DISCLAIR: This story is NOT MINE IN ANY WAY. That honor has gone to the beautiful bastard Ryugii. This has been pulled from his Spacebattle publishnt. Anyway on with the show...errr read.
Interruption
The flas in the arena dissipated in an instant, snuffed out against my will by aI wasn't even sure how to describe it, but they just seed to slip through my fingers, washed away on contact with a ripple of blue-green light I assud only I could see. An instant after it passed over , I felt arms wrap around before I found myself being carried swiftly out of the arena. I stiffened, reflexively preparing myself to fightbefore just as quickly relaxing, catching sight of the Aura of my captor and recognizing it.
"Mom," I said. "You can put down now."
She did, setting down on my feet in one of the Coliseum's halls, right beside the locker rooms. A quick glance showed that we were not alone. Just a short ways down the hall was a woman walking our way, casual for all that she held Pyrrha bridal style. When she saw looking, she smiled gently and set Pyrrha back on her feet, standing right behind her. The three-ti champion didn't complain about the treatnt or even say a word while the smiling woman gently straightened Pyrrha's hair, bringing it back to its orderly ponytail and combing it with her fingers. Almost absently, she brushed dust and dirt off the Champion's armor, licked a thumb to wipe away a smudge on her face, and then gently embracing her from behind, resting her face against Pyrrha's.
"Thetis," My mother greeted the serene-looking woman, probably for my sake though I could see her na hanging in the air above her blue hair. "Your daughter fights as well as you said."
"It's kind of you to say so," Her expression didn't change as her eyes moved slowly towards . "I'd like to say the sa of your son, but you appear to have forgotten to ntion a few things. Jaune, was it?"
"Yes, ma'am," I said. "Are you Mrs. Nikos, then?"
"I am," She nodded towards . "My, but you two caused a stirand before the tournant, as well. It was just a spar, but this is the first ti in years I've worried about my Pyrrha in battle."
"Mother" The Champion said, falling silent as Thetis drumd a finger on her shoulder and pulled her closer.
"But perhaps it's for the best. Much as I hate to worry, things have been quite tedious for my daughter, lately," She continued as Pyrrha went quiet. "It's good to have so excitent in your life, isn't that right, Isabelle?"
My mother snorted out a breath and I assud it was so type of in-joke between them.
"Did you have fun together?" She asked, turning her attention back to the two of us. I nodded, as did Pyrrha, making her smile widen even further. "That's good. I hope you'll entertain one another in the tournant as well. Speaking of which"
She shook her head and sighed.
"My, but what a hard act that will be to follow," She said ruefully. "Everyone who'd been looking forward to the tournant up 'til now will find the first few rounds rather disappointing, I think. Your mother and I saw you in the square, you know, on one of the big screens. And how it was advertisedwhether it was a preview or ant to get people excited for the matches or part of the first day's celebrations, it must be hard for all the other participants, to be written off so early on."
My mom frowned at .
"What were you even doing here, anyway?" She asked. "I thought you were withI thought you were going to stay at ho."
"I was going to take a walk and see Mistral," I said, shrugging. "But Grandma gave so advice about eting people."
Mom's face twisted.
"That explains far too much," She spoke as if she'd just tasted sothing awful. "I thought those children looked familiar. What were their nasKyanos and Ulaan?"
She directed the question at Thetis, but I nodded anyway.
"And lanie," I added, before tilting my head to the side. "What does it explain, exactly?"
"Did she send you out here alone?" Mom demanded fiercely, ignoring the question.
I was curious, but
"No," I said. "She sent a man nad Grigio with ."
"Grigio," She nearly spat. "Of course she'd send you out with Bigio's boy. What is sheno, I know exactly what she's thinking. You should have stayed at ho, Jaune."
I glanced over at Pyrrha and saw the sudden concern in her eyes, though she remained silent at her mother's side. I looked back at my own, glancing over her face. She wasn't upset about the fighting, I was pretty sureand I doubted she minded showing my powers, either, given the all the planning and training we'd donebut
"Did I do sothing wrong?" I asked. "If I did, I'm sorry."
After a mont, my mother sighed, leaning back against the wall.
"No," She said. "It's nothing you didnothing you could have avoided, really. I'm sorry, it's justat tis like this, I rember why I avoid coming ho. Should we et up again tomorrow, Thetis?"
She nodded easily.
"Peleus will want to address this soon, anyway," She mused.
"Jeanne and Cynosarges will get to it first," My mom shook her head. "It won't be that simple."
Thetis seed to concede that, nodding slightly in my mother's direction.
"Even so, he'll wish to speak to Cynosarges," She replied. "Despite everything that's happened, he stood beside the man for years. Maybe still does, in his own way."
Mom made a face at that but nodded in acceptance.
"It was good to et you, Jaune," Thetis said, smiling at . "I wish you luck in the tournant."
"Thank you, ma'am," I said, smiling at her. "Goodbye, Pyrrha. I'm sorry we have to leave it at this, but I'll look forward to fighting you again."
The Invincible Girl looked between her mother and mine, as if putting pieces together, but looked at when a spoke and nodded resolutely with a smile.
"And I as well, Jaune," She said. "I'll hope to et you again in the tournant; we'll continue where we left off."
Thetis patted her daughter's shoulder once and then gently tugged her away, waving at us one last ti. As she did, though, I couldn't keep from glancing up at her title one last ti.
The Terror of the Sea of Monsters
LV71
Thetis Nikos
With a title like that, I had to wonder
But I didn't ask. As Pyrrha and her mother walked away, I waited silently beside my mom and didn't say a word. Only once they were gone did I look at her and speak. I didn't ask who her friends were or who they had been, what she was doing, or even what was going on, even though I wanted to. I trusted my mother just as I trusted her to tell those things if I needed to know; until then, I trusted her with her secrets, as well. But there was sothing I did need to know.
"Mom?" I asked. "What did I do?"
"Nothing," She said. "Except what you were supposed to, I suppose. It doesn't matter; none of this is your fault."
I nodded at that, accepting it even if I didn't understand.
"Did Grandmother do sothing, then?" I asked. "You're mad at her."
"Damn right, I'm mad at her," She growled. "Shethere's things happening in Mistral right now, but sheshe just tells you to go off and fight and when you do well, she throws it up for all the world to see. Does she even know what could be happening?"
As a person who absolutely didn't, I had to force myself past that. When I did, though, I tilted my head to the side and thought about it.
"I've never considered Grandmother the type to not know exactly what was going on," I mused. "Now whether she cares or not, I couldn't say."
Mom nearly snarled at that observation, kicking a wall. She didn't knock it down, though, so she couldn't have been all that upset.
"Of course," She said. "Of course she knows; what am I saying. So she shows everyone what you can do and dares them to try. And if they do, she'll chop them up, put them in a box, and just label it Return to Sender. Even at a ti like this, she'll just flip off everyone and"
She cut herself off and took a deep breath, turning to lean her forehead against the wall. For my part, I kind of had to wonder if she was speaking from experience.
"I'm sorry, Jaune," She said after a mont. "To act this way. I should be congratulating youyour first day here and you went toe to toe with the regional champion. Don't tell Thetis, but I know you would have won, even fighting like that. And everyoneyou should have seen it; entire streets stopping just to look at you fight. Eveneven I was surprised, Jaune, at so of the things you managed to do. You did amazingly well. I'm proud of you, Jaune."
She turned around and imdiately pulled into a hug that I returned after a mont of surprise.
"But I" Her voice almost shook before she went silent for second. When she began again, though, it was steady, stable. "There's a lot I can't tell you, Jaune, and I know you can handle yourself, but Mistral isit's not like Vale. Go ho for tonight, okay?"
"Okay," I agreed instantly, holding her. "Should I get Grigio?"
"No," She said with a sudden flicker ofsothing. "Grigio ishe's"
I furrowed my eyebrows in concern at that, even though I knew she couldn't see it.
"Grandma wouldn't send out with soone she didn't trust," I said, certain of that much. "And Grigio was very polite."
"Yes," She said, her voice still strange. "Of course he is, just like his father. He's courteous and intelligent and loyal and so polite that he'd apologize to you for the necessity of hanging you up by your entrails. I'd rather you walk ho alone then with him."
There was a part of , beyond everything that ntal image incited, that wanted to point out that if there was sothing dangerous going on, having a guy who'd eviscerate anyone who tried anything in creative ways at your back was probably not completely without rit. But there was a larger part of that thought saying that out loud might not be the best idea.
So I nodded instead.
"Okay," I said. "I'll head back now, then?"
"Please," She said, stepping back enough to kiss on the forehead. "Be safe, Jaune. I love you."
"I love you, too, Mom," I said, letting go. "I'll see you later."
So I left. I felt kind of rude doing so without saying goodbye to any of my other new friends or without even telling Grigio where I was going, but I figured I could apologize to them later and left the Coliseum. I retraced my steps back towards Grandmother's house, staying alert just in case. All around , on the massive screens of the city of Mistral, my fight with Pyrrha was playing and I got to see so of what my mom had ant. Though much of the initial shock and awe had faded, people still stopped to watch the battle, to chat about it and cheer.
There was a part of that felt proud about that, that wanted to go over to one of them and just say 'That's .' But instead I put my hood up and kept walking, trying not to draw attention while also trying to be aware of everything around , on guard for any threats.
Which was why I was out of the way the mont Sense Danger alerted to a threat. The instant I felt it, my other senses focused on the source and I felt it before I saw it. Imdiately calm, I analyzed the projectile as it sailed through the aira simple rock to all of my many sensesand I caught it out of the air just so it wouldn't accidently hurt soone else.
Then I just followed it back to its source with my eyes. It ca from an alleyway, at the very back where the city lights faded and shadows covered everything. Of course, none of that did anything before my sight, and I simple peered through the darkness. There was a part of that honestly considered that it might just be an accident or perhaps a disgruntled fan of Pyrrha's; sothing minor and aningless and nothing more, which I'd be able to just walk right past and dismiss.
But it was a small part. Microscopic, really.
As such, I couldn't say I was all that surprised when instead I saw Adam, mask-less and disguised and still obviously him to soone who could see his Aura and his na above his head. He looked at from his cover, eyes eting my own, and nodded at while gesturing closer.
I sighed slowly, closing my eyes for a mont. My mom had told to go ho. Sure, I could rules lawyer that trivially, say that she hadn't specified when or how or whatever, but the ssage had been pretty obvious; she wanted to go straight ho and be safe. Whatever Adam had to tell in a dark alley when I knew full well he had a lot of reasons not to want to be anywhere near right now was probably not going to be conductive to that plan.
Which didn't change the fact that he almost certainly had sothing important to say.
Casting a quick glance around the rest of the street just to be safe, I walked into the alley.
"You don't waste ti when it cos to getting in trouble," He said by way of a greeting. "We need to talk."
"Right now?" I asked, making a futile effort for my mom's sake.
"Yes," He said, looking up and down. "How fast can you change suits?"
Shit, I thought, knowing what he was really saying.
"Fast," I said aloud. "Why? I thought you said"
"No plan survives contact with the enemy," He said. "Or you. Co on."
I exhaled loudly through my nose but nodded, trusting him.
It was ironic, though, I couldn't help but muse. I'd just gotten out of a literal fire.
Now I was jumping into a different on.
"Okay," I said. "Just tell when to put my mascara on."
XxXxX
"You didn't tell you were a Roma," Adam said as we took a winding course through the city.
I nearly asked why it mattered, but I supposed I could guess. Each of the different countries had their own history with the Faunus, each complicated in their own ways. On Mistral especially, things had beenit was hard to describe. Oftentis, Mistral was held up as a historical example of equality between Man and Faunus, with so of the best known examples of Faunus in positions of power within a non-Faunus community. But if you look a bit deeper, beneath the cartoon specials and speeches and such, and get into the real history of Mistral, itwell, Faunus were treated equally, yeah.
Equally badly, by and large. Mistral would roll over a Faunus village in its path and force them into servitude. They'd crush resistance and crucify them around towns so that the negativity would draw Grimm to devour others. They'd extort and exploit and devour everything they had.
They'd just do the sa to the human village down the street, too.
In fairness, Mistral had had policies that were both progressive and barbaric. The reason Faunus could rise above their situations and obtain such famous positions was because Mistral had implented a system wherein slaves could rise from their positions and beco citizensit's just they had still taken them slaves. There was a lot of stuff like that, in all of the Kingdom's histories; amazing things and terrible things and contexts. And after thousands of years of developnt, of change, those things eventually resulted in what we have today.
Which, thinking about it, was as good as it was bad. Mistral's practices in the past had eventually led to it being such a place of diversity, but its history of empires and conquests and rulers had been the source of how it now functioned, too. And though those two things may have seed unrelated, they weren't and they tied into everything else.
Maybe even the White Fang.
"I didn't think it was important," I said, shrugging. "My mom doesn't really like that part of our family and I only get to see grandma rarely. I guess she keeps busy."
Adam grunted in agreent without looking my way.
"You know why the Roma are called the Children of the Wolves, right?" He asked.
"Because Remus and Romulus might have been Wolf Faunus," I nodded. "Or might have been adopted and raised by a Wolf Faunus; the records aren't completely clear on that front. It was a long ti ago, even for Remnant. If you're asking if I have any Faunus blood in , then almost certainly. I've never really looked into it, but statistically speaking most people have so Faunus blood, especially those descended from Mistral. A lot of the ti the traits won't pass on and most of the ti all that matters is how you look. So I might be related to a Wolf Faunus if you go back far enough, but you can probably trace back to sothing more recent, because if you were hot enough, Mistral's kings and queens didn't usually care if you were human or Faunus or married orwell, you know. Go back a few hundred or thousand years and we'd probably find so Faunus wife or concubine or slave I'm descended from."
Adam grunted again and I shrugged.
"It's stupid, I know," I said. "Humans and Faunus can interbreed and have a lotand everything that's happened is just the result of which genes line up, what's dominant and what's recessive. A huge amount of people, including the ones that hate the Faunus the most, probably have Faunus ancestry sowhere down the line, but they mated with a human and the traits just didn't pass on. Sowould it be insulting if I used the term breeds? So breeds of Faunus shine through more than others, but a lot just vanish. Genetics didn't really co into until relatively recently, beyond a generation or so, and even now, it's usually appearances that matter. It's shallow, but"
"But true," He finished. "Pretty much no one is pure Faunus or pure Human, not after thousands of years together, and yet"
I nodded understandingly, even though he probably wasn't looking.
"I know," I agreed. "I'm just saying that, however true it may be and whoever I may be related to, the 'We're not so different, you and I' argunt is probably not going to work. I didn't think old blood really mattered."
"It doesn't," He sighed. "It doesn't an a thing. But it'spolitics"
"Ah," I said, musingly. "The White Fang is looking to set up in Mistral? Ican't imagine that going over well, Adam."
"It didn't," He stopped as we reached a street, letting cars roll by. "It'sthe White Fang tried before, back when it first got started; Mistral was the natural choice, given its position aswell, one of the more accepting Kingdom's, at least. But the leadership in Mistral doesn't abide competition or dissent. It didn't go well and the White Fang focused its attentions on Vytal instead. But stillthings are better for the Faunus here in so ways, worse in others."
"That's Mistral, for you," I shrugged a shoulder, waiting patiently for the lights to change. "Land of the highs and lows."
He conceded with a snort, turning to look at out of the corner of an eye. He'd put on so sunglasses, despite it being nighttiwhich looked kind of silly, but I guess he could see fine that way so
"The Families can all trace their lines back to so Faunus, whether they were descended from one, taught by them, married them, or whatever," He continued. "Most of it long enough ago that it doesn't matter genealogicallybut historically, they were famous people, rembered in myths and legends, so it does matter. After all, people know they're related to Faunus, so it's not like they could hide or distance themselves from the fact. As a result, the Families have taken to a policy of, at the very least, neutrality towards the Faunus, which is both good and bad. On one hand, the rulers of Mistral are not prejudiced against Faunus and so official discrimination. On the other hand, the rulers of Mistralaren't very nice people."
"Ah," I said, looking down a bit. "Yeah."
"Because the people who most publically support and are related to the Faunus arehow shall we saycriminal scum," Adam nodded towards as if as an example. Which I guess I was, sort of, but it was kind of hypocritical coming from him. "The view of Faunus in Mistral has been altered accordingly and such perceptions often force them into the roles because of discrimination against them in their daily lives."
I eyed friend a tad disbelievingly, looking him up and down.
"Um," I said. "No, offense Adam, but if you want to make people stop thinking of the Faunus as criminalswell, I'm not sure the White Fang are the best people for the job, is all?"
"I fucking know, right?" He actually laughed. "Anyway, that's the official explanation and its trueit's probably even on the agenda, sowhere down the line. Butwell, that's not why we're here; why the White Fang wants to set up shop, I an. Changing all thatthat's long term stuff, sothing that's not gonna be fixed except over decades. Ideally, the White Fang wants official backing and support from Mistral but it's largely been content with things on that front for a while now. Since the change in managent, we've even done a few odd jobs for the Families in exchange forconsiderations, let's say. But the Families control most everything and are willing to keep things positive, so we've largely focused our efforts elsewhere. Everything else can be handled later."
"I'm sensing a 'but' here," I noted, frowning.
"Things have apparently changed," He said, looking up. I got the feeling he had closed his eyes. "We'veI don't know what's happening, not really, but I'm getting the feeling that the schedule's been moved up. For whatever reason, they think things will start to change very soon. Things that shouldn't matter for another few decades are getting brought up. The guys in chargethere'sthere's been talk. They're expecting sothing soon."
"How soon?"
He shrugged a shoulder, the set of his mouth making him look uncertain.
"A year?" He guessed. "Maybe two? Not right now or anything, but for sothing as big as this"
It was too fast, I finished the thought, frowning slightly. I couldn't really argue with him thereif he was talking about cultural change on the scale I thought he was, it just wasn't sothing that could happen quickly, not without heavy resistance. If the White Fang suddenly thought they had a realistic chance of pushing sothing like that through anywaythen this was sothing big. Really, really big.
Quite possibly big enough to warrant getting my mother involved in. Which ant I was walking into the situation I wanted to avoid, potentially putting myself between my family and friendswhich was sowhere I really didn't want to stand. And
"What's this have to do with ?" I asked before putting several pieces together. "And why'd you bring up that I was a Roma?"
Adam just looked at my calmly and I pursed my lips, abruptly wanting to react. Even so, the Gar's Mind kept calm and I took a deep breath, considering things. Silence could speak as loudly as words and I knew what his was hinting at.
"The Families," I said at last. "They're involved?"
"Of course they are," He replied. "However good a ti the Olympia Festival may be for etings like this, nothing goes on in this city without the knowledge and consent of at least one Family. I'm not sure how much or why, but"
I nodded, accepting that even as I swallowed down words.
"And my Family?" I asked. "My grandmother? Does she know what's going on?"
Ifif my grandmother ca down on one side of this and my mother on the otherand if my sister's got involved, too, the rest of my familyif this was
Careful, Jaune, I thought to myself as I forced my mind away from the thoughts, the implications, my sudden concerns for the future. Baby steps.
"I don't know," Adam said at lastor, at least, it felt like I'd been waiting on his answer for ages. In reality, maybe he'd answered promptly. "ButI thought you should be aware. Of what you're getting into."
I nodded, accepting that calmly.
"And the White Fang," I continued. "You don't know what they're planning?"
This ti, Adam did hesitate, pausing for a minute as he looked at and remained quiet. At that mont, there was a part of that wanted to demand the answers, take them, make him tell but I didn't. That was fear talking; a very logical, quiet, steady concern that hardly felt like an emotion at all, but which set up shop in the back of my head and showed little sign of moving. I was aware of it, felt it even, but I thought through it with my power and waited patiently. It didn't control .
"No," Adam said finally. "They're keeping things quiet and they're working with soonewho's working for soone who's working for soone else, from what it sounds like. Distancing things."
I looked over his face for a minute before nodding slowly.
"Okay," I said. "Thank you. For telling , I an. Ididn't want to know this, but maybe I needed to. So thank you; I know what you must be risking for this."
He grunted at that, a bit uncomfortably, and shrugged like it was nothing.
"You're not the only one who has reason to worry," He said and I wondered if he ant himself or Blake.
"But," I proceeded regardless. "I need more information."
"Yeah." He agreed.
"And you know what I have to do to get it?" I asked.
"Yeah."
I nodded again and looked forward, organizing things in my thoughts. My mom, my grandmother, Autumn and Gou, the situation in Mistral, the White Fang and the Families, there was
God, how do I get wrapped up in so much, so quickly?
"Okay," I said aloud. "What first?"
"First," He replied. "We need to make sure everyone believes it's you."
I assud he ant Jian Bing and glanced his way.
"Have there been imposters?" I asked.
"Imposters, crazy people, the usual," He shrugged. "Nothing major, but we'll need to deal with it now."
"What do you propose? I can use so of my powers, but I'm not sure what they'd recognize, considering. The White Whale is kind of noticeable and also on another continent. The mask and cloak?" I shook my head in irritation. "Can't you just vouch for ? You were there."
"My presence will do a lot to prove your identity," He nodded. "But a few people might be suspicious about you abruptly turning up. Just in case, it'd be best to avoid questions. It doesn't need to be unquestionable or anything, just enough to stall any questions. From therewell, improvise."
"A show of power?" I guessed.
He blew out an exhausted sounding breath and nodded.
"A lot of Grimm always gather where the White Fang does," He said. "Negativity and all. They need to be dealt with regularly to avoid drawing attention, but things tend to get troubleso after a while, as more and more co. But for this, they should work fine. SoGod, I'm regretting this already, butlet's go Hunting, Jaune."
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