Remnant's hunter

Chapter 11

Toji weighed his options, taking a final drag from his cigarette before tossing it aside. He sighed and reluctantly agreed to the deal, ready to face the other family.

Walking past Ozpin and Glynda, he headed into the hospital. Glynda, still glaring at the retreating figure of the rejected Zen'in, found herself calmed by Ozpin's hand on her shoulder, a silent reminder that arrogance had no place in this world where unity was paramount.

By little did they know that little entity could destroy the balance on both sides.

Scene Change

Summer Rose was not used to being in pain. She wasn't used to waking up in discomfort. Back before life became so complicated, it was a source of jealousy among her team and fellow students. Her Aura's innate healing ability was a result. She could get knocked into trees, slammed into the ground, and smoke a joint; as long as she slept well, she'd be ready to do it all over again.

That was why, even before she opened her eyes, she could feel a severe ache flowing from her brain to her toes, and she wasn't ashamed to confess she was concerned. She indicated this with a quiet groan.

"Hmm...Summer? Summer!" Tai's voice yelled to her left, and she felt both of his enormous hands forcefully hold her left. Summer smirked; Tai? What was he doing with her after she'd left him at home with the girls?

Unwanted, hurtful, and terrifying recollections rose to the surface of her mind. While chasing a herd of Grimm, there came across a couple of weird men—one a Faunus with a scorpion tail, the other a huge beast of a man. Her heart tightened at the memory of those two guys attacking her after establishing that she had silver eyes, because Ruby, her precious, darling little girl, also had silver eyes.

She couldn't remember using her eyes to stop the Grimm, and suddenly a searing, mind-numbing pain radiating from her skull.

"Summer, are you okay?" Her husband's voice cracked as he inquired. A knot came in her throat because she could only think of one other time when he sounded so vulnerable, so broken.

She took a long breath and opened her eyes slowly and deliberately. Her right eye, at least, refused to open for some reason, while the left one did. However, the sight of her adored obliterated all other thoughts.

His eyes were bloodshot, with bags under them. His regularly groomed beard had grown to a five o'clock shadow, and his hair was a jumble of misplaced spikes.

But his smile—his relieved, loving smile—made her heart sing and assured her that everything would be fine.

He sighed raggedly, collapsing against her...hospital bed.

"Oh, thank the brothers! I was so afraid!" he said, lifting his head up, his eyes wet with unshed tears. "If something happened to you, I...I...oh gods..." With a wheezing sigh, he hung his head low.

Summer cooed, releasing her grip on his hand to cup his face. He leaned into her touch, and as she stroked his tears away, she said, "Tai, it's okay. I'm here, I'm safe, and we're in this together."

"Thank the brothers," Tai said quietly, reaching up and gripping her hand again, closing his eyes tightly as he just...stayed with her. Summer smiled softly before frowning when she felt a strange pull on the left side of her face. She blushed, having forgotten her original uncertainty about her half-blindness.