[Erytheia Hellebore]

The noble warrior stood, and the people looked to her.

For she was a beacon - hope given form, yet still only human.
Within that truth there was great promise.
If one could stand against the night, then so too could anyone - everyone.

In her hand the warrior held a Rose. And her aura burned bright.

❝

These events had been getting more and more frequent since the Vytal festival had ended, and her involvement in such proportionally more required as time went on. She supposed she had managed to gather that much, at least - attention for the Hellebore Armory and Hellebore Companies that were nominally under her name as heiress, and positive attention at that. Her little stunts in the arena had managed to hold the eye of at least some important people, and capitalizing on that to bring them closer into the fold was a time limited opportunity, so best to make hay while the sun shone, as others would put it. That was why she was here today, dressed in one of her favored black dresses, overseeing the preparations for the upcoming event open to long time and prospective business partners alike.

The delivery van pulled up in front of the back alley where she was waiting, trolley at the ready, and she smiled at the sight of the familiar brand name on the side and the driver in the front seat. The middle aged dog Faunus was one of the few outside contractors whom had stuck with her family for the past decade, but she had only really started to know him when she had left Sanctum and started playing a more active role in the business side of Hellebore affairs but half a decade past. She always made it a point to tip heavily, for her enjoyment of his company and the speed and professional manner in which he always conducted his dealings alike.

"Mister Glade," she smiled warmly, tilting her head to the side and offering up a wave as the other descended from the driver's cabin, receiving a smile in return and a doffing of the red cap he wore, holding it in his callused hands. Cornelius Glade was not one of the most famous caterers in the Ground District, but Hellebore business had a knack of seeking out quality, even if it wasn't recognized elsewhere. There were a few more grey strands in his brown hair, combed neatly to the side, but by and large he looked much as he always had, broad shouldered and possessed of vitality and cheer.

"Business is going well, I hope. Was it much trouble getting what I asked for?"

"Missy Hellebore," was the reply, accompanied by a grin of recognition followed by a shake of the head. Glade put the cap back atop his head and adjusted it as he motioned for her to follow to the back of the van, the Hellebore heiress doing so with the trolley.

"Not so, actually! Even in spite 'a the outbreak, things are goin' pretty well. Most things are settled down now, so gettin' these pastries up and done wasn't no trouble at all."

"I am glad," she responded, setting the trolley down as Glade slid apart the locks that had secured the van's rear, allowing the doors to swing open and revealing the person inside. Tilting her head slightly at the sudden appearance of another, Erytheia's smile did not falter, instead extending a hand to the girl inside so that she could make her way down.

"Hello. I have not seen you around with Mister Glade before - are you new, by any chance?"

AIRTAFAE (SEMBLANCE): [RANK E]

PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: RADIX GLORIA (DURABILITY) [RANK E]
PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: ARBOR IMPERIUM (STRENGTH) [RANK F]
PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: RAMIS MILIA (MARTIAL ARTS) [RANK F]
PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: LAMINAE CHORUS (AGILITY) [RANK E]
PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: VIRGA AUGMEN (SPEED) [RANK E]
IRKALLA ARALI (WEAPON): [RANK F]

@ ● 548 words ● 548 total words

MADE BY MIZO

[Bianca Sabbato]

After that whole incident occurred between Ryan, Holly, and Mary a couple weeks ago. The poor waitress just had to take a couple days off to calm her nerves and not be so on edge in general, so I decided to help her by at least doing the delivery work she did as a side job to pay her education in her stead, at least until everything was solved between her and Ryan, for better or for worse.

Friends of a friend are your friend right? Except that sounded like a really unhealthy thing to promote once you stopped to think about it really hard. But anyway, Mary seemed like a good girl, and I was aiming to get to know her better, so I figured doing this for her would give me some points in her book.

Besides that, I kinda felt guilty for all of that even happening at all. If I hadn’t invited Ryan that day, then Holly wouldn’t have appeared out of nowhere and their relationship would remain as secure and stable as always... It was a stupid way of looking at things, even I understood that. But still, I simply couldn’t feel good with myself until I at least did some kind of damage control after the fact.

Back to the topic at hand. Deliveries.

Surprisingly, helping Cornelius was quite a calm and relaxing task. The man was pleasant enough, hard-working but not an asshole about it. And more than happy to have me help him load and unload the truck of sweet, sugary goods any time it was needed. Needless to say, being a faunus himself, he didn’t have any problem with the tail either.

Apparently, we were delivering catering for a special event. Some big shots wanting something sweet to take a bite off. Strange that they were accepting goods from Ground district. But I reasoned they probably didn’t know the origin of the threats.

I had to stifle a chuckle as I bounced lightly in the back of the truck. I was supposed to help carry the goods inside the building, so they even had me dressing in some rented grey slacks, a long-sleeved shirt, and a grey vest.

These people, I wouldn’t be surprised if they spent the whole night eating these things, only to find out at the end of the party that it was provided by a Ground district distributor, only to start calling it disgusting, gagging exaggeratedly and hurriedly running to the bathrooms to puke and brush their tongues.

My meditations were interrupted by the light tapping of mister Cornelius on the roof of the van. Signaling for me to get prepared as we drew closer to our destination. I was currently unarmed, but with the news of Mantle’s recent jailbreak, I figured out a little pouch of sterile soil in the internal pocket of my vest wouldn’t hurt. And the boss was more than happy for the little extra protection... Especially because it came free of any extra charge, but whatever. Better let details be details.

As we pulled through, I gently pushed the product towards the door, so they would be ready to be hauled without further delay, readying myself to get out as I heard the heavy locks being undone by my patron

“Huh, that’s a new one,” I thought for myself as I watched a girl whose dress alone was probably more pricey than most homes in Ground district... And she was reaching to me. Did she want something? Was I supposed to kiss her hand or...?

Oh, she was reaching to help me get down... Huh... Ok then. That was weird.

-Just covering for a friend of mine until she solves some things- I called out while gingerly taking her hand but jumping down regardless. -Pleasure doing business with you. You can call me Bianca- I told her with an unsure smile while eyeing the handy trolley she had brought, it would certainly be helpful taking the pastries to the kitchen or wherever they were storing them.

Nodding once to myself, I began to do the job I had came to do... But as I worked, I couldn’t shake a pressing feeling in the back of my head, nothing unpleasant nor overly important, more like a moderate rash I was itching to take care of. And it was that her face seemed oddly familiar, to the point that I was absolutely sure I had seen her before...But her whole getup threw me off, like divorcing a mental image I had of someone with the real deal once it was before my eyes.

-Miss. Please excuse my... Uh... Impertinence. But I simply cannot shake the feeling of knowing you from somewhere. Please tell me, have we met before?- I said fully knowing how just suggesting something like that could be a one-way ticket to a screaming lecture from most of Haven’s high society, they may refrain to do it in a public place, but in a deserted place in the middle of the night like this was.

Still, crossing my fingers, I hoped to be right.

---

853/853 Words

[Erytheia Hellebore]

The noble warrior stood, and the people looked to her.

For she was a beacon - hope given form, yet still only human.
Within that truth there was great promise.
If one could stand against the night, then so too could anyone - everyone.

In her hand the warrior held a Rose. And her aura burned bright.

❝

"I see, I see."

The smile on her face was momentarily replaced by a thoughtful expression as the young woman introduced herself. The name rang a bell, but she couldn't for the life of her remember where exactly it'd come from. Then her eyes flickered to the tail trailing behind, and her face cleared up nigh immediately, all the pieces clicking into place. Of course - this was one of the Vytal contestants. She hadn't paid much attention to the brackets that weren't immediately going to be relevant to herself, but the newcomer's explosive ascendance and general performance through the Wild Card rounds had been commented on extensively by more than a few people. Without watching the matches, the most Erytheia had seen of her was the facial shot that came with the blurb on the rankings screens, but it was enough to make the connection now, at least. Even more so that she'd come in on the Haven side, as opposed to someone else.

Stepping up to do her part in shifting the boxes of pastries onto the trolley, she gave a thankful nod to Mr Glade as he stepped up onto the van and made his way into the storage area, pushing the boxes in the back forwards so that the two young women could shift them onto the waiting trolley. Pastries were not particularly heavy, but the boxes that held them were bulky out of necessity, large amounts of padding holding the fragile confectionaries in place while also maintaining the cool temperature to keep them from melting or otherwise deforming in the outdoor sun. Some other, more well off bakeries used metal boxes with built in Dust cooling circuits, but Glade Bakery had always forgone such due to their unreliability and cost - or so she'd gathered from their conversations. Holding one of the boxes to her side and ignoring the dust from the bottom of it that made its way onto her dress from the movement, the Hellebore heiress paused for a moment to tilt her head quizzically at Bianca, wondering for a moment as to the sudden formality before she set it down with the rest of its brethren.

"There is no need for the formality, I should think - but yes, I do believe so, though we have not yet been formally introduced. My name is Erytheia Hellebore, but you might have seen me around Haven as Class Green's leader when Professor Shadecloak is not around. A pleasure to finally meet you in person, Miss Bianca."

AIRTAFAE (SEMBLANCE): [RANK E]

PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: RADIX GLORIA (DURABILITY) [RANK E]
PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: ARBOR IMPERIUM (STRENGTH) [RANK F]
PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: RAMIS MILIA (MARTIAL ARTS) [RANK F]
PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: LAMINAE CHORUS (AGILITY) [RANK E]
PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: VIRGA AUGMEN (SPEED) [RANK E]
IRKALLA ARALI (WEAPON): [RANK F]

@ ● 420 words ● 967 total words

MADE BY MIZO

[Bianca Sabbato]

I didn’t fail to notice how her dress had apparently been stained when she went to help carry to boxes to the front … And I wasn't’ so sure about how I should have taken that.

On one side, it was nice of her to lend me a hand with this when she absolutely didn’t have to. But on the other hand... I mean, if you are going to be wearing something so nice at least put an apron to work. Some people would kill for something as expensive as that. Working clothes existed for a reason... But maybe I was just being a bitch about it.

Nitpicking asides. The reason I was so guarded was probably because of how freaked out I was. Maybe the boss lady was bored or maybe she genuinely was a good person and wanted to help. But I couldn’t shake that feeling of wrongness when I looked at her.

Plus, working alongside your contractor was always a jarring experience when the wealth disparity was so evidently extreme and the most minimal of errors could land you without a job because you put your boss in a sour mood.

And even though I personally didn’t care for this at all, I would have a very hard time facing Mary if I told her I lost one of her jobs while working it in her stead... But that was a problem I had gotten myself into entirely by myself, so no way it was fair for me to blame someone else for that.

I put the last of the boxes on the trolley and prepared to carry them inside when the woman seemed to figure out herself from where did we know each other. And a wave of relief washed over me when not only I turned out to be right, but she was also a Haven student as well!

With a smile exponentially more sincere than the one I had been wearing up to that moment. I turned my head towards her to give her a better look. My demeanor changing as drastically as one may flip a coin.

There existed a great equalizer in both of us being trainees. Even more when we technically were attending the same academy and year.

-Hah! I knew I could place your face somewhere! It’s nice meeting you too Erytheia, you were in the same team as Rin, Arrats and Rose right?-

I didn't know Rose but in a passing manner, just some loose conversations in the chatrooms... Were I vividly remember her calling herself a bandit... Not exactly the paragon of morality myself, so not getting my toes wet on that one, she seemed nice enough.

And I knew Arrats from the night he got his first taste of alcohol (and eventually, his first hangover), interesting fella to say the least.

I hadn’t quite met Rin yet, but her performance during her Vital match had been... Quite commented, to put it lightly. And entirely for the wrong reason, her semblance was cool as hell in my opinion. And being the case I had faced against both ghosts and a werewolf in the span of a week, I pretty much had the certainty I would have to fight vampire girl eventually, so no harm in getting to know her early.

But I digress. Back to topic. The only one I hadn’t had even a glancing interaction with was this girl, so I was eager to get to know her better...

Although, her last name kind of ringed a bell. I wasn’t sure if it was the same Hellebore but... Probably a good idea to ask her later, better start with something simple.

-Gotta say I wasn’t expecting to find another student here. Are you attending the event?- It was a stupid question, but one made mostly out of courtesy and getting the ball rolling, the kind of things you get out of the way before any productive conversation can be done.

And I was certainly wondering as to what kind of event this was even, I hadn’t been asked nor been told, but now that I knew one of my mates was attending I was suddenly very curious.

-So... How’s class green anyway? I’ve always been interested in comparing classes, ours is kind of a... Clusterfuck. But I think we are getting better compared to the horror stories I’ve heard from before I arrived. They only attempted to kill me twice!- I joked as I set foot on the entrance hallway that would take us to the kitchen (I think)

Now in a more powerful light, I was able to assess that annoying stain in her dress again. Even though it was black, it was clear the brown stain stuck out like a sore thumb in the otherwise unpolluted canvas of black cloth. -You kinda stained your dress in there, just saying- I called out casually as I made my way into the building. Just as I was doing that, I had an idea.

Most of the dust stain was earth particles, probably from the sole of boots and general footwear worn by the people coming and going, so it should be easy to clean it off. -Here, lemme help you with that-

Condensing it into a single point, I made the stain shoot out of the dress like a flea jumping out of a cat’s fur. Only once I was done did I realized that maybe I had overstepped my boundaries a little, as most people don’t like having a semblance used on them without a forewarning.

-Um... Sorry, I tend to do that without asking. So if you ever found yourself feeling suddenly cleaner when around me, that's probably the reason- I tried to repair the situation with a joke, it was probably fine but it didn't hurt to show I felt a bit ashamed about it.

---

980 / 1833 Words

---

[Erytheia Hellebore]

The noble warrior stood, and the people looked to her.

For she was a beacon - hope given form, yet still only human.
Within that truth there was great promise.
If one could stand against the night, then so too could anyone - everyone.

In her hand the warrior held a Rose. And her aura burned bright.

❝

There was a drastic change in Bianca's demeanor when Erytheia finally placed their connection, and the heiress' own changed along with it. More than a little relieved that the lizard Faunus would not be keeping the formal tone she had first adopted for the rest of the conversation, and certainly relieved that she had left her hesitancy behind when talking, the blonde let her shoulders relax a little more and smile a little brighter, eyes brimming with a new enthusiasm at the warm reception. For all that could be said that Bianca's initial impression was far easier to interact with than the outright hostility some of the people from the Ground district had shown her in the past, there was just something in her that enjoyed the feeling of not needing to walk on eggshells or calculate every move and word as she had to in the presence of nearly every interaction she'd had within the social circles she was obliged to move through as heiress to the Hellebore lineage.

"Indeed. Everyone involved gave their all for every match we were in, so I am well satisfied with the results."

Reaching for the trolley, she paused for a moment as Bianca reached it first, then ceded it with a little laugh and dusted her hands off, tucking a strand of blonde hair that had fallen across her eyes back behind her ear. She had fully intended to do it herself, but she certainly was nowhere near ill mannered enough to reject the help so kindly offered by the lizard Faunus.

"I am, though as an organizer rather than a guest, unfortunately. Vytal was a rather potent, if temporary boost to my reputation, so I thought I should capitalize on it to get as much out of it as possible before it fades away."

The smile on her face faded slightly when the other female asked after Class Green, and turned to a slightly worried expression when she mentioned that Class Red had attempted to kill her twice. From the look on her face, it was clear that Erytheia thought that it was a legitimate complaint moments before she decided that the other had to be making a joke with the chipper attitude she was taking to the whole thing, forcing her expression to smooth out a little more. Thoughts of Qiu'li sprang to mind, as did those of Solomon Moon. If there were more psychotic breaks waiting in the wings... but surely, Bianca must have been exaggerating about that. Surely.

"Did they, now," she asked, slightly questioningly. It was something she would let the other girl elaborate on if she wanted, but she would continue on if the silence looked like it would drag on too long for that.

"Well, Class Green is... full of very strong people. They are all used to doing their own things, so it is rather like herding cats. And, well, I have not had the position long, but I think that we have managed to forge a decent bond through our shared training sessions. Hopefully I will be able to organize some other programs for the other students in the future, when these current events have blown over."

Thinking the matter over, the Hellebore heiress blinked a little when Bianca mentioned that her dress had been stained by the work earlier, and glanced down to where the smear of dust had rubbed onto the fine cloth earlier. She had planned to use the static electricity from her Semblance to repel it later on, but the thought had slipped her mind.

"So I have," she said mildly, and looked up to elaborate on her future plans for the article of clothing. Erytheia didn't get the chance to, however, before the other girl had pulled the dust away in a skillful display, leading to a pause of surprise as she stopped walking to process what had happened. It seemed that said surprise was taken as disapproval, though - Bianca immediately apologized and tried to play it off with a joke, though the sudden discomfort at the situation was as clear to the Hellebore heiress as the light shining down from the lamps above.

"No worries, Miss Bianca. Thank you for the help. Though perhaps a warning next time might be appreciated."

She smiled a little, to reassure the other girl that she thought nothing of it, and started up a small walk again, crimson eyes shining with good humor. The entrance to the pantry where they would store the pastries wasn't far now, but she was a lot more interested in getting to know her classmate than the remaining distance.

"That was an interesting use of your Semblance, if I do say so myself. Very fine control. If you do not mind me asking, what exactly is it you control? The earth? The air surrounding it, perhaps?"

AIRTAFAE (SEMBLANCE): [RANK E]

PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: RADIX GLORIA (DURABILITY) [RANK E]
PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: ARBOR IMPERIUM (STRENGTH) [RANK F]
PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: RAMIS MILIA (MARTIAL ARTS) [RANK F]
PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: LAMINAE CHORUS (AGILITY) [RANK E]
PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: VIRGA AUGMEN (SPEED) [RANK E]
IRKALLA ARALI (WEAPON): [RANK F]

@ ● 810 words ● 1777 total words

MADE BY MIZO

[Bianca Sabbato]

-Same boat here... Well, at least I’m satisfied with both Ryan and Myself. Artur was pretty much a glorified practice target and Raynard... I think everybody knows not to trust Raynard at this point-

I stopped for a second when I noticed the Helleborne with her hands risen and ready to reach for the trolley I was currently manning myself.

“Huh, cute,” I told myself, simply flashing her a smile as I got to move the trolley. I was the one being paid for the work after all (more or less) so better to act like it a little. Messing around was fine, slacking off on a work that wasn't mine was probably not.

-Ah! To strike while the iron is hot. Yeah, seems like a good move. Good opportunities rarely present themselves, and if you don’t take advantage of them you can be sure someone else will-

I noticed how she seemed more at ease now, and how easily she managed to drag me into that shared space of mind, like that sensation of passive entertainment you get while hanging out with a good friend, although it was an unusual occurrence when a person you just met managed to elicit such a positive reaction.

“Maybe it's a trained skill?” Was a thought I couldn’t prevent from slipping into my mind, but one I quickly made sure to bury well into the confines of my brain were it belonged.

Keeping up with the conversation. I was surprised when she asked me about class Red, minding the slight inflection present in her voice. Almost as if you could hear her eyes squinting in suspicion inside her mind.

No use lying to her tough, for once she probably would notice, and on the other hand, I actually didn’t consider it a big deal at the time.

-Well, it was mostly cases of trigger happy students getting frightened and acting on a first instinct...-

Granado having a happy trigger in the most literal sense, Raul in the... werewolf kind of sense? To be fair, I was stalking him first, so I could share the blame for that one.

-But I think we kinda managed to move past that, I even became friends with one of them now!- I laughed it off with a small wave of my hand. To this point, I had kinda accepted the fact that Haven students would all be weird in one way or another.

-I think it is to be expected when you gather such a large amount of students from such wildly different backgrounds. You are bound to end up with one of two of the strange ones, or with one pair that just play out each other in precisely the right or wrong way... What about you? How was your fist times at Haven?-

Erytheia hadn’t shown outwards signs of this kind of dangerous behavior, however. But I had already learned my lesson about appearances with Ryan.

Leaving that aside. She was genuinely nice. And it was a welcomed change of pace from the usual. She looked like the kind of positive figure one would want in a class captain.

I wasn't about to diss my own captain... And I liked Aegle well enough but she was... She was a good person and was probably trying her best. But it was clear she didn’t want the position.

-Noted- I said with a sheepish expression when she gently called me off. And she seemed as easy to forgive as she was to smile.

To be completely honest with me. I may have misjudged Erytheia before based solely on misconceptions... When I first saw her in her vital match, my first tough was that she looked like... Well... An asshole. To put things in simple terms.

And I fully realized that was absolutely unfair but... Profiling existed for a reason, ok? It is a useful tool to make quick judgments you can use as a guide in dangerous situations.

Rich people often meant only two things. Either a heavy pocket to full for its own good, or a beating waiting to happen once they called for security. Sometimes both at the same time. So I couldn’t be blamed for stereotyping her at first glance right?

Well shit, maybe I was the one being a bitch in this one...

I was taken from my inner mind by the noblewoman’s sudden questions regarding my semblance, I didn't shy away from her curiosity, as those were one of the more mysterious parts of a huntsman.

I knew how mine worked, but mostly on an instinctual level, so deeply ingrained into me it became difficult to explain how it worked to someone who hadn’t lived with it for the last years of her life.

Still, I was eager to share how it worked with her as soon as I found words that could at least give a mild impression of how it worked on my mind.

-If I had to explain it... What is the name of those things running through your body that let you feel things? Nerves right?- I waited for a response and proceeded once I had the affirmative

-It’s like if I had an outward web of nerves connecting me to the soil and running all around it, but they are like... muted, in some kind of way. So it’s not like I will feel pain if the ground is struck by someone, but I kinda “feel” that, you know? If I focused I could feel the pressure of our weight against the stone floor the same way you could feel our heartbeat if you were made aware and paid attention to it-

I blurted my half-assed explanation without considering how bizarre the idea of invisible nerves sounded. Way to make it sound creepy Bianca, you are the best at this.

Still, calling them nerves at least painted a comprehensible picture that other mystical mumbo jumbo like “soul”, “energy” and “spirit” could not hope to achieve.

-And I can use these nerves to move the soil around me just as I can use my muscles to move my arms and legs... Besides that, since it feels like a part of my body, I can send aura to strengthen the dirt inside my range- I entertained myself explaining to the blonde woman, and without even noticing, I found myself almost in the threshold of a new room.

I stopped discretely before the door that would lead to the pantry room. Not because I had any problem with the cargo or the like... But because I unconsciously was trying to stretch the amount of time I would have to talk with Erytheia.

But I didn’t want to look to self-centered, so I stopped to consider the blonde’s skillset and semblance for a moment.

I had seen her in action in vital, but to be honest I had no idea how did it her semblance worked besides “shoots lightning”. So I decided to question her a little about it, at least return her niceties...

Besides, I was honestly curious. Did she create electricity from nothing? From the ambient? Her own body? There were so many unanswered questions I thought it was better simply letting her speak about it however she saw fit.

-What about you? I saw yours was pretty spectacular on its own. Walking around the battlefield shooting lightning left and right... I have to admit, it was a breathtaking sight to behold- Not bothering to hide my curiosity, I let her have the time and space to prepare for the question at hand.

-So, how does that work? I’m curious because it looks pretty hard to use. I feel I would have fried myself already with something like that, I know I have injured myself with mine once or twice- I asked her with an arched eyebrow and an easygoing expression as I reminisced of a couple of times were exactly that had happened to me in the past. 

---

1330/3143 Words

[Erytheia Hellebore]

The noble warrior stood, and the people looked to her.

For she was a beacon - hope given form, yet still only human.
Within that truth there was great promise.
If one could stand against the night, then so too could anyone - everyone.

In her hand the warrior held a Rose. And her aura burned bright.

❝

Erytheia smiled a little when Bianca said that just about everyone in Haven knew not to trust Reynard, though she didn't follow up with another comment. The Faunus young woman was correct, in more ways than one - but even so, she felt it was a little rude to agree. It reminded her too much of glimpses of conversations overheard in days gone - things she wasn't meant to hear, and which she never should have heard, but did nonetheless. Instead, she simply nodded along, still smiling, as Bianca spoke at length about how she agreed with making the most of opportunities as they came, and talked about how she'd befriended some of the people who had gotten... trigger happy? The Hellebore heiress made a mental note to ask Lynn to investigate at the earliest opportunity. The last thing Haven needed right now was another incident, especially one involving the students. Previous incidents had already claimed lives and made a nightmare out of public relations - what the Academy needed now, more than ever, was a closer eye on those who'd enrolled to be future protectors of humanity.

"Trigger happy" Huntsmen and Huntresses sounded just like trouble waiting to happen.

Her attention was gathered and her interest piqued, however, when the other young woman started to go into more detail about her Semblance. "Nerves, yes," she confirmed, stepping around a stack of discarded cardboard boxes that hadn't been disposed of yet. Listening intently, Erytheia nodded along every once in a while as Bianca proceeded to describe her Semblance. While the other's mouth spoke of nerves and muscles, the Hellebore heiress couldn't help but think of a spiderweb, radiating out in all directions from the spider which had built it. Pluck one string to move something else, feel anything that even remotely touched it. Yes, she could visualize it quite well. The other asked her a question then, and she blinked twice in succession, the clear surprise that Bianca would turn the question back onto her turning into a look of contemplation. Erytheia mulled over the question for a moment, hummed thoughtfully as she stroked her chin with a gloved finger, before she met Bianca's eyes again.

"Have you ever touched a horse, Bianca?"

The question was thoughtful, hesitant.

"They are still the main mode of transportation for much of the country, I believe. Especially in places where they lack access to enough Dust to power vehicles. My ancestors rode horses into battle, so I was taught the art as part of my training when I was younger. When you build trust and respect between you and your steed for such a long time, each of you takes on aspects of the other. Horses are born to run, and you can tell as soon as they start. When riding, you can feel the muscle work beneath you - feel the raw power lurking beneath the skin, ready to explode into energy at a moment's notice."

Erytheia nodded once, those red eyes finally focusing once more on the present instead of searching for an answer.

"That is, roughly, how I feel when I use my Semblance. Like I am pressed up against raw power, searching for release. Like fire, electricity is a wild beast in all but form. But where fire seeks sustenance, electricity seeks freedom. It wants to be in motion - it wants to be somewhere else. Like a horse, it wants to run free. But also like a horse, with enough strength and understanding, I can direct it where I want it to go."

She smiled a little again, tilting her head to the side ever so slightly. For the briefest of moments, her posture tensed slightly and her fingers twitched when Bianca mentioned the possibility of injury, but the moment passed without incident, so quickly that an onlooker might question if it had ever happened at all.

"Injury, I think, is something liable to happen whenever such power comes into being. I hope you were not hurt too badly when the incidents happened?"

AIRTAFAE (SEMBLANCE): [RANK E]

PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: RADIX GLORIA (DURABILITY) [RANK E]
PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: ARBOR IMPERIUM (STRENGTH) [RANK F]
PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: RAMIS MILIA (MARTIAL ARTS) [RANK F]
PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: LAMINAE CHORUS (AGILITY) [RANK E]
PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: VIRGA AUGMEN (SPEED) [RANK E]
IRKALLA ARALI (WEAPON): [RANK F]

@ ● 666 words ● 2443 total words

MADE BY MIZO

[Bianca Sabbato]

-A horse? Well. Only seldom got to touch horses, and I never rode one, to be honest. Not a lot of horses in the capital, even in the Ground district-

I said, searching in my memories for a moment when I could have been in prolonged contact with one. But I got almost nothing, just a passing touch here and there, or petting one or two before.

Nevertheless, I noticed a little hesitation in Erytheia’s voice. Like she wasn’t so sure about making the question, or something like that. So I paid some special attention to her following explanation.

For some reason, I wasn’t surprised to know Erytheia was the kind of girl who rode a horse in her youth. It kinda fits with the stereotype. But she wasn’t being all high and mighty about it, simply recalling a memory of the past.

And apparently, she came from a long line of warriors. Which explained why a rich girl like her was attending Haven in the first place. This wasn’t unheard of. Ryan had been the same, and captain Aegle’s brother was also a huntsman as far as I knew. So it made sense. But it still helped paint the blonde girl in a new light for me.

She wasn’t just trying her luck at a fancy hobby. But she was more likely really committed to this. Which was good, I didn’t like people who half-assed things.

In regards to her semblance, I pondered on it for a few seconds. It was an enthralling topic. They were supposed to represent our souls, so I wondered if that said something about the woman’s personality?

-I understand. In a way is the opposite of mine. Earth is stubborn. It wants to remain as it is and not be moved. You really have to learn to vibrate in the same frequency to make it bend to your whim... I take it electricity is the opposite, with you having to contain it more than forcing it to move-

Then again. Once you learned how to control it properly, you run into the opposite problem. And start using it without meaning nor noticing. I guess that was a given. When you tried to change the nature of an element to such an extent. Making earth too mobile or electricity to stable could carry it’s problems as well...

I was still thinking about this when the blonde woman’s question cut me off for a second. Asking about semblance related injuries... And coming back to the previous topic. Yes, I hurt myself a couple times with State Change...

-You know what, I even think is to be expected. Semblance users. Especially manipulators like us. Command forces we barely understand, I think slipping every now and then is expected-

I began, reflecting back on it. I had a couple scars from it. But... To be honest. More than the semblance itself, they were from punishment for slipping with it. I was taught to treat my power as a loaded weapon, and my instructor didn’t take it lightly when I made a dumb mistake with it.

-...It was mostly me just panicking and nuking the whole area around me, myself included. I... Got better, was taught not to do that, or else I would only deplete my aura faster and could not defend from the incoming blows-

Wich was a perfectly valid strategy in some cases. But not when I tried to apply it. Attacking blindly into the darkness was something I now knew very well to never do again. So I wanted to believe I had gotten something good out of it.

-Either that or me using it without noticing. But that was mostly when I first got it. You know? It’s like a baby, not yet in control of its body. Only that this baby has a bomb strapped to their forehead-

I said with a small musical tone to my voice, wanting to cheer the topic up. Just a little comedy about how fucking scary is when you first develop your semblance, especially when it’s something dangerous. I didn’t even want to know how Erytheia had to deal with electric discharges of all things.

-...Nevertheless. Eventually, I got the hang of it. Everything can be tamed with enough work if you are diligent enough-

I finished on a high note as I started to put the product into a pantry my schoolmate was motioning me to.

-When did you get your semblance? I got mine at twelve, so I had a lot of time to figure it out, plus, you know what they say about kids picking up things faster...-

Or people really desperate to grasp something. That day had not only been when I unlocked my semblance. But also my first official work for the band... Yeah... That was a day with a lot of first times for me. And the semblance one was probably the only one I didn’t regret about it.

My thoughts were interrupted when a nearby door swung open. Just as I had turned around and was currently facing the girl. With a relaxed posture and an amicable expression on my face.

I lazily looked over to see a young guy with a goofy expression on his face. He was around his mid-twenties or something. He looked lost and was about to ask Erytheia something when he caught a glimpse of my tail.

I could notice his eyes squinting for a second as he stood taller. Trying to look down on me. I held my gaze for a moment, fully intent on staring him down before I remembered that this was not my job in the first place. And that doing something stupid would probably put a lot of people in a rough spot.

I averted my eyes, turned around, and kept stacking the pastries over the pantry.

-Good evening. Miss Hellebore. I seem to have lost myself while seeking the restroom. But... Ah... Are those pastries part of the catering for today? Or refreshments for the... Personal...- He called out in the most polite and amicable voice I had ever seen, but I could still see his gaze stuck right on my back.

I gave a side glance to Erytheia, motioning to get it over with quickly. Send this guy away so we could finish with these things.

---

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[Erytheia Hellebore]

The noble warrior stood, and the people looked to her.

For she was a beacon - hope given form, yet still only human.
Within that truth there was great promise.
If one could stand against the night, then so too could anyone - everyone.

In her hand the warrior held a Rose. And her aura burned bright.

❝

Nodding along to Bianca's words, Erytheia paused for a few moments, thinking back to when Airtafae had manifested itself. It was not an event she wanted to recall, but the feel of the beast waiting to be unleashed each time she used her Semblance had mostly desensitized her to the memories of the incident itself.

"Two years ago. Perhaps a little longer than that, now. I was injured shortly after I awakened Airtafae, severely enough that I required hospitalization for a long period of time. So, I have yet to train overmuch with it, and am still learning about what it can do, but I do know enough to keep it under control and use it effectively in combat."

The Hellebore heiress exhaled softly, not going into further detail. It was something she didn't think would contribute to the conversation in any fashion, and moreover, it was something she didn't expect Bianca to understand. How could she? The countless surgeries to fix the nerve damage done to her hands so she could move them with any amount of control, using her Aura to heal the damage at an accelerated pace so that the next operation could begin, the constant feeling of fire scorching up her arms every time she moved even slightly, the inability to fall asleep at any decent hour from the constant discomfort, the indignity of being fed and cleaned and clothed like an invalid by nurses each and every day, the shame of watching a body honed for war atrophy and soften from all the time spent lying in her hospital bed...

No, she didn't think it was appropriate conversation at all.

Erytheia's face had taken on a slightly haunted look, her smile faded and weak at the memories flooding through her mind. It was only after a moment that she remembered that she was still around company and needed to maintain her dignity, and snapped out of it in time to catch Asahiko's entrance into the pantry. Thankfully, it seemed that Bianca's occupation with the work had kept her from noticing her lapse in composure, which was truly a blessing. Schooling her face into a practiced smile that only appeared slightly less genuine than the one she had given the lizard Faunus but a few minutes before, the Hellebore heiress tilted her head to the side, blinking innocently at the newcomer.

"I would never serve my guests with anything less than what I would find suitable for myself and mine, Mister Yamada. I hope you are not implying..."

"No. No, of course not," was the reply, the young man still staring at Bianca's back for a few moments before he turned his attention to Erytheia herself. There was the faintest glimmer of something in his eyes as he looked over, as if looking for some way he could turn the situation to his advantage. The Hellebore heiress held back the urge to click her tongue in irritation and let her distaste show on her face - after all, the elder Yamada was still very much an active member of the Board, and she supposed that that calculating nature of his had been passed down to his progeny, if not the skills that the man had acquired through his long and storied career at the Hellebore Company. Asahiko had started his own business venture when he was not that much older than she was now, but somehow, she doubted that much of his success could be attributed to personal skill. Much more likely the sheer amount of resources afforded to him. Resources, unfortunately, that she would be hard pressed to turn down in pursuit of the investment she needed for her own company projects.

"I must say, though. I did not expect you to consort with... external contractors. I would have thought your own staff to be perfectly capable of handling such interactions by themselves."

"The Hellebore Company is dedicated to providing the best experience possible to all potential investors for this event," she returned calmly. "As heiress to the company, I believe personal oversight in all reasonable helps to prevent any mistakes that might occur further down the line."

She held his gaze without faltering, still maintaining that smile, until the calculation in the other's eyes was replaced with understanding, and ever so slight frustration.

"Very good, Miss Hellebore."

"Mm. Allow me to show you to the restrooms, Mister Yamada."

A few minutes later, having led the young man away and towards his intended destination, the Hellebore heiress returned to the pantry with Bianca, dipping her head slightly in contrition once they had made eye contact.

"My apologies, Bianca. The ongoing event tends to attract... well, certain kinds of people."

AIRTAFAE (SEMBLANCE): [RANK D]

PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: RADIX GLORIA (DURABILITY) [RANK E]
PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: ARBOR IMPERIUM (STRENGTH) [RANK F]
PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: RAMIS MILIA (MARTIAL ARTS) [RANK F]
PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: LAMINAE CHORUS (AGILITY) [RANK D]
PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: VIRGA AUGMEN (SPEED) [RANK E]
IRKALLA ARALI (WEAPON): [RANK F]

@ ● 783 words ● 3226 total words

MADE BY MIZO

[Bianca Sabbato]

I silently listen to Erytheia narrate the retelling of her story. Not knowing very well what to say or how to felt about it. I was no stranger to injury, but I never got one so bad I had to be hospitalized for a long time. So whatever happened to this girl had to be very bad to leave her in that state, even with aura accelerating the healing process.

Which surprised me the most was the fact that she got her semblance so recently. And at such an old age. It was a rare occurrence that someone got theirs so late in life, considering she looked at least a couple years older than me.

And considering what her semblance actually was and how demanding it was by her own admission. I was actually surprised that she got to such an advanced stage in such a short amount of time. But I wasn’t about to tell her that. I was sure she was a smart girl, so if she believed she was lacking in some way, she probably had a good reason to.

I was thinking about a proper response when the whole incident with the asshole apparently called Yamada. And even when I fully believed the blonde heiress would simply play along and blindly agree with whatever the guy was to say until he fucked off at least.

But she surprised me yet again. Coming to my defense even when she didn’t need to. I wouldn’t have thought less of her if she had just gone with the current to preserve a useful connection intact... And she decided that defending my honor was somehow important enough to risk all of that.

I didn’t know what to think of it. If the girl was foolish or brave. Or maybe a mixture of the two. Or if doing those kinds of things for a complete stranger was, in the end, just something in her personality. I didn’t know. All I could gather was that she was probably a chill person to work under.

Maybe in another life. Of course. But the sentiment remained. So I felt a little uncomfortable when she bowed her head in apology, especially after I had been so quick to judge her, to begin with.

-No need to apologize. It’s something we all get used to. Humans, especially those in positions of power, don’t tend to treat us very well... So thank you, and sorry. I have to admit that I was expecting you to do just the opposite. So I will apologize for that-

I returned the bow after confessing to Erytheia. Hoping she would forgive me for that. After all, up to this point, she had given me no reason to mistrust or doubt her at all. So it was kinda dickish to me to label her so quickly.

But I decided to turn the conversation into a topic at least a little less uncomfortable. In this case, back to semblances and things like that. Which in the end were things that we trainees knew very well.

-Back to what you were saying before... Mistral wasn’t built in a day. And I’m sure no one learned how to tame lightning in barely two or three years- I mentioned with a sympathetic smile. -Maybe sometime we could train together? I know we are in different classes, but I don’t think anyone will mind-

After the offer was made. I finished setting up the last of the product on the pantry. Clasping my hands as to declare the work was done. But before I even tried to go back to the truck. I had to stop myself. To seek a little clarification on something that had been bothering me since a while ago...

-By the way... The surname rings a bell on my head. What is your family’s business again? Theia?- I only realized after the fact that I had called her by a pet name, but whatever. If she didn’t like it, she would call me out on it. So no biggie.

Whatever the case. Theia seemed like a good girl. So I was eager to keep talking with her for a little while if she was willing to do so. Plus, she was noticeable cute. And I would never reject the attention of a pretty girl, although she was probably a little out of my league, to be honest.

Still... I couldn’t shake the feeling that I knew the Hellebore name from somewhere, and a strange sensation of dread on my gut made me really nervous as to where it was.

---

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[Erytheia Hellebore]

The noble warrior stood, and the people looked to her.

For she was a beacon - hope given form, yet still only human.
Within that truth there was great promise.
If one could stand against the night, then so too could anyone - everyone.

In her hand the warrior held a Rose. And her aura burned bright.

❝

It was unfortunate indeed that Bianca had gotten so used to accepting this kind of treatment from people just like her. Erytheia could not deny the fact that many of her own race thought that the Faunus were somehow lesser. She had seen it in coworkers and subordinates alike, and though she was now quicker to ease those who thought thusly into a more accepting mindset whenever she could, she still couldn't speak out as openly as she wanted to - not if she wanted to consolidate her base of power within the company. It was a simple but harsh truth - controversy bred rumor, and rumor bred apprehension, especially when the controversy came directly from a former heir to the company herself. She couldn't rock the boat too much, or she risked losing her chance to make real change before she had even begun.

It was frustrating, certainly. But even before the events that had landed her in the hospital with the scars winding up her arms, even before the changing of her mindset from an obedient and filial daughter to someone who sought to leave her mark on the world and make it better than it had been, she had always learned what battles to fight, and when to fight them. When to be silent, and when to speak. And it was in the here and now that even though she wanted nothing more than to tell Bianca she had nothing to apologize for, she recognized the words and the intent behind them - an equalizer, a way to make things even not only for herself, but for Bianca as well. So she instead nodded in response, and let the subject of the conversation shift away, to other, more comfortable matters.

"Certainly," she said, smiling a little when Bianca suggested that they train together. The Hellebore heiress was always looking for ways to improve, and the fact that Bianca had offered another opportunity to test herself against someone with a powerful Semblance made her opinion of the lizard Faunus rise by a notch. If all went well, the sparring would certainly provide both of them with a ready path to improvement, and that was always something to celebrate.

"You should be able to find my Scroll's contact information within the Haven group chat rooms, but I think it would be easier if I simply added you now. Feel free to ask me to train at any time, though I do recommend arranging sessions a few days in advance if possible."

So saying, Erytheia reached for her Scroll and offered it up to Bianca for the latter to add her own contact information to, taking it back once she was done. She glanced up briefly when the Faunus girl used the shorthand of her name that had become common in Class Green among those she could call close, and though she gave a little knowing smile, she didn't offer up any resistance to the nickname. Listening to the question, though, her smile broadened, and became tinged with pride. The representative of Class Green drew herself up a little straighter, her crimson eyes gleaming with a certain light. Not the false polished embellishments of a marketing expert, nor the bored delivery of the saleswoman who worked the floor, no. Erytheia wholeheartedly believed in what she was saying, and it came through in every aspect of her - the way she raised herself up and leaned forward ever so slightly while her hands moved in little, excited motions, the way her voice didn't so much as stumble over the words that came surging out, the way her eyes shone with joy and pride at her family's legacy.

"For over three hundred years, my family has defended the people of Mistral. Back then, we walked the earth as warriors, before the Huntsmen were even a thought in the King of Vale's eye. We protected people from the Grimm with our power, and when that became impractical, we gave them the strength to defend themselves. We took the power of Dust and steel and made weapons that let people live without fear even outside the walls of Mistral - gave them the ability to protect everything they hold dear. Their homes and their livelihoods, their friends and family, their lovers and children. That is our business, Bianca. Making sure that everyone can protect themselves, one way or another."

The smile on her face was joyful for a few moments longer, though it gradually faded to a more subdued expression in time, as she remembered how those who lived in the day to day had other impressions of the Hellebore Company.

"Though in recent years our reputation has been somewhat tarnished, and not without cause. It is an unfortunate fact that when our weapons remain reliable and cheap, they become easily accessible for those of a criminal bent to easily access. And some less than sound decisions have been made regarding the company's operations."

She glanced up back to Bianca with an apprehensive look on her face, wondering if the girl understood. It was about as close she could come to admitting that elements of the company had seen that stock transferred into the hands of those criminals themselves, when sales had dropped from the civilian quarter.

"But that will change," she said, with a firm nod. "I will make it happen. I will reclaim our good name, and remind the world what we truly stand for."

Erytheia looked at Bianca again, and gave a small, sheepish smile, suddenly all too aware of just how megalomaniacal this entire tirade could sound.

"At least, I hope I will."

AIRTAFAE (SEMBLANCE): [RANK A]

PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: RADIX GLORIA (DURABILITY) [RANK E]
PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: ARBOR IMPERIUM (STRENGTH) [RANK F]
PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: RAMIS MILIA (MARTIAL ARTS) [RANK F]
PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: LAMINAE CHORUS (AGILITY) [RANK D]
PRAETORIAN ET ROSA: VIRGA AUGMEN (SPEED) [RANK E]
IRKALLA ARALI (WEAPON): [RANK F]

@ ● 938 words ● 4164 total words

MADE BY MIZO

[Bianca Sabbato]

I nodded when Theia accepted my proposal. I didn’t have too much experience facing strong semblances. So It was a welcomed addition to my training regime. Besides, I was also interested in studying class green’s famous vomit-inducing drills. So I would be asking the blonde heiress about that as well.

I wanted to get stronger as fast as I could. I planned to take any and all advantages I could get if it meant a better chance of surviving those following three years I would have to spend at Haven. So I gladly accepted Erytheia’s scroll and added my contact info, reminding her to send me a message with hers later.

Plus. Getting better acquainted with the heiress of a company could be neat when I graduated from Haven. At least one possible door to open. -Sounds good to me. I will let you know whenever I want to arrange things... Be sure to hit me up if you ever need something as well- I responded with a thumbs up and a smirk.

Then we changed the subject to her family name, and it was like a fire was lit into the blonde's eyes. It was... Quite an exposition on her part, as she clearly was excited about what she was saying. But among all of what she said, I managed to catch the keywords I had been looking for.

Yep... The Hellebore family were weapon manufacturers... And ones I knew well, unfortunately. I felt the pit on my stomach grow a bit bigger at the realization... Yep. I had sold and lent a good amount of Hellebore weapons during my days in the gang.

It was actually one of our principal moneymaking schemes. Weapon trafficking was profitable, especially in the post-war years. Too much blood we... Too much I spilled for, because, or over those weapons. And that was when we didn’t use the guns ourselves.

I noticed some dark memories and feelings coming back full force. Taking some deep breathes as discretely as possible, I tried to cast them away for the moment. Focusing on Theia and her final declaration of intent as best as I could.

In the end, my mood was already too sour. Not that it was the girl’s fault. But that was just the way things were that I failed to shine a positive light through all of it.

I didn’t want to be cynical. I really wanted to share a bit of the enthusiasm Erytheia displayed when talking about her family business... But... I'm gonna be honest. It was such a pretentious way to say you dealt in pieces of metal that went "Pew, pew.”

Livelihoods? Friends and lovers? A gun is a machine to make holes. You can use one to build furniture if you want. Believing yourself to be an enabler for people to live their lives freely sounded too much like a savior complex for my liking... You simply made a particular piece of machinery because it gave you profit. And I knew what those machines could do. I didn’t need propaganda drills ran on me.

-So you sell weapons?- I called out dryly before I could stop myself. -I've seen a couple going around here and there. That’s likely how I heard the name-

I commented a bit more neutrally, wanting to see if she caught my drift regarding the more... Unsavory sides to her family business.

Say what you want, but she at least seemed to know and accept that fact. More than what you can expect from most people. But easily accessible was quite an understatement when a teenager could go into a warehouse with a suitcase and leave with a crate full of Hellebore weapons straight from the manufacturer.

It was one heck of a deal when you bought in bulk and resold by unit. Desperate people are willing to pay good money for better, more sophisticated ways of killing each other.

...At least people’s families and livelihoods are safe... I was just about to say but managed to stop myself before I stopped being sour and started being plain mean. So I merely shrugged and shook my head a bit before giving her something that resembled a reassuring smile.

Basically, a way of saying I acknowledged the stuff she was saying, and I was in no way okay with it. But that I didn’t believe it was her fault per se. Even mirroring that sheepish smile she displayed at the end.

-Nah. I like that drive... If you want it so bad, make sure it happens. Right? Nothing wrong with being confident about it-

I didn’t share Eritheia’s ideas about what her company was or regarding their historical obligation towards the masses who apparently couldn’t fend for themselves. People are all measured by the same stick. What’s the difference between an asshole who makes weapons for vulnerable people and an asshole who resells them to even more vulnerable people? Not a significant one in my eyes.

I honestly found the idea of a familial lineage of warriors eternally protecting the kingdom as disturbing in Theia's case as I found it in Ryan’s. But the fact that I cared so little about it paradoxically meant that I could more easily judge Theia by her own person instead of the fuckups of her family.

-You’ll inherit it. You get to decide what it becomes. So you do you- I said with a shrug. I Dunno. It was as simple as that in my eyes. You didn’t need esoteric reasons to do good deeds. -Cheers to that- I called out with a wink as I held an imaginary glass of whatever rich people used when cheering.

And... Hey. If she was planning to do good with it, who the hell was I to complain just because I didn’t share the mindset behind it?

---

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