Chapter XXVI: Aftermath & Paths Forward part II
The Journey Home - Blake's Return
The Voyage Begins
Seagulls call overhead as the passenger ship cuts through peaceful blue waters, its journey from Vale to Menagerie well underway. The vessel moves with practiced ease through familiar shipping lanes, carrying travelers seeking the relative safety of the faunus homeland after Beacon's devastating assault.
Blake Belladonna stands at the rail, her hands gripping the worn wood as she stares out at endless ocean. The wind carries salt spray that mingles with her dark hair, and for the first time in days, she finds herself able to breathe without feeling the weight of recent trauma crushing her chest.
But even here, surrounded by water and distance from Vale's ruins, she can't escape the awareness that prickles at the edge of her faunus senses. Someone is watching her. Multiple someones, actually, and she knows exactly who they are.
Blake: (speaking quietly to herself as her cat ears twitch beneath her bow) Shoryu, I know you're there. You too, Sun. And Hon'oh. You're not as subtle as you think you are when a faunus can hear three sets of distinct footsteps maintaining precisely the same distance from her location.
From his concealed position near the ship's upper deck, Shoryu's frost abilities create a slight chill in the air that Blake's enhanced senses detect immediately. She almost smiles despite her exhaustion—of course he would follow her. Of course he would refuse to let her make this journey alone even though she specifically said she needed space to process everything.
Blake: (continuing her quiet monologue as she watches the ocean) This was your idea, wasn't it, Shoryu? Keeping distance but maintaining protective surveillance. And then Sun and Hon'oh just... tagged along because they care about me and don't trust that I won't do something self-destructive when left to my own devices.
Two children laugh nearby over some joke, their innocence a sharp contrast to Blake's trauma-shadowed awareness. She almost smiles at their joy before turning back to watch the endless water, her amber eyes reflecting depths that go beyond simple ocean observation.
The sound of approaching footsteps makes her hand instinctively move toward Gambol Shroud's hilt. But she halts the defensive motion when she recognizes the ship's captain—a middle-aged man whose weathered face carries the patient wisdom of someone who's spent decades reading passengers' unspoken stories.
Captain: (holding up his hands in a reassuring manner as he notices her defensive response) Now, now, no threat here. Just here to chat.
Blake hesitates before deliberately relaxing her posture with a roll of her eyes, though her faunus senses remain alert for the three presences still maintaining their careful distance.
Blake: (her voice carrying exhaustion she doesn't bother hiding) And why is that?
The Captain lowers his arms and twists to lean idly onto the rail beside her, his body language carefully non-threatening as he settles into comfortable silence for a moment.
Captain: (his voice carrying gentle observation) Well, not many people travel by boat on their own. It can be quite a lonely voyage. But I've found that those who do tend to have the more... interesting stories.
Blake turns away from him, her cat ears flattening slightly beneath her bow as memories of Beacon's fall, Adam's attack, and Yang's severed arm flood through her consciousness uninvited.
Blake: (her voice dropping to something harder than she intends) Maybe it's just... better for some people to be alone.
The two children run behind Blake laughing, their sudden noise making her gasp and spin toward them with hand back on Gambol Shroud. She catches herself mid-motion, blinking as she tries to reset her calm and stop reacting to every unexpected sound like it's an incoming attack.
Captain: (laughing gently without mockery) Maybe. But with your paranoia, I think a few friendly faces wouldn't hurt.
Blake: (her voice defensive despite knowing he's right) Who says I'm paranoid?!
Captain: (laughing again with understanding that comes from years of reading traumatized passengers) No one, dear, no one. I'll leave you be.
He turns to walk away, then stops as if considering whether to add something more.
Captain: (glancing back with knowing expression) But uh, fair warning: these trips can be awfully boring. And boring gives you too much time to think about things that are better processed with friendly company rather than isolation.
As he continues on his way, Blake stares after him with expression that suggests his words hit closer to truth than she's comfortable admitting. Once he's gone, she turns and looks at the ground for several seconds, her mind clearly working through difficult decisions.
From his concealed position, Shoryu watches the internal struggle play across her features. His frost abilities detect the temperature shifts that accompany her emotional processing—the slight warming when she considers accepting help, the cooling when she defaults back to isolation as safety mechanism.
Shoryu: (speaking quietly through dragon family communication channels to his companions) She knows we're here. Her faunus senses detected us the moment we boarded.
Sun: (his voice coming back through the same channels from his position near the ship's bow) Should we reveal ourselves? Stop pretending we're being subtle when she clearly sees through it?
Hon'oh: (her Sea Dragon Empress awareness providing context from where she monitors the ocean itself) Not yet. Blake needs to make the choice to accept our presence rather than having it forced on her. Revealing ourselves now would feel like we're not respecting her stated desire for space.
Shoryu: (his voice carrying the patient understanding that comes from knowing Blake since childhood) She'll come to us when she's ready. Or she'll continue pretending she doesn't know we're here while taking comfort from our presence anyway. Either outcome serves our protective objectives.
The Symbolic Release
Blake reaches up and begins undoing her bow—the fabric that's hidden her faunus heritage throughout her time at Beacon, the symbol of her fear that being openly faunus would invite discrimination or violence.
Blake: (holding the ribbon out over the railing as wind catches its edges) Won't be needing this anymore.
She lets go and watches the black fabric swirl once in the air before landing on the water's surface. The gesture carries weight beyond simple discarding of clothing—it's releasing the shame she's carried, the need to hide who she is, the fear that being openly faunus makes her vulnerable.
Her cat ears, freed from their concealment, twitch in the ocean breeze. They're distinctive—black with subtle purple tint that marks her as part of Belladonna lineage, pointed and expressive in ways that her hidden ears could never be.
Blake: (speaking quietly to herself as she watches the ribbon float away) I'm going home. Back to parents I ran away from. Back to people who knew me before I joined the White Fang, before I met Adam, before I became someone who participates in assault on academy that killed innocent people. Hiding what I am doesn't change what I've done.
As she passes inside the ship's cabin area, her peripheral vision catches a hooded figure watching from a distance. But her faunus senses identify the familiar presence immediately.
Blake: (not turning to look directly at the watcher but speaking just loud enough for enhanced hearing to catch) You're not as sneaky as you think you are, Shoryu. Your frost abilities create temperature differentials that faunus can feel from fifty feet away.
From beneath his hood, Shoryu allows a slight smile at being called out. But he doesn't reveal himself or approach—Blake clearly isn't ready for direct contact yet, even though she acknowledges his presence.
Beside the discarded ribbon on the ocean's surface, large scales of a sea creature become visible just above the waterline. Hon'oh's Sea Dragon form moves beneath the ship with protective grace, her presence ensuring no aquatic Grimm or other threats approach the vessel.
The ribbon swirls in currents created by her passage, then disappears as Hon'oh deliberately retrieves it—preserving the symbol of Blake's choice to stop hiding while ensuring it doesn't become ocean litter.
Hon'oh: (speaking through dragon family channels as she reverts to human form and climbs aboard via concealed access point) Blake just discarded her bow. She's choosing to present as openly faunus for her return to Menagerie. That's significant psychological progress from someone who's spent years hiding her heritage.
Sun: (his voice carrying approval through the channels) Good for her. Menagerie doesn't require humans to hide their species. Having Blake arrive as openly faunus sends message to her parents that she's done trying to fit into human society's expectations.
Shoryu: (his frost abilities detecting Blake's emotional state through temperature patterns) She's processing trauma by reclaiming identity she suppressed. The bow represented her fear that being faunus made her target. Discarding it represents accepting that she can't hide from who she is or what she's experienced.
The First Night at Sea
As evening falls over the ocean, Blake finds herself in the ship's small dining area. Other passengers gather for the evening meal, their conversations carrying the relief of people who survived Beacon's assault and are traveling toward relative safety.
She takes a seat at a corner table, positioning herself with back to the wall and clear sightlines to all entrances—tactical awareness that will probably never leave her after recent events. Her cat ears swivel constantly, tracking conversations and monitoring for threats that rationally she knows aren't present.
Blake: (speaking quietly as she accepts meal from serving staff) Thank you.
Her enhanced hearing picks up whispered comments from other passengers who notice her faunus features. Most carry sympathy or neutral observation, but a few humans mutter uncomfortable opinions about faunus presence on what they consider "mixed company" vessels.
Before Blake can decide whether to confront the discrimination or ignore it, three new figures enter the dining area. Sun Wukong strolls in with his characteristic confidence, followed by Hon'oh whose Sea Dragon Empress bearing makes her stand out even in civilian clothing. And finally, Shoryu enters with his hooded cloak pulled back to reveal his frost-touched features.
Blake's cat ears flatten as she processes their coordinated arrival—of course they would wait until evening meal to reveal themselves, when refusing their company would seem churlish in front of other passengers.
Sun: (approaching Blake's table with his easy grin) Hey Blake! Fancy meeting you on a boat to Menagerie! What are the odds?
Blake: (her voice carrying exasperation despite her relief at seeing familiar faces) The odds are approximately one hundred percent when you three have been following me since we left Vale. Sit down before you draw more attention.
Hon'oh: (taking a seat with fluid grace as her Sea Dragon presence creates comfortable humidity around the table) You knew we were following you?
Blake: (her cat ears twitching with emphasis) I'm a faunus, Hon'oh. I can hear three distinct sets of footsteps maintaining precisely seventy-five feet distance from my location for an entire day. And Shoryu's frost abilities create temperature differentials that I can feel from twice that distance.
Shoryu: (sitting beside Blake with patient understanding in his expression) We weren't trying to hide from you, Blake. We were giving you space while maintaining protective presence. There's a difference between surveillance and support.
Blake: (her voice softening despite her attempt to maintain irritation) This was your idea, wasn't it? Keeping distance but staying close enough to intervene if something went wrong?
Shoryu: (his frost abilities creating comfortable cool air around them) You specifically said you needed space to process everything that happened at Beacon. But you also just survived assault where terrorists attacked your academy and your former partner tried to kill you. Space doesn't mean leaving you completely unprotected during vulnerable journey.
Sun: (his faunus confidence masking deeper concern) Plus, Menagerie is my homeland too. I've been away for years. Figured I'd visit family while providing backup for Blake's reunion with her parents. And maybe helping investigate White Fang's compromised operations.
Hon'oh: (her Sea Dragon wisdom providing context) And someone needed to ensure aquatic Grimm didn't attack the ship during voyage. My presence beneath the vessel has prevented three separate Grimm approaches that would have required captain to alter course or passengers to defend themselves.
Blake: (processing the revelation that Hon'oh has been protecting the entire ship rather than just her specifically) You've been swimming beneath us in dragon form for the entire journey? That must be exhausting.
Hon'oh: (slight smile crossing her face) Sea Dragon Empresses don't experience normal exhaustion in aquatic environments, Blake. The ocean energizes rather than depletes us. I could maintain protective formation for weeks without significant fatigue.
Other passengers begin noticing the gathering of clearly supernatural beings at Blake's table. Whispers increase—not hostile but definitely curious about why a cat faunus is dining with what are clearly dragon family members given their distinctive presence and bearing.
Blake: (her voice dropping to quiet intensity) You're drawing attention. People are going to ask questions about why dragon family members are escorting me specifically.
Shoryu: (his voice carrying gentle firmness) Let them ask. You're under my protection, Blake. Anyone who has problems with a Frost Dragon King choosing to escort his childhood friend home can take it up with someone who cares about their opinion.
Sun: (adding with his characteristic humor) Plus, having visible dragon family presence on ship means aquatic Grimm give us wider berth and any pirates considering attacking passenger vessel suddenly develop very sensible desire to find easier targets elsewhere.
Blake: (a slight smile finally crossing her face despite everything) You're saying your presence makes voyage safer for everyone, not just for me specifically?
Hon'oh: (her expression carrying both affection and tactical honesty) We're saying that protecting you serves multiple strategic purposes, Blake. Your safety is primary objective, but ensuring all passengers reach Menagerie without incident benefits everyone. No reason we can't accomplish both objectives simultaneously.
The Childhood Friend Conversation
As the meal progresses and other passengers gradually stop staring at their table, Blake finds herself relaxing slightly for the first time since leaving Vale. The presence of friends—even friends whose protective surveillance she initially resented—provides comfort she didn't realize she desperately needed.
Blake: (her voice quiet as she addresses Shoryu specifically) We haven't really talked about... everything. About Adam, about what happened in the dining hall, about how you defeated someone I spent years believing was unbeatable.
Shoryu: (his frost abilities creating comfortable patterns as he meets her gaze) Adam Taurus was powerful by human standards, Blake. His Semblance makes him dangerous opponent for conventional fighters. But I'm a Frost Dragon King trained in Sanctuary techniques that allow me to operate beyond normal physical constraints. The fight was never as close as he believed it to be.
Blake: (her cat ears flattening with remembered trauma) He took Yang's arm like it was nothing. One strike, and my partner lost a limb because she was protecting me from him. How am I supposed to process that guilt?
Sun: (his voice carrying understanding born from his own experiences with White Fang violence) By recognizing that Yang made her own choice, Blake. She saw you in danger and acted to protect you—that was her decision, driven by her protective instincts and care for you. Feeling guilty about her choice dishonors the courage it took for her to prioritize your safety over her own.
Hon'oh: (her Sea Dragon wisdom adding perspective) And by understanding that Adam's actions are his responsibility, not yours. You didn't force him to become violent. You didn't manipulate him into attacking your friends. His choices are his own, Blake. Your responsibility is learning from association with him rather than carrying guilt for everything he does.
Blake: (tears beginning to form despite her attempts to maintain composure) I should have seen what he was becoming. Should have recognized that his justified anger was turning into something twisted and cruel. Should have stopped him before he became the monster who attacks academies and severs arms without hesitation.
Shoryu: (reaching out to take her hand with gentle frost-touched contact) You were a child when you joined the White Fang, Blake. You were looking for purpose and found it in organization that claimed to fight for faunus equality. That Adam manipulated your idealism doesn't make you responsible for his corruption.
Blake: (her voice breaking) But I stayed with him for years, Shoryu. Even after I started seeing signs that his methods were becoming extreme, I stayed because I thought I could change him. Or because I was too afraid to leave. Or because some part of me believed his rhetoric about violence being necessary for faunus liberation.
Shoryu: (his voice carrying ancient understanding combined with personal knowledge of Blake's history) I've known you since we were children, Blake. I watched you struggle with White Fang's increasing radicalization. I saw you begin questioning their methods years before you finally left. And I understand why you stayed as long as you did—leaving required admitting you'd dedicated years of your life to organization that betrayed its founding principles.
Sun: (adding his perspective as another faunus who rejected White Fang's violence) I almost joined them too, Blake. Before I saw what they were becoming under Adam's influence. The rhetoric about faunus pride and equality was seductive. The promise of fighting back against genuine discrimination had real appeal. But I recognized early that their methods would create more problems than they solved.
Blake: (her cat ears twitching with remembered shame) You were smarter than me, Sun. You saw through the rhetoric before it consumed years of your life.
Sun: (his voice firm despite his usual easy-going demeanor) I was luckier, Blake. I had family support that you didn't. I had examples of faunus who achieved equality through persistence and excellence rather than violence. You had Adam telling you that humans would never accept faunus without being forced. Different circumstances, not different intelligence.
Hon'oh: (her Sea Dragon presence providing calming influence) Blake, you made mistakes. You stayed with violent organization longer than you should have. You participated in operations that harmed innocent people. Those are facts you can't change. But you also chose to leave when you finally understood what White Fang had become. You chose to attend Beacon and learn different methods of protecting people. You chose to stand against Adam when he attacked your academy. Those choices matter more than the mistakes you made before you knew better.
The Truth About Protection
As the dining area begins to empty for the evening, Blake finally voices the question that's been bothering her since she first detected their presence on the ship.
Blake: (her voice carrying vulnerability she rarely shows) Why are you all really here? Not the tactical reasons about protecting the ship or gathering White Fang intelligence. Why are you personally invested in escorting me home to face parents I ran away from years ago?
Shoryu: (his frost abilities creating intimate cool air around their table as other passengers depart) Because you're my childhood friend, Blake. Because I remember the girl who wanted to make the world better for all faunus, who believed that equality could be achieved through determination and courage. That girl is still in there despite everything Adam and the White Fang did to bury her idealism under cynicism and trauma.
Sun: (his voice carrying affection beyond simple friendship) Because you matter to me, Blake. We dated for a while, realized we worked better as friends, but that doesn't mean I stopped caring about your wellbeing. You survived assault where terrorists tried to kill you and your former partner severed your friend's arm. Nobody should face their parents alone after experiencing that level of trauma.
Hon'oh: (her expression carrying both tactical reasoning and genuine care) Because my brother has chosen you as someone worth protecting, Blake. That makes you family by extension, even if our connection is through Shoryu rather than direct bond. Dragon families take protection seriously—when one of us claims responsibility for someone's safety, we all support that claim.
Blake: (her voice barely a whisper) I don't deserve this level of care. Not after everything I've done, everyone I've hurt through my association with White Fang.
Shoryu: (his voice carrying frost-touched intensity) You don't get to decide whether you deserve care, Blake. You get to decide whether you accept it. I'm offering protection not because you've earned it through perfect behavior, but because I care about you despite your imperfections. That's what friends do—stand beside each other even when circumstances are messy and complicated.
Blake: (tears flowing freely now as years of isolation and guilt begin to crack) I'm afraid, Shoryu. Afraid of facing my parents. Afraid they'll reject me for running away and joining terrorists. Afraid they'll judge me for Yang's injury and Beacon's casualties. Afraid that going home means confronting everything I've been running from for years.
Shoryu: (pulling her into embrace that carries both comfort and frost-touched coolness) Then we face those fears together, Blake. You're not alone anymore. You have friends who've chosen to stand beside you regardless of what your past contains or what judgment your parents deliver. That's not changing just because the conversation might be uncomfortable.
Sun: (joining the embrace with characteristic warmth) Plus, having three dragon family members vouch for you is going to make your parents' judgment significantly more nuanced. They can't simply dismiss you as failed daughter when a Frost Dragon King is standing there explaining that you fought to protect innocent people from organization you used to serve.
Hon'oh: (her Sea Dragon wisdom providing final comfort) Parents who truly love their children find ways to forgive mistakes made during youth, Blake. Your mother and father will see that you've grown beyond who you were when you left. And if they don't... then you have chosen family who accepts you as you are rather than demanding you become who they wanted.
The Night Watch
As the ship settles into quiet night sailing, Blake finds herself back at the rail. But this time, instead of standing alone with paranoid awareness of hidden watchers, Shoryu stands openly beside her while Sun and Hon'oh maintain visible positions nearby.
Blake: (her voice quiet as she watches moonlight reflect on ocean waves) Thank you. For following me even when I said I needed space. For revealing yourselves before I had to confront you. For being honest about why you're really here.
Shoryu: (his frost abilities creating comfortable cool air despite the tropical night) You'll always have my protection, Blake. Whether you want it or not, whether you think you deserve it or not, whether circumstances make it convenient or not. That's what childhood friends do—stand beside each other even when standing is difficult.
Blake: (a slight smile crossing her face) You're going to make my homecoming incredibly awkward when you insist on formal introduction to my parents as my protective Dragon King. They're going to have opinions about their daughter maintaining relationships with supernatural beings whose power exceeds comprehension.
Shoryu: (his own smile evident despite the serious conversation) Then they'll have opinions. I've survived centuries of having opinions directed at me, Blake. I think I can handle Chief Ghira and Lady Kali's parental concern about their daughter's friendship with frost dragon.
Sun: (calling from his position near the bow) Plus, Blake, your parents already know me! I can ease the introduction by explaining how Shoryu saved your life from Adam and protected you during Beacon's assault. Parents love hearing that their daughter's friends prevented her death through timely intervention!
Blake: (laughing despite everything) You're going to tell my parents that I almost died multiple times and needed rescue? That's your strategy for making them comfortable with my current life choices?
Sun: (his voice carrying characteristic confidence) Hey, it worked when I explained to my parents that I almost died fighting Grimm and got rescued by a Sea Dragon Empress! They were much more comfortable with me dating Hon'oh after they understood she saves my life on regular basis!
Hon'oh: (her voice carrying amused exasperation from where she maintains ocean watch) Sun, your parents were comfortable with you dating me because your mother recognized that having Sea Dragon Empress interested in her son meant he must have done something right. The life-saving was secondary to the cosmic approval.
Blake: (her expression carrying first genuine joy since Beacon's fall) This is going to be a disaster. Introducing my parents to Shoryu while Sun provides running commentary about near-death experiences and Hon'oh occasionally manifests her dragon form to prove she's not exaggerating about supernatural protection. My poor parents aren't prepared for this level of chaos.
Shoryu: (his voice carrying affectionate certainty) Then they'll adapt. Parents who raised someone as remarkable as you clearly possess flexibility required to accept that their daughter's friends include dragon royalty. And if they don't adapt... well, you have chosen family who accepts you unconditionally.
As the night deepens and the ship continues its journey toward Menagerie, Blake finds herself finally able to rest without constant vigilant awareness. Surrounded by friends who've chosen to protect her despite her protest, she sleeps more peacefully than she has since Beacon's assault.
And three figures maintain watch throughout the night—a Frost Dragon King whose childhood friendship has evolved into protective devotion, a faunus whose casual relationship has deepened into loyal friendship, and a Sea Dragon Empress whose brother's protection has become her own responsibility.
The journey to Menagerie continues, carrying Blake Belladonna home to face parents she abandoned, to confront organization she escaped, and to begin healing from trauma that nearly destroyed her.
But this time, she doesn't face those challenges alone. This time, she has friends whose protection extends beyond simple duty into genuine care for someone they've chosen to stand beside regardless of what her past contains or what judgment awaits.
The ship cuts through peaceful waters toward island home that Blake hasn't seen in years. And for the first time since leaving, she feels ready to face what awaits there—because she's learned that accepting help isn't weakness, and that chosen family sometimes matters more than blood relationships when facing impossible circumstances.
Tomorrow brings reunion with parents and confrontation with consequences. But tonight, surrounded by friends who refuse to let her face darkness alone, Blake Belladonna finally finds peace.
Menagerie - Confessions and Homecoming
The Final Night at Sea
As the ship approaches Menagerie's territorial waters, the tropical air grows warmer and more humid. Blake stands at the rail watching the approaching coastline with mixture of anticipation and dread. Tomorrow morning they'll dock, and she'll face parents she hasn't seen in years.
Shoryu: (approaching with his characteristic frost-touched presence) Blake, we need to talk about some things. Before we reach Menagerie and circumstances become more complicated.
Blake: (her cat ears twitching as she processes his tone—serious but not threatening) What kind of things? If this is about tactical planning for dealing with my parents, Sun already has seventeen different conversation strategies prepared.
Hon'oh: (appearing from the shadows with knowing smile that makes her brother visibly uncomfortable) Oh, this isn't about tactical planning, Blake. This is about my brother finally working up the courage to have a conversation he's been avoiding since you were children.
Shoryu: (frost abilities flickering with annoyance) Hon'oh, your assistance is neither required nor appreciated in this particular moment.
Hon'oh: (her Sea Dragon Empress amusement evident) On the contrary, brother. You've spent centuries talking yourself out of this conversation. I'm ensuring you don't find another excuse to delay honesty that's overdue by at least a decade.
Blake: (confusion evident as she looks between the siblings) What conversation? Shoryu, what is your sister talking about?
Sun: (calling from where he's been maintaining respectful distance) She's talking about the fact that Shoryu has been in love with you since you were kids, Blake! We're all aware except apparently you!
Shoryu: (his frost abilities creating visible ice crystals in the air around him as embarrassment manifests as temperature drop) Sun Wukong, your commentary is spectacularly unhelpful right now!
Blake: (her voice barely above whisper as her mind processes what she just heard) You... what? Shoryu, is that true?
Hon'oh: (her voice gentle despite her previous teasing) I'll give you two privacy for this conversation. Sun and I will maintain perimeter watch and ensure no other passengers interrupt. Take your time, brother. And Blake? Actually listen to what he's saying instead of immediately planning your escape routes.
As Hon'oh and Sun withdraw to give them space, Blake finds herself alone with Shoryu under starlight that makes the ocean seem to glow. Her cat ears flatten slightly—not from threat but from emotional overwhelm she's not prepared to process.
The Long Overdue Conversation
Shoryu: (his frost abilities creating comfortable cool air despite the tropical night, his voice carrying vulnerability that Blake has rarely heard from the normally composed dragon) Blake, I've known you since we were children. I watched you grow from idealistic girl who wanted to change the world into someone who joined White Fang seeking purpose. I watched you struggle with their increasing radicalization. And I watched you finally find courage to leave when you realized what they'd become.
Blake: (her voice small as she tries to process where this is going) You never said anything. All those years, you never indicated that you felt... that you saw me as anything more than childhood friend.
Shoryu: (his expression carrying centuries of patient waiting) Because you weren't ready, Blake. When we were children, you were too young for that kind of declaration. When you joined White Fang, you were consumed by their ideology and Adam's manipulation. When you left for Beacon, you were healing from trauma and didn't need additional emotional complications. And now... now you're facing your parents after surviving assault that nearly killed you. The timing has never been right.
Blake: (her cat ears twitching as defensive mechanisms engage) Then why bring it up now? Why add this complication when I'm already dealing with so much?
Shoryu: (his voice carrying conviction that makes his frost abilities pulse with intensity) Because Hon'oh is right—I've spent too long waiting for perfect moment that will never come. Because you deserve to know that someone has loved you consistently despite your mistakes and trauma. Because I'm tired of hiding feelings that have defined me for decades while pretending simple friendship is enough.
Blake: (tears beginning to form as the weight of his confession hits her) Shoryu, I... I can't. Not right now. I can't process this on top of everything else. Beacon's assault, Yang's arm, Adam's attack, facing my parents—adding your romantic feelings to that list is too much.
Shoryu: (stepping closer but not touching, giving her space to feel without pressure) I'm not asking you to process it immediately, Blake. I'm not demanding response or commitment. I'm simply being honest about feelings I've carried for years. What you do with that honesty is entirely your choice.
Blake: (her voice breaking) But what if I can't return those feelings? What if I'm too broken from Adam and White Fang to be capable of romantic love? What if accepting your feelings means risking our friendship when you realize I can't be what you want?
Shoryu: (his frost abilities creating intimate patterns around them both) Then our friendship continues as it always has. Blake, I'm not confessing my feelings with expectation of reciprocation. I'm confessing them because hiding them was becoming impossible and dishonest. You deserve to know the truth about how I feel—what you do with that truth is yours to decide without pressure or expectation.
Blake: (her cat ears twitching as she struggles with internal conflict) You've been in love with me since we were children? All this time, you've watched me make terrible choices, join violent organizations, date Adam Taurus of all people—and you still felt that way about me?
Shoryu: (a slight smile crossing his face despite the serious conversation) Love isn't logical, Blake. It doesn't turn off because the person makes choices you disagree with or joins organizations you oppose. I loved you as idealistic child. I loved you as misguided teenager serving White Fang. I loved you as traumatized young woman escaping to Beacon. And I love you now as someone struggling to face their past while building different future.
Blake: (her voice barely audible) I don't know if I can handle someone loving me that unconditionally. It feels like too much pressure. Like I'll inevitably disappoint you when you realize I'm not worth that level of devotion.
Shoryu: (his voice carrying ancient understanding) You don't have to handle it, Blake. You don't have to do anything except exist and make your own choices. My feelings are my responsibility, not yours. Whether you return them, reject them, or need years to process them—none of that changes that you're worth loving, even when you can't see that value yourself.
Blake's Internal Conflict
Blake turns away from Shoryu, her hands gripping the rail as she stares at Menagerie's approaching coastline. Her mind races through decades of memories—childhood friendship, adolescent confusion, years of watching Shoryu from distance while she made increasingly poor choices.
Blake: (speaking quietly, almost to herself) I've had a crush on you since we were children, Shoryu. Since before I knew what those feelings meant. You were the frost-touched boy who was kind when other kids mocked my cat ears. You were the friend who listened when I talked about wanting to make the world better. You were the one I compared every other relationship to and found them lacking.
Shoryu: (his voice carrying surprise despite his usual composure) Then why did you never say anything? Why date Adam if you had feelings for me?
Blake: (her cat ears flattening with shame) Because I thought you were too good for me. Because dragon families are ancient powers and I'm just a faunus girl from Menagerie who couldn't even graduate from combat school properly. Because Adam was there offering purpose and validation when I felt worthless, and you were... you were perfect and I was convinced I could never deserve someone like you.
Shoryu: (moving to stand beside her, his presence offering support without pressure) Blake, I'm not perfect. I've made countless mistakes across centuries of existence. I've failed to protect people I cared about. I've let fear of rejection keep me from being honest about my feelings. Perfect would have been telling you the truth years ago instead of watching you hurt yourself trying to earn value you've always possessed.
Blake: (turning to face him with tears streaming down her face) I can't give you an answer right now. I can't commit to anything when I'm barely holding myself together. But I... I need you to know that your feelings aren't unwelcome. They're just overwhelming when combined with everything else I'm processing.
Shoryu: (his frost abilities creating gentle patterns that seem to wipe away her tears without touching) Then don't give me an answer. Take whatever time you need. Process your trauma, reconcile with your parents, deal with White Fang's corruption. When you're ready—if you're ever ready—we'll have this conversation again. Until then, nothing changes about my commitment to protecting you or our friendship.
Blake: (a slight laugh escaping despite her tears) You're being too understanding. Normal people would demand immediate response or at least some indication of whether there's hope for reciprocation.
Shoryu: (his voice carrying affectionate certainty) I'm not normal people, Blake. I'm a Frost Dragon King who's been in love with the same person for decades. I can wait a bit longer for her to figure out what she wants—especially when I know she's carrying feelings for me that she's been suppressing because she thought she wasn't good enough.
Blake: (her voice carrying desperate vulnerability) What if I'm still not good enough? What if I can never be the person you deserve? What if Adam damaged me so badly that I can't be in healthy relationship with anyone?
Shoryu: (taking her hands in his, allowing her to feel the frost-touched coolness of his skin) Then we work through that damage together. Adam didn't break you, Blake. He hurt you, manipulated you, made you question your value. But you're still the person I've loved for decades—you're just carrying wounds that need time to heal. I'm willing to wait while you do that healing.
Blake: (squeezing his hands as she makes difficult admission) I'll give you an answer soon. Not today, not tomorrow when we're dealing with my parents, but soon. Because you deserve to know whether your feelings are returned or whether you should move on to someone less complicated. But Shoryu? The truth is... I've loved you since we were children too. I've just been too afraid to admit it.
Shoryu: (his frost abilities pulsing with emotion he's spent decades controlling) Then I can wait, Blake. However long it takes for you to feel secure enough to admit that love out loud without fear attached to it.
The Siblings' Perspective
As Blake and Shoryu's conversation winds down, Hon'oh and Sun maintain their perimeter watch while occasionally glancing toward the couple with mixture of concern and approval.
Hon'oh: (her Sea Dragon senses detecting the emotional resonance between her brother and Blake) About time he finally told her. I've been watching him pine for decades. It was becoming pathetic.
Sun: (his faunus hearing catching pieces of their conversation despite the distance, his voice carrying characteristic humor) Yeah, well, at least your brother had the guts to actually confess his feelings instead of, you know, dancing around them with jokes and casual flirting that could always be dismissed as just friendly banter.
Hon'oh: (turning to look at Sun with knowing expression that makes him visibly nervous) Are we still talking about my brother, Sun Wukong? Or are we discussing someone else entirely?
Sun: (his tail twitching with telltale nervousness as he attempts to maintain his easy-going demeanor) We're definitely talking about Shoryu. Your brother. The Frost Dragon King who took decades to confess. That guy. Not talking about anyone else at all.
Hon'oh: (her Sea Dragon Empress aura creating comfortable humidity around them as she steps closer) Interesting. Because for the past few weeks, you've been making jokes about how impressive it is when dragon empresses manifest their power. And commenting on how attractive confidence looks when someone can casually mention they've been protecting ships from aquatic Grimm. And finding increasingly transparent excuses to spend time in my presence.
Sun: (his faunus confidence wavering as he realizes she's been paying attention to all of it) I mean, those are just... observations. Factual statements about things I've noticed. Not necessarily indicating anything specific about my feelings or intentions.
Hon'oh: (amusement evident in her expression as she backs him toward the rail) Sun, I've lived for centuries. I've heard countless forms of romantic interest expressed through indirect commentary and carefully casual interaction. You're not nearly as subtle as you think you are.
Sun: (his back hitting the rail as his tail wraps around his leg nervously) Okay, but see, there's subtle and then there's just being friendly. And I'm a friendly guy! I joke with everyone! Neptune can confirm that I use humor as my default social interaction mode!
Hon'oh: (her voice dropping to intimate intensity that makes Sun's breath catch) Then let me ask you directly, Sun Wukong, since subtle clearly isn't working. Are you, through your jokes and casual flirting and increasingly obvious attempts to impress me, trying to express romantic interest? Because if you are, I'd very much like to hear you say it clearly instead of hiding behind plausible deniability.
Sun: (his entire body language shifting from nervous to shocked) You... you want to hear me say it? Like, directly? Without the safety net of being able to pretend I was just joking if you rejected me?
Hon'oh: (her Sea Dragon wisdom evident in her patient expression) Yes, Sun. I want to hear you say it directly. Because I've been waiting for you to work up the courage to be honest about your feelings, and watching you dance around them is both endearing and frustrating in equal measure.
Sun: (taking a deep breath as his usual confidence reasserts itself now that he knows rejection isn't imminent) Okay. Okay, fine. I like you, Hon'oh. Not just as Blake's friend's sister, not just as a powerful dragon empress I admire from distance, but as someone I want to spend time with because you're amazing and intimidating and you laugh at my terrible jokes even when they're objectively not funny.
Hon'oh: (her smile growing as she processes his confession) Continue.
Sun: (his words coming faster as years of suppressed feelings finally find expression) I like how you protect entire ships full of people without expecting recognition. I like how you can shift from Sea Dragon Empress mode to normal conversation without making humans feel inferior. I like how you took my casual interest seriously instead of dismissing it because I'm just an academy student and you're literal royalty who commands oceanic forces across multiple realms.
Hon'oh: (stepping even closer until they're barely a foot apart) And what exactly are you asking me, Sun Wukong? Because declarations of affection are wonderful, but I want to hear what you're actually proposing.
Sun: (his tail unwrapping from his leg as confidence returns) I'm asking if you'd be willing to... you know... be my girlfriend? Date me officially instead of this weird thing where we're clearly interested but neither of us has actually defined what we're doing?
Hon'oh: (her voice carrying delighted amusement) Oh, so this IS your way of asking me to be your girlfriend. How charming that you needed me to drag it out of you through direct interrogation instead of just asking like a normal person.
Sun: (defensive but grinning) Hey, I was building up to it! I had a whole plan involving impressive displays of combat skill and maybe bringing you interesting ocean artifacts and definitely not panicking when a Sea Dragon Empress called me out for being obvious about my feelings!
Hon'oh: (her laughter carrying genuine joy) Your plan was terrible, Sun. But your confession was adequate. And yes, since you finally managed to ask—I'll be your girlfriend. On the condition that you stop hiding behind jokes when you want to tell me something important.
Sun: (his expression shifting to pure joy) Really? You're actually saying yes? To dating me? Despite the fact that you're ancient dragon royalty and I'm a faunus kid from Menagerie who barely passed his combat school exams?
Hon'oh: (cupping his face with hands that carry sea-touched coolness) I'm saying yes because you're brave, loyal, genuinely kind, and you make me laugh. Those qualities matter more than power differentials or age gaps measured in centuries. Plus, your terrible jokes are growing on me.
Sun: (pulling her into embrace that carries relief and excitement) This is amazing. This is the best thing that's happened since we survived Beacon's assault. Wait, is this a good time to kiss you? Because I really want to kiss you but I don't want to move too fast and make you uncomfortable.
Hon'oh: (her voice carrying affectionate exasperation) Sun, I just agreed to be your girlfriend. Kissing me is not moving too fast—it's the logical next step. Stop overthinking and just—
Sun doesn't let her finish the sentence before pulling her into kiss that's been building through weeks of casual flirting and unspoken attraction. Hon'oh responds with enthusiasm that suggests she's been waiting for him to make this move for quite some time.
When they finally break apart, both are smiling with the kind of genuine happiness that comes from finally admitting feelings that have been obvious to everyone except apparently themselves.
Sun: (his voice carrying characteristic humor despite the emotional moment) So, just to be clear—we're official now, right? This isn't some weird dragon family tradition where I have to complete trials or fight sea monsters or get approval from your entire family?
Hon'oh: (her laughter genuine) We're official, Sun. Though I should warn you that dating a Sea Dragon Empress does come with certain expectations. Like occasionally accompanying me on dimensional patrols. And meeting my family, who will have opinions about their sister dating a faunus academy student. And possibly fighting sea monsters, but that's more occupational hazard than relationship requirement.
Sun: (his grin widening) Dimensional patrols sound awesome. Meeting your family sounds terrifying but manageable. And fighting sea monsters is basically just Friday for Huntsmen anyway. I can handle all of that as long as I get to keep making you laugh with my terrible jokes.
Hon'oh: (her expression softening with genuine affection) Then we have agreement, Sun Wukong. You're officially my boyfriend, I'm officially your girlfriend, and we both agree to stop dancing around what we actually mean when we talk to each other.
Sun: (his tail unwrapping completely as relaxation sets in) Best. Day. Ever. Even counting the part where Blake's probably going to tease me mercilessly once she finds out I needed a Sea Dragon Empress to directly ask if I was trying to date her before I could actually confess.
Hon'oh: (amusement evident in her voice) Oh, Blake is definitely going to tease you. And so is my brother. And probably your entire team once they find out. But that's the price of being adorably awkward about your romantic feelings.
Sun: (pulling her close again) Totally worth it if it means I get to call you my girlfriend. Though I reserve the right to hide behind you when your family decides to intimidate me with displays of ancient dragon power.
Hon'oh: (her voice carrying warm certainty) Deal. Now, shall we continue our perimeter watch while pretending we're not distracted by our new relationship status? Because my brother and Blake are finishing their conversation, and we should probably look professional when they rejoin us.
Sun: (attempting to straighten his appearance) Right. Professional. I can do professional. I'm totally not thinking about the fact that I'm dating a Sea Dragon Empress now. Definitely focused on tactical security. Very serious about maritime Grimm threats.
Hon'oh: (her laughter carrying across the deck) You're hopeless, Sun Wukong. Absolutely hopeless. It's one of the things I find most charming about you.
As they return to their surveillance positions—standing noticeably closer than before and occasionally stealing glances at each other—both carry the kind of contentment that comes from finally admitting feelings that have been building for weeks.
Blake and Shoryu rejoin them moments later, both clearly aware that something has shifted between Sun and Hon'oh based on their body language and the way they're trying not to smile at each other constantly.
Blake: (her cat ears twitching with observation) Did something happen while Shoryu and I were talking? Because you two look... different.
Sun: (his grin characteristic despite his attempt at casualness) Oh, you know. Just had a conversation. Clarified some things. Defined our relationship status. Normal perimeter security activities.
Shoryu: (his frost abilities detecting the emotional resonance between his sister and Sun) Hon'oh, did you finally force Sun to actually ask you out instead of waiting for him to work up courage on his own?
Hon'oh: (her voice carrying satisfied amusement) I may have directly interrogated him until he admitted his feelings and asked if I'd be his girlfriend. It seemed more efficient than waiting another month for him to build up nerve.
Blake: (a genuine laugh escaping despite her own emotional overwhelm) So we both had relationship conversations tonight. Though at least Sun managed to actually ask instead of leaving things hanging with vague promises of future answers.
Sun: (defensive but good-natured) Hey, at least I managed to ask at all! Shoryu took decades to confess to you! I'm way ahead of that timeline!
Shoryu: (his voice carrying dry amusement despite the valid point) Fair. Though in my defense, I didn't have a sister who directly asked me if I was trying to date Blake and then demanded I clarify my intentions immediately.
Hon'oh: (her expression smug) Someone in this family needed to demonstrate how to have honest relationship conversations instead of pining dramatically for extended periods. I'm setting good example for my emotionally constipated brother.
The Morning Arrival
As dawn breaks over Menagerie, the ship enters the harbor. Blake stands at the rail with Shoryu beside her, both watching the island approach with mixture of anticipation and concern.
Blake: (her voice quiet as she adjusts her outfit—notably without her bow, her cat ears free and visible) My parents are going to have so many questions. About why I left, why I'm coming back now, why I'm arriving with dragon family escort, why I'm suddenly comfortable displaying my faunus features openly.
Shoryu: (his frost abilities creating comfortable cool air despite the tropical heat) Then we answer their questions honestly. You left because you disagreed with their peaceful approach to faunus equality. You're returning because you've learned that violence doesn't solve the problems it claims to address. You're arriving with dragon family escort because you survived assassination attempt and assault on your academy. And you're displaying your faunus features because you're done hiding who you are to make humans comfortable.
Blake: (a slight smile crossing her face) You make it sound so simple when you frame it like that.
Shoryu: (his voice gentle) Because it is simple, Blake. Complicated emotions, yes. Difficult conversations, absolutely. But the fundamental truth is straightforward—you're coming home after years away, and you're bringing friends who care about you. Your parents will understand that, even if they struggle with the details.
Sun: (approaching with Hon'oh as the ship prepares to dock) Plus, Blake, your parents already like me! I can smooth the introduction by explaining that Shoryu saved your life multiple times and I'm vouching for his character despite him being ancient dragon with power to level cities.
Blake: (her voice carrying affectionate exasperation) Sun, that's not as reassuring as you think it is.
Hon'oh: (her Sea Dragon presence radiating calm) Your parents will see that their daughter has allies who genuinely care about her wellbeing. That matters more than concerns about supernatural power differentials or complicated romantic history.
As the ship docks and passengers begin disembarking, Blake takes a deep breath and straightens her shoulders. Her cat ears swivel forward—no longer hidden, no longer apologizing for existing. She's returning home not as the ashamed daughter who ran away, but as someone who's survived trauma and chosen to face her past with support from people who refuse to let her do it alone.
Blake: (turning to Shoryu one last time before they disembark) Thank you. For telling me the truth. For being patient with my inability to respond. For loving me despite all the reasons you shouldn't. I will give you an answer soon, Shoryu. I promise.
Shoryu: (his frost abilities creating one final intimate moment) Take whatever time you need, Blake. I've waited decades. I can wait a bit longer for you to feel secure enough to be honest about your own feelings.
As they walk down the gangplank onto Menagerie's docks, Blake finds herself flanked by three dragon family members who've chosen to stand beside her despite her complicated past and uncertain future.
The island spreads before them—tropical paradise that will soon become ground zero for confronting her parents, investigating White Fang corruption, and beginning the long process of healing from trauma that nearly destroyed her.
But for the first time since leaving years ago, Blake feels ready to face what awaits. Because she's learned that accepting help isn't weakness, that love doesn't always come with manipulation attached, and that sometimes the person you've been crushing on since childhood has been crushing on you just as long.
Tomorrow brings difficult conversations and uncomfortable truths. But today, standing on Menagerie's docks with Shoryu's confession still echoing in her mind and her own suppressed feelings finally acknowledged, Blake Belladonna allows herself to hope that maybe—just maybe—she can build something good from the ruins of her past mistakes.
The journey home is complete. The real work of reconciliation and healing is just beginning. And Blake faces it not alone, but surrounded by chosen family who've proven that their support transcends her ability to deserve it.
Her cat ears twitch as she catches sight of familiar figures approaching through the crowd. Her mother and father, summoned by harbormaster's notification of her arrival. Chief Ghira and Lady Kali, preparing to reunite with daughter who disappeared years ago.
Blake's hand unconsciously moves toward Shoryu's, seeking support. His frost-touched fingers intertwine with hers, providing anchor as she prepares to face parents she abandoned.
Blake: (her voice barely audible) I'm terrified.
Shoryu: (his voice carrying absolute certainty) Then we're terrified together. But Blake? Your parents love you. They've been waiting for you to come home. This reunion might be uncomfortable, but it won't be rejection. I promise.
As her parents draw closer, recognition and joy evident on their faces despite their daughter's unexpected escorts, Blake squeezes Shoryu's hand and steps forward to face her past.
The story continues. The confessions have been made. And Blake Belladonna begins the long process of healing surrounded by people who love her despite her inability to believe she deserves it.
Sometimes that's enough. Sometimes love that refuses to quit creates space for broken people to slowly piece themselves back together. And sometimes admitting you've been crushing on someone since childhood is the first step toward accepting that maybe you're worth loving after all.
To be continued in Chapter 27: Homecomig and Revelations