In the Court of the Crimson King (A Snippet Collection)

[King crimson]

Hmmm, if it'd been me I would have leaned a little less hard on Drax's over-literalism, and a little harder on the others. the running gag of him not getting metaphors can only be used so many times in rapid succession.

Click to shrink...

That's fair. There are some characters who I really struggled with. Drax, Groot and Aisha are the three I think come off the worst due to my struggles with maintaining them as characters. With Drax I do think the over reliance on that one gag is a definite flaw and it is something I will strive to improve going forward. Of all of the Guardians he is the one that I struggle to pin down the most. Is there any facet of the character that you feel I could better bring out in a conversation going forward?

 

[Simon_Jester]

That's fair. There are some characters who I really struggled with. Drax, Groot and Aisha are the three I think come off the worst due to my struggles with maintaining them as characters. With Drax I do think the over reliance on that one gag is a definite flaw and it is something I will strive to improve going forward. Of all of the Guardians he is the one that I struggle to pin down the most. Is there any facet of the character that you feel I could better bring out in a conversation going forward?

Click to shrink...

Hm.

Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but the pivotal, essential traits of Drax's personality are:

1) He's overliteral.
2) He's a warrior.
3) He has a fairly simple, direct approach to problem-solving
4) At least as portrayed in the MCU, he sometimes gets fanciful and impractical notions, such as that lovely scene where he's standing very still in an attempt to be invisible.

Now, you leaned pretty heavily on (1). (4) is inappropriate to the situation, because this isn't a rest time or a comedic scene; they have a very real problem on their hands. (3) you invoked to good effect, likewise (2). Your problem with Drax isn't that you portrayed him wrong, it's just that you had him say overliteral "I don't get the metaphor" things too many times. He'd have worked better if he'd only had two thirds as many lines, because each individual line would have been significantly funnier.

In short, I think you did the right thing, you just did it too hard. Overuse of a running gag is a hard mistake to spot during one's own proofreading, so that may be inevitable.

 

[King crimson]

Well, correct me if I'm wrong, but the pivotal, essential traits of Drax's personality are:

1) He's overliteral.
2) He's a warrior.
3) He has a fairly simple, direct approach to problem-solving
4) At least as portrayed in the MCU, he sometimes gets fanciful and impractical notions, such as that lovely scene where he's standing very still in an attempt to be invisible.

Click to shrink...

There is a fifth and sixth element I'd argue. He feels no shame in who he is and he wants revenge on Thanos

In short, I think you did the right thing, you just did it too hard. Overuse of a running gag is a hard mistake to spot during one's own proofreading, so that may be inevitable.

Click to shrink...

I can see that. I do think that I'm prone to doing characters too hard (I was very worried about how Rocket for example came off even though I think I managed it better). I really don't want problems to be inevitable.

I might not catch all of my mistakes but are people interested in having a beta-reader for this stuff? Unlike my quests there is no deadline for it so I could possibly have someone else proofread and polish the new snippets before posting them for everyone to see. It would lead to a delay in how fast I post things and I'd potentially have to put a gag order on my beta-reader for them not to spoil little twists and hints I try to lay into the text beforehand but the overall quality would likely go up (and I'd almost certainly have less comma problems). What do people think?

 

[Simon_Jester]

There is a fifth and sixth element I'd argue. He feels no shame in who he is and he wants revenge on Thanos

Click to shrink...

True. Then again, the fifth doesn't really play a role in this particular dialogue, nor does the fourth.

I can see that. I do think that I'm prone to doing characters too hard (I was very worried about how Rocket for example came off even though I think I managed it better). I really don't want problems to be inevitable.

Click to shrink...

Rocket's dialogue came off fine in my opinion.

And... put it this way. Overdoing characters isn't inevitable. It's the sort of thing that requires experience and a certain cultivated reticence to avoid. Basically, you need to be thinking "in this particular phase of the conversation, where do I establish this specific thing about this specific character," and then you do that, and move on. This also contributes to parsimony of the writing style, which is desirable if hard to attain, especially in the Age of Word Processors.

 

[King crimson]

Family is an odd concept. The bonds of blood seem unbreakable and unshakeable but when we do not know of them mean nothing. An entire conversation can have its meaning change entirely based on the familial relationships of the individuals conversing, even when the words themselves remain the same. This is particularly true of the Royal Family of Britannia. With the numerous wives each emperor would take and the constant struggle for the throne amongst the various princes and princesses, the nature of that family is complex indeed.

Family can be a great gift or a terrible burden, for in the end family is just what you make of it, for good or for ill.

Cornelia Li Britannia
As Cornelia began to finish up mopping up the last pathetic dregs of resistance the MEF conjured up to slow her down her thoughts inevitably turned to Area 11 and of her sister and half sister. As the so-called Goddess of Victory, Cornelia was no afraid of any challenge she could meet on the battlefield. Even clever and tricky terrorists like Zero would fall before her might. Yet for all of her vaunted invincibility in war it was the social aspects of visiting Area 11 that frightened her.

Reyna had changed after her father had cast her out. She had grown bitter, cruel and distrusting. When that little Eleven girl had delivered Reyna to her during the conquest of the area, Cornelia had been so relieved. Even though Reyna's injuries had been severe she was still alive. Cornelia was so happy she had managed to save one of her half-siblings.

Of course that made the discovery of Reyna's hidden scars all the more disturbing later. Reyna expressed a violent distrust of her own family and refused to sleep unless that Eleven girl, Mukuro, was watching her. She expressed violent fantasies about strangling her own sister to death if she was ever found or cutting other's faces to make them look like hers. It seemed as though the adorable mischievous little daughter of her idol had been replaced with a hate filled angry creature who lashed out at everyone around her and wanted nothing more than to see others suffer and make others pay for the tragedy that had occurred to her.

Cornelia had not known how to deal with it. She felt hurt that her half sister felt safer with an Eleven then with her and was still reeling from the death of the rest of Marianne's children. To her shame she had left Reyna to be taken care of by her elder brother Schneizel and attempted to forget about Reyna's transformation. She regretted it as it had likely only made Reyna's issues worse.

Years later Schneizel had shared his own theories on why Reyna acted the way she did. After having essentially been abandoned by her father and left in a warzone and then later abandoned by her siblings once the war broke out, Schneizel believed that Reyna had developed some intense abandonment issues. Her many disturbing comments and proclivity towards violence and anger were a way for her to test if others really loved her or not. Her cruelty was merely an attempt to drive away those who she felt she couldn't trust and would abandon her when loving her no longer came easily. Schneizel had many more theories on Reyna, especially since he had been the person to speak with her the most after that Eleven Reyna loved to have with her everywhere, and Cornelia was inclined to agree with most of them. However that one theory had been enough to truly make Cornelia realize the depths of her error. Not only had she failed Reyna in not saving her from the war but she had also failed Reyna when she was recovering. When Reyna needed love and acceptance more than anything else, Cornelia had abandoned her and left her mind to twist into an ever more vile and distrustful set. Cornelia truly pitied her little half-sister and didn't want to fail her ever again.

That didn't mean she wanted to have Euphemia anywhere near her though. Euphemia, her only full blooded sibling was a sweet and gentle girl. She had never seen the harsh realities of life but still believed the best in everyone and always spread joy wherever she went. Euphemia was an unmatched joy in Cornelia's life and she would fight till her last breath to ensure her little sister's continued happiness. However many of the traits that made Euphemia such a wonderful person would go over poorly with Reyna. Reyna did not believe that anyone could love her unconditionally and tended to come up with constant cruel tests to see if individuals still loved her. She would play on Euphemia's innocence and do her level best to break her of her kindness and joy, as a twisted way to "save" Euphemia from what she viewed as a world that punished these traits. Euphemia for her part would constantly try to push past Reyna's defense mechanisms and would potentially get Reyna to lash out when she got to close.

Cornelia was temporarily broken out of her musings when some MEF soldiers broke out of cover and mounted one last desperate assault. Cornelia swiftly mowed them all down like a scythe in a field of wheat with her Knightmare. She needed to finish up crushing the opposition so that she could do her best to ensure her family remained in one piece.

Euphemia
Euphemia felt like she had a swarm of butterflies in her stomach. On the one hand she was finally allowed to leave the capitol. On the other hand she was headed to Japan, the place where Lelouch Nunnally and now Clovis had all been killed. It was a land of great personal tragedy for her family.

But at least she could finally see Reyna again! Now granted Reyna had been through some serious trauma (as much as Lelouch and Nunnaly's deaths saddened her she couldn't imagine how much worse it was for Reyna) but at the end of the day they were still family. Her big sis had tried to warn her about how Reyna had changed in the wake of the invasion and how she no longer was the girl Euphemia had once known when they were all small but it wasn't important. No matter how much Reyna had changed and become different, Euphemia would always love her half sister.

So when she touched down in Tokyo the fact that Reyna had ignored her arriving entirely hurt her a bit. Reyna had sent her knight of honor Jerimiah to talk to her and introduce her to the various aspects of her new position as sub-viceroy, so Reyna clearly knew she was in the country. Why was her half-sister ignoring her.

As soon as Jerimiah was done with his duties he had left her alone in the viceroy's palace. Cornelia had instructed plenty of guards to restrict her movements. Euphemia fumed. This was little better then Pendragon and Cornelia was still treating her like she was made of glass. Euphemia was even willing to bet that the reason why Reyna had made no contact with her, Cornelia had conspired to keep them apart "for Euphie's own good". Well Euphemia would just have to work around her big sister's orders.

The guards Cornelia had assigned to her were nothing if not dutiful and driven. Unfortunately they were also predictable and Euphemia had years of skiving off lessons in the homeland and getting away from the guards there that the men Cornelia had drummed up her were practically a walk in the park.

And so she managed to make her way out of the building and in doing so promptly jumped into the arms of an unassuming Japanese boy. She did shout to clear the way but the boy seemed to lost in thought and he did catch her so everything worked out just fine in the end.

"uh, who are you?" the brown haired boy who had caught Euphemia asked.

Alright he seemed trustworthy and he could probably lead her to where Reyna was. She wasn't a local so she didn't know what the building Reyna lived in looked like but judging from the fact that he was an Eleven he probably did. All she needed to do was come up with an excuse for it.

"I'm sorry I wasn't aware you were down here until I had already jumped." She said.

The boy just chuckled "Don't worry, I wasn't expecting a girl to fall out of the sky and into my arms either"

Euphemia thought about what to do next but before she could do much she heard a commotion. Apparently some of the guards had realized she had given them the slip.

Apparently seeing her distress the Eleven boy asked her "Is there something wrong?"

This was perfect! Euphemia could use his knowledge of the local area to both avoid the guards and get directions to the building Reyna lived in.

"Yes, there are some bad men chasing me, can you help me please?" Euphemia asked.

The boy gallantly accepted her request for aid and took her down a few side streets. As she got a better look at her face she saw just who he was. The boy who was escorting her was Suzaku Kururugi, the pilot of the Lancelot Knightmare and the person framed for Zero's murder of Clovis. He'd be able to help her out. She was so lucky to have been able to bump into him.

Eventually they lost the guards and Euphemia introduced herself to Suzaku as Euphie. The false name was unfortunate but she didn't want him to know she was a princess. Plus it wasn't like she was really lying to him.

She asked Suzaku to take her all around the settlement, even to Shinjuku and despite the altercation that occurred there it was all in all a nice day. Euphemia could forget about being a princess for a little bit and just enjoy herself like any other girl her age did. It troubled her to see how deep the hate ran between the Elevens and Britannians but she was sure if enough people came together they could fix it. Eventually she asked Suzaku to take her to the building where Reyna lived.

Suzaku was every bit as gallant and kind as the reports about him made him out to be. Even when he didn't know who she really was he was willing to help her out of the kindness in his heart. When they reached the building Reyna lived in Suzaku asked her why she wanted to come her.

"I'm new to the settlement" Euphie only technically lied "And I know that my sister is waiting for me here"

Suzaku nodded in understanding. Sometime passed and they discussed things a little bit when a cold-eyed Eleven girl dressed in a military uniform stepped out of an elevator to meet them.

"We've been expecting you" the cold-eyed Eleven drawled "I'm here to take you to your sister"

Suzaku looked at Euphemia in confusion. Clearly he hadn't expected this much. Euphemia herself was stunned. Apparently Reyna had been expecting her? Well there was only one way to find out. She stepped towards the elevator the girl had pointed out. Suzaku, unsure of whether or not to follow her took a half-step forward before he seemed to pause to think about what he should be doing.

"You can take Genbu's second greatest failure with you" The black haired girl said as she turned to Euphemia. Suzaku bristled at the implication and seemed a little shocked. It even took Euphie a moment to realize that this girl was making a veiled reference to the failures of Suzaku's father, the previous prime minister and using it to insult him. Now Euphemia was no expert at the word games the courts loved so much but she could tell that it was obviously a baited comment to get her to ask about what Genu's greatest failure was and thus discomfort Suzaku even more. They stepped into the elevator in awkward silence.

"Just who are you?" Suzaku asked, unable to hold back his curiousity.

"You can call me Mukuro" the girl responded "That's all you need to know"

Well that certainly settled that Reyna was expecting her if she sent her closest aid to go and meet her. Euphemia pondered what was going on.

The elevator dinged and the door opened revealing a large living complex at the top of the building. Yelling could be heard from an office hidden somewhere else.

"I'm not saving any of the other Pure-Bloods Waldy, frankly you and Viletta are the only two with more value than being disposable fodder." A voice screeched out. "Sometimes I feel like you don't appreciate my kindness at all!"

Suzaku's eyes widened as he realized just who Euphie really was. After all Reyna's voice was infamous throughout Japan. Euphemia just shrugged at Suzaku. She hadn't planned to get him mixed up in things but she guessed the secret was out of the bag. Mukuro merely flashed a cruel smile as she shepherded them into Reyna's office.

"Muku!" Reyna's exclaimed with near childish glee "You brought me a present!"

Euphemia had not been prepared to see her half sister. Intellectually she had known about Reyna's injuries but that made them no less surreal to look at. Reyna's visage made her stomach turn but despite this Euphemia managed to maintain a small watery smile when gazing at her relative.

"If you'll excuse me" The man who Reyna had been talking to, Jerimiah Gottwald, said as he stepped out of the room.

The door shut and Reyna took of her prosthetic nose, an action which just felt wrong to Euphemia. The black slits where a nose should have been only added to the effect that made Reyna look like a reanimated corpse.

"It's a real blast from the past, Muku. You brought me a pretty songbird that needs to be beaten to understand what the real world is like and a race-traitor who was given the honor of murdering his own countrymen with a particularly advanced piece of technology." Reyna chortled before her face went dark and she stared directly at her "I don't have time for worthless pieces of trash who once knew me and want me to go back to being the weak little girl I once was so that they could pretend like they all love me to assuage some misplaced sense of guilt"

The words struck Euphemia like a bunch of blows. To hear her half sister spit out such venom shocked her and she began tearing up. Did Reyna seriously think that Euphemia didn't love her?

"Well that's one way to do a reunion" Mukuro interrupted. For the first time since Euphemia had met her the eleven girl seemed actually happy and relaxed. "You promised to try at least"

"Stop making me look bad in front of our guests Muku!" Reyna pouted. She then hurled her false nose at Mukuro without any warning. Mukuro caught it without flinching. The two shared a smile that was indecipherable to Euphemia.

"So Euphie's a princess" Suzaku interrupted in a state of bewilderment. The boy was still staring at her. Euphemia felt bad for deceiving him now.

"You always were stupid Suzaku but at least try to do some thinking yourself" Reyna complained rolling her eyes "The girl you brought here is my half sister Euphemia Li Britannia, seriously who did you think she was?"

Suzaku's eyes widened. Euphemia did have something she wanted to pick out.

"You know my sister Suzaku?" Euphemia asked.

"Yeah Suzaku, tell my sister how well you know me after helping my brother and sister abandon me in the wreckage of your own home." Reyna chirped "It's a fun story that really highlights that whole you always were stupid thing I was talking about earlier"

"You know it wasn't like that..." Suzaku began before Mukuro glared at him and Reyna's smile turned brittle and feral.

"No please tell me all about how abandoning me in a collapsing and burning building was the right thing to do because I managed to survive it long enough to get tortured by some of your daddy's most extreme supporters" Reyna hissed "I'm sure it will be real impressive to Euphie over there to hear about how you're indirectly responsible for making me a monster"

Euphemia felt nauseous. Suzaku, who had seemed so kind and brave had left Reyna to die, which in turn had warped Reyna into her current state. It didn't seem feasible. Surely it was some kind of mistake but the worst part of it was how Suzaku didn't even bother to deny Reyna's accusation. Mukuro grabbed her sisters had as if to reassure her.

"You are here to confirm something that has been bothering my Lady for quite some time" Mukuro uttered "Lelouch and Nunnally Vi Britannia died in the invasion correct?"

"Yes" Suzaku responded through gritted teeth.

"Excellent!" Reyna said suddenly cheery and perked up in jubilation "See yourself out Suzaku or I'll have Mukuro shoot you, this calls for a celebration and frankly seeing your face gives me the urge to strangle something and that would really kill the mood"

Suzaku walked out of the room in sullen silence, escorted by a taciturn Mukuro who pulled out a revolver. Euphemia just sat in stunned silence. Even as Reyna grabbed her hand and began nattering on about how much fun Euphemia was going to have in Japan and how she was so happy she could help her sister grow up and such Euphemia just felt cold. Mukuro walked back into the room.

"See Reyna I told you helping Euphemia would be satisfying" Mukuro warmly chided.

"Ugh you were right as always Muku" Reyna began. "Honestly it was such a production getting everything to line up in place but managing to make Euphie realize the world wasn't a fairy tale was satisfying"

Reyna turned and smiled at Euphemia a cold smile that reeked of madness.

"Why?" Euphemia asked her half sister.

Reyna turned contemplative as Mukuro began massaging her shoulders.

"Well I'm lonely" Reyna said in a plaintive voice "All I've got is Mukuro, and as much as I love her, she isn't enough"

That sounded too good to be true from what Reyna had shown her so far.

"I can't trust family or strangers they've all got agenda's and can't be trusted." Reyna continued "Then it hit me. If I remove all the lies and weakness from others then I can trust them. The process will hurt and it will break them down but at the end of it I'll know exactly who they are and how much they really love me. Once I'm done with you we can be a family again Euphie and I'll know you won't turn on me because you'll be just like me!"

Euphemia was horrified by the bizarre ideas her sister was spewing especially since it seemed Reyna wanted to do it to her. She was not prepared for her sisters madness. Cornelia's warnings, to stay away from Reyna even though she was still family and they loved her made sense. Reyna was sick and broken in a way that was downright horrifying. However as Reyna dragged Euphemia off to dinner she resolved to herself that no matter how monstrous Reyna made herself out to be or how much she tried to break down Euphemia, Euphemia would keep on believing in the innate goodness of people and loving her sister. If people could be broken like Reyna was then maybe she could also be fixed and made whole again. All that this meeting had done was strengthen Euphemia's resolve. She would show her Reyna that there was good in the world and maybe, just maybe she could have her half sister back.

 

[King crimson]

So this thread has been neglected for a bit but I'm back and with the next installment of Reign of Terror. Reyna's character is expounded upon a little bit more and the stations of canon begin to get more thoroughly derailed.

I struggled quite a bit with this and I'm not quite sure how well I delivered on the characters. I hope people enjoy it and I would greatly appreciate any feedback people have.

 

[Lockheart]

I mean, it is probably faithful to the original. All the twists, sudden revelations and psychological games look very anime-ish.

On the other hand, in prose format it all seems kind of silly. A little dose of realism needs to be added in the process of transition between formats, imo.

Exposition on history was OK, if a bit too much at once. It would be a bit better if revealed in a few chapters gradually. Psychological exposition was unnecessary, it would be better for Euphemia to come to her own conclusions bit by bit with the readers. Outright stating what is wrong with a character in detail rarely works.

Euphemia's use of eleven instead of names in her head feels like unconscious or even internalized racism. If intentional, good work in showing that even nice ("nice"?) characters have their flaws they need to work on.

 

[King crimson]

I mean, it is probably faithful to the original. All the twists, sudden revelations and psychological games look very anime-ish.

On the other hand, in prose format it all seems kind of silly. A little dose of realism needs to be added in the process of transition between formats, imo.

Exposition on history was OK, if a bit too much at once. It would be a bit better if revealed in a few chapters gradually. Psychological exposition was unnecessary, it would be better for Euphemia to come to her own conclusions bit by bit with the readers. Outright stating what is wrong with a character in detail rarely works.

Euphemia's use of eleven instead of names in her head feels like unconscious or even internalized racism. If intentional, good work in showing that even nice ("nice"?) characters have their flaws they need to work on.

Click to shrink...

Fair enough. I'm going into it envisioning it like an alternate episode of the show so I can see why that would negatively impact it in the transition of mediums.

I do see the problem with what I wrote in regards to the exposition. I attempted to make out that it was merely characters ideas on other characters (and important pieces of the puzzle are still missing) but I think you are right and I should have spaced it out more and made the psychological bits seem like less of a definitive told statement then they were and let them develop more naturally over a longer period of text.

I'm glad to see that little detail of unconscious racism worked. Euphemia's characterization was always of a very sheltered girl and her family is the royal family of a brutal nationalistic empire so I thought that it was a nice touch especially since the previous two POV's (Cornelia and Jerimiah) are racists. I plan on giving her some development in regards to this issue and I think it's a fun way to look at how characters think by seeing how they refer to others (for another example of this Tamaki in the previous post of this storyline never calls Reyna her name in his head).

Thank you for the feedback it is always useful to know where I need to improve and what people liked.

 

[King crimson]

Filthy Animals Part 1
Sienna Kahn
In the years since Ghira had stepped down from leading the White Fang Sienna had been reorganizing the White Fang into a more militant group. While she never was interested in stooping to petty terrorism it was clear that the White Fang would not be taken seriously by humans unless they were willing to engage in violence. After all, if the Schnee's could merely lower the jackboot onto the Faunus' neck and they were just forced to take it and acquiesce then the White Fang would never succeed in their goals of equality for all races on Remnant.

In many ways Kumo Crimson, a childhood friend of hers, had been a massive boon. It wasn't easy transforming a peaceful protest group into an organization capable of defending itself and taking violent actions to emphasize the points they were making. Kumo was a skilled tactician and fighter with a powerful semblance that enabled him to turn the tide on even some of the most skilled Hunters and Huntresses Atlas blood money could buy. He made an excellent figure for the men on the ground to rally behind. He was more tested then Adam and had no links to the previous leadership like Blake did while also being far more approachable then Sienna herself was as the High Leader of the White Fang.

On the other hand, Kumo was a detriment. He was exceptionally cruel and outside of a handful of individuals, did not value anyone else's life. He understood the cause of the White Fang and what was needed to achieve their goals but unlike Sienna, he didn't believe in it. Kumo was an eternal pessimist who didn't believe equality was possible at all. In fact, if Sienna hadn't been there to keep him from jumping off the deep end he'd have likely ended up poisoning the whole cause for the White Fang and turning it into a conflict of extermination rather than one aimed at achieving equality. Another disturbing trait was that Kumo had slowly replaced all of his limbs with mechanical replacements as a way to stay ahead of the curve. From a purely pragmatic sense, Sienna could see the logic in it but it took a special blend of crazy to actively choose to lop off one's own limbs for improvement.

Sienna sighed. Kumo had been giving her headaches since she was a kid but at the end of the day, she knew where he stood. At the end of the day, Kumo Crimson was unambitious and was content to follow her whims and help her achieve her dream. He didn't believe in her and he'd call her out at every opportunity but he'd still fight as hard as he could to help her since his own words he "might as well pay back the one friend he had". When she had stepped up to lead the White Fang it was Kumo who had acted as her right-hand man, ensuring that the transition of power was as smooth and clean as possible. It was a different dynamic than the one they had as friends but it was one that she was still grateful for. No matter what happened Sienna knew Kumo would stand with her through thick and thin.

This was why, disappointingly enough, she had to send him to Vale to investigate what was going on. She'd have preferred to have Kumo close to her in Menagerie or Mistral but he was the only one she could trust to follow orders. Adam Taurus had notably getting increasingly erratic and the actions of the White Fang chapter in Vale had been getting more and more public headlines, not all of which Sienna felt were benefitting the cause. Adam had always gotten results and he had been willing to take orders but it seemed as though there was a chance someone was subverting the organization there.

Kumo would arrive and investigate the branch there and he would ensure that the White Fang was kept on the right path.

Blake Belladonna
Blake had met Kumo Crimson only a few times before in her life. The hulking lizard faunus made an intimidating sight with his long tail and clawed hands and feet. As a child, her parents had warned her to stay as far away from him as possible as he was a dangerous and violent individual. Blake would have liked to have said that Kumo was an embodiment of all that was wrong with the new White Fang. Adam had initially admired the man but upon meeting him even Adam, who had become increasingly violent himself, had found him distasteful and too extreme. Sienna had ended up using Crimson as one part boogeyman and the other part folk hero. If Kumo showed up in your camp and Sienna wasn't around chances were one of your comrades would be dead by the end of the night.

So when Kumo arrived at her chapter's camp Blake was terrified. Blake had been thinking about leaving the Fang and running away for a while now but if Kumo Crimson had arrived then she couldn't afford to leave just yet and doom all of her comrades to a brutal death as Kumo tried to root out more traitors. Sometimes in that dark irrational part of her head that conjured up nightmares and doubts she thought that her traitorous desire to flee the Fang was what had called Sienna's executioner down upon them.

Kumo Crimson was a tall, clean-shaven faunus with spiky slicked-back red hair and bright yellow eyes. His clawed legs bent backwards like a birds and contained four large claws that pierced the ground he walked on. His arms were hidden by the coat with a feathered collar and the armor he wore but the mechanical claws on his hands were still visible even if he wore gloves to cover them. A large lizard tail swished lazily behind him as a dour expression was on his face. Adam approached him with Blake shadowing him a few steps behind, her hands tightly gripping Gambol Shroud. When Kumo saw them he broke out into a smug grin.

"You look stupid, kid. Your Grimsona isn't impressing anybody and honestly makes you easier to demonize" The large lizard faunus mocked, looming over Adam "It's stupid and the grunts who copy you are stupid for equating yourself to the one thing almost everyone on Remnant hates. Get your head out of your ass and stop shooting your own cause in the foot"

Adam gritted his teeth. He hated it when people questioned him. Blake got away with it because of how close they were but Adam didn't like having his decisions challenged especially in front of all of his men.

"Is there a reason why you are here, Crimson?" Adam growled out. Kumo grinned a large menacing grin.

"Adam, Adam, Adam" Kumo chided "I'm only ever sent places for one reason and frankly with the constant stupidity and machismo you're showing I can see why our dear High Leader sent me here"

The large faunus paused and took a step forward, causing Adam's hand to reach for his sword. Blake's grip tightened. For all of her issues with how Adam was running things, she didn't want to see him die and if he fought Kumo Crimson on his own he was as good as dead.

"I'm here to run an inspection" the menacing faunus stated "I figured you might like a little warning before you go and screw up and I have to clean up after you"

Then Kumo put his hands in his coat pockets and turned his back to Adam and Blake.

"I'll be watching your every move so for your sake and the kitty's make sure you don't fuck this up Adam" He called over his shoulder before walking out of sight

Adam scowled. He was angry and he was never rational when he was angry even before the Fang had grown more violent.

"The train raid goes on" He yelled, "If Sienna's butcher thinks we are incompetent and incapable of bringing change, lets show him just what we can really do!"

The other faunus rallied around their charismatic leader's words, convinced they were going to make a difference and change things. Blake instead paled. She had to leave the White Fang. With Kumo's interference in affairs things were only going to get worse and she couldn't be party to more murder. She had to run away. And the only place she would ever be safe from both Adam and Kumo would be in Beacon.

 

[King crimson]

Let me know your thoughts on this new storyline. The next thing I'll be posting will probably be the next part of either Every Hero Needs a Villain or Marvellous Worm. Also let me know if there is anything you want to see or have prompts for me to try and write.

 

[Lockheart]

I liked it.

I didn't see RWBY, so I cannot comment on the personalities of characters. If I had to guess, I would say that SI is probably Kumo, just because he is generally the same character as Reyna was in the previous snip.

You did a good job of introducing the relevant bits of setting and characters to unexperienced readers. I almost did not have any questions while reading, and those I had (mostly social aspects of the world and how the White Fang are organized) would have been answered in the next chapter. I liked that there was practically no unnecessary information. Your works are usually fairly exposition-heavy, but you managed to strike a good balance this time.

I think you conveyed Blake's hesitation and constant faltering forwards and back quite well. Didn't see other characters enough to pass judgement yet, will be waiting for further updates.

Spoiler: Here are some mistakes I noticed, if you are interested.

After all if the Schnee's ...

Click to shrink...

After all, if ...

On the other hand Kumo was a detriment.

Click to shrink...

On the other hand, Kumo was a detriment.

but unlike Sienna he didn't believe in it.

Click to shrink...

but unlike Sienna, he didn't believe in it.

In fact if Sienna hadn't been there

Click to shrink...

In fact, if Sienna hadn't been there

From a purely pragmatic sense Sienna could see

Click to shrink...

From a purely pragmatic sense, Sienna could see

but at the end of the day she knew where he stood.

Click to shrink...

but at the end of the day, she knew where he stood.

At the end of the day Kumo

Click to shrink...

At the end of the day, Kumo

Kumo Crimson cared little for his own ambitions

Click to shrink...

Kumo Crimson cared little for his ambitions

"might as well pay back the one friend he actually had"

Click to shrink...

"might as well pay back the one friend he had"

When she had stepped up to being leader it was Kumo who had acted as her right hand man,

Click to shrink...

When she had stepped up to be a leader it was Kumo who had acted as her right-hand man,

Which was why,

Click to shrink...

This was why,

As a child her parents had warned her

Click to shrink...

As a child, her parents had warned her

clean shaven faunus with spiky slicked back red hair and bright yellow eyes.

Click to shrink...

clean-shaven faunus with spiky slicked-back red hair and bright yellow eyes.

A large lizards tail

Click to shrink...

A large lizard's tail or lizardlike tail.

Blake shadowing him a few steps behind her hands tightly gripping

Click to shrink...

Blake shadowing him a few steps behind, her hands tightly gripping

"You look stupid kid, your Grimsona isn't impressing anybody and honestly makes you easier to demonize"

Click to shrink...

"You look stupid, kid. Your Grimsona isn't impressing anybody and honestly, it makes you easier to demonize"

He hated when people questioned him.

Click to shrink...

He hated it when people questioned him.

For all of her issues with how Adam was running things she didn't want to see him die

Click to shrink...

For all of her issues with how Adam was running things, she didn't want to see him die

"The train raid goes on" He yelled "If Sienna's butcher thinks we are incompetent and incapable of bringing change lets show him just what we can really do!"

Click to shrink...

"The train raid goes on" he yelled, "If Sienna's butcher thinks we are incompetent and incapable of bringing change, let's show him just what we can really do!"

The other faunus rallied around their charismatic leaders words convinced they were going to make a difference and change things.

Click to shrink...

The other faunus (faunuses?) rallied around as their charismatic leader's words convinced them that they were going to make a difference and change things.

she couldn't be party to anymore murder

Click to shrink...

"any more", just "more" or "murders anymore"

to lop off one's own limbs

Click to shrink...

actions of the White Fang chapter in Vale had gotten more and more public headlines,

Click to shrink...

actions of the White Fang chapter in Vale had been getting more and more public headlines,

who had grown increasingly violent himself,

Click to shrink...

who had been growing increasingly violent himself,

her chapters camp

Click to shrink...

her chapter's camp

took a step forward causing Adam's hands to reach for his sword.

Click to shrink...

took a step forward, causing Adam's hand to reach for his sword.

with a powerful semblance that enabled him

Click to shrink...

I am not sure with your use of the word "semblance" in this context. Maybe skill here, and experienced instead of skill down in the same sentence.

 

[King crimson]

I liked it.

I didn't see RWBY, so I cannot comment on the personalities of characters. If I had to guess, I would say that SI is probably Kumo, just because he is generally the same character as Reyna was in the previous snip.

You did a good job of introducing the relevant bits of setting and characters to unexperienced readers. I almost did not have any questions while reading, and those I had (mostly social aspects of the world and how the White Fang are organized) would have been answered in the next chapter. I liked that there was practically no unnecessary information. Your works are usually fairly exposition-heavy, but you managed to strike a good balance this time.

I think you conveyed Blake's hesitation and constant faltering forwards and back quite well. Didn't see other characters enough to pass judgement yet, will be waiting for further updates.

Spoiler: Here are some mistakes I noticed, if you are interested.

After all, if ...


On the other hand, Kumo was a detriment.


but unlike Sienna, he didn't believe in it.


In fact, if Sienna hadn't been there


From a purely pragmatic sense, Sienna could see


but at the end of the day, she knew where he stood.


At the end of the day, Kumo


Kumo Crimson cared little for his ambitions


"might as well pay back the one friend he had"


When she had stepped up to be a leader it was Kumo who had acted as her right-hand man,


This was why,


As a child, her parents had warned her


clean-shaven faunus with spiky slicked-back red hair and bright yellow eyes.


A large lizard's tail or lizardlike tail.


Blake shadowing him a few steps behind, her hands tightly gripping


"You look stupid, kid. Your Grimsona isn't impressing anybody and honestly, it makes you easier to demonize"


He hated it when people questioned him.


For all of her issues with how Adam was running things, she didn't want to see him die


"The train raid goes on" he yelled, "If Sienna's butcher thinks we are incompetent and incapable of bringing change, let's show him just what we can really do!"


The other faunus (faunuses?) rallied around as their charismatic leader's words convinced them that they were going to make a difference and change things.


"any more", just "more" or "murders anymore"




actions of the White Fang chapter in Vale had been getting more and more public headlines,


who had been growing increasingly violent himself,


her chapter's camp


took a step forward, causing Adam's hand to reach for his sword.


I am not sure with your use of the word "semblance" in this context. Maybe skill here, and experienced instead of skill down in the same sentence.

Click to shrink...

Kumo is the SI yes. I don't know if its a good thing or a bad thing that he read as having the same characteristic as Reyna (who is not an SI). They do superficially have many of the same traits on a surface level but once you get deeper into their psychology it diverges significantly (Reyna has abandonment issues and has chosen to hurt others rather than get hurt herself and is incapable of trusting others. Furthermore she actively does things on her own and is constantly snapping at what she sees as restrictions in her life. Kumo on the other hand is immensely apathetic and passive and doesn't hold any malice towards others. He is isolated from others and cares little for his own wellbeing). As such I'm going to say I did alright for introducing the character but I've got a lot more work to do in expanding upon his character.

I'm glad I managed to hit the necessary explanations quicker and kept the exposition down. RWBY is a setting with a ton of stuff that needs to get covered (Aura, Semblances, Magic, Dust, Grimm and mechashift are all critical to the setting but barely touched on in this snippet) and the one thing constantly doing openings to story's has taught me is how to cut away everything but what is needed.

I think part of why my writing is so exposition heavy is because I primarily start stories where I need to do a lot, or I am running a quest in which I need to convey as much information as possible to my readers and blank space is dangerous to leave open.

Blake was a character I was very frightened to try and write because her characterization is immensely difficult to nail down (to the point where the actual writers of the show don't do as well with her as they should). I'm glad I got that down.

I'll be including your corrections with one notable exception. Semblances are a noun in this setting and refer to unique abilities each individual has (like making clones or super speed or telekinesis or illusions etc.) so the use of it there would be correct in setting but not anywhere else. I may capitalize it though to make it more clear that it refers to a specific object.

 

[King crimson]

Adjusting to school again was an experience to say the least. While I wish I could say that living life when the figures of authority constantly expected you to misbehave was easy, it oftentimes was not. In my previous life I had been relatively willing to roll over towards authority figures demands so long as they didn't bother me too much but here in this second chance with the teachers constantly performing surprise inspections and constant judgement from the rest of the world the suspicion rankled and grated. It pissed me off how many hopes they made me jump through because of their own problems and expectations. Every day became a grind where I was constantly treated with hostility and all that hostility managed to do was build and build until I wanted to let loose and give them a reason to really hate me. After all if I was going to be judged as a criminal then I might as well indulge myself. If I'm already receiving the cons I might as well also receive the pros. These thoughts flitted though my head as the school year went on.

My classmates were not much more pleasant. All of them had suffered similarly from this system of heroes and villains. Unlike me though they were actual teenagers and thus cared far more about societies labels upon them beyond the hassles it gave them in everyday life. To them being labeled a villain was the end of any life they could hope to live as a lawful citizen. As such with no real hope of being able to succeed in the productive ways many of them indulged themselves as soon as they were off campus. I pitied them for their lack of perspective but their attempts to antagonize me or bait me where annoying.

"Hello Hazama!" A pink haired annoyance cheerfully called out as I approached the train to go to school. Junko had for some reason decided that we were "totes besties forever now" and had taken to invading my personal space. Frankly while the girl's false acts and constant overexaggerated closeness where annoying she did serve as a useful buffer for interaction with others. I had no idea why she had decided to have me become her "friend" but I didn't care enough to bother figuring it out. She kept most of the social annoyances away from me while I could handle physical threats with my quirk.

I ignored her and Junko proceeded to pout.

"Hazzy you're being mean again!" She whined. I just stared at her hoping to illustrate that I was not in a chatting mood. Junko eventually got the hint as we arrived at school. Unfortunately once we were there I once again encountered the thing that continuously bothered me in this life. Other people.

"Still clinging to others as a weapon like a bitch" Aoi spat out at Junko ready for a fight.

"Still completely alone because you know nobody could like a skank like you" Junko glibly retorted. Aoi flipped her off and the two tensed up for a fight.

"Just get over it and fuck already you damn dykes" Ryushin the bendy boy with a bad attitude called out "Your screeching is giving everyone else in the building a fucking headache"

I mean I didn't disagree with him as their constant arguing and yelling gave me migraines every other day but the way he phrased it was the absolute worst way to do so and would only escalate the fight. The fucking Moomin whose name I forgot facepalmed as he knew what was coming.

"Shut up!" The two girls screeched in unison. Aoi even got pissed enough to take a swing at Ryushin who ducked under the blow. A fight broke out between the two which knocked over a few dozen desks. Junko used the opportunity to call in Masami who got involved with the fight causing it to further escalate while she just snickered. I sighed and did my best to hit Sukaika's tentacles that constantly wandered near my things. While we weren't supposed to use our quirks in class you couldn't exactly not use a heteromorphic quirk and with Sukaika's kleptomania it meant I constantly had to be wary of unattended tentacles making their way towards my stuff to take it. The saddest thing about this morning was that despite how chaotic it all was it was a relatively tame morning all things considered. After all Katsuro hadn't started screaming and Hanako hadn't decided to punch things for no good reason. I missed the days where I could attend class without having to deal with constant annoyances. Granted that was a lifetime ago.

The shitty excuse for a teacher came by and broke up the fight but not before waiting until someone had gotten hurt. He then assigned all the people fighting each other detention which was incredibly stupid considering he was putting all the people who were fighting into a room after regular school hours which was just a recipe for getting them to fight again. The man was a moron and a terrible pitiful excuse for a human being. I proceeded to tune out the rest of the classes as I had already learned everything before and honestly classes were just an excuse for the teacher to rant at us about how he was going to make proper citizens out of us potential future villains.

That was another flaw in this world, the profiling was intense. Granted it wasn't racial profiling, since the concept kind of broke down when your neighbor could be a giant lobster man no matter where you lived but the discrimination was still rampant. Once you were a "villain" you were the other, a monster to be excised from society and locked up behind bars. Rather than adressing the causes that made people turn to criminal actions and violence Heroes instead were justifying in using as much force as they wanted to in bringing you to "justice". It was disgusting. A world where those who did not toe the lien with the standards imposed were crushed by brutal and unrelenting forces and your fellow man turned against you and further isolated you.

As the day ended Junko decided to tag along with me to the train station again. I don't know wht she gravitated to me but it wasn't worth the effort to stop her.

"Hey Hazzy" Junko called out as the train began to leave the station the fellow passengers giving the both of us a wide berth because of our school uniforms "What do you think about the Japanese government?"

Well it was an interesting question for sure. I thought the current system needed to be burned to the ground. It consolidated power amongst the elite, spewed out constant propaganda and was essentially an oligarchy. The poor the unfortunate and the weak were all trampled over and uncared for. Large segments of the population were castigated and deemed acceptable scapegoats for society's ills for reasons out of their control so that those in power could benefit. Either the system needed to reform soon or someone with enough vision would bring it down via successfully rallying the disenfranchised and the discriminated upon pointing out the farce that was this society's ideas of heroism. Granted I didn't share these thoughts with Junko. At this point in time I had not yet commited to being a villain.

"Why do you ask?" I instead calmly responded, neatly avoiding the question by asking another question in its place.

"I always wanted to go into government" Junko sadly replied "With my quirk I figured I would know exactly how to cater to what people want and need but now I can't do that anymore cause of where I am now"

She then looked me in the eyes before continuing.

"I've never met someone like you before Hazama, you are destined for great things" She elaborated, the answer was unnerving on its own but what followed was even more so "I wanted to get what your thoughts were on the world because its always so interesting to see your perspective, after all according to you I'm not even a real person"

That statement stunned me. Finally something was able to break through my shell of apathy. How had she known that. I'd never voiced my various philosophical musings on the nature of existence but somehow this girl knew. I stiffened and readied myself for violence tensing up. She had to have lied about her quirk and that made her dangerous especially since no one would stand up for me and I didn't know how to defend myself. It was then that I heard giggling in my head

"Oh Hazzy, I never lied about my quirk I am telepathic" She laughed "The thing that people forget is that telepathy also means I can hear thoughts. Nobody protects their thoughts so as long as I don't say anything the surface thoughts are available for me to read"

I scowled as she continued to titter.

"Boy are your thoughts interesting Hazzy. I've never met someone who thinks like you and I think you'll go far in overturning this society" She said "I hate this system but I don't have the vision to overturn it and lack the understanding of symbolization to truly oppose the heroes. As such I'm willing to bet on you. When you get sick and tired of pretending like you don't care at all about anything I'll be by your side ready to build a better society from the failures of the old one"

I tensed but Junko seemed ready to leave me alone then and there, confident I would come to my decision on what to do. Admittedly she was right. It was only a day later when I finally decided to stop denying the reality of the situation and embraced villainy. I never had any other option but to become a villain and I would go on to change this world in my own way. It didn't matter whether any of this was real or not all that mattered is what was real to me. And on Saturday I discovered what mattered to me.

Every hero needs a villain but a villain does not need a hero. The world would soon change one way or another. Hazama Hikosu would become the villain this world needed.

 

[King crimson]

And with this piece the rising action of every hero needs a villain is almost at a close. I hope to get a few more parts up soon. Please let me know what does and doesn't work for this piece. I might do a flashforward interlude to add a little more in media res to the story. Critique is appreciated.

 

[Lockheart]

It was a good chapter. While plot didn't progress much the characterization was good, and I almost don't have any problems with syntax this time.

It feels like the tone changed from the previous chapters, but I am not sure. I will have to reread them later.

Overall great job!

 

[King crimson]

As February comes to a close I'll be updating this soon. Is there any story people would like to see me write? Feel free to offer prompts as well.

 

[King crimson]

Filthy Animals Pt. 2 is planned to land on March 21st, Every Hero Needs a Villain on March 23rd and Marvelous Worm Pt. 3 some time after that.

 

[King crimson]

Filthy Animals Part 2
Perry Green
Perry was not a bold faunus. He was a relatively cautious person and had only joined the White Fang as a way to get back at the humans who had been oppressing him and his kind for ages. The Schnees, the SDC and even the very kingdoms themselves were corrupt and set up so that humans could abuse faunus freely. Perry wouldn't stand for that. Adam was the kind of commander who understood what was needed to strike back at the humans. He led them to victory and his current plans would lead to them destroying Beacon and by extension as a symbol of how the faunus would no longer accept the bonds humans had placed on them.

So when Adam had told them that they would be working with humans Perry grit his teeth and bore it. Sure the criminal was a disgusting example of why humans needed to feel the pain they had inflicted on faunus for generations but bearing a few insults for the sake of a better future was worth it. After all Perry had been insulted and mocked by humans his whole life but soon no one would be laughing at them anymore.

The heist at the docks would give them enough Dust to blow any opposition to kingdom come and the fact that they got to hit the Schnees in their pocketbook (the only thing the pale bastards really cared about) only made it better. Of course that was before various groups of the White Fang had started to go missing but Adam had assured them that they could fight on for their fallen brothers and sisters and that their sacrifices would be worth it in the end.

So when the traitor Belladonna and some monkey faunus showed up to preach at how what they were doing was wrong Perry was content to follow that stinking human Torchwick's, orders. Loading the shipping containers onto the stolen Bullhead so that the aerial transport could take them to be used elsewhere was just common sense and if Perry and the boys got to take on the traitor and make her pay for abandoning the cause then all the better.

Filled with righteous determination Perry was eager to complete his mission and fulfill the first step in Adam's plan to make the humans pay for all they had done to them. Perry knew what he had to do and why.

Of course that sense of knowing what to do and having the courage to do it was quickly shattered when he heard a familiar terrifying voice.

"Birds fly" The voice sang out. Perry was panicking. Sienna's butcher was here and that meant bodies were going to start dropping hard and fast. Adam warned them that the lizard faunus was violently unstable and would have taken any excuse to get them all killed even if it didn't help with the mission. And unlike the wanabee huntsman and the traitor Belladonna, Kumo Crimson absolutely would massacre them without a second thought. Perry began to run and he could see other members of the White Fang attempting to scatter as well.

"According to instinct" Kumo Crimson continued singing, his voice practically reveling in the fear and panic he had created. Perry just wanted to get away. He believed in the cause enough to fight for it but that didn't mean he wanted to die for it without achieving anything.

"No one has told them how or why" Sienna's butcher continued unabated. Perry was beginning to miss what was going on around him as he faded in and out from sheer panic. He could vaguely hear Torchwick yell at them to get back here or something like that but it was clear he didn't know what was going on. Belladonna was shouting at monkey-boy that they needed to leave now. Perry could feel his heart pumping and his legs were sore from the exertion but he needed to get the hell out of here now.

A pair of cold yellow eyes and the terrifying figure of the White Fang's hatchet man stood before him. Perry grabbed his sword and tried to swing it at Kumo, trying to shout to muster up the courage to fight the terrifying figure. In a blur of motion too fast for him to track the lizard faunus before him moved and all of a sudden Perry could feel a sharp blooming pain spread throughout his chest and his throat felt as though a line of fire had run through it. He tried to ask why he had to die but all he could do was gurgle helplessly as he fell and slowly realized that there was now a hole in his chest the size of a fist. Perry sank into blackness as terror claimed him. He never wanted to die like this. At the very least Adam would avenge him.

Sun Wukong
Ever since Sun stowed away on that ship he'd figured he'd be in for an adventure once he arrived in Vale. Granted the stowing away hadn't been the rightest move he could have made and he ended up with his team but hey less then a minute off the boat and already he was getting involved in an adventure involving a pretty girl's mysterious ties to the White Fang.

The girl, Blake, had informed him about her history with the White Fang and how she had gotten into a huge fight with her teammates and how she wanted to see if the White Fang had really gotten as bad as others made it out to be. Sun figured he'd tag along and listen to her problems but he figured this was going to end in a mess once she saw what was going on. Sun didn't know much about what the White Fang was like when Blake was a kid in it but nowadays they were pretty bad news.

He followed her to the docks and once they saw that the White Fang was helping Roman Torchwick of all people Blake gave a speech questioning why the White Fang had committed to being criminals and the party broke down pretty quickly into a fight. At this point Sun stepped in cause beating up goons was something he could do. Mechashift weapon in hand Sun effortlessly took on tons of White Fang goons and even the big bad himself.

Then the singing started and everyone started freaking out. Sun didn't recognize the voice or the song but both the White Fang and Blake immediately tensed up. The White Fang goons immediately started running away. Roman shouted at the goons to stay and fight while he fought Sun with his cane-gun thing. Sun was more preoccupied with the fight until he heard Blake start shouting.

"Sun we need to get out of here now!" Blake shouted panic visible in her eyes. Sun figured she could fill him in once they cleared things up a bit and so he broke off from fighting Torchwick. The infamous thief glowered at them.

"I'm guessing you know something about our impromptu musical number?" Torchwick inquired as he leveled the barrel of his weapon at Blake.

"Well it's more that she knows of it than she knows about it but really you can't blame her for being scared." A voice emanated from atop one of the shipping containers. All eyes turned to face the intruder and Blake began muttering something in terror that sun couldn't make out.

The faunus at the top of the container was an unusual looking person. Slicked back red hair, a fur lined trench coat and what looked to be some stained armor made up the figures appearance. Claws and a tail clearly indicated that this was a faunus but the blood that dripped off of his hands was unnerving. More disturbing was the fact that no blood had gotten on his coat. Whoever this figure was he reminded Sun of some of the really dangerous people in Vacuo and Mistral, crazy enough to both kill people and not want to get his clothes dirty and skilled enough to pull it off. Things had escalated quickly.

"I'm assuming you are the reason why the other animals are running scared?" Roman glibly responded. The mysterious faunus just chuckled in response.

"Well they're not really running any more but yeah pretty much" The faunus grinned "Most animals know that when an apex predator enters the area its best to run away. Only humans and Grimm are dumb enough to get slaughtered cause they tried to win a fight they couldn't. Of course if the animals aren't fast or smart enough they'll die anyways"

"What do you want Kumo?" Blake called out her voice shaking as she held her weapon out in front of her. Apparently Blake knew this person which meant that he was likely part of the White Fang since there wasn't any chance in hell he was a student at Beacon or working on the right side of the law. Sun readied himself as well.

"I want your ex to stop being a moron" The now named Kumo responded "That or for one of the idiots following him to give me a good fight"

"Well lovely as this all is, I'm afraid this is where I take my leave" Roman said. Sun readied to fight him when a bullet whizzed past Roman and nearly struck him. Kumo flew forwards in that instant and Sun moved to block him. Next thing he knew the rooftop where the bullet had come from had exploded and he was blocking a constant barrage from the lizard faunus' hands. The man was clearly toying with him but Sun figured he could stall for time until the police arrived if things stayed as they were.

"These kids just keep getting weirder" Roman muttered as swords flew at him. They were promptly batted away and the criminal kept trying to run for it as Bullheads flew into view to pick things up. Sun briefly looked over to see a girl in a black and red dress with what looked to be a large sniper rifle and a ginger girl who was manipulating a bunch of floating swords standing on the roof of the nearby building. Kumo promptly capitalized on Sun's brief distraction and promptly kneed him in the stomach before taking off after the Bullheads. The ginger girl somehow fired a laser of all things at Kumo that was aimed at his back.

Sun blinked and suddenly everything had shifted as he saw a container of dust go hurtling through the air before smashing into one of the Bullheads causing a devastating explosion. Clangs of metal could be heard and Sun heard an animalistic snarl. He turned to see Kumo running past a veritable hail of swords as he dashed towards the ginger girl from earlier. The girl in the red and black skirt had recovered and Blake noticed her. She screamed at her to get out of the way. Sun ran forwards to try and slow down Kumo but he wasn't quite fast enough. The murderous faunus weaved through the ginger girl's swords before grabbing her face with his hand.

"Little doll's should stay out of my business lest they get broken!" Kumo shouted before repeatedly slamming the girls face into the ground. The other girl attempted to hit Kumo as her sword shifted into a scythe but the faunes moved one of his feet at an impossible angle to grab the scythe and yank the girl closer to him before rotating and batting her away with the other girl.

"Ruby!" Blake cried out. Sun jumped and managed to catch the girl before she hit the ground. Things had gotten ugly. Sun hated feeling powerless but Kumo was just that much faster and stronger than all of them. The dude was probably at the level of a fully trained huntsman considering how easily he managed to achieve his goals.

"Kumo it's me you're after right? If you don't hurt them I'll come quietly" Blake desperately called out trying to bargain with the man. Kumo just laughed in exchange.

"I'm not after you, you're not White Fang anymore remember?" Kumo called out. "This was just an unfortunate coincidence"

Kumo looked around and seemed to realize that while he had gotten caught up in fighting Roman Torchwick had gotten away. He sighed.

"I got too caught up in the moment kitty but now you know to stay the hell out of White Fang business unless you want to die"

And with that he tossed the ginger girl at Blake. Sun blinked and the ginger girl was already in Blake's arms with Kumo nowhere to be seen.

Ruby, the girl in the black and red dress, asked if the ginger girl was okay and the girl parted ways with them. Sun hoped everything was alright with Blake and her team and said goodbye before leaving to go find where he'd be staying until the Vytal Festival.

He'd wanted an adventure but today had been a little too much for him to have been fully comfortable with it. For now Sun wanted to crash and recuperate.

Ruby Rose
The fight at the docks had been unlike anything Ruby had seen or been a part of before. Ruby had fought Roman Torchwick and his goons before and had fought tough opponents but nothing prepared her for what was to come.

The crazy laughing lizard faunus was so fast he made her semblance look slow and the way he just beat on Penny over and over again coupled with the blood on his hands had shaken her quite a bit. Still she couldn't be a hero if she didn't act and so she had tried to stop him. He had nearly effortlessly stomped her into the dirt and he'd already beat up Blake and her friend before that. Ruby was scared and this was a reminder that being a huntress wasn't all fun and games. Sometimes things got scary and this incident had pounded that idea into her head more effectively then any of Dad or Uncle Qrow's lectures could.

At least the rift between Weiss and Blake had mended somewhat and team RWBY was back to being a team again. Still Ruby had to ask the uncomfortable question so that they'd be ready to take on the bad guys next time.

"Uh Blake" Ruby cautiously asked "Who was that weird guy with the robot arms and legs we fought?"

Blake seemed to flinch a bit at the mention of that person and Ruby wondered just who he was that Blake was so scared of him.

"That person was Kumo Crimson" Blake haltingly began. The name meant nothing to Ruby and her older sister Yang didn't react to it but Weiss rapidly paled and looked horrified.

"You fought that monster and you're alive?" Weiss cried out. Yang glared at Weiss for what seemed to be insensitivity as she insulted someone Blake once might've called a friend but Blake just let out a wheezing chuckle that sounded just on the edge of desperation.

"We didn't fight him" Blake said "We were just the collateral damage"

"So Weiss might get who this guy is but me and Ruby would appreciate being let in on it" Yang interrupted. Blake and Weiss looked at each other for a bit before Blake finally turned to answer.

"When the White Fang changed to more violent leadership not everyone was fine with it" Blake began "But Kumo Crimson was always the first to embrace murder and violence. He served as the High Leader's personal executor and pulled off missions that no one else was capable of. Every mission he was involved with lead to someone dying and he personally went out of his way to eliminate any spies or suspected traitors to the cause. He's infamous for having both cut off his own arms and legs to be able to fight better and for having no more loyalty to the cause beyond following the High Leader's orders. If you gave him an excuse to attack you he'd take it and he'd kill you."

There was a moment of silence as everyone in team RWBY tried to process what kind of person would do these things. The mood had promptly grown dark.

"Nobody knows what his Semblance is" Blake elaborated "and he's arguably the best fighter in all of the Fang. He doesn't feel pity compassion or remorse and of all the people whom I've met in the White Fang he's probably the only one who I'd agree with Weiss in calling a monster."

"Then why did he leave you alone?" Yang asked cautiously. Weiss also inquisitively looking at their faunus teammate. Ruby did her best to tamp down on her own interest. This wasn't like the stories mom would read her once upon a time this was serious.

"I don't know" Was Blake's quiet response.

 

[King crimson]

This one was tricky for me to write and I greatly appreciate any and all feedback you can give me on it.

 

[King crimson]

So this whole thing has been one long lead in to talking about how and why I became a villain. True for the most part I've just been filling you in on the background of what was happening. Sure I could fill you in on even more background by hurling treatise after treatise on the socioeconomic effects of powerful quirks and the nature of a society that was actively raising children from birth to prune out those it deemed undesirable who were also often forced into that path at an early way and how at it's most extreme quirks encouraged a sort of apartheid where those with power used force to cow the masses into submission. I could talk about over a decades worth of apathy and anger and just general resentment of everyone else and the development of a philosophy that deemed everything as a mere extension of the self and sunk into solipsism. I could talk about how the various cases I had seen in my life made me want to lash out against a virulent unfair system that crushed those it deemed as unworthy for the sake of maintaining a worthless social order to comfort themselves. I could talk about many things but you already likely know enough to begin to understand why I consider what happened in the alley that day my real turn towards villainy.

I don't know what it is about alleys that make them such a natural creator of both heroes and villains origins. I think its the fact that they are concealed from the rest of the world that allows that instances that happen in alleys to stand out as a unique crystallization of a worldview. After all nobody likes to think of themselves as a mere product of their environment whose path is determined by outsiders so an alley which cuts you off from most of those outside factors and enables you to make a choice seemingly of your own volition makes it seem far more memorable as a point of origin for a new identity. After all if the new identity sprung up by something other than your own identity than it's not really yours is it? Regardless what matters nearly as much as what happens in the alley is why you enter it in the first place, why you leave the normal and the mundane to become a symbol will affect what the symbol becomes. Batman for example had his family enter and ally due to fear and as such fear grew to become a dominant factor in his life. I entered the alley out of an inability to remain isolated and apathetic, questioning myself and the world at large.

It was a relatively beautiful Saturday afternoon. The words Junko had spoken to me weighed on my mind. As much as I liked to bury myself in apathy and deny the reality of others I couldn't do that indefinitely. After all just because I could think didn't guarantee the continuity of my own existence. As someone who had been reincarnated I had even less reason than anyone else to believe that "reality" was a constant even with regards to myself. Yet I still considered myself real enough. By that logic were people not real enough as well? Could I simply afford to abandon the rest of the world? Wasn't that just cowardice an inability to move forward in changed circumstances? So far I'd treated this second life as nothing more than an illusion and been entirely reactionary. Would it truly be that bad to do something? Even if it all came to naught surely just the act of trying would allow me to find some measure of fulfillment?

It was these kinds of questions that swirled in my head as I walked around my neighborhood. I'd have taken the train but that meant dealing with people and since the very crux of my issue centered around how I regarded other people. As such I also avoided the main streets, getting lost in the urban sprawl of backstreets and alleyways. It didn't matter if I got lost or something since I could always use a map on my phone to find my way back home.

It was in one of these alleys that I heard someone scream. If this were a hero origin story I would have rushed over to help the screamer. Granted things probably would still have gone south as I was in no way a licensed hero but the tone of the story would have drastically shifted. As it was while I was questioning myself and my relation with others I still ignored the screams for help. Despite all of my critique of the system in place I was still very much a part of it. So when I heard that scream I fell back on the mindset most citizens had, "If there is danger let a hero take care of it". It's a lazy apathetic and somewhat toxic mindset but it's easy and I still fell into it when acting on instinct. The path of remaining a bystander though was eventually taken away from me.

See the thing about alleys is that there's usually not much directions to go, beyond towards and away from the main street. Any competent criminal will tell you that if you don't want to be identified for a crime that was highly visible when committed you're best off heading away from where there are a large number of people to identify you. I was in the direction away from the main street so it was only natural that the criminals would head into my direction. The first of them slammed into me dropping a purse he had snatched as the other two followed behind.

They weren't a particularly good-looking sort with the man who ran into me looking swollen with purple skin while his two minions were a man with the head of a Doberman and a grizzled looking man with a long nose. They weren't smart and they were certainly panicking. I figured they were all young adults trying to desperately make ends meet. Though considering the grizzled man's response to seeing me was to pull out a switchblade and yell that he'd slit my throat I wasn't feeling to charitable to the trio of panicked idiots.

See there is a very basic thing about all living creatures and that is that they want to live. I'm no exception to this rule. As soon as you threaten a creature's ability to live it will kick into fight or flight and thus begin to either flee at all costs or fight to the death. In an alleyway where running is nearly impossible most people will choose to fight as violently and viciously as possible. Thus any idiot who is yelling about killing someone in an alleyway is making a mistake as they are incentivizing people to act whereas previously they might have remained somewhat more passive and thus actually easier to dispatch. It certainly galvanized me into action.

I'm not a violent person by nature. I am however a thoroughly selfish one. When you make a situation into a choice between killing someone else or dying myself I will always choose to save my own life at the expense of others. This time was no different. In that instant I thought nothing of any laws or rules or moral standards and instead just let my fear and selfishness take over. If it was me or him then I was sure as hell going to do everything in my power to live. I felt my quirk activating with all of its terrifying force and a split second later I pushed.

The grizzled man with the knife was standing a bit to my left so the force of my quirk shoved him into and through the alley's wall. He struck it at such high speeds that all that was heard was a sickening mixture of a squelch and a crunch and he was already dead, little more than a stain on the wall.

The purple man scrambled away from me while the Doberman headed thug charged at me. That wouldn't do. I looked at the Doberman's feet and I pulled using my quirk to cause him to fall over utterly halting his momentum. It was simple then to send him careening through the asphalt with another push and dispatch him quickly. Purple simply got up and fled.

I didn't bother to chase after the swollen looking man as I had fought to keep myself safe. Sure I had been fairly lethal with my attacks but it was likely to be them or me and I greatly preferred that anyone other than myself would die. The lethal measures worked and I was sure that if I ever encountered the man again he'd flee before attempting to harm me.

I used my quirk to pick up the purse from the ground and look through it. After all two people had died for something as measly as a purse. It said something about the world of quirks where violence could so rapidly escalate over the stupidest things. Sure the purse could have meant a lot to them but I figured I owed it to the now dead men to at least see what they had risked their life over.

It turns out that it was nothing. I rifled through the purse and while I found a drivers license an ID and some cash I found nothing that was worth losing your life over. How desperate were these men that they'd die for something so little. Was this a side effect of the totalitarian hero system? After all if every crime was met with humiliation and a beating while those who caught you were lauded for using violence effectively it only made sense to desperately try to use violence to preemptively avoid experiencing it yourself. Purse-snatchers didn't deserve to die but the circumstances around their lives and the society at large had forced me to respond with lethal force if I wanted to live. It was pathetic.

I was broken out of my musings by a sharp blow to the face while I was lost in my own head. It hurt. I'm not a fan of pain and so getting struck hard enough to be sent spinning and dropped to the ground was a miserable experience for me. Hate and rage flared up at whoever had decided to hit me without even bothering to check what was going on or attempting some form of diplomacy. But that was heroes for you, punch first ask questions never.

"Stop right there criminal scum" A booming pompous voice could be heard. I steadied myself as I glared hatefully at the man who had struck me. The hero wore a blue armored suit with gold highlights and a yellow cape tied around his neck fluttered behind him. He stood triumphant, posing for a nonexistent crowd and giving shitty proclamations as though beating up a lone high school student in an alleyway was something that could get him popularity if others were watching. The sad thing was with how toxic society's relationship with heroes was I'm not sure whether that assessment was wrong.

"Fuck off" I growled out. I wasn't feeling too charitable to this ass. "I didn't do anything wrong"

"Dead bodies and a stolen purse say otherwise" The hero glibly retorted "But by all means I'd like to hear what your excuse for your evil is"

I was incensed, enraged and all around pissed off. I had no other choice for one of those and the other wasn't my fault. I wasn't evil, the men who stole the purse weren't evil and yet this self-righteous ass felt justified in condemning us and in striking minors who weren't paying attention to their surroundings. I hated him.

I readied a retort but before I could do so the hero rushed forward. I panicked and attempted to rapidly backpedal and ended up falling over. I glared at the hero though on my way down and pushed. The hero was sent stumbling back but unlike everyone else I had encountered up to this point managed to avoid smashing into anything and swiftly readied himself.

"And now you go out of your way to strike a hero with a dangerous quirk? Don't bother making any excuses no one would believe you" The hero blathered on. I despised the fact that the man wasn't wrong. In defending myself the narrative had turned against me. Japan would freely label me a villain and attempt to either execute me or send me to prison. It wasn't my fault but if you went against those with power you were ruthlessly stomped out. I wouldn't be able to stay neutral any longer. My hand had been forced and I'd found something worth living for. I'd tear down everything in my way. This was my origin story and this hero was just my test run.

I chuckled to myself as I spotted the dropped switchblade and pulled with my quirk sending it hurtling into the so called hero's shoulder. He cried out in pain and I started laughing out loud. The rush of fighting and winning felt good. Having purpose felt good. Lashing out and striking at symbols of something inherently intensely wrong felt good and I wanted to revel in it. I'd come into this alley questioning my place in the world and now I'd found it. The role had been thrust upon me and so I would play my part.

"What's so funny villain?" The hero growled out. I could have answered him honestly and told him that it was a mix of euphoria and fear. I could have told him that it was the rush of being able to cut loose for once in my life. I could even have told him that in setting up the situation so that I had to become a villain he had forced me to commit to that role. Instead I said a seeming non-sequitur.

"No capes" I gleefully answered as I stared as his cape and pushed. The cape snapped taught rapidly as the man was dragged backwards. The hero appearedto have survived my initial attack so I changed direction suddenly pulling on the cape instead. I alternated directions rapidly flinging the man back and forth until I heard a snapping sound. Evidently his neck couldn't take all of the blows I delivered onto it.

I left that alley smiling. I'd found a role I could comfortably be and a position I could take. Society was poisoned and it forced people into the role of enemy so that it could keep existing allowing what were little more than costumed thugs to self-righteously attack those less fortunate than themselves. I had been forced out into the role of the villain. So as such I'd take that label for myself and force society to evolve or die. Every hero needs a villain but by embracing my role and my narrative spot I could force change the way I wanted it to go. It was a beautiful realization.

It didn't matter if people were real or not. Even if they were nothing but illusions they still affected me and I cared about myself at the very least. As such what happened to the world at large mattered to me even if I could care less about individuals. It was time to tell Junko that I'd found what mattered. I was going to change the world and force things to become better for the cast offs, the rejects and the neglected via being a villain. I smiled as I walked back home.

 

[King crimson]

So I bit the bullet and finally had our main character bite the bullet and become a villain. I hope both the setup and the thought process is believable and easy to follow but I'd appreciate the critique of things to come. I'd appreciate any and all feedback on this piece and I will let you know that this was one of the darker chapters and that the following few for this story will likely be more light hearted. I tried to present Hazama as a person with both bad and good qualities who was put into situations in which his worst qualities repeatedly shone through and that he was sort of railroaded onto the path he took by society at large. Let me know what you think.

 

[King crimson]

What is the nature of life? People claim that the goddess Sothis willed all life into being at the beginning of time and that it is her domain alone. Yet this is thoroughly untrue. After all even a flea can create new life and we all have the capacity to end it? Surely understanding this very essence that makes us human is worth exploring? And yet the goddess and her Manakete offspring demand that we not look into the secrets of this state of existence. They deny us humans the right to move onwards and claim our rightful place in the cosmos. They clearly have conquered the secret to immortality for the goddess is unaging and undying so why is this boon denied to humanity? Why must we suffer and die while the Nabateans suffer no such misfortune?

And it is not just here where we are denied our rights. Learning is only allowed to travel down certain roads. True understanding is suppressed and discouraged at the cost of a placid fake understanding built upon lies and deceit to concentrate power in a stagnating system of unworthy fools. Their stigma's and Standards bind and restrict us from greatness and we are all made lesser so the Nabateans and Sothis can lord over us.

This will not last. I refuse to remain lesser. Agarthans should refuse to be lesser. Why should we allow ourselves to be less than the greatness we could be? Under bold new leadership we could become as gods and conquer all before us. I intend to master death and surpass our negligent so-called superiors. Change is coming and when Agarthan's decide to no longer accept the role foisted upon us only then shall we become truly great.

Sincerely,
Laius

-A burned letter, penned in an age long passed​

Houses Divided, Chapter 1: New Faces in Familiar Places​

In all her life, Byleth had never expected to become a professor or a teacher in any real manner. Life as a mercenary was simple, you fought and killed to make it to the next day and worked alongside those who you could trust. Her father would argue that there was a bit more complexity than that but as far as she knew that was it. Sure there was some emotional depth to it that Byleth was missing that her father got but Byleth felt that as long as you tried to be a decent person despite the somewhat gruesome work and managed to separate your life from your work then you would be fine.

As such Byleth didn't think twice about helping to save trying to save the lives of the people who had rushed in and requested aid during her and her fathers last mission. It was the right thing to do. Only things had suddenly gotten complicated. The girl inside of her dreams had introduced herself as Sothis and had turned back time to help Byleth save one of the three individuals seeking aid's life, Bylethe learned that her father was the captain of the most famous group of knights in all of Fodlan, the Knights of Seiros, and the three people she had helped save were all the heirs to the three kingdoms of Fodlan.

The entire trip to the monastery felt unreal and each of the heirs was odd in their own way. Edelgard, the person she had saved and heir to the Adrestian Empire, seemed cool and refined but Byleth couldn't help but feel as though she was constantly being evaluated, Dimitri seemed every inch a golden and sincere prince but it felt as though darkness lurked just underneath the princely mask and Claude seemed like an immature scheming happy go lucky young man but his smiles never reached his eyes. All of them had secrets they were keeping. Normally this wouldn't have bothered Byleth as much but having learned of her father's massive secret had left her rather shaken even though she still didn't understand the full consequences of it. And then she had met the Archbishop, Lady Rhea, the green haired head of church who her father didn't seem to trust and who wanted Byleth to teach the students at the Officers Academy while her father was restored to his old position as captain of the knights of Seiros. One of Rhea's advisors Seteth had questioned Rhea's decisions but the Archbishop stayed firm in her position and Byleth was inducted as a professor of one of the three houses of the Officers Academy.

Byleth had then met the other two professors, Hanneman and Manuela and had found herself rather wanting compared to them. They were all so much more lively and sociable and knew how to talk with others well. Byleth knew that she was terse and didn't feel much and was aware of how abnormal that was. She didn't earn the moniker "the Ashen Demon" for being friendly and approachable and while she didn't consider herself a bad person by any means she had no idea how to interact with others off the battlefield. Teaching so many important people would only prove daunting and Byleth had no idea how to surmount the challenge.

Still here she was and she would be better served trying to get things done and learning about her new position. Garreg Mach Monastery was a large sprawling building with many floors and an absolutely massive size to accommodate up to hundreds of individuals. Byleth figured she'd get to know the place as much as possible. Rhea had recommended that Byleth spoke to the three heirs she had met before, for they were also the heads of the three houses in the academy, The Black Eagles, the Blue Lions and the Golden Deer. As such Byleth began to wander around the grounds of Garreg Mach. The first of the House Leaders she found was Edelgard.

"So you've accepted a teaching position here... Pity. I was hoping you would lend your strength to the Empire." Edelgard said somewhat forlornly but she swiftly recovered and began to continue on her speech. "I never properly introduced myself, did I? My name is Edelgard von Hresvelg. I am the princess and heir apparent to the Adrestian Empire. I wonder if you'll be tasked with leading the Black Eagles... I hope you've had a chance to meet everyone. Would you like to know more about any of the Black Eagles?"

And thus Byleth learned of the Black Eagles. Hubert the cold-blooded retainer to Edelgard, the son of the prime minister Ferdinand who viewed Edelgard as a rival and whose house Edelgard thought poorly of, Lindhardt an immensely lazy and intelligent boy, Caspar the second son of Count Bergliez who was energetic and often leapt before he looked, Bernadetta the only daughter of Count Varley who was intensely shy, Dorothea the only commoner in the Black Eagles house and was a former opera singer, the grandaughter of the king of Brigid, an island nation to the west of Fodlan, Petra, the self-effacing Gulliver who never showed who his friends were but always looked out for them regardless and even Edelgard's own sheltered younger sister Addeline who came to the Academy so as to stay with Edelgard were all people whom Byleth learned about from Edelgard.

It was informative to say the least. Byleth's impression of the Black Eagles was that they were composed and noble but had their own issues simmering just under the surface. Teaching them would certainly be an interesting experience.

Byleth then made her way over to Dimitri who she found after only a little bit of searching at one of the training fields. When Dimitri finally noticed her he promptly turned around and apologized and introduced himself.

"Please accept my apologies for the other day. You came to our aid, yet I hadn't even the courtesy to properly introduce myself. I am Dimitri Alexandre Blaiddyd, crown prince of the Holy Kingdom of Faerghus." He began "Of course, at the academy I am simply a student. And I've heard word that you are to become a professor here. Delightful news. I still have much to learn, but I'm confident I could benefit greatly from your guidance. In any case, welcome to the monastery. I hear you're investigating the different houses. Is there anything you would like to know about the Blue Lions?"

Byleth asked him to let her know about his classmates and so Dimitri obliged.

"Well Dedue was born in Duscur, and has been loyally working in my service for the past four years. He's rather taciturn, but once you get to know him, you'll see he's a kind and good-natured young man." Dimitri began listing off "Ashe's the adoptive son of Lord Lonato of Castle Gaspard, but I hear he was born a commoner. He has an extremely earnest personality, so I'm certain he will approach your lectures with great enthusiasm."

So far nothing too unusual

"I hear Mercedes was born to Imperial nobility, but a twist of fate brought her to the Kingdom. She may seem carefree on the surface, but she's actually a kind soul who pays careful attention to everyone around her." Dimitri continued "Annette is Baron Dominic's niece. She is a talented student who scored extremely high marks at the Royal School of Sorcery. She's cheerful and hardworking. Brilliant, really. Though she can be a bit oblivious at times. I hear she caused an explosion in the kitchen last night..."

Well that last bit about a kitchen explosion was odd but not too bad all things considered.

"Sylvain is the heir to House Gautier. He is a capable person who highly values his friends. That said... Well, he's always been a bit of a...ahem, skirt chaser, so to speak. Pardon my bluntness. I speak with him about it often, but it doesn't seem to help." Dimitri further said even as Byleth quietly contemplated what her father would do if he found out Sylvain had tried to get involved with her. The thought was vaguely amusing. Dimitri then paused for a second as he struggled to think of what to say for the next member of the house. "Felix is the heir to House Fraldarius. He has a bit of a sharp tongue, but don't let that fool you. Deep down, he's a good guy. He gravitates towards people who are skilled. Perhaps you would enjoy a friendly competition with him sometime?"

Byleth nodded her assent. Dimitri gave her a somewhat relieved smile as he began to continue to list off his fellow housemates and their qualities.

"Ingrid is Count Galatea's daughter. She is also a childhood friend of Felix, Sylvain and myself. She is diligent, industrious and principled. In truth, she is more knightly than most knights you will ever meet. Corbin also strives to achieve the ideals of knighthood. His heart is in the right place and he's a proud and loyal friend but he can get a little too overzealous from time to time" Dimitri continued before pausing once again to gather his thoughts "Idalia is sour and terse but underneath all that vitriol she has a good heart. Despite her complaining she follows the tenets of knighthood excellently and fights loyally and with distinction"

Byleth now grew curious as to Dimitri himself. When she asked him about it though he just awkwardly dodged the question mentioning that his story was difficult to say and not a pleasant one. Byleth saw no reason to push so she thanked him for the introductions and went on her way.

The Blue Lions were a house that seemed to embody the virtues of knighthood but several of it's members flouted the ideals in some way. It would be a hassle if their issues ran deep enough but it wasn't anything to unusual at first glance. The concerning thing though was Dimitri's past that he refused to talk about as that seemed like it had potential to spiral rapidly out of control if not handled well.

The last head of house, Claude took Byleth over half an hour of searching to find. Still she did ultimately find him conversing with a tanned young woman with dark hair. The tanned person clicked her tongue and Claude promptly turned around to greet Byleth smiling brightly all the while.

"Well, well. Scored a teaching gig here, did ya? Talk about a great first impression. I guess that means I'd better introduce myself properly." Claude farcically said "I'm Claude von Riegan. I'm from the ruling house of the Leicester Alliance, but don't worry too much about all that madness.
I'm guessing you don't know the first thing about any of the houses? That's fine though I bet you'd like us. We're not as...difficult as the other two. Have you met the folks from the Golden Deer House yet? Care to know more about anyone?"

Byleth promptly informed Claude that she hadn't met anyone other than the house leaders just yet and that she would be happy for any and all information he could give her. Claude grinned brightly

"Well first off let me introduce you to Octavia Sherman" He said as he pointed to the tanned girl next to him who stood utterly unamused. "She's a prickly stick in the mud but she does care a lot about the rest of us even if she's terrible about letting the others know how she really feels"

"Call me Tavia" The girl blandly replied "I'm not all that interesting despite what Claude would have you think"

"What a former dancer saving up enough money to attend the Officers Academy isn't interesting?" Claude joked.

"No more than anyone else in this houses story including your own" Octavia said. "Although I'm certain you'd want me to keep it a mystery from the new professor rather than let her know"

Claude nodded and Octavia sighed with a hint of fondenss. The pair then began to move on to Byleth's actual question.

" Lorenz is the heir of Gloucester territory. He's a bit arrogant and fancies himself a lady's man, but deep down he's really devoted and honest..." Claude began.

"He's an ass but he doesn't mean to be" Octavia interrupted.

"Tavia honestly! You'll hurt Lorenz's feelings if you describe him like that!" Claude jokingly chided. Octavia snorted.

"I hear him talk about noble obligations one more time and I'm goign to hurt much more than his feelings".

Byleth was already getting a sense that the Golden Deer would certainly be odder in many ways than the other houses.

"Raphael comes from a merchant family, but his parents died in an accident. Seems like he's had a rough life. Despite all that, he's just about the most cheerful guy you'll ever meet. His passions are training, eating, and... Actually, that's about it." Claude continued.

"He's a meathead" Octavia added "Ignatz is another son of merchants but he doesn't have the resolve to commit himself to this path"

"Now, now there's nothing wrong with trying to please your parents" Claude said beatifically. Octavia glared at Claude.

And so the two continued to banter highlighting the strengths and weaknesses of each person. Hilda was lazy but noble, Leonie was a hard worker but also exceptionally single-minded and blunt, Lysithea was brilliant and talented but also got angry if you implied she was a child, Marianne was overly shy but kind and willing to help, while Pietro was clever and knew lots of games but would actively try to swindle you out of your money.

Of all the houses the Golden Deer felt the most honest. They didn't seem to hide much of their faults and shortcomings and Claude clearly was comfortable being challenged considering how often Octavia would butt into his explanations. Still though for all that the Golden Deer appeared honest Claude still didn't say anything about himself and Byleth had the feeling that Claude and Octavia's routine was intentionally steering the conversation in a certain way.

She thanked the two of them for their introduction and headed back to the archbishop to hear of her assignment. Byleth had never expected to become a teacher or a professor but here she was. Whatever else happened at the very least her time at Garreg Mach would be interesting teaching all of these disparate personalities.

 

[King crimson]

So I've been on a Fire Emblem 3 Houses kick lately and wanted to write my own story using the setting and characters. This chapter was mostly me trying to infodump as much as possible to introduce the alterations subtly and have the characters get introduced a little bit to people who are unfamiliar with the source material (and I still haven't covered too much of the geography or the nature of the church or other foreign nations or crests so I've still got a bit more groundwork to layout but as an introduction to the characters I think this isn't bad).

The basic premise of this story is that there are tow main butterfly's. Firstly there are two more members of each faction in the game and secondly Byleth will not be teaching just one house and instead rotate through all of them. Some lines are taken directly from the game but I did slowly alter things and as time passes more and more will change and go off the rails so don't expect all that much more of that.

The next three chapters will focus on one of the three houses with some POV and/or backstory for some members and Byleth's actual introduction to them as a class. Let me know which one you are interested in seeing first.

As always any and all feedback is appreciated.

 

[King crimson]

Sorry for neglecting this for so long but I doubt there is a massive outcry for these things. That being said I hope to maybe finally advance some of these stories and drabbles into a longer form. Every Hero needs a Villain will likely be getting its own thread soon. With that being said I hope you all enjoy yet another new story thread that I'll be introducing.

Fair warning this will probably be one of the darkest stories I write. I hope to retain some black comedy throughout it all but more sensitive people might be uncomfortable with some of the subject matter depicted. Enjoy!

Missing Numbers (An Umbrella Academy Story) Ch.1: Misfits and Freaks
On October 1st 1989, 43 women around the world simultaneously gave birth. None of them were pregnant prior to going into labor and each of the children were born with special gifts. Eccentric Billionaire Reginald Hargreeves set out to gather as many of these children as he could, knowing that their powers could be a force for good in the world. He got seven of them.

Now what happened to the other 36 children born on that day? Unlike the children in the Umbrella Academy they weren't under Hargreeve's thumb so surely they had it better not having to deal with the crushing weight of expectations and an absolutely terrible father figure? Unfortunately not. They were still human after all. Some died ignominious deaths while others made the world a better place. Some grew to become monsters beyond the pale while others grew to practically become saints. A few were picked up by unscrupulous individuals after killing the mother of that child. One of them even became a professional clown.

Our story primarily focuses on twelve of these children, the seven collected by Sir Reginald Hargreeves into his Umbrella academy and the five who'd help bring about the end of the world.

Ulysses (The Undying), age 94, February 1st 2019
With a brief flash of light, the briefcase worked its magic and he got to where he supposed to be. The Undying supposed he should be thankful for that. Then again it was in the Commission's best interest to have time travel that actually worked if they wanted to protect the time stream so he figured he shouldn't be so surprised that things had worked out that cleanly. Still time travel was a beautiful thing. It couldn't fix the fact that he was a 90 year old man stuck in a prepubescent boy's body but it could let him kill the fucker that stranded him at the bottom of the ocean for over forty years. When he saw Five he was going to enjoy tearing him to shreds. He'd been chasing after him for half a decade, what was a little more time to add till he got to feel the sensation of his dying gasps as he hacked him to pieces.

The Undying had to calm himself a touch. That wellspring of hate and homicidal rage made for an excellent source of motivation to get the job done, and was probably the reason why the Handler had managed to swing a deal with her superiors to let him be the one to track down Five in addition to the others, but it wouldn't do to let himself get outed this early in the timeline. The Commission had already failed once in apprehending Five and he had two weeks till the bastard showed up to make his move. That meant he had three weeks to ensure the apocalypse stayed on schedule and Five died screaming in agony. Getting stopped by some hapless idiot who'd be dead soon wouldn't just be a setback, it would be annoying and the Commission would endlessly complain about it if it got out that he let personal affairs come before getting the job done. They couldn't actually do anything but the nagging would be incessant and obnoxious.

The Undying adjusted his suit, making sure the firearms he carried with him were well hidden and properly adjusted. This trip was under the pretext of business even if it was truly something he was doing for pleasure but it was those little things in the facade that kept all the trains running on time. Or something along those lines, the Handler or AJ probably had a whole speech on the subject but he couldn't give less of a shit. His time in the ocean and the apocalypse had given him a newfound appreciation for clothing and the suit was comfortable and looked professional. He'd rather not have it look any more ill-fitting than it already did on his child's body. The Undying made his way over to a dingy motel on the outskirts of civilization. This was a decent enough spot to stay in and the Commission could send him messages as needed.

It was empty in that dingy motel with flickering lights. It was cheaper than the Undying would have liked but honestly just having a bed would be an improvement to previous accommodations so he couldn't complain too much. He made his way to the front desk which was manned by a sleepy looking clerk.

"I'd like to rent a room" The Undying said calmly and professionally. The clerk raised an incredulous eyebrow at him.

"Do you have a parent I can speak to?" The clerk began "Because I can't let a kid check into..."

The Undying promptly shot the idiot mid-sentence so he wouldn't have to deal with it. He hadn't had a parent for more than seventy years and because he was stuck looking like he'd never aged past 13 he'd constantly be treated like an incompetent. It was so annoying and honestly liberal use of murder tended to remind people at the Commission that he was a fully functioning adult and old habits died hard. At least the motel clerk was no one important. He'd go and dispose of the bottom in some dumpster before hotwiring a car. Right now he just wanted to rest. He grabbed all of the room keys and the fire axe. He had a long drive tomorrow to meet with a few other forgotten family members.

Ilya (The Wretch), age 30, February 2nd 2019
Ilya was used to prison. It was where they said a monster like her belonged. She hadn't asked to be born with fangs and claws and powerful wiry arms. It wasn't her fault she couldn't control her gift and maintain a human form readily and it certainly wasn't her fault that she couldn't control the animal desire to rip and maim and tear. What kind of child knew how to deal with that?

Because of what she was, she'd been abandoned by the woman who gave birth to her as a cursed child and left to die. But Ilya had survived and grown strong, feeding on anything foolish enough to get in her way. When she'd heard of the Umbrella academy she'd headed to America to find them. They were special like her, surely they could understand. But then she'd gotten hungry and no one had understood and the Umbrella academy had beaten her down and left her to rot.

Prison had become familiar after all the time she'd spent. She was never going to leave, too frightening to the average person and not important enough for the Umbrella academy. She was able to improve in prison, even managing to learn English in her time there, but she was always alone. It ran on a schedule ever-fixed and unmoving and poor Ilya would never be able to spend time with others.

But something was different now. Something had changed. She heard screaming and smelled blood. It all excited that primal part of herself and Ilya began sinking into the monster and becoming the Wretch, crooning and pacing, eager for blood and a taste of flesh. Muscles twisted and grew fangs and claws grew sharp and engorged and a long barbed tongue found itself flicking back and forth tasting the air. It was getting louder. She heard banging and screaming. The Wretch wanted the prey. She was hungry and the prey had put her in a cage and she wanted out and to gorge herself till she was full.

Slowly the banging subsided and she could hear a sound of metal clinking. The prey was going to let her out! Feeding time! The Wretch practically howled at the thought. The door was opened and she saw a little human cub standing covered in sweet, sweet blood while near a veritable buffet of meat for her to eat from. She batted the cub away and began to eat from the still cooling corpses. Big sources of fresh meat always tasted good and she could snack on him later.

As she ate slowly but surely the Wretch began to recede and Ilya surfaced once more. She knew she'd messed up but she could get free and find someone who'd help her and accept her. As she made her way towards the door she heard a snide voice call out.

"You are a thing of beauty"

Ilya whirled around. It was the boy she'd batted away earlier in the Wretch's rush to consume flesh. He was dark haired and dressed in a rather utilitarian grey suit with a red dress shirt. His clothes were covered in blood and he was carrying some kind of axe but his hair was still immaculately combed and a look of satisfaction seemed to cover his face. She didn't understand what was going on.

"Really most people wouldn't understand what you are but I think watching you work is fascinating sister" The boy continued, his English was accented differently then most of the prisoners but Ilya didn't know enough to identify where it was from "Like watching a tiger at work, terrifying if you aren't protected but beautiful and impressive when you're safe"

Ilya knew that he didn't understand. He was a stupid kid. And what did he mean when he called her sister

"You're not safe from me" Ilya growled out, her warped vocal cords still shifted into a monstrous reverberation "The Wretch will kill you if you watch it for too long"

She would've made to leave but the boy just laughed. It was rather pleasant. Ilya hadn't heard someone laugh in years.

"You can't kill me" The boy gloated "I'm immortal"

And then he used the axe to lop off his own hand. Blood and viscera gushed and Ilya felt pangs of the Wretch trying to make its way to the surface to have a taste but for now she was in control. To her amazement though, the boy's hand quickly regrew all on its own.

"I trust I've made my point?" The boy continued "I'd demonstrate with decapitation but its not exactly easy with what I've got on hand and it'll still hurt like hell"

Ilya gawped. He was like her! Ilya had thought that she and the Umbrella kids were the only special ones but there were more. She could belong somewhere! She had family!

"Who are you?" She asked suddenly nervous and shy. He'd seen what she really was and he hadn't rejected her and the Wretch wasn't likely to be able to kill him. It felt too good to be true.

"I'd ask you to call me the Undying as that's the name I've used for most of my life" the boy continued slightly disappointing Ilya. That wasn't a real name. The poor boy.

"Surely you have a normal name?" Ilya said awkwardly testing the words in her mouth "Right, little brother?"

"Older actually" The Undying snidely retorted, although Ilya didn't understand what he meant by that. Surely he was younger considering how he looked. Then again Ilya didn't exactly look her age most of the time either. "And if you absolutely need a more normative name I've gone by Ulysses before but I'd prefer it if you call me the Undying when others could overhear us"

Ilya nodded mentally marking him in her mind as her younger brother Uli. She could get the rest from him later.

"Thank you for helping me" She quietly whispered. "My name is Ilya"

"Well sweet Ilya, it was no problem" Uli answered back setting her heart aflutter. She wasn't alone anymore! "I've come to collect you for a family reunion"

Ilya couldn't help beaming even as her brother took her hand and guided her out of the prison. She had more family and she wouldn't be left alone again! The Wretch couldn't ruin this for her! Slowly she returned to her normal human form happy and content for the first time in years.

"Although you will need a name of some sort related to your power for the family tradition" Uli continued. Ilya continued to smile simply enjoying the feel of someone else holding her hand and the sun on her back for the first time in years. It felt too good to be true.

"Do you have any names in mind? Your power is a beautiful thing and you should own it" Uli stated.

Ilya didn't know about that but she also didn't know about her family. Maybe Uli knew better and she'd be better off listening to him. He was smarter than her after all because he clearly knew so much more than her. She'd try not to disappoint.

"I call my monstrous side the Wretch" Ilya nervously supplied as Uli ushered her into a car that had been hotwired.

"Sister you are far too beautiful to ever be a wretch" Uli responded. Ilya knew he was probably lying but it was nice to hear anyways "But the name will strike terror in the hearts of the family members who abandoned us"

Ilya paused curious at the statement but already dreading the answer.

"Who abandoned us?" She questioned fearfully

"The so called Umbrella academy was our family" Uli bitterly spat out "And they abandoned us and left us to die and suffer because a madman told them they were superheroes"

Ilya remembered how much it hurt wanting to get help from those six children only to be once more made into the monster and then beaten and thrown into the dark. She could understand why her brother might hate them but she didn't know the specifics.

"How did they hurt you?" she asked quietly as they began to drive off. Uli's eyes darted away from her. What had they done to him to make him so scared?

"It doesn't matter" Uli responded "I'm going to collect a few more family members and then we'll make them pay for ignoring us"

Ilya supposed she could get behind that. All the Wretch was good for anyways was killing so helping her family by killing those who had abandoned them was easy enough. And Uli was her only family. In the end she made the only choice that made sense.

Elanor (The Blackout), age 30, February 7th 2019
All her life Elanor had been alone. Even as a baby she knew she was different from other people, special in mysterious ways. The cloud of darkness that followed her everywhere she went and earned her the moniker of the Blackout had been proof of that. Elanor had figured out early on that she needed to take extra steps to approach normalcy in her life. Every day she made sure to bundle herself from head to toe so that her skin wouldn't start eating all the light around her and plunge the area into darkness.

Elanor had good days and bad days since entering the sanitarium. Granted it had always been the case and she tended to have much more bad days than good days but at least they let her stay for free. With her problems was only natural she'd be contained. On some particularly bad days she wondered what color her eyes hair were. She could tell what objects were in her cloud of darkness and with her goggles she could see the world around her but she had to constantly cover herself entirely. There was so much Elanor would never be able to do because of the power she'd been cursed with. She could never have someone look her in the eyes or go for a swim or have any sort of intimacy. She wanted her powers to disappear. Normal doctors had no way to treat it though so Elanor stayed in the sanitarium hoping they could eventually figure out something that would help her overcome that crushing sense of despair and pointlessness she felt every day. Her powers had ruined her life.

It was in the sanitarium that Elanor had first heard of the Umbrella academy. A group of child superheroes who were taken in by a billionaire and trained to handle their powers. Elanor was used to feeling jealous of normal people, after all they took for granted what she so desperately coveted, but the Umbrella academy truly woke up some intense envy on her part. They had powers like her but they had a billionaire to teach them to use them. While some of the powers could be traumatic they learned to function and make use of them and didn't let their powers destroy them. Elanor wanted that so desperately. Sometimes she dreamed that she'd escape the sanitarium and beg Reginald Hargreeves to take her in and he'd train her and she'd finally have control over her powers and she could stop being the Blackout. But then the dreams always ended and she was reminded that no one would want a liability like her, not with her worthless power staining everything she touched black and drowning it in darkness.

The day started as all days did, pointless bleak and utterly entirely alone but Elanor's therapist said she was doing better and she'd managed to make progress learning a skill or two to use in the outside world. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad day today.

Then she got the call over the intercom that she had family visiting her in the sanitarium. Nobody had visited her in years. It might be a good day and they'd feel guilty over having left her for something she couldn't control. She doubted it but stupid blind hope was a beautiful thing when it came to making it to the next day. When she got to the meeting area though she was utterly disappointed though. Her two visitors were some kid in a suit with slicked back hair and a spacey looking redhead. Neither of them were people she had seen before in her life.

"This is our sister?" The redhead asked. The boy nodded. Elanor just looked at them in disbelief.

"I've never met the two of you before in my life before" She hissed angrily. Why had these people come just to torment her?

The redhead looked confused and concerned but the boy just kept on smirking.

"Ah but we know all about you" He began "Elanor Lambert born on October 1st 1989, also known as the Blackout. Has powers that involve her skin devouring any light that comes into contact with it, slowly spreading until a perfect sphere of darkness is created"

Elanor was surprised but it wasn't impossible to figure out. She needed more evidence.

"You locked yourself in this sanitarium in the hopes of coping with your powers and potentially having doctors eventually find a cure. Every day you slowly lose yourself more and more knowing there's no way to get rid of them according to mere conventional science" The boy continued "But we're hear to offer you a way out. We were born on the same day as you in the same way, we have powers just like you and we can help you get yours under control. We're your real family and we're here to help"

They were lying, they had to be. Whoever this boy was he knew enough to make her uncomfortable and now he was just straight up lying to her. Selling her a fantasy she'd often dreamed was true. It was too good to be true. She wanted him to shut up but he just kept on talking.

"You can call me the Undying" The boy said, clearly identifying himself in some way as being like her. But there were no people like her except maybe the Umbrella academy and they'd never care about her. "And our sister here is known as the Wretch"

"Call me Ilya" the redheaded woman said as she waved at Elanor. She kept trying so hard to be friendly as though she really believed they were family. It was all lies and Elanor would prove it and she'd get them to stop mocking her thinking they understood what it was like to be the Blackout

"Prove it" She angrily spat out, tears only being held back by anger and indignity"

"The Wretch can't exactly show herself right now" The Undying said and Elanor wanted to crow at how he couldn't prove they had powers and how they were all terrible people lying to her until he continued "But I can show you mine"

In one swift motion he stabbed a pencil cleanly through his hand clearly piercing it. He then pushed the pencil all the way through and when he showed Elanor his hand again there was no hole. Blood had stained the table but Elanor had seen that there was something going on here. Elanor had even noticed how the woman introduced as the Wretch had her eyes suddenly sharpen and glow for a split second before turning back to normal.

"I can show you a more impressive demonstration once we leave this place" The Undying continued speaking "But we need you to help us if you want to be cured"

Elanor was convinced there was something but she need to know this was real. It was too good to be true. There had to be some kind of catch.

"And how exactly are you going to help me?" Elanor groused

"Me and the Wretch have some unfinished business with Reginald Hargreeves" The Undying boldly proclaimed "And he is the expert on powers thanks to the Umbrella academy, we'll steal his notes and his equipment and his resources once we're finished settling things and then synthesize you a cure or at least a dampener but we need your help. Can we count on the Blackout's help?"

That made a little more sense to Elanor. Someone else had to suffer so she could be normal. That fit in with what she knew of the world. She wouldn't be getting the cure for free and she'd probably be stuck with those two loons who called themselves her family for a while but anything was worth it to be normal for once in her life. And besides the Umbrella academy deserved to be knocked down a peg or two for how easy they'd had it all their lives. Elanor made her decision and the Blackout left the sanitarium she'd spent her whole life in. This was going to be the start of every day being a good day.

Olive (The Coil), age 30, February 10th 2019
Olive hated the police. In her line of work they were the enemy who came in and ruined everything like a bunch of jackbooted clods who ruined the artistry of everything. Olive knew she was the best damn burglar in the business and she liked to have a certain level of class to her heists. She could pick and choose her targets and while she probably could have made a successful career off of just abusing her powers and blasting lightning everywhere she instead chose to perfect the art of thievery and stay quiet and classy.

That was why she was in the middle of a diamond heist dressed in a catsuit. Instead of just smashing and grabbing she'd finessed her way past all of the security and was now collecting her haul. This shit was going to be a huge score and she'd probably manage to make a killing on it all. She didn't need the money but it was a point of pride that she had it and no one could catch her. It'd finally prove that she was the best in the business with or without her power.

Olive heard the sound of sirens approaching. Shit, the police had arrived early for some reason, maybe a silent alarm she'd missed? Whatever the reason Olive was pissed and she needed out double-time. She cut her haul short and fled with what she'd grabbed. It was probably that Patch bitch who'd figured something out. That woman had been on her tail for far too long and Olive needed to shake her fast. However it galled her to be forced away by some no name beat cop.

As she made her way through the back alleys she silently fumed at having been gypped only to run into the strangest assortment of individuals she'd ever seen. A short teenage boy wearing a suit and carrying a fire axe, a perky redhead woman with ill-fitting torn up clothes and someone doing a cosplay as a human mummy wearing a pair of blocky goggles.

"This is the person you were looking for?" The redhead asks. The teenager nods in response.

Olive didn't know who they were or what they wanted from her but she had no intention of letting these strangers slow her down enough for the police to catch her. She immediately lets loose a blast of lightning, with the intention and power to kill, right at the groups so-called leader. It hits him dead on and he's sent flying, skidding along the pavement.

Before Olive could be satisfied with having proven her powers were still on point the redheaded woman before her morphs, her face transforming into an almost crocodilian maw while her limbs twist and thicken becoming massive. The red hair now hangs like an ill-fitting mane and the creature seems bent and hunched over unnaturally with eyes that glow in the dark. Whatever the thing was it was so much faster than her slamming her to the ground and pinning her to the ground. She could see a long tong snake it's way out of the creature's mouth through glistening gleaming dagger like teeth and feel the monsters hot breath on her face. It smelled terrible and Olive wanted to laugh at how ridiculous a thought like that was in a life or death scenario.

"Now, now" A distinctly male voice calls out, shifting the monsters attention away from her "It wouldn't do to kill our sister before the family reunion"

The monster let out a little whine before letting go of Olive. Olive managed to slowly refocus and get her head to stop spinning when she noticed that the person speaking was the little teenaged brat whom she'd blasted with lightning. Other than the top of his suit being burnt off he looked no worse for wear.

"What are you?" Olive gasped out. She could see the monster slowly start to shift back into being that redhead from earlier.

"Family" the boy replied as the redheaded monster thing completed its shift towards a human form and let out a small giggle while the mummy just muttered something Olive couldn't make out "More accurately we're individuals born on the same day as you with special powers"

"Neat" Olive snarked realizing that they hadn't killed her for some reason yet meaning she had room to work with "I'm guessing you didn't come here to invite me to the family barbecue"

"You're right" The boy responded utterly unphased "We're here on a mission and we need your help"

"Well then you better pay me" Olive said realizing she had a chance to barter for something "My skills don't come cheaply"

"You wouldn't be willing to help family for free?" The redheaded disguise for a monster stated seemingly sincerely shocked that Olive wasn't a bleeding heart sentimentalist.

"What can I say?" Olive glibly joked to hide her apprehension on what would happen if the monster came out to play again "Family is only valuable to family but everyone likes money"

The freak tensed but the mummy preempted her.

"We'll give her the goddamn money" the mummy cosplayer dourly groused "We're already going to murder people, there's literally not much point in quibbling over the details especially since Mister Undying here claims to have so many resources beyond our comprehension."

"I'll ensure you are well paid" the boy, now identified as Mister Undying, announced ending any potential for argument.

Well this was an improvement from how the night started. Having a crew of superpowered individuals paying top dollar for her numerous skills suited Olive just fine and it would give her some backup as she dealt with the cops on her tail. If she could cause Patch to run headfirst into the monster she'd have solved her problems efficiently. Olive could work with this. Olive walked over and shook the half-pints hand

"Allow me to introduce ourselves a bit more formally" Mister Undying declared "I am the Undying and the other two are your sisters the Wretch and the Blackout"

The Wretch was apparently the monster and miss morose mummy was the Blackout. Those were some pretty cool codenames and honestly Olive was looking forward to sticking with this group. Idly she wondered what the mummy's power was but it was probably something cool like the other twos. This really could be a significant improvement to the solo gig stuff.

"Do you have a name you'd like us to call you?" The Undying asked. Yeah Olive did. If she was going full supervillain secret agent she was getting a snazzy codename as well.

"Yeah" she boldly announced "Call me the Coil"

Alfredo (The Automaton), age 30, February 13th 2019
No parent should have to bury their child. It was a truism but it still hurt to have it proven to oneself. Alfredo loved his daughter more than anything else in the world. He'd give her the world to make her better but even with his miraculous powers he couldn't save her. You needed money to do that and while Alfredo could possess objects and use them as makeshift bodies he couldn't develop an infinite stream of money.

The world cared not for how good or how special you were. It broke Alfredo's heart to know that he wasn't good enough to save his daughters life. He couldn't even pay for potential treatment. He needed more time. And in order to get more time he needed more money. Alfredo was not an overly proud man nor did he consider himself a paragon of virtue despite trying his best to live an honest life but he'd always considered some lines uncrossable. For his daughter he'd crossed one of those lines and begun actively stealing using his power.

It was ignominious, dishonest and immoral but worst of all it wasn't enough. Day after day after day he was being driven further and further and further into desperation to save his daughters life. It was at his lowest point that the strange visitors found him.

A boy, a woman covered from head to toe in bandages, a glowering nightmarish monster and a woman with close cropped hair in a black catsuit. He hadn't known what to make of them as they each introduced themselves to him. The woman in the catsuit, the Coil, had seemed dismissive of him.

"This is the Automaton you wanted us to collect?" She asked incredulously "Because no offense Captain Undy but he looks nothing like the things we saw in the newspapers"

"Do you even care?" The Blackout responded "You're getting all you wanted so you might as well let our leader say whatever shit he wants to so we can get on with it and get what we want"

The Coil only seemed happy to continue mocking

"Now Blackie don't get a bandage up your butt, I'm just saying this motherfucker doesn't look like much" She taunted "Plus I get paid more the longer this takes so I'm comfortable taking my time and smelling the roses. Maybe you'd get why once you could properly see them"

The Blackout moved to strike her before the monster stepped between them and caused them both to back down.

"The Undying speaks now" it growled in an inhuman tone of voice.

"Thank you" the young boy known as the Undying said causing the Wretch to grin while the Blackout fumed and the Coil rolled her eyes. "Family can't live with them, can't live without them"

Alfredo fumed at this ignorant bastard commenting on family so lightly.

"Don't you dare talk about family to me" He demanded the implied or else sitting just beneath the surface as a veiled threat.

"Now brother" The Undying continued utterly nonplussed "I know all about family being a disappointment but that's not the subject at hand here"

Alfredo wanted to yell at the teenager some more but the other strangers looks of tension and readiness for violence caused him to think twice and let the bastard keep speaking.

"We're here to help you save your daughter"

Those words hurt especially since they were just the right words to get Alfredo to go along with this scheme.

"What do you want from me?" Alfredo questioned, the pain plaintive in his voice.

"You've heard of the Umbrella academy before?" The Undying enquired. Alfredo did of course know about them, children with powers like his adopted by a billionaire and given unique training. Alfredo had an idea of where this was going and he didn't like it but damnit he'd stay for his daughter. He was going to save her life.

"We have unfinished business with them" The little devil said tempting him to sell his soul for a way to save his daughter "Once we're through with them you can take the leftover money and resources and save your daughter"

Damnit all the bastards knew just where to twist the knife. Like a modern day Faust he made a deal with some darker power for the hope of a light at the end of the tunnel. His daughter would live even if he would forever be consigned to hell for what he did.

Five Hargreeves (The Boy), age 67, November 22nd 1963
This was it. He was finally going back home. He'd done the jobs the Commission had wanted from him for long enough that they'd gotten lax and sloppy. No one was monitoring him anymore and while they'd come after him eventually he'd have enough time to do the necessary work. He was going to save his family. He'd double and triple checked all the equations and his math for making the jump all made sense. He stepped forward and took the plunge once more leaping through time instead of space like he had almost sixty years ago. Time travel was just as miserable and difficult as he remembered it but he could make it. He was going to save the world and stop the apocalypse.

Vanya Hargreeves (Extra Ordinary Number Seven), age 30, February 15th 2019
Dad's funeral was hard. Vanya had known it would be, her siblings had hated her ever since her book came out and even before then they'd barely acknowledged worthless, powerless little Number Seven on their best days. It was a slog as always. Vanya didn't even know why she came to the funeral, maybe it was some misplaced sense of wanting to belong or even wanting her father to love her or something. Pogo had been kind and bracing but never enough as always, Allison seemed to be trying to be a sister now that both marriage and motherhood had failed her and Mom had hardly changed at all. Diego was still angry Number Two raging at the world around him and lashing out at anything that got in sight while Klaus was still that eccentric junkie he had been as a child and as a teenager, only even more so now. Luther was still Number One always pushing for what dad wanted. He'd gotten huge somehow but Vanya knew it wasn't her place to ask about why his body had changed so wildly while he was on the moon. She wasn't special like the rest of them.

They'd all promptly exploded and imploded and any semblance of a family dynamic collapsed when Luther had accused one of them of having killed their father. Reprieve had come as the fact that Reginald Hargreeves truly was gone had settled in but even that was undercut when a massive blue maelstrom opened up in the sky.

Out of that maelstrom stepped the brother who'd vanished, Five, looking as though he hadn't aged a day since that fateful night he'd run away. Vanya had missed him so badly almost as badly as she missed Ben although unlike with Ben some small part of her heart had always clung to the idea that Five hadn't died. There was no such luck with Ben. But good things didn't happen in the Umbrella academy without a cost so Vanya was waiting for the other shoe to drop for her to once more be pushed out of the group dynamic and relegated to being ordinary and worthless again as soon as the novelty of Five's return wore off. Her favorite brother capped off the entire sequence of events with a word Vanya couldn't help but agree with.

"Shit"

 

[King crimson]

I'd appreciate feedback as always. Furthermore if you have suggestions for music to play to add to the scenes feel free to do so and I may edit them in later.