Remnant's Twilight Rose
Chapter 7: Departure
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It was noon and Sunset was shopping in the outdoor market but this time she had Aeon with her. The young boy was reluctant to come to town at first but she was able to convince him to say that she would be right there with him the whole time. As he came out of the house he was wearing the mask Sunset had found him with that night she saved him. Sunset was able to convince Aeon not to wear it but he was still insistent on bringing it with him. So Sunset had him carry it in a backpack. With the mask with him in the backpack, Aeon walked out of the house holding on to Sunset’s hand with a scared looked on his face. His grip tightened a bit and Sunset looked to the boy with a smile.
“It’s okay Aeon. I know it’s scary going into a big city when you’ve spent most of your life in a small town. Remember that I’ll be right here next to you the whole time. We’re not going too far into Mistral, only to the market. I’ve got to buy some food so I can fix you something to eat if your going to spend the night with me,” Sunset says as she smiled as the young boy next to her and as he heard this his face lit up with a smile from ear to ear.
“Really Ms. Sunset. Mr. Tusk is going to let me spend the night at your house?” asked Aeon wanting some reassurance.
“Yes he is, but you need to understand this is a one-time thing until a can finalize your adoption papers Aeon. I live in a one bedroom apartment and I’m in the middle of packing up for our move to Patch. So there are a lot of boxes out right now. You’ll have to sleep on the fold out tonight,” explain Sunset as the duo walked through the market.
They picked up a few things here and there before the made their back to Sunset’s apartment. Once they got there Sunset unlocks the door and Aeon immediately rushed in. She went to the kitchen and set down the food she bought. Luckily Sunset hadn’t taken down her large monitor in the living room. She turned it on and ley Aeon watch while she prep their supper. He wanted to have spaghetti luckily for Sunset she excelled at making it.
Once Sunset had finished making their supper she brought Aeon a bowl and the sat on the couch and enjoyed spaghetti while they watched TV. There wasn’t a whole lot on to watch. The usual dribble and evening shows. The news reported arising in White Fang protests. Some of the White Fang’s most recent activity had been getting violent and was giving the faunus a pretty bad wrap. Sunset had always had a problem because of being a faunus but it got really bad for her when the White Fang started their protests. Discrimination had always been the great issues in this world growing up and that’sone of the main reasons she wanted Aeon to be sent to her childhood home.
After a few hours of watching TV Sunset took the dishes washed them and placed them in the wrack to dry. After this, she told Aeon to go and take a hot bath or shower, whichever he preferred. Sunset decided to do some maintenance on her weapons as she hadn’t done it since she returned from her mission earlier in the week. She sat at her desk while Aeon was in the bathroom and began taking apart her revolver to clean it. It was long before Aeon was finished bathing and standing in the doorway wondering what his teacher was doing. He walked over to her noticing she was where a pair of red glasses with a variety of small tools laid out in front of her. Sunset was so focused on the weapon he thought she didn’t notice him so Aeon went to tap her shoulder when he got a sudden surprise.
“Hey there Aeon, all bathing,” Sunset says as she continued to clean the gun causing the youth to jump back. “How’d you do that Ms. Sunset? I thought you were focused on your gun,” he said as he walked up the side of the desk.
“I am focused on cleaning my gun but that doesn’t mean I’m not aware of what’s going on around me, Aeon. As a Huntress, I must constantly be aware of what going on around me, even when I’m doing something else altogether. I, in particular, must be as I'm using a type of sniping weapon,” Sunset says as she puts down the reassembled revolver turning to face the boy as she got up smiling at him while tilting her head slightly. “Now, how about some ice cream.”
“Yes please,” Aeon says as he threw his hands in the air.
Sunset fixed them both a bowl of chocolate ice cream setting them on the counter for a moment when she noticed Aeon backpack open with his mask in it. That’s when she got a little curious about it. ‘I wonder what the story behind this thing is. It looks like a Grimm but several the have been fused together.’ She thought of picking it up and bringing it with her to the living area where Aeon sat waiting. Sunset gave Aeon his ice cream and sat next to him setting the mask on the coffee table. Before she could even as Aeon opened his mouth.
“The mask has been passed down in my family for generations. Apparently, it was given to the original head of the Crim family when they were forced to leave the continent of Atlas to come here to Anima. You’ll notice that it looks like several Grimm that were fused together. That’s because it represents my family’s semblance,” explained Aeon as he looked at the artifact.
“What do you mean Aeon? A single Semblance can’t belong to one family,” Sunset said as she ate some of her ice cream.
“Mine was. Our semblance is or was summoning the spirits of those who have fallen to aid use in battle. We used a dark summoning to does so and it was frowned upon by every one of the times. My ancestors were called demon worshippers because their summons looked exactly like the Grimm. Apparently, they were originally a branch family the Schnee household. It all started when one of the house’s semblance took on the aspects of darkness from one of the children of the time’s parent's semblance being as strong as the Schnee’s. Their semblance’s fused together and the Head of the Schnee family of the times had the family take on the mother’s last name of Crim to keep the Schnee name intacted,” Aeon paused as he looked to the mask.
“But that didn’t stop people from finding out about the dark summoners. They were kept a secret until the family had become too large to stay in the dark. Then when people found out they thought to was the Crims that were bring the Grimm into the world,” Sunset looked over to the mask as she now realized it was a brand of disownment.
“Yep, the house of Crim left Atlas to come here where people can live far away from one another and not be bothered but still close enough to lend a hand. My family lived in that town… peacefully… for… generations… we never… bothered anyone… SNIFF,” Aeon continued to speak but had begun to sniffle as tears formed in his eyes.
“Why? Why… did they have… to take my family… and my friends… away from me? Why was ...SNIFF… I the only...left? The Grimm… they should’ve killed me… too. Sunset why… was… I … left… alone… in this… world?” cried the young boy who had only worn a smile for the past two weeks as the tears streamed like waterfalls down his face.
Sunset pulled Aeon into a warm hug. This is all she could do right now as she could give him the answers to the questions he was asking. Sunset knew that only Aeon could get those answers for himself in time. It had been that way for her when she arrived in this world and this was how her father helped her when she asked similar questions after she came to the city from the wilds. So, in turn, Sunset answered the one she could answer for Aeon.
“I can tell you this Aeon,” Sunset said as she stroked the crying boys head as she held him close. “You aren’t alone in this world. I’m right here and I’ll always be here for you from now on. Whether it be as your teacher, your friend, or just someone to listen to. I won’t leave you alone ever. Also, it’s okay to cry to let others know how you feel. Don’t hold it in, ever. The same thing if you ever see a Grimm in front of you. Once you’ve been trained enough think on how to take it down but if you like just go nuts on it.”
Sunset started to sing the lullaby to Aeon that Tusk had sung to her many a night as she continued to hold him and stroke his head. Aeon, in turn, held tightly on to Sunset as he continued to cry.
By the Sunset finished her song Aeon had cried himself to sleep in her arms. He had a small smile on his face. As leaned her head back and looked at the ceiling sleep began to take as well. Sunset said one last thing as she drifted off.
“Sweet dreams little my crimson light.”
Three Days Later…
Sunset was walking down the street to Tusk’s Orphanage with the happiest smile and her face that she’d had in years. She had just come from city hall with Aeon’s finalized adoption papers. She couldn’t wait to show Aeon in person to give him the good news. Tusk had told Sunset the Aeon had become much more open with the other children since he came back from spending the night at her place. She didn’t tell her father why because there was no need. He was always like that, able to read others.
While she was walking down the street Sunset couldn’t help humming the lullaby she’d sung to Aeon the other night. She was so lost in her own thoughts that she didn’t see where she was going as she kept reading the papers in her hand the Sunset ran into a group of human Huntsmen right outside the orphanage.
OOMF
“Oh, I’m sorry. I wasn’t paying attention,” said Sunset as she bumped into the group.
“What do we have boys? A little animal coming home to the petting zoo” said laugh the man laughing that Sunset walked into.
“I said I was sorry and don’t call me an animal or my father’s home a petting zoo again or you’ll regret it. Now move out of the way I have something very important to do,” huffed Sunset as she started to walk past the group of men when one of the caught her by the arm.
“I don’t remember the boss saying you could leave yet,” said the man as he shoved Sunset back causing her to drop the adoption papers. The one called the boss picked them up and looked them over and scoffed at then looked to Sunset in anger.
“Give those back there very important,” growled Sunset in an angry tone. “Why is an animal like you, even being allowed to adopt a kid in the first place? Let alone a human?” said he waving the papers slightly as he flicks his wrist back and forth.
“I said give them back,” said Sunset as she took out her revolver.
“Or what you’ll shoot us,” laughed one of the other men pulling out a pair of his own bladed handguns with a smile. “Go ahead little horse girl. You’ll only give us all the more reason to burn down this filthy petting zoo. Oh, wait you said this was your father’s place.”
BANG!
Without a second thought, Sunset shot the bastard in the face with a stunning shot. The group was in utter shock as the didn’t believe she would do it.
“I said not to call my childhood home a petting zoo. Now give me back those forms or you’ll get a lot more than just a stun shot to the face,” Sunset said as she pulled her sword off her back.
“Um, boss I think we should listen to her,” said one of the three Huntsman still standing.
“Why should we? She’s just a little animal with a sword and pistol by her side. What ya gonna do next go courting us?” Laughed the boss of the group.
Sunset snorted as she was now thoroughly pissed off. She pressed a button on the hilt of her sword and connected it to the muzzle of her revolver. The blade of the sword split apart and revealed an inner string inside the sword that was connected to the revolver at the cocking mechanism. The handle moved from the base of the gun to the very back of it and extended slightly allowing the cocking piece and hammer to be pulled back further for more powerful and longer ranged shots. Sunset pulls back on the hammer string and prepared to fire at the now visibly shocked boss.
“This is bad boss. I think we’ve pissed off Helios,” said one of the others as they helped their stunned partner, he noticed the emblem on Sunset shirt when she armed her bow.
“Helios. As is in Mistral’s Archer of the Sun, Helios,” the leader said as he looked to the golden and amber sun symbol on Sunset’s chest, he then started to back up in fear.
“Hey pervert my eyes are up here,” Sunset says to get the boss’s attention off her chest. “And if you and your friends don’t want to end up full of holes in the next ten seconds, then I suggest you give me back my papers and leave. You better tell any of your buddies that might get the same ideas to target this place that they’ll be met with much worse than treatment than you did.”
“Yes’mam,” said boss as he gave the forms back. “ Why would any of the others meet with worse fates.”
“Because my father is Oleander Tusk, The Sword Eater. And he hates guys like you four, coming around threatening his home and messing with his kids. Now, leave and don’t come back. Ever,” Sunset says in an ominous tone.
The three mobile Huntsman wasted no time in picking up the still paralyzed comrade and quickly sped off. Sunset disassembled her bow changing it back into her sword and revolver putting both back in their respective holsters. Sunset took in a deep breath in and looked down to the adoption papers and then back down the street.
‘Assholes probably hired by the local bigwigs again. They’re lucky I got here before here before Papa saw them. Enough of this, I’m in too good a mood for something like a few random ass hats to ruin it. I can’t wait to see the look on Aeon’s face.’
Sunset opened the gate and went up to the house with Aeon’s adoption papers in hand and knocked on there door to her childhood home.
“Coming,” said a familiar voice. In a minute the door opened to reveal Lily. “Hey big sis, you came back again, awesome. Do you wanna help me fix supper today?”
“I’m sorry Lily but I need to see Aeon right away. Then I’ll help you cook okay,” Sunset said in a somewhat sadden tone. She had just realized this would be her last chance to fix supper for her little brothers, little sisters and her father for what could be a long time.
“Okay but then you have to help me in the kitchen,” Lily demanded. Sunset came into the house and put her weapons in the hallway closet then followed close behind Lily. “Aeon, Big Sis is here and she needs to see you right away. Hurry up so me and her can get started on supper. He’ll be down in a minute Sis.”
“Thanks, Lily,” Sunset says smiling at the younger Huntress.
“He was probably with Papa again. Aeon loves listening to his story and techniques. I remember when I was like that. Have to say, since Aeon came back from your house he’s been a lot more expressive than just being happy all the time. It was really scary how he would just smile. Please, Sis, be good to him. I know you two have a lot in common but still do everything you can and more. You were always a greater big sister to me. but I think now you should try to be a mom to my little brother. Promise me you’ll try,” said Lily as she stopped to look at Sunset noticing the papers she was trying to hide under her coat before turning and entering the kitchen.
In a few minutes, Aeon was racing down the stairs. When he reached the base he then jumped into Sunset’s embrace with a smile. She, in turn, would then affectionately nuzzled his face with a smile. Sunset them knelt down to show Aeon his finalized adoption papers officially making her legal guardian. Aeon was overjoyed with the act that he would now be living with Sunset but he couldn’t help but ask when they were moving to Patch. That’s when Sunset’s ears flattened in sadness as she realized they had to leave the next day if she was going to still have the job she was promised.
“I know this is rushed Aeon but we’ll be leaving tomorrow morning if I’m to keep the job I’ve got lined up at Signal. This will be the last supper we have with everyone for probably for a very long time. So be sure and make lots of good memories. Okay,” Sunset says as she sees tears start to form in the corners of Aeons face but before she could dry them he did that for her.
“Okay Sunset and once we get to Patch I can call everyone here and give them our address and number so we can keep in touch. So please don’t cry cause if you cry then I’ll cry and if I cry then everyone else will cry too,” Aeon said with a warm and comforting smile across his face.
“Okay, Aeon. Now go play with the others while I help Lily in the kitchen,” Sunset says getting back on her feet as Aeon run out the front door to find the other children.
“I don’t know what you did Sunset, but the lad seems much brighter since comin back from his time with you lass,” said Tusk as he came downstairs from his study. “Ya helpin Lily with supper I heard. Hope you two make something good. Why don’t ya spend your last night here with us? I know the little ones and me extremely happy. After supper, we can throw a couple back and swap stories from your hunts.”
“I’d like that and I’ve already heard all of your stories Papa. But I still love to hear you tell them and I’ll only drink with you after the little ones have gone to bed,” Sunset said as she walked toward the Kitchen.
“That’s a deal then lass,” Tusk said as he returned to his study to do some paperwork.
Everyone sat down for supper as they had for the past few days but the children could all tell that something was off from the feel of the stale air that was around them. Aeon hadn’t told any of them that his adoption had been finalized as he thought it wasn’t his place to say so. Everyone remained silent as the ate their portion of supper until Lily spoke up and told the table that Sunset had finally adopted Aeon causing the children to rejoice d and congratulate their siblings but the soon realized that if Aeons paperwork was finished that he and Sunset would be leaving in the next few days. This thought caused most of the younger kids to start to cry and that’s when Tusk broke the rest of the news. He said that Sunset and Aeon would be leaving first thing in the morning after breakfast but that Sunset was going to spend the night with everyone tonight. This soon caused the whole room to erupt in joy.
Soon after the little ones were all tucked away in their beds Sunset found herself in her father’s study. He’d already pour to glasses of Scotch, his preference, for the two of them. The father and daughter sat and exchanged their stories for a few hours until the subject changed to tomorrow.
“I’m going to be there for Papa. Like you were there for me,” Sunset said as she finished off her Scotch.
“I’m sure you will lass. Now off to bed with ya. You and your charge have a long trip tomorrow.” Tusk said with a smile. “Goodnight Sunset.”
Next Morning…
Everyone had woke up early and Tusk even let the whole house stay home from school so the could spend time with Sunset and Aeon before they left to catch their transport to the island of Patch. Tusk made the entire house pancakes, something that the kids highly loved about him, for breakfast that morning. Sunset sat next to Aeon while everyone was served their portions. Once breakfast was done, the whole house was out the door and headed to the Transport Station. Lily stayed silent the whole way there but Sunset could tell that she was giving something some serious thought.
“Okay, Lily, what's on your mind?” Sunset asked with concern.
“I was just wondering why you just adopted Aeon and not any of the other kids, or me…” Lily says while looking down in envy and sadness as tears start to flow from her eyes.
“Oh, Lily. I’m so so sorry,” Sunset says taking Lily in a deep warming embrace. “I know it would’ve made a lot more sense to you if I would've adopted one of the others or you but where I come from we hold true to our promises and I promised Aeon I would be his teacher if I came back when I found him.”
“BUT WHY ARE YOU STILL LEAVING?” Lily shouts as she pulls out of Sunsets grips. “IT’S NOT FAIR. YOU JUST MET AEON BUT YOU HELPED RAISE ME AND THE OTHERS!”
“Lily, listen to me, please. I’m doing this partially because of my promise but also because it’s something that I need to do for Aeon and myself. I don’t see him, in the same way, I see all of you. Which is why I adopted him. I’m leaving because I need to get him away from the reminders of what happened in his village. Aeon saw a lot more than any of the others saw who were an attack. I didn’t adopt you because I need you here to take over as everyone's big sister,” Sunset explained to her little sister with a quiver of sorrow as her voice cracked as their family watched in sadness as the final came to realize the older sister that had helped look after them their whole lives was leaving.
She took Lily in her arms again and gave her another warm embrace as the tears rolled off their faces. In the next moment, Sunset found herself pinned to the ground by every one of her siblings. The all buried their face in her coat with the grip that could rival an Ursa. Sunset returned the affection by holding them all as they started to take turns hugging her neck and getting their own nuzzles.
“I promise that I’ll come and see all of you whenever I’m in the city on a job. You all better listen to Lily because she’s in charge when Papa Tusk isn’t around. Understand.” Sunset states wave her finger to the little ones.
“Yes, big sis Sunset!” the group said in unison. “We love you and please take care of Aeon.”
The group of children then tackled their brother that they’d only known for around two weeks. Try as he might Aeon couldn’t escape their hold on him while Tusk and Sunset only standby laughing at the sight of the children on the floor.
“Come now little ones, Aeon and Sunset have a flight to catch and we can’t keep them waiting any longer than we already have,” Tusk says pulling Aeon up from the floor. “You’ll always have a home to come back to here lad. If Sunset gives you any trouble just give Ole Tusk here a call on the scroll and I’ll straighten her out.”
“Yes sir,” answered Aeon as he did his best to hold back his tears.
“Hey, no more sadness Aeon. I know you’ll miss everyone but we can still keep in touch. I’ll even bring you by so you can stay with them when I’m on missions that will allow you to tag along here in Mistral,” Sunset says putting a hand on Aeon head. “Tusk is right though, we need to get going or we’ll miss our transport..”
Sunset took Aeon’s and the duo walked off to the boarding terminal while waving good-bye to their family. They were off to see what was in store for them in the Kingdom of Vale to see what awaits them.
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