An Offer of Kings
"It's been a week! Why isn't Ruby getting any better?!" Yang demanded over the scroll, yelling as someone on the other side of the line.
"I am sorry, Mrs. Xiao Long. We are still waiting on the toxicology lab. Have you been following our instructions for daily life?" The doctor asked, their voice coming through Yang's scroll.
"Me following them isn't the problem. It's Ruby listening to me on your instructions, that's the problem. She refuses to stay still and focus on healing." Yang admitted, clearly frustrated.
"I am sorry ma'am, but recovery will take longer if she is not going to listen and we cannot prescribe anything new to her recovery without the test. This is an incredibly unique situation." The doctor's voice explained.
Yang sighed in frustration. "Well, thanks anyway, doc." She replied, clearly not happy at not getting anything useful.
"I will call you to let you know as soon as I get the report back. And I will also inform your father as well." The doctor replied.
"We appreciate you keeping us in the loop." Yang replied, beginning to pace across the dorm's common room.
As soon as she hung up on the call, the blonde brawler pinched the bridge of her nose. With a heavy sigh, she walked into her team's room, to be greeted by Ruby coughing horribly. As the rest of her team, Team JNPR, and Team AZRE were also there.
"Easy, Ruby. You're gonna cough up a lung." Zhan said, recoiling from hearing the horrible cough.
"I-I'll be fine." Ruby weakly replied, before wiping her lips off with a Kleenex.
"No, Ruby. You won't be. Not if you insist on disobeying the doctor's orders." Rena told her sternly.
"When did you start caring about others health?" Zhan asked.
"Since seeing someone nearly get murdered. Cardin and his goons should be in jail, not merely expelled." Rena sternly said.
"And their legs broken." Nora said, punching her fists together.
"Agreed." Rena replied, holding her hand out to Nora for a low-five that Nora reciprocated.
"Ruby. You have to stop going to classes. We can get you the notes on what happened. The staff aren't going to penalize you for this." Weiss sternly said.
Ruby shook her head. "Then what's the point of me being in Beacon if I can't do anything?" She asked.
"You will not be able to do anything for a lot longer if you do not rest, Ruby. Do you want to get better faster or suffer and be out of commission longer because you are being stubborn?" Azura told her, a scowl on his face.
Ruby flinched and looked down at her sheets. "Maybe I should be out of action. After what I did to Kong…" She said sadly.
"Do not start thinking like that, Ruby. Kong is, has been, and always will be a racist bully and a monster. As far as I'm concerned, he got what was coming to him." Blake told her, gently making Ruby lay down so that she could tuck her in.
Ren raised a curious eyebrow at hearing that. "And how do you know him so well to make that assessment, Blake?" He asked.
Blake flinched at being called out on that. "That's… a bit complicated…" She told Ren.
Weiss raised an eyebrow at that. "Blake. We've revealed a lot of secrets around here lately. Jaune had the worst plan to get into a Huntsmen Academy ever…" Weiss said, before being cut off.
"You try living with a family trying to force you down a path that makes you miserable without giving you any say in the matter. See if you don't do something stupid and crazy to live your dream. My mother wanted me to be a doctor and refused to let me be trained." Jaune interrupted her.
"That's horrible!" Pyrrha said with a gasp.
"I know, right?!" Jaune replied, finally feeling vindicated.
"You forged documents, didn't have your Aura unlocked, or gone through a combat school. How were you expecting to last more than five minutes?" Weiss asked.
"Better to die shooting for my dream than slowly die on the inside being denied it." Jaune grumbled.
"I know a good therapist if you need one." Azura offered.
"... How good are we talking here?" Jaune asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Turned my twin brother from a boy that was scared of my father raising his voice into an insane gunslinging swordsman." Azura explained.
"... Somehow that doesn't sound like an improvement." Jaune noted in surprise.
"I'm glad someone agrees with me." Azura sighed.
"Also, we found out that Ruby is a Beastman…." Weiss continued.
"Half-Beastman, actually. Specifically, a red wolf." Yang corrected her teammate and friend.
Weiss rolled her eyes at that. "Surely your secret can't be somehow more insane than that." She said.
"I… was once a part of the White Fang. Specifically, I was the partner and student of the Vale Chapter's current leader…" Blake reluctantly admitted.
The room went quiet at that reveal. For what felt like eternity, no one said anything, simply staring at Blake. Until Weiss finally spoke up again.
"Okay. That one takes the cake." Weiss said a bit stunned, before realizing something. "Wait. You're one of those Belladonna's!?"
Blake rolled her eyes. "Yes, yes. Imperial family of Menagerie, Princess of the Faunus, blah, blah, blah. I've heard it all a thousand times growing up." She drolled, clearly not wanting to have to go over it all.
Ruby cocked to her head to the side with confusion. "Then who's your prince?" The wolf girl asked innocently.
"I don't have one yet, Ruby. I'm the bloodline heir. Though I'll admit I thought I'd found mine…" Blake admitted bitterly.
"Who?" Yang asked.
"I don't want to talk about it…" Blake replied.
"Wait… that monkey ruffian?" Weiss asked.
"Th-There's nothing between us! Not yet!" Blake stammered nervously.
"It'd be just like the storybooks!" Ruby chipperly yelled, before coughing horribly. "Nope. Still can't do that…"
"So… I take it I should not bring up that I was chosen as a god's champion after being mentally and emotionally traumatized for life?" Azura asked, accidentally getting everyone's attention.
Everyone looked at Azura like he grew two extra heads and three extra eyes. Sweat began to form on the blue Bushi, as he had everyone looking at him.
"... Boss? Is there something you wanna tell us?" Zhan asked, clearly concerned.
"... We're getting off the topic." Azura replied, clearly not wanting to answer.
"Oh, I'm pretty sure we're still on the topic." Rena said, clearly curious.
"If something that bad happened to you that resulted in something like that, don't you think you should explain it to us?" Ember spoke up, concerned for her team leader and friend.
Azura gulped, and his hands began to twitch. Sweat began to run down his face like bullets, as he felt the walls closing in on him. Everyone's gazes burned into his soul like the surface of the sun. Yet he felt his scroll go off in his pocket. Hurriedly reaching in, he heard and felt it ring as the ringtone went off.
"Mistral! Fuck yeah! Comin' to save the motherfuckin' day, yeah!" It rang on repeat.
"... That's your ringtone?!" Nora called out in disbelief.
"I… forgot to change it after I left the Sōtora clan security forces." Azura admitted sheepishly.
"That just raises further questions!" Nora called out in frustration.
"Chat later. I have to take this call." Azura hurriedly said before running out of the room, nearly running over Yang in the process.
"You can't just drop two bombshells like that back-to-back and not answer us, Azu!!" Ruby yelled before going into another coughing fit.
"What did the doctor say about yelling, Ruby?! It's like you don't want to get better!" Yang yelled in frustration.
"And what are you gonna do if I don't stop?" Ruby asked defiantly.
Yang turned to look at the rest of her friends. "Anyone got a spare ball gag?" She asked.
"FILTH!!" Ruby yelled before going into yet another coughing fit.
"I… might know where we can get one…" Pyrrha sheepishly replied.
"... What the fuck are you into, Pyr?" Yang asked in disbelief.
"That's… actually kind of hot…" Jaune muttered, making Pyrrha blush.
Pyrrha turned to look at him in surprise. "Jaune. Yang. Please be silent. I'm contemplating my sins." She replied nervously.
"Can we please stop admitting weird shit before something crazy happens?!" Yang demanded angrily.
"So, I shouldn't say anything involving your diary, Yang?" Nora asked while raising an eyebrow.
"Nora! Sis Code 101: You never look in another girl's diary!!" Yang snapped, blushing furiously.
Meanwhile: With Azura
Azura sighed as he stopped his hurried jog. After collecting himself and looking down the halls to make sure no one was coming, he looked down at his ringing scroll. On the caller id was his mother. Causing a deep sigh from the young warrior.
"This isn't my day…" Azura sighed before picking up the call. "Hello Mother."
"Azura! How have you been, son?" Verdant said with a very chipper tone to her voice.
"Oh. Things have certainly been eventful around here Mother." Azura replied in a fake upbeat tone, before tugging nervously at his shirt collar.
"Eventful how?" Verdant asked, clearly curious.
Azura gulped nervously. "You promise not to get mad?" He asked.
"Why would I get mad, dear?" Verdant asked in surprise.
"... Well, I've fought terrorists and nearly saw one of my friends murdered by fellow students." Azura replied. "Also, the food at the cafeteria is incredibly good. I would highly recommend the banana pudding…"
"Wait, what?!" Verdant demanded in disbelief.
"Um… how best to explain what Ruby's gotten into…" Azura thought aloud, only to have to pull away from the Scroll as his mother screamed at him.
"SOMETHING HAPPENED TO RUBY?!" Verdant screamed in concern.
"Some things. Plural. Unfortunately…" Azura sheepishly replied. "Is Dad doing all right? I know his new leg was bothering him earlier, so I just wanted to…"
"Do not change the subject, mister! Explain! Now!!" Verdant snapped at her son.
"Um. Well. She for a few weeks went out on nightly excursions beating up criminals. Culminating in sending Shao Kong through a warehouse. And being hit by a Hummler IFV on the same night. I still do not know how that happened." Azura explained and prepared for further yelling.
Verdant took a deep breath. "Continue explaining…" She told him tensely.
"She then… as loathe as I am to admit it… saved me and the rest of our friends from Shao Kong, and… brutalized him." Azura explained regretfully. Not for himself, but for Ruby.
"... Oh my. How bad was it?" Verdant replied, genuinely surprised.
"Lacerations worse than any sword wound." Azura replied, shivering a bit, remembering that night.
"Oh dear. What else happened? Is she okay?" Verdant asked, her concern growing.
"She was nearly killed… on campus… by other students." Azura answered, his throat beginning to tighten with disgust from the events, and nervousness having to explain to his mother.
"What in Heaven's name is Ozpin doing over there?!?!" Verdant snapped out, clearly furious.
"He has been ramping up security lately in response to that. But… it is because of something you cannot spread to the rest of the clan." Azura explained.
Azura could feel his mother rubbing her temples as she sighed. "Very well then. Why was Ruby targeted?" Verdant asked her son.
"She's… Half-Beastman." Azura replied, gulping deeply.
"... Oh. Oh my…" Verdant uttered in disbelief.
"Mother. Beastmen are real. It is… it is how Ruby defeated the White Fang and tore into Kong. Heck. She broke my ribs in a training session through my aura." Azura explained, rubbing the back of his head as he spoke.
"Well, then why hasn't she healed from the attack yet? From what I have read, Beastmen are supposed to have insane healing abilities even compared to Aura users." Verdant asked, her concern growing.
Azura sighed deeply at that. "They used some kind of toxin. Her attackers knew she was at least partially Beastmen and were prepared. Shockingly prepared. The Hospital is still working through the toxicology lab test. It has been a week since she was discharged from the hospital. Even with her being stubborn and not listening to the doctor's advice… I would have hoped she would heal better than this." He explained. "I am… I am worried for her mother. I do not like feeling this… powerless… to do anything to help."
"... I have an idea, sweetie. You have a break between semesters coming up, correct?" Verdant asked.
"Yes. The Yuletide break. Why?" Azura replied, confusion leaking into his tone.
"Why don't you bring your friends with you when you come home for the holidays? They can stay with us up through Aurora Day and the New Year's celebration before you all head home for the start of the new semester." Verdant suggested.
Azura's eyes widened at that in surprise. "Are you sure? What would the Council think? Or Auntie Sakuya?" He asked, internally beginning to panic.
"You let your father and I handle your aunt, the Daimyō of each Family, and the old fools on the Council. Just inform your friends of our invitation, please." Verdant told him with a sly tone to her voice.
"Mother. As kind of an offer as that is, I do not see how that helps Ruby recover." Azura replied.
"Simple, son: Not only can we keep an eye on her to make sure she rests, but we can also provide her with fun, easy activities to keep her from getting bored. That should be more than sufficient to help in her recovery." Verdant explained.
Azura then let out a smile upon hearing that. "You're a genius mother. Thank you." He said happily, clutching the scroll a bit tighter.
"I am always happy to help, dear. Besides, this will be an effective way to force you to work more quickly towards future grandchildren for your father and I." Verdant told him teasingly.
Azura blushed deeply at hearing that. "Mother! There is nothing like that between me and Ruby! How can you say that now?!" He yelled indignantly into the scroll.
"Because your tone when talking about the incidents says otherwise. Now please inform your friends of our invitation, dear. Let your father and I handle things on our end." Verdant told him with a happy tone.
"I will, mother. Just… no talk of grandchildren around my friends, please. I want some dignity left to return to Beacon with…" Azura replied with a groan.
"No promises, dear. I love you." Verdant replied playfully.
"I love you, too." Azura replied before hanging up the call. "If only I could get silence out of her for once.
'Oh, I don't know. I think sometime with the red reaper would do us wonderfully.' A voice said to Azura from the back of his mind.
Azura flinched before glaring. 'You! I thought I had stuffed you down and locked you away, Raizen!' Azura thought angrily.
The voice then began to chuckle at the proclamation. It came across like a low, rumbling echo in his mind.
'If only Master Yūri could see you right now. You would get the Hashi for how badly you took in his lessons about me.' The voice now identified as Raizen replied.
Azura grit his teeth. 'I know, I know. You are not some split personality, an intruder, or something to be suppressed. You are a part of who I am at my core. But that does not mean I have to like it or you.' He replied to the voice.
'If it makes you feel any better. You do not have it the worst around here when it comes to an Animal Spirit.' Raizen replied, his voice tempering to a more moderate tone.
Azura sighed as he thought for a second. He clenched his fists and gritted his teeth. He thought about saying it but refrained. Raizen knew who he was thinking of anyway.
'When are you going to realize that I am on your side? That all I am doing is trying to help you.' Raizen asked, his tone tired and frustrated.
'When you learn when your help is wanted and not wanted. Right now, I need to focus on Ruby and the others.' Azura told him.
'If I had to wait for you to want help, then you are going to get all of us killed. What was that you always said? The strong suffer so others do not? Or was it that you did not deserve help for being weak for so many years?' Raizen asked.
Azura glared bitterly. 'This conversation is over, Raizen. Go back to sleep…' He told the voice.
'Fine. But we are not done talking about this yet.' Raizen growled infuriated.
'Then when will we be done talking about it?' Azura asked, clearly annoyed.
'When you finally accept why Raikō elevated me as your Animal Spirit.' Raizen growled, sending a tingle through his mind.
Azura sighed as Raizen cut the connection for now. Shaking his head, he walked back into the room, getting everyone's attention as he did.
"How did the call go?" Ruby asked curiously.
Azura sighed. "I got one hell of an offer for you guys…" He said through a sigh.