Chapter 30: Dies Irae

A title-titled chapter! What is this madness?!

He watched her tremble as she took a few steps haltingly towards the exit, the blood still covering her clothes. She looked a mess, she was a mess and the body would remain there. He pulled off his jacket and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"This'll make it not stand out so much. You were travelling through the industrial district for a shortcut and you hit a dog. A big dog, and you got blood on your clothes. I've been knocked off the bike, but I was okay."

The excuse would fly, he supposed, since he remembered something about dogs being seen roving around Vale. It wasn't something that he really paid attention to, but the look on her face, the obedient and meek expression that was clutching at the last handhold before the abyss would swallow her, was glorious.

It was raw power, raw essence of fear and something more, as she tugged it closer. He was without a jacket now, but it would look normal, he supposed. He knew that he'd have to get to someplace where she could wash, and his gaze raised to the sky, the sunny day still there to look as wonderful as it was. There was much afoot, and there would be people. A dip in the harbour, he supposed, might be for the best. She'd be able to claim that she'd stubbed her toe or something, or hit something sharp, and if she needed a moment for a fresh set of clothing…

'Better call Saphron. She's about Yang's size… But that might expose things. There's no telling how Yang's going to act around Saphron.'

"H-hey?"

Her voice was brittle, terrified, fearful for whatever was going to come. A scared girl, a scared woman who stood there, looking terrified, as the tears came.

"I'm s-sorry. I-"

He watched her as she got closer, her eyes empty of purpose.

"It's fine, Yang. You did a good thing. We won't let this happen again, will we? A criminal was put to justice now. Come on, let's get on the bicycle. If we linger, we might get caught."

He was going to keep himself with an alibi, in either case, the evidence fully meant to clear him, as he'd tried to stop her, as he'd tried to make sure that Yang Xiao Long would not murder someone.

"Y-yes."

She took her seat on the motorcycle's saddle and then revved the engine, getting on behind her. She smelled of blood and murder with a hint of sunshine, her breathing soft.

"C-can you hug me? I'd- Just so you don't fall off. I'll be driving a little coarse through the place, and it might be… bumpy."

His arms wrapped around her and she seemed to relax under his touch. Warmth pushed into his body as she leaned against the grips, before the motorcycle sped up, pushing itself through the streets with a thunderous roar in his ears, as she seemed to wish to escape this place where she had made herself into a criminal, a vigilante who had brought death to the wicked.

He hugged a little tighter and she seemed to tense up, the faint hushed sound of whimpers coming from her lips, the emotions that she felt being of fear and guilt, a soothing balm to his mind as he went over everything that could happen. A calm, methodical practice, something that would not be amiss.

"It's okay, Yang."

She trembled a little, the smell of blood that hung around her like a perfume growing mixed with the natural smell of Yang, of fire and Dust, the blonde's body quivering softly, as the motorbike moved through the surroundings, her body pressing down against the engine, as she tried to keep herself in control of her emotions. She was like a maelstrom of regret, fear and terror, something more than just the fear of judgment.

"We're going to get away, you didn't do anything wrong. It was just a feeling of anger, wasn't it?"

It was his own manipulation, coupled with the evidence that her sister was being violated. The actress was more than willing to earn three thousand for a single scene, which made things a little easier. Of course with how things went, there would be loose ends, but that was easily taken care of. Loose lips sank Dust ships, after all.

He should hand the woman the antidote to the poison that she'd ingested beforehand. The joys of insurance…

'I will have to thank Mama for giving the suggestion of a contact poison. Saliva can easily transfer the poison, and the mucous membranes carry it swiftly to the guilty, with a delayed response for twenty-four hours. I'm afraid that there will be a temporary shortage of criminal scum in the Vale area, but anyone who would put their penis in a girl like Ruby is guilty anyway.'

Whoever the poison specialist was that his mama had under contract, she had done a remarkable job. The antidote was safe with Weiss, he knew. He'd given it to her with the express request to hand it to him again, as 'insurance'.

"I'm sorry, Jaune."

It was an apology, as they weaved around a set of trashcans that'd fallen over, Yang not speaking up further, as she leaned back against him. Her warmth made him feel warmer, as the sizzling heat inside her seemed to be siphoned into the sea of darkness, the darkness slowly yielding before the warmth.

"It's okay. We're friends now."

She was crying, he could tell. He'd heard his sisters when they had a bad breakup, remembering how Rouge just whimpered as she hugged him about her boyfriend dumping her again, the breathing quickening a little with every breath. She was still remembering the terror that had come with it, which was just something that he could understand from her. A brutal woman, someone who barely thought before she did something, yet a friend.

'All you need is a good friend… it must have been hard to always be the big sister.'

He was a younger brother, so he knew how that all fit together. With having a large family like his own, you were overshadowed at times, mom and dad could only give this much affection to each member of the family.

"I'm s-so s-sorry, I sh-shouldn't have, I was stupid, and now-"

He laid his head against her back, the apologies from her making the motorcycle sway a little, as they emerged into the roads of the industrial district, going towards one of the seaside ports, his eyes catching sight of several Faunus gathering, speaking about something.

'I wonder what's up with that…'

Faunus were kind of weird like that.

'Hey, isn't that Blake?'

He could see the bow quiver a little as she made gestures with her hands, her eyes not looking at the road but at the people, speaking passionately, as they passed them by. They were wearing helmets and just a couple on the road, so it would be okay.

Yang needed the comfort of someone who cared for her more than just a partner who seemed to have disappeared for some sort of Faunus craving. He wondered if she was one of those Faunus fetishists who went out there to have sex with them. Adelheid was… she wasn't someone who was too bothered by the world, enjoying life without any hesitation and concern for the future. She was not the type to go looking for Faunus men to share her, or at least, he didn't get that impression.

'I hope she's doing well…'

Waking up in her bed the last morning was something that'd scared him a little. The feeling of her body against his almost like a phantom sensation. He'd dreamed that they'd had sex, that she'd been more than enthusiastic, but Saphron never lied to him. It had been late, the drink hadn't tasted very well and there was that pervasive feeling that Saphron might have to deal with Terra somehow.

He didn't like to see his sisters sad.

He spotted the motorcycle that was parked on the side of the pier before he noticed the short-haired blonde that was in the process of setting the helmet on the side, giving a shake of her head.

"Pull over next to the blonde. Don't worry, she's-"

'Covered in blood?'

The moment they stopped, Beryl stopped with the motion, her eyes mistrustful as they glared at him, as he pulled the helmet off, a grin on his lips.

"Hey, big sis!"

Beryl's face lightened, as she started to laugh.

"What're you doing here, you little chicken nugget? Come to bother big si- woah, you've been in a fight, a bloody one too, it seems. So, come to cruise with the girlfriend?"

Yang seemed to take the comment as an attack, wincing, pulling the helmet off, the pier relatively abandoned. Other things were happening, and there were few ships that came by.

"You're his sister?"

Beryl nodded, tugging her top down a little and glancing into the cleavage, shaking her head.

"How 'bout we get washed up, blondie? You can tell me about how you've managed to nab my little brother when we're both having a swim."

'Beryl's always been a forthright woman. Trust her not to worry too much about something like a bit of blood on someone's outfit.'

"We just dealt with someone, a bad person. We need to get washed clean, so we'll have to bother you for a bit, if you're going for a dip as well."

Clothing could dry, he knew. He had not gotten any blood on himself, as far as he knew. His hands brushed over his sides, Yang watching his older sister, the large motorcycle rumbling a little, a cocky grin on his sister's face, glancing at Yang.

"How about we race a bit, blondie? If you're going to be dating my little brother, I want to see a girl with spunk."

Beryl was misunderstanding something about their relationship, but Yang looked at him with a fragile, tender look, something in those eyes deeply yearning for some sort of sense, as Beryl's helmet was put back on, the blood-smears on the dark fabric just making her look even fiercer than normally was the case. Violet was the sweet and gentle one, the one who'd probably never speak a bad word.

"I'm not… We're not dating, we're-"

Yang spoke up, her voice hesitant. He grabbed her hand and he squeezed it, smiling at her. The pale skin that he had after he'd been given the gift of mama's magic was a contrast to Yang's tanned form, as she turned a little pink-faced, her gaze surprised as she looked up at him.

"We're friends. If we were to start dating, her sister might start screaming at me for taking her sister away."

Guilt in those eyes, as Yang's gaze slid down, Beryl straddling her motorcycle, as she flipped the visor up.

"My, stop with the charm offensive on the poor girl, we've got to get clean. Race ya, blondie. I'd punch a match with you for a bit if you want later."

Beryl must've had a wild day, and it showed clearly in how she was so blasé about things. It was the uncaring, thrill-seeking nature that he wished he had at times, as she looked at him with a questioning look in her eyes, as if the world wanted him to give permission for that.

"She needs to get clean, and we're going to go and meet with her little sister afterwards."

Beryl nodded, before she started to speed up, the motorcycle's exhaust glowing faintly with the fuel that was being burned, as he smiled at Yang.

"She's a bit blunt, but she's well-meaning. Things will be okay, Yang. You did the right thing."

Yang smiled, a hopeful smile that curled around her lips and her eyes were beckoning him for more of those comforting words, as he let his gaze slide over the rest of the pier. They'd better catch up to Beryl.

"Thank you."

He thought she said something like that softly, as she got on the bike again, his arms wrapping around her waist, hugging close to her with the simple motion of scooting closer. She just needed to be taught that her actions had consequences.

That was how you improved someone, and it would remain a valuable lesson for the young woman herself.

She would remember the fear that she had, and she would remember how he had held his hand over her and tried to shield her from the consequences.

That was how you obtained loyalty and friendships.

"I'll be right outside waiting for you, Addie."

She didn't need therapy. She didn't need the therapy session that Saphron had booked, because she would be chaste, virtuous and without even the slightest hint of having fucked her client to the big boss. As the door opened and Rouge Arc came to fetch her, the psychologist giving her a look that was warm and welcoming, her hand brushing through her blonde hair.

"Hello Adelheid, Saphron said that you needed to talk."

Talk was a light thing, considering the subject that would be discussed with the woman. Saphron had physically dragged her over to this appointment after some harshly-phrased words to her sister about 'owing her one', Rouge looking at her younger sister and giving a small smile, giving Adelheid the feeling that the woman was kinder than she appeared, as they walked into the large spacious office of the eldest Arc, the door shut behind her.

She was a little nervous, as she took a seat at one of the large chairs, nervously shifting a little. She wore her business casual outfit, the jacket pulled over her upper body to look formal, and not at all too open to random sexual encounters.

"Saphron wasn't very forthcoming about what bothers you, so let me tell you that anything that you say here will be just between the two of us, Adelheid."

'I fucked your brother.'

She couldn't say anything like that, not to the woman's face so bluntly. A shy smile she went for, as she looked at her reflection in one of the reflective framed diplomas that hung on the wall, Rouge Arc shifting a little in her seat, taking a seat opposite of her.

"I've got a- I'm…"

'I'm a trashy whore who fucked an innocent young man because I was drunk and stupid, oh, and he was your brother and I shouted at him to rape me like your father rapes your sisters… Yeah, that'll go over really well. If she doesn't throttle me, she'll be hurt either way…'

"I've got… I mean, I like to drink. I like to drink a lot, and I-"

She couldn't say it aloud. She wanted to say it. She liked her dick to go with her drink. Much, hard, making her wake up in a puddle of vomit if she was unlucky and with her face in someone's groin if she was lucky. She was a sex addict.

"So, you like to drink. That's something I can help with, Adelheid. You don't mind that I call you Adelheid, do you?"

The professional attitude that the woman displayed was good at making her feel at ease, smiling softly, as she shook her head.

"No, your sister calls me Adel, so I guess- We're… We're kind of dating right now."

She would rather be dating the brother of her bestie, but it was now what it was because she'd fucked up. Rouge Arc smiled at her, tapping a pencil lightly against the pad of paper that she'd gotten from somewhere, her eyes glinting with that faint hint of thoughts in the mind of the woman.

"And how has that been? If it's too personal, we can skip the question, but she's my little sister, and I want you to know that I'd not tell a thing to her. Concern for my little sister Saph, y'know?"

'It's been two days…'

Adelheid shifted somewhat in her seat, uncrossing her legs and sighing deeply. This would be a heart-to-heart chat with the psychologist.

"Well, we kind of got together when I got drunk a few days ago. I really like her, but as a friend and- and it wasn't planned, we were just in bed together and she-"

Rouge Arc smiled with such understanding that Adelheid felt safer already. She leaned back a little, as Rouge nodded, trying to make some good sense of what she'd said.

"And it just happened, didn't it? You fell into bed together, drunk, and you started to kiss?"

That wasn't quite how it happened, but she took the excuse for what it was.

"I get… I get horny. I want to feel love, to feel someone hold me and make me feel good."

She was thinking about blue eyes and blonde hair, a big hard shaft pushing between her legs, the feeling of a young Huntsman in training pushing her on her back. She could feel her lips wrap around a shaft, knowing the sensations of taste and texture, of a big hard hot needy man.

"Adel? Hello? "

She shivered as she realized that she'd started to grope herself, thinking about the blonde guy who'd been the last guy to rest in Chateau Adel.

"Ah, sorry. I've got a little bit of a problem with that as well."

Rouge Arc smiled, and Adelheid thought that she could trust the other woman, the bright spark in the woman's eyes lighting up, as she smiled a little.

"Tell me a little about yourself, Adel. Do you have any family? Anyone you're really close to?"

Saphron sprang to mind, as her mother and father's face appeared, the scruff on her father's cheeks a fond reminiscence of the evenings spent looking out over the harbour ice from the window with her mother in the kitchen and dad defending the world and bringing home the money.

"Mom, dad… No real friends, though. My-"

She knew that she shouldn't be talking about Saphron when she was sitting outside, but this was her older sister that was taking the time out of her schedule to give a bit of help to her younger sister's friend. She should be honest.

"I had a friend, Artemis. And… and I think I've found a best friend in your younger sister."

Rouge smiled and nodded quietly, starting to write something down on the pad, her eyes light.

"Tell me a little about your mother."

That was easy. The woman was hoping that she'd not be caught outside with several men, and to restrain herself from her drinking, but she hadn't been a particularly obedient child before. Dad was away for half a year with most of the other Huntsmen in Anima, because the outlying villages needed his help. He had to range far and get paid a good sum, so the family could be happy.

"She's a homemaker. I'm dad's only daughter, so I get spoiled rotten. Well, not quite spoiled rotten, but dad's the type who goes 'My daughter shouldn't be like' and then a sermon about how alcohol is bad. The guy never drinks. He's so uptight!"

She'd had her first beer when she was younger, and even now, she was aware that it was just a difficult task to stop. Rouge Arc smiled at her encouragingly, as she wrote something down something, looking at her, the blonde bushy hair brushed through with her fingers. The woman's eyes were sharp as they looked her over.

"So, it's mostly rebellion against your father, and you pick random partners?"

She shook her head. Not random ones… But she wasn't particularly picky. A dick was a dick, and she wanted them so badly. She wondered whether that was an issue that she'd picked up due to her dad being gone so much. She'd heard from others, people she couldn't quite call friends yet, but who liked to go to the same clubs as she had once upon a time, that it was fairly common. 'Huntsman Dad syndrome'.

"Well, I'm not exactly very picky when I'm drunk…"

'Should I tell her about the whole thing with Jaune?'

She could trust the woman. She'd been raped by her dad, Saphron had said, and she'd understand, probably, from how her perspective on things could have formed. She wasn't… super-duper honest to herself, really.

"Don't worry, you're safe here. You can talk to me about anything and it'll be between the two of us. I'm here to give you the help that you need."

The woman was kind, and she smiled softly as she remembered the cute look on the youngest Arc's face, knowing that the young man was caring for the people that he called friends, that his friends undoubtedly wanted nothing but the best for him.

"I went to a bar with your sister, Saphron. I drank a few drinks, even though my contract states that I can't drink. I mean, it didn't say that I should wholly be without it, I mean-"

Rouge Arc smiled in that comforting way, and Adelheid mustered the courage.

"It was stupid. I met with that frie- well, more like an enemy I knew in the past and she offered me a drink. The next thing I know, I was hearing Saphron shout that she'd scream, my head was pounding and there was a dick in my face, and I just wanted it. I wanted to have a dick in me, to feel closer to someone because it felt good."

She hadn't known that it would be blown up this much, and the boss had given her clemency, because it was a first offence. Jaune had been understanding and worried, just like the type of guy that she'd liked.

'A guy I'd come home to, slip to my knees and get my protein shake from, first thing in the evening. He'd cook, we'd get to the table and I'd show him what a good girlfriend does for the guy she's crazy about.'

She felt the urge inside her loins increase, knowing what a monster lurked within the pants of Jaune Arc. A monster that she'd be wrangling, that'd be swollen with blood and which was good for tickling the back of her womanhood and pushing into her womb. A good dick.

"What happened next?"

There was a question and she answered.

"I was dragged out and made it home, I got really sick and said that I'd never drink again."

The words had been hollow, because she'd drank, thinking it was nonalcoholic. She'd drank either way, because she'd wanted to feel the fake buzz with her body shifted to that state of craving. She wanted affection and he'd had to apologize for her.

She burned with shame as she lowered her head.

"And… and I didn't keep my promise. I got drunk and I had sex."

Rouge Arc made a small sound with a small note scribbled on the pad, smiling encouragingly at her. The woman had been raped by her dad, the woman had been touched and fucked, and she'd suffered under that monster of a man.

"Did you use protection?"

She shook her head, wincing a little.

'That'd go over great. 'Yeah, I didn't use protection and your little brother put a baby in me, sorry'. Adel, you're a mess!'

"I'm on the pill. Have been since I was thirteen. I'm too damn hormonal at times, something mom has too. Too much womanly grit, heh."

The woman nodded, and Adelheid continued with her tale of woe.

"Tell me about it, Adelheid. We've got another twenty minutes before my break is over."

The look on the woman's voice was strict, like a mother hen, and she could see what Saphron meant when she said that Rouge was like the replacement mom.

"Well, we got to the place we had to go for business, and he was being his darn charming self. The drinks started to come, that enemy I spoke of made an appearance, she's in the same gig as I am, publishing, and I just wanted to go to the toilet, if I remember right. The next thing I know, I'm sort of wobbling, helped up the stairs to Saph's little love nest, and I just grab the guy by his shoulders and… hmm."

Rouge's serious expression hardly changed, as she shifted somewhat, her gaze directed to her. There was a strict look in those eyes, and she didn't like it.

"And so, you decided to have sex with a stranger. With my sister in the same house. Dangerous behaviour, Adelheid."

'Not really a stranger…'

She shifted nervously, and she gave a nervous giggle. She could trust the oldest sister, she hoped.

"Well… It was fun, from what I remember of it. Saphron wasn't very happy with me. She stood next to the bed and just looked at me with a look that wasn't super. Made me feel bad, but it'd been fun. Real fun. It'd been a month, and it felt really good to just feel him fill me up."

Rouge nodded, her serious expression still unchanged from the look she gave, as the smile didn't look so friendly anymore.

"Most women are uncomfortable with a strange man suddenly entering their personal space. Domestic violence and violence against women is still one of the prevalent causes for that fear."

The woman was being factual, but…

'Ah fuck it, she's Saphron's big sister, it's not like she'd strangle me or something. '

Sometimes, you had to be brave. That's what her father had said, and she'd believe her dad.

"I kind of eh... I had sex with your little brother. Now, don't get me wrong, he liked it but-"

SNAP

The pencil snapped in half, the shattered end launched in the air by the force of that shattering and then falling into Rouge Arc's hair, where the broken pencil seemed to have found a nesting place, because the blue eyes were staring at her. If looks could kill, she would be dead three times over. Rouge Arc was giving her a look that made her feel like she was standing in front of a firing squad, with a squad with rabid dogs about to go and tear her to chunks.

'Oh… shit.'

"I'm sorry, did you just say that you raped my little brother when you were drunk?"

It most certainly was not rape! He'd been hard, he'd not resisted, and she'd liked it and-

'Yeah, I'm… I'm fucked.'

Rouge Arc got up and walked to her desk, pulling out her Scroll and then tapping in a passcode. She didn't speak up, and Adelheid didn't trust her voice to speak properly, as the woman looked at the schedule for the day, it seemed.

"We were both a little drunk, well, I was a lot, but he was not feeling bad! I remember the feeling of how it felt, because he's rather big and-"

She shut up as the woman looked at her, Rouge Arc pressing the button on the intercom.

"Can you shove my schedule up about half an hour? It seems I've got to deal with a rather tough case… in my lunch break. Please, I'm close to a breakthrough here."

The look in the woman's eyes was cold, as she looked at her. This was a mother lion who was going to tear her limb from limb without a care for her health, her snarling, hissing anger definitely something that was better than this deadly silence that she seemed to have, as the woman sat down on the seat again, leaning forward.

"My father raped me. I still don't know why, I don't know why at all."

A pause, as Rouge Arc's features turned frigid, like a sheet of ice in the kitchen if someone left the window open. Adelheid felt cold by just looking into those eyes.

"My brother is the only male that I have that I feel safe around. He's all that we've got, and Saphron knows it. I'm going to ask her a question, Miss Blau."

The formal 'Miss Blau' was cold, as the woman fixed her with a look that could freeze blood if it'd been put as a weapon.

"And if I do not get an answer I like, I will report you to the police for rape and abuse of power or whatever it's called, I don't care right now. Don't think that I won't, because of Saphron. Confidentiality ends where crimes begin, Miss Blau. I will get my sister, and I will ask her a question. Sit."

'Holy shit… shit.'

A psychologist could do that, and Rouge Arc definitely was someone who didn't seem to shy the brute force method if she could use it to deal with a threat to her family. The woman was intimidating, as she delivered the law like it was, a shudder going through Adelheid's lower body at the thought of going to jail. It wasn't a good place. There was no booze, there was no guy to fuck and she most certainly wouldn't want to have to go there with Jaune knowing what she did. He'd be understanding, because the little asshole was just her type.

'Miss Umbra is going to destroy my life too…'

When it rained, it poured. This was more like high tide and a monsoon and an avalanche.

"Saphron? Get in. We need to talk with you present. Now."

Saphron looked up from her magazine and she heard the terse tone from her older sister. Rouge was rattled, angry and upset, if the subtle clues on her face gave it away. She wasn't smiling, she wasn't laughing and she sounded angry and upset.

'I guess you told her about Jaune…'

She'd seen this coming. It was why she had remained here, because Adelheid needed her support, and because she knew her sister better than anyone else. Adelheid didn't know that Rouge had raped Jaune, but Saphron didn't trust her sister enough not to do something horrible to Adelheid, who was still her best friend. It showed how much she trusted other women, Saphron guessed, when her only friend was the one who'd stuck with her since her life had literally been blown up.

Adelheid looked small and weak as she sat there, shrunk into herself like a doll that'd been packed for storage, her blonde hair falling in her face, trembling a little, as she looked up. She'd been too honest, she'd been too open, and Adelheid wasn't a bad girl at her core, but her issues acted up.

"Saphron, take a seat next to your friend."

She remembered the sounds Adelheid had made, the sounds that Jaune had made. It wasn't a bad sound, even with Adelheid's encouragements, which had made her feel second-hand embarrassment and shame and a whole load of different feelings. She'd made use of the slip to take Adelheid for her own pleasure, to make her obey, even if Adelheid wasn't into women.

She felt disgusting herself, never having thought that she'd turn into this. Three months before, she'd still been living the life with Terra, pumped full of her boyfriend's sperm and given abortion pills, and her daddy hadn't raped a woman.

"Did you hear what happened to Adelheid and Jaune, Saphron?"

'Damn it, Adelheid! Would it kill you to keep your mouth shut? This sucks…'

She hated to lie to her sisters, but she wasn't going to make this end up in tragedy.

"I heard most of it. She's got a problem, Rouge, and you help with people's problems."

Rouge didn't like that, gesturing with a fountain pen at her, the pad on the table picked up and something scrawled on it with a loose pen. There was a piece of pencil peering out of Rouge's hair, seemingly going unnoticed.

"Rape, Saphron. She raped our little brother! She was drunk and she just did it!"

Jaune had consented to it, somewhat. He'd been an encouraged partner to it, and it was wrong of Adelheid to have done it, but…

'Fuck it, we're all going to some dark place in the afterlife anyways…'

"He liked it, Rouge! I cleaned her mess up, we had awkward sex and I've had the taste of Jaune's spunk on my taste buds, Rouge! Her boss would kill her, like, kill her dead, and I wasn't going to let that happen to my best friend! She's a lot of things, including a dirty slut-"

Adelheid winced at the term, accurate as it was though, whilst Saphron got up, continuing her sentence as she moved, pacing.

"But she's also my best friend who hasn't betrayed me yet or let an asshole cum inside me for my wife to feed me abortion pills! I need a friend, Rouge! Jaune's the only guy in the household, and mom isn't even doing a damn thing about it! She never calls, she never wants to know how I'm doing. It was sympathy for a few days, but now she's off again."

Rouge's face darkened at the insinuation, Saphron knowing how true it was. Mom never cared for them, because she was off doing her fun things. Rouge spoke up, anger in her voice.

"That's because she's not even involved with the family anymore. Oh, look at Rouge, too old and still single! She's been setting me up on dates and now I've just decided to focus more on the job, so we'd be all out of debt! Violet isn't going to cut it without her salary, so now it's all up to me! I've got a paying job and the rest of you don't!"

That was just wrong, and Saphron got up, pacing over to Rouge with aggressive steps, the psychologist looking up, as anger showed on her face.

"Then let me help you, Rouge. Dad can burn in hell for all I care, but we've got six other members of the family to take care of, and Mama is willing to help, because mom sure as the Gods doesn't want to! She's always off with those women, the 'Golden Gals', those crusty old fossils going 'Oh, Saphron, you haven't found a man yet?' and then sending their sons or… ugh. I hate it."

She really didn't like how they always assumed that since she was not too into men, that she'd want to do a show with their girlfriend. She had standards! She liked her meat a little darker and her eye colour a little darker, and that was just fine in her book.

"You shouldn't call her Mama! She's not our mother!"

Rouge raised her voice, Saphron wincing at the tone that her older sister used.

"Well, you weren't a very great sister either, huh? Why don't you report Adelheid and then admit that you fucked Jaune when you were in need, huh? How'd that look, huh? Pedo sister rapes younger brother! The papers will fucking eat it up, Rouge!"

A gasp from Adelheid, but Saphron was so done with Rouge being a brat. Adelheid had made a mistake, she'd done a thing that wasn't proper, but it hadn't hurt anyone. Jaune was seventeen, he could choose who he slept with, and Adelheid was her friend.

"Saphron!"

She snarled at her older sister. She was done with the constant lies, the constant anger and the constant not believing dear old Saphron the gay one.

"Oh fuck off, Rouge. I'm so done with it. I'm done with hurting inside, hoping that I'll meet someone who loves me. If you can't deal with Jaune slamming his big Blau Breaker in her, just realize that mom doesn't care about any of us anymore like she did when we were younger! That White guy was eyeballing me like I was just a piece of meat on the grill, and none of those old fossils know my preferences."

Adelheid coughed softly.

"Eh, hello?"

Both Arc sisters turned to her and Adelheid shrank back under the weight of their combined glares. Saphron lessened hers, before she saw Adelheid getting ready to speak.

"I did a bad thing, yes, but I'm trying to do better. He's concerned about me, and about all of you."

'That's the wrong thing to say. Keep your mouth shut, Addie!'

Rouge looked at Adelheid with a fierce look.

"He's the only brother we've got, Adelheid. I'm not going to let him be manhandled by you, just because you had an itch he could scratch. He deserves better!"

Saphron's face twisted.

"Oh, does he deserve you, Rouge? Are you going to be the big sister who'll comfort him? The big sister who'll be bouncing on his dick, rather than someone who might have a bit of a drinking problem? Oh, wait, that's wrong! That's incest, and that's wrong!"

Rouge's fountain pen was thrown at her, as Saphron felt it hit, bouncing off her chest and falling to the ground.

"HE WAS SUPPOSED TO LOVE ME, SAPHRON! He- He never came. He never came."

The anger slipped from Rouge's voice as she lowered her head and started to sob.

"I'm a mess, I'm… I'm jealous. Why can you get what I want?"

Saphron watched as Adelheid got up, walking over and placing her hand on the shoulder of the oldest Arc in the room, her voice light.

"She's my best friend, Rouge. I've… I've got a problem, but- But I'm not going to give up my friendship with her. She's a great sister, and you've got a great little brother. I'm going to make him the hottest piece of ass in Vale, if not Remnant. She's… hey, you're here to help me, she's here to support me, I'm here to get my life back on track, so we've got to be the weirdest three blondes gathered in a room."

Saphron could see that Rouge was starting to come down from her outburst, as Adelheid spoke, a soft groan coming from Rouge's lips.

"Fuck… I'm damned if I do report you, and damned if I don't. What's next, Saph? Drugs in the family? Beryl dropping dead because some hopped up thug puts a magazine of bullets into her body like the world's biggest turkey shoot?"

Saphron shrugged. She didn't know, nor did she have any idea whether she'd want to know. Drugs were bad, and she'd never wanted an artificial high.

"Adelheid isn't a bad girl, Rouge. You're not a bad woman either."

Saphron hugged her sister, aware that Rouge was getting ready to cry now, and that there would be more sadness in the future for her older sister undoubtedly. You didn't heal from the scars of rape so easily, even though it'd been similar for her, when she'd been used by her lover and her lover's boyfriend, treated like a nanny.

"I… I know, Saph. I'm sorry, it's just that I don't want him to go. I love him."

'I'm not going to ask HOW you love him, Rouge…'

That way of thought laid with an admission which she wouldn't want to handle, as Adelheid joined the hug, Rouge starting to murmur something about being too damn soft on her little gay sis. It was an awkward feeling when they separated, Rouge's eyes looking at Adelheid with a jaded, cautious look.

"I've got a problem, but at least I'm told to go and be treated for it, Rouge. I'm sorry, but he's just too damn cute."

'Dangerous words, Adel…'

Rouge smiled a sad smile, nodding quietly to herself.

"He is. He's got… I raised him so well. He's just the man I like, but he doesn't come to touch me."

Adelheid made an 'eww' face, but she tried to reason with it. Saphron had to give her friend points for self-control.

"Well, he's got my seal of approval. So, big sis Saph? Are we letting her in our private play clubhouse, or do we bar eldest sis Rouge from it?"

The queer look on Rouge's face at the odd statement, as Adelheid had just tried to playfully interject a sense of unity of sorts, in the blunt way that people from Argus seemed to have, as Rouge peered at her.

"What are we about, as a club?"

Adelheid tried to smile a little, the woman about four years younger than Rouge, whose eyes looked hesitantly at her, unsure where the thread of thought was going to.

"Jaune Arc is a cutie and a good little brother club, of course. We can bond, share tales of how much we like how he's a kind guy who wouldn't harm a fly, and I can show you all sorts of things that I've got planned, whilst Rouge here helps me with my eh… addiction? I mean, eh, I don't plan on drinking, but we can go and socialize and you two can hold me back?"

Rouge actually seemed to contemplate that, and Saphron sighed. The crisis seemed to simmer down, as Rouge leaned back in her seat, her eyes sharp.

"He finds out, and I'm going to deny everything, Miss Blau. Saph… I'm sorry, I shouldn't have been so cruel. I know you've got your own way of dealing with things, and Miss Umbra, she's- I don't trust her motives. She's after something from Jaune, and-"

Saphron sighed softly and shook her head.

"Making him happy, Rouge. She's told me that she's seeing him as the son she never had, she's… She's been- Dad got drunk and he did something horrible to her, but she's trying her best, Rouge. He's…"

Saphron glanced at Adelheid and then met Rouge's eyes.

"If Jaune's happy with calling her mama, then he's happy. You know that our mother doesn't really give a damn about us, Rouge. Let's just… unify, okay? We'll be the family he needs, and Adelheid can be his wife."

Adelheid squeaked something that sounded like 'SAPHRON!', but Saphron barged on without really caring. Adelheid would understand.

"And- and if we need muscle, we can ask Bear to help us out. She's strong, Rouge. Jaune will protect us too."

Saphron gave a small smile, knowing that Rouge wouldn't do anything to hurt her little brother, as she hugged her sister.

"Now let's focus on getting Addie here better. I trust you, Rouge. She's my best friend and she's got her issues, but she's also someone who wants the best for Jaune."

Rouge brushed a hand through her hair and found the pencil piece in her locks, her eyes looking sternly at her for a moment before she sighed.

"Darn it, professional ethics. Now I'm going to have to counsel the woman who fucked my little brother on how to stay away from alcohol."

Rouge had given in, Saphron knew, as she smiled, Adelheid's face showing a hesitant smile.

"And stay away from your cute brother, right? I've got eleven months… But he's a cutie, so he'll be hard to work with. Thank you for making him like that, I… I feel kind of safe around him. He's... Fuck, he's charming. There, I said it. He's charming, he's good-looking and he's hot."

Rouge nodded, as she opened her mouth to speak.

"He's the man of the house because dad has to work, Adel. I wouldn't let him grow up to just use women as disposable tissues like some guys do… Our little brother will love whoever he's in love with more than anything."

Saphron missed the 'and he'll love me more than a sister' from that statement, but the facial expression that Rouge had implied it. Rouge didn't lie.

'We're such a messy family… But we're going to be alright. Rouge won't tell anyone, I won't tell anyone else, and Adelheid will be getting the treatment she needs.'

"So, when do we do club meetings? Every Tuesday?"

That was a start, she guessed.

"Am I invited too?"

Rouge looked at her for a long moment before she patted Adelheid on the shoulder, the Argus-born woman giving a little squeak.

"If we're adopting her as a pet, Fifi will undoubtedly mind. She'd bark at us."

Saphron gave a sad smile, as Rouge tried to make a joke. Violet would be a little annoyed, but she seemed to be open to seeing Adelheid as Saphron's best friend.

"She might. We're going to have to go out for dinner tonight, though. Just a girl's night out, and Adelheid being given the whole third degree by you about how Jaune has grown. Don't worry, we'll be keeping an eye on you, Adelheid. The only drink you'll be having is juice and soda or water. Big sis and bigger sis will keep you on the straight and narrow."

This was a bit of revenge for the whole 'Jaune Arc Appreciation Club' idea. Adelheid gave a smile, and Saphron knew that this all sounded fantastical to her, but Adelheid needed to know that she would be watched.

"Sure, let's go out for dinner… the others can cook for themselves, undoubtedly. Didn't the twins say they were going out for partying today at some festival?"

Saphron wouldn't know about that. She wasn't someone who kept up to date with the going-ons of the twins.

"Who knows? Addie, up on your feet! Rouge needs to work, and we're going to see whether we can get some ice-cream."

Ice-cream would make things better, she knew.

"Soooo… You killed a dude."

Beryl was not going to be casting stones through brick houses, or whatever the saying was. She knew that there was a rule to this thing, but the twin bitch that she'd offed together with the apprentice to the Blackout was safely dead, with her head in the bag.

That they'd jumped into the cool water of the sea wasn't something of an issue, as they'd felt the water wash off most of the red blood that clung to her clothing, her teacher/asshole undoubtedly wanting her home clean and safe, so that would mean making sure that she'd have to get 'girly'.

"He was a bad man. I had thought- I thought he'd done something bad to my sister. She's my only sister."

Jaune sat a small place away as Beryl's hands brushed through her short hair, trying to get some air into it, the other blonde looking as pathetic as a newly minted murderer could.

'Alright, didn't Rouge say that inspiration worked best?'

"So, you defeated some bastard who was doing bad things to a sister? That's cool, I mean, I wouldn't go so far as to say he'd earned it, but if anyone touched my little sister, they'd be getting to be breathing through a crushed throat or something worse. Touch my family and you get touched by me, yeah."

That was important, she knew. The blonde looked confused, and Beryl could see it, as she put her hand on the girl's shoulder, taking a deep breath before she decided to walk over, getting her bag. Showing the head wasn't exactly in the job description, but she didn't really care too much about what the guy thought, as long as her sister was kept safe. The man was planning something and there was just more training in the future, so she'd be able to kill the guy dead.

"But-"

She opened the bag and grabbed the head within, turning it up. The girl stiffened, as the head's long hair was gripped in Beryl's grasp.

"This bitch and her twin sister left me for dead. I put her down like the animal she was. It's justice, Yang. Oh? You know her?"

The young girl nodded, and Beryl stuffed the head back into the bag, before Jaune got to see it. She liked her little brother to remain a bit more innocent about his big sister's habits… It was bad enough that she'd have to store it somewhere at home… The bag was a goner, undoubtedly. She'd have to buy another.

"Yeah, I… I killed her boss. I was just so angry, I was so mad, thinking that my sister was killed because of him. One of my teammates wanted to scare me straight, before I-"

She hugged the girl, the blonde friend of Jaune starting to cry against her shoulder, patting the girl. She wasn't good with the emotional stuff, but she'd known well how to offer a comforting shoulder or something. Even losers needed to cry a bit, and many people lost from her. Nothing to do with the whole comforting of some of her sisters when they'd had a bad breakup, nope. Beryl was tough as nails and not into that whole girly bullshit.

"And you killed him. He was a crook, a criminal. Are you going to kill someone in anger again, Yang? My brother is a lovable little goof, he's willing to overlook a lot, but if you ever hurt him, I will personally turn your ass inside-out. Grab those cheeks and then wrap em around your head, and then- Is that possible? I should ask Rouge. She's done medical stuff."

The girl looked even guiltier, and Beryl sighed. There'd been a story behind this, and she wasn't going to be a sappy little emotion hog like Violet, who was the worst of them when it came to actually doing something like this.

"He forgave me. I'm… I don't feel comfortable with him. I can hear Weiss when she's with him, and she's so happy, so content, and…"

Beryl wasn't stupid. There was more to it, and she hazarded a guess.

"And it feels like a flavour of ice-cream you'd want to take a lick from, huh? Yeah, my little brother's got that charm about him. We're all pretty bitches when it comes down to it. Ah, not in the literal sense. Saph's the little innocent angel when it comes to being a bitch. I'm mean."

The blonde girl of seventeen, or at least, Beryl thought that she was seventeen, sniffled a little as she seemed to gather her thoughts on the subject of getting herself back on track. Beryl knew that a comforting arm wasn't something she'd really be able to give, but she supposed that she could give a hand.

"Hey, what's your fighting style?"

The blonde looked at her and the bracelets turned into something that looked like a set of blazing punch-gauntlets.

'Ooh, neat! She's a puncher!'

"Good, want to spar a few times, if you'd like to? I think I need a training buddy who isn't some kind of lunatic who kicks me in the face during a handstand or something."

She was an agility-based fighter, with her light paces and footwork, and shattering punches, so it'd make the girl, who definitely did her cardio and her other exercises without a complaint, have some benefit.

"You'd do that with me?"

There was hope in those eyes, Beryl giving her a grin. If her little brother wasn't some kind of complete socially inept guy, she'd be able to seed the thought of getting some Arc into the girl's mind. Any girl who could punch a guy to death was alright in her book.

"Hey, everyone needs a release. I'm being taught to go and kill stuff, protect a guy or girl and make sure that my big sis is safe. I know what it feels like to want to protect them."

Violet had been raped. That shit wasn't cool with Beryl. The bastards laid dead and she'd been blooded, but there were more sicko's around, and she could see the blonde looking at her.

"We're not the best people, and I don't mean to say that I'm the best, but getting the aggression out of your system through sparring with someone can make you cool off a lot, so you don't hurt others. I don't know about you, but my brother's got a face that you'd want to kiss, don't you think?"

The blush was red, as the lilac-eyed blonde looked surprised at her boldness.

'Yeah, time to tease her a bit more.'

"Yeah, you're thinking about my little brother, aren't you? Don't you think he's wonderful? He's always been the first to go and help out his big sisters, and there's that little trick that he did with Violet, ah, that's my younger sister, to cheer her up. So, sparring buddy, you should be okay. So what if some bastard died? The guy was involved with a whole load of bad stuff, so if anyone's getting the blame, it won't be some hotshot blonde who was barely involved. I got you, babe."

She grabbed Yang's hand and gave it a firm shake, giving a bold grin of confidence, a hint of darn bloodthirstiness and received blue eyes looking back at her with that hope in them for a good future prospect… Which just made her feel even better about things. Beryl knew that she might've scored herself a good friend, as the blonde smiled.

"Want to meet with my little sis and the girl I talked about? Jaune said that- that we're going to see them."

'Ah well, it shouldn't matter too damn much…'

There was always tomorrow for handing in her head, after all. There would be a time when she'd be able to look at that asshole as he was bleeding out and she'd be able to tell him what she really thought of him.

"Sure thing! Anything for my little sparring buddy, heh."

Stranglers you didn't know were friends that you hadn't made yet… or something. Mom had said it a while ago, but what the hell were stranglers supposed to be? She didn't like to have her throat strangled, no sirree!

Beryl glanced over at Jaune, who was busy with something on his Scroll, a serious expression on his face, and the blonde followed her gaze.

"He'll stick by you if you let him, Yang. He used to be a bit of a nerd, a geek... But he was always willing to help us, no matter what."

The blonde looked at him and Beryl smirked to herself. Ooh, the girl was interested, she just knew it! So what if she tried to set Saphron up with a guy four or five times, eh? How was she supposed to know that Saphron was gay?

You couldn't smell the gayness.

Beryl liked the smell of blood better.

"Yang, Jaune!"

The cheerful tone of Ruby was more than enough to warm his heart, Weiss and Ruby and the prostitute that he'd hired for the little Ruby Rose gangbang scene that he'd put on, the smile on the young woman.

"Hey there, Jaune. Little Ruby's talking up a storm about you, and your girlfriend's gotten a few more tips on how to make sure that you're well-taken-care-of. So… She's a real treat to be around, can I adopt her?"

Sasha Grey, a woman who'd had some experience and was just the right size and style, without the silver contact lenses and the hair dye, looked like an average twenty-eight-year-old. He smiled as he sat down, Beryl plopping down without further ado.

"The name's Beryl Arc, toots. I'm this goofball's big sis."

The two women shook hands and the hooker looked at him, as Weiss pulled out the vial. He took it, before he tucked it away. The poison would be acting up in a few hours, he reckoned. With her being the vector, it would've spread. Mama had said that there should be no survivors, after all.

"Sasha Grey, professional cocksu- wait, don't I know you? Don't you have window 230 at Gall Street?"

Beryl didn't look so very pleased, as a filthy look appeared on her face.

"No, I don't do hooking. That's disgusting. I'm a fighter, I won the Junior Cup a few times, doing a few good matches."

Beryl's boisterous voice was startling, as Yang's subdued look pleased him. She had learned the error of her ways, and he wouldn't let her slip into being a bad friend again. She was someone who needed to know right from wrong.

"Ah, sorry, you've got one of those faces that kind of look like the old haunt I used to run at. When Mister Jaune contacted me for the gig, I was kind of in search of something to pay the bills. I want to be a teacher for kids."

"Are you okay, Yang?"

A very tiny nod from the blonde girl, who looked at Ruby with desperate eyes. It had been a very brief but strong hug, Ruby squeezing herself out of Yang's tight grip, the look of concern and care from Ruby at him and Weiss her warm hug being a relief. Yang had paid the tithe, and he would see whether it had any effect later.

"Thank you… I'm- I'm kind of a crappy big sister."

She wasn't. Overprotective, sure, but not crappy. She cared for Ruby, as he cared for all of his sisters and his mama, and even Adelheid, in that way of 'becoming a sister in law'. If Adelheid wanted to date Saphron, she'd get all the support he could give her.

"Ruby thinks you're great, lady. I got paid quite a bit for a few hours of work, acting and stuff, and it was pretty cool to meet your little sis. She's a real trooper, doing as asked and getting her tone and pitch right. I never had a little sister, so you should keep her safe, ya hear?"

Ruby seemed to be as chipper and upbeat as always, as Weiss brushed her hand through his hair.

"Did it work?"

The question was hesitant, and he knew that Weiss was looking out for him. He nodded softly.

"She's sorry, and I hope she'll see sense. Sorry, Weiss."

The Schnee girl smiled, as her blue eyes lit up and she leaned up to him to kiss his cheek.

"I've got to watch out for my best male friend, don't I?"

She was a great friend, and Beryl nudged him roughly.

"Jaune, go and fetch us ice-cream. I'm hungry for something cool, and you've got a wallet, so scoot, go and get us some frozen treats."

It seemed that it was time to go and buy some ice-cream first. He hoped that Mama was having a great day as well.

Yang's day of wrath had turned into a day of reunification. He hoped that she'd improve further, so she'd be worthy of being his friend. Pyrrha…

'I should buy her something nice. She's someone who's willing to help me at any cost, and she's not asked for a single thing…'

You always made sure that the ones who were willing to fight for you were rewarded well. A King had his knights and paladins to guard him, Mama remembered, and he might need to have his own.

He was Mama's prince, after all.

He'd make sure that Miss Grey got her antidote as well. One could not dispose of the most useful part of the plan so easily, after all.

Cyanide slipped her jacket off, the wrapped package that contained the head of one of the twins under an arm, carefully wrapped so that there'd be no leakage or anything else that could allow others to find out that she was carrying a dead person's head.

'Now, to see whether I can get in…'

The lock of the front door was something that she'd be easily able to pick, but Violet Arc did not pick the lock, the key pushing into the door hole, as Cyanide waited for a moment, breathing in and calming herself. Beryl was in the house, if the motorcycle told the truth of her presence. Her tomboy sister was there, yet there would be a conversation had, though the hair dye had been washed out of her hair hours before.

"Beryl?"

The light was still on, as it was only ten in the evening, Beryl sat at the table, the large bag with her package for her teacher sat next to her. Beryl smiled at her, and she knew that the tomboy of the family didn't seem to have noticed.

"Hey there, Fi. How was working with the ol' biddy?"

The cover of working to care for an old lady was one that couldn't hold up for long, Cyanide knew instinctively. With the job that Beryl and she had, it would be a complication. She pulled the weapons out of her jacket and laid them on the table, noticing that Beryl hadn't pulled the gloves off just yet, the mechanism for miniaturization still active.

"How about that coffee, Bear?"

It was a narrowed set of eyes, before Beryl moved and Cyanide leaned back, avoiding the swipe, the table between the two of them still untouched, as Cyanide inched back, Beryl flipping over the table, a punch blocked, as she stared at the woman. The calmness of her was at odds with the heated look she got from her older sister.

"What'd you do to my sister, you creep?"

It wasn't an unwise assumption, as Cyanide blocked another punch, her aura flaring a little.

"Nothing. I've just learned how to be effective, Bear. Sit down. You're still the girl who tried to set up Saph with that annoying little asshole that you met, so she'd 'be feeling better', before we knew she was gay, Bear."

Beryl sat down with a sulky expression. Cyanide sighed, as she pulled the weapons back into their sheaths, luckily not used on a member of the family.

"So, you're the Blackout's student."

She nodded, and Cyanide slowly faded away, as Violet shook her head freely, loosening her hair a little and letting it breathe.

"Yeah… You're going to have to spare me those bear arms, Berry. I don't fancy being beaten up by an older sister."

She was sure that Beryl would be out before she'd have knowledge of it, but it was what it was.

The door opened and they tensed up, the two of them. The sound of footsteps, and Beryl glanced at the hallway with the doors that led to the various bedrooms, and both watched Jade and Verde step into the kitchen, staggering.

'Fuck… They're definitely high or something…'

She recognized the look, but Beryl seemed to grow really angry.

"Hey there, Violet, Bear. Valefest was great!"

Beryl got up, looking at Verde as she staggered a little, the smell of smoke and more in the air, as the twins made their way to the kitchen sink, Beryl placing her hand on her sister Verde, the green shirt with stains on it looking like it needed a wash, a shark-like grin on Beryl's face. That smile was definitely one of the most brutal ones she'd seen.

"How about we bring you two to the bathroom, eh?"

The twins didn't seem to care very much, as Beryl pushed Verde towards the bathroom, Jade ambling slightly back and forth, her staggering definitely not compos mentis enough to show that she was in control, pushing her sister towards the bathroom. There was a sound of the toilet flushing and spluttering, and Cyanide groaned mentally at her sister's lack of creativity.

'You don't drown a victim in a toilet by repeatedly flushing…'

It was a good method of telling the target of your ire that you weren't okay with it.

Beryl's hand was forcing the head of Verde into the bowl, as she hit the button, the struggling sister undoubtedly feeling rather uncomfortable, but Beryl cared not.

"You fucking shit, I told you that I'd be taking it out on you! First, you get a fucking drug overdose and the next, you're just coming back from a party high as a kite, and we've got to go and fix you up!"

Jade hesitated, Cyanide pushing her into the bathroom, the bathtub standing there, as Beryl forced her sister's head down once more, before jerking her out by the hair.

"That's enough for you, you bitch. Now, here's some more for you, other twin."

The treatment that Beryl was giving her sister wasn't too bad, Cyanide thought. Violet would probably have more to say, if she wasn't so annoyed with her sisters. The family required good upkeep, not bad daughters that got high because they didn't get the party lifestyle that everyone else their age had.

'As if they were owed something because they wanted to have their party life…'

It was disgusting to see them, and she pushed Jade at Beryl, who forced her down and then flushed again, Cyanide grabbing the wet hair from Verde and jerking her head up.

"You're going to be having a talk with Rouge. Your sister will, as well. Drugs are not a good way to enjoy life, and I do not like to see my sister dead because she overdosed."

Verde was spluttering something, and Cyanide's hand smacked against the girl's cheek, the feeling inelegant and dirty. An assassin should not have to resort to such crude violence, but Violet Arc still loved her sisters and her family as much as she did. What she had seen, she would not forget. Drugs were a swift way to an end.

"Beryl, let's wake them up in the morning after they've been sobered up again… I think we need to introduce our little sisters to the twins."

Beryl's raised eyebrow was enough to make Cyanide crack a grin. A chameleon she was, but there was a sadistic urge within her, a craving to show that the world was an ugly place, undoubtedly a remnant from Grandmother's training. She was Cyanide, of course, and she would not fail her grandmother.

Dragging Verde out of the bathroom was easier with Verde not really struggling so very much, and Cyanide checked for a moment to see that she'd been a bit too rough, Verde knocked out by the smack that'd hit her.

'I may need to work on it…'

She dropped the twin onto one of the beds, uncaring about which bed it was. It was her sister, but her sister had messed up. Saphron would've given them an earful, Rouge was still out, and she knew that she'd have to make the best of being one of the eldest. Azora was undoubtedly already asleep, and Rouge wasn't home yet, if the signs were accurate.

She looked out of the window to see a car drive up and her mother exiting, a man she knew as a customer before stepping out and walking with her, Cyanide slipping back into the recesses of the mind of Violet, as one of the youngest Arc sisters watched her mother stumble a little, obviously a little drunk.

"Careful, Carmen."

The look on her mother's face was light, as she was straightened by the man, the woman leaning up and kissing the man fully on the lips.

"You're such a charmer, Harm. Justh… Hmmm… I've got to go home now. Kids need their mom."

'So, she's a cheater…'

Violet and Cyanide agreed at that moment in time, that it wasn't alright for mom to do that.

She walked to the bathroom, finding Beryl about to drag Jade out, the struggling twin trying to get her older sister to let go.

"Mom's home. We need to chat, Bear."

Her sister nodded, before she walked into the twin's room and the sound of bedsprings creaking, and a sharp – 'Stay in fucking bed, Jade, we'll talk in the morning. I'm still angry with you two bitches.'– came from her older sister, the look on her face dark as she emerged, the hard-bitten features showing anger, as Beryl often showed when she was frustrated. Cyanide could mould herself to every situation, but Violet loved her family.

"What're we doing about the twins?"

She shook her head, pointing to her room.

"Wait for me there. I'll grab your bag. You're a sloppy girl, Bear."

A smile curled on her lips as the emotionless state of being on the job slid back into her. An infiltration, retrieval and exfiltration mission, something that would only reap rewards when the head of one of the twins was retrieved.

"Sure. Let's compare assholes, shall we?"

Violet laughed at the thought.

"You'd have to pay me for lesbian stuff, Bear."

The annoyed look was worth it, as Violet walked downstairs, spotting her mother already ambling into the kitchen, the former client following after her, the smile on her face something that would easily fit the mood for someone who'd gotten home recently, her makeup still done perfectly so there would be no link to the woman who'd sold herself.

"Betty's husband drove me home after we had a match out in South Vale, Violet. Did anything happen whilst I was out?"

The question was more for formality's sake, as she grabbed the duffel bag and then pulled it onto a shoulder. It wasn't heavy, but it was a piece of evidence, the faint smell of blood still clinging to it. She'd had to throw it in the wash a few times, or at least suggest to Beryl that she make sure that it was not going to be used for a while.

"Not really. The twins just came home from a party, Beryl's put them to bed."

The lack of care, as she hefted the bag, the man giving her a look, as Violet brushed her hair out of her face, the man's eyes lingering a little on the modest top that Violet had opted to wear for her 'return to the family home', staring at the legs.

"Good. We'll… Hmmm, perhaps we'll have a glass of wine. Good night, Violet."

There was no goodnight kiss anymore. There was no feeling of mom hugging her, as it had been before. Mother was cheating on their father, and it was another sign of the world's cruelty.

'Yeah… Saphron might just have had the right idea… Jaune's sugar mommy sounds like a better option than our mom… At least that woman seems to care for Saphron more than our mom does.'

She wasn't blind to the circumstances, but the woman had put Rouge through university for her degree without any strings attached. The woman at least cared enough for the young man to help his family out, so perhaps it'd be a wise thing to contact Saphron.

Between dad who fucked Rouge and mom who was fucking her best friend's husband, she'd rather throw her lot in with a woman who at least tried to support them when dad wasn't home.

The soft crackling of the path below her feet and the dusty swirls of air that rose with the wind were familiar, as the castle behind her stood there, the large pool that stood there to be a memory of a time when she had been but a simple woman who had loved a man and had been cursed for it, the dark power that created the Grimm and made up a part of her being, the raw magic that she could feel pushing inside her, the knowledge of how to manipulate the Grimm…

'I am someone who will not be stopped.'

The dress she shed, letting it lie within a heap on the ground. It would be eradicated by the pool of Grimm, as she stepped closer to the shore, the droplets clinging together as they rose to meet her, instinctively trying to search for life that had been in its presence, as a Beowolf climbed from the dark pool, the creature glancing at her for an instant before the magic within her flared.

A dip within the pools, once a year, to reinvigorate her body and allow her to control the Grimm, to deliver her that edge against Ozma's hordes of devout followers. A castle behind her, a queen striding towards the pool that held the sword of destiny's cruel whim against the Gods, a feeling inside her that grew queasy. She felt uneasy for an instant, as she thought about the young man who had stoked those feelings inside her.

Jaune deserved a treat, she knew. A little concubine, the Schnee daughter who had been given to him as a playmate. Willow thought it was simple affection and lust and more, but the girl's blood was not pure enough. A common merchant's daughter, compared to the prince that he was. She was not a woman who dared to leave such errors up to chance.

Everything was planned. Everything was accounted for. There was no emotion, there was no sympathy, there was only spite and hate, and to see the world before her former husband's eyes crumble, whilst her prince would rise through the world to assume his rightful place.

'Oh, you will have the briefest of joys, my dear husband… The briefest of joys, before the trap slams shut. With Cinder as a decoy…'

The girl didn't know a thing about it, of course. The Fall Maiden was never a real objective, after all. When you had magic and knowledge of how it functioned, it was as simple as opening a lock…

The maidens were unaware of that, of course. Magic was a lost art to this world, her husband able to open the locks to the Vaults without any interference, as far as she knew.

The coldness of the dark essence of the pool of Grimm wrapped around her leg as she stepped into the pool, before she dove in. There was a moment when her body was wrapped in intense heat, as something shattered and the pain started. A ritual, as she let the darkness in, her whole flesh corrupting once more, as the connection to the Grimm stabilized once more, a stabbing pain coming from her stomach. She couldn't see a thing, knowing that the process was working, that her whole body was restoring itself to perfect state, the curse keeping her flesh intact, the pale skin having shown the veins of corruption, her body pulling itself out of the state of being within the sphere of pain as she absorbed the corruption. Stabbing pain in her stomach, pain that didn't seem to be going away.

'Just another minute…'

Time was not a factor, immersion was. As she pulled herself out of the darkness, she noticed that the Grimm were watching her, as was proper. The magic within her was now stronger, a beacon to them. They obeyed the power of their creator, a facsimile that Ozma had made with his maidens allowing for a limited communication, but still…

She took a few steps, her body twisting, as she felt the pain again. A soft groan, as she moaned in pain. The dregs of the dark ichors that created the Grimm still burned on her skin, as her pale hands held her stomach, as she took another few steps.

Relief, as the pain faded, a soft sound of something hitting the dusty ground, a small tug that nevertheless gave her pause, halting her stride. She looked down at herself, noticing a dark streak that ran down her leg, and-

A deep exhale, as she froze. A blink, a deeper inhale, as her heart raced and then slowed. Red eyes looked, and she turned around.

The Grimm reacted, as everything seemed to freeze into place, the power within her burning like a fire, a flame that had been lit. She knelt into the dust, noticing that it was raining. Droplets were falling down into the sandy dust, as she gingerly picked up the thing that'd fallen into the dust, the raindrops leaking down into the dust, though the sky was cloudless.

"Look, Ozma! She looks so wonderful!"

The joy on her husband's face was wonderful as he held their first child, and she recalled a year later how proud he was of having produced yet another baby with her golden locks, the blue eyes that had been a familial trait of her mother's side of the family staring back at her, rather than the horrid paleness and ashen hair that she had.

Salem looked at the lifeless body held gingerly in her hands, the black veins of corruption running through the small child, its little eyes closed, the small tuft of blonde hair sticking against the skin. Features that held a faint twist of these new humans, a little life that'd grown inside her of, ended prematurely.

Dead as a doornail.

'They will pay for this!'

This was her child! Her child! The baby that- that… that…

She walked to the castle one more, heedless of her own nudity, as the Grimm gathered. The anger took a hold of her…

Her wrath rose as her vision turned red, as she called to the Grimm.

Salem's day of wrath had arrived, and her child would be avenged.

She did not scream in her wrath, yet her anger was great, as the murderous urge to destroy rose within her.

Well… this puts Salem's relative kindness in a different light, don't you think? This was hinted at before. Salem... just had an abortion. She isn't taking it very well. For the record: It was Jaune's. Salem did not take into account that she could be pregnant. It's been a long while since she had sex, after all.

KNOWLEDGE WARS, FEATURING SPECIAL REPORTER GREG STONES!

"EVERY DARN GRIMM TURNED TO LOOK NORTH! IS THIS SOME KIND OF NEW IRONWOOD TECH THAT IS RELEASED, OR IS IT A CONSPIRACY!?"

Alexandrite Stones spoke with a bombastic voice as she moved, the Knowledge Wars shirt wobbling a little, Greg Stones joining her behind the desk. The phones are ringing.

"Remember, Super Faunus Vitality, guaranteed to bring the beast out in your relationship!'

The rather swift way that Greg Stones spoke was something that was only adding to his sister's speech, as Alexandrite gesticulated to the viewer.

"Yeah! Those darn Atlesians with their fancy-dancy tech don't know what the REAL power of all-natural ingredients and a real living being is like! Super Faunus Vitality, guaranteed to bring you the vitality of a demon in an all-natural capsule form! Knowledge Wars, guaranteed to put the animal in your bed, or so I'd like to believe!"

Greg looked like he wanted to say something, before he cleared his throat.

"Alex, I think we're up for a commercial segment."

The man's sister calmed down for a moment before the gesticulating grew worse, the soft sigh that came from the woman loud as she ran a hand through her hair, a frown on her face.

"He still hasn't called? Alex, you went to jail because you got a bit too enthusiastic, it's not a d-"

The hand slammed down onto the desk, as Alexandrite's face showed annoyance.

"He ran out on me, Greg. I'll get that Oregano bastard, even if I have to get in touch with those darn register clerks. Mac and cheesy? Bah."

The cameraperson seemed to make a sign, as Alexandrite smacked her cheeks.

"And here we're back at ya, with the latest news! Ladies, don't be too surprised, my brother's still single and ready to mingle!"

Greg Stones had the good graces to look embarrassed, but his face turned stoic and 'manly' if the meme was anything to go by.

"Super Female Vitality, guaranteed to make you look as great as any professional model. Our Faunus Super Female Vitality is selling out like hot buns, so come and get it whilst supplies last. Knowledge Wars, bringing the truth of information to you, raw!"

The meme with Greg Stones looking seriously into the camera with the subtitle: Stones: Bringing it to you raw became a popular hit, and the man's fanclub grew somewhat, whilst Alexandrite Stones managed to report a surge in increased sales of Super Female Vitality.

There were only three female callers asking for some Hot Faunus Vitality from Greg this session, though. One offered to 'gobble him up like a turkey Faunus should', which only made the stoic face of Alexandrite Stones, miming her brother unintentially, more of a meme.

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