Leap of Faith - Chapter 5 (Patreon)

And that's all, folks!  This was really fun to write.  Obviously, could write a lot more, but...I think it's more fun to imagine their future sometimes.  Hope you enjoyed it!

***

The moment Yang opened her eyes, she groaned and shut them again.  The bright light directly above her only exacerbated the dull ache in her forehead, but that ache was nothing compared to the stiffness in her neck and the rest of her body.  Rolling onto her side to escape the light, she discovered that she had been haphazardly dumped onto the metal floor of a small room.

“Getting really tired of that…” she grumbled, rubbing the sore spot on her neck before looking around what must be a prison cell.

Three metal walls matched the floor, but a thick, fluid-like glass comprised the fourth wall.  On the other side of that glass, a larger room had several advanced computer panels, a couple of chairs, and two guards standing on either side of the only door.  The two men, one with a small set of antlers and the other with tall ears, stared at her but remained silent.

She groaned while pushing herself to her feet, feeling a few new bumps and bruises to go along with the stiff neck and lingering headache.  Her fairytale had taken a nightmarish turn.  Not only had she been zapped into unconsciousness twice, but she had apparently been thrown in prison by people who were somehow connected to Raven and her mom.

It made no sense.  She had never even heard of Menagerie before stumbling into Blake, so how could Blake’s mom know hers?  Had her mom been here before?  If so, why?  And when?

Yang needed those answers more than she cared about what happened to Raven.  Unfortunately, her current predicament suggested learning anything would be more difficult than hoped.

“Where am I?” she called out to the guards.  One tall ear twitched, so she knew they could hear her through the thick fluid.  “Where’s Blake?”

They shuffled their feet and clutched their metal staffs tighter but otherwise remained silent, leaving Yang to sigh and pace the short length of her cell.  At least Blake wasn’t in danger.  Or she shouldn’t be considering her parents were in charge of this entire place.  That made her a…what?  A princess?  Yet she was out ‘gallivanting’ through the forest with Yang while her parents had an entire squadron of soldiers searching for her.

The memories forced her feet to a stop at the far side of the room, where she leaned her forehead against the wall.  The cool metal acted as a balm to her headache while she tapped her fist against it, feeling the slight bump of energy each time.

Everything was easier to understand when it was just her and Blake and the forest.  She got shot and stumbled into another land.  Blake saved her through a combination of advanced medicine and being in the right place at the right time.  They hit it off, somehow, and Blake showed Yang some of the incredible parts of Menagerie.  Trees big and strong enough to traverse through.  Crystal clear rivers.  Unbelievable wildlife.  Breathtaking views.  The rush of gliding over the world with Blake clinging to her.

That was simple.  She understood those feelings and what they meant.  But her life had never been simple, so of course it wouldn't start now.

Looking down, she watched the energy indicator on her wrist flicker with each tap against the wall.  Everyone was so keen on her arm, but she had never given it much thought before.  It was just…her arm.  Ruby built it using a hefty dose of genius and ingenuity that seemed to have skipped Yang in the gene pool.  She knew that it was priceless.  She knew that it was strong.  She knew that it could do things that most other metals couldn't, and that it had never broken or scratched or failed her when she needed it.

But what was faunium, and why did her mom have it in the first place?

One last tap on the wall, and she returned to the glass.

“I’ve got a question,” she began as they warily watched her.  “What’s faunium?”  When neither of them responded, she looked at her hand and curled her fingers into a fist.  “Everyone makes it sound like such a big deal, but why is it a big deal?”

“Faunium is the most valuable resource on earth,” the antlered guard said before his companion glared at him.

“Most valuable?” Yang repeated.  “But why?  It’s stronger?  Looks nicer?”  Neither of them answered this time, so she continued musing to herself.  “Blake said it belongs to Menagerie…so it must only come from here…but if I have some…”

She looked at her hand as the pieces fell into place, but her thoughts were instantly pulled in another direction when the door opened and Adam entered the room.  The two guards stiffened at his imposing presence, but Yang scowled as he strode up to the glass and looked down his nose at her.

“You caused quite the commotion,” he began and, despite him speaking calmly, Yang still felt the urge to break his nose.

“Sorry, I’ve never been a great party guest.  Especially when people ignore my questions.”

She glowered at him, but he just squared his shoulders and nodded once.

“You made quite the impression on Blake.  I had to have her physically removed from your side.”  When Yang bared her teeth at the mere idea of him touching Blake in any way, he smirked and added, “Don’t worry.  She’s in her room where she belongs.  King Belladonna always thought she should be ‘involved,’ but now he’s seen how weak her spirit is.  How she stands up for a human.”

“She’s stronger than you could ever hope to be,” Yang snapped, clenching her fingers into tight fists.  “Don’t believe me?” she added when he just smirked.  “Let me out of here and I’ll show you what a weak, spineless bastard you are.”

Her whole body tensed as if she might get the chance to throw down right then, but his genuinely pleased smile instantly set her on her back foot.

“You have a temper, don’t you?” he asked, making her fists clench tighter as rage built in her veins.  “Maybe we aren’t so different after all…”

“What do you want?” she growled through gritted teeth.

“You said you have questions.  I have your answers.”

“What’re you talking about?”

“I remember when Raven Branwen broke in,” he explained and, despite her better judgment, she stepped closer to the glass.

“And?”

“And she’s a criminal.  A thief.”

“Tell me something I didn’t already know,” Yang grumbled through clenched teeth, so he nodded again.

“She found a weakness in The Field and used it to slip in and steal faunium.  Once we learned of the breach, a team was sent to retrieve the faunium and silence her.”  He paused so that Yang could grasp the weight of the word before adding, “No one can know about Menagerie.  Even though we could subjugate the entire human race in weeks, there’s an irrational fear of revealing our existence.  As if humanity poses some grave threat.”

“What does that have to do with my mom?”

“Ah.”  He smiled again, and Yang decided that it was the worst smile she had ever seen.  “The recovery team didn’t find Raven, but they found the faunium - in Summer Rose’s possession.”

He paused again, and Yang’s heart raced as she leaned closer, hanging on to every word.

“She was brought back to Menagerie along with the faunium - or what was thought to be all of the faunium.”  His gaze roved over her arm before he stood tall and smirked down at her.  “She begged for forgiveness.  Promised that she would never speak a word of Menagerie to anyone.  But the law is the law.”

“What did you do to her?” she asked, her voice a whisper simmering with rage.

“King Belladonna had her executed.  She was taken out to the falls and shot.”

Adam delivered the news with cool disinterest, yet it crushed the air from Yang’s lungs.

“You’re lying.”

“Lying implies I care about your pathetic life.  You can probably find her bones at the bottom of the pool - if they haven’t been pulverized to dust by now, that is.”

Yang shouted and slammed her fist into the glass to shut him up.  The wall cracked and shimmered from the force, but he didn’t flinch.  He glanced down at her wrist instead, drawing her attention to the red blip as her arm absorbed the energy pulsating through the liquid barrier.  A small huff slipped through his lips as they both seemed to make the same realization at the same time: she could probably break through if she fully charged her arm.  Rather than do anything about that, however, he smirked and leaned closer.

“I understand how you feel…you’re just trying to make things better.  To help people.”

“You know nothing about me.”

“Don’t I?”  She scowled as his gaze roved over her, lingering on the bullet hole in her jacket before returning her gaze.  “You’re military,” he concluded, making her blink and lean away.  “You dedicated your life to the cause.  The country.  And look what you have to show for it.”

He motioned to her prosthetic arm before reaching up and removing his mask.  Her eyes widened at the angry, burnt-red scars slashed across his left eye, leaving him with only half of his vision.  His other eye was cold blue and dared her to comment on his appearance.  To recoil from whatever left him this way.

“You know what separates us from the vinecrawlers?” he asked, his voice low.  “We know how to survive.  We know that when opportunity falls into our hands, we take it.”

He curled one hand into a fist before calmly replacing his mask and stepping away.  He motioned the guards out of the room before him, then paused in the doorway and half-glanced back at her.

“I think your mom said something before she died…something like, ‘tell my girls I love them.’”

Yang punched the barrier as the door closed, shutting her in solitude.  Her chest heaved and her eyes burned as she repeatedly slammed her fist into the glass.  Each time, working out some of her anger.  Each time, absorbing some of the wall’s energy while watching the barrier heal slower and slower.

She didn’t want to believe what he said about her mom - she had no reason to believe that he was anything but a pompous, self-righteous asshole - but she couldn't think of any reason for him to lie.  Like he said - why would he care?

Thinking that her mom had died in some accident and learning that she had been murdered were very different things.  One left an unfillable void; the other left unquenchable anger.

So she slammed her fist into the wall over and over again.  A hot sweat broke out on her neck and brow, but she kept going, fueled by rage and the clawing need to free herself.

As soon as her arm reached full charge, she hit the glass so hard that it shattered outward, spraying across the floor in shards of what looked like clear clay.  The explosive, reverberating sound - rather than being freeing - sent her to the floor, covering her head as if a bomb just dropped in the room next door.  The sudden return to battle snapped her out of her anger, peeled away her rage, and left her with nothing but her training.  Take deep breaths, don’t make rash decisions, find that inner sense of calm despite the chaos.

By the time she returned to her feet, she set her hands on her hips, sucked in air, and stared at the shattered obstacle.  Her heart burned and anger fizzled at the edge of her mind, but a thread of calm wove through the turmoil.

Adam got to her.  Even if what he said was true, she couldn't let her anger control her.  If she did, she would throw herself at an entire army until she perished.  She needed an actual plan.  And, despite her assertion that she was a lone wolf, she knew that her plan needed Blake.  Blake knew the environment and knew the important players.  Most importantly, Yang needed to make sure that Blake was alright.

So she picked her way through the liquid glass, peeked into the hall, and blinked at the bright corridor.  Sunlight streamed through large, grand windows, illuminating a maze of archways and passages.  Every ceiling felt dozens of feet high - high enough to accommodate the abundant trees and clambering vines.

Faced with the unfamiliar environment, she relied on a gut instinct leading her higher.  Venturing down the halls, keeping her steps light and freezing at any sound or flicker of motion - which was often just a bird or other creature enjoying the plentiful greenery - she peered around corners and across vast courtyards.  She passed exquisite murals depicting historical events, snuck through stunning gardens filled with exotic plants, and glanced into a library stuffed with more books than she had ever seen in one place.

Her heart pounded in her ears as she took any staircase leading upwards.  When she ran out of stairs, she climbed up through the trees and hopped off onto a balcony covered in the plushest purple carpet she had ever walked on.

Before she celebrated her newfound appreciation for climbing, a murmur of conversation sent her scrambling behind a large potted plant.  She hid there for several nerve-wracking seconds and only moved after confirming that the voices were stationary.  Self-preservation told her to head the opposite direction, but instinct convinced her to creep closer.

She hardly peeked around the next corner before ducking out of the way, pressing herself flat to the wall and listening for any sounds of alarm.  When none came, she exhaled and tried to figure out what she wanted to do.

Two guards stood outside a set of regal doors at the end of the hall, softly conversing with one another to pass the time.  Considering the plush carpet, ornate paintings, and polished sconces dotting this hallway, something important was behind those doors.  Or someone.

After taking a deep breath, she stood up and turned the corner.  They spotted her instantly.  The one on the left, with large white ears on top of his head, tensed and clutched his staff.  The other, a giant of a man with a thick green tail, crouched and growled at her presence.

“Hey, boys,” she called out while striding confidently toward them.  “Is that Blake’s room?”

She pointed at the door, they glanced at each other, and she broke into a sprint.

Their staffs crackled to life, but she had played that game too many times to fall for it again.  She launched herself at them just as they swung, and twisted her body in mid-air to narrowly avoid the electric shock before landing on the floor and pummeling her prosthetic fist in the white-eared man’s midsection.  He doubled over right as her knee came up, connecting with his nose and sending him sprawling onto the ground.

The other guard’s follow-up swing forced her to jump backward, but she easily caught the end of his weapon and yanked him towards her.  He yelped as he lost his balance, then her fist connected with his temple and he dropped to the floor like a sack of potatoes.

Glancing down at the fallen guards, she huffed once before trying the door.  The handle wouldn't budge, and the panel beside it remained a foreboding red, so she searched for anything that might help.  Quickly losing patience, she gripped the handle in her right hand and spent the rest of her battery breaking it clean off the door.

She cringed when the other side of the handle thunked loudly on the floor but still hesitantly pushed the door open and stepped inside.  The first things she saw were high ceilings and tall windows letting in the Menagerie sunshine.  Then she ducked as something whistled over her head.

She spun around and raised her fists just as Blake readied another swing.  The second they saw each other, however, they froze.

“Yang?”  Blake dropped the weapon on the floor and leapt into Yang’s arms for a hug.  “Are you ok?  What’s going on?”

“I was going to ask you the same thing.”  When Blake pulled away, her arms still clutching Yang’s sides, Yang touched a new bruise growing on her jaw.  “What happened?”

“Adam held the volt staff on you for too long, so I might have tackled him, then he threw me off and got scolded by my dad.  He’s probably twice as pissed now.”  Blake shrugged off the interaction and gently set her hand on Yang’s cheek.  “Are you ok?” she asked again, her gaze flitting to the unconscious guards in the hall.

“I would be if people stopped zapping me with those dumb things.”

Yang touched her neck, which still faintly stung, and Blake cracked a miniscule smile.

“Maybe they’d stop ‘zapping’ you if you behaved.”

“Fat chance that’ll happen…” Yang grumbled before glancing around the massive room, with its elegant wooden bed and lush balcony overlooking Menagerie.  “So you left out a few things…” she said as her gaze returned to Blake.  “Like being the princess of this entire place.”

“It didn’t seem important.”

“How is that not important??”

Blake opened her mouth but then glanced away and tucked her hair behind her ear before mumbling, “Who I am here didn’t seem to matter when I was out there with you.  It was just…us.”

Yang paused then slumped her shoulders and sighed.

“It was…” she whispered, turning her wrist over to find the battery indicator flashing empty.  “Now it’s just us, your parents, and your psychotic wannabe boyfriend.  Oh, and somehow my mom’s thrown into the mix.”

Rage simmered in Yang’s chest when she remembered Adam’s words, but it fizzled the instant she saw Blake’s genuinely caring expression, and when she felt Blake’s thumb tenderly caress her cheek.

“I’ll ask my parents what happened to her.  I was going to, but I wanted to make sure Adam didn’t hurt you, and then he had his tuskers lock me in here.”  Blake clicked her tongue and scowled at the guards in the hall, but Yang frowned.

“He already told me what happened.”

Blake’s brow rose, and Yang had opened her mouth to launch into the story before something else Adam said reverberated through her thoughts: ‘When opportunity falls into our hands, we take it.’

“Yang?” Blake asked when Yang spun around, looking at the guards and the extravagant bedroom while puzzle pieces faintly clicked together in her mind.  The story felt so familiar, like a movie she had watched a thousand times yet never paid close attention to, or a book that she skimmed over and over again.

“Oh god…” she whispered when realization hit her like a thunderbolt.  After running her hands over her face, she grabbed Blake’s hands and squeezed them.  “Blake, your parents are in danger.  He’s going to kill them.”

“What?  But - why would he do that?”

“Why do you think?”  Blake blinked, but Yang’s certainty grew.  She had seen this situation play out dozens of times.  The biggest difference was that her team was usually called in to clean up the aftermath, restore stability…or legitimize the new ruling party.

“He’ll frame me,” she explained as Adam’s plan became clear.  “Think about it.  He just paraded me through the entire city.  Everyone knows I’m here.  Everyone knows where he took me.  When they hear that I got loose and killed your parents, they won’t think twice.  I’m already the villain.”

“Then he’ll name himself King and no one will fight back…” Blake concluded, her eyes wide with realization.

“Where are your parents right now?”

“They’re probably still at the royal pavilion.”

Blake was already moving, hopping over the unconscious guards before breaking into a sprint.  Yang didn’t bother paying attention to where they were going as they flew through the halls.  She followed Blake and kept an eye out for trouble.  Maybe she was wrong, but she would rather look like an idiot than say nothing and let something bad happen to Blake’s parents.  The look in Adam’s eyes when he talked about opportunity falling into his hands though…she was his opportunity.  She was the excuse he had been waiting for.

She refused to be a pawn in his plot.  Not if she could help it.  So she pushed her legs faster to keep up with Blake’s lighter, quicker pace.  Gardens, hallways, archways - the building flashed by before opening up in the grand hallway leading to the atrium that Yang had been escorted to earlier that day.  Unlike before, however, no guards stood outside the doors, nor were there any anywhere to be seen.

“Blake, wait.”  Just before Blake barreled through the doors, Yang grabbed her arm to stop her.  “How good of a fighter is he?” Yang asked, her eyes flitting to the unguarded door while a plan began to form.

“He’s commander of the entire security force.”

The response screamed ‘very good’ to Yang, so she took a deep breath and said, “He thinks you’re stuck in your room.”

“And?”

“Is there another way in?”

Blake’s brow briefly furrowed, but she quickly caught on.

“I can climb up, but it’ll take a few minutes…”

Yang could see the conflict and fear in Blake’s eyes as she looked at the door.  She wanted to barge in and end this right now.  She wanted to save her parents.  Instead, she turned away when Yang clasped one of her hands in both of hers.

“I’ll protect them.  Trust me.”

How much could you trust someone that you just met?  Would you trust them with your life?  Would you trust them with your parents’ lives?

Blake studied Yang’s eyes before discovering that answer.  She nodded and sprinted down a connecting hall, leaving Yang to take a deep breath, clench her fists, and go to the doors.  She shoved them open expecting an immediate battle only to be met with stillness punctuated by birds chirping and a murmur of voices.

Her blood ran cold when she saw Blake’s parents on their knees, hands behind their backs, with Adam standing threateningly over them.  From the look of it, he had already begun his rambling explanation for his deceit, motioning with one hand while the other rested menacingly on the hilt of his weapon.

“Hey, asshole,” Yang called out, interrupting as she stalked over.  “I wasn’t done with them.”

Blake’s parents gaped at her, but Adam’s mouth curled in a vicious smile.  He loved anger.  Rage.  And why wouldn't he?  It made people easier to manipulate.  To control.  And, in this instance, it presented the opportunity to keep his hands clean.

“Came to finish the job?”

“I deserve it, don’t I,” she snapped at him before forcing a glower at Blake’s parents.  Blake’s mom stared back with a mixture of shock and fear while her husband struggled against his bindings.

“Release us at once,” he growled, pulling his wrists barely an inch apart before they snapped back together.  He then huffed for air as his shoulders sank, exhausted from his fruitless efforts.

“Whatever you’re planning, it won’t work,” Blake’s mother added.  Her eyes searched Yang’s before moving to Adam.  “This isn’t the proper way - you know that.”

“I’ve had enough of the ‘proper way,’” Adam snarled, revealing a glimpse of the anger he coveted so much before regaining his composure.  “Everything will work out,” he stated in a calmer tone.  “And don’t worry - I’ll take good care of Blake.”

As genuine terror filled the eyes of Blake’s parents, fury poured through Yang’s veins.  Visions of Blake flashed through her mind.  Blake laughing after tackling Yang off the cliff.  Blake smiling when Yang followed her through the trees.  Blake showing so much love and respect for the world around her.  That liveliness would be snuffed out.  She would become nothing more than a pawn.  A trophy.  A semblance of legitimacy that Adam would keep on a tight leash for the rest of her life.

Blake’s father yelled and fought against his bindings while Yang clenched her fingers into fists.

“This is for my mom,” she whispered to them before spinning around and landing her fist in Adam’s jaw.  The blow caught him so off guard, and hit him so forcefully, that he crashed into the nearest tree and fell to the ground.

“And that’s for Blake, asshole,” she seethed while he clutched his jaw and staggered to his feet.

He barely managed to get upright by the time she broke into a sprint, and he hardly found solid footing before she drew her arm back and launched herself at him.  He spun away at the last possible second, and her fist left a sizable dent in the tree trunk, splintering the bark and sending birds screeching into the air.

A lightning-quick punch-kick combo forced her onto the defensive and confirmed her greatest concern: he was a skilled fighter.  She ducked out of the way of his fist, feeling the wind as it grazed her cheek, before blocking a kick with her hands and trying to put some distance between them.  He had a longer reach than her though, and rained powerful blows so hard and fast that she gave up hope of a counter-offensive.

She learned just how strong he was when a viper-fast hook slipped through, nailing her in the jaw with a resounding crack that sent her staggering to the side.  By the time she recovered, he had drawn his sword - a sinister red blade that he held at his side in one fist.

“I gave you the perfect opportunity,” he seethed while she wiped blood from her lip and spit more on the floor as it pooled in her mouth.  “For revenge,” he added, lazily slashing the sword in front of her, forcing her backward.  “And you threw it away.”

This time when he whipped his sword at her, she caught it in her right hand and didn’t let go.  He tugged once and snarled when that accomplished nothing.  Just when Yang attempted to capitalize on the stalemate, however, he raised his right hand and hit her with a pulse of energy that knocked her off of her feet.

She flew backward before skidding across the floor and slamming into a tree trunk that cracked at the base.  Or maybe it was her ribs that cracked from the blow.  Either way, by the time she regained her feet, he was already on top of her.  His hand wrapped around her neck as he slammed her against the tree, shaking loose the remaining birds with angry screeches.

“You had one purpose,” he said, slamming her into the tree trunk again.  His hand started strangling her airway, but when she grabbed his wrist he didn’t let go.  The red battery light on her prosthetic blinked at her, not charged enough to help.  He smirked, lifted her feet off the ground, and squeezed harder.

Suddenly, a black ribbon snaked down from above.  Neither of them had a chance to react before it coiled around Adam’s neck and pulled him backward.  Yang collapsed to her knees, gasping for air, as Blake catapulted out of the tree, using her momentum to yank Adam backward.  His sword slipped from his grasp as he stumbled, clawing at the ribbon constricting his throat.

Blake wrapped the ribbons around her wrists and pulled harder, bending him backward in an uncomfortable arch while sliding between his legs.  His neck twisted awkwardly as his head hit the floor, momentarily dazing him while Yang forced herself back to her feet.  Still disoriented, he grasped for a weapon, his fingers wrapping around one of the discarded staffs on the floor.

“Blake!” Yang shouted as he grabbed it and jabbed the end into Blake’s stomach, drawing a pained yelp as Blake clutched her side and sprawled onto the floor.  With Blake momentarily out of the way, he squared off with Yang, fierce determination in his eyes.

Electricity crackled at the end of the staff as he swung it at her.  Each powerful swipe, first left then right, forced her to duck and dodge to avoid the immobilizing current.  His moves were calculated and quick, leaving her little room to attack without risking another blackout.  Her eyes flitted to Blake, slowly returning to her feet, but the brief distraction caused her to react too slowly to a jab aimed right at her face.

Instinct took over - she caught the end of the staff with her hand.  The electric current crackled in the palm of her prosthetic hand as the indicator on her wrist instantly flashed green.  Adam’s gaze flitted to the light, and she smirked at him before ripping the weapon from his grasp and pummeling her fist into his stomach.

The force of the blow threw him off of his feet and sent him skidding across the floor while she relentlessly pursued.  Before he had even slid to a stop, she leaped into the air and drew her arm back like a coiled spring ready to release.  He rolled out of the way just before her fist hit the floor, but the stored energy released in a shockwave that rippled through the ground, tossing him into the air with a surprised shout.

Time slowed as Yang watched him soar away from her, his arms flailing and his mask flying off of his face.  Blake’s ribbon snaked around his neck and, with a fierce pull, she slammed him into the floor with a sickening crunch.

The birds were still squawking, and Yang’s heart pounded in her ears, but a sudden silence fell over the room.  Every muscle in Yang’s body remained tensed, and her focus solely trained on Adam, waiting for any movement or sign that he would continue the fight.  When he didn’t move for several tense seconds, Blake tossed the ends of her ribbon aside and dropped to the floor.

“Blake,” Yang breathed out before running over and sliding to her knees in front of the exhausted girl.  “Are you ok?  Are you hurt?”

Yang set one hand on Blake’s cheek and searched for injuries.  Blake covered Yang’s hand with her own and took several long, deep breaths before shaking her head.

“I’m ok,” she answered, returning the air to Yang’s lungs before quickly turning to the side.  “Mom!” she cried out while jumping to her feet and running to her parents.

While Blake freed her mom and dad, Yang went over to Adam and nudged him with her foot.  He didn’t respond, so she leaned closer to confirm that he was still breathing.  He was, so she flipped him onto his stomach and grabbed the pair of handcuffs from his belt.  It took several seconds for her to figure out how to use them, but she eventually pinned both of his wrists behind his back and slapped the cuffs into place.

Satisfied that he couldn't move even when he regained consciousness, she straightened up and smiled when she saw Blake hugging her parents.  Knowing that they deserved their joyful reunion, she studied the nearby trees and gave them their privacy.  Most of the plant life had survived the fight unscathed, but two trees had been slightly pulverized and plenty of flowers had been trampled during the fray.  The worst damage had been done to the floor, which looked like it had been hit by a meteor based on the small crater in the center of buckled metal.

Yang cringed at the sight before straightening up and putting on a polite expression as Blake and her parents walked over.  Blake’s mother clung to Blake’s arm, looking unwilling to let go anytime soon, while Blake’s father positioned himself slightly behind his family, towering over them like a mountainous protector.

“Are you ok?” Yang asked.  Thankfully, they both appeared unharmed, and they confirmed it with slight nods.  Yang nodded in return before glancing at the splinters of wood and leaves strewn about and running a hand through her hair.  “Um…sorry about the mess.”

“Don’t be, dear.  It’ll clean up.”

Yang almost pointed out that the floor would have to be redone but opted to say nothing.  She felt the awkward pause coming next but, fortunately, Blake spoke up before it arrived.

“Mom, Dad, this is Yang.”  Blake stepped closer to Yang, subtly drawing her mom along with her.  “I told you she’s a friend.  This whole thing is just a big, weird coincidence.”

Blake’s parents studied Yang, and her mom eventually smiled.

“Kali,” she introduced herself before patting her husband’s arm.  “And this is my husband, Ghira.”

“It’s nice to meet you.”

Yang hurriedly stuck out her hand for a handshake, but Kali’s furrowed brow reminded her that handshakes weren’t a thing here.  Before she dropped her hand, however, a large red bird landed on her hand with a squawk and flutter of wings that nearly made her jump out of her own skin.  Somehow, thankfully, she remained calm enough that she didn’t scare it off.

When it turned towards her, she spotted the silver eyes and silver crescent moon shape on its tuft of chest feathers.  While smaller than the first Crescent Wing that she ran into in the forest, it was still large for a bird.  And it still had no respect for personal space, as it sideways-hopped up her arm and put its beak right in her face.

“Uh…Blake?”

“That’s the second one,” Blake proudly told her parents, leaving Yang to lean her head away from the bird as it encroached.  Kali hummed at the remark before reaching out a hand, which the bird willingly hopped onto.

“Crescent Wings are excellent judges of character,” she explained, stroking the bird’s crimson feathers before giving Yang a warm smile and adding, “You’re just like your mother.”

The statement hit Yang’s heart so hard that she blinked away sudden tears.  She then looked at Blake, who smiled at her, before returning her gaze to Kali.

“How do you know my mom?” she asked, beseeching this time.  Still gently stroking the bird’s feathers, Kali looked up at her husband before meeting Yang’s gaze.

“She’s one of the few humans allowed freely in and out of Menagerie.  She’s a wonderful woman, and her contributions to our society can’t be overstated.”  Kali gently raised her arm so that the Crescent Wing flew to one of the nearby trees before smiling at Yang.  “How is she though?  I haven’t heard from her in years - she must have found what she was looking for.”

Yang gaped at the woman, whose earnest gaze erased Adam’s fabricated story.  “You didn’t know?” she whispered, and Kali’s furrowed brow only further confirmed her innocence.  “She’s dead.”  Kali’s eyes widened and Yang nodded.  “At least, we think so.  She’s been missing for eleven years.  No message, no trace.  Just…gone.”

Yang raised her hands when Kali started shaking her head.

“Oh, sweetie, I’m so sorry.”

Yang was mid-shrug when Kali pulled her into an unexpected hug.  She stiffened for an instant before relaxing into the embrace, savoring the consulting pats on her back before Kali pulled away and looked into her eyes.

“When I didn’t hear from her, I thought everything went well.  That she got tied up raising her family.  I should’ve known…”  She trailed off before taking a deep breath.  “I’ll tell you everything I know,” she promised.  “We’ll figure out what happened - I promise.  Even if that means tracking down Raven Branwen.”

“We still have a team searching for her,” Blake’s father added while Yang tried to swallow her burgeoning emotions.  “She can’t hide forever.”

Just like with Blake, Yang couldn't help but believe the man and woman standing in front of her.  Unlike Adam, they seemed to have no ulterior motives.  They seemed to be genuinely interested in helping.

“Thank you,” she got out before pausing to clear her throat.  “I appreciate it.”

“Oh, honey.  It’s the least we can do.”  Kali motioned to Adam, still unconscious on the floor, before looking over Yang’s clothing and eventually glancing at Blake.  “We have a lot to discuss, but why don’t you get cleaned up first?  I believe our daughter would love to show you around.”

Kali winked at Blake, who blushed and stared at the ground.

“I can do that…” Blake mumbled at the same time Yang offered an awkward, “Uh, sure, if that’s alright…”  Both responses amused Blake’s mom to no end, and she lightly nudged her daughter’s side before looping her arm through her husband’s.

“Take your time.  We have a bit of an internal issue to sort out at the moment.”

Kali nodded to Adam, and her husband scowled.

“He can’t have been working alone.  We’ll have to find the rest of the defectors...who are we sure we can trust?”

Blake and her mother looked at each other before Blake offered, “Sun?”

“Second choice,” her father said through gritted teeth, but his wife shook her head and laughed.

“He’s harmless, Ghira.  And loyal.  We can trust him.”

After working his jaw back and forth, he grumbled, “Fine,” and yanked the still-unconscious Adam to his feet as if he weighed nothing.  Before leaving, however, he stopped and narrowed his eyes at Yang.

“I think she just proved we can trust her,” Kali reminded him.  Still, he stared at Yang until she nodded.  He accepted her nod with one of his own before turning his attention to his wife, waiting for her to accompany him.  But first, Kali smiled - a kind, regal smile - and gently squeezed Yang’s hand.

“I’m sorry Menagerie hasn’t been very hospitable so far, but you’re more than welcome here.  Feel free to ask for anything you need, and we’ll try to get it for you.”

Kali waited for Yang’s nod of understanding before smiling, squeezing Blake’s shoulder, and returning to her husband’s side.  She held one of Ghira’s hands while the bear of a man tucked Adam underneath the other and easily walked away.  Yang watched them go before shaking her head and turning back to Blake.

“Wow, your parents are -”

The end of that sentence disappeared when Blake’s lips captured hers.  The sweet collision made her heart stutter and her breath hitch while a much different current of electricity surged through her veins.  Blake’s lips were soft yet insistent - a perfect combination that held Yang spellbound.

But, much too soon for Yang’s liking, the kiss came to an end.  Blake pulled back, a soft smile on her lips and her eyes dancing with amusement.

“Thank you,” she whispered before dropping back down to her heels.

“Uh…for what…?”

“Saving my parents’ lives and stopping Adam from taking over Menagerie?”  Brow arched, Blake gently rubbed her thumb across Yang’s split lip before kissing Yang’s cheek.  This time, she lingered and curled her fingers around Yang’s ear.  “And for two of the best days I’ve had in a long time.  For reminding me of how much I love Menagerie, and showing me what it feels like to -”  Blake paused and chuckled.  “I don’t know.  To find someone like you.”

“I should be thanking you,” Yang pointed out.  “You saved my life.  And now…you might’ve led me to a clue about what happened to my mom.  Maybe I can finally figure out what happened to her.”

She had long since given up hope that her mom was alive, but if she could figure out what happened…closure might be the next best thing.

“I hope so.”  Blake squeezed Yang’s hands before staring down at them.  She opened her mouth, said nothing, then finally met Yang’s gaze.  “Maybe I can help?”

“Help…figure out what happened to my mom?”

“And look for Raven,” Blake added before glancing away and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.  “I might not know much about your world, but…I want to help if I can.”

“Sure you want to sign up for that?  It probably means leaving Menagerie…and I’ve only been here for a couple days, but I can tell you there’s nowhere like this out there.”

“I’m sure.”  When Yang’s brow rose, Blake sighed and leaned closer.  “I may not know who I am, but I know who I’m not.  I’m not like Adam.  I’m not scared of the unknown.  I want to know more.  I want to see the world - the whole world.  If it’s as bad as everyone says, I want to see for myself.”

“Sounds like you need to have a big conversation with your parents.”

“I do.”  Blake paused and then smiled at Yang.  “I think they’ll understand.  I love Menagerie now more than ever, but…this is something I want to do, and I want to do it with you.”  As a smile slipped onto Yang’s lips, Blake’s smile brightened.  “So…what do you say?  Want to go on another adventure?”

“You aren’t going to tackle me off another cliff, are you?”

“Depends.  Are there any driftbough leaves nearby?”

“There aren’t any leaves like that where I’m from.”

“Then how do you do your ‘HALO’ jumping?”

“With a parachute.”  When Blake tilted her head, Yang scrambled for a description.  “It’s like…a giant piece of fabric tied to ropes that you strap yourself into, and you hold onto the ropes so that you can steer yourself…”  Yang stopped and shook her head.  “How about I just show you?”

“I’d like that.”  Blake beamed and pecked Yang on the lips before adding, “Sounds kind of boring though.”

Yang laughed and shook her head while Blake’s hand slid down her arm and nestled into her own.  “Yeah, a lot’s probably going to be pretty boring to you.”

“But it’ll be fun with you,” Blake added.  Her gaze drifted to the splintered tree trunks and trampled flowers, and a frown snuck onto her lips.  The emotion flitted away though, quickly replaced by another smile.  “We fight well together,” she commented.  “Makes me wonder what else we’d do well together…”

Yang’s heart stopped when Blake winked at her, and a rampant blush took over her cheeks as Blake grabbed her other hand and dragged her out of the grand atrium.

“I, uh, well -” Yang sputtered, much to Blake’s delight, before grasping onto the first chaste topic she could find.  “Is there any way I can call someone from here?  I should tell Ruby I’m alive.”

“I think my mom has some way to contact the human world.  We can ask her later.”

“Guessing I can’t tell Ruby about any of this.”  Yang motioned to the grand hallways, but Blake pursed her lips.

“We’ll ask about that, too.  Maybe they’d be ok with it.  But for now…”  Blake tugged Yang close and buried her nose into the front of Yang’s jacket.  “I think you’ve earned that bath.”

“A real bath or are you going to shove me into another river?”

“You’ll just have to wait and see, won’t you?”  Blake’s eyes sparkled when Yang laughed, and she kept one hand intertwined with Yang’s while leading them further into the palace.  “Now, can we please get you some real clothes?  These ‘useless human threads’ are driving me crazy.”

When Yang laughed, Blake glanced back, her eyes sparkling with lighthearted mischief.  Despite being in another world, Yang couldn't help but feel comfortable as long as Blake was by her side, and the banter between them continued, echoing throughout the tall halls of the palace that Blake called home.

They might not have known each other for long, but time didn’t matter as much as the depth of their connection.  Some might call it instinct.  Some might call it a gut feeling.  But Yang had always heard it referred to in another way - oftentimes shouted over the roar of wind and engines as she stood in the open doorway of an airplane, staring at the world thousands of feet below.

A leap of faith.  A daring plunge with no guarantee of safety, but with the hope of accomplishing something wonderful along the way.  Trusting in yourself, and in someone else, to catch you.  To guide you.  To save you.

Yang knew the feeling all too well, and she found it mirrored in Blake’s amber eyes.  It reminded her that sometimes the most profound connections were formed in the briefest of moments, like falling off a mountainside certain that she was going to die, or feeling her stomach drop as a tree branch bent under her feet, or eating a strange fruit that looked like the moon, or thwarting some power-hungry commander’s villainous coup.  Now, walking hand-in-hand with Blake, she realized that this might be the most thrilling, rewarding fall of her life.  And together…they might find all the answers they were searching for.