with a golden-yellow color, and sprints directly at the soldiers, who frantically reload as they all foolishly fire their guns and empty their magazines at the same time
"Hurry up and fire!" Goban, the soldier left in command of the invasion, calls out. "He's getting closer!"
Link reaches into his pouch and retrieves one of the dust knives that were just given to him by Myeong and her father, Hyato. With one more burst of speed, followed by another leap, Link jumps over the first row of White Fang soldiers, draws back his left arm, and launches the knife at Goban!
Stab!
While the blond swordsman lands in between first and second row of faunus soldiers, the commanding officer falls to the ground when the dust knife lodges deep into his chest on the right pectoral, and sends electricity jolting all over his body, making the lion faunus spaz and shake as if he were experiencing a seizure
"GET THE HUNTSMAN!"
(...I am… n-not… a huntsman!...)
Link draws his sword and shield as multiple soldiers charge him head on, attempting to use their guns as melee weapons, but the former makes quick work with multiple spinning slashes, blocking with his shield, and dodging with rolls and spins. Meanwhile, other soldiers aim but hesitate to fire away as Link effortlessly moves around, dodges, blocks, attacks, incapacitates, and even kills with straightforward sword jabs through the chest for quick deaths. Every time he moves, the blonde happens to be behind a soldier, and those around do not want to shoot and potentially kill their own White Fang brothers. The sequence occurs and continues with many soldiers the exact same way: a small mob of White Fang soldiers close in on Link, attempting to attack him head on, while others keep their distance and try shooting from afar, but they do not achieve any success
(...I will… fight… all of you… if needed!...)
Slice! Slice! Block! Slash!
Maintaining the same pace, Link continues dealing with the White Fang soldiers within close distance, blocking shots with his shield, using other soldiers as shields when multiple soldiers shoot in his direction, then slashing, and slicing those who dare to face him directly with melee attacks. Link then gasps as he takes out soldiers too quickly, giving surrounding White Fang soldiers a chance to get a clean shot on him. Link makes a brutal but necessary decision, as he roughly grabs a wounded faunus and holds the male in front of him as the surrounding soldiers finish reloading
"D-Don't shoot brothers! He's using me-!"
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
Multiple shots strike the helpless faunus, who dies instantly. Link pushes the dead male to the ground, and to his surprise, a deer faunus soldier manages to get close to him… Only for the blond swordsman to quickly turn around, drop his shield, place one hand on the trigger of the gun, while the other hand slots under the barrel, then pushes it upwards! A quick struggles ensues for the gun, with sheer strength used by both faunus and former student, but Link prevails when he completely pushes the rifle until the barrel is now pointing at the head of the deer faunus
"N-No!" The soldier gasps. "P-Please don't shoot-!"
Bang!
Link pulls the trigger and the deer faunus meets a horrible end. No emotion is present on Link's face as he picks up his shield, understanding that if the roles were reversed, the soldier would have killed him without hesitation. In the span of a few minutes, dozens of White Fang soldiers are on the ground, some unconscious, others dead, and the lone attacker representing Kubota is completely unharmed. As for the Kubota forces, every single man, woman, teenager, child, and faunus from the village watch in awe, even those who were injured from the earlier ambush
"Sir!" Zora, the jaguar faunus, speaks to the village's leader. "What should we do?"
"...I gave the command to retreat." Hyato narrows his eyes
But as he watches Link fight like a fearless warrior would, the corners of the tall man's mouth rise in amusement
"Screw that command." He nods and inhales deeply, preparing to shout. "EVERYBODY!"
Every soldier who was previously enamoured by the display of braveness and skill by Link suddenly turn their heads to face Hyato
"CHARRRRRGE!"
Most, if not everyone, let out roars and cheers as they pick up their weapons and charge forward. Some soldiers with long ranged weapons stay behind to exchange gunfire with the White Fang, a handful of women and faunus tend to the injured, but a majority of the villagers rush forward to assist Link. Within thirty seconds, the forces of Kubota are on the side of the White Fang, and every villager finds a soldier to engage with in combat!
(...it worked… good!...) Link looks over his shoulder, notices the support coming his way, and nods
Link pushes forward and past the second row of White Fang soldiers, leaving dozens of bodies on the ground behind him. There is only a small third row of soldiers in between himself and Goban, the incapacitated commanding soldier
"Go get that bastard! We can take care of these scum!"
Myeong shouts whilst riding on her stallion, Toh, and wiping out a soldier with a swing of her shortsword while mounted! Behind her is her father, Hyato, who disposes of soldiers with his bare fists, steel toed boots, and massive size advantage.
(...May… Hyato… Okay!...) Link nods again and advances
Trailing closely behind the father-daughter duo are the rest of the villagers, some fighters, other civilians, but they all slowly overpower and begin defeating the White Fang soldiers despite the impossible odds they faced moments ago. Link easily walks through the last line of defense as the third row White Fang soldiers are occupied fighting villagers with swords, guns, machetes, knives, metal staffs, clubs, and other weapons of their choice. With no sense of urgency, Link puts away his shield and slowly marches towards Goban, sword in hand. The weakened lion faunus groans in pain as the electricity comes to an end and the dust knife shatters into many pieces. Goban attempts to retreat by sliding away, but his lip quivers and body shakes in fear as the silent teenager gets closer and closer. Goban aims his rifle but can barely hold it with one hand, before it is promptly kicked away by Link!
"W-Wait! Let's be reasonable! How much are they paying you?!" He pleads. "Brother Adam will double it and give you a high position in our organization… even if you're a human."
(...Paying me?...) Link scoffs internally, then stands over the assigned White Fang commander, raises his right hand to grip and pull the hood off his head, revealing his identity. (...Do you… r-remember me?!...)
"No way! It's you! You're that mercenary scum!" Goban's eyes shoot wide open as he looks around for help, but his forces dwindle and soon enough, it is only tens of White Fang soldiers against hundreds of Kubota villagers. "Your name was Link… You're supposed to be dead! What the hell are you doing here?!"
(...Dead?... Hmph!... Far f-from… it!...)
Link shakes his head at the shocked White Fang commander, then marks the lion faunus' heart with the tip of his sword. The mute young man raises his blade, holding it as high as he can with both hands, and stares at the faunus with his cold dark blue eyes
"NO! STOP IT! STOP-!"
Stab!
The sword is brought down with tremendous speed and brutally plunges into the chest of Goban, the lion faunus meant to lead his brothers and sisters, and take over Kubota for what should have been an easy task
(...T-This… s-should've been… you… Adam!...)
Link frowns at the missed opportunity, but makes sure the person partially responsible for the attack is dead before pulling out his sword. As a result of taking out the leader of the invading White Fang faunus, the rest of the soldiers who remain standing drop their weapons and surrender, admitting defeat. Many defending villagers force the White Fang soldiers down to their knees until a decision is made, while others drop their weapons, soak in the victory, and happily celebrate
"We have WON! Good job, all of you brave men, women, and children!" Hyato exclaims, and his loud voice draws plenty of cheers from the villagers
"Much appreciated, Mayor!" Cyrus winks whilst slotting two swords inside the scabbards on his back
"Thank you sir!" Lumi, the brash teenager, emerges from the battling with only a bloodied mouth as he stands over two White Fang soldiers
"Hopefully that means no more White Fang scum!" Alon pumps a closed fist in the air, elated by the victory
The only person not joining in the celebrations is Link, but he nods in approval as his way of expressing happiness
"WE DID IIITTT!" Myeong sprints and jumps on Link's back, wrapping her arms and legs around his chest and waist. "Or should we say you did it? Because wow, you were spectacular!"
(...T-Thank you…) Link bends his knees to properly carry the happy young woman, but shakes his head, refusing to take any credit
"Oh come on, don't be so modest!" She giggles. "You must have taken out like half of their army?"
(...N-No!...) Link continues wagging his head in disapproval
"Fine then! You want me to be mean?!" Myeong frowns and teasingly pulls on the blond's ear. "Are you crazy?! Taking on an entire army by yourself?! Who told you to be a hero with a deathwish?!"
(...Let's g-go… back to… the praise!...) Link rolls his eyes and gently pats her legs
"I'm just kidding but seriously, thank you Link. You did not have to do… anything really." The tanned girl sighs. "Most people would have taken advantage of our hospitality and made a run for it as soon as possible." She giggles. "Not you though. You stayed, fought, and were the main catalyst for Kubota's victory."
Myeong's words are powerful and directly touch the cold heart of Link, as the corners of his mouth twitch, desperate to smile. Ultimately, no smile forms, but the attempt is seen by Myeong, who squeals in excitement
"Hey Link?" She asks
"...?" Link turns, glancing over his shoulder
"Everything is going to get better. I don't know why you can't speak, but I know you won't be like this forever." Myeong smiles. "I have a good feeling about it."
Link nods, then both of his eyes widen as he feels constricted from Myeong's hug and weight. The two strangers, now friends, soon return to the rest of the villagers who immediately shower and overwhelm Link with praise for his heroic initiative to recklessly charge into battle in spite of the odds. The outnumbered forces miraculously suffer no casualties, and after plenty of celebration, Hyato allowing the remaining White Fang soldiers to walk away with no punishment, and aiding the wounded, it is time to return back. The citizens of Kubota, along with Link, return to the little village after a hard fought battle and spend the rest of the day celebrating, with many honoring and thanking the new guest of the village…
…
The next morning, on the day after the battle between Kubota and the White Fang, Link finds himself on the same spot where he was two days prior: About to quickly pass through the village, and where he first met Hyato and several other villagers, then Myeong, and so on. Similarly to when he first entered the village, a masked Link stands across from Hyato, his daughter, and the rest of the village, who gather around to say their goodbyes to the lone hero
"I guess this is it, huh Link?" Myeong dramatically sighs, expressing her disappointment as she rides on the back of Eve. "Must you leave so sooon?"
(...Unfortunately… y-yes… o-others need… me…) Link nods
"Don't be selfish, dear." Hyato chuckles, while he rides on Toh, his daughter's favorite horse. "The boy was initially only passing by and now he stayed for two days. Plus, the way he defended our village, he can do whatever he wants." He turns to face Link. "We are forever in your debt."
(...No no… I m-merely… h-helped…) Link first shakes before bowing his head
"Still being humble I see." Myeong giggles. "Beacon must have been one heck of a school for you to wipe out all those soldiers without breaking a sweat."
"Indeed, but it likely was not all because of Beacon." Hyato nods. "He is simply that good of a fighter. Even if he didn't go to an academy, it is likely he would still possess the same skills."
"Looks like you weren't lying sir." Kuro gently pats the village's mayor on the back. "You know, when you said this boy was a huntsman to put some fear into those White Fang degenerates."
"He may not be an official huntsman, but he acts, fights, and looks like one." Myeong smiles brightly
(...Thank you…) Link picks his head up and nods at the kind words being directed his way
"Sir." Stephen clears his throat, grabbing the attention of many standing around. "Was it wise to let those White Fang scum go?"
"Yes. And truthfully, why not?" Hyato shrugs. "The last thing I want is to keep anyone as a prisoner or methodically execute them. It is unfortunate for the faunus who died on the battlefield, but they made the decision to fight for evil people and paid the price. Ultimately, they gave their lives for a commander who will not think twice about their death. I believe letting those who survived walk away sends a message to the White Fang that they cannot bully or take over any village they please. If the White Fang attempt another siege, they will have to deal with us again, and Kota will be back by then."
"That's a perfect way to look at it." Cyrus crosses his arms, nodding in approval. "It's a tough choice to make, but that's why you're our leader."
"Yeahhh, my dad is the best!" Myeong bumps her shoulder against her father's forearm
"Enough, you're both embarrassing me." Hyato rolls his eyes, then raises his arms and gestures towards Link, returning all the attention back to him. "Are you sure you want to go? You're a hero in Kubota and can stay as long as you'd like."
Link nods his head once again, letting everyone present know he will be departing the little village soon enough
"Awww, what a shame." Lumi frowns. "I was hoping to pick up more skills from you."
"The young man changed your whole fighting style, Lumi." Haala smiles at her son. "That is plenty."
"Hey." Myeong meets her new friend eye to eye, "Do you want to take Eve?" She gently pats the top of the horse's head. "She would save you a lot of time. My guess is you're going to Mistral but Argus is also possible. And both are long journeys."
(...I c-cant… she is… safer here…) Link shakes his head, sadly rejecting the generous offer, then raises an index finger, indicating to the first of the two options proposed by Myeong
"Boooo!" Myeong groans
"Don't be like that." Hyato sighs. "Will we see you again young man?"
(..I hope… s-so…) Link nods and extends his raised hand to wave at everyone who is present for his departure
"Hopefully we'll be able to chat and really converse next time you visit." Myeong giggles. "Take care and have a safe journey Link!"
Suddenly, the entire crowd begins to cheer, clap, and wave as one last showing of appreciation to Link, for contributing so much in such a short time. These actions warm the heart of the cold former one person team, who tries to smile under his mask, but fails to do so. Instead, he waves back and nods one last time before turning his back to the village of Kubota and walking away, continuing his travel up north, his long term goal to reach Mistral one day, but his immediate goal is to find Ruby Rose and make sure she arrives at Mistral safely…
End of Flashback: Snow Forest
The drive to Argus continues as Link's story comes to an end, and the immediate reactions are mixed. Oscar, Qrow, and Maria are completely shocked, the farmhand displays widened eyes and the two older adults with dropped jaws. Team RWBY on the other hand, is not surprised by Link's storytelling, they all have smiles on their, as they were there when the blond described his journey that led to him enrolling at Beacon Academy, a journey with more violence, sadness, and tragedy
"And that was my first lengthy interaction with people when I could not speak. Was my story good enough?" Link grins. "Are you going to teach Ruby now, Miss Calavera?"
"C-Child… that was quite a story." Maria cackles, amused and satisfied by what she heard, "If it is all true and there is no fabrication or exaggeration of events, bravo." She turns to the rest of the group on the trailer. "Can you all vouch for the boy's storytelling? Does it all sound real?"
Weiss, Ruby, and Blake look to one another with bright expressions, while Oscar is assured by the leader of team RWBY, and Qrow simply shrugs
"Link does not have any reason to lie to us. We trust him with everything, the same way he can trust us." Weiss smiles. "In spite of the fact that I was not there, I know his story is real."
"Exactly, Weiss is correct." Ruby beams. "The only thing Link has done wrong in the past is not give enough details with certain stories, but to lie or make up the story in its entirety is impossible. He's telling the truth."
"Ditto." Blake grins
"Blake." Link sighs. "I apologize if hearing about the fate of all those faunus upsets you. Regardless of good or evil, the faunus are your people and they should not have died for someone like Adam."
"It's okay." She nods. "Well… it's not okay, but it is not your fault either. You were fighting and protecting the innocent. Sadly, the White Fang is not what I once thought it stood for, especially now that Adam is high leader."
"Adam's time will come." Link narrows his eyes
"Hell yeah it will!" Yang calls out. "I know you want to get him Link, but… he's mine!"
"What about you two?" Maria points her cane at Qrow, then moves it towards Oscar
"They know him longer and better than I do." Qrow mumbles. "If my nieces and her friends vouch for him, then he's legit."
"I have to agree with Qrow." Oscar nods in approval. "Before he disappeared, Professor Ozpin had plenty of good things to say about Link as well… not that we're on good terms with Ozpin but-!"
"Yes child, I understand." Maria smiles, "Very well then, I enjoyed the story and we made a deal." She turns to face Ruby. "I will help you with your eyes, dear."
"YAYYY!" Ruby throws her arms in the air, happily pumping her fists. "Thanks Link! This is gonna be so-!"
Bzzt! Bzzt!
Ruby is interrupted, which promptly derails her train of thought as the silver eyed girl pulls out her scroll. She gasps with excitement upon seeing the contact "vomit boy", along with the voice of Jaune Arc, who is frantically shouting 'hello'
"H-Hey Jaune." Ruby presses the scroll up to her ear, the call only being heard by her, "Uh huh. Yeah… wait, what do you mean the city?"
She pulls the scroll away and looks down at it, then observes as the signal symbol under Jaune's portrait gets bigger and better while she and the rest of the group continue on the road ahead. Maria spots a hill where the thick snow finally comes to an end. The rest of the group turns to follow the elderly woman's eyes, and Yang proceeds forward to drive them up said hill. Once the blonde slows down her motorcycle at the top of the snowy terrain, the huntsman, huntress, students, and farmhand see a walled city in the distance along the breathtaking ocean behind it
"Would you look at that?" Yang smirks. "Ladies and gentlemen, after all that trouble and danger we endured, we did it. We have arrived in Argus."
"Awesomeee!" Ruby cheers
"Whoa." Blake gasps
"Well?" Oscar grins. "What are we waiting for?"
"Let's go already!" Qrow grumbles
"Yes please, your grumpy uncle is going to make me die of depression." Maria chuckles
"Hey!" He shrugs
"You got it!" Yang nods
The group's drive continues as Yang and her motorcycle carry her teammates and friends into the city of Argus, their journey nearly coming to a close. Oscar and Ruby begin speaking amongst themselves, while Maria and Blake take the chance to speak one on one, and Qrow pulls out his flask to drink some more. Link wraps an arm around Weiss' upper back, holding her by the shoulder, and pulls her closer to him for multiple reasons. One is to keep himself and Weiss warm, and the second reason being he is now less afraid or hesitant to show affection in front of others
"Hey you." Weiss mumbles. "You know you're in big trouble when we get settled, right?"
"I figured." Link smiles. "Should I ask why?"
"Many reasons." She glares at Link with narrowed eyes. "Jumping down that well without any information about it, how deep it was, or what was at the bottom. Attempting to fight those Grimm despite knowing they made us weaker and were slowly killing our will to carry on. Bringing that bottle of alcohol with you, not returning to sleep in the morning. And for being so dangerous in your story, you really charged at that many soldiers by yourself? Without even having your shield out?"
"I did… do all of those things." He sheepishly giggles. "Sorry, it is not my intention to be reckless. We needed to recover the lamp and those things almost killed Blake. Regarding me not going back to sleep, I need to continue training in order to get stronger, and May's village needed help… the alcohol is another story, I did not need to do that."
"Shut up and stop apologizing." Weiss rolls her eyes and leans her head against Link's shoulder, "I just worry about that is all. And I understand you've been having to fight and survive alone your whole life, but now you don't have to anymore. You have us to lean on, Link." She smiles. "Continue being a brave hero who protects those he loves, that is clearly who you are."
"Thank you, Weiss." Link smiles back. "I promise to never act recklessly. If anything from me feels sudden or comes out of nowhere… know that my heart is in the right place."
"I believe you." Weiss sighs out of relief, but then her expression hardens once more. "Hey… If anything happened between you and this Myeong girl and I find out about it later, I'm going to kill-!"
"Do not worry, nothing happened between May and I. She and her father were gracious hosts and I accepted their generosity." Link chuckles, "Romance was not on my mind during that time, I promise." He turns to his left, looks down at the relaxed ex-heiress, then lowers his voice. "Besides, you have been the only person I have thought about in a romantic way since our final days at Beacon."
"Huh?" She gasps, resisting the urge to blush uncontrollably. "B-But… what about-!"
Link tightens the grip around her arm, pulling her even closer. Weiss smiles and promptly goes quiet, the couple enjoys the rest of the ride to Argus with peaceful silence, at last getting to admire the snowy environment that nearly killed them two days prior. Relaxed and free of immediate danger, the group prepares for what they expect should be a relatively short stay in Argus before getting on a ship and flying to Atlas. Or so they hope…
(Author's Note: Hello everybody, yes 2 new chapters in a month, it's been a while since I've done that :) Chapters 39 and 40 have been revised, edited, and updated if you would like to give them another read. I do believe that is it regarding updated chapters unless I decide to carry on until chapter 50. It's been a long journey, almost an entire year of slowly editing and revising every old chapter from 2014 all the way until 2023. And my goodness was there a lot to add on, touch up, and revise. But now here we are. I hope you've enjoyed this new chapter and I will see you all when I update this story. Have a wonderful day, morning, or night depending on when you read this, love you all.)