Chapter 52: Expectations

What are they doing there? Of all the words to come out of your mouth, that was about the last thing they expected. You don't even show a hint of happiness at their presence. From your face, your stiff stance, it's all clear that you're disappointed. This slow realization hits everyone differently, but hits Ruby the hardest, her stomach hosting a heavy knot she can't overcome. She has fantasized about this moment during long walks, dreamt about it during dreary nights, and it always had you two running up to each other and hugging as tightly as possible whilst tears of joy fun down her face. Of course, there are a million questions that would be asked around a campfire; with some potential marshmallows, or at the very least a nice hot soup. She just wanted to see the brilliant hope you used to be, the one who smiled through everything and would crack a silly joke. Yet here you are, dismissive of them; telling them not to fight, having some sort of blood-like liquid engulfing you during the fight, there are so many problems, so many questions, and yet all you can see is their interference being the biggest issue.

"Geez kid. You finally get to see your friends and that's how you respond?" Qrow remarks, grabbing his flask. "The wind may be picking up, but I didn't expect you to be so damn cold."

"I'm glad they're okay," you reply directly to Qrow as if your friends aren't right there. "But I'm not exactly thrilled that they're here. It's too much for you" you then speak right at them with a hint of authority.

"You clearly needed the help," Ren retorts calmly.

"And you considered that help?" You snicker.

"Hey!" Jaune shouts, stepping forward. "What's that for? We saw you were in trouble and tried-"

"Tried, yes," you nod, cutting him off mid-sentence. "But you didn't help. You made things worse. You were an unwanted distraction."

"How could you have such little faith in us?" Nora proclaims in a lighthearted tone in her voice to try and not let this reunion be so gloomy.

"Because I saw you fight," you cross your arms. "Both Tyrian and Neo."

RNJR can guess Tyrian is the Faunus they briefly scuffled with, but Neo is someone Ruby is very familiar with and whom the others have heard of. The fact that she was last seen attacking Beacon and now is fighting by your side is confusing for all of them, especially Ruby. It doesn't help that the mute has a cocky smile, plus her eyes show true a deep disdain and hatred for Ruby. Since that horrific day, she's blamed both Ruby and Cinder for Roman's death. If not for both of them, the man she looked up to, the man she admired, would not have been taken away from her. The problem now is that she's aware of how important Ruby is to you, yet she's still someone who's fire Neo would love nothing more than to snuff out. If only you had been distracted for just a little longer in the previous battle; just long enough for Neo to jab her blade right into the red cloaked brat's skull, then Neo would've had no problem playing it off as self defence. But not anymore. Killing her now would only cause far more problems, ruin the situation she's grown quite accustomed to... unless the perfect opportunity presents itself.

"You've... been with her... all this time?" Ruby quietly asks.

"Yes."

"B-But she was at Beacon when it was attacked! We fought on top of the air ship and... she..."

Neo's gaze narrows on Ruby, thinking back to the last moment she saw Roman; before Ruby took him away.

"She also saved my life when I fought that Dragon," you counter. "She's saved my life a handful of times. Whatever your feelings about her are, they're not mine. She's my ally."

These words strike a cord in Ruby's heart. Despite her worries, her experiences, you're just throwing them aside without considering them? Without thinking how much of a danger Neo could be? What if she's acting as a double agent? What if she's just waiting for the right moment?

"And the way I saw it, you all attacked her first," you add on.

We... W-Well, what about Dylan?" Her questions continue. "I thought HE was your partner."

You keep silent for a moment, remembering your stubborn yet lovable Faunus friend. "I haven't seen him since Beacon. Which I assume goes the same for Weiss and Blake?" You fire back. "Look, just.." you huff, exhausted. "Go home. There's no reason for you to even be out here."

"There is!" Ruby shouts back, regaining a small fraction of her confidence. "Cinder, she said she was from Mistral! That's where we're going! And now that we've found you..."

"She... did?" You clench your fists, the memory finally coming back. After you killed Penny, in the stadium, her speech included that little detail. So much has happened since that day to make such a comment slip your mind. "She did... well, then I'll go to Mistral. You four-"

"We're not turning back!" Jaune stands his ground. "We've come this far..."

"Hm..." You turn around and look to the sky, noting how late in the day it is. You'd love to convince them to leave now, but considering Vani and his entourage are certainly nearby, and they've seen your friends, you don't want them to be travelling alone. "Come on. We'll make camp and..." You pause for a moment. "Discuss things," you start to walk, which incites Neo to spin around and happily march by your side.

RNJR is left almost dumbfounded. You're so different, so dismissive. In these times, they were looking forward to more of your silly jokes and ridiculous tricks. Sadly, Beacon affected everyone differently, and they can only imagine what may have happened on that tower, with Pyrrha.

"I wouldn't wait forever," Qrow slowly saunters ahead. "Doubt he'd wait, considering his mood."

"Wait, what're you even doing here, uncle Qrow?! How did you find us? Were you following (Y/N)? Or us? For how long?"

As Ruby rambles on to Qrow and his annoyed moans reach your ears, you can't help but smirk for a moment. But that only reminds you what you have to protect... and why they cannot come with you.

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Vani finally comes to a halt, landing by a small, crystal clear pond. If he wasn't so preoccupied with his thoughts on the last battle, he may have found the place soothing. There's the cooling sound of running water, the fresh scent of the pond and surrounding plants, it's almost like an oasis within this Grimm infested continent.

He reaches into his pocket and checks his scroll, while his teammates land around him. His Aura is only at seven percent capacity, something that infuriates him.

"Damnit! What the hell was that? How did he grow that red arm thing?" Chess makes her frustration known. "I thought it was just supposed to be him? Where'd the others come from?"

"And where's that fun bastard?" Dolph takes a gander. "We split up?"

"What does it matter? I still want to know what happened!" Chess paces around. She stops when in view of Vani, who's off in his own world much like Osiris. "Vani, are you even listening?"

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Vani barely keeps himself up on one knee as his body pulses and breaths are heavy. Harrier stands as relaxed as ever, despite defeating all members of VOID. Osiris, Chess, and Dolph are all around the clearing, either unconscious or catching their breath after such an intense battle.

"Your control of that Semblance is improving, Vani. Was your father really so stubborn that he didn't even try to help you?"

"He... tried... "

"Hmph, looking for the easy way out, it seems, despite such potential before him. There are very few people who have a Semblance like yours, a Semblance to manipulate time."

"But it's... so tiring..."

"Of course it is. Do you think every Huntsman was born with their skills honed, their Semblances perfected?" While his voice is neutral, Vani can't help but feel battered by his words. "I will commend you, however, you're improving how long you can stop time, and have better control over your emotions whilst using it. But it's clear you're not completely calm. As soon as your blood rushes to attack, you lose focus and your Semblance shatters."

"I know, damnit!" Vani hits the ground. "It's not enough! His Semblance is too strong!"

"Perhaps," Harrier nods, sheathing his sabre. "But, yours is the perfect counter. We know what it is, but to others it simply appears as if you are teleporting. So perhaps you have to look at your Semblance in a different way."

Vani thinks for a moment before responding. "Stop... using it like I'm stopping time... and rather like I'm teleporting?"

"Exactly. Like I said, your Semblance is a perfect counter option against (Y/N)'s. He's fast, but he isn't faster than time. View it as a teleportation Semblance, see it as a reaction Semblance. Stop intending to control time and instead control the battlefield. Still, even with practice you clearly aren't capable of beating him," those words make Vani's fists clench. "Do you know why?"

"Stop... treating me like some idiot student! Of course I do," Vani relaxes, letting his body fall back and stare at the sky. "It's still using too much of my Aura."

"And (Y/N)'s is very efficient in close quarters. Even if I train you to be his equal, even if you could use your Semblance to its fullest, you'd lose the war of attrition."

"And why tell me this?" Vani huffs, his breathing slowing down. "Why even train me if I can't win?"

"The same reason I allowed your friends to train with you. Alone, you may lose the battle, but together you have a chance. He knows none of your Semblances, none of your fighting styles," Harrier's silver eyes gleam beyond his dark glasses. "You're a team, so act like it. (Y/N) has his friends, so use yours."

Vani rolls onto his stomach and gets onto his feet, immediately stretching his back.

"You're being suspiciously nice, Harrier. Are you finally-" Vani turns around and gets a fist to the face, sending him spiraling into the tree line.

"Back on your feet, everyone! Seven more rounds before a break."

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And it may have worked. But it was Salem's plan that spoiled Vani's. Messing with your emotions was part of Vani's original plan, yes, but the anger was all Salem's plotting. He wasn't sure why, and the others had their doubts, but now, with the dust settled, Vani is piecing things together.

"Whatever that red liquid was," Osiris finally speaks. "It came from that mark on his cheek."

"So?" Dolph shrugs.

"It's the same mark Salem has on her cloak," Vani finishes Osiris' thought. "And I think that's what's responsible for putting Cinder in her state."

"Exactly," his friend nods.

"Cinder?" Dolph rubs his head. "Oh, the one eyed chick in red."

"Are you saying that Salem wanted that... thing to come out of him?" Chess puts together, completely ignoring her brother.. "But why? What even was it? Why did Salem want us to summon it or whatever we did?"

"That's why he was telling me to stop," Osiris realizes. "That's why Qrow told me to stop. Whatever Salem wanted us to release or stir up within him, I don't think she expected us to survive it. If that thing beat Cinder and even wounded Harrier... just imagine what it could have done to us."

"You're telling me we were thrown under the bus?" The mere thought of being used like that incites Dolph's rage.

"Maybe. If so, then there's going to be a problem," Vani nods. "Look, we need to regroup with the rest. I want to speak with Harrier about this. We're going back to Mistral."

"Home turf, huh?" Dolph punches his palm. "That's what I like to hear. Been too long."

"And I want some answers," Chess taps her bat against her calf. "I'm no pawn in this game."

"None of us are. I won't let us be," Vani reassures. "Come on, VOID, let's close in on Mistral before night falls."

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"Really, you didn't have to help clean," Kali says, standing away from the sink and watching Dylan.

"It's quite alright," Dylan watches as his manipulated water washes over the dirty dishes. "It's always nice to practice my Semblance in all ways, and it's the least I can do to repay your hospitality. Not to mention that delicious meal."

"It sure was the best, Misses B!" Sun shouts as he enters the room. "I gotta say, I hope Blake knows how to cook like you!"

Dylan pauses for a moment, unsure whether any of RWBY actually knows how to cook. He's never once seen it happen, nor has he ever heard them talk about it. Ruby was young, so it's possible she still got her father to cook, maybe even cut the crust off sandwiches. Weiss is a Schnee, so cooking for herself would genuinely surprise the water manipulator. That just leaves Yang and Blake, which he's unsure of either. Yang, from what Dylan knew, lived with her father the entire time with Ruby, so if the younger sister was cooked for then it's fair to assume she was also cooked for. Blake was with the White Fang for a long time, and being in the White Fang as well, Dylan knows that there are cooks in most camps. So it really comes down to circumstances and-

The Faunus shakes his head, finally derailing this train of thought. To his surprise, he's completely done with the dishes he was washing. Even as Kali pours out some tea and Sun rambles on, Dylan marvels at himself; something he doesn't do often. The fact that he could still perform his task while so distracted shows even more mastery of his Semblance than even the user knew. While he has been focusing heavily on Semblance mastery, he didn't recognize this level of progress. After his months of self-taught training he can use his Semblance more efficiently, even with his lower Aura pool, and perform more fantastical feats, but using his Semblance with nearly zero focus is something new to him. Of course, this is just cleaning off some dishes which is drastically different from combatting Grimm or humanoids, but it's still a milestone for the feline nonetheless.

"A giant mech suit, huh?" Kali chuckles, placing more tea on a tray. "Dylan, honey, could you give me two cups?"

"Of course," Dylan gingerly grabs two fresh cups and places them on the tray while Kali fetches some sugar cubes.

"Yeah, and boy did we batter that suit to the ground!"

"We?" Dylan remarks as he stands up straight. "If I remember correctly, you and Neptune were thrown off the road and didn't regroup because you were eating food while Yang, Blake, Ruby and I fought Torchwick."

"Hey, I found the guy AND ran from the mech! On a highway! Across cars! What did you do?" He points.

"I kept him off your back and saved the civilians Roman nearly killed," Dylan takes a seat while Kali puts down the bowl of sugar cubes. "Where did Blake go, anyhow?"

"Didn't she go to the bathroom?" Sun offers.

"I have an idea where she is," Kali smirks while picking up the platter. "I'm bringing this to Ghira. Don't have too much fun without me. I'd like to hear more about my daughter and her friends," she leaves the boys with the remark before leaving the room.

Thus, the two competing Faunus boys are left alone. Silence takes up the room as Dylan remains stoic as ever and Sun moves in place. The tension is obvious to both, yet neither want to address it. They're waiting for someone to come back, preferably Blake, though Dylan wouldn't mind Ghira either. The way he shuts down Sun will never cease to be entertaining.

"Were you happy Ghira was not at dinner?" Dylan breaks the silence with a cocky smirk.

"I... would never speak ill of Blake's loving father!" Sun declares, just in case the man in question happens to walk in. "Buuuuut, I will say, I do feel a little more relaxed with her mom."

"Hey, I can handle any parent with ease," he confidently points at his chest, only for Dylan's doubtful gaze to shatter said confidence. "Okay, he scares me."

Dylan smiles for a moment. "Being truthful, how pleasant."

"Truthful, huh?" Sun repeats, seemingly staring off into space. "Hey, Dylan, can I ask you a question?"

"My willingness has never been a factor previously."

"I..." Sun stops, thinking on how to properly ask. "We've seen the White Fang and all the bad things they've done, yeah?"

"Mm?" The feline's brow raises.

"So... you and Blake were really supporting them before. And... well, why? I get if this is a little sensitive but I feel like asking you is... easier."

"Heh," Dylan licks his teeth while coming up with an answer. "I don't know how you were raised in Vacuo, but in Vale there were so many... so much..." Dylan shakes his head.

"It was bad," Sun finishes his thought, voice more serious than Dylan is used to.

"Yes. For me, I was simply told over and over by my sister, by the family I called the White Fang, that humans were filth and they treat us like animals. Of course, that's all I ever saw. Even (Y/N), when I first met him, cutting down my allies like they were nothing and fully intended on killing me," Dylan twirls his thumbs, breathing becoming a little irregular; signs that Sun picks up on. "When I look back on my life, how I was raised, it's almost laughable how clear the indoctrination was, yet I didn't see it. (Y.N), Ozpin, RWBY, JNPR, all these people at Beacon showed me that what I knew, what I believed to be true, was such a... a childishly narrow view.. Sure, there were disgusting humans there, but how could I soundly ignore that when all these other kind souls stood before me... and, well," he starts to chuckle. "When I started seeing what the White Fang was doing, that they were willing to sacrifice Faunus to achieve their goals... and- and you know what the sad thing is?" Dylan shuffles a little closer to Sun. "If their grip on me hadn't loosened, if I didn't start thinking for myself... I may have thought that what they did to Vale, what they did to Beacon, was entirely justified. That's," Dylan's head falls, muting his voice slightly, yet it's irrelevant to Sun and his hearing. "That's why I worry for my sister. In her, I see what I was and I just... want her to realize what's happening. Fighting my sister tears me apart yet I can't just allow that bloodbond to override my ideals!"

There's a moment of pause after this, Dylan, coming to terms with what he's said, and Sun, both digesting Dylan's words and allowing his Faunus comrade to collect himself.

"I'm sorry," Dylan's head shakes in short bursts. "You didn't ask me all that and-"

"It's fine," Sun quickly alleviates worry. "That... was clearly something you were holding in."

"Yeah..." Dylan sighs. "Well, I imagine Blake feels similar. Adam was precious to her, a role model, a friend, maybe something more, I don't know. And the White Fang was the true symbol of Faunus freedom, something she held higher than her family. Now, like me, she sees how misguided she was. Why do you think she wants to distance herself from all that? Why do you think she came back to the people she left for the wrong reason."

Once again, Sun takes this information and lets it stir within his brain. "I see... you mind if I get some air? Think about all that?"

"Of course," Dylan quickly composes himself. The monkey Faunus hops on his feet and heads for the door, only for Dylan to call out. "Hey!" Sun turns around. "I... I know I said sorry, but thank you. You're really not that bad."

Sun smirks. "See, I knew I had a way with cats."

"I will drown you."

Sun laughs while walking off, and Dylan cracks a smirk when Sun can no longer see him. All this, however, just reminds him of conversations with you. But before he can fall into that well, Kali returns to the room.

"Oh, where's Sun?" She inquires.

"Taking a breather. He hasn't had a banana in a while."

"Oh... is that a real problem for him?"

"Incredibly. Do you have any spares?" Dylan maintains his cool during this lie.

"Of course! I'll make sure to have them easily accessible!" Kali nods, quickly marching towards one of the cupboards and grabbing a collection of the fruit.

Dylan stretches his back and looks towards the hallway.

"Did you see Blake?"

"She's with her father," Kali approaches Dylan with the food. "Would you like to move to the living room?" Dylan nods, allowing the matron to pass him and lead the way. "It's funny, Blake has always been very passionate about her beliefs and stands for them. Even when she ran away, yelled at us, I was heartbroken, of course, but I still admired my daughter's determination. Seeing her so scared to face Ghira..."

Dylan snickers as the two take a seat. "That's funny, as much as I admire Blake I've seen much of the opposite."

"Hm?"

"She's... very hard on herself," Dylan attempts to explain without unintentionally insulting the woman's daughter. "She calls herself a coward, and believes she brings harm to the people around her. Blake... ran from Beacon, after everything happened. She slapped Sun when he showed up," the Faunus chuckles at the memory, then shakes his head. "Honestly, I've seen her be confident in herself, and it's amazing. I hope the time here will bring that back."

Kali's gaze falls to the table as her nails tap the wood. "Beacon was horrible... I can't imagine how many sons and daughters have been affected by... everything. I'm just so happy Blake is home safe, but that doesn't mean I can ignore everyone else's pain," Kali rests her hand on her chest. "I couldn't imagine the pain..."

"It's... a burden we all handle differently," Dylan replies, thinking back on some of the bodies he saw around Beacon, soldiers, students, parents, children, all taken because of the White Fang. "Were there any other Faunus who returned from any of the schools?"

"Not that I heard of," Kali says without returning Dylan's gaze. "Many of the people here just want to be left alone, live their lives peacefully."

"And the White Fang haven't done anything to compromise that?"

"No... not that I know of, atleast," Kali sets her hands on the table and focuses on Dylan. "I never thought them so ill willed, even after what Ghira has told me. But from what you and Blake have told me, I may have to rethink some things."

"I'm rethinking letting that boy stay here," Ghira stomps in the room. "Finally, I am able to talk with my daughter and connect after so long and he not only disrupts it but breaks my door!" The chieftain rambles on, taking a seat like a stubborn child.

Dylan and Kali share a look, knowing exactly who he's talking about. "I'm... going to go make sure everything is okay," Kali stands up and heads for upstairs.

Ghira's gaze shifts continuously, calming himself down from something that may not deserve this kind of response.

"He's an idiot," Dylan reassures. "But he's not a bad guy."

"The idiot part is what worries me. How could my daughter spend so much time around someone so incompetent?"

Your face immediately flashes in Dylan's mind. "I am all too aware of what that's like, trust me," he follows up with a short laugh.

"You've dealt with him a lot?"

"He isn't the first incompetent fool that comes to mind, but he's up there."

Ghira finally cracks a smile. "You... you I like."

"Oh, uh... thank you. I would hate to be taking up the room of people who dislike me," Dylan replies honestly. "I would likely end up just sleeping out at sea."

"You... sleep at sea?"

"Water is calming for me, double because of my water Semblance and spending months on a boat. I'm not leaving. Not until I know there's no threat from the White Fang."

"I still don't like hearing that," Ghira huffs.

"Neither do I."

"Dear, Dylan!" Kali races in with a face full of worry and heavy breath. Ghira and Dylan quickly hop to their feet, recognizing the genuine worry Kali's exerting.

"Kali, what's wrong?" Ghira responds once he's on his feet.

"Blake just chased after someone, and Sun said it was the White Fang! We need to-"

"Leave it to me, please," Dylan looks between the two, getting their subtle approval before running out of the room.

He weaves through the house and towards the door, forming water around the handles of the main door to open them up for him. As soon as he passes through, the water slithers across the surface, going to the other side of the door and pulling it closed. It immediately shoots off the door and towards the swiftly forming water pad beneath him, which lifts off the ground to give Dylan the high ground.

With the moon shining across Menagerie, it provides an unnecessary light source for the Faunus as his eyes jolt from street to street, rooftop to rooftop, trying to spot any movement as he's lifted higher and higher. It doesn't take long for Dylan to focus in on Blake, Sun, and an unknown female figure standing atop a building. Without hesitation, Dylan dives in to assist.

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Blake keeps her composure while staring down the now unmasked assailant. "Ilia," she squints her eyes.

"Wait, you know her?" Sun shouts while getting on his feet. "But she doesn't even look like a-"

Frustrated by the monkey's loudmouth, Ilia's skin burns hot as she lashes out with her weapon, striking Sun's chest.

Bits of electricity spark from the impact zone... but Sun is unharmed. All three of the Faunus are confused until one, Sun, spots a small patch of water that's still electrically charged. Ilia, unsure what's happening and knowing she's outnumbered, quickly slashes at the ground to kick up dust. It obscures Blake and Sun, but the latter isn't worried. As the dust clears, sounds of Ilia struggling are easily heard. The two Faunus are treated to the sight of Ilia's arms completely wrapped around her body with a strong layer of water. Her skin shifts to a primarily green tone, displaying the fear coursing through her.

It's then when Dylan descends, arms crossed and brow furrowed.

"Dylan!" Blake blurts out.

"You should be more careful, Sun," he chastises.

Ilia doesn't dare speak, but she's well aware of who's captured her. The Son of the Waves was already a relatively well known name within the White Fang, and his departure to the otherside was equally renown. The fact that he's captured her doesn't bode well for the White Fang spy, a fact she despises.

"Well, well," Dylan lands before Ilia with his arms crossed. "Exactly why I stuck around. Why're you watching Blake?"

"We have her scroll," Blake walks up beside Dylan and shows it off. "But... Ilia, please just tell us. What's happening?"

"I won't say anything. Not to any of you traitors," her skin returns to normal as she's gained a bit of her composure.

"So... are we going to take her back?" Sun asks, getting on the other side of the water manipulator.

"Of course. We have the scroll if she doesn't decide to talk. Just to be sure..."

Dylan casually lifts his knee, perplexing those around him until the water around Ilia forces her to flip forward, knocking her jaw against Dylan's knee and knocking her out cold.

"You... can do that?" Sun shivers. "Scary."

"Heh, yeah," Dylan wraps most of Ilia's body in a water cocoon for transport. "Come on, let's head back. Your parents are worried and I'm sure this commotion hasn't gone unnoticed. We can't have a panic on Menagerie until we're certain what's going on."

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Aza slowly stumbles through the compound of the White Fang's headquarters after another rigorous training session. Many ideas have been flowing through her mind, some on how to expand her Semblance usage after seeing Dylan's astronomical advancement with his own, and others pertaining to her weapons, kunai, and how effective they may be in the future. While they've been her primary tool, Aza is familiar with various other weapons, but the prospect of dedicating so much time to mastering and creating a brand new weapon and fighting style is a tall order. But that's why she's been training so hard, both with her Semblance and other weapons. It keeps her in shape, keeps her sharp, assures she's always at her best even if most of Aza's time is spent inside the compound, doing nothing.

Yet these are things the exhausted Aza can ponder later. Right now, she's in desperate need of rest. She finally reaches and enters her room, assuring the door gently closes behind her. Her senses are immediately attracted to a body that she wasn't expecting. Sienna is sitting on a chair, head resting in her hand as the leader of the Fang sleeps. Aza wasn't expecting a visit from Sienna at all, so her appearance is surprising. Aza gingerly approaches her oldest friend and places a hand on Sienna's shoulder.

"Sienna... wake up... it's late."

"Hmm?" Sienna stirs awake, clearly a little out of it. "Oh, Aza... what time is it?"

"Pretty late," the woman smiles. "What're you doing here?"

"I... had something to tell you but didn't know where you were. So I thought I'd wait and..." A yawn cuts off her sentence. "That was a good cat nap."

"I bet," Aza nods, stepping back so Sienna can stand. "Sorry for waking you."

"No, no," Sienna waves off. "I'd rather sleep in a bed than a chair. Plus, I still have something for you."

"Oh? What is it?"

Sienna stretches her neck a bit. "Well... one of my spies contacted me about your brother."

"Dylan? What is it?" Her speech is fast, showing an instant interest.

"It seems... " She shakes her head to finally complete the wake up process. "It seems he's on Menagerie and he's with two others."

Aza takes a seat on the side of her bed to think about this information. Dylan has no reason to go to Menagerie as far as Aza's concerned, so there has to be a higher purpose. But the fact she knows where Dylan is... that perhaps there's a chance for her to reconcile with her little brother is something that will linger in Aza's mind until she does it.

"If you wish, I'm more than happy to arrange transport and let you visit him. You've made it clear how much you want to see him again."

"But what about you?"

"I can take care of myself, Aza, come on," she responds playfully. "However, I do want you to stay for a short time. Adam Taurus will be arriving within a few days to explain himself."

"I... Adam, he-"

"I'll be with you, Aza, don't worry," Sienna quickly approaches and seats herself beside her friend. "And it'll be nice to have a second perspective on all his actions. You were there, you can tell me if he lies or not. I don't like the thought of punishing or exiling him, but he's caused more trouble for the White Fang, for all Faunus, than necessary. I need to make an informed decision," she takes a deep breath. "After that, you can go to Menagerie. Does that sound alright with you?"

Her decision doesn't take long to formulate. "Yes, of course. Thank you so much, Sienna, this means... a lot," she ends with a warm smile.

Sienna greets Aza's positivity with her own. "Of course," she nods. "I want to do everything I can to help you. And another way to help," Sienna slaps her thighs before standing up. "Is letting you get some sleep. I wanna crawl into bed too before I get too awake."

"Of course," Aza stands and bows her head. "Have a wonderful night, Sienna. Thank you again."

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The entire situation leading up to now felt awkward for RNJR. You haven't said a word to any of them after leading the way into the forest, but you've been having small talk with Neo like it's nothing. Even when setting up camp, getting the fire started, you've been rather dismissive of their existence. But there's no running from it now. The sleeping bags are down, the fire is up, and everyone is sitting around it, basking in warmth and waiting to break this tension with a much needed talk. Not just with you, but Qrow is starting to feel like explaining the Maidens and Salem, especially now that everyone has seen that mark of yours.

And so the positions have been taken, with RNJR all sitting on one log, Qrow on another, and finally you and Neo on the last. You can almost feel the pressure of all their gazes on you, and the nice crackling of the fire won't deflect it.

You huff. "Right... I did say we'd discuss things," you rest your arms on your legs, hunching forward. "I already know why you're here, though not you," your eyes trail to Qrow for a second. "So I really have no questions."

"None... seriously? Not even a 'how are you doing?'" Nora cheekily replies.

"You're alive, you're all fighting, and you're trying to stop Cinder. I can guess how well you're all doing."

"Can you?" Ruby quivers, her arm shaking. "Can you really guess how I feel right now?"

You keep your eyes locked with hers, watching her eyes shake as she tries to hold back any tears.

"Probably... just not the weight it has on you."

"Yeah... you can't. You... you left, (Y/N). I woke up thinking you'd be with me, and you weren't. Did you not care?"

"That's ridiculous," you immediately dismiss. "Of course I did. Truthfully, I thought you were still at home. When I went back there-"

"You went to my home?" Ruby she requests clarification.

"Yeah, I did," you nod, eyes trailing to the fire. "The way your dad spoke made it seem like you haven't left... but considering you're here and how far away Patch is..." Your voice trails off into an annoyed chuckle.

"But then-"

"Hey, can I ask a question," Jaune brings up, attempting to shift it a little bit so Ruby's frustrations won't boil over.

Ruby backs down, crossing her arms and frowning at you.

"Sure, Jaune."

"Who were those guys attacking you?"

"And what was that... strange thing you did with your arm?" Ren poses a follow up.

"I..." No words can leave your throat, unsure how to describe the entire situation. Thankfully, someone else does.

"I can," Qrow then takes a swig from his flask. "Well, I can have some educated guesses. Let me tackle the first. That one kid, the one who seemed to be mimicking you. That was a Tawny, wasn't it."

"What's a Tawny?" Nora asks for clarification.

"A family in Mistral, a powerful one. We always suspected they were into some shady business, but we never had anything concrete," Qrow takes a drink. "They also share his mother's last name," he tilts his head towards you.
"What?" The four exclaim, though only Ruby keeps her eyes on you.

"Tsk," you lick your teeth. "You knew... you and Ozpin knew they worked for Salem, didn't you?" You lift your head to focus on Qrow.

"Hey, I said we suspected. We couldn't confirm anything. Besides, killing a renown Mistrillian family would cause panic... which it did," Qrow slightly talks down to you. "Grimm numbers have swelled around Mistral. When I heard about all of the Tawny's were murdered right in Mistral, I had a feeling you crossed paths."

"You... killed them?" Ruby whispers, unsure how to react to this. She has no idea who Salem is, but she knows you wouldn't just kill someone for no reason. Even if she's mad at you for leaving, even if you're being emotionally detached from them, she refuses to believe you'd change so much as to murder people for absolutely no reason. Still, she needs to know why.

You tighten your fist. "You could've told me, Qrow. They tricked me... manipulated me to kill actual Huntsmen under the guise that they worked for Salem. If I knew they were-"

"Kid, you think we knew all this would happen," Qrow shakes his head. "We planned to tell you, but it would only be another thing for you to brood over. Is that what you wanted? To learn about your mother's insane family after nearly getting killed by your father's equally insane brother? It wasn't a priority at the time."

"So you hide things from me until it's convenient? What other secrets are you hiding from me?"

Qrow sighs. "Look, not telling you clearly wasn't the best idea in hindsight. The Tawnys were always scum, save your mother. She was, heh, quite a pleasant woman."

"Not how they told it... they manipulated me, called my mother a pathetic coward... I tried to let them go but they just kept pushing, so..."

"So you killed them all? Just like that?" Jaune says, almost sounding like he's judging you.

"Yeah, just like that." your conviction is unwavering, showing all that you fully believed in your choice, and have no regrets killing others. "They made me..." Your teeth grind from the anger the memory brings you. "They tricked me into killing Huntsmen... noble Huntsmen that just wanted to make this world better and I cut them down without a thought because I believed in my family. That manipulation was unforgivable... and the fact they helped Salem, the one who took..." You clench at the fabric of your pants. "Who stole Beacon from me, from all of us... tsk," you shake your head. "Even giving them a chance to live was a mistake," there's a moment of silence as everyone digests what you said. To nail in your point further, you give RNJR a sharp look. "Tell me... if you had the choice, would you let Cinder live?" There is no response for that question from any of your comrades. "So I thought."

"But you did let one live," Ruby points out.

You exhale, defeated. "Yeah... and look at what happened. Now Vani's working for Salem."

"So... that name, Salem," Nora finally speaks up, tackling the biggest game. "Who is she? Why did she attack Beacon?"

"I... don't know. Never seen her, never heard her. But there's no doubt in my mind that she's behind it all."

"That..." Qrow huffs. "Is where I come in," the seasoned warrior takes the time to pick out the correct words, explain things clear enough with what knowledge he has. "As for who she is, I don't really know. She... creates fear, and feeds off it. I wish I could tell you more about her, but all I know is what she wants."

"To destroy the schools?" You speak up.

"No," Qrow shakes his head. "They're just in the way..."

"Pyrrha... that girl in the tank below Beacon," Jaune slowly pieces together. "That's what she wanted, right?"

"You're half right, kid," Qrow points to the blonde. "Well..."

And so, Qrow talks more than you've ever heard. Telling you all about the four Maidens: Summer, Spring, Winter, and Fall. About their magical abilities and immense power. How there will always be four, the power transferring immediately after a Maiden's passing. How Cinder had stolen part of the previous Fall Maiden's power and the steps they took to address that. About the old gods, one of light and one of dark, and their rivalry as siblings. How they eventually came together to create humanity, and how they created four physical representations of humanity's potential - the relics. Creation, Destruction, Knowledge, and Choice, all protected by the Huntsmen academies.

All this information is new to pretty much everyone, though the Maiden powers transferring was already something you assumed. If your mother once had it, and now Cinder does, you knew some sort of transfer method had to take place. But them always being women and the next person being the last individual they thought of is new. But gods? Relics? All of this seems far beyond what you could imagine.

"All of this... is being hidden from everyone? Why?" Nora argues. "Why don't people know?"

"Come on, you really think there wouldn't be a massive panic if everyone knew about Salem? Besides, there are plenty of opportunistic people on Remnant, I've met many. If they knew about the relics, about the Maidens... well," Qrow looks over at you. "There's a reason your mother was able to live a quiet life."

"Your mother was a Maiden?" Ren also glances at you.

"That's what the Tawnys told me, yeah. Not that it mattered. Harrier still killed her... wait, so why is Harrier helping Salem? He wants everything to die? Why?"

Qrow snickers, shaking the flask. "We have no idea. You know, your uncle was once determined to take Salem down," he shifts in place, thinking back to a time where the Slater brothers were alive and well. "He... was on our side. None of us know why he just suddenly switched like that."

"Tsk," you grind your teeth. "Whatever."

"Look, I get you all have questions, more than I can answer. Trust me, I had the same ones when I was told. But ol' Oz always put his foot down. 'We can't cause a panic.' Heh... I can't tell you how many times I've heard that."

"So if she's so strong, why doesn't she just do everything herself?" You inquire.

"Why would she?" Qrow fires back. "She can sit back, work in the shadows, and have everyone else do her dirty work so when the time comes all we have to blame are each other. Divide and conquer, as they say. And she's doing a good job at it so far," the older man gazes up at the broken moon.

"So..." Ruby puts aside her boiling frustration towards you to focus on what's at hand. "What do we do?"

"Heh... I don't really know," Qrow admits with a smile. "Ozpin put a lot of trust in the headmasters. Like I said, the schools are an important part of stopping Salem. Atlas will be on high alert after the last attack and Vacuo is, well, Vacuo. It'll be hard to hire thieves and scoundrels to fight other thieves and scoundrels. Take that, add in the fact Cinder and her crew claim to be from Haven, and I believe that's their next target. So, we should go to the headmaster. Haven't heard from him in a while, even before the attack."

"Heh..." You shake your head before getting on your feet. "Cause enough for me. I'll head there now."

"Right! You can teleport us there," Nora cheerily points out.

You disapprovingly shake your head and take a few steps away from the crowd. "You're not coming with us," you stare directly at RNJR. "You're all going home."

"What?" Ruby blurts out, getting to her feet and marching up to you. "We're not going anywhere but Mistral!"

Nora, Ren, Jaune, Qrow, and Neo remain back, allowing you two to fight. Normally, Qrow would be the adult in the situation and break it up, but he's well aware this is a conversation that needs to be had. Everyone knows... save Neo. She'd probably prefer you two just be mad at each other. But Ruby's bottled emotions are finally letting loose, and that's a beast even you may not be able to handle.

"You heard what your uncle said. This isn't just some rogue batch of idiots trying to get some more power. This is way beyond anything you can help with."

"And what makes you think that? We're all Huntsmen-in-Training just like you!"

You condescendingly snicker. "Just like me? No. It's painfully clear that you're all out of your league. You could barely fight Neo and Tyrian as a group, and I fought five people, one of them being Tyrian, at the same time. You are all sorely outmatched in this fight, how can you not see that? You're not strong enough!"

"And you are?" Her voice rises.

"Yes I am!" You exceed her volume, slamming your foot down. "I left because I knew that I could beat them! I-"

"YOU CAN'T!" Ruby screams as she slaps you. Your eyes go wide and there's a booming silence as everyone stares at Ruby. Tears form in her eyes, a lump forming in her throat making it hard to express herself. You're stunned that she would even lay a hand on you like that, but it works in shutting you up for a time. "You're scared, I understand," she grabs your hand. "But so am I! I didn't know where you were, (Y/N)! Can you imagine how I felt... when I was told you went off to fight that dragon and it still got to Beacon... how I felt when I was told you went to the tower," her speech becomes plugged with sniffles and tears. "My sister lost her arm... my friends were killed... and then I saw you, broken and bloody in my uncle's arms. Can you imagine how that made me feel? What if that was me, (Y/N)? What if you saw me being carried back, almost dead, and you weren't there because people said that YOU were too weak!" She slams her fist against your chest, but not hard enough to hurt, while her other hand squeezes your tighter. You remain silent, letting her vent everything she has.

It takes a few moments for her to push through the tears... but...

"I... refuse to let that happen again," she looks up at you, eyes furrowed and determination overcoming her tears. "That's why we're here, together! That's why I won't let you go off on your own again! I won't sit back worrying if you're dead... and I refuse to wait helplessly for someone to bring me back your body. Maybe I'm not strong enough... maybe I can't do anything to the people we're facing..." She wipes away her tears, backing off from you. "But I WON'T let you do this on your own. None of us will," she adamantly shakes her head. "You lost, (Y/N). You lost to Harrier, you lost to Cinder... there's no guarantee that you can beat any of them. There's no guarantee that any of us can. But if the worst happens... if we really can't win... we'll do it together. After all, that's what you said relationships are, right? Being together through the hard times?"

No other words are said, you merely stare into each other's eyes. With a newfound confidence, Ruby turns around and heads for her sleeping bag. She doesn't say a word, merely allowing what she said before to sink in.

Nobody else speaks either. Following Ruby's lead, the rest of her team decide to turn in for the night. Qrow remains awake, but doesn't bother speaking. He's curious what effect Ruby will have on you. With any luck, it'll change your stubborn position. But luck isn't his forte.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Even if you managed to sleep, it's restless at best. Twisted dreams of your friends and family are haunting you right now, making you unsure of what the path is to take. Yet Pyrrha's voice is a constant, no matter what scenario your brain throws at you. And then you awaken, yet Pyrrha's voice still echoes in your ears. You sit up, a little winded, and look around. There's a source to the voice, you're certain. This isn't something that your brain is torturing you with.

Everyone else is asleep, either in a sleeping bag or laying against a rock - the latter being only Qrow's fate. But Jaune is missing. You get to your feet, attract your sword, and follow the source of Pyrrha's voice. Combining the fact that you hear her and that Jaune is gone leads you to a handful of conclusions.

So, trekking through the trees and bushes finally leads you to a small clearing where Jaune is, weapons in hand, with a video of Pyrrha playing on his phone. Jaune is shadow sparring, training his precision and strength. You interrupt his training, stepping into the training area.

"That's been your training?"

Jaune stops, turning around while Pyrrha's voice keeps going in the background. "Yeah... but what does it matter? I shouldn't be fighting anyway," he says with spite.

Your eyes droop a bit at his animosity, but you can't really blame him. "Mm... " You glance over at Pyrrha, though you're not really listening to her words. Seeing her voice only brings you back to that horrible night. You can't see her smile, her hopeful stare and mutual respect; all that you can see is the bleeding mouth, the fading eyes... her fading body. Like your conversation with Ruby was overdue, this is something that's weighed heavily on both you and Jaune. So, you decide to initiate.

"I'm sorry," you whisper loud enough for Jaune to hear. You take in a deep breath, staring at Jaune with your full attention. "You asked me to save Pyrrha and I didn't. I'm sorry. Really, I... I tried to tell her to run, to let me fight but..." Your confident voice erodes when thinking more on that night. "She just... wouldn't."

Jaune's demeanor drops, dreading the topic but knowing it's important. "That honestly doesn't surprise me. You were both stubborn like that."

"Heh... I guess so."

"Hey... tell me, if Pyrrha had run away, if she let you fight alone, would you be here?"

You don't answer right away, instead remembering Harrier and Cinder imposing before you, Pyrrha fighting with everything she had, Pyrrha... with a blade through her, and Cinder pulling back an arrow to put you down. You're no fool. You know the answer.

"No. I would've died."

"Mm..." Jaune sighs. "I guess... we... doesn't that prove Ruby's point? That you're not a single, unstoppable force? That maybe you need some friends at your side?"

"Even if that's the case," you start walking close to the center. "That doesn't mean you're not strong enough. Plus, I have Neo, and she's proven how strong she is to me," you unsheath your sword, confusing Jaune. "So, how about you try and prove it to me too? Maybe you'll learn something," you end with a coy smirk.

That alone brings Jaune back to the days of Beacon. He smirks, raising his shield and readying his sword. "Okay... I hope you're ready!"

"That's a dumb question."

In the background, behind a tree, Ruby watches as your swords clash, the sound flowing through the forest.

You easily parry all of Jaune's attacks without much effort, but you can clearly see his improvement. "Keep yourself steady when blocking, and try to knock your opponent off balance before you counter."

"Right!"

You two keep going, and Ruby decides to leave you to it. While the conversation earlier may have been bleak, this small interaction fills her with some hope that you may return to who you were before. To that boy who was just like the heroes in her favourite story books.

Okay, looks like we're back into it. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter after, you know, a short amount of time. Hey, don't yell at me, I had some Limitless to write. Now I'll write this and people will yell at me for Limitless. The cycle can never end. But, really, it's good to be back. I'm probably gonna write... maybe three or four more chapters for this before switching back over. We're definitely going to finish up Volume 4 by maybe next chapter. I mean, you look at how RNJR's journey is and all that's left is the Nukelavee and going to Mistral. I could genuinely get that all done in a single chapter. I would not mind, AT ALL, being done with Volume 4 and going into... into... oh god, Volume 5.

It's fine, it's fine. As you all could tell, the Menagerie stuff is going to go quite differently with Dylan there. Half because it makes sense that an absolute unit like Dylan would make a difference, and half because I hated Menagerie and making it go back quicker would be grand. We'll just have to see what happens, right? It's not like I know. No, not at all. I have no idea.

Anyway, again, I hope you all enjoyed and I shall see you next time. Thank you so much for reading!

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