Fandom Grimm Hunter Part 2: Twin Tendency

[CapRock]

Aslan

I reach Sini just in time to see her and Noctis having a moment. I wouldn't say they seem alright just yet, but it is nice to see them trying. They also seem like they could use a breather, so I take the chance and start to talk:
"Well, I had a talk with the Chief's daughter. Not sure it helped much, but now I have to defeat her in single combat, so there's that. How are you doing?"
"Doesn't matter how you look at it, it seems like this is just a matter of reassuring the locals." Sini told me. She didn't seem at all phased by what I just said. "Everything should be fine after..." Her voice suddenly died out.
"Something wrong?" I ask.
"Must have been my imagination." Sini replied. "Maybe we can try teaching them some basic Grimm knowledge the next few days. That'll help them fear them less." I nod happily; at least, my little escapade with Koni won't get in the way of the others. Now I can just worry about how am I beating Koni. Wait, do I really gotta do it? It's not worth thinking about it right now. When I meet Koni again tonight, I'll talk to her and we'll solve this... I hope.

Cherry

Cherry remained in silent shock as Sonora Jr spoke her mind, alongside everyone else there. The Russet girls didn't know Sonora as much as Cherry did, they didn't know how emotional she could get when her sister was involved. Cherry herself could help but think that she was guilty over all that happened, so, once her sister disappeared into the forest, she ran after her sister and held her by the hand to try and stop her. "Sis, wait! What you said back there... That was beautiful! You're the best, you know that, right?" Her eyes were still watery but this time out of joy. She was pratically begging for a hug with her eyes. "Thanks for sticking up for me."

Midori

Midori saw her sister remain in silence while Sonora Jr. Apologized and left. Verde tried mumbling something, but the Rojas were just too fast and she was left on her own. She looked back at her shield, then sat next to it and started to search for bumps and cracks in it quietly. Only after a few moments that she spoke to Midori:
"Sis, you think I'm a bad person? No, wait. You answered that already, nevermind."
"I said you were being a horrible person. That doesn't mean you are one." Midori answered as she got back up. The fact that you worry about it proves that you're no so bad after all." A short moment of silence followed. Verde was still avoiding looking at Midori directly when she replied:
"Thanks. I needed that."
Not much later than that, Cassie and Sonora showed up. They didn't seem to have broken a sweat, but Cassie still had a rather disapproving look at the Russet sisters. Instead of giving them an earful, though, she simply shook her hair and commented playfully:
"You still have so much to learn... Come on, let's get back to the village and bring in the good news."

 

[Emperor Of Embers]

"In your eyes, I'm the best. But to everyone else.... I am just another another no good animal. But... I don't care about that. And besides, You are my sister, and that is what we do. We defend each other. And I know you would do the same for me, like you always have." She hugged Cherry tightly, and started to cry.

"Maybe we can use this trip as a way to bond with each other, and get to know each other better." Sonora Sr. Said as she walked with Cassie, with a smile on her face.

"Whoah! You are fighting the Chief's daughter?! That is so rad!" Noctis said, seeming like he was back to normal, but... Sini is still on his mind. What if he is not good enough for her? What if she sees him as a weakling, rather than a strong huntsman who can hold his own? "And that is a good idea sini, kinda like how mom taught us about the monsters she hunts. The more we knew, the more confident we were in taking them down efficiently and effectively."

At night, the same day.

An ring of rocks was made as Keezheekoni stood, waiting for her opponent. The crowd was singing and dancing for their princess' victory. She saw aslan walk into the ring, and she smiled. "I am glad you made it. Now! Let's begin!" Keezheekoni exclaimed as she charged Aslan, her Gunstock warclubs in hand.

"You can do it Aslan! We are rooting for you!" Sonora Jr. Shouted as she worried for his safety, but knew he can hold his own.

"You got this, Aslan! Defeat her, and gain victory for us!" Tristan exclaimed as he clapped for Aslan. "Win this Aslan! We are cheering you on! Aslan! Aslan! Aslan!" Noctis cheered as he cheerfully jumped around, a smile on his face.

The chief and his wife smiled as their daughter fought. They were not expecting a duel, but it is quite a sight indeed. CapRock

 

[CapRock]

"They certainly do look like they need to know each other some more" Cassie replied to Sonora. "If we let them out into the world like this, they'll get eaten alive."

Aslan

Oh no.
Oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no...
I didn't do anything about it, and now I'm actually staring at Koni in the eye, getting ready for this. My friends and family aren't just okay with this, they're cheering on me! This is madness and I'm the only one who seems to realize it. And the best thing is that Mom and Dad are here to watch me embarass myself in front of girl live. At least Sini isn't here to see it.
"Come on, Son!" Mom is shouting from the crowd. "Show them what the Sterlings are made of!"
"We believe in you As!" Cherry added. "Just do your best!"
Thanks, guys, but this isn't really helping at all. I'm just starting to think of some sort of greeting, but before I realize, Koni is already right up at my face, preparing to attack. I start to absorb air and I lift Pride ahead of me; she falls over me like a truck and I get sent to the side, barely keeping my footing. This just isn't looking very well for me.

Verde

As Verde watched Aslan and Koni walk into that, she couldn't help but wonder what exactly happened while they were away for things to end like that. As entretaining as that was, there was something else she in her mind right now. She quietly walked up to Sonora and stood at her side, still staring at Aslan's fight.
"So, um, I guess we all said some stuff we didn't really mean earlier today. We could spend all day arguing who was wrong first or who was more wrong... But I feel like it's better to leave it all behind us." She stared the ground a bit, then looked at Sonora. "I'm sorry for not leading you right. Turns out this leading thing is pretty hard to do, it seems. But I want to get better at it. Can I count on you?"

Sini

Spoiler: I'm so sorry

As much as Sini would like to have been watching Aslan's fight, there was an extremely important matter to attend to. She went away from the village and climbed a nearby mountain, reaching a tall enough height that she began walking in the snow. She found a cliff and sat on it, legs crossed, staring at the forest way down with her mind sunken deep into her own self. She'd done it a thousand times before, yet this session was one of a kind. She looked and searched around in herself as much as she could, but... Her aura was just nowhere to be found.
Sini took a hold of the charm around her neck. Tristan said it would help her and she didn't understand at the time but now it seemed pretty clear. Could this really be the solution to it all? It felt just like what her friend had done to her before he passed away... She knew the only way to find out would be to try directly, so she braced herself and let go of her attention completetly. She flinched right away, expecting a massive lightning, but all she got a tiny spark.
"It's... Gone?" She said to herself.
After an entire life living in fear of her own aura, it was all but gone in a simple gesture. No more being scared of hurting others, no more isolating herself and hiding her feelings from others, no more bounds and limits to how she should feel. It was insanely liberating, and it begged the question...
What now?

 

[Emperor Of Embers]

"Verde.... You don't need to apologize. So long as you know your mistakes, you know what to work on. Same with me and Cherry. But, you can count on all of us to help you, like we would with you. If we work together on more than just strategy, then we will be fine." Sonora Jr. Said as she looked at Verde. "For all of us, there is always room for improvement."

Keezheekoni waited for Aslan to get up. Once up, she started swinging her clubs, with aslan dodging every hit. For Keezheekoni, she is gaining a very good idea of what Aslan is like. "He is barely fighting..... I will make him a warrior after this, for his love back home." Keezheekoni lets up slightly, as to not seriously hurt the boy.

Clifford began to worry for aslan, and shouted, "C'mon aslan! Fight back! Show her who's boss!" He wanted to get in there and help Aslan, but that would break so many rules right there. CapRock

 

[CapRock]

Aslan

My duel with Koni advances into what I can only assume to be the middle part of it. Dad's still cheering on me while I clearly can barely keep myself from getting mauled, so that's something. Even here I'm still leagues above the actual fighters. But that's alright. I can handle defeat, even if it is in front of so many people and with such an obvious difference, I'm sure I can get over it and just try harder the next time.
What I can't get over, though, is when people decide to go easy on me.
"Hey!" I Block the next blow with newfound strenght and open up some space between myself and Koni. "Don't think I don't see what you're doing." She's just letting up a little bit, but trust me, I've got an eye for this sort of thing exactly because it bothers me too much. I start to absorb enough wind for a few strong blows. "I know what you're doing and you better stop it! Right now!"
It's a stupid reason to regain my footing on the duel, but anything goes for me in these situations, so I charge onto her and blow some of my wind to push forward a strong blow; it's so fast that I can't stop my sword properly if I miss, but it's a risk worth taking.

Sini

Sini sneaked back into the village in the middle of Aslan's fight, ending up near her mother on the crowd. She didn't say a word until her mother spoke:
"You're late. Where have you been?"
"Meditating." Sini answered calmly. She took a hold of the charm she was wearing and said: "Noctis gave this to me. He thought it could help out with my aura somehow."
"Oh, did he?" Cassie asked. Most of her focus was still on Aslan's fight, however. "And did it work at all?"
"No." Sini lied. "Not really. But it looks nice, so I'll keep it for now."

Cherry

"Yay! You two are talking again!" Cherry said. "Sis is right, you know. We've gotta work on our team synergy! How should we do that?"
"It's not instant. At least, it shouldn't be." Midori replied.
"Sis got a point." Verde agreed. "The longer we survive each other, the better we'll get at this. But for now... Let's take a break, right? I'm not sure we deserve one, but we sure need it."
"Agreed." Cherry continued. "We've done enough for one day, now let's sit back and watch Aslan show them what Beacon students are made of!"

 

[Emperor Of Embers]

"So, you want an actual fight now? I thought you were just going easy on me! So get ready, because I am coming!" Keezheekoni Shouted as she combined her clubs into a bow, and started shooting off arrows at his feet, making him dance. She then stopped shooting, and went in, and smacked him with her bow, and tried to slash him with her arrow, which was made with Blue dust.

Sonora Jr. Was taken by surprise at the fight suddenly picking up. She worried for aslan, rather than cheer on for him. Tristan was also worried for his teammate.

"Glad you could make it!" Noctis exclaimed as he walked up to Sini, and held out his hand for a handhake. CapRock

 

[CapRock]

Aslan

Who'd knew that I'd have my Pride come back to haunt me, of all people? That Koni I was just fighting, the one who was giving me so much trouble, was just playing nice with me. She's pulling out all stops now, pulling out her bow and opressing me with her arrows. I was still starting to process all that was happening when my face was met with her bow right on. I stumbled back, having but one second before I see a bright blue flash as what was left of my aura prevents my face from blowing up. My world spins and black outs for a moment before I catch myself hugging the ground. The scratches on my hands and the stinging on my back confirms that I'm all out of protections now.
As far as I go, running our of aura is usually just the beggining of my struggle. I get back up, ready my sword and charge up to her again; before I get to her, however, I the chief's voice call out for me to stop:
"Enough! You've lost your aura, and this duel is not meant to draw any blood. The victory goes to Keezheekoni!"
I can't describe how hard it is for me to just relax and sheathe my sword when I feel like we haven't even begun fighting properly. While the locals all surround Koni to congratulate her, I have to deal with everyone coming after me to console me:
"Ha, she got you good, huh?" Mom said. "You've got to be more careful next time."
"Losing only makes you stronger." Midori added.
"I can't believe our little As lost!" Cherry cried out. "She just got lucky, I bet!"
I don't have much to say, so I just thank and agree with everyone while I make my way to Koni. I look deep into her eyes as I think what kind of mess I got myself into just over a cheap lie. This whole ordeal is insane and pointless but, after tonight, I'm starting to look forward to going through it. Koni, this clueless, passionate girl with fire in her heart... Spending some time with her doesn't seem so bad at all.
"Koni..." I tell her. "Please teach me how you do it."

Sini

"Hey Noctis." She replied shaking his hands. She saw it as them digging the hatchet, in a way. "I'm happy to see you here too. I've been trying out the charm... Doesn't seem to be doing much, but thanks for worrying over me. It means a lot." She knew she better get that out of the way. If Noctis knew it worked he might try closing in on her again and she had no idea what to do if that happened. If she did decide in favor of telling anyone, she could just tell him it started to take effect later.

 

[Emperor Of Embers]

"I will teach you more than just combat, I will teach you our way of life, how we see everything to the horizon. Now, come. We go to spot I know." Keezheekoni said as she broke apart her bow, reverting to her Warclubs again, and started to walk to the entrance. "Keezheekoni, Be careful. The darkness still lurks among the trees." Little ox warned as Keezheekoni smiled. "The ancestors are with me, watching for the evil that consumes our people, and anything that may be of evil seed. Do not worry, Father, for I am teaching this visitor how we see and fight. We will return safely, That is my promise." She said in a language that none of the group understood, but her father did. He nodded, while Keezheekoni took Aslan's hand, and led the way.

"She didn't get lucky. She just wanted to see if Aslan wanted to fight or not... And she gave it to him." Sonora said as she yawned, and her ears droop. "Time to hit the hay, yeah?"

"I... It's not a problem at all...." Noctis said with a slight tinge of disappointment in his voice. He had hoped the charm would work, but he would have to think of something else. CapRock

 

[CapRock]

Aslan

As Koni takes a hold of my hand, every fiber of my being is begging me to ask the meaning of all this. At times like these, I'm so dumb that, even after the girl asked me if I was single directly, I'm still guessing to myself if she likes me or not. She's speaking something suspicious to her father which I really hope doesn't mean 'I'll get you a sucessor dad!' and starts to take me to this spot she knows. I stare at my friends with desperation all over my face; Verde is having the laugh of her life and Sini simply gives me an encouraging nod. It's only after a while that I remember I haven't even replied to her, so I bring myself to say:
"O-ok, lead the way!"

Midori

While most of teams SANT and CVSM were worried with Koni's sudden bold move on Aslan, Midori's attention turned elsewhere. She could hear heavy steps nearing the village, accompanied by the sound of something being dragged across the ground. Everyone turned and saw none other than Damian showing back again, carrying someone by the hair. Everyone gasped as he tossed a warrior of an enemy tribe into the middle of the stage and said warrior squirmed in pain and sat up.
"All of them dead, huh?" Damian said. "Ain't it funny how I found this one alive and well, and spying on the village?" Midori leaned in closer with a mix of shock and morbid curiosity. Aslan and his adventures with Koni seemed to be light-years away now.
"You foreigner stay away from our business." Damian scowled and kicked him down again, saying:
"I give the orders here, thank you very much. Why don't you repeat what you told me earlier today?" The tribesman growled at Damian, only to be met with another kick.
"Ok, ok!" He complained. "We attack the Mai Kalai and cover up saying Darkness attack. We pretend Darkness attack on us to, so we can sneak up Qal Quai. Qal Quai so weak the Darkness doing our job... Argh!" Another kick silenced the warrior.
"I found it suspicious when you mentioned all the villages suddenly got exterminated by Darkness after living here for so long." Damian explained to the village chief. "Turns out you should have double checked the villages."

 

[Emperor Of Embers]

"W... Weak?!? Qal Quai are not weak, Vermin! It is you, that is weak!" The chief was clearly very angry, but not towards damian, but towards the enemy tribesman that Damian brought to them. "Bind him! Do not let this mongrel escape!" The chief walked down to damian, with his wife, as the fellow Qal Quai tied up the warrior. "Thank you, for you have opened a new light on our plight. We will get our answers yet out of him. Unless you want to help us get them." He said to damian, looking at him with a mix of confusion, and desperation. Little Ox knew little of what to do, and to look to an outsider, would put many to shame. But at times like these, those rules go out the window. "When villages were destroyed, we stayed put, in fear our home be destroyed when we are gone...... We thought it was the Grimm... As you call them. But to hear this.... It makes me angry, and afraid for my people."

"Don't worry. We'll stay as long as we need to. Besides, I am liking it here, everyone has so many pretty bracelets and necklaces. And the music is amazing!" Sonora Sr. Said as the chief broke a smirk at her enthusiasm.

About 20 minutes of walking later, Keezheekoni and Aslan reached the spot where a beam of moonlight was shining through a hole in the canopy. She then sat down, then laid on her back, patting a spot right next to her. "You lay here, and look at the sky." CapRock

 

[CapRock]

Aslan

My mind is drawing a blank as I stare at Koni laying down. I only hesitate for a second before following her request. It's really a beautiful night. Being far away from the lights of the city, the sky is just littered with stars in a way that I'm not used to see. It's so great to lay there and share the moment with Koni that I don't even remember what brought me there anymore. And who cares? It's great like this and I want it to last forever. But it's not just me and the stars here. Koni is here too and I want to talk to her.
"So..." I risk saying. "Is this where you go when you want to have some peace and quiet? It's great."

Verde

Things had certainly taken an interesting turn.
As the enemy tribesman was takn custody of with a smug Damian following after the chief, Verde turned to the other huntsmen who were there with them for guidance:
"I didn't see this twist coming. What should we do now? You don't expect us to just go home and leave it to you, I hope."
"No, that absolutely won't do." Cassie agreed. "We'll set up camp nearby and spend our nights here until the job is done."
"Insects, natural showers and no electricity for who knows how long. Wonderful." Midori commented.
"Oh, don't be like that, sis!" Verde replied. "We should start setting things up, then! It's getting late."
"Good point, Verde." Sini added. "Noctis, Tristan, we should get going on our own. I get the feeling As won't be back until much later tonight."

 

[Emperor Of Embers]

After spending some time setting up camp, the group goes to bed, exhausted from their day.

"Yes, and it is the spot of your first teaching. Look at the sky, those lights.... Those are out ancestors, our loved ones, or our friends who have passed from this life. But their spirits are watching from the skies, smiling down on us while we breathe, fight, even slumber." Keezheekoni sighed as she looked at Aslan, her heart started to pound in her chest, and she began to feel warm and fuzzy. But she must remain focused. CapRock

 

[CapRock]

Aslan

My ancestors, huh?
Even though I know what stars are deep down, when I look into them I can't help but think about what would dad say if he saw me now. Not Clifford, my real dad, Rohan Sterling. Would he even care that I made it this far, that I struggle so much to keep up with everyone? They never talk to me about him, so I bet he must have been a horrible person like most of the other Sterlings. In that manner, I'm not like Koni, I don't have those spirits watching over me... But i'd really like to.
After I'm done thinking about the stars, I look back at Koni and realize she's staring at me with an intensity I haven't seen before. She's so close I can smell her essence and feel her breath caressing by cheeks. All I want to do right now is pull her in and kiss her with all I've got! But I can't. Not after what I told her. I chickened out when I had the chance and she would surely just feel betrayed if I told her I lied. I come back to earth and crack a goofy smile to hide my feelings, saying:
"I think I got my first lesson. What's next?"

 

[Emperor Of Embers]

Keezheekoni takes his hand, and puts it on her cheek. "Soft hands, like a glove of warmth.... Aslan, you..... You have special place in my heart, but you long for someone else. When sun rise, we train you to be better warrior like Qal Quai." She said with a tinge of disappointment. She did have feelings for Aslan, but to her, he did not have any feelings at all.

She respected his loyalty to his love, and then smiled. She then laid on her back, and then got up. "We go back to village. Father may be worried for me." She took his hand again, and led him to the village. CapRock

 

[CapRock]

- 4 days later -

Aslan

I open my eyes in a brief moment of clarity. I'm quite literally kissing the ground, hunched over in a horrible pose and feeling my bones ache for some peace and comfort. Koni is a couple steps from me, still not a scratch and lively as ever; I've made some progress in the short time we've been here, but it isn't really enough for me to be happy with it. I scramble myself up again. In the past few days, Koni has been completely dedicated to turn me into the best version of myself I possibly can be, seemingly for no reason other than she wants to see me get that 'town girl' who doesn't even exist. What a kind soul.
Meanwhile, all this little useless idiot has been doing is gradualling drooling over the amazing girl that's Keezheekoni more and more. Spending time with her has been the best part of every day, even if I do get mauled silly every time; I wish I could tell her about my feelings but we're stuck in this stupid situation because of me and I'd do anything to start it over and do everything the right way.
"Ugh... You got me again!" I tell Koni as I get up. I'm still gripping tight to Pride and I haven't used one bit of aura yet. "What did I do wrong this time? Let me try one more time."

Sini

"So when a Grimm lives for too long without being hunted down, they start to grow older, bigger, wiser, and stronger. Hunting grimm regurlarly around the village grounds is important to lower their threat level and keep yourselves safe. If you're having trouble with one particular grimm, you can always call in a huntsman team to take it down. Any questions?"
Sini was giving out a class on Grimm to the youngsters of the tribe, sitting cross-legged with a circle of curious eyes sitting around her. Everyone from the teams took a class under their wing, and Sini received the youngest batch; they were just mesmerized by her presence and kept themselves reasonably quiet through the whole ordeal.
"Ok, that'll be it for today! Class dismissed."
After the kids scrambled, Sini took out the charm out of her pocket and stared at it. She had been wearing it around the others, but taking it off as soon as no one was looking; the idea of getting too used to the freedom and becoming an absolute slob was taking her over in fear. The aura's lightning was scary, sure, but people's reactions were more. But she would try wearing it a little more, if only for Noctis' sake. If things didn't get any better, however... She would need to come up with a more permanent solution to the charm situation.

 

[Emperor Of Embers]

"Nothing, it's just you are not yet used to our way of combat. Sit, and rest." Keezheekoni sat down next to Aslan, and looked him in the eyes. "With your heart, tell me of this woman you wish to win the heart of. I am curious about her." She asked with her head tilted to the side.

Noctis and Tristan were with the pottery makers, making assisting them with their work. Noctis dries the pottery with his semblance, with the villagers watching in awe and wonder. "Blue hair man make fire! He make fire!" a child screamed out of joy as Noctis smiled. "always one to put on a show." Tristan muttered.

Sonora Jr. Was training with the best of the warriors, besting them in every match, while she taught them her style. "Find an opening, and strike! If your enemy is open, then that is a well earned hit." Sonora said as she slashed at a warrior, dodging to the left, only to be met with a shield to the face. "Just like that! You see how he made an opening for me?" The men nodded, in shock that a little girl bested one of the village's best. CapRock

 

[CapRock]

Aslan

Like most things that hit me by surprise, I should have totally seen it coming. She's doing that thing again where she stares into my soul and I feel like I couldn't hide anything from her. Well, if I can't hide what I feel for her, then I just won't! I'll open up to her without betraying my first lie, it's the only way.
"Well... " I say. "Just for starters she's an absolute stunner, the kind you'll see once and never forget. She's kind, she's wise, she's determinated and she this way of looking at you that'll make the rest of the world seem like absolute noise." Whoa, slow down there Shakespeare, or she's going to find out! "I want to tell my feelings for her, but I'm afraid we'll lose what we already have if I do. That's why I accepted your training. I want to become stronger and get over my fears!" It feel great to open up to her like this... I hope I'm not hurting Koni too much by saying all of this.

Cherry

Cherry was standing happily in the middle of a cheering crowd with a floral arrangement on her head. She was doing what she did best; playing with her Hatchet Revolvers. In her hands, the gun-weapon hybrid seemed to gain life as she spun it around her fingers, threw it over the shoulder to catch them in the air without looking and fanned the hammer at a clay pot, making it spin widly without breaking by just grazing it with her bullets.
"What about that? Pretty neat, huh?" She asked, happily accepting the cheers that followed. Verde and Midori showed up soon after to say:
"Come on, Cherry! We're chasing after that evil tribe today, remember?"
"It's time they paid for their crimes." Midori agreed.
"Oh, right! I'm coming!" Cherry agreed. She bowed to her crowd and said: "Thank you, you're all amazing! I'll do one more of these tomorrow."

 

[Emperor Of Embers]

"I see.... So that is why you want her..... I understand now. Let's continue then." Keezheekoni gets up, and lends a hand in helping aslan up. After getting up, the two begin to spar once more, with aslan improving with each match.

With sonora finishing with her match, she goes with the others. She did not know what this enemy tribe was capable of, but she hoped that they could handle the task. "Do we even know what we are up against? If not.... Then we should have some back-up. Like my mom and dad...." Sonora Jr. Did have a point, but she was unsure if it was the best idea at the moment. CapRock

 

[CapRock]

Verde

"Yes and yes." Midori replied. "Your parents are waiting for us at the forest entrance." Verde took the reunited team CVSM up to Damian and Sonora jr, who were both equipped and ready to leave alongside a small group of Qal Quai elite warriors.
"So listen up, kids." Damian told them. "The folks here and I managed to find out the whereabouts of the hiding enemy tribesmen and we are coming with them. What are we going to do to those natives?"
"Kick their butts!" Verde jumped in decidedly.
"Wrong!" Damian corrected. "We are going to do nothing to them, those are internal matters between the people there. We'll be there to ensure that the battle doesn't bring in Grimm, or else it'll be another massacre. Any questions?"
"Do they really have to kill each other like that?" Cherry asked. "Can't they just... Make peace and throw a party?"
"Oh, my dear... You know I can't answer for them." Damian said. Despite not being a direct answer, it seemed to calm Cherry down somewhat. "Now where's team SANT?"

Sini

After putting her charm away again, Sini went after the others. She happened to walk by her mother talking with the village chief with a serious look:
"So that's the condition? You should begin setting it up then. I've got to tell the news to... Oh, hi Sini."
"Something wrong?" Sini asked.
"Nothing you need to worry right now about." Cassie said. "You're going to meet to set off to the mission, right? Tell my brother Aslan is staying. I need to talk to him."
Sini didn't make much form it as she left. Her mother always paid close attention to Aslan, focusing some training sessions and conversations entirely on his issues. She couldn't blame her; it was hard to look at Aslan and not want to help him. She later joined the others and explained the situation.

 

[Emperor Of Embers]

"Cherry, if anything, that is a question to ask the chief." Sonora Jr. Snapped as sonora sr. Shook her head. "Hun, I think we have enough people to go in this assignment with. Sini, and team CVSM are more than enough. Besides, the boys are entertaining the locals." She then looked at cherry and Sonora Jr. "And I am going to say this once, so listen. Listen to each other, and try not to fight like the 4 of you did last time. If you were by yourselves, you would all be dead." Sonora Jr. Dared not say anything after that, for she knew how her mother was when she is serious. "Sini! Hello sweetheart!" Sonora Sr. Exclaimed as she smothered the poor girl in her plentiful bosom. CapRock

 

[CapRock]

-A couple hours later-

Aslan

After the training was over, I was feeling like I had been run over twice, so I thank Koni again and go for a stroll to get some fresh air. Doesn't matter where I go, though, the same questions from before are still crawling after me from the back of my head. I can't help but feel like I'm using Koni, lying like that both to her and to myself. It's getting me quite down and, before long, that catches the attention of the person I wanted to talk it over with the least.
"Hey son!" Mom pops up beside me. I nearly trip and fall from the sudden greeting. "Taking some heavy thoughts for a walk, I take?"
Straight to the point and no letting up, as always. Do I have any chance to dodge the question? I don't think so.
"Yeah, something like that. Also taking a break from training."
"You've been with that Koni girl a lot since you got here. She's really cute, you know." She says, hitting me with a suggestive elbow.
"Mom!" Why do parents have to be like that? "We're just friends. And besides, she's the chief's daughter. I can't just go around asking her out like that."
"Actually, you can." I instantly look at mom and see that she's serious about it. "I was just talking to the chief. All you have to do to get her is challenge her to a single combat and win. I bet she meant to tell you that, but didn't because of a certain 'town girl'... What's her name again?" News spreaded way faster than I imagined in this little village. Mom's got me on the ropes now, I have little hope of getting back from this. I stop walking and stare at her.
"I... I got nervous, ok? She was being so direct with me, and I didn't want to screw things up and disrecpect the tribe, so I came up with the town girl story and now... Well, now I think I'm linking her back. But I can't get back on my lie! She'll hate me."
At this point, mom smiled. It's that 'you're cute, but also so wrong' smile she gives me whenever I'm not believing in myself enough. I do it so often I can't even tell something's wrong, but I still feel horribly guilty every time they point it out for me.
"Is that it? That's why you're anxious?" I nod quietly. "Oh honey, let tell you a little secret." She's got both hands on my shoulders now and, even though she's a bit smaller than me, I feel tiny right now. "Maybe it doesn't look that way, but girls are people, just like you. They can make mistakes and they have the ability to forgive yours just as well. What they can't forgive if is you act like a chicken around them. So walk up to her and tell the truth; if she won't forgive you for that little thing, than she'd make a lousy girlfriend in the first place! Don't you think?"
"...I guess you're right." Could the reality really be so easy? It's a bit hard to believe, but mom does know a lot more about it than I do.
"That's what I like to hear!" Mom starts to laugh a bit but, once she notices that I'm still nervours, she stops and hugs me close. I can feel her giving off a nice warmth, which is an undeniable proof of her happiness. "My little boy is living his first romance. I'm so proud of you." She then lets go and says: "Now go out there and challenge Koni to that duel!"
Mom just forgot to tell me one little detail, of course. No, scratch that; I bet you whatever you want that she's laughing her ass off as soon as I get away from her sight, because she knows very well what happens if I win.

Cherry

Cherry followed the group in a very unusual silence up until they reached the hideout. From their hiding spot just in front of the makeshift tents, she could overhear the warriors discussing the plan:
"The enemy is ahead and they're dangerous. Get in, kill all men quick and get out before the grimm come. Allies do the rest. Ready? Then..."
"Wait!"
Much to everyone's surprise, Cherry was right in front of the group, arms spreaded to the sides. She continued:
"Please, let's think this through again! I know they were bad, but where does shedding more blood gets us? You're just creating more hate! Let's talk it out with them, maybe they'll listen!"

 

[Emperor Of Embers]

"listen, and heed my warning. For the Mez Parda, are not what you think. They disrespect our dead, eat their flesh, and slay our people for their consumption. They feast on the flesh of our people, and their own, for they believe that they are appeasing the spirits. We Qal Quai respect the dead, and leave the vessels for the animals, and leave the spirits to pass into the Spirit world." The leader of the warrior group explained as sonora sr. looked at them in disgust. "C... Cannibals!? They are cannibals!?" Her motherly senses were tingling, and looked at cherry and Sonora Jr. "You need not worry, we are your allies. We know one thing they fear, and that is the wrath of outsiders. They keep to themselves, and attack at night. Whoever they kill, becomes a part of them as meat." Sonora Jr. looked as if she was about to vomit, and she looked at Cherry and Verde. "Are you two gonna defend Cannibalism now? It is downright wrong...." Sonora Jr. Sat down, and began to breathe deeply, to try to keep herself calm, and relieve her nausea. CapRock

 

[CapRock]

Aslan

I didn't even realize it at first, but talking to mom gave me a really strong confident boost. She really made me feel that I couldn't end up losing in either situation, so I'm making a straight line to Koni in strong, decided steps. In times like these, you've gotta say it strong and fast before your resolve runs out, so when I reach her, I don't even mind the fact that there's other people around watching it. I just look at her and say:
"Keezheekoni! I can't hide my feelings from you anymore." What am even going with this? Well, everyone's staring at me, so there's no going back. "I challenge you to a duel!"
Silence fell into the area around me as I said that. Maybe I didn't say it with all the right words, but they definitely grasped the concept. Aslan, the looser of the bunch, who couldn't even get a hit in on a spar... Wants to date the village's daughter.

Verde

"T-they eat what?" Verde asked. She was starting to feel light in the head just from picturing it.
"N-no way..." Cherry seemed on the verge of breaking, forcing a smile and a laugh while she stared concerned at the warriors. "T-this is just a joke, right? Right guys!?"
Verde could see Cherry's eyes starting to wet and she knew that something had to be done about it, and it had to be done quick. She looked into Midori's eyes to issue a comand; she created a portal and Verde took Cherry out of the way, then grabbed her by the arms and whispered:
"Hey. Hey, Cherry. Stay with us, we need you. Are you there?"
"T-they eat them?" She asked in a cracking voice. "Like... Food?"
"Don't focus on that right now girl. Listen!" Verde had a million things going through her mind at that moment, especially the gross image of the tribesman eating human corpses, but her pride could not afford having her team breaking down again. She pushed all the bad thoughts away and focused on the task at hand; keeping Cherry with them. "I was talking to some of the village today, and you know what? They think you're awesome. They love those tricks you do with the hatchets, and they would do anything for some lessons. Could you teach them when we get back, Cherry?"
"I..." Cherry sniffled, starting to regain her composure. "I can do it, yeah." She added with a nod.
"Good, good. So, let's take down those mean Grimm and go back home, alright? That's the best we can do for them."
"...Alright."
Midori was watching the whole scene with an approving nod. "Well, at least we learned something from all of this. Like staying as far away from this forest as physically possible as soon as the job is done."
Sini was the only one who didn't seem to be fazer by the reveal. She walked up to the warriors and said:
"I'm sorry for the interruption. Please proceed, we'll keep guard of the surroundings." Even then, Sini kept seeming to be the perfect robot of always. At times like these, it was more scary than reassuring as far as Verde was concerned.

 

[Emperor Of Embers]

Keezheekoni was surpised by Aslan's sudden confidence, but she smiled, feeling a sort of pride in her heart. "We meet tonight. I hope you are ready to fight. Because this time, I am not holding back." Keezheekoni said as she smiled at him, and then walked off to get ready for the fight. She did not know how he got so confident, but he better hope he wins, instead of facing the sting of defeat again.

A few hours later
The arena was set, and the fires were lit, illuminating the rock and dirt ring that Keezheekoni and Aslan stood in. Little ox raises his arms, silencing the crowd. "This duel we are bearing witness to, is for the hand of my daughter, Keezheekoni! Should the boy win, she will be his, and his alone. After the fight, if the boy wins, a ritual will be performed immediately, by my own hand." The chief lowered his arms, and the crowd cheered as they had just processed what they were told.

"Wait.... Alsan is fighting for her hand in marriage?! That lucky little... Oof!" Sonora Sr. Pounded the top of Jr's head. "It's their traditions, do not get jealous over Aslan." Sonora Sr. Said sternly.

"Wow! That is so cool!" Noctis whistled and cheered for aslan as Tristan remained stone faced. "Interesting, they use combat as a way to choose suitors.... Fascinating." He said as he began to think.
"YEAH! ASLAN!! THAT'S MY BOY!!! WOO!!" Clifford shouted at the top of his lungs, making sure Aslan heard every word. CapRock

 

[CapRock]

Aslan

Koni's hand? As in, for marriage? I'm feeling a bit numb from that announcement alone, as if I'm just watching my body from afar. This is by far the craziest thing I have ever done in my life and dad is still cheering on me, like it's nothing much. But mom... Mom just has the smugest of faces right now. She knew it all along and she's letting it happen. She must be missing a screw in the head, I can't believe this.
"Come on, As!" Mom said. "Finish what you started. I'm counting on you."
"Aslan, are you sure about this?" Sini, on the other hand, didn't seem as excited to see her brother marry like that. "You can call it off if you want."
I did consider that option, Sini, and I considered it quite a bit. But thinking about it a bit more has cleared my mind. Koni was surprised alright, but I can also see that she feels happy to be here. Maybe marrying Koni isn't that bad of an outcome, after all. But if I want to even have a chance at beating her without running out of aura, I'm going to have to give my absolute best.
"Alright Koni... Here I come!" I yell.
I reach out for Pride's guard and I flip a switch on it, shifting the grooves inside the sword's blade. This is a bit of an experimental mode at this time and I don't have a very good control over it, but it's definitely worth trying. I take in the air around me and point the sword towards her, then let all the air in me inside the grooves, propelling a Dust projectile with the compressed air. The pressure is enough to push me back a full meter in recoil; it should pack quite the punch.