Chapter XVIV: Vytal Tournament- Round One
Vytal Festival Tournament - Dragon Bonds Deepen
The Strategic Council - Dragon Family Planning
Just mere hours after Team RWBY's victory, the dragon families convene in a private meeting chamber within Beacon Academy. The ancient stone walls are lined with representatives from each major dragon house, their scales shimmering in the afternoon light filtering through tall windows.
Derek Dragonblade stands at the head of the circular table, his authority as patriarch evident in every gesture. Around him, the other dragon nobles arrange themselves according to their ancient hierarchies - a gathering that hasn't occurred in decades.
Derek: The tournament has revealed more than just our bonded pairs' growing abilities. Intelligence suggests that certain competitors pose a threat that extends beyond simple academic rivalry.
Katsura Dragonblade nods gravely, her ancient wisdom evident in her golden eyes.
Katsura: Mercury Black and his associates carry the scent of deception. Our enhanced senses detect layers of falsehood in their presence.
Yukikaze shifts uncomfortably at the mention of Mercury's name, her purple scales catching the light as electrical energy unconsciously dances around her fingertips.
Derek: (turning his attention to Yukikaze) Which brings us to an opportunity. Yukikaze, your... interest in the young man has not gone unnoticed.
Yukikaze: (attempting royal composure while lightning crackles) I fail to see how personal observations relate to family strategy.
Reynar Tokyoheim leans forward, his tactical mind already seeing the possibilities.
Reynar: If Mercury Black is indeed connected to hostile forces, someone close to him could gather invaluable intelligence. Someone he would never suspect of having ulterior motives.
The implications hang in the air like storm clouds. Yukikaze's thunder abilities respond to her emotional turmoil, creating soft rumbling sounds that echo through the chamber.
Hon'oh: (her ice-blue eyes calculating) A Thunder Dragon Empress showing romantic interest would be the last thing an enemy agent would suspect as reconnaissance.
Yukikaze: (standing abruptly, electricity arcing around her) You're asking me to use romantic deception as a weapon?
Shoryu: (speaking for the first time, his frost abilities creating gentle white patterns in the air) Not deception, sister. Protection. If this Mercury is truly in danger from the same forces threatening our bonded pairs, then your growing connection could be what saves him.
The room falls silent as everyone processes Shoryu's words. The Frost Dragon King rarely speaks in council, but when he does, his insights carry the weight of ancient wisdom.
Derek: (nodding slowly) Shoryu raises an interesting point. Perhaps we're looking at this incorrectly. What if Mercury Black isn't the threat, but another potential victim?
Shoryu and Blake - A Deeper Connection Revealed
Later that evening, as the dragon families disperse from their council meeting, Shoryu walks through Beacon's gardens with Blake Belladonna. Their friendship, dating back to childhood before Blake's time with the White Fang, has evolved into something deeper during her time at the academy.
Blake: (her amber eyes reflecting concern) The way your family was talking about Mercury... there's something you're not telling me about dragon family business.
Shoryu's frost abilities create delicate ice crystals that spiral around them both as they walk, a unconscious display of the comfort he feels in her presence.
Shoryu: (his voice carrying the measured tones of ancient authority) Blake, there are things about our world that even Ruby and Yang are only beginning to understand. The dragon families don't just bond with individuals - we protect entire bloodlines across generations.
Blake: (stopping beside a fountain, her faunus heritage making her naturally attuned to the supernatural) And you think Mercury's bloodline needs protection?
Shoryu reaches out to touch her face gently, his frost abilities creating a brief crown of ice crystals in her dark hair that catch the moonlight beautifully.
Shoryu: I think there are forces at work that would use anyone with power as a weapon. Dragon-bonded or not, people like Mercury become targets simply because of their potential.
Blake: (leaning into his touch) Like I was a target because of my White Fang connections?
Shoryu: Exactly. (his frost abilities swirl more intensely as his emotions deepen) Blake, when we were children, I could sense the storms building around your future. That's why I maintained contact, even when you disappeared into the White Fang. I knew someday you'd need an anchor.
Blake's eyes widen as she realizes the full implications of what he's saying.
Blake: You've been watching over me for years. Not just friendship - protection.
Shoryu: (nodding) And now I'm asking you to help me extend that protection to someone else who might need it. Mercury doesn't know what forces are gathering around him, but my sister's instincts are rarely wrong about people.
Yukikaze's First Move
The next morning, as competitors prepare for the next round of tournament matches, Yukikaze makes her first deliberate approach to Mercury Black. She's chosen the training facilities, where her presence can seem natural rather than calculated.
Mercury is working through combat forms with his mechanical legs when he notices the Thunder Dragon Empress watching from the observation area. Her purple hair catches the morning light streaming through the windows, and her electrical abilities create subtle patterns in the air around her.
Mercury: (pausing his routine) You know, most people just ask if they want to train together.
Yukikaze: (her royal composure slipping slightly) I was observing combat techniques. Your leg modifications create interesting tactical opportunities.
Mercury: (approaching the barrier between them) That's a polite way of saying you were watching me work out.
The directness of his statement sends a surge through Yukikaze's thunder abilities that manifests as visible lightning dancing between her fingers.
Yukikaze: (attempting to regain royal dignity) I don't... that is, I wasn't...
Mercury: (with genuine amusement) Relax, Your Highness. I'm flattered. Not every day a dragon princess takes interest in a guy like me.
His casual use of her title surprises Yukikaze - most people either don't know her status or are intimidated by it.
Yukikaze: You know who I am?
Mercury: (leaning against the barrier) Purple hair, lightning powers, royal bearing, sitting in the dragon family section? Either you're Yukikaze Ayakashi, Thunder Dragon Empress, or you're the best cosplayer I've ever seen.
Despite herself, Yukikaze laughs - a sound like distant thunder that's somehow musical.
Yukikaze: And you don't find that intimidating?
Mercury: (shrugging with characteristic confidence) I've got metal legs and I fight for a living. Takes more than royal titles to intimidate me.
In the dragon family observation area above, several family members watch this interaction with keen interest.
Mist: (whispering to Cardin) Look at how relaxed she is with him. I haven't seen Yukikaze laugh like that in decades.
Shoryu: (arriving with Blake at his side) Sister's instincts about people have always been excellent. If she's drawn to Mercury Black, there's more to him than his companions might indicate.
Blake: (studying Mercury's body language through her faunus senses) He's not performing for her. That's genuine interest, not manipulation.
The Growing Connection
Over the following days, as the tournament continues, Yukikaze finds reasons to spend more time near Mercury. What begins as family strategy gradually becomes something more personal.
She discovers that beneath his casual confidence lies a sharp intelligence and a protective instinct toward his teammates that resonates with her own dragon family loyalties. When she mentions her concerns about hidden threats in the tournament, Mercury's responses reveal tactical awareness that impresses even her ancient strategic training.
Mercury: (during one of their conversations in the library) You know, for someone who's supposed to be competition, you ask very specific questions about tournament security.
Yukikaze: (her purple scales shimmering as she realizes he's noticed her intelligence gathering) I simply believe in being prepared for contingencies.
Mercury: (leaning closer across the table) And I believe in being honest with people I'm starting to care about. So let me ask you directly - are you here because you like me, or because your family thinks I'm a threat?
The question hits Yukikaze like a lightning bolt of her own making. Her thunder abilities respond to her emotional turmoil by creating visible electrical patterns that dance across the library table between them.
Yukikaze: (after a long pause, her royal training warring with unexpected honesty) Both. It started as family duty, but it's become... something else.
Mercury: (his expression softening) That's the most honest thing anyone's said to me in months.
Yukikaze: (meeting his silver eyes directly) Mercury, I think you might be in danger from forces you're not aware of. My family's instincts about these things are rarely wrong.
Mercury: (his hand moving unconsciously toward hers across the table) And if I am in danger?
Yukikaze: (her lightning abilities creating gentle electrical bridges between their fingers as they almost touch) Then you'll have a Thunder Dragon Empress and her entire family protecting you.
Revelations and Complications
That evening, as Mercury walks back to his dormitory, his mind processes everything Yukikaze has told him. The dragon families' protective instincts, their ability to sense deception, and their growing concern about hidden threats in the tournament.
For the first time since arriving at Beacon, Mercury begins to question whether Cinder's plans align with his own survival instincts.
Mercury: (to himself, looking back toward the library where he left Yukikaze) A Thunder Dragon Empress who can sense lies and wants to protect me. Maybe it's time I started being more careful about who I trust.
In the dragon family quarters, Yukikaze reports to Derek and the other family heads about her growing connection with Mercury.
Yukikaze: He's not our enemy. If anything, he's another potential victim of whatever forces are manipulating this tournament.
Derek: (nodding approvingly) Your instincts serve you well, granddaughter. Continue building that connection, but be prepared for the possibility that saving Mercury Black might require him to choose between his current loyalties and his own survival.
Yukikaze: (her thunder abilities crackling with determination) Then I'll make sure he understands what choice offers him the better future.
As the tournament continues and relationships deepen, the stage is set for revelations that will test the bonds between dragon families and their chosen protectors, while new romances bloom in the shadow of growing threats.
Memory Fragments and Breaking Programming
That evening, as Mercury walks back to his dormitory, his mind processes everything Yukikaze has told him. But something unexpected happens - the electrical connection he'd felt when their fingers almost touched has triggered something deeper than attraction.
Flashes of memory begin surfacing, fragmented and painful: a young girl with crimson scales laughing at something he'd said, training sessions that felt more like play, a sense of belonging he'd forgotten he once had. The memories hit him like lightning strikes, each one cracking through the psychological conditioning that has defined him for years.
Mercury: (stopping in the middle of the corridor, pressing his palm against his temple as images flood back) Mist... Dragonblade...
The name comes to him unbidden, along with a rush of warmth and safety he hasn't felt since childhood. He remembers now - before Marcus Black's brutal training, before Cinder's recruitment, there had been a crimson-scaled dragon girl who had been his closest friend.
Mercury: (his voice barely a whisper) What did they do to me?
The programming wars against the returning memories. Years of conditioning scream at him to report these thoughts to Cinder, to maintain his cover, to complete the mission. But Yukikaze's genuine care and the returning fragments of his past create cracks in that mental armor.
For the first time since arriving at Beacon, Mercury begins to question not just whether Cinder's plans align with his survival instincts, but whether the person he believes himself to be is even real.
Mercury: (looking back toward the library where he left Yukikaze, his silver eyes flickering with internal conflict) A Thunder Dragon Empress who can sense lies and wants to protect me. And somewhere in this place is a dragon I used to... care about. Before they made me forget how to care about anything.
As he continues toward his dormitory, Mercury's steps are hesitant for the first time in years. The mechanical precision of his movements wavers as genuine emotions - confusion, fear, hope - begin to surface through the cracks in his conditioning.
Dragon Family Emergency Council
In the dragon family quarters, an emergency council convenes as disturbing intelligence reaches the family heads. Mist Dragonblade sits at Derek's right hand, her crimson scales dim with worry as she shares information that changes everything.
Mist: (her voice tight with emotion) Father, I've confirmed it. Mercury Black isn't just some random recruit Cinder found. He's Marcus Black's son - my childhood friend before his father destroyed his memories and made him forget our connection.
The revelation sends shock waves through the assembled dragons. Derek's ancient eyes narrow as he processes this information.
Derek: The child you mourned as lost to his father's cruelty?
Mist: (nodding, tears threatening) Mercury doesn't remember me, doesn't remember the dragon families, doesn't remember that he once belonged somewhere safe. His father's psychological conditioning has buried everything good in his past.
Yukikaze feels a surge of protective fury course through her thunder abilities, creating visible lightning patterns around her.
Yukikaze: That's why my instincts were so strong about protecting him. He's not just attracted to me - he's unconsciously recognizing the safety he once knew with dragon families.
Katsura: (her ancient wisdom evident) If his memories are returning due to proximity to dragon energy, particularly Yukikaze's electrical touch, then we have a narrow window to complete his psychological recovery before his handlers realize what's happening.
Derek: (standing with patriarchal authority) This is no longer just about protecting a potential victim. We're rescuing family.
In the dragon family quarters, Yukikaze reports to Derek and the other family heads about her growing connection with Mercury - but now with the knowledge that this connection runs deeper than anyone initially realized.
Yukikaze: His programming is cracking. When our fingers touched, I felt his electrical responses change. Something in him is fighting to remember.
Mist: (leaning forward urgently) We have to help him remember everything before Cinder realizes he's compromising. If she suspects his loyalty is wavering...
Derek: (nodding grimly) Then we accelerate the timeline. Yukikaze, your connection is our key to breaking through his conditioning completely. But be prepared - saving Mercury Black will require him to remember not just his past, but the pain that was used to bury it.
Yukikaze: (her thunder abilities crackling with fierce determination) Then I'll help him face that pain. And when he's ready, he'll have an entire family waiting to welcome him home.
The Emergency Intervention Plan
As the dragon families process the full scope of Mercury's situation, a chilling realization dawns on the assembled council. Derek's ancient eyes narrow as he considers the tactical implications of their rescue mission.
Derek: If Mercury's programming breaks completely during the tournament, Cinder Fall will eliminate him as a compromised asset. We need someone who can intercept her before she reaches him.
The gravity of this statement settles over the council like a storm cloud. Everyone understands that they're not just planning a psychological intervention, but potentially a life-or-death confrontation with one of the most dangerous individuals in the tournament.
Katsura: (her voice heavy with ancient wisdom) Cinder Fall is not merely a skilled combatant. She carries the power of a Fall Maiden - abilities that transcend normal combat parameters entirely. Whoever faces her must be prepared for forces that can reshape the battlefield itself.
The council members remain calm despite the magnitude of the threat. Each dragon and Balrog faunus present has received full sanctuary training, making them capable of matching or even eclipsing Cinder's power. However, this isn't just about raw capability - it's about strategy and psychological warfare.
Derek: (surveying the assembled family members) While any of us could face Cinder in direct combat, we need to consider who is strategically best positioned for this confrontation.
It's at this moment that Skye raises her hand with quiet confidence, and the council immediately recognizes the tactical wisdom of her volunteering.
Skye: I'll stall Cinder by whatever means necessary.
Yukikaze: (electrical patterns flickering with tactical understanding) Skye is the optimal choice for multiple strategic reasons.
Derek: (nodding as he recognizes the tactical wisdom) Elaborate for those who may not see the full picture.
Yukikaze: First, Skye currently has no romantic attachments that Cinder could exploit as psychological leverage. After gracefully accepting Tadashi's choice of Kagura over her, Skye has achieved a level of emotional clarity that makes her immune to Cinder's preferred manipulation tactics.
Hon'oh: (her ice-blue eyes calculating) Emotional manipulation is indeed one of Cinder's primary weapons. She excels at identifying what her opponents care most about and using those connections against them.
Max: (understanding dawning) But someone who has recently processed romantic disappointment with grace and wisdom becomes psychologically fortified against those particular attacks.
Skye: (her voice carrying quiet strength) Tadashi's choice taught me something valuable about letting go of expectations while maintaining inner strength. Cinder can't threaten what I don't desperately need to protect.
Derek: (leaning forward with patriarchal approval) And there are additional strategic advantages to consider.
Mist: (realization evident in her crimson scales) The family connections. Skye is both a Dragonblade cousin and distantly related to Cinder through another family tree entirely.
Katsura: (ancient wisdom evident in her tone) Which means Skye understands Cinder's psychological patterns not just as an enemy, but as family. She knows how Cinder thinks, how she manipulates, and most importantly, what her weaknesses are.
Skye: (storm abilities creating controlled patterns around her) Cinder expects to be feared by strangers who only know her reputation. She expects to manipulate people who desperately want to protect something she can threaten. What she doesn't expect is family who knows her true nature and isn't impressed by her performance.
Reynar: (his tactical mind processing the implications) A family member who can call her on her psychological games while possessing the power to back up that confrontation.
Shoryu: (frost abilities creating supportive patterns) And someone who has been specifically trained to remain centered under pressure. Skye's recent growth through personal disappointment has actually strengthened her psychological defenses.
Derek: (standing with ancient authority) Then the choice is clear. Skye represents our best strategic option for neutralizing Cinder's threat to Mercury's recovery.
Derek leans forward with patriarchal attention, recognizing something profound in Skye's demeanor.
Derek: Explain.
Skye: (standing with regal bearing that matches her ancient bloodline) My training has evolved beyond what any of you witnessed during our early operations. I've been working with three of the most elite saints from the sanctuary systems - training that has fundamentally transformed my capabilities.
She pauses, allowing her storm abilities to demonstrate their enhanced nature. Instead of the raw, chaotic energy she once displayed, the power now flows with precise control and devastating focus.
Skye: The Aquila Saint taught me to harness my storm abilities with the precision of wind currents at thirty thousand feet. Every movement, every energy discharge now carries tactical calculation rather than mere destructive force.
Mist: (leaning forward with interest) The Aquila training explains your improved precision, but Cinder's power operates on multiple levels simultaneously.
Skye: (nodding acknowledgment) Which is why I also trained under the Serpent Saint. Cinder's abilities may transcend normal combat parameters, but serpent techniques specialize in countering opponents whose power sources are mysterious or seemingly infinite. I've learned to identify and disrupt energy patterns that others can't even detect.
The council members begin to understand that Skye's training represents a fundamental evolution in her combat capabilities, not merely improved versions of her existing skills.
Reynar: (his tactical mind processing the implications) And the third trainer?
Skye: (her expression growing more serious) Sonia, the Gold Saint of Scorpio. Her training focused on something even more crucial than raw power or tactical precision.
Hon'oh: (ice-blue eyes calculating) Psychological warfare?
Skye: Deeper than that. Sonia taught me to understand and counter opponents whose power derives from emotional manipulation, fear, and psychological dominance. Cinder's greatest weapon isn't her mysterious abilities - it's her capacity to make her opponents doubt themselves before the fight even begins.
Derek: (recognition dawning in his ancient eyes) You're not just planning to match her power. You're planning to neutralize her psychological advantages.
Skye: Exactly. When Cinder realizes that Mercury's conditioning is breaking, she'll expect him to cower in fear of her retribution. She'll expect anyone protecting him to be intimidated by her reputation and mysterious abilities. What she won't expect is someone who has been specifically trained to remain psychologically centered while facing opponents whose power seems infinite.
Katsura: (her voice carrying ancient approval) The combination of precision, pattern disruption, and psychological immunity. You've prepared for exactly this type of confrontation.
Skye: (her storm abilities creating controlled patterns around her) More than prepared. I've been hoping for the opportunity to test these enhanced capabilities against someone of Cinder's caliber. Mercury's situation simply gives me the moral justification I need.
The council falls silent as they absorb the full implications of Skye's declaration. She's not offering to help out of desperation or familial obligation - she's confident in her ability to face Cinder Fall and neutralize her as a threat to Mercury's recovery.
Yukikaze: (her thunder abilities sparking with renewed hope) If Skye can stall Cinder long enough for Mercury to complete his psychological breakthrough...
Shoryu: (finishing the thought) Then he'll be mentally free to choose his real family over his programmed loyalties.
Skye: (her expression carrying storm-like intensity and family knowledge) Cinder has grown accustomed to opponents who fear her Maiden powers and mysterious reputation. When she faces me, she'll discover that family members who've received full sanctuary training don't intimidate as easily as she expects.
The profound confidence in Skye's voice reflects not just her enhanced abilities, but her unique understanding of what she's about to face. As both a Dragonblade cousin and distant relative of Cinder from another family tree, she possesses insights that no other dragon family member could bring to this confrontation.
Derek: (final authority settling over the chamber) Then we proceed with the full intervention plan. Yukikaze continues working to break Mercury's conditioning. Mist prepares to help him integrate his recovered memories. And Skye...
Skye: (her storm abilities demonstrating their enhanced precision and power) Will remind Cinder Fall that when you threaten dragon family, the family responds. And this time, she won't find it so easy to best someone who knows exactly who she really is beneath all that Maiden power and psychological manipulation.
The council disperses with grim determination, knowing that Mercury's psychological freedom - and quite possibly his life - now depends on whether Skye's strategic advantages and enhanced abilities can match her confidence when facing the Fall Maiden's full power.
Coordinated Support Strategy
As the meeting continues, the tactical coordination between the dragon families and teams SSSN and CVFY reaches unprecedented levels of sophistication.
Neptune: (consulting his technical equipment) I can create a localized electromagnetic field that will interfere with any communication devices Cinder's team might use to coordinate their response.
Sun: (his tactical thinking engaging) While Neptune handles technical disruption, Sage and I can create diversions that force Emerald to focus on multiple threats simultaneously.
Scarlet: (his pirate experience contributing) And I can position myself to intercept any escape routes they might try to use.
Coco: (her strategic mind working through the plan) Team CVFY will handle crowd control and civilian protection. If this confrontation happens during tournament events, we need to minimize collateral damage.
Fox: (his enhanced senses providing crucial intelligence capability) I'll maintain audio surveillance on all participants, providing real-time intelligence updates to the primary combatants.
Yatsuhashi: (his philosophical training contributing tactical wisdom) And I'll provide psychological support to Mercury during his breakthrough, helping him integrate recovered memories without being overwhelmed.
Velvet: (her empathetic abilities offering unique support) I can help identify anyone else who might be under similar psychological conditioning, in case Mercury isn't the only victim we need to rescue.
Derek: (surveying the coordinated response) This level of inter-team cooperation represents exactly the kind of alliance our families have hoped to build.
Yukikaze: (her thunder abilities crackling with renewed hope) If Skye can stall Cinder long enough for Mercury to complete his psychological breakthrough, and our allied teams can handle the tactical complications...
Shoryu: (finishing the thought) Then he'll be mentally free to choose his real family over his programmed loyalties.
Skye: (her expression carrying storm-like intensity and family knowledge) Cinder has grown accustomed to opponents who fear her Maiden powers and mysterious reputation. When she faces me, she'll discover that family members who've received full sanctuary training don't intimidate as easily as she expects.
The profound confidence in Skye's voice reflects not just her enhanced abilities, but her unique understanding of what she's about to face. As both a Dragonblade cousin and distant relative of Cinder from another family tree, she possesses insights that no other dragon family member could bring to this confrontation.
The Greater Threat Revealed - Full Alliance Briefing
The next morning, before the doubles round of the Vytal Festival Tournament begins, an unprecedented gathering takes place in Beacon Academy's largest conference hall. The morning light streams through tall windows as the most powerful individuals from multiple factions assemble for what will prove to be a revelation that changes everything.
Derek Dragonblade stands at the head of the assembled group, his ancient authority evident as his wife Katsura takes her place beside him. Reynar Tokyoheim and his wife Yin Lan position themselves strategically, their tactical minds already processing the implications of calling such a meeting.
The student teams sit in organized rows: CRDL with Cardin still processing the previous night's passionate moment with Mist, RWBY with Ruby and Yang's storm and fire abilities creating subtle environmental effects, JNPR looking curious about this sudden assembly, SSSN with Sun's tail betraying his nervous energy while Neptune adjusts his goggles repeatedly, and CFVY arranged with Coco's confident posture masking her concern about the gravity of this meeting.
The dragon family teams MKKH (Max, Kazuma, Koga, and Hon'oh), MTGSY (Mist, Toshiro, Gweynne, Shoryu, and Yukikaze), and SKTE (Skye, Kagura, Tadashi, and Emeryll) are arranged according to their family hierarchies, but now the inclusion of teams SSSN and CFVY creates a broader network of alliances that spans multiple combat specialties and tactical approaches.
But it's Emeryll's presence that draws the most attention. Standing with regal bearing that rivals even the ancient dragons, she commands the room in ways that surprise those who only knew her as Glynda's cousin.
Derek: (his voice carrying the weight of ancient authority) What we reveal here today cannot leave this room until the appropriate time. The threat we face extends far beyond Cinder Fall, her underlings, or even Salem and the Grimm.
Murmurs ripple through the assembled students. The idea that there could be something more dangerous than Salem—the legendary witch who commands the Grimm—sends chills through even the most confident among them. Sun's faunus instincts are immediately on high alert, while Neptune's technical mind begins calculating the implications.
Katsura: (her ancient wisdom evident in every word) For millennia, our families have served as guardians against threats that would consume not just Remnant, but entire dimensional realms. Today, one of those threats has begun to manifest.
Ruby: (her storm abilities unconsciously creating nervous wind currents) Something worse than Salem?
Coco: (her tactical instincts engaging) If dragon families have been preparing for this for millennia, we're talking about a threat that makes current conflicts look like training exercises.
Reynar: (his tactical mind presenting the harsh reality) Salem seeks to reshape Remnant according to her vision. The threat we now face seeks to devour all existence across multiple realms.
Emeryll: (her voice carrying imperial authority that resonates through the chamber) I am Emeryll Valharen, Empress of the Azure Empire. My presence at Beacon has not been coincidental—I have been monitoring dimensional barriers that have begun to weaken.
The revelation sends shockwaves through the assembled students. Teams SSSN and CFVY exchange stunned glances as they realize the true scope of what they've been drawn into. Emeryll—who many knew as simply another dragon family member—is revealed as ruler of an entire empire, with responsibilities that extend far beyond Remnant itself.
Fox: (his enhanced hearing picking up the subtle harmonics in Emeryll's voice) Her voice carries authority patterns I've never encountered. This isn't just political power—it's something deeper.
Yatsuhashi: (his philosophical training recognizing the implications) An empress monitoring dimensional barriers. We're dealing with threats that span multiple realities.
Yin Lan: (her voice heavy with foreboding) The name of this threat is the Demonic Empire of Sylverant. And at its head stands someone whose power makes even ancient dragons proceed with caution.
Derek: (his expression grave) The Demon Overlord: Tengu Sylverant himself.
The name hangs in the air like a curse. Even without knowing the specific details, the assembled students can feel the weight of dread that accompanies the mention of this entity. Sun's tail stops its nervous movement entirely, while Neptune's equipment begins registering unusual electromagnetic fluctuations just from the name being spoken.
Emeryll: (continuing with imperial gravity) Tengu Sylverant commands legions that exist beyond the normal parameters of life and death. His empire spans multiple dimensional planes, and his ultimate goal is the complete consumption of all existence to fuel his own immortality.
Velvet: (her photographic memory processing the implications) Complete consumption of all existence. Not conquest, not control—total annihilation.
Scarlet: (his pirate background helping him understand existential threats) That's not a war you can run from or negotiate with. It's survival or nothing.
Hon'oh: (her ice-blue eyes calculating the implications) This is why the dragon families have maintained their ancient training and alliances. We knew this day would eventually come.
Max: (understanding dawning) The sanctuary training, the enhanced abilities, the complex family networks—it was all preparation for this.
Sun: (his leadership instincts engaging despite his shock) And now that day is here. The tournament, Mercury's situation, all of it—it's connected to something this big?
Katsura: (nodding gravely) Salem's conflict with humanity, while serious, is ultimately a local threat. Tengu Sylverant represents an existential threat to reality itself.
Jaune: (his leadership instincts engaging despite his confusion) What does this mean for the tournament? For Mercury's situation?
Neptune: (his technical mind working through the connections) If dimensional barriers are weakening, then whatever Cinder is planning here isn't just about the tournament. She's trying to create entry points.
Derek: (his ancient eyes focusing on the immediate tactical situation) Cinder Fall's actions here are not random. Intelligence suggests she may be working to weaken dimensional barriers, potentially creating entry points for Sylverant forces.
The implication hits everyone simultaneously: the tournament crisis they thought they understood is actually part of a much larger, more dangerous game.
Sage: (his analytical mind processing the tactical situation) So Mercury's rescue isn't just about saving one person—it's about preventing a dimensional invasion.
Skye: (her storm abilities crackling with new understanding) Which means stopping Cinder isn't just about saving Mercury—it's about preventing a dimensional incursion.
Emeryll: (her imperial authority evident in every word) Exactly. The Azure Empire's resources are now at your disposal, but understand—what we face in the coming days will determine whether multiple realms continue to exist or fall to demonic consumption.
Yang: (her dragon fire flickering with nervous energy) So no pressure or anything.
Coco: (her confidence masking genuine concern) We've trained for academy-level threats, maybe some serious criminal organizations. This is... something else entirely.
Fox: (his enhanced senses detecting the emotional undercurrents in the room) Everyone's afraid. Even the ancient dragons are afraid. That tells us more about the scope of this threat than any explanation could.
Reynar: (his tactical mind already working through the implications) The immediate plan remains the same: Yukikaze continues Mercury's psychological recovery, Mist helps him integrate his memories, and Skye confronts Cinder. But now we understand the true stakes of success or failure.
Sun: (his faunus instincts engaging with the pack mentality needed for survival) And teams SSSN and CFVY provide tactical support, intelligence gathering, and backup for any complications that arise.
Neptune: (his technical equipment already calculating new parameters) I'll need to recalibrate all my monitoring equipment. If we're dealing with dimensional barriers, the electromagnetic signatures will be completely different from anything I've measured before.
Derek: (standing with final authority) Prepare yourselves. The doubles round of the tournament will likely be when Cinder makes her move. And if our intelligence is correct, it may also be when the first signs of dimensional instability begin to manifest.
Velvet: (her empathetic abilities detecting the profound gravity of the situation) We're not just students anymore. We're the first line of defense against something that wants to consume all existence.
Yatsuhashi: (his philosophical nature helping him process the scope) The weight of multiple realities rests on our ability to work together and execute this plan perfectly.
As the meeting disperses, every person present understands that they are no longer just participating in an academy tournament or even protecting a friend. They are now the first line of defense against a threat that could consume all existence itself.
Private Moments After the Storm - Extended Relationships
As the council disperses, the weight of the evening's revelations settles over everyone differently. The knowledge that they're facing a multidimensional threat changes how everyone processes their personal relationships and connections.
For Mist Dragonblade, the knowledge that Mercury—her lost childhood friend—is finally within reach of recovery creates a complex emotional storm that needs an outlet, but the added pressure of universal stakes makes every moment feel more precious.
She walks with Cardin Winchester through Beacon's dimly lit corridors toward their respective dormitories. The familiar routine of escorting each other partway has become a cherished part of their relationship, these quiet moments stolen between the chaos of academy life and dragon family responsibilities.
Unknown to them, teams SSSN and CFVY have established discrete security patrols throughout Beacon's corridors, their earlier briefing about dimensional threats making everyone more cautious about potential surveillance or infiltration.
Cardin: (glancing at Mist's subdued crimson scales) You've been quiet since the meeting ended. The Mercury situation really got to you, didn't it?
Mist: (her voice soft but intense) Cardin, I thought I'd lost him forever. When his father dragged him away, when the conditioning took hold... I mourned him like he was dead. And now there's hope.
From their discrete security position, Sun and Scarlet maintain visual contact while giving the couple privacy, understanding the importance of these personal connections in the face of universal threats.
They reach the branching corridor where their paths typically diverge—Cardin toward CRDL's dormitory and Mist toward MTGSY's quarters where Shoryu, Toshiro, Gweynne, and Yukikaze wait. But tonight, Mist stops before they separate.
Mist: (turning to face him fully, her crimson scales shimmering with emotion) Before we part ways tonight, I need you to understand something.
Cardin: (concerned by the intensity in her voice) Mist? What's wrong?
Mist: (stepping closer, her dragon heritage making her direct in ways that surprise even herself) Nothing's wrong. Everything's right. Mercury's recovery, the family's support, this mission—it all reminds me how precious the connections we choose to make really are.
Before Cardin can respond, Mist closes the distance between them. What begins as a tender kiss quickly deepens into something more passionate than either expected. Her dragon nature, heightened by the evening's emotional intensity and the knowledge of universal stakes, manifests in the warmth that radiates from her scales and the fierce protectiveness that extends to encompass him completely.
The kiss carries months of growing affection, the relief of Mercury's potential salvation, and Mist's innate dragon instinct to claim and protect what she treasures most. When they finally separate, both are breathing heavily, and Cardin's expression shows genuine surprise at the intensity she's just revealed.
From their security positions, the observing teams members tactfully adjust their surveillance patterns to provide maximum privacy while maintaining perimeter security.
Cardin: (his voice slightly hoarse) Mist... I didn't realize you felt... that strongly.
Mist: (her crimson scales glowing softly in the corridor's dim lighting) The possibility of losing Mercury forever taught me something important about not taking the people who matter for granted. And now, knowing what we're really up against... You matter, Cardin. More than I think I've properly shown you.
Cardin: (reaching up to touch her face gently) You don't have to prove anything to me. I already know how you feel.
Mist: (leaning into his touch) Maybe not prove, but I wanted you to feel it. The way my family fights for each other, the way we protect what we love—that extends to you now. You're not just my boyfriend, Cardin. You're family.
The declaration carries weight beyond simple romantic affection. In dragon culture, claiming someone as family represents a bond that transcends typical relationship categories—a commitment that matches the intensity of their unexpected passionate moment.
Cardin: (understanding the significance of her words, especially in the context of universal threats) And you're mine. Whatever comes next with Mercury, with Cinder, with any of it—we face it together.
Sun and Blake - An Unexpected Connection
Meanwhile, in another part of Beacon's gardens, an unexpected conversation unfolds between Sun Wukong and Blake Belladonna. Their relationship has been complicated by Sun's persistent pursuit and Blake's initial resistance, but the gravity of recent revelations creates an opportunity for deeper understanding.
Blake: (walking alone through the moonlit gardens, processing everything she's learned)
Sun: (approaching cautiously, his faunus instincts telling him she needs companionship rather than solitude) Blake? You shouldn't be out here alone, especially not after what we learned today.
Blake: (turning to face him, surprise evident) Sun? What are you doing here?
Sun: (his usual energetic demeanor tempered by genuine concern) Security patrol. Teams SSSN and CFVY are maintaining watch rotations throughout Beacon. But more importantly, I can tell you're processing something heavy.
Blake: (studying his expression, recognizing a maturity she hadn't seen before) You've changed since we arrived at Beacon. The Sun I knew in Vale would have made a joke about dimensional threats and tried to lighten the mood.
Sun: (sitting on a nearby bench, his tail betraying nervous energy) Learning that existence itself might end tends to put things in perspective. Makes you realize which battles are worth fighting and which ones are just... distractions.
Blake: (joining him on the bench, maintaining careful distance) Is that what your pursuit of me was? A distraction?
Sun: (looking directly at her with unprecedented honesty) Maybe. Or maybe I was afraid to face what really mattered because it seemed impossible. But watching Shoryu and you together, seeing how dragon families protect their own, understanding what real commitment looks like...
Blake: (her amber eyes reflecting moonlight and curiosity) What are you saying?
Sun: (his voice carrying genuine vulnerability) I'm saying I was wrong about what I wanted. I thought I wanted to win you over, to prove I was worthy of your attention. But what I really wanted was to understand the kind of connection you have with Shoryu, the kind of bond that transcends normal relationships.
Blake: (softening at his honesty) Sun...
Sun: (continuing before she can interrupt) I'm not trying to compete with him. I couldn't even if I wanted to. What you two have goes back to childhood, carries dragon family significance, spans years of protection and care. That's not something you can manufacture or fight for.
Blake: (surprised by his understanding) Then what do you want?
Sun: (his faunus nature making him direct) I want to understand what it means to be family the way dragon families understand it. Not romantic pursuit, not competitive acquisition, but genuine commitment to someone's wellbeing regardless of personal benefit.
The honesty in his statement creates a bridge between them that hadn't existed before.
Blake: (studying his expression carefully, her mind drifting back to their previous night's conversation) You're talking about growing up.
As she says this, Blake remembers the conversation they'd had just the night before, when she'd noticed Sun's unusual behavior around the dragon families and had asked him directly about it.
Flashback - The Previous Night
Blake had found Sun on one of Beacon's observation decks, staring out at the academy grounds with uncharacteristic pensiveness.
Blake: "Sun, you've been acting strange around the dragon families. More nervous than usual, and that's saying something."
Sun: (his tail betraying his anxiety by twitching constantly) "I don't know what you mean."
Blake: (her faunus senses picking up his elevated stress levels) "Your heart rate spikes every time Hon'oh speaks during the meetings. And you keep finding excuses to position yourself where you can see her without being obvious about it."
Sun: (fidgeting with his staff, his usual confidence completely absent) "Hon'oh? The Sea Dragon Empress? I... she's just... impressive, you know? All that ice-blue power and royal bearing and..."
Blake: (realization dawning) "Sun Wukong, do you have a crush on Shoryu's sister?"
Sun: (his face reddening as his tail practically vibrated with nervous energy) "She's incredible, Blake. Have you seen the way she analyzes tactical situations? The way her ice abilities create those perfect crystalline patterns? And when she looks at you with those ice-blue eyes, it's like she can see right through to your soul."
Blake: (amused by seeing Sun so flustered) "You're completely smitten with a dragon empress."
Sun: (running his hand through his hair anxiously) "It's hopeless, isn't it? I mean, she's ancient royalty, I'm just a faunus from Vacuo. She probably sees me as some hyperactive kid who can't even sit still during important meetings."
End Flashback
Blake: (returning to the present moment, understanding Sun's earlier words in a new light) And maybe finding a place in something bigger than my own wants... You weren't just talking about me, were you?
Sun: (his nervousness returning as he realizes she's connected the dots) I... Blake, what I said last night about Hon'oh...
Blake: (with gentle understanding) You're in love with her.
Sun: (his tail drooping with vulnerable admission) Hopelessly. Completely. And unlike my pursuit of you, which was selfish and persistent, this feels... different. She's so far above me in every way that matters. Royal bloodline, ancient wisdom, power that could reshape battlefields. What could I possibly offer someone like that?
Blake: (her mind replaying observations from the past few days) Sun, I've been watching you during the council meetings. Do you know what I've noticed about Hon'oh's reactions to you?
Sun: (looking up hopefully despite himself) What?
Blake: (settling more comfortably on the bench) When you made that joke about dimensional threats making academy food seem less terrible, everyone else groaned or rolled their eyes. But Hon'oh? She covered her mouth with her hand, and her ice-blue eyes were sparkling with suppressed laughter.
Sun: (his tail beginning to show tentative movement) Really?
Blake: (continuing with growing confidence) And when you started fidgeting with your staff during Derek's tactical briefing, she kept glancing over at you. Not with annoyance or disdain - with what looked like fondness. Like she found your energy endearing rather than disruptive.
Sun: (sitting up straighter) I thought she was just... tolerating me because of the alliance.
Blake: (shaking her head with a knowing smile) Sun, you're overthinking this completely. You've spent so much time trying to be worthy of her attention that you're missing the possibility that she might already be interested in exactly who you are.
Sun: (confusion evident in his expression) What do you mean?
Blake: (leaning forward earnestly) Think about it - Hon'oh is surrounded by ancient protocol, royal expectations, formal conduct. She's probably lived centuries following precise diplomatic rules and carefully measured responses. Then along comes this energetic faunus who makes terrible jokes at inappropriate times and can't sit still during serious meetings.
Sun: (beginning to understand) You think she likes that I'm... different?
Blake: (with a playful smirk) I think she likes that you're genuine. Your grand gestures, your silly comments, your inability to hide your emotions - that might be exactly what attracts her to you. All that authenticity in a world of calculated royal behavior.
Sun: (his usual confidence beginning to return) So you're saying I should just... be myself?
Blake: (nodding) Instead of trying to impress her with how mature and worthy you've become, maybe just show her the Sun Wukong who makes her eyes sparkle when he cracks jokes during crisis meetings.
Sun: (grinning with renewed energy) You know what? You might be right. I've been so focused on not making the same mistakes I made with you that I forgot what might actually make me interesting to her.
Blake: (her smirk growing more mischievous) Of course, you should know that you're not exactly operating without competition.
Sun: (his tail freezing mid-swish) Competition?
Blake: (clearly enjoying this revelation) Neptune has been just as nervous around Hon'oh lately. All that equipment calibration he keeps doing during meetings? Half the time he's positioning his gear so he can steal glances at her without being obvious about it.
Sun: (groaning) Neptune? Really?
Blake: (laughing softly) Oh, it gets better. He's completely torn between his growing fascination with Hon'oh and his absolute shock over learning that Emeryll - sweet, unassuming cousin Emeryll - is actually an Empress ruling an entire interdimensional empire.
Sun: (his competitive faunus instincts engaging) Wait, Neptune is interested in both Hon'oh AND Emeryll?
Blake: (nodding with amusement) Poor Neptune is having some kind of existential crisis about being attracted to not one but TWO women who outrank him by several orders of magnitude. I caught him muttering something about "impossibly powerful women" and "why can't I just like normal students" while recalibrating his electromagnetic scanners yesterday.
Sun: (standing up with renewed determination) Well then, I guess I better make sure Hon'oh knows that the genuine Sun Wukong is definitely worth considering over whatever confused technical rambling Neptune has to offer.
Blake: (standing as well, clearly pleased with the outcome of their conversation) Now THAT sounds like the Sun I know. Just... maybe tone down the volume during the serious tactical discussions?
Sun: (grinning widely) I make no promises. If Hon'oh likes authenticity, she's going to get the full Sun Wukong experience - inappropriate jokes, terrible timing, and all.
Neptune's Technical Discovery
While personal relationships deepen and evolve throughout Beacon, Neptune Vasilias makes a discovery in his technical monitoring that changes everything about their understanding of the immediate threat.
Working late in his temporary laboratory setup, Neptune's equipment detects something unprecedented: the electromagnetic interference patterns around Mercury aren't just breaking down—they're being actively disrupted by an external source.
Neptune: (talking to himself as he calibrates his equipment) The suppression field decay isn't natural. Something is deliberately targeting the conditioning mechanisms.
His screens display complex wave patterns that show coordinated attacks on the artificial barriers blocking Mercury's natural dragon energy resonance.
Neptune: (realization dawning) Yukikaze's electrical contact isn't just triggering memories—it's providing the key frequency needed to unlock whatever they did to his mind.
The discovery has profound implications. If Yukikaze's electrical signature is specifically compatible with breaking Mercury's conditioning, it suggests that his original dragon family connections were deeper and more specific than anyone realized.
Neptune: (immediately beginning to record his findings) This needs to get to the dragon families immediately. They're not just rescuing Mercury—they're unlocking a specific energetic bond that was severed artificially.
His equipment also reveals something more disturbing: similar suppression patterns exist around other students in the tournament, suggesting that Mercury may not be the only victim of this level of psychological manipulation.
Neptune: (his technical curiosity warring with genuine horror) How many others are walking around with their memories and connections artificially suppressed?
The Coordinated Response Network
As teams SSSN and CFVY integrate more deeply into the dragon family alliance structure, their unique capabilities begin to create unprecedented tactical advantages.
Fox's enhanced hearing allows him to monitor communications across the entire academy simultaneously, creating an intelligence network that rivals professional surveillance operations.
Velvet's photographic memory becomes crucial for tracking subtle behavioral changes in suspected agents, while her empathetic abilities help identify others who might be under psychological control.
Yatsuhashi's philosophical training and combat experience provide psychological support for Mercury's recovery process, while his calm presence helps stabilize situations that might otherwise escalate beyond control.
Coco's tactical leadership and combat specialization ensure that if diplomatic solutions fail, the alliance has military-grade response capabilities.
Sage's analytical mind helps process the complex intelligence gathered by the surveillance network, while his combat skills provide reliable backup for high-risk situations.
Scarlet's unconventional background and flexible approach to problem-solving offer alternatives when traditional methods prove insufficient.
Sun's natural leadership abilities and faunus instincts create bridges between different groups within the alliance, while his growing maturity helps stabilize team dynamics under pressure.
Neptune's technical expertise provides capabilities that even advanced dragon family resources hadn't considered, particularly in understanding the technological aspects of psychological conditioning.
The Final Preparation
As the doubles round of the Vytal Festival Tournament approaches, the expanded alliance of dragon families, teams RWBY, JNPR, CRDL, SSSN, and CFVY represents a coordination of resources and capabilities that Beacon Academy has never seen before.
Derek: (addressing the final strategy meeting) The integration of teams SSSN and CFVY into our operational structure has created tactical advantages that exceed our most optimistic projections.
Sun: (representing the allied teams) We understand the stakes now. This isn't just about academy politics or tournament competition. We're fighting for the continued existence of reality itself.
Neptune: (presenting his technical findings) My equipment has confirmed that Mercury's conditioning can be completely broken, but only through specific electrical resonance frequencies that match Yukikaze's dragon abilities. The connection between them is deeper than anyone initially realized.
Coco: (her tactical mind engaging) Which means the psychological recovery and the confrontation with Cinder have to be precisely timed. If Mercury breaks free too early, she'll eliminate him before Skye can intercept her.
Fox: (his enhanced hearing providing real-time intelligence) Current surveillance indicates that Cinder's team is preparing for something during the doubles round. Increased equipment preparation, strategic positioning, unusual communication patterns.
Velvet: (her empathetic abilities detecting undercurrents) And there's something else. Other students are showing signs of artificial psychological suppression similar to Mercury's patterns. This conspiracy may be larger than we initially understood.
Derek: (his ancient authority focusing the discussion) Then we proceed with full operational commitment. Mercury's rescue becomes the catalyst for exposing and dismantling a broader network of psychological manipulation.
Skye: (her enhanced abilities crackling with controlled storm energy) And I remind Cinder Fall that when you threaten dragon family—when you threaten existence itself—the family responds with everything we have.
The alliance between dragon families and human teams has created something unprecedented: a coordinated response to existential threats that combines ancient wisdom with modern tactics, supernatural abilities with technological innovation, and personal connections with universal stakes.
As they prepare for what may determine the fate of multiple realities, each member of the alliance understands that they have become something greater than the sum of their individual capabilities. They have become hope itself, manifested through cooperation, determination, and the unbreakable bonds between those who choose to stand together against the darkness.
To be continued in Chapter 20: Round One- part II