A/N Just one, one normal day
Alt title: Too much to ask
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Jack Redhawke: I GIVE MOAR! TAKE IT! TAKE IT ALL YOU GREEDY MAN!
FinalKingdomHearts: With her semblance? Ruby could absolutely free herself at anytime.
BlackRock Agent: I just have a lot of passion for my fanfics.
Radchaos897: I see you.
TheDancingLeaf: I pray for your return. I hope everything is alright.
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-Date, Time-
'Thoughts'
"Speech"
(Text)
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-Vale City, Port District, 11/25, 1:20pm-
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Cyril Leon POV
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"Someone is stealing Ruby!" I shout back to Blake as I run. Giving chase to my girlfriend's kidnapper.
'I fucking swear.' I think as I find myself dodging pedestrians left and right. 'If Blake seriously prioritizes her shit over Ruby's life. I'm throwing her in the bay myself!'
"Move!" I yell out as I'm slowed by the crowd. Unlike before, when I chased a fleeing getaway car and everyone just moved. The chaotic mob of people are too disorganized to just part like that. "Ruby!"
"Cyril! Jump high!" I hear Weiss call out from behind me.
Trusting Weiss and not questioning her command, she's the smart one, I push magic into my legs and clear a ten foot vertical. Landing onto a black platform glyph as I hear the soft chime of more forming, and a series of glyphs appear in front of me. Giving me a whole of two seconds to prepare as I'm launched like Ruby was in canon when she decapitated that nevermore.
Only where Ruby was likely working against gravity, I am not. And I need to use my semblance to see normally as I run and not trip on my own feet. As in, I'm moving so fast that even with my enhanced perception of time, it feels like I'm jogging. And my semblance is such that I can see bullets moving. Not that I'm fast enough to dodge them.
'This cannot be good for my organs.' I think to myself as the glyphs cut off after what feels like two seconds, meaning it was probably a split half second in real time.
"Iron Vines!" I hear Weiss call out and I grab Winter's Thorn, attaching the pommel latches to the vambraces I always wear and throw the right axe up in the as I fall.
The change stretches out as the axe spins up, and I see Gambol Shroud spinning forth from behind as it connects with my axe. Prompting me to activate the motor to retract the axe as I swing my arm forth. Feeling the resistance against the chain as I land on the dock and sling Blake ahead of me.
Iron Vine, Ruby's name pick, is a combo between me and Blake. Basically I launch Blake and back her up as I follow in behind her. Letting her front line while I run in and ambush as she has them distracted. Switching roles as I get in there, me front lining and her ambushing.
'Thank, all the gods.' I think to myself as I see Blake soar over the crowd. 'Now I won't have to dump itching powder in her dresser.'
Not letting that be it, I get into a runners stance. Holstering my right axe as I call out.
"Moonlight!" I shout as Weiss lands next to me, and she holds out her hand, waving it and creating a ramp of platform glyphs before grabbing onto the neck of my left axe. "Wuld!"
Moonlight, is meant to be Weiss pinballing me at an opponent. Adding my power to her ability to turn someone into a pincushion. Not what we're doing now, but it seems she got the hint.
I blast forward, gliding up the ramp with Weiss in tow as she makes more glyphs to further launch us and propel us forward. Putting us back above the crowd of onlookers as I spot the orange haired greaser with Ruby on his shoulder. Dodging through the crowd as he runs to the edge of the dock, hopping onto a concrete piling and- glows a crystalline orange as he moves from one piling to the other. Leaving a small shockwave in the wake of his jumps as he speeds up. Skipping up across the water, to a ship's rail, across the deck to the other rail, and skipping past the water onto one of the pilings in the middle of the water between the docks.
As soon as we see this, Weiss makes a glyph to propel us in the other direction, making a sharp left turn that nearly leaves me with whiplash. While Blake makes a shadow clone that backflips and kicks Blake towards the fleeing man before it dispels.
"Cyril, Orchestra!" Weiss calls out and a black glyph appears under me as she lets go.
This one's easy to guess.
I get launched up before Gambol Shroud's ribbon wraps around my ankle. Pulling me down as I take a breath. Keeping my aim on the orange man, waiting for him to jump and-
"Fus RO!" I shout as he jumps up towards a ship and a black glyph appears in front of me that focuses the shout. Visible shockwaves of directed sound slamming into the water just behind him. Launching him forward into the side of the hull, and rocking the nearby boats as I make a literal wave in the wake of my shout slamming into the water.
Thankfully, Ruby had the sense to petal away as soon as I started with fus. And is currently on the deck of the same ship her kidnapper slammed into, holding onto the railing as it rocks back and forth.
"Wuld NAH!" I shout, blasting across the water and stopping just over the boat. Feeling my aura reserves now hit two thirds after having pulled off three consecutive shouts in a row.
I fall down, reaching out and catching myself on the ship's mast netting. Bouncing a few times before holstering my left axe and climbing down. As I see Weiss platform off a glyph onto the deck of the ship with Blake in tow. Weiss walking up to Ruby and grabbing her cheeks as she looks her over in a fuss. Blake looking over the side of the ship, Gambol Shroud aimed as she looks for the guy.
Once close enough, I let go of the netting and fall down to the deck next to Blake. Who begins firing into the water.
"Blake stop!" Ruby calls out as she pulls away from Weiss. Reaching out and pushing Blake's gun away from wherever she's aiming. "You'll hit him!"
"That's kind of the point!" Blake says with a grunt as she struggles against Ruby.
Coming up behind Ruby, I grab the wolf by her waist and turn her towards me.
"Cyril! Look it's-" She starts to say, before she squeaks as I pull her into my chest. Holding her hard enough to make her groan under the force of my embrace.
"Don't worry." I whisper. Taking a breath to calm down after the brief, yet tense chase.
"You don't get it!" She pushes off me, still in my arms as she looks up with a worried blush. "That's my cousin!"
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"Wut?" I ask.
"Fuuuuuuuck me!" I hear from the side of the boat as the kidnapper scales the side.
I look up to see the now soaking wet, cheek length orange haired and fair skinned young man in a brown leather jacket with studded shoulder padding. Wearing sports goggles with shaded blue lenses. Ones he lifts up to reveal silver eyes as he drapes himself over the railing.
"Fuck Rubes, didn't say your team was on a hair trigger." He chuckles as he drapes his arms over the sides.
"Blake." I say in a dull tone as I stare at the silver eyed teen.
She raises her gun and blasts him in the face.
"Shiiiii-" splash
"Blake!" Ruby escapes my grasp to look over the railing.
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"So, this is your cousin?" I ask as he takes off his jacket and wrings it out.
"Second cousin but… eh, details." He shrugs as he flaps it out before putting it back on.
"Ruby, what is it with your family and kidnapping people?" Weiss asks.
"Is it really kidnapping if it's consensual?" Garnet asks with an apologetic smile.
"Yes, it's called Stockholm." I stare him dead in the eye before turning to Ruby.
"My family's not a bunch of kidnappers!" Ruby raises her voice. "Where are you even getting that?"
"Your uncle broke into our room and kidnapped Cyril." Weiss points out.
"Your mother tracked me down to the roof to give me some sort of shovel talk." I add.
Even if she apologized. It's still the idea that it was her first idea on how to approach me. And if it wasn't, then that means she had others and eventually decided that cornering me on the roof was the best idea.
"And your uncle's sister openly attacked Cyril in the city." Even Blake chimes in.
'I honestly forgot about that.'
"Raven doesn't count!" Ruby and Garnet say at the same time as they both point to Blake.
"Spirits above there are two of them." Blake pinches the bridge of her nose and looks away.
"Oof, you sound like my boyfriend when he met Citrine." He gives a small laugh that awkwardly dies off as we stare at him. "And uh, you don't know about her. Damn Rubes, you haven't mentioned any of us?"
"Because you're all embarrassing!" Ruby angrily points a finger to Garnet's chin. "You will not mention that woman in front of me again."
I'd ask, but I'm about fifty percent sure I wouldn't get an answer.
"Blake." I look to the black haired cat girl. "Please tell me your family is normal? Because at this rate, we're two for two."
"Hey!" Weiss calls out.
"Your family is normal?" I ask the huffy fox.
"Well, I…" She tries to say something. "Well at least my sister doesn't refer to me with racist profanities."
'That's, concerningly specific.' I shelve that info for later.
"A ringing endorsement." I roll my eyes.
"Well what about… hmph." She crosses her arms and looks away with a dainty stomp.
"I, think my family is normal." Blake answers with a concerned look as Ruby argues with Garnet.
"You think?" I repeat back with an unimpressed stare.
"Start, and I'll burn your towels." She glares right back.
"Seems like everyone could use a nap." I mutter under my breath.
"I do not need a nap like some child." Weiss whips her head around to glare at me.
"I do!" I say with zero sense of shame. "I've been up before the sun in the middle of summer and I've had nothing but stress since I've been awake."
Minus the ten minutes behind a closed door of course.
That gets Weiss to be quiet as she looks down to the deck. While Ruby and Garnet are still arguing. Over what? I don't know, I'm not paying attention.
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Ruby Rose POV
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"You know how I feel about her ever since the group chat." I cross my arms.
That, woman, has been a pain in bottom ever since she got a picture of Cyril. Asking questions, pestering me to introduce her, among other things. Do I actually think she'll do anything? Not really, no.
But you can never be too sure! There are snakes everywhere!
"You're being too harsh Rubes." He rubs my head before hopping up to sit on the ledge of the boat's railing. "You know she was just messing with you. I mean, after Hyde, we all thought you'd marry Crescent Rose or something."
"Why does everyone keep bringing that up!?" I stomp my foot as I look to the sky in frustration. "And why would I marry my weapon?"
'Of all the things to become a rumor, marrying my weapon?' I struggle to wrap my head around it.
"So why did you kidnap your cousin?" Weiss asks.
"You must be Weiss." He looks to my girlfriend, checks her out and smirks. "Nice." He holds a fist out for me bump.
I leave him hanging as I cross my arms. Not willing to encourage his behavior as he's already left a bad impression on my team. Just like my mom, sister and uncle. At this rate, everyone will think I come from a long line of degenerates and perverts!
'Well, there is Aegean. She did kinda-' My mind starts to betray me.
No! She was a pirate. She doesn't count.
'… yarr!'
Focus!
"Come on puppers." Garnet shakes his hand. "Don't leave me hanging."
'Don't call me that in public!' I feel my face burn in horror. 'And not in front of my team!'
What is wrong with my family? I knew we weren't normal, no huntsmen family is. But why can't they all be like, taxidermists weird or something?
"You never answered my question." Weiss says as she crosses her arms.
"Alright look." He holds his hands up in mock defense. "I saw Ruby shopping around with you lot and thought I'd play little joke." He turns his hands up in a shrug. "Hindsight, wasn't as funny as I was hoping it'd be."
"Yeah no shit sherlock." Cyril says.
"Sherwhat?" Garnet looks to me for an explanation. Not that I have one. Cyril says weird things all the time.
I should probably remember Sherlock though, sounds like shamrock. Might be a god of luck in his religion.
"I'unno." I shrug. Before shaking my head. "Not the point! Apologize to my team for scaring them!"
"Alright alright." He says with a sigh and looks each of my teammates in the eye as he goes to speak. "I'm sorry I overstepped and thoughtlessly caused you all worry with my actions. It was immature and inconsiderate of me."
"Apology accepted." Weiss nods.
"I guess." Blake rolls her eyes.
"I'm withholding my judgement." Cyril says, and honestly? Of everyone here, that's fair coming from him.
'At this rate he'll leave me because my family is a bunch of weirdos!' I feel my mind begin to panic. 'I'm going to be the cause of my team falling about. I'm going to turn into the Raven of my team!'
Okay that's too far. You'd never abandoned a child after giving birth.
"I get it, you're more of a action over words guy." Garnet smirks. "I promise I can make it up to you~" He winks.
'Homewrecker!' My eyes widen as I look to my cousin. Who already has a boyfriend, and a girlfriend that's two months pregnant with his kid.
And I shove him off the railing.
"It was a joke!" splash.
I turn to my team. Noticing their looks of, plainness? Boredom, apathy?
Tired?
'Are they judging me? It feels like they're judging me.' I try, and fail, to keep my burning face calm.
"So… who wants to check out the Menagerian ships?" I ask with a totally calm smile as I keep my cool.
"My stuff!" Blake suddenly perks up as she runs towards, past me and off the boat. Jumping from piling to piling as she makes it across to the other dock.
I slowly turn back to my team. And sigh as I watch Cyril and Weiss walk away. Feeling my shoulders slump with the weight of everything that's happened today as I groan.
'Why is my family so weird?' I let out groan and turn back to the railing as I hear Garnet climbing back up. Getting ready to confront the doofus as he reaches the top.
"Huh, huh, jeez." He huffs as he gets back up and throws his arms over the railing. Then looks up and sees me. "Please don't push me back in." He asks in one breath.
"No." I shove him, only for the jerk to activate his semblance and lock in place as his aura makes an orange, almost gem like glow shine over him. "You're a jerk!"
I stomp my foot and turn away from him.
"Oh come on!" He calls back as he hops the railing. "Puppers I-"
I petal over and sweep him up. Carrying him over the water and dropping him as I turn back around to the deck.
"Not again!" splash.
Once, just once I want my family to make a good impression on my team.
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Cyril Leon POV
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"Honestly, at this point I'm surprised Mr. Xiao-Long hasn't attempted to ransom Blake." Weiss vents her frustration as we walk down the boardwalk, heading back towards the other dock to meet up with said teammate.
And possibly initiate another chase as we hunt down a thief. Assuming someone stole her stuff. Which, I personally give it a fifty-fifty shot. Don't know how it works specifically here in Remnant or just Vale, but you don't leave anything in a place with heavy foot traffic and expect it to be there when you return.
"At least Mrs. Rose is kind and cordial." Weiss says.
"She threatened me and broke into our room." I point out.
"She had permission to be there." Weiss dismisses. "And at least she apologized."
To be fair, that's more than can be said for other members of Ruby's family.
"Still an invasion of privacy." I counter.
"It's not like she barged in on anything indecent." Weiss replies easily. "We have nothing to hide and no reason to refuse a search. So it's no different than if Headmistress Goodwitch or Professor Port were in our rooms."
Maybe it's the American in me, maybe it's just how I was raised. But in my family, once I hit thirteen I was allowed closed doors. And they never went in without knocking or letting me know. Though I wasn't ever allowed a lock. My mother's reason being that she "didn't ever want to be locked out of a room in her own house."
"I think we'll just have to agree to disagree in this." I sigh tiredly. Not wanting to get into an argument here.
"Hmm." She hums noncommittally as she walks under a long table being carried by two guys, while I have to duck.
The rest of the walk over is done mostly in silence as we move through the crowds of people. And then-
"I'll be right back." I say as I turn towards a building across the way.
"Where are you going?" Weiss whips around on her heels, her hair swinging with her movement.
"Bathroom." I walk backwards and tell her plainly.
"Just hurry up and meet me back at the V.S.S. Hark!" She calls back.
I'm assuming that's the ship Blake left her things at.
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-15 minutes later-
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"Wish you luck!" I wave to Bruder as he and Nyx are at the desk with an annoyed looking Mekon and two Vale officers. Nyx being uncuffed as Bruder is made to sign a form as witness, recognizing that Nyx is now banned from the south west dockyards.
... I'm nosy, sue me.
"I need a drink." He sighs and hands the pen to Nyx as I leave.
'Thank god we don't have a Nora.' I think to myself as I turn and walk out the doors. 'We just have, a racist and a girl whose family is hell bent on racking up restraining orders… and an heiress with more pocket change than emotional intelligence. Everyone has their issues.'
I mean, at least mine comes with two adorable girlfriends. One's a prim and proper tsundere heiress, and one's an adorkable and nerdy blacksmith. Hell, if Blake was a gamer instead of a racist then I'd consider this heaven adjacent!
'Now which one was the dock we…' I wonder as I can't make out anything with the massive throng on people in the way. Even getting on the tips of my toes to try and look up and get a better view. '… hm.'
"Rreow!" I hear a faint cry.
"Speaking of racist cats." I say to myself as my attention is drawn to the side.
Hearing a dull thud, I do the dumb thing every horror movie protagonist does. And walk around the building looking for the sound.
Peeking over the side of the building, I scan the area but but little else than dumpsters and the clean, concrete ground I've grown accustomed to seeing in Vale. Shrugging and deciding that I've got nothing better to do. I walk towards the two green dumpsters to further my investigation.
Yes, even here, by the dumpsters on the side of an office building on the docks, is surprisingly clean. I've noticed it before, but Vale has serious health and hygiene standards. And according to Weiss, it's even more so in Atlas. Disease being no joke to the crowded population centers.
I'm getting away from myself.
"Reow!" My head snaps towards the green dumpster I pass. So I open it.
And get greeted by the large blue eyes of a tiny black cat as it gnaws on a fish bone. And when I say tiny, I mean the thing is tiny.
"Hey there." I say, causing the kitten to freeze up as I lean on the edge of the dumpster with one arm. The other holding the lid up.
"Reeeeeh!" It hisses, dropping the fish bone as its fur stands on end like it's touching a tesla coil. Going into the classic scared cat pose.
"Oh don't be like that." I say as I reach in and grab it by the scruff of its neck. The small thing doing nothing but hiss the whole time. Like it doesn't know what else to do other than yell. "You are just the tiniest thing I've ever seen."
It's literally smaller than my hand. Either it's severely malnourished, a literal baby, or just a smaller breed.
"Reeeeeh!" It keeps hissing with its four paws outstretched. Claws out at me as it just hangs there, hissing angrily.
"You know." I say as I close the lid and it slowly relaxes. "from an ecological standpoint, it'd be more beneficial for me to kill you." I playfully talk down to the little creature.
"Reeeh!" It gives a weaker hiss. Its short fur smoothing out as it relaxes.
"It's true. Cats are little terrors to their environments. Wiping out species just for the sport." I answer the pitch black kitten. "You really outta be-" It reaches up and licks my thumb. "-and now I'm attached… Fuck."
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-2pm-
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Ruby Rose POV
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"This was supposed to be a good day." I groan.
We had a fancy ball to go to! It was going to be all finger foods, polite words and smart people!
"It's literally my stuff!" Blake tells the man who stole her bag of spices and knives.
Instead it was nothing but people talking behind our backs, everyone focusing on Weiss or Cyril. And then everyone got upset and we left.
"It's mine." He says, jutting a thumb to himself. "You just saw me walk off the boat with it."
Then the Free Sail! Everyone loves the Free Sail Merchant Fleet!
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Except Weiss.
"I had set it down because my friend's cousin kidnapped them!" Blake shouts, bringing me out of my thoughts.
"We're friends?" I look up to her excitedly.
"Sure." He rolls his eyes and tries to push past Blake.
"Hey!" Blake doesn't budge and pushes him back.
She didn't say no! It still counts!
"I'm calling Vale PD." Weiss pulls out her scroll.
"Dang it." I groan as my brief bout of excitement fades.
They always take forever to deal with anything.
"What's going on?" I turn towards Cyril as he approaches. Hands in his jacket pockets, sunglasses back on and looking tired, but in a better mood than before.
Guess he just really needed to go. I know I get impatient and snippy when I gotta use the toilet.
"Blake's stuff got stolen." I explain with a sigh. "I got here after Weiss, and Blake was fighting with this guy who stole her stuff."
I just wanna go back to Beacon. It's where my baby's at. My baby who needs her new lenses so she can see better.
"Why don't we just take it back?" Cyril asks. "Knock him out and call it a day."
"Cyril." I whisper shout at him with a glare. "He's a civilian."
As much as I wish I could. Why are problems like this easier with my baby around?
"So?" He shrugs with wide eyes and raised brows, clearly not getting it. "Is that suddenly not allowed?"
"Cyril, I know I can use the terms savage and brute rather liberally." Weiss looks away from her scroll to admonish the cult raised man. "But use your head for this one!"
"I don't get it." He sighs with a shrug as his shoulders go slack. "I put Cardin in a wall. Why can't I just dump this guy in the water like we did Ruby's cousin and call it a day."
I really hope that doesn't become a thing.
"Cardin and Garnet are Hunters in training." Weiss says before going back to her scroll. "Look just… not now. I'm on the link with the pd."
"Cyril, that's a civilian." I try to explain to him. "It's not fair for someone of our power to physically do, anything to him."
"So, because we're stronger than him." He takes a hand out of his pocket to gesture between me and him. "He's protected from finding out after fucking around."
'Finding, fucking, protected, what?' I try to piece together the backwards speak he just did. 'Finding fucking, no, fucking out, no. Crap I can't remember exactly how he said it! He's still looking at me. What do I say!?'
It's a fifty-fifty at this point.
"Um, no?" I take a guess, hoping it wasn't a double negative.
"Alright." He nods, and walks towards Blake and the guy!
'Curse you imaginary coin flip!'
I go to stop him but I freeze as I notice Cyril is in, a mood. Which means he's either thinking about his family and is depressed, or he's tired. Either way he turns into a Spruce Willis action movie badass when he does!
And gets really snarky. Even more so than Weiss.
So naturally, I let him have this. So long as he doesn't go too far.
"Look, I've had a long day." He says as he walks up to the blonde thief in a red shirt and speaks in a low tone. "So either just put the bag down, or do something that I can use as an excuse. Because right now I'd really like an excuse."
'Ooh!' I smile as I feel my shoulders tremble in excitement.
Is it bad that I want to see Cyril throw this guy in the water?
'Kinda.' I answer myself. 'Maybe it's the pirate in us? Walk the plank ye salty dog!'
… Yeah that makes sense.
"Are you trying to threaten me?" The blonde guy scoffs.
Cyril doesn't say anything. And I get the feeling that I should probably listening to what's going on. And maybe look to see what's behind me.
"Buzz off man." The guy jerks his head as Cyril takes a deep breath. And he tries to push past Cyril, but Cyril grabs him by the throat. "Gack!"
"Last chance! Do the right thing, and I won't beat you so hard your dick gets jealous!" Cyril shouts in his face.
"Pfft!" I nearly choke on my own spit.
"Cyril!" Weiss hisses with a red face. But Blake puts a hand over her mouth as she looks away and tries not to laugh.
"Puh!" The guy gasps as Cyril lets go. "Fuck this!"
He lets Blake's bag of stuff down on the dock, and goes to leave. But Cyril grabs him by the arm and pulls him towards the gangplank of the nearby ship. Only to then stick his foot out as the guy stumbles and trips. Landing on his face near the edge of the dock.
"Alright." Cyril says, picking up Blake's bag.
"Cyril, I don't know what to say-ah!" Blake starts to thank Cyril, I think, before he shoves the bag at Blake. Causing her to fall over under the weight of the bag.
"Great, can we go now?" He turns to us, one hand still in his jacket pocket as he lazily leans to one side.
"We still have to wait for the police to make an official report." Weiss says as she crosses her arms.
"I mean, we got Blake's stuff back." I chime in. "It's, not really a big deal at this point.
"Um, guys?"
We look over to Blake, who is looking into the sac with a tight lipped, I fudged up, look on her face.
"What?" Cyril asks.
"This uh, this isn't my stuff." She says with a pale face, and my gut drops as I look over to the, possibly totally innocent, guy getting up with a bloody nose.
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Bonus
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Heroes of Remnant: Mari of the Pearls Pt. 1
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Mistral has long since had a pirate and bandit problem on its lands. For while Mistralians excel at combating the Grimm, their culture of honor and combat lending itself a fierce fighting force. It is that very same honor culture, that makes them ill-equipped to face more domestic threats who have abandoned such principles.
That adage applies most aptly to Mari of The Pearls. Often used as a controversial yet cautionary tale of Mistralian values. Depending on who speaks of her, she is royalty, an assassin, an usurper, a warlord, a marauder, a politician, a witch, a pirate, a conqueror. Make no mistake, Mari was a real person, but details of her tend to be exaggerated.
Mari was born to a bandit king on island of Galpied. The third most northern island of the Pearl islands that are north east of Argus and still stand to this day. But where two hundred years ago they where an independent and thriving sovereign village alliance. They are now a handful of fishing villages under Mistral's authority.
Comprising an island chain of twelve islands. Named so for the saltwater hot springs of the four southern islands that play host to colonies of pearl producing oysters. And the northern snowcapped islands that lend a glittery white landscape. The Pearls of Mistral are a breathtaking and beautiful sight.
During the earlier decades of the age of heroes that overlaps the First War of Freedom, The Pearl islands did have a ruler, Queen Kalista. Third niece to the then queen of Mistral, Potera. However, Kalista's family was disowned in the previous generation under the scandal of aiding pirates on the north eastern coasts. The truth of this is hotly debated, and it is believed to in truth have been a way for the previous monarch, King Rotus the Unforgiving, to consolidate power and eliminate potential competition for the throne.
Kalista was, by all accounts, a deplorable and wasteful ruler. Making her base of power on the largest island of Pirlgra, the second southern most island. She took to the tradition of concubines with reckless abandon. Often entering fasthand marital pacts with partners who had desirable features for an heir, and then breaking off the pacts when she would birth an heir she deemed "unwanted". One such child, being Mari.
Mari's mother, Kalista, never acknowledge Mari. Though her pregnancy and birth were a well known affair, Kalista gave the child to the father without even naming her. Her reasoning was because her daughter had failed to inherit the red eyes her father had. Red Eyes correlating to a potential for stronger semblances and stronger warriors.
Kalista of course, failed to understand that a child's eye color doesn't come in until 6 to 9 months. And she would throw away seven of her ten children like this. Two others being abandoned for having birth defects.
Kalista, was not a popular ruler. Which is what prompted the Pearls to disregard her rule. Abandoning all fealty to her in the same manner she abandoned her children. Child abandonment and child murder being some of the biggest taboos, it is a wonder how she managed to hold any power in a single island.
Mari grew up under her Father's ruthless tutelage. But having been possessed of a weak constitution and frail body, Mari would make for a poor warrior. And was delegated down to the bandit tribe's errand runner around age ten. Where she would be left mostly to her own devices as she effectively managed the tribe's logistics. Not much is known about her, until at age 15, she poisoned her elder brother and his lover. Having been sent to gather wine for them, she slipped a terrible toxin into their cups. A toxin that would not be discovered until the morning.
The next week, during the funeral processions were each family member was expected to weep and proclaim their sorrow, she would poison the glasses of every enemy of hers in the tribe. Stand at the altar, calmly claim that she was not sad, because she had already foreseen their deaths. And she announce herself a prophet of the gods. And declare that all who denounce her would be dead by morning.
She was locked up, but would be released in the morning as twelve people, detractors lay in their beds. Dead. A few who challenged her did survive, but the superstition that swept the tribe kept them silent. Likely believing that she either had a larger hand in their deaths, or that she was a favored of the gods. And to go against her would court disaster.
Mari would bypass her two remaining eldest siblings and take the title of chief from her father that same week. And in the face of all adversity, would lead her tribe to assimilate and conquer the other two tribes of Galpied. One being a tribe that was adept at seafaring.
With the newfound ships and crew of the Fallen Snow, she would have her tribesmen trained in the ways of seafaring, and set sail north to the second most northern island, Freyhoste. Where she would land after a day's journey and meet with the bandit queen Fithely, who held domain over the two northern islands, and establish a working alliance. In exchange for the northern tribe's loyalty, the two northern most islands would maintain their independence so long as their warriors fought for Mari.
Fithely scoffed at Mari, and made to send her away. But Mari had sabotaged her own boats, and managed to negotiate a stay of peace. A promise to leave as soon as the boats were fixed. But Mari warned the then pregnant queen that ill tidings would befall her progeny should she leave without her bending the knee.
Of which, came to pass after Mari paid off a server to poison the queen's drink. Causing her to miscarriage days after. The queen, racked with grief and superstition, agreed to all fealties in exchange for lifting the "curse" set upon her.
And thus, before her sixteenth birthday, Mari secured control over three of the twelve islands. But her goal, was far greater. She was setting out for control of northern Anima. And had it not been for the First War of Freedom, Basilarius Nikos and Aegean Roselia. Then she may have succeeded.
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A/N
The whole chase happened in less than 1 minute. So Cyril and co. had no time to think about why Ruby wouldn't have petalled away. They were in fight or flight panic mode. After all, Cyril's been attacked three separate times, twice in Vale where the individuals ambushed him.
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Garnet was genuinely playing a prank on Ruby. He was actually going to take her to a another fishing boat and wait in line with her, and greet her team like nothing happened.
Then Cyril pulled a dovakhiin and ragdolled him.
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The reason Weiss stopped talking when it came to family. Is because she was about to bring up Cyril's family, but remembered they're all "dead" and that he's an "abandoned child". So she took the loss to not open a sore wound.
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Keeping this here for me.
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Fus, force
Ro, balance
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Wuld, whirlwind
Nah, fury
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Yol, ingnite
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Kaan, Kyne
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Strun, storm
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Fo, frost
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Liz, Ice
Slen, Flesh
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Gaan, stamina
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Ven, air
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Gol, earth
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Su, wind
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Rii, essence
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Faas, fear
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More comments! I want them all! Every one of them! Especially speculation, I love speculative comments.
Fuel me my NOOBIANS!
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Find me in my channel, newb's-grotto, on the discord.
Link to the discord: discord .gg/DarkWolfShiro