1,563Wind whipped across the air, zephyrs creating storms that lifted up dust and burnt ashes of trees and shrubbery in the affected disaster zone. It reeked of death and ruin; however, none of that mattered in the face of the figure standing amidst it all. For a moment, hanging in the air above the figure was a stone gate lined with the statues of hounds and frozen icicles. It was a gate leading to another world that encaptured all. Every Grimm that had perished had not simply faded away without a trace. Instead, much to the shock of all, chain-like arms had pulled their very essence towards the other side never to be seen again.
The hollow reverberations of a spear echoed before a streak of red whizzed through the horizon and returned to Shirou's outstretched arm.
Nothing but a crater was left in front of him. It was difficult to imagine, but the Noble Phantasm that he'd just unleashed was a feat that the Hero Cu Chulainn could do far more than once without magical strain. His magical energy on the other hand had taken a noticeable dip.
It wasn't enough to hamper him, but it was enough to inconvenience him. At this point, Ruby may start to become suspicious. He was doomed if she tried to call out to him and he wasn't actually there to answer. He feared that she may actually waste a Command Seal for something as silly as ordering him to stay near her at all times. Knowing Ruby's personality however, she may not even count that kind of command as a waste which was his largest reason for concern.
Thinking of Ruby caused him to sigh. When he'd explained the concept of the Command Seals to her when she was old enough to understand that it was akin to the bond between them, she'd summed it up to a single phrase. 'So,' she'd began by beating around the bush and fidgeting. 'I only need one then?'
Technically yes, but each Command Seal was precious. They could be used in decisive moments to considerably boost the parameters of a Servant based on the type of command, but he digressed. Ruby was just too giddy with the idea that the two were connected with each other on a spiritual level. That, and she quickly realized from Yang's influence that her extra Command Seals were basically black-mail material. Not that she'd ever forced him to do anything aside from constantly pleading for him to constantly bake chocolate-chip cookies.
He digressed. He was losing himself in the memories of the past years and was only brought back to reality after Summer manifested in front of him with a hurried expression.
"What are you waiting for? Act winded, they're all staring," Summer's reminder filtered into his mind, prompting him into action.
He fell onto a knee and clutched a hand over his chest, holding his breath so that the blood would rush up to his face and turn it blue. Meanwhile, he allowed his body to sway back and forth while shaking his head as if to remain conscious.
"Archer!" Yang's voice reverberated out before the hobbling of feet echoed the sound of Yang's approach.
He felt conflicted that he was deceiving Yang and everyone else, but it was the price that he'd decided that he had to pay. He'd learned his lesson at Vermillion. A performance that was too outstanding in a world in need of Heroes would only garner him unnecessary publicity. He glanced behind him towards the Faunus led by Ghira, and low and behold, he spotted the outline of Scrolls pointed in his direction from a few of them already.
As he had expected. Scrolls were as common as cellphones in his previous world. He had been right to ask Summer to remind him about his intentional act.
Without a doubt, he was the Huntsman of Red that everyone in Vermillion often prayed to as a symbol of Faith for a new religion of the Sun. On one hand, the Faith Energy increased his supply of magical reserves, but on the other, it was doing weird shit to him. Every now and then, he was getting the sudden impulse to bestow blessing and display his magnanimity to couples in the form of giving them a randomly traced sword that was said to pin their fates together.
These damn priests.
Once the religion of the Sun started, it wouldn't be a religion without practices and virtues to be followed. It just so happened that a rumour had started that marriages undertaken in Vermillion were watched over and consecrated by Vermillion's lord and saviour. It was said that all couples blessed with a sword left at their doorstep were destined for life. In this way, Shirou as a Heroic Spirit in tune with the supernatural side of the world, had begun to be influenced through the Faith people placed in him. He'd even gained a God-Damned Divine attribute which would marginally increase the strength of all his attacks.
Having relationship issues? Pray to the Sun in the Nightless Kingdom.
Afraid of Grimm or what troubles the future may bring? Pray to the Sun in the Nightless Kingdom. All evil will be cleansed.
Enough! He'd had enough! He couldn't even begin to imagine how it would affect him if what he'd done as 'Archer' were to be taken as a new figure of worship. He shuddered at the thought.
No. Just no. It's not happening.
"Archer!" Yang finally reached Shirou's side, and to make the act even more convincing, he began panting for breath while separating himself from Gae Bolg which he stabbed into the ground. This would make a distinction. It was not him who'd been the cause of the current damage, but the spear. This mean to say, he was creating the false impression that anyone who had the spear could use it meaning that he wasn't anything special.
Excalibur Galatine was a mistake. Because only Shirou had been able to wield it, it was attributed to him being unique and the 'chosen one.' It only further cemented the religion of the Sun. He would not repeat the same mistake twice unless forced.
"Hey, what's wrong?" Yang tried to help, but didn't know where to place her hands so she just ended up standing there in concern. She pursed her lips her body fidgeting in agitation, and it only made Shirou feel more guilty.
He glanced back at the Faunus and decided that he'd acted enough.
"Don't worry. I'm fine," he rasped out awkwardly. Lying was not his forte, but in this case, he was actually being truthful. He was fine and therefore; Yang could not detect any deceit even if her intuition was outstanding.
Much to Yang's relief, he stood up shakily on his feet before seemingly stabilizing his condition. "My Aura was just running low was all," he deflected the issue.
Yang didn't seem to notice the stiffness of his body for straight up lying because she was more concerned on his behalf. A minute or so later when she was certain that he okay, she finally shifted her attention away.
"Is that the weapon you spoke of last night from that Irish Hero guy?" Yang asked carefully while pointing at Gae Bolg. In fact, she actually made to try grabbing onto it.
"Don't touch it," he warned in actual concern while grasping onto her hands and shifting them away. He failed to notice that she didn't even try to wrestle her hands away from him and was in fact indulging herself in the feeling.
Moving on, but Shirou was a Heroic Spirit without Aura, and he already had to use a considerable amount of will-power not to be influenced by Gae Bolg's sheer blood lust. Yang was still a middle-school girl. There was no way that she had the mental fortitude to cope with Gae Bolg's bloodlust. Moreover, Shirou had no yet tested what effect using Aura on a Noble Phantasm would have.
"Don't touch it," he repeated to Yang for good measure. The curiosity within her gaze didn't diminish, but she did nod her head to signal that she understood his warning. He let go of Yang's hands, much to her disappointment, before he decided to address Yang's question.
"Yes. This spear is known as Gae Bolg, the weapon of one of the Heroes I told you about last night." There was no use hiding something that he'd already revealed, and besides, it wouldn't hurt to have the people of Remnant believing once more in the stories of Heroes. It would give them hope, and that emotion would combat the Grimm.
"It's actually real?" Something flickered in Yang's gaze before she shook her head. Noticing Shirou looking at her, she hastily spoke out in turn. "Sorry. I was just thinking about how my foster mom used to read stories about heroes to me. I just didn't think that they'd be real since Heroes always win, right? Well," Yang rubbed at her left arm insecurely. "Mom never came back and she was the biggest hero I knew."
Summer who was floating beside Shirou flinched. Shirou himself inwardly mirrored Summer's reaction. The universal truth about heroes, and what stories don't tell, is that they almost always die young. Shirou was no exception.
"I'm sorry for your loss," Shirou had no other words to give. He couldn't exactly say the mother that she was looking for was right in front of her in spirit, now could he? He wouldn't give Yang false hope until he could actually do something for Summer's situation.
"Don't worry about it," Yang smiled, the edges of her mouth not quite reaching her eyes, but it was increasingly clear that she wanted to change the subject. She did so as her gaze returned towards Gae Bolg.
"If that's the spear of the Irish Hero guy, then it has that cause and effect thing, right?" Of course, Yang would bring up that tidbit, and of course she'd do so just as Adam appeared.
"Cause and effect?" Adam was the closest, and undoubtably the most skilled in the current group of Faunus. Noticing Shirou's 'weakened' condition, he had been the fastest to arrive.
Shirou frowned before looking passed Adam and towards the rapidly approaching group of Faunus moving towards him. Inwardly, he smacked himself on the face. He should have told Yang to keep what she'd heard about in the stories to herself. However, he didn't think of doing so at the time because stories of heroes weren't exactly public secrets. For a girl of Yang's age, telling her that the story he told her was a secret was the same as encouraging her to spread it.
What Shirou should have said to keep Yang's mouth shut, was if he'd described it as a secret between just the two of them. Of course, Summer realized this detail, but did not divulge it at the time because of the indignation she had about the entire situation.
Presently, Shirou was faced with a dilemma. He could choose to speak or not to speak, but even if he didn't speak, Yang looked like she was about to explain to Adam on his behalf anyway. There really wasn't much choice. It was either he speaks on the subject to just Yang and Adam, or he waste too much time and allow the entire group of Faunus to hear.
He quickly made up his mind.
"I'm not sure if you can tell, but although this weapon is suited to defeating creatures such as the Grimm, its primary use had not been against them." Shirou motioned towards Gae Bolg stabbed into the ground beside him. Swirls of red tendrils travelled up and down the spear's shaft. "Its main use was against a different kind of enemy which plays into its role of cause and effect."
"A different kind of enemy?" Adam frowned.
"I'm a mercenary. What do you think it means?"
Morbid words hiding an implication that only the corvid listening in from the tall trees picked up upon due to the nature of her trade. Shirou would rather not speak too much on the subject. After all, sometimes, a human could be more of a monster than any monster could be. Neither Adam or Yang realized any deeper meaning to his words and were instead waiting for him to fully elaborate.
Shirou sighed. Should he reveal it or not? When he actually thought about it, he really didn't have to. Yang was just asking for verification anyway and it was highly naïve to reveal the effects of a trump card. That left only Adam. He'd just have to give a satisfactory answer that would sate Adam's curiosity.
"The Grimm are the real enemies of Remnant. What this spear can or can't do doesn't really matter." Shirou began before looking towards Adam who soon nodded at his word. "If we're looking at the cause and effect of this spear, all that you need to know is that if you ever find yourself facing the pointed end of this spear, run. No matter where you attack or how clever you are, if you are in range, you will die."
Adam didn't look like he believed it, but Yang all but took his words as admission to the truth.
Gae Bolg was a cursed spear. It was a spear that earned its infamy through its method of murder. It aims for the heart. No matter where the spear was stabbed, the heart would always be pierced. When wielded by Cu Chulainn, The Hound of Ulster, it could rewrite the laws of the world itself. The sequence of events in a fight shifts from 'he stabs, he pierces,' to 'he pierces, therefore he stabbed.' There was no escape once within range.
The corvid perched atop the branch of a tree did not fail to understand what Shirou meant, and it caused something in its eyes to glimmer uneasily. After all, Yang hadn't been the only one listening in to Shirou's stories about legendary Heroes the previous night. Cold and aloof as Raven was, a mother would always watch over their child even if he or she didn't even know that she was there.
With a flutter of wings, the corvid took to the air with its thoughts in disarray from what it had just seen over the course of a single journey.
Meanwhile, Adam, although doubtful of the explanation given to him, understood that it wasn't in his place to pursue the matter further. Besides, he'd headed towards Shirou for one reason and one reason only.
"My…apologies," Adam said grudgingly for his earlier altercation in the woods. He looked like he had more to say, but thought better of it and shut his mouth. Thereafter, he hastily fled as if the notion of thanking a human was the same as taking poison. Then again, the fact that he'd been able to concede on his own mistake meant that he still had some good in him. At the very least, Adam did not have any blood on his hands.
Adam's departure came at the same time Ghira, Sienna, and the other Faunus arrived. All of them flocked around him with differing levels of shock, awe, and trepidation as they looked at Gae Bolg.
"Don't touch it," Shirou echoed his earlier warning. He couldn't guarantee what would happen if anyone in Remnant did.
Fortunately, Shirou didn't have to tell everyone twice. The emergence of more Grimm caused everyone to tense. Then again, Shirou was coming to the disturbing conclusion that his earlier escapade with Yang and the yellow motorcycle may have attracted all the Grimm in the area. It was no wonder they were coming in such large volume.
Just as Ghira and the others readied themselves for battle, Shirou shook his head much to everyone's disbelief.
"They won't draw near," he explained while pointing at Gae Bolg and watching the Grimm's reaction to it. They were keeping their distance, their eyes betraying their unease. "The spear you see there carries Anti-Demonic properties. So long as that spear remains, they won't come."
As if to demonstrate his point, Shirou picked up Gae Bolg and aimed its tip towards the Grimm in the distance. The Grimm almost immediately reacted, some hissing, others growling, but none dared venture close.
Ghira and the other Faunus were astonished. With the Grimm not daring to approach, everyone soon began to relax. It was at this moment that they realized how Shirou and Yang could have possibly been travelling by themselves in Grimm infested lands.
Sienna eyed the spear which Shirou stabbed back into the ground in appraisal. Ghira noticed Sienna's behaviour and elbowed her on the side. "Don't think about it Sienna. Archer probably said not to touch it for a reason."
Sienna crossed her arms and huffed. As judgemental as she was of humans, even she had to admit that she was thankful that Shirou had helped save them in their time of need. She eyed Shirou and noted his appearance down to memory.
Meanwhile, Shirou was looking oddly at Yang. She'd been acting differently ever since Ghira and the others had arrived around them. Her gaze kept constantly shifting, meticulously scanning for faces in the crowd like a hound.
"Yang?" Shirou called out to her.
She didn't respond, rather her blood shot eyes narrowed while locking onto a single individual who awkwardly began to back away into a sprint.
"Yang?" Shirou tried calling out to her again.
"…" Once more, she didn't respond, rather she suddenly used him as a springboard, and with her good foot, tackled a fleeing Blake into a bear hug into the bushes and out of sight.
Shirou blinked before smiling wryly. Yang must have had made a new best friend to be that concerned over Blake's well being. His assumption was far from the truth, but he'd learned not to pry too deeply into another person's affairs. Doing so only ever led him to more troubling situations and besides, ignorance was bliss.
Speaking of which, he turned his attention to Ghira. He had been feeling Ghira's stare on him for some time now, and he could already hazard a guess as to what the large man was thinking.
"Archer, you are a mercenary, correct?" Ghira spoke out tentatively.
As he'd expected.
Shirou waited for the question that he knew was coming after he nodded his head to maintain his present persona.
"How much would it take to hire you?"
Scuffling in the underbrush, a pair of teenagers wrestled with each other: One trying to escape, and the other hell bent on reclaiming what was hers.
"Give it back!" Yang grappled with Blake, the two rolling back and forth over the ground while each gripping tightly to the handle of a sheathed dagger. Twigs, dirt, and leaves were sticking to their clothes and hair, and even Blake's cat ears were raised in aggression.
"I was just borrowing it, I swear!" Blake increased her grip on the dagger, all but hissing as Yang pinched her side in a bid to get her to let go. "No need to get so violent."
Violent? Violent? Blake didn't know Yang's definition of violent at all.
The dagger was hers. Archer had given it to her. Blake was of the opinion of finder's keepers. As a big fan of many peculiar novels, she'd often read about such plot devices that would tie the protagonists together with the heroines. How could she possibly give it up easily? Besides, she wasn't lying about borrowing the dagger. She'd give it back on the night after her honeymoon.
Dust or not, as far as both Yang and Blake were concerned, the dagger's ability was real. They simply had to think deeply and convey their feelings through the dagger, and help would come no matter the distance.
Yang and Blake were both teenage girls. Just the idea that help would come through the strength of their feelings was romantic.
"Hey wait! Stop gripping so hard!" Blake noticed tufts of Yang's blond hair turning crimson. "What if you break it?!"
Yang jolted at Blake's words and immediately lightened her grip. It was her mistake, Blake nearly snagged the entire thing and bolted away in a flurry of doppelgangers before Yang used her intuition to tackle the real one back to the ground.
"You're not getting away! Give it back! It's mine!" Yang and Blake tussled.
"I'll give it back eventually so just trust me," Blake gnashed her teeth. "No one likes a brute!"
"No one likes a cat burglar!" Yang shouted in outburst, prompting Blake's eyes to widen before narrowing dangerously.
"You did not just say that pun," Blake glared.
"Oooh I just did. What, can't take the heat?" Yang retorted before wrenching the knife closer to her side. "That's right cat, I'm not kitten around anymore, so let go!"
Blake bared her teeth. Yang stared back unflinchingly.
The two were doing a tug of war like children in elementary school, only that the two were trained future Huntresses so the tug of war included a good deal more than just a playful back and forth. In the name of bad puns, and a growing bitter rivalry, hair was pulled, nails were broken, and clothes disheveled.
This. Was. War…well it would have been if Adam didn't stumble in on the display and gawk at Blake who realized her current position biting at Yang's hand to force her to let go looked utterly insane.
"I-I can explain!" Blake raised her hands up in front of her face in embarrassment. It was all that Yang needed.
"Victory!" Yang took the dagger in her grip and held it up in the air like a trophy while Blake bitterly slumped at her loss, her hands gripping tightly to the hem of her dress.
Adam took a moment to look at the scene for a bit longer before coming to the only sane conclusion his mind could conclude. He looked at his sheathed sword and wacked himself hard over the back of the head. By the time that he woke up, he fervently prayed that he'd find himself out of his current dream. Nothing was making sense anymore.
"Adam!" Blake called out in concern as the man fell face first into the dirt and lay sprawled on the ground. She then glared at Yang. "You're not human! How could you make him do that!?"
Yang continued to puff up her chest in pride while straightening her clothes and tidying herself up as if saying 'all in a day's work.' Unfortunately, Yang couldn't keep that attitude for long.
Archer appeared, and she instantly became demure, almost bashful much to Blake's irritation. Blake was moments away from calling Yang out, but the look Yang was giving promised Blake retribution. It was a common fact that all women act differently when they find themselves in the company of a significant other, and Yang was no different. She still carried a confident demeanor, but she wasn't acting like a mad boar or brute anymore.
"Sup," Yang tried to play herself cool.
Archer seemed to have had been discussing something with Ghira that Yang failed to hear due to her current scuffle. Archer probably came to inform her of their future plan to come. Well, she would be right in a way, but it wasn't really what she was expecting.
"Yang," Archer called out to her.
"Yang speaking. What can Ms. Blond Kickass do for you?" She used a hand to run her fingers through her hair and tossed it back in a cascade of well-maintained golden blond locks.
"I'm taking you home." Archer said bluntly.
Yang stilled and blinked back at Shirou in confusion as he approached. Her mind had not yet fully processed what she'd just heard, and she wouldn't be getting the opportunity.
She was a deer caught in the headlights, and Shirou would not be taking 'No' for an answer.
"Hey wait! Who says that I wanted to go home!" Yang was carried within Shirou's arms, her hands holding onto his shoulders in fear of falling due to how fast the two were moving. Shirou didn't answer right away. Instead, he held onto Yang tighter while he scaled the foot of a cliff.
"I already told you that it's too dangerous. It may have been fine before, but after recent events I've changed my mind," Shirou answered. In the beginning, the only reason that he'd not immediately brought Yang back home was that he couldn't risk her venturing off on her own to deal with the case of stolen Dust. With her capabilities, she was fully capable of doing so. Be that as it may, the case of the stolen Dust was already dealt with, meaning that Yang would have no real reason to act impulsively.
Of course, there was the matter of Ghira and the Faunus migration to Vermillion, but what did that have to do with Yang? Besides, Summer backed his decision up a hundred percent.
"Don't you talk back, young lady! This is for your own good!" Summer had her arms by her hips while busily lecturing Yang to no avail. She wasn't stupid and understood that her actions were futile, yet even though her words wouldn't reach Yang, all mothers fretted over their children.
"I can help too," Yang continued to argue without much persuasiveness. The blush on her face as she gripped tighter onto Shirou wasn't helping her case despite the tough front she was exuding.
"Uhm, how about no?" Summer's face was twitching, half her irritation directed at Yang, and the other half at Shirou.
"It's not safe to be near me Yang," Shirou said patiently while striding forward with large leaps. Yang felt like she was in constant free-fall, but held back her growing trepidation by maintaining her outer confidence. The notion that she didn't want to be seen as weak by Shirou outweighed any fears she had of falling and dying from her current speed and height: The priorities of a teenage girl was simply astounding.
"Didn't you know?" Yang craned her chin upwards. "I'm Yang Danger Xiaolong, and I won't be a hassle. I would even be fine on my own."
Shirou raised a brow and looked towards Yang's ankle which he had hastily patched up and created a splint for. "Your twisted ankle says otherwise," he deadpanned.
Yang had no reply. In fact, she looked scandalized. "It was just an accident," she tried to defend.
Shirou shook his head. No matter what Yang said, it didn't change the fact that it had happened. Regardless, there was another detail that he was more concerned about that trumped all. "I need to ask Yang, but who's been giving you information about where to find people in Vale's underground district?" He questioned.
Upon hearing him speak, Yang clammed up immediately. She was smart enough to understand what he was getting at right away.
"Why do I have to tell you that?" Yang beat around the bush.
He was not amused at her antics. The reason that he needed to know, was so that he could pay the place a visit and demand to know just who thought it would be prudent to give sensitive information to a middle school girl? He was going to shut the place down, thereby preventing Yang from ever getting anymore ideas about venturing off into dangerous places.
"You know why I'm asking, Yang." He adjusted his hold on her so that they could look each other in the eyes without deceit. "I don't want you to involve yourself in this kind of situation again. You're not even a Huntress yet. It's too dangerous even if you're looking for a certain person."
Yang bowed her head, the fringes of her hair shadowing her eyes at the reminder of her previous motivations. "…Not anymore. It's not like she wants me anyway," she muttered, prompting him to look down and verify if she was okay. Her voice differed from her general exuberance; it was small, feeble even. The sheer bitterness on her face caused Summer no end of worry.
"If that's the case, then there's no reason for you to keep doing these dangerous things," Shirou said consolingly. Yang glanced up at him in disbelief at his own ignorance, before pursing her lips. She had no reason to search for her biological mom anymore, but she'd inadvertently ended up finding another reason to keep coming back to Vale's Underground.
"I don't want to tell you," Yang became petulant. "It's like you're trying to push me away."
It's because he was though? Shirou knew that admitting such thoughts would only cause more problems so he chose a different approach instead. Be truthful about his concern for her well being.
"Yang," he began, making sure that he had her attention. She was glancing at him from the corner of her eye so it seemed as if he'd already succeeded. "Don't take this the wrong way, but you're beautiful."
Yang's expression remained neutral despite the incessant squealing in her mind. "I get that a lot. Your point?" She played it cool despite the urge to frolic in a field of flowers building up from within her.
"I don't want you to go back to Vale's Underground not only because it's dangerous, but you'll attract people with less than savoury motivations," Shirou said honestly. It was a real danger for such things to happen to innocent middle-school girls. "I know that you're strong. Plenty strong, but you never know the kind of people you'll face or try to take advantage of you in a hidden society."
Yang mulled over what he had said, before summing it all up in her own way. "So, you're worried that some guy other than you would try to hit on me?"
He nodded without thinking. She wasn't exactly wrong, but the connotation seemed a tad off now that he thought about it. And suddenly, Yang was all smiles, her mood taking a hundred-and-eighty-degree turn.
"If I tell you where I get my information from, will you promise to quit being a mercenary and attend Beacon Academy with me?"
This seemed to be the defining question. In truth, she didn't want to tell Shirou where she got her information from because she wanted to make sure that she could still see Shirou from time to time.
"I can't promise that," Shirou's lip twitched from beneath the mask that he was wearing.
Yang immediately frowned. "But why?" She pressed.
"It's not easy to just stop being a mercenary, Yang," he reasoned. "It's all I know how to do as an official job." In this world, and in the last, he'd constantly worked as a mercenary to stop global and isolated conflicts. It was all that he professionally knew how to do.
"But that's not fair," Yang argued, her lips curving down into a frown. "C'mon. You'll never know if you don't try."
Shirou shook his head. "I can't guarantee it, Yang. I've done too many things that I'm not proud about in life. I'm fine as a mercenary. A Hero in the Dark."
Yang cringed. "That was the dorkiest thing that I've ever heard. Therefore, I'm not telling you."
"Yang."
"No."
"What if I said I'd try my best? Sometimes no matter how hard you try; you just can't change things so easily."
Yang's expression finally softened. "You promise that you'll try your best?"
"I promise," he said. Though in reality, it would all really depend on Ruby. He could already picture what sort of reaction she'd have if she discovered him even considering going to a Huntsman school. Her excitement and enthusiasm would be nigh uncontainable. She'd become a chatter box for the whole day.
Regardless, his promise was finally enough for Yang to relent.
"In Vale's western suburb there's an old reporter named Boyd Flynn who runs a shop with his daughter. That's where I get all my information," Yang admitted.
Boyd Flynn, Shirou made sure to recall the name and location Yang gave. It was all that Shirou needed, and holding Yang secure in his arms, he picked up speed.
An hour later, and Yang incredulously found herself deposited at the front doorstep of her small home in Patch. She could not comprehend how Archer had known where she lived, but he was gone before she could so much as question him. All that was left in his wake was the rustling of the leaves and the blowing of the wind.
That was so cool. Sparkles momentarily appeared in Yang's eyes when she realized that Archer must have had escorted her home safely the first time that they'd met in order to keep her safe. Little did she know that she was closer to the truth then she could ever imagine.
Listlessly, Yang pushed open the front door of her own house to see Ruby working diligently on Crescent Rose in the living room. Once she got to work on a weapon, almost nothing could distract her; however, it just so happened that Yang was a rare exception.
Ruby glanced up at Yang from where she was working on Crescent Rose, watching the way Yang stared fixatedly at a sheathed dagger she kept held in her hands. She looked dazed and absent minded, a dumb smile curving her lips upward. It was a sight that Ruby had never seen on Yang before. Yang was swooning. That. Wasn't. Normal.
Carefully, purposely, Ruby put aside Crescent Rose. "Yang, did you hit your head on something?" Ruby asked tentatively. She grew even more concerned and thrown off when rather than answer, Yang asked a question of her own.
"Hey Ruby, do you believe in love?"
From the blush that worked its way up Ruby's face, evidently, she did, and she was already crushing hard on someone. Yang smiled knowingly that her socially awkward little sister was still a girl at heart. However, she couldn't even get a word out to tease Ruby as time itself seemed to crawl to a slow. She watched in muted dread as Ruby's expression twisted into one of pity and fear.
There was only one reason that she'd ever make that sort of face.
"Dad's behind me, isn't he?" Ruby didn't even need to answer.
A hand clapped over Yang's shoulder, prompting her to stiffly crane her neck up to see her father holding a scroll with the image and sub caption of a wanted terrorist named 'Ms. Blond Kickass.'
Tai Xiaolong was not amused, especially when he saw his daughter's face on a wanted notice after a hard day's work at school. "Anything else you'd like to add? You've been gone for days now."
Yang's expression grew strained, the smile she was trying to keep in order to lighten the mood quickly growing awkward. "I was at a sleep over?"
Tai's expression hardly changed at all. In fact, it grew even colder at the response. What Yang didn't know was that Tai had been tipped off regarding what sort of activities Yang had been doing. Any excuse now was basically just Yang digging herself into a bigger hole, or tightening the knot of the metaphorical noose around her neck.
Tai breathed in and out. He was a father. He could see it in Yang's eyes that she didn't regret a single moment of her reckless actions.
Be strong Tai. She's your daughter.
Punishment could wait, evasion of the law was priority, and Tai Xiaolong had bailed out Qrow and Raven enough times to know what needed to be done until things blew over. Although he could, cash in a favour from Ozpin, that was at his own expense, and it wouldn't serve as a lesson for Yang at all. He was going to hit her where it hurts so that she'd never forget.
Therefore, just like Raven had once been forced to do after making off with a heist and being stupid enough to get her photo taken, her daughter would now have to temporarily do the same.
You aren't the person on the picture if you don't look like it, Tai liked to say, and Yang's face was fortunately blurred due to the low quality of the picture. It's what happens when rich families favour antique cameras to state of the art scrolls.
Before Yang could even open her mouth to explain herself truthfully, Tai shushed her with a single no-shits glare that had quailed even Raven before uttering the words that would change her life forever.
"You're getting a haircut."
NOOOOOO!
In a certain house that an alcoholic of a man was accommodating in his time working in Patch, a corvid abruptly flew by and appeared by the closed window of the living room.
Qrow was many things. A drunk, a prude, and a brawler to list a few descriptions, but the point was, he was not a man who was easily shaken. The metal flask of alcohol that he was drinking from while slouched on his recliner with his feet kicked up onto a table abruptly fell and clattered to the ground. At this moment, he was precisely shaken in disbelief.
The corvid at the window was staring irritably right at him while pecking at the window; a clear gesture for Qrow to open it immediately. Be that as it may, Qrow hesitated. Putting on his white rimmed trench coat and grabbing onto his weapon, he seemed uncertain of what was happening right now and just stood there.
The incessant pecking only grew louder and louder. Either Qrow open the window, or that window was going to be shattered. Qrow got enough nagging from the landlord already about keeping the place maintained, and he didn't want to add a broken window to the list. Carefully, he walked forward and opened the window, flinching when the black bird kicked him in the face before turning into the form of a raven-haired woman near identical to Yang in appearance.
"Raven?" Qrow asked languidly. "Why are you here? Had enough of the tribe?"
Qrow fully expected his sister to rise up to his barb, but she actually looked unsettled. It was an expression he'd not seen on his sister's face in forever. Behind the cynicism and selfishness, there was something sprouting within the depths of her eyes. She was scared? Frightened? No. More than that, for once, she had that same look in her gaze back before team STRQ had met with Salem; back when they actually felt like they had a chance at changing the world.
Something had happened. Something beyond even Raven's world views.
"We need to talk," Raven said softly. "I should have known that Ozpin wasn't the type of man who'd fight a losing battle."
Qrow raised a brow. What was that supposed to mean? Honestly, Qrow's best impression of Ozpin was a man absently drinking coffee without a care in the world. Was Ozpin hiding something that even he didn't know and that Raven discovered? Well, regardless, he was more interested in hearing what sort of decision Raven had come down to.
Because for the first time in a long time, Qrow saw hope in Raven's disposition that the odds were not stacked up and doomed for failure. He loosened his guard and put his weapon away. He could tell that Raven had no intention of attacking. Perhaps, just maybe, she may reconsider her course of action for the future? Perhaps Yang could get her mother back? The one before she'd turned bitter and disillusioned to the world aside from the tribe.
He'd have to tread this conversation carefully, if not for team STRQ, then for Yang's sake. Surely she'd be thrilled.
Thanks for reading!
Next Update: Vasto of White
P a treon. com (slash) Parcasious
If you want to leave a review and feedback for the book, go here: Fatedlegacydark. ca (Amazon requires 50$ worth of purchases and google reviews is currently down. That being said, I wanted to at least know what people who bought the book think of the book)
Milestone Announcement: My first book has been published on Amazon's Kindle website! It's called 'Fated Legacy: Dark' (Author Name: Parcasious Grace)
-There are sample chapters able to be read on my Author Bio Page
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Links to the book can be found here: Fatedlegacydark. ca
Summary of book:
Death. Grief. Ruin. Nothing was left unchanged after an unexplained tragedy led to the loss of millions across the world in key locations. Cities were reduced to wastelands of steel and concrete, and many were forced into migration. When events leading to the prior tragedy occur once more, Kevin Black was going to have to learn that sometimes mysteries were better left unsolved. Trapped with his friends in the world of a ruined city filled with monsters, the journey out would be far more perilous than the journey in.
