RWBY Through Worlds (End)

BC82: Consumed (Menagerie) -1

[Opener: Bringing back the "Savages" AMV by thuskindlyshescatters because it's just so good, and it fits the theme of the chapter.]

Blake and Emerald had reached Blake's house in only a couple minutes.

"Hey, I think you should hold back," Emerald said to Blake.

"What?" Blake said.

"We don't know what's in there," Emerald said. "The others will follow me, but you have the baby to think about."

"I'm not even a month in," Blake said. "There's no reason I can't fight."

"Blake, it's not that... It's just if you get hurt..." Emerald said, "...Sun would never forgive me, and I wouldn't forgive myself either."

"Maybe I won't forgive myself if I let you go in there alone with all those...potential Grimm." Blake said.

"I'm hoping they won't act up if we stay calm," Emerald said.

"We can't waste time arguing..." Blake looked up. "Look, we can go in through my old room. The balcony. I'll wait there and keep watch. That's as much as I'm willing to compromise. Then I can jump in if there's trouble."

"Okay...yeah, that other guy could be lurking around," Emerald said. "I don't think he'd come here if he's trying to escape, but who knows who else could be working with them."

Blake nodded.

They used their weapons to swing onto the balcony from the trees, and then Emerald opened the door. It wasn't locked.

Blake kept her eyes on the ground and trees, looking for anyone suspicious...

Suddenly she realized she hadn't seen Illea at the docks at all. She hadn't spent a lot of time looking for her, but it was odd that she hadn't appeared before now.

She dialed Illea's number. No answer.

"Oh no..." Blake said in a chilled voice.

* * *

Emerald ran through the room. There were kids in it already. They were reading or doing some kind of puzzle on the floor. They looked at her and yelped.

"Sorry, I'm a friend." Emerald held up her hands. "Listen, did anyone come in this house? Downstairs?"

"Human," one Faunus girl said suspiciously. "You're not supposed to be here."

"Dummy, a bunch of humans are arriving here today," said an older one.

"Listen, I'm Emerald Sustrai--" Emerald began.

"Emerald Sustrai?!" they said.

Then one girl squinted at her. "It is Emerald!"

She ran up to her. "Remember me? Mindy?"

Emerald peered at her. She did look familiar.

"Atlas," Mindy said. "I was one of the first Faunus they moved into the shelter after it was expanded. You're my hero." She smiled.

Emerald blushed. "Oh, well... Wait, there's no time for this. Listen, you guys, don't panic, but there might be some bad people coming here."

"What?" the kids said.

"I'm going to take care of it," Emerald said. "My friend Blake is outside on the balcony, keeping watch. I need you all to do whatever she tells you, all right? And can you tell me, did anyone already arrive here today?"

"There was some commotion downstairs," Mindy said. "They might have sent some human kids here. None of us really wanted to go meet them. Humans make us nervous. But it sounded like kids."